December 2024

Sarah Meitner, Executive Director of the Heartland Community Foundation in Hays, was honored as one of 14 Rural Innovators recognized by the White House for their outstanding contributions to rural communities across the United States. Meitner, the sole Kansan selected for this distinction, participated in the White House Rural Innovators Initiative event on December 18, 2024, where she highlighted the impactful work happening in Northwest Kansas.

“Overwhelmed with thankfulness” is how Julina Wall Schmeeckle felt the day she discovered she had been chosen as a Schmidt Foundation Scholar. A member of the first cohort of Schmidt Foundation Scholars, Julina has the distinction of being the first Schmidt Scholar to graduate from FHSU, completing her degree in only 3 ½ years.

Lauren Huynh’s path to graduation, though often challenging, has shaped her into a graphic design professional ready to explore exciting career options. Lauren is the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Fort Hays State University this past weekend during the FHSU winter commencement event.

Sod & Stubble. That’s the name of a classic book about an early pioneer family of Kansas settlers.

On Dec. 10, 2024, County Fire Chief (and County Administrator) Darin Myers updated Ellis County Commissioners on the $10,000 donation from the Schmidt Foundation to the Ellis County Fire Department (ECFD.)