Despite a challenging year caused by the ongoing pandemic, Kansas State University has recorded its highest graduation rate in recent history — a rate that is higher than the national average. Although overall enrollment is down 3% this fall at K-State, recruitment of new freshmen and transfers has stabilized following several years of smaller classes. 

Total student enrollment is 20,229 for fall 2021 and includes increases in transfer students, at K-State Salina, graduate students and new international freshmen and international graduate students. New student enrollment — including new freshmen and transfer students — dipped only 1% from last year.

K-State continues to lead all Regents institutions in key student success indicators: the student retention rate of 86% is tied for highest, while K-State's six-year graduation rate of 68.4% is the best and well above the 63.9% national average for four-year doctoral institutions. Larger graduating classes have led to an overall decrease in enrollment as smaller incoming classes in previous years work through the system.

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Kansas State University students celebrated this year's Homecoming theme — Lights, Camera, 'Cats — in colorful and creative ways throughout the week, bringing the magic of Hollywood to Manhattan, Kansas. 

From a painted window in Aggieville depicting Willie the Wildcat with the Infinity Gauntlet from the Marvel Cinematic Universe films; a Shrek-themed dance routine at Wildcat Request Live; to a Fast and Furious activity booth at the Children's Carnival, there was plenty of big-screen fun on campus.

Check out our Homecoming photo recap below!

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If you pay a visit to the military science building on the Kansas State University campus, you’ll find a special plaque dedicated to Col. Douglas “Doug” Thomas ’99. 

Doug was a man of many facets. He was an avid K-State graduate who bled purple. He was a proud veteran whose service to his country included deployments to Iraq and Kosovo. He was a husband, a father, a leader, a mentor and a friend. 

Doug passed away earlier this year at the age of 45 after a battle with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Although he is a Wildcat that the K-State family lost too soon, he leaves behind an ongoing legacy and memories of a life well lived.

“He was a go-getter,” said Doug’s wife, Tiffany Bowles Thomas ’99. “He was a goal setter and he worked hard to achieve those goals. He was a big picture guy. He’s fun-loving, the life of the party. He served God and country. He would have done that again.”

Doug originally decided to attend K-State because Tiffany decided to attend K-State — but their story doesn’t actually begin there. The couple first met in seventh grade and started dating their junior year of high school.

Tiffany was determined to go to K-State, and Doug was determined to find a way to make that work. When an Army recruiter visited Doug’s high school, they talked about the ROTC program at K-State. Doug was commissioned the week before he graduated.

“The military has always been a part of our lives together,” Tiffany said.

Doug served in the Army National Guard throughout college, and his early experiences with the military and K-State earned him lifelong friends and set him on a path that would take him across the country and the globe.

“It taught him discipline,” Tiffany said. “It taught him how to become the person he wanted to be.”

Favorite memories of Doug and Tiffany’s time in Manhattan as students include tailgating on game day and visiting places like Tuttle Creek, KS Hill and, of course, Aggieville. Doug was always proud to wear purple, and he even dreamed of retiring in Manhattan one day, Tiffany said.

Doug had many highlights as part of his military career, including his first duty station in Germany when he and Tiffany were newlyweds fresh out of college. Doug loved the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California, which looked just like a Hollywood movie set where soldiers could run drills as they prepared to deploy to Iraq. He enjoyed being stationed in Fort Riley, close to his alma mater, and he later served as a general’s aide to the U.S. military representative within NATO, living in Brussels, Belgium.

He achieved his dream job as a battalion commander in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was able to work closely with soldiers, build relationships, and serve as a teacher and a mentor.

As part of his job as battalion commander, Doug even went to airborne school at the age of 40. He got the chance to jump out of a plane multiple times, including a joint jump with Belgian forces from a blimp.

“Talking to these kids, being with these soldiers again, that got him excited,” Tiffany said.

Honoring a legacy

Currently there is no cure for mesothelioma, which according to Mayo Clinic is a type of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of the internal organs. Only about 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States, and it is rare for someone as young as Doug to be diagnosed.

Throughout his battle with cancer, Doug drew strength from his family and from his "Leadership 6" principles, which he had printed on a shirt for Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

“I was first diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma earlier this year,” Doug wrote in a blog post in 2020. “I’ve had aggressive surgery. I’ve had radiation and currently undergoing chemotherapy. Now I’m back in uniform, something I didn’t think would ever be possible. I have a fully-functional life now, doing most everything I want to do, except maybe running. I’m proud to put the uniform on again and come to work every day. It is special to me that I can continue to serve, despite the cancer, and the fact I have it. It’s something I’ll live with for the rest of my life, but you can’t let it define you. With me, it won’t. What defines me is my family and my military service is a big part of that definition.”

The K-State ROTC reunion on Sept. 11 included a memorial service for Doug, organized by Col. Travis Habhab ’98 and Maj. (Ret.) Michelle Snyder Ekoniak ’98.

Ashley Bowles Barlow ’02, Tiffany’s younger sister, said it was a powerful experience listening to Doug’s friends share their memories of him.

“Everybody knew him in a different way,” she said. “This person I didn’t even know would tell me a story, and I’d be like, “Yes, that’s Doug.”

Doug and Tiffany’s daughter Mackenzie is now a first-year student at Notre Dame, and their son Brenden is starting high school. The Thomases recently moved to the Kansas City area to be closer to family, and Tiffany continues to receive emails from people who knew Doug or worked with him.

“The messages are still coming in from people about the impact he had on them,” she said.

Doug was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 26, per his wishes.

“Being a soldier, it had a very special place in his heart,” Tiffany said. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”

In memory
 
If you would like to make a memorial donation in honor of Doug, the family encourages supporting the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, which funds research, and provides support and education to patients and families.

You can also make a donation to the K-State ROTC program. (Note: When making a donation, select "other" in the designation box and direct your gift to the Col. Douglas "Doug" Thomas memorial fund.)

When Kansas State University hired Bill Snyder as its head football coach in 1988, the Wildcats had one of the worst programs in college football and hadn't won a conference title since 1934. Little could anybody predict that Snyder would soon engineer a total transformation in Manhattan, Kansas. 

From his humble beginnings in St. Joseph, Missouri, Snyder rose to greatness, bringing K-State up from the ashes to a No. 1 ranking, six 11-win seasons in a span of seven years, and one Big 12 Championship. He still wasn't finished. After a three-year retirement, Snyder returned to lead the Wildcats to another Big 12 title. In 2015, he became just the fourth person in college football history to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as an active coach.

In this new memoir, Snyder reflects on a successful yet complicated life, detailing the grueling 80-hour work weeks, his visionary Wildcat Goals for Success, and the virtues he doubled down on during his final years as head coach, all the while battling throat cancer. Readers will discover a multi-faceted portrait of one of college football's greatest leaders, his triumphs and defeats, his greatness and his flaws, and his passion and drive to, not once, but twice, lead a championship team while developing young men.

You can enter to win a free copy of Snyder's new memoir from the K-State Alumni Association. These books would also make great holiday gifts! From now through Dec. 31, you can save 30% with promo code KSTATEALUM30. The K-State Alumni Association will also receive $4 back per book when this code is used.

Enter to win a free copy

*Giveaway entries due by Monday, Nov. 22*

Order additional copies

Josh Diazdeleon and Stacia Mendoza are already familiar faces at Kansas State University, thanks to their involvement in various programs and organizations across campus. However, soon they’ll also be well-known to prospective students and alumni, in their new role as the 2022 K-State Student Ambassadors. 

Diazdeleon, a junior in elementary education from Liberal, Kansas, and Mendoza, a junior in finance from Lenexa, Kansas, were announced as the next ambassadors Oct. 30 during halftime of K-State’s Homecoming football game against Texas Christian University. 

Established by the K-State Alumni Association in 1977, the Student Ambassador program elects two students each year to represent the student body at Alumni Association events throughout the state and at university activities.

“I decided to run for Ambassador so that I could give back to students and our university for all that it has done to make me the person that I am today,” Diazdeleon said. “K-State gives students the opportunity to succeed every day and that’s a collective effort put on by everyone here at our school.”

“This past semester I have experienced the support of the K-State family in ways I never could have imagined,” Mendoza said. “I want others to have the opportunity to experience that same family. After spending the past three years getting involved all over campus, I know that Ambassador is a role where my passions can truly shine.”

Diazdeleon and Mendoza will visit with prospective students and alumni; become members of Student Alumni Board and Student Homecoming Committee; participate in programming on campus such as the Alumni Fellows program and other special events; and assist the university President's Office as needed.

They were elected during Homecoming week by a student vote from a group of six semifinalists. The ambassadors serve a one-year term, and each receives the Kirk Family Student Ambassador Scholarship of $2,500, clothing from Manhattan clothing store Borck Brothers and an official K-State ring from Balfour and the Alumni Association.

Josh Diazdeleon

Interests:
Playing trumpet in the K-State Marching Band, meeting new people, experiencing new things, and spending time with family and friends

Campus and community involvement:

• Section leader, K-State Marching Band
• President, Call Me MISTER program, which helps men from marginalized communities pursue teaching degrees
• Volunteer, Manhattan public schools
• Member of Student Governing Association, serving as director of basic needs
  
  

Why is K-State important to you?
K-State sets the bar high for the student experience at the collegiate level. My decision to come to K-State is reassured to me every day I’m on campus. It’s here where students are valued as individuals and not numbers on a spreadsheet. I feel supported both by my K-State community on and off-campus. 

What is your greatest challenge to overcome in projecting a positive image about K-State?
In my eyes K-State is the place to be and wanting to go anywhere else seems unbelievable. However, not everyone feels this way and it’s important to keep that in mind. I believe my biggest challenge is taking off my purple goggles to see everything else that lies within higher education sometimes.

What qualities do you have that will allow you to succeed in the role of an Ambassador?
I am loyal to the causes that I serve and this position would be NO exception. I am here to represent students and our university in everything I do as ALL students already do. I am committed to what we strive to achieve here at K-State and I do that at an accelerated level. I am inspired by the people I am surrounded by in our community to do the work that I strive to do.

Stacia Mendoza

Interests:
Visiting national parks, game nights, eating bean dip from Taco Lucha and discussing education systems

Campus and community involvement:

• Vice president of new member education, Pi Sigma Epsilon
• President, Student Foundation
• Undergraduate assistant, Manhattan Crossroads Project
• Member of Student Governing Association, serving as director of student services and engagement
  
  

Why is K-State important to you?
K-State is like no other place I have ever experienced (and I visited at least 20 universities)! K-State has the resources of a large university, but the community of a small school. This means that you will find professors and peers who take time to help match your strengths to opportunities at K-State. Best of both worlds! I mean, we are No. 1 for happiest students!

What is your greatest challenge to overcome in projecting a positive image about K-State?
I am just one person with one experience. I think it is easy for someone to hear about my time and not know why that would impact them. It would be important to not just share my experience but instead share how K-State created a space for me to succeed. That space is available for everyone. I want students to have the freedom to make their own choices and write their own story here.

What qualities do you have that will allow you to succeed in the role of an Ambassador?
I am genuine, loyal and knowledgeable. From serving on a Student Opportunity Awards committee to sitting on cabinet in SGA, I have seen K-State from many angles. I love nothing more than connecting with others. I have the ability to match high-energy people but can also connect with quieter crowds too. This allows me to build good relationships so that future students feel welcomed, current students feel included, and alumni feel connected to our K-State family.

For Hannah Carlgren Scheetz ’17, ’19, one of the best parts of her job as a medical speech-language pathologist is the fact that no two days are the same. 

She has patients ranging in age from 2 to 100+ as part of her caseload, providing both inpatient and outpatient services, as well as working in two nursing homes in rural Western Kansas. She evaluates and treats patient needs in areas such as swallowing, articulating, stuttering, exploring alternative modes of communication, hearing and more.

“I’m passionate about this because I know I can impact people’s lives and improve their quality of life,” Scheetz said. “Being in a helping profession and having others depend on you to give them back a voice, the ability to swallow, or to tell their child that they love them again makes me motivated to show up each day being the best version of myself. I love that I will always be continuing to learn and grow into a better professional.”

Scheetz recently was awarded the Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an honor that recognizes a professional who is making an impact in the areas of leadership, volunteering and advocacy at the local, state and national levels.

“I’m incredibly honored, and again, feel so grateful for the support I received while in college,” she said. “Our profession is full of many talented and passionate men and women who are providing incredible services in a field that is just continuing to grow. To be recognized in this way makes me feel humbled and more excited than ever to continue to grow this program and serve an underserved population.”

What is a medical speech-language pathologist?

A medical speech-language pathologist provides compassionate care to patients with a wide range of speech, language, cognitive and swallowing disorders. According to Mayo Clinic:

They work with patients affected by a variety of neurological events, such as brain damage, stroke, seizure or cancer. They may also work with patients who suffer from chronic diseases or who have experienced a trauma. Speech pathologists examine patients and create treatment plans tailored to their needs. These patients may have speech articulation issues, voice quality problems or language disorders.

Scheetz credits her professors at K-State for supporting her interests and developing her clinical skills in a way that made her confident enough to start her own speech-language pathology program in a community immediately following graduation.

“I think my minor in leadership studies also gave me courage and motivation to pursue what felt like a bold dream,” said Scheetz, whose family includes a legacy of more than 16 K-State graduates. “I learned so many things not just in the classroom, but through interactions with K-State mentors outside of classes that encouraged me to develop my professional career. My five and half years there truly did feel like I had another family.”

Scheetz said the hospital where she was hired to serve had never had a full-time speech pathologist before, and there were no medical speech-language pathologists in the area. While she had an occupational therapist as her direct supervisor and guidance from speech-language pathologists that she had previously worked with in other areas, she got to build her own caseload, write policies and procedures, and network with and help educate colleagues and community members so that they were aware of the impact of speech-language pathology.

"The community quickly realized how important speech services are, and now we actually hired on another speech-language pathologist that I am mentoring this year," Scheetz said.

‘Everyone deserves a voice’

Although working in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic brought added challenges for both Scheetz and her patients, she never stopped meeting needs in the community she served.  

“It was an emotionally draining experience, dealing with stress and loss in addition to being the only medical speech-language pathologist in the community,” she said. “There was isolation on multiple levels, but realizing that I was able to still connect and be there for patients at that time when so many weren’t able to was a privilege that I didn’t take — and still don’t take — lightly.” 

At the end of the day, speech-language pathology is more than just a career for Scheetz — it’s a calling.

“I’m convinced that in times that I’ve volunteered and advocated, I am positively impacted 10 times more than those I’m serving,” she said. “Being a part of something bigger than yourself and having a servant heart is why I wanted to be in a helping profession. I want to leave the world better in some small ways than it was before. For me, that’s through giving kiddos the confidence to talk, and advocating for those who can’t for themselves. Everyone deserves a voice.”