ESU to honor three Distinguished Alumni at Black & Gold Gala
Emporia, KS (10/09/2026) — Three Emporia State University graduates will receive Distinguished Alumni awards at the Black & Gold Gala on Oct. 23 during Homecoming 2026. The award is the highest honor bestowed on ESU alumni and recognizes outstanding accomplishments in their careers.
Reservations are required for the Black & Gold Gala by Wednesday, Oct. 14. Tickets cost $100 for the elegant evening that features a reception and dinner in support of Emporia State. Information and registration is at emporia.edu/homecoming.
This year's Distinguished Alumni are Natasha Oakes, a leader in college athletics; Dr. Tony Schountz, an infectious disease researcher; and Martin Mack Teasley, an archivist and author. Each found an opportunity at Emporia State that helped shape the work that followed.
Natasha Oakes (BSB '04, Business Administration) is deputy athletics director, chief administrative officer and senior woman administrator at West Virginia University. Her responsibilities in the Big 12 athletics department span compliance, human resources, Title IX governance and sport administration.
A Topeka native and the first person in her family to graduate from college, Oakes competed in track and field at ESU. Conversations with athletics administrator Carmen Leeds helped her imagine a career in the field, while an internship with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association gave her a start in conference operations. She went on to work for the MIAA and NCAA and hold leadership roles at Missouri Western State University and the University of North Texas before joining West Virginia.
"It was the starting point of launching me into my career in college athletics," Oakes said of ESU. She now hopes her leadership helps young women see opportunities for themselves beyond competition.
Dr. Tony Schountz (MS '91, Biology) is a professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology at Colorado State University. His laboratory studies how bats and rodents respond to viruses that can infect people, seeking insights that may help scientists understand emerging infectious diseases.
At ESU, faculty mentors Helen McElree and Rodney Sobieski helped Schountz develop his research skills and the discipline to pursue difficult scientific questions. He also gained early experience as a graduate research assistant and teaching assistant. After earning his master's degree, he completed a doctorate at Kansas State University and built a research career that includes studies of viral infection and transmission in animals.
"At ESU, I learned what intensity was," Schountz said.
Martin Mack Teasley (MLS '72, Library Science) is a retired Air Force Reserve colonel, archivist and author. A letter sent to him while he was serving in South Vietnam brought him to Emporia State for graduate study. A class trip to the Eisenhower Presidential Library introduced him to archival work, and his ESU degree helped him secure a position with the National Archives in 1972.
Teasley's career took him to the Office of Presidential Papers at the White House, the Boston Federal Archives and Records Center and, eventually, the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, where he served as deputy director for 26 years. He later led the nonprofit Eisenhower Foundation for eight years. His 2025 book, "The Real Ike: Eisenhower Fact and Fiction," examines stories about the former president against the historical record.
"The library degree from Emporia is the one that opened the door for me," Teasley said. "I'm forever thankful for that."
Together, the three honorees represent careers in athletics, science and public history - and the many directions an Emporia State education can lead.
About Emporia State University
Emporia State University offers a range of academic programs through its seven schools: Applied Health Sciences, Business and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Library and Information Management and Library and Archives, Science and Mathematics and Visual and Performing Arts, along with The Teachers College.
ESU stands out for its innovative education practices. It ensures accessible education by offering in-state tuition rates to full-time undergraduate students from all lower-48 United States. Additionally, full-time undergraduates benefit from flat-rate tuition - students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours with at least one credit hour on campus pay a flat rate.
For more information on how to build your future at Emporia State University, please visit www.emporia.edu.
Emporia State University
Gwendolynne Larson, ESU director of media relations, (620) 341-5528, glarson1@emporia.eduShare this Story
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