Office of Engagement
The K-State Office of Engagement connects Kansans and communities beyond to access the resources and expertise of our land-grant University. We are designed to maximize the investment Kansans have made in higher education.
Core services
- Connect K-State’s expertise to the needs of Kansas by partnering with communities, businesses, and organizations
- Coordinate and promote engaged scholarly activities across the university
- Communicate the relevance and impact of this work to Kansans and beyond
Engagement emphasizes community and university partnerships - through research, teaching and service - where groups collaborate on important issues in mutually beneficial ways.
Mission Statement
To promote engagement across the breadth of our campus - in teaching, research, and outreach - and to connect the vast resources of K-State to the significant issues of public need facing Kansas and communities worldwide
Rationale
Kansas State University has always been proud of its land-grant mission and university-community engagement approach. Whether by welcoming students to its campus or taking university expertise to people across the state, K-State has taken seriously its mandate to make the resources of the university open and accessible to all Kansans.
Whether through K-State Research and Extension, distance education, service learning, arts outreach or community-based research, K-State faculty have a rich history of working with Kansans and communities worldwide. This collaborative work is captured in the idea of engagement. Engagement emphasizes campus and community partnerships - through research, teaching and service - where groups collaborate on critical issues in reciprocal, mutually beneficial ways.
The Office of Engagement is a campus-wide resource dedicated to providing value to both university and off-campus communities through expanded outreach and engagement. On campus, we advocate for, facilitate and celebrate engaged initiatives. For our off-campus partners, we serve as a portal to expert university faculty and resources that address community needs, goals and dreams. We function as a liaison for groups, agencies and communities connecting with faculty to tackle needs and opportunities in areas of economic development, community coaching, public health, entrepreneurship, arts development, environmental stewardship and community visioning.
Contact
Contact Tim Steffensmeier, Assistant VP of Engagement and Outreach and Director of the Office of Engagement, at 785-532-6099 or ooengage@k-state.edu.