Avanelle Stoltz

Year in school: Junior

Major: Biological systems engineering, minor in leadership studies

Hometown: Leawood, Kansas

When I was in eighth grade, I had a soccer tournament in Manhattan. Afterward my mom, a K-State alumna, and I spent hours in the K-State Student Union with all of her old college friends who came back from various places across the country to get together. Seeing the love they had for this college, the relationships they built and experiences they had at K-State made a considerable impression on me.

Why did you choose K-State?

K-State has a great engineering program and is an R1 research institution. It has the most welcoming environment of any college I’ve seen. When I toured as a junior, I spent time wandering around Seaton Hall with my dad before we were approached by a staff member. That staff member ended up being the academic program specialist for my major of interest and took the time to sit down with us, answer all our questions and give me all the pamphlets and advice I asked for during the next hour. I had never felt that level of care and genuine love for their students that I did at K-State.

How are you involved at K-State?

I am selections coordinator for Engineering Ambassadors, recruitment data assistant for Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and president of the Society of Biological and Agricultural Engineers. I participate in undergraduate research and I am part of the Engineering Leadership and Innovation program.

What has been your favorite K-State experience?

Being an Engineering Ambassador has been my favorite experience. I love getting to talk to prospective students and share my experiences. It has also been great to meet more current students and interact with the recruitment team in the Carl. R. Ice College of Engineering.

How does K-State care for Kansans in your hometown community?

K-State cares for Kansans in my hometown by working a lot in our schools. The university helps bring in agricultural knowledge, 4-H organizations and volunteer work. K-State makes its presence known in a way that is friendly and caring — the way a good neighbor would.

Why do you want to bring K-State to your community?

K-State has made such a positive impact on my life and I want that impact to be felt as far as possible, especially in my community. K-State does everything with love, but also has the intellectual capability and research potential that makes the outreach even more valuable. Overall, I want what is best for my community and firmly believe that K-State is what is best.