5/14/24

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan. - Diana Angarita found her place at Fort Hays State almost by accident. The vibrant flamenco dancer from Venezuela tagged along as her friend, a prospective Fort Hays State student, toured the campus in 2021. Along the way, Diana saw a T.V. screen in Picken Hall promoting FHSU. She was amazed when she saw Fort Hays State’s affordability compared to other Kansas universities.

“The screen was showing good things about Fort Hays, price differences, how many international students they have,” Diana said. “It kept convincing me. So, I picked up the phone right away and called my mom and said, ‘Mom,’ this is where I’m going.’ She didn’t even know I came here for a tour.”

Diana started her U.S. educational journey in Ulysses, Kan., as a high school exchange student, then attended Garden City Community College on a dance team scholarship. She started at FHSU in 2021, just as the pandemic began to subside.

Diana grew up dancing flamenco and has participated in and taught Hispanic dance lessons at FHSU. She attributes her passion for flamenco to her grandfather’s influence. He moved to Venezuela from Spain when he was 18 years old, bringing with him many aspects of the Spanish culture. Diana attended two dance academies in Venezuela and taught dance lessons there before moving to the U.S.

One highlight of Diana’s time at FHSU has been an internship she completed with The Facing Project, a non-profit that raises awareness of social issues through storytelling. Diana completed an online internship providing videography and communicating with the organization through email and Zoom meetings. Her interest in videography started as a child and has led to her understanding of the medium’s impact on marketing.

“They (Facing Project staff members) were very supportive and let me do whatever I needed to do,” Diana said. “They said they needed help with marketing, and I said ‘perfect,’ I know exactly what to do. They welcomed me with open arms. It was a very good experience.”

Diana will pursue an MPS in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in marketing at FHSU after graduating with a BBA in Marketing in May.

“There are still so many things I want to do here. I might as well get them done and continue to enjoy my path at FHSU,” Diana said. “Since I didn’t start my academic career here at Fort Hays, I feel like I still have a couple of years that I can spend here.”

Her path to organizational leadership was inspired by Dr. Lori Kniffin, assistant professor of Leadership Programs. Diana said she learned vital lessons in her first leadership class that helped her attain her position as an FHSU Global Ambassador. In that class, Kniffin discussed roles within teams and how individuals can play various roles at different times, from leader to follower.

Diana applied that knowledge almost immediately when she interviewed for a position as a Global Ambassador with FHSU’s Global Affairs. In her interview, Diana was asked if she typically plays the role of leader or follower in a team setting.

“I thought, ‘I have the best answer in the world,’” Diana said. “I said, ‘It’s really situational,’ and they thought that was a great answer. That got me a job.”

Kniffin said that it’s a spirit of teamwork that truly sets Diana apart from other students.

“Diana enacts leadership in every team she is a member of,” Kniffin said. “Other students look to her for guidance and inspiration. She can eloquently lead others but also assumes the role of follower on teams when necessary, resulting in exceptionally high-quality work.”

Diana dreams of being a team-building advisor or marketing consultant for businesses or non-profit organizations. She would like to work in an international setting, learn new languages, meet new people, and play a role she enjoys, that of being an outsider.

“I want to put myself in that situation again, where I don’t know anyone,” she said. “I think you gain a whole new perspective in life. It would be fun to go somewhere that I don’t know the language.”

Diana’s marketing background has made her a natural cheerleader for the positive attributes of FHSU.

“I don’t try, but I always sound like I market Fort Hays,” she said. “I say, ‘It’s such a great place. Have you been here? They give you clothes for free. Have you ever been to Tailored for Tigers?’ I rant on and on, and my boss says, ‘She just can’t help herself.’”

Kniffin agrees that Diana has been a strong positive force for FHSU, committed to academics, passionate about her field of study, engaged in student organizations, and leading in the community.

“She is loud about how much she loves FHSU,” Kniffin said. “She makes this place and everyone around her better.”