Early last week, the first of the top five Fort Hays State University presidential candidates, Tisa Mason, was announced.
At first, Mason didn’t intend to apply for the position, but after speaking with close friends and family, she changed her mind.
“When President Hammond first made his announcement, of course I was sad because I really enjoyed working here with him, and my first inclination was not to apply. I was very surprised and very humbled that so many people had asked me to consider it,” Mason said.
She even received an input from retiring president, Edward Hammond, himself.
“I talked to President Hammond, in depth, about what I see of his job, but what are the other things that I don’t know, and asked him if he saw me in the role, and if he thought I was qualified,” Mason said.
With the additional advice given to her by friends and family, Mason was able to draw a conclusion.
“I talked to other mentors such as my former supervisor, who’s been through presidential searches, herself. I talked to my friend Michael Shonrock, who is the new president at Emporia State. I also talked to my family and my husband, because they all also have roles. So, based on that feedback, I thought about the fact that I thought that I could do the job, and when I thought about the incredible talent I would be surrounded by, I know I couldn’t do this alone, I know I have a great leadership team on this campus, faculty, staff, and students. Since I consider them my family, I think we could make this a family business and I think we can move forward together,” Mason said.
Mason also believes there are many reasons why she is qualified to be our next university president.
“I have a very diverse skill set. I’ve worked at very different types on institutions, which gives you different perspectives. I’ve worked at small, private, and four-year community, and two state comprehensive universities, such as Fort Hays. I have fundraising skills, because I also worked at a non-profit for ten years, so I have excellent management skills, I have political skills. I’ve been trained in lobbying, media relations, strategic planning and board development. I’m certified as an association executive. I’ve taught and in the last six years, I’ve co-authored three chapters in books. So, I think I have a lot of really good experiences to draw upon,” Mason said.
During her professional career, Mason has had plenty of experience with working for new presidents and board chair members.
“Even in higher education, I’ve worked for seven different presidents, because every single institution I worked for or attended, except for one, went through a presidential transition while I was there. At the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, I worked for three chancellors in four years. So I’ve learned a lot about transitions. In Sigma Kappa, where I worked as a non-profit executive director and executive director of their foundation, I worked for eight different board chairs and different boards. Working for a board is really different than working for a person, and in this position [VP of Student Affairs], you report to a board,” Mason said.
Even through her positive experiences, Mason has also had to deal with emotional and gloomy situations.
“When I was in Whitewater, I managed 19 student deaths, which was a lot. We had fires, so we were in crisis. We usually don’t like to talk about that aspect, but I’ve got a lot of experience in that, as well. That’s when you need strong leadership, is when you’re in crisis,” Mason said.
Overall, Mason believes she has the right enthusiasm for the position and is able to lead FHSU.
“I think I have the passion for Fort Hays, it’s home and it’s family. I understand the culture here and I understand the ethos. I think I bring a pretty strong skill set, to continue to move the university forward,” Mason said.
Mason says her favorite part of her current job is welcoming the freshmen and following them through their commencement. She also loves advising student organizations and spending time with as many students as possible.
“I love this job. Every single day, I come here with a smile and I’m really excited, and that’s how it should be,” Mason said.
Mason has been a member of the FHSU community since 2008 and is currently serving as vice president of student affairs.
If selected to be the next FHSU president, a nationwide search will be completed to find the next vice president of student affairs.
The Presidential Search Committee will give its recommendations about the candidates to the Board of Regents after all five candidates are announced and interviewed on the FHSU campus.
The naming of the new president is expected to be announced in late April.