2013 All-University Achievements
* Several Kansas State University researchers were part of a team that received the 2013 USDA Secretary Honor Award for the Ogallala Aquifer Program. Researchers from several universities and agencies joined together to study the aquifer and find ways to preserve the vital water resource. The award was given for enhancing economic vitality and quality of life in rural America. December 2013
* U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spotlighted K-State's Powercat Financial Counseling as a financial literacy program to emulate in a Dec. 4 address to more than 6,000 financial aid professionals at the 2013 Federal Student Aid Training Conference in Las Vegas. In his remarks, Duncan said he would like to see more institutions emulating financial literacy programs like K-State's Powercat Financial Counseling program and Ohio State's Scarlet and Gray Financial Program. December 2013
* The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International has extended accreditation for both the business and accounting programs offered by Kansas State University's College of Business Administration. Association accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world's business programs. December 2013
* The K-State Crops Team captured the title of national champion for the fifth year in a row. K-State teams have won the crops contest championship in 12 of the last 15 years. To win the 2013 national title, the team won both the Kansas City American Royal Collegiate Crops Contest and the Chicago Collegiate Crops Contest. December 2013
* K-State received 24 awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE, Mid-America District VI. Creative works from the Kansas State University Foundation, K-State Alumni Association and the Division of Communications and Marketing were among the award recipients. In all, the university received seven gold awards, 10 silver awards and seven bronze awards. December 2013
* K-State's chapter of Phi Kappa Phi was named one of the best with recognition as a Chapter of Merit. The honor recognizes chapters that have exhibited outstanding commitment to honor and excellence. Only 69 of Phi Kappa Phi's 325 chapters earned the recognition status in 2013. Phi Kappa Phi is thenation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all disciplines. December 2013
* Kansas State University's graduate program in landscape architecture is No. 2 in the nation, second only to Harvard, according to the latest rankings from DesignIntelligence. The magazine, whose rankings are considered the primary source for comparison in the industry, also named the architecture graduate program No. 8 and the interior architecture and product design graduate program No. 7 in the interior design category. November 2013
* Among Midwest schools, Kansas State University's graduate programs rank No. 1 in landscape architecture, No. 1 in interior design and No. 2 in architecture, according to DesignIntelligence magazine. November 2013
* Gregory Eiselein, professor of English and university distinguished teaching scholar at Kansas State University, was named the 2013 Kansas Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE. The competitive award recognizes excellence in teaching and mentoring and is one of the most prestigious awards for U.S. professors. November 2013
* Walter Dodds, university distinguished professor of biology; Donald Kaufman, professor of biology; John Leslie, university distinguished professor of plant pathology and department head; and John Reese, professor of entomology, were named 2013 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The four K-State fellows are among the 388 fellows chosen this year. Their selection follows a vote by their peers in the association, who looked at potential fellows' distinguished efforts to advance science. November 2013
* The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, recently recognized its K-State chapter as a Chapter of Merit. The award is given to chapters that excel in recognizing and promoting academic excellence in all fields of higher education and engaging the community of scholars in service to others. November 2013
* Under a memorandum of agreement signed by K-State and the Federal Aviation Administration, K-State Salina was selected to validate industry standards for small unmanned aircraft systems — systems typically weighing 55 pounds or less — set by the F38 technical committee of ASTM International. The agreement between university and the FAA is the first of its kind. October 2013
* The Active Times rated K-State No. 8 out of 50 fittest colleges in the United States. The university's recreational services was recognized for having one of the largest college recreation centers and for its new Wildcat Wellness Coalition program. October 2013
* The K-State Student Union was ranked among the top 25 student unions in the nation by Best College Reviews. K-State's union came in No. 14 on the list, which looks at high quality student union buildings that serve as the community center of the college or university and are places for a variety of activities. October 2013
* Kansas State University was recognized by Times Higher Education as one of the top 350 higher educational institutions in the world. October 2013
* Affordable Colleges Online named K-State No. 13 in the nation for the Best Online Degree Programs in the U.S. The Top 25 universities were among those institutions that designed programs specifically to be online. September 2013
* In fiscal year 2013, Kansas State University set a research funding record. Between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013, the university submitted more than 1,300 proposals. They resulted in 880 awards, totaling $151,343,529. That included almost $106 million in federal grants, nearly $8.3 million from industry and $8.8 million of private funding. September 2013
* Another enrollment record fell at K-State in fall 2013. The university's enrollment of 24,581 was the largest in K-State's 150-year history. The Manhattan campus welcomed 302 more students this fall compared to a year ago. It was also the most diverse student body in history, with 3,458 students who identify as black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, Hawaiian/Pacific islander or multiracial. In fall 2012 that number was 3,379. September 2013
* The 2014 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list ranked Kansas State University 68th in the Top Public Schools category and 135th in the Best National Universities category that includes public and private schools -- up eight spots since the 2012 rankings. September 2013
* The agronomy department received state climate office designation from the American Association of State Climatologists. September 2013
* HandsOn K-State received the Hunger Champion award from Harvesters for outstanding contributions to hunger relief. Harvesters is a community food network serving the Kansas City area. September 2013
* The National Science Foundation named K-State as its lead institution for the world's first Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on wheat. It is the first National Science Foundation-established research center for any crop plant, and focuses on improving the food production and disease resistance of wheat and other crop plants, as well as serve as a training hub for graduate students and young researchers. August 2013
* K-State was recognized in The Princeton Review's "The Best 378 Colleges" 2014 edition, and ranked No. 2 for great campus and community relations; No. 5 for student satisfaction; No. 6 for the happiest students; and No. 7 for best quality of life. The rankings are based on student surveys. August 2013
* Business Insider, a leading business news and analysis web site, ranked Kansas State University as No. 18 on its list of the Top 20 college campuses in the nation. The list was based on Princeton Review's "The Best 378 Colleges," which rated the university highly in several categories. K-State is the only school from Kansas and from the Big 12 Conference to make the list, which includes half of the Ivy League schools. August 2013
* K-State got credit from Forbes magazine for helping Manhattan earn the No. 3 spot on its list of best small places to do business. The magazine credits K-State students for helping shape the community's culture and calls Bill Snyder Family Stadium and Bramlage Coliseum among the Little Apple's popular attractions. August 2013
* Mathematics education at K-State adds up to a real value, according to Affordable Colleges Online. In its new ranking, "AC Online: Most Affordable Mathematics Colleges: Plains Region," K-State made the list for carrying a net price — tuition and fees — of $14,352, as reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Criteria used for the rankings included: being a fully accredited institution; having a net price — tuition and fees — of less than $30,000; and offering at least one doctorate program in mathematics. August 2013
* Philanthropic gifts, pledges and future commitments received by the Kansas State University Foundation for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2013, set a record of $152 million, which is up from $111 million in fiscal year 2012. The number of donors also increased from 51,400 to 57,300. July 2013
* K-State received a $13.7 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to establish the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sorghum and Millet. The center will help end poverty and increase crop food supplies in semiarid Africa by improving the sorghum and millet crops in three African countries. July 2013
* K-State earned 4.5 stars out of 5 stars in the Campus Pride Index rating for 2013-2014. The index is a tool that helps campuses learn ways to improve their lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender campus life and become more inclusive, welcoming and respectful of LGBT and Ally people. The rating is a result of collaboration among multiple campus organizations, including the university's LGBT Resource Center, housing and dining services, the Union Program Council and the Student Governing Association. July 2013
* The Robotics Team won its seventh straight championship at the student robotics competition offered at the annual international meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in Kansas City, Mo. The university has never lost the competition since its inauguration in 2007. July 2013
* The College Database ranked Kansas State University No. 22 in the nation for engineering programs offered, above MIT, Cornell, Ohio State and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It also ranked the university No. 1 in the state for the return on investment made by students. July 2013
* A website that compares university programs across the United States has ranked several College of Agriculture programs in the Top 10 as compared with similar programs at peer institutions. PHDS.org ranks K-State's department of plant pathology at No. 10 nationally among 162 plant sciences departments, and at No. 1 among all plant pathology departments. Among similar programs, K-State's agricultural economics program is ranked No. 4; the entomology doctoral program is ranked No. 8; and the interdepartmental food science program No. 9. In the "Research Productivity category," the university’s animal science doctoral program ranked No. 5 among animal and dairy science programs nationally. July 2013
* The Justin Hall addition became the third building on the Manhattan campus to earn LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — Gold certification by the U. S. Green Building Council, meeting stringent requirements for positive impact on the environment and the building's occupants. The 13,000-square-foot addition joins the School of Leadership Studies and the Food Services Building at the Jardine Apartment Complex as LEED Gold-certified. The International Animal Health and Food Safety Institute at K-State Olathe is LEED Silver-certified. July 2013
* A team of Kansas State University students was named the 2013 Reserve Champions of the National Animal Science Academic Quadrathlon, July 8-9, in conjunction with the Joint American Society of Animal Science/American Dairy Science Association meetings in Indianapolis. The competition includes four events: laboratory practicum, quiz bowl, oral presentation and written exam. The material in the events covers animal science and industry information, with the oral presentation focusing on contemporary issue topics in animal agriculture. July 2013
* K-State was selected as one of the next program sites for First Scholars, a national program aimed at increasing graduation rates among first-generation students. The Suder Foundation awarded the university $850,000 in funding to cover student scholarships and start-up costs to launch First Scholars on campus. June 2013
* A U.S. patent has been granted to a K-State-developed "candy" that stimulates the growth, health and reproductive functions of cattle, bulls and other livestock. The technology was developed by Jim Drouillard, professor of animal sciences and industry, who discovered a specific combination of molasses, oilseeds and oilseed extracts that when heated and evaporated, formed a substance that improves absorption of specific omega-3 fatty acids. June 2013
* The office of communications and marketing at K-State Salina received a 2013 Circle of Excellence Award from CASE, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The gold award is in the recruitment videos category for "The Journey," created to promote K-State Salina's professional pilot program. June 2013
* K-State's quarter-scale tractor design team was the first-place winners in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers' 16th annual International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition. It's the 14th time in the last 15 years that K-State has won or placed in the top three of the event. K-State also won the X Team competition, which is for freshmen, sophomores and new team members. June 2013
* Kansas State University Olathe received two awards from the Kansas City Meeting Planners International: the noneducational programming Social Event of the Year award for the Catering and Restaurant Showcase, and Renee Hultgren, events manger at K-State Olathe, received the Rising Star Award, which recognizes a Kansas City Meeting Planners International member of less than three years who has contributed extraordinarily to the organization with his or her dedication, vision, enthusiasm, willingness to participate, volunteer efforts and commitment. June 2013
* Bret McCandless, a May 2013 summa cum laude graduate in music and social science, was selected a Phi Kappa Phi fellow. He is one of 51 students nationwide in 2013 and one of 22 students from K-State in the past 25 years to earn the $5,000 fellowship. McCandless was named the Marjorie Schoch fellow, one of the honor society's nine named fellowships. June 2013
* K-State was named one of the Top 10 fashion marketing schools in the country. The apparel marketing option in the apparel and textiles program in the department of apparel, textiles and interior design was ranked No. 10 out of more than 200 fashion schools by Fashion-schools.org. The group also selected the College of Human Ecology apparel design and production option in the apparel and textiles program No. 29 among the Top 75 fashion design schools. May 2013
* Heidi Ramzel, junior in physics and geography with a minor in chemistry, received a 2013 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She was one of 126 recipients of the $8,000 scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding students with two years left of undergraduate study. It also includes a summer internship at a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration facility. May 2013
* The Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 recognized Kansas State University's dining hall food composting program for improving sustainable food management practices and reducing waste. The program takes leftover food waste from dining halls to the Agronomy North Farm on campus for composting. May 2013.
* Kansas State University was named a "Generous U" for its student philanthropy, K-State Proud, by the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy at Brandeis University. The student-led campaign has raised more than $650,000 for Student Opportunity Awards in its seven years of existence. The campaign is guided by the Student Foundation. May 2013
* For the second year in a row, the sales program at the College of Business Administration was named one of the top programs in the country by the Sales Education Foundation. The program is offered through the National Strategic Sales Institute, an initiatives in the college. The institute sponsors the K-State Sales Team, organizes an annual Sales Week and sponsors competitions. Its director is Dawn Deeter, the J.J. Vanier distinguished chair in relational selling and professor of marketing. May 2013
* The K-State Architectural Engineering Institute Competition Team won a national championship in the electrical category of the fourth annual Charles Pankow Foundation Student Design Competition, April 3-4, at State College, Pa. The five categories teams compete in are building systems integration, structural, mechanical, electrical and construction management. May 2013
* An interdisciplinary team of graduate students from Kansas State University, University of Kansas and University of Missouri-Kansas City won the Urban Land Institute's Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition with the entry "The Armory." The award included $50,000 for the students. The team was led by Kevin Cunningham and included Kylie Harper and Derek Hoetmer, all Master of Landscape Architecture students. The team's main adviser was Jason Brody, assistant professor of regional and community planning. April 2013
* The Go Teacher scholarship program coordinated by Kansas State University received the 2013 Exceptional Noncredit Program Award at the Association for Continuing Higher Education’s Great Plains region conference. Go Teacher is a scholarship program developed to enhance the English proficiency of teachers in Ecuador and provide them with instruction to improve teaching effectiveness in teaching English as a second language methodologies. In addition, Go Teacher scholars experience the culture of the language. April 2013
* The K-State Proud campaign has raised more than $650,000 in its seven years. The student-run campaign establishes a culture of philanthropy, with the money raised helping students who are struggling financially. March 2013
* The American Concrete Institute named the College of Engineering an Excellent University for its accomplishments in 2012. K-State was one of just 16 universities to receive the institute's Award for University Student Activities, which recognizes schools that participate in institute-related activities. March 2013
* The College of Engineering and the College of Education were included in U.S. News & World Report's 2014 Best Graduate School ranking, making them among the best in the nation. The College of Engineering was the only engineering graduate program in Kansas to be ranked. March 2013
* For the sixth time in the last eight years Kansas State University's Black Student Union has been awarded the Clarence Wine Award for Outstanding Big 12 Council of the Year. The honor is presented annually to an outstanding undergraduate black student government or council in the Big 12 Conference. It recognizes an organization that has demonstrated a serious commitment to unity, academic achievement, scholarship, campus programming and community service. March 2013
* For the 17th consecutive year, K-State ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference for the percentage of graduates who are members of their respective alumni associations. The membership of the association is more than 41,000 alumni and represents more than 24 percent of the total living graduates of the university. February 2013
* Certara™, a leading provider of software and scientific consulting services to improve productivity and decision-making from drug discovery through clinical development, announced that the Institute of Computational Comparative Medicine (ICCM) at Kansas State University has been named a Phoenix® Center of Excellence. February 2013.
* The university bolstered its research opportunities through a partnership with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home in Abilene. U.S. Archivist David S. Ferriero and K-State President Kirk Schulz signed a formal agreement designed to create student internships, scholarly conferences, public lectures, exhibits and the joint development of classroom curriculum. January 2013
* A university survey has found an improving job market, competitive salaries and diverse career choices for K-State's recent graduates. Conducted by career and employment services, the survey had an 86 percent response rate from August 2011, December 2011 and May 2012 undergraduate alumni. Of those who responded, 92 percent of bachelor's degree graduates were employed or were pursuing further education and advanced degrees. January 2013
* The Olathe Chamber of Commerce named K-State Olathe the 2012 Corporate Citizen of the Year. The award recognizes dedicated service to the chamber and the community. The chamber cited the campus' work with Olathe Northwest High School on a pilot program, the 21st Century Animal Health Program. Also recognized was the campus' economic impact, with more than 22,000 people utilizing the facility last year for events, meetings and conferences. In the same year, the university's K-12 outreach impacted more than 7,000 students and educators in the greater Kansas City region and five graduate degrees programs were unveiled. January 2013
