By RANDY GONZALES
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Johana de la Torre is not even enrolled yet at Fort Hays State University and she has already received not one, but two, hugs from President Mirta M. Martin. She was on the receiving end of an embrace again last Thursday at “Honors for a Day,” a Fort Hays State initiative to bring high school students on campus to learn about the university’s Honors College.

“I’m perfectly fine with it,” said de la Torre, a junior at Salina South High School who said FHSU is her first college choice. “I’m a hugger, too.”

Matt Means, director of the Honors College, embraced the challenge of starting the Honors College when Martin approached him with the idea in November 2014. Means had been an assistant professor of music and theatre and a nationally competitive scholarships advisor at FHSU before becoming director of the Honors College.

“This was a unique and rare opportunity,” Means said. “There are a tremendous number of bright students around, especially in our geographical service area. We really believe that this university should provide services for these kinds of bright students.

“These are students who deserve to be given every opportunity they can to impact this university, this community and the world,” he added. “That’s what this program is about.”

FHSU’s Honors College provides accepted students enhanced curriculum, priority enrollment and research opportunities, as well as special scholarships and honors housing. There are also leadership and travel opportunities and other benefits. Those benefits include a team of faculty and staff advisors, from an academic advisor to a nationally competitive scholarships advisor to a certified, nationally-recognized life/leadership coach.

“This is about bringing together some of the world’s best and brightest students in one location, and giving them an opportunity to maximize their undergraduate education,” Means said.

Given a late start for fall 2015 enrollment, FHSU’s goal for the first year of the Honors College was 10 new students. That goal was surpassed with 15 newcomers for a total of 27 students after the former Distinguished Scholars Program students were absorbed into the Honors College. This year, the Honors College added 22 students – 14 freshmen and eight current students. Current students can be admitted as long as they have at least two years left in their undergraduate degree program and receive approval from the admissions committee.

“We are now the third largest university in Kansas,” Martin said in her remarks to the high school students at FHSU’s Memorial Union Ballroom. “That doesn’t come by error. That comes with an awful lot of sacrifice from an awful lot of people.

“It takes a family,” she added. “That’s why we’re distinctive. That’s why you want to be distinctive. That’s why this should be your destination of choice.”

The high school students looked in on classes being taught and heard from current Honors College students during their visit on campus. There was a question-and-answer session, where there was a wide range of topics, on everything from roommates to study habits. It was a chance for de la Torre and others to quiz the Honors College students.

Thursday was de la Torre’s third trip to campus to check out FHSU. Interested in becoming a nurse, de la Torre visited twice over the summer. She was part of the inaugural class of the Hispanic College Institute in June. In July she was on campus for an overnight experience provided by the Department of Nursing to learn more about a career in nursing. She was back again Thursday.

“I really want to get the most information I can from all these visits,” said de la Torre, who remembered getting another hug from Martin during HCI week.

“If you’re not into hugs, don’t come, because you’re going to get an awful lot of hugs from the president,” Martin told the high school students.

Having a university president who hugs her students, who considers them family, who opens her door for them to stop by, made an impression on de la Torre.

“It makes me feel comfortable,” she said.

Megan Rust, a sophomore organizational leadership major from Leavenworth, knew she wanted to go to Fort Hays State, from where her father graduated. She was part of the first Honors College class last year.

“I heard all the things they wanted to do with Honors College, and I really wanted to be a part of that,” she said.

Her first visit to FHSU sealed the deal for Rust.

“I stepped on campus, and it was home,” she said. “I love everything about this university.”