Tanner Davis ’16

My name is Tanner Davis, and I have been married for 11 years to my wife, Jennifer Davis. We have two beautiful daughters, Addilynn (age 9) and Izabella (age 5). We recently moved to Great Bend, KS, to be closer to family. In my free time, I referee football and basketball and help our daughters show pigs in 4H.


What do you now do for a living? How did you end up choosing this career path?
I graduated from Rossville High School, then Kansas State University, with an education degree. After graduation, I moved with my wife to Southeast Kansas, where I taught AG and PE for seven years while coaching. Then, I earned a master’s degree in administration and later worked at Neodesha High School as their athletic director and assistant principal. This school year, I decided to move closer to my wife’s family and took an assistant principal position at Great Bend Middle School. I chose education because, at first, it was my field of study while I was at a community college for four years. I then switched to PE to help with my coaching duties, and lastly, I decided to get my master‘s and look for a job in administration because I knew that I could make a difference in our schools and help with policy changes from a higher level.


Why did you choose to attend FHSU?
I chose FHSU because not only were the courses fully online (which was great since I was in Southeast Kansas for most of my time getting my master’s), but with a growing family and coaching responsibilities, I needed the flexibility that online classes offered. I know that online courses are not for everyone, but if you have a busy schedule and want to further your career, FHSU programs are the way to go.


What are your favorite memories from your time as a student?
Although know of my memories came from being on campus, the memories that FHSU has given me are one of being able to be successful while still pursuing a degree that will help me move on up in my career choice.


What advice do you have for current or prospective FHSU students?
I would give anyone wanting to go to college the advice (whether for an undergrad or master-level courses) to do it. It will be challenging, but it will always be worth it. I gained so much more from doing this than I would have ever imagined.


In what ways are you proud to be a Tiger?
I’m proud to be a Tiger because FHSU helped me pave a new career path for myself without having to worry about the struggles of college life. I got my degree from over 6 hours away, which saved me time and money. I will forever be grateful to FHSU for allowing students like me to keep doing with their dreams without giving up so much.

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