I am from Ellis, Kansas, and have lived here most of my life. I am in my 25th year of education, 23 of which have been in Ellis. I was a nontraditional teacher, as I didn’t start teaching until I was 34. I have two stepchildren who live around the Manhattan area: Rylee, 25, and Talon, 23.
What do you now do for a living? How did you end up choosing this career path?
I am the principal of Washington Grade School in Ellis and am in my 15th year in this position. I received a BS in Psychology in 1990, was in the workforce for a few years, and decided to return to school for education. I enrolled at FHSU in 1997 and, in 1999, had my BS in Elementary Education. I started taking classes for my administration degree and graduated in 2004. This was never a profession I would have seen myself doing when I was young, but it has been a very rewarding career.
Why did you choose to attend FHSU?
I chose FHSU because it was 15 miles away.
What are your favorite memories from your time as a student?
I would have to say playing football and getting to know friends from all over the country, some of whom I keep in touch with. Not only the people I met through sports but all the people who I became friends with while attending FHSU.
What advice do you have for current or prospective FHSU students?
The best advice I can give is to meet new people. I attended when I got out of high school but only lasted three weeks because I was driving from Ellis. If I had moved into the dorms, I would have immediately made new friends.
Tell us about someone at FHSU who has left a lasting impression:
I have to say two professors, Dr. Stehno and Dr. Slattery. I had them over 25 years ago, but if I see them in public, we can always strike up a conversation.
In what ways are you proud to be a Tiger?
It is hard to put into words; I just know I get a good feeling whenever I am on campus for different events. I also like all the renovations and new buildings that make the campus look great.