Nominees for three top awards Commencement awards have been announced by the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association.

Thirty-two graduating seniors have been nominated for the 2020 Torch Award, the highest student honor, and 48 faculty members were nominated by members of the class of 2020 for the Pilot Award for outstanding faculty member.

Eight graduate students who will complete their degrees this spring were nominated for the association’s Lighthouse Award to honor the outstanding student completing graduate studies.

The recipients of each award will be announced by Dr. Tisa Mason at the university’s spring convocation on Friday, May 8.

The Torch and Pilot Awards, created in 1974, and the Lighthouse Award, created in 2018, are presented every year at spring Commencement.

Torch Award and Lighthouse Award candidates are nominated by members of the faculty on the basis of classroom excellence, leadership, participation in professional organizations, and involvement in student, civic or research activities.

Pilot Award candidates are nominated by members of the graduating class on the basis of classroom excellence, ongoing research and service activities.

Nominees for the Torch Award and the Lighthouse Award are listed alphabetically by hometown. Pilot Award nominees are listed alphabetically by last name.

Five finalists for each award are denoted by an asterisk.

Torch Award Nominees

COLBY: Gabrielle Wilson is a communication sciences and disorders major. She is a graduate of Colby High School.

COZAD, Neb.: Graham Applegate is an economics (finance) and management major. He is a graduate of Cozad High School.

DERBY: Patrick Cook* is a physics and mathematics major. He is a graduate of Derby High School and the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science.

Broque Short is an accounting (public) and finance major. He is a graduate of Derby High School.

DIGHTON: Morgan Tucker is an agriculture (animal science) major. She is a graduate of Dighton High School.

FORMOSO: Eric McFarlane is an English and secondary education major. He is a graduate of Rock Hills High School.

GOODLAND: Samuel Ayers is an English (writing) major. He is a graduate of Goodland High School.

GREAT BEND: Kaylie Doll* is a medical diagnostic imaging (ultrasound) major. She is a graduate of Great Bend High School.

Macy Moyers* is a biology major with a minor in chemistry. She is a graduate of Great Bend High School.

Shelby Wiesner is a sociology major. She is a graduate of Great Bend High School.

HAYS: Brooks Barber is a marketing (digital) major. He is a graduate of Hays High School.

Tyler Dallis is an art and design (studio art, ceramics) major.

Adam Flax* is a music education and secondary education major. He is a graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School.

Madelyn Norris is a nursing major. She is a graduate of Hays High School.

Taryn Rupp is a tourism and hospitality management major. She is a graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School.

Morgan Weber is a communication sciences and disorders major. She is a graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School.

HUTCHINSON: Brianna Buller is a history major. She is a graduate of Hutchinson High School.

IMPERIAL, Neb.: Michael Musgrove is a political science major. He is a graduate of Chase County High School.

JUNCTION CITY: Kathryn Westerhaus is a biology and secondary education major. She is a graduate of Junction City High School.

LITTLETON, Colo.: Reese Leiker is a political science major. He is a graduate of Heritage High School.

MAPLE HILL: Kelsi Wood is a management major. She is a graduate of St. Marys High School.

NORTON: Raenee Patterson is an organizational leadership major. She is a graduate of Norton High School.

RAVENNA, Neb.: Holly Dethlefs is an elementary education major. She is a graduate of Ravenna High School.

SALINA: Jessica Joy Johnson is a history (secondary education) major. She is a graduate of Salina Central High School.

SCOTT CITY: Megan Smith is a nursing major. She is a graduate of Scott Community High School.

ST. FRANCIS: Kattie Jenik is an accounting (public) major. She is a graduate of St. Francis Community High School.

ST. MARYS: Anne-Sophie Tooley is an English major. She is a graduate of St. Marys High School.

TOPEKA: Darby Hirsch* is a nursing major. She is a graduate of Washburn Rural High School.

WACO, Texas: Alexandria Kultgen is an organizational leadership major. She is a graduate of Keystone National High School, Bloomsburg, Penn..

WICHITA: Jackilyn Dougherty is an organizational leadership major. She is a graduate of Independent School.

Cassidy Locke is an English major. She is a graduate of Goddard High School.

Kaytee Wisley is a political science major. She is a graduate of Wichita Southeast High School.

Lighthouse Award Nominees

DORRANCE: Timothy Setter is graduating with a Master of Arts in history.

ESBON: Grant Davis is graduating with a Master of Business Administration (finance).

HAYS: Stacie Rupp* is graduating with a Master of Arts in English.

Tanner Staab is graduating with a Master of Science in speech-language pathology.

JASPER, Ala.: Draya Sioux Woolf-Wilson* is graduating with a Master of Liberal Studies (global studies).

KANSAS CITY, Mo.: Carolyn Mimbs* is graduating with a Master of Fine Arts (ceramics).

WICHITA: Tatiyanna Ray* is graduating with a Master of Professional Studies (criminal justice).

YONCHENG, China: BingBing Tao* is graduating with a Master of Science in Education (higher education student affairs).

Pilot Award Nominees

Dr. Paul Adams is the dean of the College of Education, the Anschutz Professor of Education and a professor of physics in the College of Education.

Dr. Laura Andrews is an associate professor of music and theatre.

Dr. James Balthazor is an assistant professor of chemistry.

Sue Boldra is an instructor of teacher education.

Pandora Rupert Bolt is an instructor of leadership studies.

Dr. Gary Brinker is a professor of sociology.

Dr. Jerrie Brooks is an instructor of advanced education programs.

Kathleen Cook is an adjunct instructor of interdisciplinary studies.

Dr. Eric Deyo is an associate professor of physics.

Elizabeth Dingler is an instructor of sociology.

Dr. Doug Drabkin* is an associate professor of philosophy.

Dr. Tony Gabel* is an associate professor of management.

Katie Gabel is a lecturer in the Department of Nursing.

Dr. Eric Gillock is a professor of biological sciences.

Scott Gregory is an adjunct instructor in the College of Education.

Dr. Mary Jo Gubitoso is an assistant professor of nursing.

Dr. Darrell Hamlin* is an associate professor of political science.

Dr. Rose Helens-Hart is an assistant professor of applied business studies.

Dr. Bob Keener* is an assistant professor of agriculture.

Dr. Robert Lloyd is an assistant professor of management.

Dr. Brian Maricle* is an associate professor of biological sciences.

Hollie Marquess is an instructor of history.

Dr. Roberta Martine is a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology.

Dr. Jeni McRay is an assistant professor of leadership studies.

Stephanie Muth is an instructor of teacher education.

Dr. Kathy Nordyke is an instructor of leadership studies.

Dr. Eddie Olmstead is an assistant professor of chemistry.

Ryan Olsen is an instructor of leadership studies.

Dr. Phillip Olt is an assistant professor of advanced education programs.

Denise Orth is an associate professor of allied health.

Dr. Christianna Pruden is an instructor of Management.

Dr. John Raacke is a professor of criminal justice.

Dr. Wendy Rohleder-Sook is an assistant professor of political science.

Jeremy Ryan is an instructor of agriculture.

Dr. Mindy Salmans is a lecturer in the Department of Advanced Education Programs.

Misty Schartz is an instructor of economics, finance and accounting.

Colin Schmidtberger is an instructor of art and design.

Jami Seirer is an adjunct instructor of geosciences.

Karrie Simpson Voth is a professor of art and design and chair of the Department of Art and Design.

Dr. Jonathan Sumrall is an assistant professor of geosciences.

Dr. Steven Tam is an associate professor of management.

Joshua Tanguay is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology.

Jon Tholstrup is an instructor of informatics.

Dr. Brett Whitaker is an assistant professor of leadership studies and chair of the Department of Leadership Studies.

Tomme Williams is an instructor of music and theatre.

Three previous winners of the Pilot Award, ineligible for second awards, were also among the nominees: Dr. Keith Campbell, professor of sociology; Dr. Beth Walizer, professor of teacher education; and Dr. Mitch Greer, associate professor of biological sciences.