{"id":97095,"date":"2026-04-29T08:19:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=97095"},"modified":"2026-04-29T08:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:19:21","slug":"informatics-tmn-students-earn-national-honors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=97095","title":{"rendered":"Informatics, TMN students earn national honors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By TIGER MEDIA NETWORK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students from the Department of Informatics and Tiger Media Network continue to represent Fort Hays State University well regionally and nationally in prestigious competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the third year in a row, the TMN sports production team won top honors for a live production of a sporting event in the Student Production Awards of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Heartland Chapter<\/a>. The Heartland Region includes universities from Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s winning production featured the live broadcast of the FHSU men\u2019s basketball team hosting top-ranked Washburn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those helping on the winning Live Sporting Event\/Game category broadcast included Kaden Warner, producer; Evan Liess, director; Clare Tholstrup, tech director; Aron Bencze, replay; Coy Stutterheim, audio; Lincoln Mills, camera; Mike Makhviladze, camera; Halle Habiger, camera; Austin Meyer, camera; Kyson Evans, camera; Kyler Rowden-Stum, camera; Garrett Wellbrock, play-by-play; and Connor Adams, color commentary. Advisors included Russell Heitmann, assistant director of TMN, and Nick Schwien, TMN director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wellbrock also won top honors in the category for Talent \u2013 News or Sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Little was a winner in the category for Non-Fiction \u2013 Long Form for his documentary featuring Bethesda Place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExperiential learning opportunities created in co-curricular spaces like TMN are central to our mission as a college,\u201d said Melissa Hunsicker-Walburn, dean of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship. \u201cWhen faculty mentor students through real-world, high-impact projects, it not only strengthens their technical and creative skills to develop compelling portfolios that showcase their talents, but also builds the confidence and professional judgment they need to succeed after graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total for the Heartland awards, FHSU had eight nominees this year, with three winners. It was the most nominations in FHSU school history and tied for the most winners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe work our students continue to do showcases the skills they learn at our NCAA Division II university,\u201d Schwien said. \u201cWe pride ourselves on teaching students how to grow their knowledge of the industry, which leads to award-winning work. The hard work of the students shows how they buy into our programs \u2014 from the classroom and well beyond.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FHSU students also won four honors at the nationally recognized Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. The contest showcases the best work in the nation from all NCAA and NAIA classifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wellbrock finished second in the Audio\/Video Event: Play-by-Play Talent category. Wellbrock\u2019s submission came during the 2025 MIAA basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo. His second-place finish was one of the best in school history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eli Blankinship earned an Award of Excellence in the same category, giving FHSU two of the top eight students honored in the annual competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taylor Thompson also had a standout performance, finishing third in the Promotional Video\/Tease\/PSA category. Her submission was a PSA featuring Tiger Media Network\u2019s sports productions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little was also honored with an Award of Excellence for his Short-form Documentary. Little\u2019s video was produced in Stephen Schleicher\u2019s Advanced Video class and was titled \u201cBethesda: Beyond the Label.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt Fort Hays State University\u2019s Department of Informatics, students build a strong foundation in storytelling while gaining hands-on, professional-level production skills,\u201d Schleicher said. \u201cThese awards are a reflection of how well they are prepared to create meaningful, polished work that connects with audiences. We are very proud of our students and look forward to seeing more of their work reach an even wider audience after graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In BEA rankings, FHSU finished 13th<\/sup>\u00a0in the 2025 Top Winning Documentary Programs \u2014 and was the top-ranked university in Kansas and the only one in the top 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Hays tied for 31st<\/sup> in both the 2025 Top Winning Sports Programs and the 2025 Top Winning News Programs divisions. Overall, FHSU tied for 48th<\/sup> in the BEA top winning overall programs, which was the best finish by any university in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeeing our students recognized for their work is always a source of tremendous pride. These awards reflect not only their talent and creativity but also the long hours, persistence, collaboration and care they put into every project,\u201d Schleicher said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Hays students also took home four first-place honors in the Kansas Association of Broadcasters\u2019 Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blankinship won first in the Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter category, and TMN took first in Best Special Programming for its livestream of the Sgt. Scott Heimann Memorial Service. That production was directed by Liess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a big part of my career development to win two significant awards after transferring to FHSU,\u201d said Liess, who joined TMN after two years at Butler Community College. \u201cIt was important for me to come into a nationally ranked media program and learn additional skills to help me progress to my future career. It\u2019s impressive that a DII program can compete against any level in college and have continued success in sports and news broadcasting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TMN summer internship program featuring a documentary about affordable housing in Hays earned first place in the KAB Documentary category for college visual arts, and the trailer for \u201cThe Cost of a Dream\u201d earned top billing in the Promotional Announcement category. The documentary was produced by Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans and Katie Kuhlman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe opportunities we provide our students with when they first step on campus shows our commitment to them and their success \u2014 not only in the classroom but in real-world situations as well,\u201d Schwien said. \u201cThat instills a forward-thinking process, confidence and appreciation for their growth in their time at FHSU. It provides our graduates with a career-ready attitude and appreciation for their education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

List of awards for FHSU students<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Heartland Student Production Awards<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-Fiction \u2014 Short Form<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nominees: \u201cFinding Family\u201d by Taylor Thompson; \u201cThe Fort\u201d by Kaden Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-Fiction \u2014 Long Form<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nominees: \u201cBethesda: Beyond the Label\u201d by Daniel Little*<\/strong>; \u201cThe Cost of a Dream\u201d by Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans and Katie Kuhlman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live Sporting Event\/Game<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nominee: FHSU vs. Washburn men\u2019s basketball by Tiger Media Network*.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promotional Video<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nominee: Tiger Media Network promo by Taylor Thompson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talent \u2014 News or Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nominees: Garrett Wellbrock Play-by-Play*<\/strong>; Eli Blankinship Play-by-Play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*<\/strong>  \u2014 Indicates Heartland Region winner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BEA Awards of Excellence<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audio\/Video Event: Play by Play Talent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 Garrett Wellbrock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award of Excellence \u2014 Eli Blankinship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promotional Video\/Tease\/PSA Category<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3rd<\/sup> place \u2014 Taylor Thompson, Tiger Media Network promo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short-form Documentary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award of Excellence \u2014 Daniel Little, \u201cBethesda: Beyond the Label.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Society of Professional Journalists Region 7 Mark of Excellence Awards 2025<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sports Writing (Large, 10K+ students)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finalist \u2014 Loewe assists in leadership role for FHSU women\u2019s basketball, Kyson Evans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography, Videography, Art, Graphics and Multimedia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking News Photography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner \u2014 Fallen officer escort passes through Hays, Rory Moore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo essay\/Slideshow<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finalist \u2014 Ellis County Fair rocks, Rory Moore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sports Videography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner \u2014 Area Game of the Week recap: Little River at Central Plains, Parker Nisbeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kansas Association of Broadcasters\u2019 Awards<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

College Audio<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

60-second or less commercial: PSA or non-com donor announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honorable Mention \u2014 Area Game of the Week PSA, Eli Blankinship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complete Sports Feature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 FHSU vs. KU recap, Eli Blankinship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1st<\/sup> place \u2014 Eli Blankinship Color Commentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honorable mention \u2014 Connor Adams Color Commentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Station Website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 Tiger Media Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Podcast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honorable Mention \u2014 TMN Sports Podcast, Mayan Paz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College Visual<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

60-second or less commercial: PSA or non-com donor announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 TMN Area Game of the Week promo, Eli Blankinship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Special Programming<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1st<\/sup> place \u2014 \u201cSgt. Scott Heimann Memorial Service,\u201d TMN staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promotional Announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1st<\/sup> place \u2014 Trailer: \u201cThe Cost of a Dream,\u201d Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans, Katie Kuhlman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honorable Mention \u2014 FHSU football vs. UCO Scene-Setter, Kaden Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Sportscast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 TMN Area Game of the Week Preview Show: Week 9, Eli Blankinship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sports Play-by-Play<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 Garrett Wellbrock Play-by-Play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Documentary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1st<\/sup> place \u2014 \u201cThe Cost of a Dream,\u201d Taylor Thompson, Kyson Evans, Katie Kuhlman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 \u201cBethesda: Beyond the Label,\u201d Daniel Little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Station Website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd<\/sup> place \u2014 Tiger Media Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By TIGER MEDIA NETWORK Students from the Department of Informatics and Tiger Media Network continue to represent Fort Hays State University well regionally and nationally… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":97096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3397,3398,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-area-news","category-campus-news","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Heartland-2026.png?fit=367%2C211&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=97095"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97097,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97095\/revisions\/97097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/97096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=97095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=97095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=97095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}