STORY BY CORIE LYNN
The Fort Hays State University Foundation held a press conference on Thursday, August 22 to give an update on the progress of the magnitude of the Journey Campaign.
This fundraising campaign began during Homecoming of 2016 and has the ultimate goal of raising $100 million by Homecoming of 2021.
“At that time, and still at this time it is the most aggressive, largest fundraising campaign in school history,” said FHSU Foundation President and CEO Jason Williby during the conference.
He went on to explain that the money raised would be used for a range of needs at the university.
“The four pillars of that campaign are scholarships, academics, athletics, and student life,” Williby said. According to him, this is with the goal of keeping as many parts of the university involved in the campaign as possible.
Following President Williby, FHSU Foundation Board of Trustees member Journey Campaign Co-Chair Steve Shields took the stand to announce the progress of the campaign.
“I’m really pleased,” Shields said, “to announce that we’re not only on schedule, we’re ahead of schedule. We have, as of June 30th, a total of $88 million.”
He went on to thank the alumni and other donors as well as went on to explain how important donations are, not only to the university, but to the students as well.
“Fort Hays is very generously remembered in my estate and it’s because we all have a responsibility that we need to be mindful of,” said Shields. “We have to be mindful that, among the many other reasons that being alive is an important thing, to have lived means we have helped people on the off-ramp as they prepare to move on.”
Student Government Association President Brad DeMers was invited to speak on behalf of the students after Shields and discussed how scholarships have impacted his life as a student.
“This scholarship made me feel welcome to Fort Hays,” he said. “This scholarship eased my financial burden. This scholarship made my choice of leaving home an easy one.”
He went on to say how the progress the fundraising campaign has made shows the dedication of those contributing.
“Because of your generous donations, students who wouldn’t be able to attend college now have the opportunity to,” said DeMers. According to him, this also leads to an inclusivity at the university that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
The final guest speaker was FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason.
“We are here to celebrate the kind of significant acts of service, charities, and willingness to serve,” President Mason said.
She went on to acknowledge specific donors in the campaign and resources their donations brought to FHSU. This included the largest donation to be received in the school’s history, a new video screen at Gross Memorial Coliseum, a nursing simulation lab, new busses for the athletic department, and over $13.8 million in student scholarships.
However, President Mason went on to remind the audience that all donations, regardless of size, matter to Fort Hays State and its students. This included the one-third of donors who had gifts of less than one hundred dollars.
“Although it’s not possible for me to mention every donor’s name within the timeframe of the press conference,” she said, “please know that we are beyond grateful for your commitment to this university.”
The press conference concluded following President Mason’s address as well as with Jason Williby encouraging participation in the campaign and the upcoming Tiger Auction.