A Storied History of Engagement

Universities are home to thousands of individuals who bring a variety of unique perspectives and viewpoints. In that sense, universities serve as a microcosm of our larger and more complex society. When you combine that with embedded expert faculty and dedicated staff who are skilled in facilitating impactful learning and meaningful discussion, you have the perfect environment to allow students to make their voices heard and allow all to explore perspectives.

K-State students have played an important role in creating the university environment that we know and love today. In the 1940s, students were instrumental in spurring the construction of Ahearn Fieldhouse. They held numerous demonstrations and rallies at key university moments, and as stated in the summer 2022 issue of the K-Stater magazine in an article written by then-univeristy archivist, Veronica Denison:

"Due to the overcrowded and outdated facilities of Nichols Gymnasium, students petitioned for construction of a new field house in 1940, which received over 3,500 signatures and was heavilty supported by both students and staff."

Coupled with administrative efforts, students' voices carried much weight, leading the legislature to eventually pass not one, not two, but three appropriations bills, bringing the project to completion.

Ahearn Fieldhouse went on to host historic K-State basketball games and volleyball matches, as well as concerts and speeches from famous figures. Arguably most notably, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Ahearn only months before his assassination, a speech with words that still echo powerfully in today's society.

In the year 2017, our students led the charge to bring our university community together to reaffirm our shared values amid racial tensions rising within our community and across the entire nation. Our students' voices mobilized a movement within our university that involved all students, faculty and staff in the planning and development of KSUnite, an annual event aimed at fostering dialogues and reinforcing the unity we hold so dearly as members of the K-State family. The kick-off event on Anderson Lawn was a shining example of how dialogue and discourse can lead to powerful action, a moment that this university will never forget, and one that sparked enhanced policies and support for our community.

These are just two examples of how demonstrative action and dialogue led to positive outcomes and results within our university and community. And we know that our students then take these skills and apply them across the globe, doing their part to make the world a better place.