August 8, 2022
Project IMPACT hosts more than 1,200 students in 2021
During the 2021-2022 academic year, the Department of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs hosted more than 1,200 students from across Kansas as part of its Project IMPACT programs. The program serves our Kansas communities by investing funds and services. The suite of programs is specifically designed to identify, cultivate, recruit, retain and graduate multicultural and first-generation students.
Project IMPACT includes College for a Days visits where high school students are exposed to university life through workshops and panel discussions on university life, college processes, resources, academic disciplines and career development. Urban gardening sessions teach youth about public health issues, healthy eating habits and self-sustainability in their communities through different types of urban agriculture. The department's two statewide leadership conferences — Encurentro and BSU Leadership Conference — provide an environment where students can learn about the unexpected challenges they may encounter during their collegiate years and how others before have overcome those challenges and attained their educational goals. They also serve as educational tools that assist in Latino and Black student identity development.
In total, the department hosted 28 events during the past year: 10 Urban Gardening sessions, 16 College for a Day visits and two conferences. Program attendants were predominantly from Kansas high schools, with 205 seniors, 267 juniors, 233 sophomores and 284 first-year students. Project IMPACT is funded through the Kansas Department for Children and Families, with intentional services to students from eight Kansas counties: Finney, Ford, Geary, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee and Wyandotte.
The Department of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs thanks its many campus partners who assist with these programs each year, including the College of Agriculture Diversity Programs Office, the College of Business DEIB Office, the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering Multicultural Engineering Program Office, K-State Office of Recruitment and Admissions, the K-State Student Union and the multicultural student organizations who share their stories and experiences with attendees while volunteering their time to assist.