FHSU University Communications
More than 270 student scholarships exceeding $320,000 were awarded to Fort Hays State University business and entrepreneurship students for the 2022-2023 academic year.
The awards, announced at the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship awards ceremony Thursday afternoon in the FHSU Memorial Union Ballroom, were presented to on-campus and online students.
“We hear it so much, but the saying that ‘it takes a village’ is true,” said FHSU provost Jill Arensdorf during her introductory statement.
Arensdorf said she was grateful for the scholarship opportunities available to her as an undergraduate student, which allowed her to graduate with little debt.
“Thank you for supporting our students at FHSU and the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship,” she said. “You have made significant investments in our Fort Hays students and are giving students a chance through that investment.”
That gratitude was reflected in the remarks of Dr. Muhammad Chishty, dean of FHSU’s Robbins College.
“There are many donors who have given gifts to the college of business and entrepreneurship to support a variety of programs and extracurricular activities that enrich the educational experience of our students,” he said. “We thank you for your gifts that are enriching the lives of our students.”
Robbins Ambassadors Jessalyn Kirchhoff and David Schulte, each receiving a $5,000 ambassador stipend, spoke about the support they have received as undergraduate students at FHSU and the impact that support has had on their educational experience.
“I had grown up in a place where everyone knew everyone,” Kirchhoff, a Smith Center native, said. “Around every corner, there was someone waiting to help out a friend. When I arrived in Hays, I instantly felt that same sort of support from the Robbins College. There is a continuous stream of people willing and wanting to help whenever a student is in need.”
Cole Engel, associate professor of accounting and co-chair of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship Scholarship Committee, acknowledged his own gratitude for donors who had contributed to his academic success.
“You’ve heard from many people who have sat in these chairs, participating in these scholarships as a student,” he said as he presented the Dr. Cole Engel scholarship, a $2,000 award for three students. “That was me, too, some 15 years ago. I received some of these very same awards. They helped me, and it’s my turn to help you."