The K-State brand leverages a core value that represents the intersection between who we are and those things that resonate on a personal level with our audience. Our brand is meaningful, compelling, unique and inspiring.
K-State is the next-generation land-grant institution that is open and optimistic to all that is to come, creating the future of education for the state of Kansas and beyond.
Identifying our core shared value begins with exploring our brand framework. Simply put: what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. Our why — that element that makes our what and how more meaningful — begins to reveal the essence of our core value.
A forward-thinking, progressive land-grant university dedicated to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community, where all students feel connected, supported and empowered to take intellectual risks to prepare them to advance society and enrich the world for those who follow.
Joined together in diversity of thought and experience, students, faculty and staff at K-State are united in our commitment to solving issues affecting the future of societies across the globe by harnessing the collective power of technology, innovative learning, discovery and engagement.
By being open and optimistic to all that is to come, we will achieve beyond what we ever imagined.
Core values
Though the K-State brand and our audiences share many values born out of our relentless drive for student success, our caring and compassionate culture and our deep commitment to the growth of our state and its people, the one value that they all feed into is Expectancy.
Expectancy embodies our dedication to the communities we serve and our future-focused commitment to creating change in the world. The word expectancy is not intended to appear in external-facing messaging, but rather as a guiding value that informs our work.
Dedication
Curiosity
Pride
Openness
Expectancy
Community
Ambition
Service
Optimism
Brand pillars
Rooted in the core value of expectancy, the university's brand pillars reflect the unique character of K-State and should be expressed through our communications, both in words and in visualization.
If in each message we convey one or more of these strengths, our stories feel more authentic and the identity of our university will be more recognizable.
Our brand pillars — Creating Connections, Pursuing Possibility and Advancing Society — offer a framework for communicating K-State's strengths and value to our audiences. Associated values that align to the brand pillars can also serve as a starting point when developing communications, both written and visual.
The K-State culture is enthusiastic, inclusive and creative. On our connected campuses, you'll find welcoming people and a place where you belong. Whether it lies in research discoveries, victories on the field or memories that last a lifetime, the connections made follow us to all corners of the world. Joined together in diversity of thought and experience, we are united in our commitment to solving some of the society's most pressing issues, empowering us to embrace challenges together. Because when we come together as one, there is no challenge too big for us to tackle.
The K-State community is filled with passionate explorers, constantly questioning what's possible and evolving to meet the needs of society. Our breadth of academic and experiential offerings represents our ambition to be one of the top public institutions in the country. The groundbreaking research done here sparks new ideas to find novel solutions to the most pressing issues impacting the future of the communities we serve. With open minds and curious spirits, we are answering the questions of today and solving the problems for tomorrow.
As the nation's first operational land-grant university, we hold ourselves to high standards. Our midwestern work-ethic drives our resilience to succeed against odds, and we empower our students to do the same. Since 1863, we have been courageously open to discovering and unleashing people's full potential through new ideas, transforming our students into the global citizens necessary to advance the well-being of Kansas, the nation and the international community.