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The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe nearly a year ago. Pittsburg State students, faculty, staff, and members of the community were all affected by it.
Typically, the Honorary Family Award winners are announced on Family Day but due to COVID-19 concerns, PSU didn’t conduct the usual Family Day activities. However, the university still elected to choose an Honorary Family.
Pittsburg State recently announced that the Torgler Family was selected as the Honorary Family of 2020.
The Torgler family was nominated by Kara Torgler, senior in nursing.
“It is incredibly special to be chosen as the honorary family,” Kara said. “I am a little biased, but I feel I have the best family. For others to recognize and feel the same way towards my family that I do is an especially humbling experience. There are thousands of people that attend PSU each year and each of them has their own connection to this university. For us to be selected is an opportunity that feels so special and we will treasure for generations to come.”
The Honorary Family Award is sponsored by the PSU Foundation and Advancement Ambassadors and the award is given every year to a family in recognition of their support and love for Pittsburg State.
“Pitt State plays a role in many of my childhood memories,” Kara said. “We attended every homecoming parade and game and traveled to almost every home game we could. Other families I grew up around didn’t have the same devotion to their parent’s universities that I feel is present in families who support Pitt State. I find it special that I will one day be able to share the PSU traditions with my children that I, myself, experience with my parents. Pitt State is a university that treats everyone that walks across its campus as family. I have been across the world and found fellow PSU students and alumni that treated me like a best friend just because I was a gorilla. My parents have supported PSU because they are proud to be gorillas and proud to be a part of a community that supports all alumni and students.”
Kara’s parents, Ken and Nancy, graduated at PSU. Kara’s sister, Dani, is also attending PSU currently.
“My family loves Pitt State and always has,” Kara said. “…With this year being my senior year, I thought that it couldn’t hurt to at least try to nominate my family and see what happened. I felt my family embodies what it means to not only be die hard gorilla fans but also to stand by the values of Pitt State.”
Kara said that Pitt State has “changed her life.”
“…I have met my best friends here and I have grown as an individual because of the opportunities PSU has given me,” Kara said. “The faculty at Pitt State want to see you succeed and will do almost anything to help you become the best version of yourself. I have had endless opportunities to lead as a student and throughout my organizations. I am more confident and feel more capable in my abilities not only as a student but also as a person. There are people on this campus that have challenged me to be a better person not only in my career but in my everyday life. I am forever grateful for this university and for everything it has done for me and my family.”