As much as things seem to change through the years, some things never do. While the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association is moving boldly into the 21st century in many areas, such as computerization and electronic communication, it still maintains some of the successful programs established many years ago.

Early in the life of the institution, FHSU recognized the need to maintain ties to the campus and to strengthen friendships among Tiger alumni and friends. This began the need for an Alumni Association. The 1916 Reveille yearbook mentions a newly created Alumni Association. The 1917 treasurer’s report shows that life membership dues were $5 and that the association used the money to publish an alumni directory. The association has maintained an office on campus since 1928.

Today, with more than 36,000 graduates living throughout the United States and 61 foreign countries, the success of the Alumni Association can be attributed to the vision and direction of its eight directors. Realizing that alumni are so very important, the association has initiated many new programs and services for their benefit throughout the years.

Lulu Bice
Prior to 1928

Lulu Bice ’04 worked as a college librarian at FHSU and kept records of the names and addresses of all degree and diploma graduates. The association, newly formed, worked to arrange homecoming and the commencement dinners for graduates, alumni, faculty and friends. The association also began the Student Loan Fund in 1924, which provided senior students with loans that were repaid after graduation.

Harold Stones
1961-1967
Harold Stones ’58, ’58 believed that the most important goal the association had was getting alumni involved in and staying connected to FHSU. Stones worked as the part-time executive secretary of the Alumni Association. "We did everything we could to get every alumni back to campus, to visit the campus and feel good about it," said Stones. Keeping track of alumni proved to be his most difficult task. Stones worked to try to change the image alumni had about the college, wanting them to see FHSU as a "with-it college." During his tenure, numerous alumni chapters were formed, including one in Washington D.C. Alumni became involved with fundraisers and broke ground for the Memorial Union, a place which Stones described as "the living room of the campus."

After leaving the Alumni Association, Stones became the executive vice-president of the Kansas Bankers Association until 1997. As a gift for 25 years in the KBA, a debate scholarship to FHSU was set up in his name. Stones now works for Sen. Pat Roberts as an economic and development liaison and serves on the Advisory Committee on Science, Technology and the Future. Stones maintains his ties to FHSU by serving on the Endowment Association Board of Directors. Stones says working in the Alumni Association gave him "tremendous personal growth. It allowed me to network with wonderful people I may not have otherwise known. There is no atmosphere quite as exhilarating as working on a college campus."

Milford Messer
1967-1969
Milford Messer ’58, ’63 served as alumni director for FHSU during what he described as a very peaceful period. Messer came back to campus during the summer of 1967 first to serve as executive assistant to the academic dean but moved over to alumni director when the position was opened. He led the Alumni Association from the summer of 1967 until the summer of 1969. During that time, the Alumni Association was very limited, he explained. "We had a secretary who maintained records and files. We had a card file that we created after every graduation," said Messer.

The association’s largest undertaking during his term was the retirement celebration of President Morton Cunningham. The association worked to put together the funds to purchase a vehicle, an International Scout, as a retirement gift for Cunningham. Messer left FHSU for the University of Oklahoma, where he earned his doctoral degree in 1973. "I decided I would rather play golf and travel," said Messer. Travel he did. Messer and his wife, Judy, sold everything they had, bought a small recreational vehicle and spent the following two years traveling. They’ve seen all 50 states, parts of Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
"FHSU did a lot for me professionally. The opportunity to work with alumni, school administrators and others in the community contributed to the fact that I ended up in Oklahoma," said Messer. "We have very fond memories of Hays."

Ron Pflughoft
1970-1974,
1988-1997
Pflughoft ’70 served as Alumni Association president from 1970 to 1974, and again from 1988 to 1997, serving as the first full-time alumni director for FHSU. His time in between terms was spent as assistant to the president and vice-president of governmental relations. When Dr. Edward H. Hammond became president of FHSU, he combined the positions of governmental relations with alumni, and Pflughoft filled this position in 1988. Much of his time as alumni director was spent increasing alumni pride. He traveled across the state and part of the country speaking to alumni about FHSU. He worked with local alumni chapters by sponsoring events such as local golf tournaments to bring alumni in the area together to meet, spend time with each other and talk about FHSU. Pflughoft was also influential in establishing the tradition of Oktoberfest at FHSU.

"We were needing something to bring back alumni for the weekend that would also involve the community," said Pflughoft. During his first term, the Alumni Association was housed in a small trailer next to the old Rarick Hall. "We had big tubs with alumni addresses in them," said Pflughoft, "It was cramped." FHSU had very little private money and the Endowment Association was still small. Pflughoft initiated the first telethon, which now generates more than $400,000 annually for the university.

In his governmental relations work, he was primarily responsible for new buildings and "crumbling classroom" dollars, salary increases and general budget funding. He laid the foundation for matching grant dollars with funds from the state of Kansas for the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, which started a flurry of donations for the cause. Pflughoft now calls Apple Valley, Calif., his home. Retired, he spends much of his time playing tennis, golf and traveling, but he hasn’t forgotten FHSU. "I always think of Fort Hays and the great things that are being done there," said Pflughoft.

Sally Ward
1974-1986
Sally Ward ’70 followed Pflughoft’s first term as director in 1974 and held the post until her retirement in 1986. "President Gustad wanted an overview of everything the Alumni Association was doing and put emphasis in the association anyway we could," said Ward. This included checking out the materials being distributed and how they were keeping the alumni informed. At the time, this was being done through a magazine that went out quarterly. They changed to a newspaper format, allowing for more information to be carried and included human-interest stories.

"I hoped to have more information on what alumni were doing, and where they were located." What Ward found to be her greatest challenge was "evolving a program where people would want to help build up their university." She understood the importance of having involved alumni. She traveled around western Kansas and surrounding metropolitan cities for meetings and other functions. They would hire a pilot and set up three meetings a day throughout Kansas: breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings. Occasionally, the university president accompanied them. Ward also spent time working to strengthen and promote Homecoming. On top of Ward’s success list during her term as alumni director was the formation of the Student Alumni Association in 1981. Student members not only worked to increase students' pride in the university, but also gave them insight into the Alumni Association.

During her term she increased the size and dynamics of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and developed guidelines for alumni awards. She also created the Distinguished Service Award. Ward currently resides in Ellis, where she "leads a very peaceful life right now." She said she treasures the time she spent as alumni director, and she misses it. "I miss the stimulation of working with people. I thoroughly enjoyed working with students, faculty, alumni, everybody," Ward said. "I’m really proud of the kids and alumni I’ve gotten to know over the years. They are some of my treasured friends."

Jan Johansen
1987-1988
Jan Johansen had five years of Alumni Association experience under her belt before being named the acting executive director in 1987. Prior to holding the director position, Johansen served as an administrative assistant in the alumni office. While serving as executive director, Johansen helped create numerous programs, many of which still exist. "We did a lot of things," said Johansen.

Johansen took charge of the MasterCard program, a program in which a percentage of the dollars spent using the credit card returns to FHSU. She also changed the annual graduation luncheon to the present Graduate/Faculty Brunch. Johansen came up with the name and dedication ceremony for the Nita Landrum Lounge and she helped decorate it. While serving as an administrative assistant, she also suggested the idea of the tree-lighting ceremony during the Christmas season. Johansen found the whole position "challenging, but I enjoyed working there. I met so many people that have been friends for life." She is now retired and living in Hays. "FHSU has one of the most outstanding campuses in the state of Kansas, and I was proud to be a part of it."

Debra Prideaux
1997-Present
Debra Prideaux ’86, ’92 has helped lead the Alumni Association into the 21st century with her sights set on increasing the FHSU Alumni Association family. Prideaux believes the goal of the association is to develop a "lifetime relationship between FHSU alumni and the university. We need to engage them while they’re students and continue to build on that relationship throughout their lives." With the alumni family including more than 36,000 graduates, the Alumni Association is looking for ways to remain in contact with alumni and keep them involved in campus activities. Changes in the communications and methods of the alumni office have contributed to meeting those goals.

"As alumni programs and services continue to change, so too does the type of communication that is being utilized to engage FHSU alumni and friends," said Prideaux. The transition into the electronic information age is evident in the alumni office, with the introduction of an electronic newsletter, the FHSU TigerTalk, a computerized database for maintaining records on alumni, the lifetime e-mail forwarding service and an interactive Web-site. Another addition was a toll-free number. The quarterly publication, the Alumni News was returned to a magazine format and became FHSU Magazine. "The association will be challenged in this century with the changing nature of its constituents. We are constantly assessing the needs of alumni and we work hard at meeting those needs," said Prideaux.

Whether in Phoenix, Ariz., for a hoedown, in Dodge City for the Boothill Pheasant Safari, in Denver, Colo., for the RMAC basketball tournament, in Topeka, Kan., or Washington, D.C., for FHSU Centennial Reenactment festivities – alumni events continue to flourish under Prideaux’s leadership. The Alumni Association has recognized the need to adapt to changing lifestyles in a fast-paced world and has begun to incorporate families into alumni gatherings. The association has also realized how difficult it can be for people to attend the traditional class reunions due to lack of time and the increase in class size. "We’re also finding we’re moving towards specialty reunions or gatherings," said Prideaux. These reunions could range from a gathering of biology program graduates to a reunion of former Reveille and University Leader staff members. "The association continues to grow and excel thanks to the foundation established by my predecessors," said Prideaux. "This, coupled with the vision of the national alumni board of directors, has made the association what it is today."