November 3, 2021
K-State Salina receives grant to help faculty and staff enhance leadership skills
Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus has received grant funding that will help train its faculty and staff in strengthening their leadership capabilities.
The campus has been awarded a Leadership Transformation Grant through the Kansas Leadership Center, or KLC. The center fosters a culture of leadership in organizations and communities throughout the state for the common good of all Kansans. K-State Salina has been awarded 40 spots to send participants through the KLC Path programs in 2022. The grant was made possible by the Kansas Health Foundation, which provides the funding for communities, organizations and educational institutions to make the training affordable.
A core team of individuals identified in the grant application is currently planning how to best allocate the 40 available spots throughout the campus, with staff at all levels eligible for selection.
The timing of the grant comes during an extraordinary time for K-State Salina, said CEO and Dean Alysia Starkey. As the campus embarks on its rebranding announced earlier this year, Starkey said the opportunity presented through the Kansas Leadership Center can help advance the fundamental shift in the campus's mission, which seeks to better serve the talent development and workforce needs of the core industries that K-State Salina serves. By participating in the training sessions, Starkey said staff on campus will have an opportunity to lead and shape its future.
"As we embark on this new journey, the need for developing professionals at all levels with the leadership competencies necessary for making this culture shift is essential," Starkey said. "While we have strong commitment and buy-in for this directional shift, the next stage is critical. We commit to ensuring our participants can take full advantage of the coaching, mentorship, training and support the Kansas Leadership Center provides."
With its Global Aeronautics Initiative, this is another example of how K-State Salina is committed to placing itself as a national leader for advanced aviation and aeronautical training, education and engineering technology. Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Belonging Deb Marseline believes that the Leadership Transformation Grant will give K-State Salina the framework necessary to move forward.
"As more people in the organization are trained in the KLC leadership principles and competencies, we will increase our communication and collaboration skills," Marseline said. "As we align programs, as we make connections with industry and as we especially work to increase our diversity on campus, this is going to give us the tools that we need to work together to solve challenges and to seize opportunities."
KLC Path 2022 will feature a mix of virtual and in-person workshops that will be spread over eight days. K-State Salina is one of 37 new and 50 returning organizations from across Kansas awarded funding.
The Kansas Leadership Center is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering leadership for strong, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities. Since its inception in 2007, the center has trained thousands of Kansans at all levels on how to lead more effectively.