FHSU Alumni Office announces nominees for the 2023 Torch, Pilot, and Lighthouse Awards 

FHSU Alumni Office announces nominees for the 2023 Torch, Pilot, and Lighthouse Awards 

04/28/23, state, local  

By: FHSU Alumni 
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State University Alumni Office has announced nominees for its three honorary commencement awards. Recipients of each award will be announced at a press conference at 9 a.m., Tuesday, May 2, in the Memorial Union Peter Werth Black & Gold room on campus, with refreshments to follow. The public is welcome to attend and join in celebrating these outstanding Tigers.  

Twenty graduating seniors have been nominated for the 2023 Torch Award, acknowledging classroom excellence, leadership, participation in professional organizations, and student, civic, or research activities. Eight graduate students from the 2022-23 academic year received nominations for the Lighthouse Award, honoring outstanding students completing graduate studies. 

The graduating class of 2023 nominated 27 faculty members for the Pilot Award, recognizing classroom excellence, ongoing research, and service activities.  

The Torch and Pilot Awards, created in 1974, and the Lighthouse Award, established in 2018, are presented annually. Nominees listed completed all requested information by the deadline specified by the Alumni Office. 
  

Nominees for the Torch and Lighthouse Awards are listed alphabetically by state and hometown. Pilot Award nominees are listed alphabetically by last name. 

2023 Torch Award Nominees 

* Denotes finalists for each award.  

Kansas 

BELOIT 

   Trinity Wagner, Business Administration – Marketing 

CHENEY 

   Coy Lampe, Business Administration – Finance 

CONCORDIA 

   Ciara Kearn, Communication Sciences and Disorders 

GARNETT 

   Jenna Schmit*, Communication Sciences and Disorders 

HAYS 

   Loganne Ditter, Psychology, Criminal Justice 

   Ethan Lang*, Finance – Financial Planning 

   Holly Linenberger, Fine Arts – Interior Design 

MINNEAPOLIS 

   Karisma Vignery, Math Education 

OXFORD 

   Elisa Donley*, Agriculture – Agronomy Business 

PRATT 

   Sydney Koirth, Medical Diagnostic Imaging – Ultrasound 

SALINA 

   Kaiden O’Dell, Geology 

STERLING 

   Jessica Reid, Medical Diagnostic Imaging – Ultrasound 

TOPEKA 

   Cole Berry, Organizational Leadership 

ULYSSES 

   Slater Heglin, Business Education – Talent Development  

WICHITA 

   Brett Loving, Business Administration – Accounting 

Colorado 

BOULDER 

   Reilly Madden, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Criminal Justice 

LONGMONT 

   Emily Reitz*, Health and Human Performance – Sport and Exercise Therapy 

WESTMINSTER 

   Brynn Wooten*, Geology, Biology 

North Dakota 

MANDAN 

   Niassa Harris-Wazoua, Organizational Leadership 

Oklahoma 

OWASSO 

   William Tinney, Organizational Leadership 

2023 Lighthouse Award Nominees 

Kansas 

BALDWIN CITY 

   Abigail Hayes*, Master of Professional Studies in Criminal Justice 

DODGE CITY 

   Omar Alvarez, Master of Business Administration 

HAYS 

   Tanner Callis*, MA in English 

   Robyn Hartman*, Master of Professional Studies in Instructional Design 

HUTCHINSON 

   Anna Deal, Master of Science in Organizational Communication 

TOPEKA 

   Diane Nuñez*, Master of Science in Geosciences – Geography 

Colorado 

EADS 

   Mindi Uhland, Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology 

Oklahoma 

ALVA 

Whitney Randall*, Master of Science in Health and Human Performance – Sports Administration 

2023 Pilot Award Nominees 

Ivalah Allen, associate professor, Music and Theatre 

Dr. Medhavi Ambardar, assistant professor, Biological Sciences 

Dr. James Balthazor, associate professor, Chemistry 

Dr. Sarah Broman Miller, assistant professor, Teacher Education 

Dr. Matthew Clay, assistant professor, Teacher Education 

Dr. Clyde Cranwell, associate professor, Agriculture 

Eric Deneault*, associate professor, Applied Technology 

Dr. Linda Feldstein, assistant professor, Teacher Education 

Brad Goebel, instructor, Applied Business Studies 

Dr. Brent Goertzen, professor, Leadership Studies 

Dr. Christina Glenn, assistant professor, Economics, Finance, and Accounting 

Nathan Howard, assistant professor, Applied Technology 

Dr. Kaley Klaus*, assistant professor and international coordinator, Leadership Studies 

Dr. Robert Lloyd, associate professor and Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship director of strategic partnerships, Management 

Dr. Tamara Lynn*, chair, Criminal Justice 

Brooke Mann, instructor, Psychology 

Tara Marshall*, instructor Communication Sciences and Disorders 

Mary Martin, professor, Applied Business Studies 

Hollie Marquess, lecturer, History 

Dr. Edwin Olmstead, assistant professor, Chemistry 

Dr. Lorelei Patrick, assistant professor, Biological Sciences 

Dr. Ziwei Qi*, assistant professor, Criminal Justice 

Dr. Wendy Rohleder-Sook, assistant professor, Political Science 

Jeremy Ryan, instructor, Agriculture 

Dr. Samuel Schreyer, professor, Economics, Finance, and Accounting 

Jennifer Wagner, director and professor, Allied Health 

– end – 

FHSU Announces Commencement Award Winners

Family, friends, and the Fort Hays State University community gathered on campus to celebrate the tremendous achievements of this year’s Torch, Lighthouse, and Pilot award recipients. Chelsea Kiefer, a senior history major, received this year’s Torch Award, and Sonja...

FHSU Alumni Office Announces 2024 Torch, Lighthouse, and Pilot Award Nominees

The Fort Hays State University Alumni Office has announced nominees for its three honorary commencement awards. Recipients of each award will be announced at a press conference on Tuesday, April 30, at 9:00 a.m. in the Memorial Union’s Peter Werth Black and Gold Room,...

Tiger family reunites during FHSU Homecoming

10/3/23, state localBy: FHSU Alumni OfficeHAYS, Kan. – Homecoming weekend at Fort Hays State University drew hundreds of alumni, friends, and community members back to campus. Graduates nationwide traveled to Hays to celebrate special memories from their time at FHSU....

The enduring traditions of FHSU Homecoming

09/15/23, state local By: FHSU Alumni   HAYS, Kan. – Like many beloved traditions at Fort Hays State University, its annual Homecoming celebrations can bring back memories and nostalgia. The final week of September, FHSU will welcome back generations of alumni...

FHSU Reveals 2023 Homecoming Awardees

08/08/23, state local By: FHSU Alumni Office HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State University will honor six outstanding alumni and friends during its upcoming Homecoming celebration September 28-30. Visit www.FHSUhomecoming.com to learn more about how these award winners will...

Nita M. Landrum

33 Years of Service to FHSU  1928-1961  Nita M. Landrum embodied Fort Hays State University’s values of hard work and service to others. Landrum enrolled at FHSU in 1924 with her husband, Charles H. Landrum, a history professor at the college. She became an Alpha...

FHSU Announces 2023 Commencement Award Winners

Fort Hays State University proudly announced its 2023 commencement award recipients during a press conference in the Memorial Union Tuesday morning. The three highly coveted annual awards recognize outstanding efforts and achievements of FHSU students and faculty. The...

FHSU Rodeo Honors Inaugural Hall of Fame Class

In honor of its unique and distinct history, the Fort Hays State University Rodeo has established its first-ever Hall of Fame class to recognize individuals whose contributions have shaped Fort Hays State’s rodeo or the rodeo industry.  “For the inaugural class, 22...

Wellbrock Reflects on 20 years as the Voice of the Tigers

When Gerard Wellbrock became the eighth Voice of the Tigers at Fort Hays State University, he only hoped he could fill the role's big shoes previously worn by four Kansas Hall of Fame broadcasters.  After taking the helm more than 20 years ago, Wellbrock likens the...

Palmer impacts Fort Hays State students and musicians

The familiar swell of music fills Palmer Hall at Fort Hays State University each summer for the annual High Plains Music Camp. The hall’s namesake, Harold G. Palmer, established the camp over 75 years ago. His legacy lives on through the sharing of music and the...