On this episode of the Post Podcast Noelle Husmann, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association marketing program specialist along with alumni engagement strategist, Carolyn Tatro share information about upcoming association activities.
Transcript
James Bell
Fort Hays State University Alumni stay connected through the area through a variety of events. Noelle Husmann, marketing program specialist along with alumni engagement strategist, Carolyn Tatro from the Alumni Association stopped by to talk to us about some of those upcoming events on this episode of the Post Podcast.
Carolyn Tatro
The MIAA tournament coming up and we're really excited about that because we get to go in you know, not just watch some really cool basketball and really awesome team events but meet some alumni out there as well in the Kansas City area. Yeah.
James Bell
Yeah, there are you know, I love that I see that frequently with you guys. You do these events. They're not always just here. They're in Kansas City. You do events in Denver or, or whatever meetups across the nation you?
Noelle Husmann
Oh, yeah. We have a lot of events in the Kansas City area, because that's where a lot of our alumni live. We have some in Wichita, sometimes we'll do some in Oklahoma and Texas, and then a lot in Colorado, like you said.
James Bell
Yeah, it's crazy. The reach that Fort Hays has, but you know, I wonder how important and how, I don't know if importance, the word but you know, how much does it help to have like a, you know, the basketball team doing well to get people together? Because I just imagine a lot of folks are like, Yeah, I want to go watch that my home, you know, my team's doing well, and then they just kind of naturally come together.
Noelle Husmann
Oh, yeah. Recently, we've actually worked with our building partners. The foundation, one of their staff members is located in Kansas City. And she has been hosting some basketball watch parties at a brewery in Kansas City. And one of the owners is a Fort Hays grad is called Red crow brewing, I believe. And she's had to watch parties there and they've been really successful. I think the alumni in that area just look for any opportunity whether they're a basketball fan or not to get together and enjoy each other's company.
Carolyn Tatro
Yeah, Tiger athletics really brings people together and I think it's just a really easy excuse for Tiger alumni to get together and Tiger fans in general. And I think it's just a really great time everybody enjoys you know, year round you know, if you if you go out to Clarks Park and watch a baseball game, you know, those are those are usually packed and you know, football games are usually packed. I mean, there are our athletic teams are just, you know, they're not just really fun to watch. It's a really great opportunity to get with other Tiger fans. Mm hmm.
James Bell
Yeah, absolutely. You know, and that's to speak to that point. That's almost exactly why I go to the football games. I love watching the football games. Always have I was in the marching band. This is how much how sports and athletic I am, I was in the band. But I was you know, I was in the marching band. So I go to those Fort Hays games and is from the from year one. When I came to Fort Hays, I was involved. So I, you know, got that early look. And it just it sticks with me. But now, you know, I still like to watch the play. But I love to bump into people and what a great way to do so.
Noelle Husmann
Yeah. And the atmosphere, they experience the community. It's just all great. Good feels.
James Bell
Absolutely. So you know, if someone's listening right now, they're thinking like, oh, man, you know, I didn't know that the Alumni Association did events like this? How do people like find out more or get involved in them?
Noelle Husmann
You know, we update our social media constantly. If you're not following us at fhsu Alumni Association on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, we always update our channels. And I know you guys are on those platforms, probably every day, at least one of them. And that's the easiest way to stay up to date on the events that we're doing.
James Bell
LinkedIn Hmm, do you have a job but I've never really got LinkedIn? I don't know. I have an account. But it just seems weird to me.
Noelle Husmann
Yeah. Well, we I guess we don't post as many events on our LinkedIn, but we post the majority of our updated information on our Facebook because that's where a lot of our alumni are.
James Bell
I was gonna say, I think that's a it's circles that I I'm in. That's like the number one thing everybody's on Facebook.
Noelle Husmann
Yeah. Everybody's on Facebook. Yeah, so true.
Carolyn Tatro
Yeah, so our events are there. And if there's ever an event to register for that requires registration as opposed to an event that you can just show up to. And we'll post those links on our website and you know, we send out for events like like this will send out invitations and people can find more information from the invitations but our website are brand new, I brand, my anxiety clean looking website, which Noel worked very hard with our our team and the Foundation team to work together to put together here in the last couple of months. Our brand new fhsu alumni.com website is where you can find some information about these events. And that's where we'll post information about, you know, other events that we've got coming up and it links directly to our homecoming site as well. So again, your round we just, we just really try to make things a little more smooth for people to Find out what we're doing and how to connect with us.
James Bell
All right, cool. Yeah, speaking of that website, I was on there earlier, I was pulling, you're pulling the titles for you guys. And I noticed this story this uh, I forget the name. Oh, Sara Allen right there on top. There's some cool stories on there as well. If you're you want to keep up with some of the happenings and the folks from Fort Hays and all the cool things that they're doing. You guys do a pretty good job of keeping that up there as well. Right?
Noelle Husmann
Yeah, we try in doing alumni spotlight every week, every week, every week we try. Maybe every other week, might be more realistic. But yeah, we just get alumni who share some short stories about their experience at Fort Hays and kind of what they're doing now we post those also on our social media. And on our website, we have a whole library of alumni, if you want to learn about them, you can visit fhsu alumni.com.
James Bell
And if you guys are still ignore the minutes listening and wants to do it a little bit more old school used to that your magazine, right?
Noelle Husmann
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, that is directly from the University Marketing Department. And they have done a fantastic job. We have some alumni articles in there. And then they usually have some more in depth stories on a couple of different alumni too. You can access those online through our website. And if you're a paid Alumni Association member, you can get a hardcopy mailed to your house twice a year.
Carolyn Tatro
And actually just read a story yesterday about how a lot of alumni magazines went digital, during, you know, certain times of the pandemic, and a lot of people are really appreciating that the hard copies of those magazines are coming back, even if we do have the opportunity to see them online. There are a lot of people who really like having that, that magazine in their hand. And like she said, we do a really good job. Our our University Marketing Department does a great job of putting that together. It's nice, clean, you know, feels good in your hand kind of thing. I mean, it's a really great, it's a really great publication.
James Bell
Yeah, as, as everything transitions to online, you know, and obviously, I work, you know, most of my job is online, you know, as a digital writer, but you're right, that the feel of it, sometimes picking it up. It just it hits different, you know, yeah, a modern expression. And I don't think that it's ever going to truly, fully go away.
Noelle Husmann
No, especially if your name is in the magazine, too. We've had people contact our office saying my daughter was featured in the magazine, can I get a copy? So yeah, nothing feels the same, like a hardcopy you can keep in show your friends and family.
Carolyn Tatro
Keep your kids you know, hold on to it in a scrapbook or something. I mean, they definitely, yeah, people really appreciate it. And again, that's why we're excited to bring people back together to a lot of our events just for the same or the same kind of thing. You know, people want to they're they're ready to celebrate Tiger family. And yeah, together.
Noelle Husmann
And especially with basketball being on hold. We have done an event at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City, and this will be our third time there. We weren't there last year. We weren't there in 2020. So we're really excited to be back there before the EMI double A tournament. Our Boulevard Brewing event will be on March 1. And the registration for that is next week. It closes on February 15. And that's one of our more popular events in Kansas City because it's a very fun atmosphere like we've talked about kinda like a pre EMI double A tournament kickoff party. So if you're interested in that, and you're heading to Kansas City to watch the tournament, that will be on March 1, and then we will have pregame and postgame parties during the tournament. Starting on Thursday, March 3, I believe it is the women's team is currently tied for the number one seed and the men's team. They're ranked third. So we're kind of planning the parties around the times that they'll play based on those seeds.
James Bell
Very cool. Although you plan something like that and you're gonna curse it. No, no, we're not I yeah everybody listening. You heard it if if things don't go well to tournament it's all Noel.
Noelle Husmann
Don't curse me like that, James. But if you are interested in going to the tournament, you can buy tickets at a discount at the remaining Fort Hays home games, which Carolyn said there's one tonight.
Carolyn Tatro
There's one tonight there's a couple coming up. I think there's three or four more home games. And you can buy tickets at those games. You can also go through the athletic athletics office. And like Noel said, a pretty significant discount if you do that versus walking up to the door and buying them at the arena in Kansas City on the day of the tournament. So $50 I think is what they are if you buy them through athletics,
Noelle Husmann
Yep.
James Bell
Wow. Yeah, that's a substantial discount. Very cool. Yeah. Well already Guys, we've got just about a minute or so left. Anything else we want to hit on or last thoughts where we go.
Carolyn Tatro
I think we would just love to see everybody out there. And again, come to the games tonight and join us in Kansas City. Check out our website, see what other events we've got coming up over the next few months and go Tigers.
Noelle Husmann
Yeah, go Tigers.