Regional community visits

The university for the people of Kansas

As the nation's first operational land-grant university, we care deeply about Kansans and their communities. And there is no better way for Kansas State University to demonstrate our commitment to Kansans than through intentional visits across our state.

Community visit schedule

We spent the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years painting the state purple and engaging with Kansans in all 105 counties.

The work isn't over. K-State will continue visiting communities and engaging with Kansans across the state. More information will be released in the coming months as our future plans are finalized.

See all the communities we visited during our first two years of visits.

About the initiative

K-State's regional community visits foster relationships and connections across the state, allowing yet another venue for K-State to carry out its land-grant mission for the state of Kansas. View the regional community visit dashboard to learn more about where we've been.

Why these visits are a priority for K-State

We are living our land-grant mission, engaging with Kansans through intentional visits across the state. The regional community visit program is designed to:

Establish a consistent opportunity for engaging with, listening to and learning from Kansans directly within the communities they call home.
Recognize and reaffirm the strong relationships K-State holds with Kansas communities through our K-State Research and Extension network, industry partnerships, community. engagement/volunteerism, and educational partnerships
Strengthen and create new relationships that support Kansas citizens.
Celebrate our alumni who contribute to Kansas communities, as the K-State graduates who power our state's workforce are integral in building a stronger future for Kansas.
Empower K-State students from your region to share their K-State experience and how they will take what they have learned to make the world a better place.
Heighten awareness for and access to the educational and experiential opportunities K-State offers to the next-generation of difference-makers.

What community members can expect

When K-State visits your community, you can expect:

A community open forum where you can learn how K-State supports local Kansas communities and share your ideas for how to strengthen the university’s impact specifically in your area.
Listening/Learning sessions with community leaders designed to facilitate critical dialogue to build solutions for Kansans.
Visits with local partnerships and initiatives, celebrating the incredible work Kansans do every day.
A future student information session that lets you hear directly from students about K-State and provides access to our admissions and financial aid experts, helping you take the next step in your education journey whether you’re 18 or 85.

News and updates

Read news and communications related to the initiative.

Core planning team

Gregg Hadley, director, Cooperative Extension, co-team leader.
Tim Steffensmeier, director, Office of Engagement, co-team leader.
Mirna Bonilla Salazar, program manager, Office of Engagement.
Jeff Ebeck, K-State graduate student.
Courtney Hallenbeck, associate director, Office of Recruitment and Admissions.
Jennifer Tidball, communications director for K-State 105, Division of Communications and Marketing.

Advisory committee

A recap of two years of community visits

Watch a video that highlights two years of regional community visits and shows engagement across Kansas.