Ryan Staychock ’96, Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, poses with members of the logging sports team. In high school, Ryan didn’t expect to go to college, but a poster at a college fair made him reconsider. It showed a member of the FLCC logging sports team competing in the pole climb. An incredulous friend asked, “You want to go to college to climb a tree?” Rob Wink ’08, right, professor of environmental science and horticulture, presents Travis Money ’00, co-founder of DIEHLUX, an environmental consulting firm, with the Outstanding Conservation Alumni Achievement Award. “His company has already hired four of our graduates, a testament to both his belief in the value of this College and his commitment to supporting the next generation of conservation leaders,” Rob said as he introduced Travis. Travis, recipient of the Outstanding Conservation Alumni Achievement Award, is co-founder of an ecological and natural resource consulting rm. He frequently speaks to FLCC students about opportunities in the eld. Purpose in community For award recipients, community also stood out as critical to their perseverance and success. “At FLCC, I found my home. I had two good years living on campus right over here in the Suites,” said Derek Short ’16. “I made some good friends, and it was probably two of the best years of my life.” Derek, who founded a digital marketing services rm, was the recipient of the Outstanding Computing Science Alumni Achievement Award. Mike Magnanti, inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for a standout baseball career from 2015 to 2017, values the relationships he built at FLCC. “I met so many good people that I’m still close with today, and the team camaraderie was really special. Every guy wanted each other to succeed. And we weren’t just teammates, we were brothers,” he said. Deanna Craig Slingerland, also an inductee in the Athletic Hall of Fame for her outstanding record as a shooting guard for the Lakers women’s basketball team, said she learned from everyone she met at FLCC. “I would always come back to this College. If I had a choice again, I’d do the same thing over,” she said. I was just blown away at how much they knew, and it had a profound impact on me that day. I realized I wanted to learn more and share that knowledge with the next generation. — Travis Money ’00 Derek Short ’16, recipient of the Outstanding Computing Science Alumni Achievement Award, started his own digital marketing services company in 2021. He plans to rebrand his business as Wheels in Motion Marketing. Nominations are open for 2026. Tell us about an exceptional alumnus!
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