By UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
The Fort Hays State University Foundation announced the start of its annual Campus Campaign Friday during a press conference in the Memorial Union’s Sunset Atrium.
The Campus Campaign is an initiative to encourage current and retired faculty and staff of the university to make a gift back to FHSU. Faculty and staff contribute in varying ways to departments, athletic teams, student organizations and scholarships. As employees, faculty and staff also have the unique option to make their gifts via payroll deduction.
“All gifts to FHSU from faculty and staff, no matter what area they choose to support, count toward not only our Campus Campaign but also our Journey campaign,” said Jason Williby, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation.
This year’s campaign is chaired by the presidents of Fort Hays State’s staff, faculty and student governing bodies, Lisa Lang, Dr. Tony Gabel and Adam Schibi.
While the FHSU Foundation focuses on campus gifts for a month, participation is counted throughout the entire fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
Lang, who serves as finance and database manager for the FHSU Alumni Association and as president of the University Support Staff Senate, shared the pride and gratitude many staff members feel towards Fort Hays State.
“As staff, we can be that difference when we take the time to say hello, to share information, to give advice or simply listen,” she said. “Another way to be that difference is with our financial support.”
Student Government Association President Adam Schibi thanked everyone present for their support.
“Personally,” said Schibi, “I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship early on in college, which required me to work only one part-time job. This afforded me the necessary time to focus on my classes, to get involved on campus, to discover who I was and who I wanted to be.”
“I wouldn’t be serving as the president of our Student Government Association if it wouldn’t have been for that first scholarship,” he said.
Dr. Tony Gabel, associate professor of management and president of the Faculty Senate, noted that he and his wife, Chris, “have benefitted from the generosity of others.”
“As a faculty member, I have learned the impact that even a small gift, the smallest of gifts in fact, have on our students,” he said. “We have been inspired to establish our own named scholarship. After all, why not give now and experience the joy of giving while helping outstanding and deserving students?”
“Every student matters, and every gift matters,” said Dr. Tisa Mason, president of Fort Hays State. “As faculty and staff, we know firsthand that many of our students struggle financially. I want to continue to pay forward the many blessings that I’ve received, to make a difference for others.”
“Just imagine, with more than 920 faculty and staff,” she said, “what we could accomplish if we all sat down and wrote a check – how that little bit of money from each of us could mean everything to someone else and, in the process, change the trajectory of their lives.”
As the fundraising arm of the university, the FHSU Foundation raises and manages all funds that are entrusted to it for the benefit of various needs in support of the university and works closely with FHSU to support the university’s initiatives.
To learn more about the Fort Hays State University Foundation and the funding needs of Fort Hays State, visit https://foundation.fhsu.edu, call 785-628-5620 or email foundation@fhsu.edu.