40 Days at the Fort helps students engage with campus community

Story by DAKOTA GLORIA Photos by RORY MOORE

Tiger Media Network

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Fort Hays State University’s 40 Days at the Fort is an engagement program to help new and returning students acclimate to campus life. It spans the first forty days of the academic year and features events and activities to connect students with various campus organizations, resources, and the local community.

The program began with the Back-to-School Picnic, which introduced students to various campus and community organizations.

First-year freshman River Einspahr attended the picnic as part of 40 Days.

“It was super cool to see all the clubs and activities that FHSU offers around campus,” Einspahr said. “I also had great conversations with the people working some of the booths and I met a lot of first-year freshmen like me, which was very nice.” 

Another highlight of 40 Days is Friday Night Lights, featuring a fun evening of games, food, music, and giveaways in the Lewis Field Stadium parking lot. Other events that are part of 40 Days at the Fort will include block parties with Christian Challenge, Wallyball Wednesday, yoga on the quad, and community socials, which include free food. The full schedule can be found here. 

“We do 40 Days at the Fort because it helps students connect with our campus community during the first few weeks of the fall semester,” said Parker Opat, a student engagement staff member on the FHSU campus. “Getting involved early can make a huge difference in a student’s college experience, so we have 40 Days at the Fort to provide a range of events and activities encouraging students to get involved.”

Attending these events is a great way to connect with the FHSU campus, engage with the Hays community, and build strong friendships and connections with fellow students and staff.