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From the President

9/10/20 A One(sie) Welcome for our Littlest Tigers

By Dr. Tisa Mason on April, 6 2021

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A One(sie) Welcome for our Littlest Tigers

There is nothing like a new baby to put smiles on the faces of family and strangers alike. They are so darned cute. Their cherub faces immediately fill us with a moment of joy.

Tiger Nation is excited to announce yet another partnership with Hays Medical Center (we have many). Each beautiful baby delivered at HaysMed will now be sent home in the loving care of their parents with a Fort Hays State University onesie.

The program started this summer after HaysMed CEO Eddie Herrman approached FHSU Foundation CEO Jason Williby about the onesie idea.

“It seemed like a great way to give back to our community while building upon the strong ties of partnership between HaysMed and FHSU,” Williby said.

Over 100 babies have been sent home with their FHSU “Born to be a Tiger” onesie in the first month. The onesies are placed in a basket with a meal-to-go for Mom and Dad, another fantastic gesture from the HaysMed staff.

“Parents love the meal-to-go they receive on the day of discharge and have commented numerous times how great it is to go home and not have to worry about what’s for dinner,” said Kristy Schlaefli, director of Women Infant Care at HaysMed.

Nurses report that parents are loving the newly added FHSU onesie. Second-time parents have even commented how much they like the onesie and that they would have loved one when their first baby was born. The nurses are especially enjoying the HaysMed-delivered babies sporting their Tiger gear on social media – and so are we!

To our great delight, one such social media rockstar is Drake Pilkington, son of FHSU softball coach Adrian Pilkington and her husband, Blake. Drake wore his FHSU onesie on his way home from the hospital – an extra special treat given that both Adrian and Blake graduated from FHSU.

"We were so excited to receive our FHSU onesie upon departure from HaysMed,” Adrian said. “Blake and I are both FHSU alumni so it was an awesome surprise and a great way to introduce our son, Drake, as the newest member to Tiger Nation."

“We often refer to FHSU as a community – or a family. When a member of the family has a baby, you send a baby gift,” Williby said. “It is never too early to begin recruiting the future freshman class of Tigers.”

I love this program.

A special thank you to Tiger alum Nate Meder of Redeem Designs for designing and executing Herrman’s idea. I would also like to thank Nate, a 2003 graduate, and his family for their commitment and generosity to the university. The “Born to be a Tiger” onesies are available for other Tiger fans to purchase at https://fhsutigeronesies.itemorder.com.

Go Tigers!

Dr. Tisa Mason

President Mason is the 10th president of Fort Hays State University. A native of Massachusetts, Mason previously served as the president of Valley City State University in Valley City, N.d., where she served from 2014 to 2017. Before her time at Valley City State, Mason served as Fort Hays State's vice president of student affairs from 2008 to 2014. Her previous career stops include serving as the dean of student life at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in Whitewater, Wis.; executive director of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and Foundation in Indianapolis, Ind.; director of student life and assistant professor at Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Va.; and assistant dean of students, Hanover College, Hanover, Ind. In 2013, Mason received the Robert H. Shaffer Award from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors for her long-term commitment to fostering positive change in fraternities and sororities. She received the Excellence in Service to Students Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success in the same year. Her academic credentials include a Doctor of Education degree in higher education from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.; a Master of Science degree in education from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill.; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology/anthropology from Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky.

 

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