Fort Hays State University was founded in 1902 as the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School. The institution was originally located on the grounds of Fort Hays, a Nineteenth Century frontier military outpost. The state of Kansas initially intended the university’s academic programs to focus on agriculture, but it opened in as a “normal” or teacher’s college.
FHSU today is a regional comprehensive public university where determined, innovative and caring faculty and staff share a deep commitment to teaching and mentoring students. Our mission is to develop the engaged global citizen-leaders our world needs today. When you consider the quality of our academic programs, our unmatched affordability and the caring and supportive people who make the “Tiger Nation” special.
FHSU consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the American Midwest. A remarkable 95% of FHSU students secure jobs or higher education opportunities after they graduate. Employers tell us the combination of challenging academic programs, close faculty/student relationships, and the abundance of experiential learning opportunities our students enjoy while at FHSU set our students apart in a competitive job markets worldwide.
The first students at the school that would become known as Fort Hays State University couldn't have envisioned how a prairie dog town would be transferred into a sprawling campus 100 years later.
In fact, the first building ever inhabited by the school wasn't even located on the present-day campus.
The infirmary at Fort Hays, a former army post that had been abandoned in 1889, was where 57 students paid a tuition fee of $5 for the first summer courses in 1902. The stone guardhouse down the path at what is now Historic Fort Hays served as the gymnasium.
The school's first leader, William S. Picken, actually was in favor of keeping the college on the site of Fort Hays. But a group of townspeople, spurred by real estate interests, wanted to move the college closer to the city of Hays.
And so the move began in 1904, but not before a prairie dog town had to be removed from the land where the college's first building on that site, Picken Hall, was under construction.
The construction (and subsequent renovation) of numerous buildings, both academic and residential, followed over the next 100 years, and today FHSU remains the heart of Hays.
FHSU went through a variety of name changes during its first 75 years, from a branch of a normal (teacher training) school to university status:
1902 - Western Branch of the Kansas Normal School
1914 - Fort Hays Kansas State Normal School
1923 - Kansas State Teachers College of Hays
1931 - Fort Hays Kansas State College
1977 - Fort Hays State University
FHSU has grown into a regional comprehensive university with over 15,000 on-campus, FHSU Online, graduate, and international students. And while tuition costs have risen from that meager $5 amount over a century ago, FHSU still has the lowest tuition rates in the Kansas Board of Regents system, and provides one of the best educational values in the nation.
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I have been extremely happy with my educational career at FHSU. I have not graduated yet and already am being approached by recruiters and companies like EPIC to work for them. The education is challenging, the only way I could see someone saying they felt the education was cheap or mill-like is if they are not applying themselves or taking fluff classes. The undergraduate Gen Ed is not simple, nor really hard, but when you get into your core, it becomes a challenge. Those on here being a bunch of haters obviously have their own personal issues. For cost, education and opportunities after graduation, and in some cases before:-), FHSU offers a good education and a great value.
By Renee Regis (Jan, 2012) |
i go to this university online from ohio. this university is saving me a lot of hard earned money and the courses are taught very well. i am so glad i found this university on the internet. I am getting my master's degree online here. i love the flexibility, because I can work and go to school at the same time. good job fort hayes!! i love this school so much.
By Deviant Arter (Jan, 2012) |
I'm going to be a 3rd year student in the Fine Arts department. It's an amazing department! Yes Hays sucks and is a little close minded, but this school has a lot of extra curricular activities including sports, book clubs, greek life and other stuff to do that you don't even think about how boring the town is after a while. It's a great school to spend your undergrad years. While I'll be attending a better known school for graduate school, this school has definitely prepared me.
By Julia P. (Jul, 2010) |
Graduated in 93 as a communications major. I now work for a radio station in Wichita. FHSU is a great school and has a great reputation within the state and surrounding states. While it's really not well known outside of this area, it still prepares individuals for the real world/graduate school.
By Oswald R. (Jul, 2010) |
I chose this university because I received a full ride on a tennis scholarship. I originally want to be a jayhawk, but after my first year at FHSU I knew I was in the right place. They have an awesome sports program(will soon be adding soccer)and the classroom sizes aren't overwhelming. Overall I'm very happy to call myself an FHSU alum.
By Catherine M. (May, 2010) |
As an international student, I've found FHSU to be extremely welcoming and accommodating. Their science department, specifically the chemistry department, is top notch. Yes, I probably could have received a similar education in my home country, but coming here allowed me to experience a different culture and different part of the world. I'll be graduating in 2012 and will always remember my time at FHSU.-Sven
By Sven (Apr, 2010) |
It was a great experience and from what I have seen, it provides no less education than any other state school. That being said, its all about what you put into it. I remain close with many of my classmates, the athletics programs may not have been the best, but the games were free for students and it was always fun to go to hang out. My only regret is graduating, i had so much fun. That isn't to say I didn't have to buckle down and study, but it was a balanced environment.
By Justin F. (Oct, 2009) |
I attend the Virtual College program here. I truly love it! It has a great system (Blackboard) and I love the fact that I can talk to other students on the discussion board to get answers for problems I might have. All of my teachers were easy to reach and always answered emails within a few hours. The school is a little bit more expensive than some other colleges' distant learning programs but I feel it's well worth it. I recommended it to a friend and now he has enrolled as well. I would recommend this to anyone who works full time or just can't go to the classroom setting. Even the financial aid department was nice and they rarely are at colleges!
By Rheema (Sociology) (Apr, 2009) |
I couldn't ask for a better school for my undergraduate studies. Classes were hands on, and the professors really cared about the students learning the material. Many classes required a lot of the students, but this was great because it prepared me for the real world.
By Felicity D. (Jan, 2008) |
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Fort Hays State University has been a transformative experience for my daughter; the faculty's unwavering support and dedication have truly propelled her academic and personal growth.
By Nokukhanya Vilakazi (Sep, 2024) |