K-State Polytechnic student helps Ashby House land grant
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Dalton Ramsey, senior in social work, third from left, helped Ashby House in Salina land a $5,000 grant for its drug and alcohol treatment transitional housing program. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Dalton Ramsey, a senior in social work, Salina, at Kansas State Polytechnic Campus, picked his major because he wants to help others. He's putting his education into action by helping the community service organization where he served as a student intern with a specific need.
Ramsey successfully wrote a $5,000 grant proposal for Ashby House in Salina. The grant will be used to install a keycard-entry security door for residents with the Ashby House Sober Living program, which provides a safe and structured living environment for women who are in drug and alcohol treatment and offers family apartments for its women residents with children.
"The new security door will make it harder for unwanted persons or unwanted substances to enter the transitional housing program," said Andy Houltberg, Ashby House executive director.
K-State social work students have participated in practicums at Ashby House since its beginning, Houltberg said. Ramsey is the first K-State Polytechnic student to be involved with the new program.
"Dalton was eager to pitch in and learn new things," Houltberg said.
After expressing an interest in grant writing, Ramsey was tasked with completing the grant request from Ashby House to the Greater Salina Community Foundation and Dane G. Hansen Foundation for the funding.
"I had to completely reteach myself how to write," Ramsey said. "Technical writing takes a compelling narrative backed up by great sources."
Grant writing is now a skill Ramsey will add to his resume. After graduating from K-State Polytechnic in May, Ramsey plans to pursue a master’s degree in substance abuse and mental health. His interest was sparked through personal experiences with substance abuse and by the death of his favorite artist, Mac Miller, from an accidental overdose.
"I've always tended to put others above myself," Ramsey said. "Social work gives me the platform to do that on a wider scale."
