Engagement Council

Shape our community, strengthen our culture.

The K-State Engagement Council brings together faculty, staff and Extension professionals from across campus to elevate engagement efforts universitywide. As a collaborative leadership team, council members drive initiatives that expand our reach and keep engagement at the heart of our land-grant mission.

Learn more about joining the Engagement Council

About our events

Engagement Council events are designed to enhance skills in community engagement and external partnerships, foster open dialogue about K-State's scholarly engagement culture and create networking opportunities between colleagues. Attendance is flexible — participants are encouraged to join events that best align with their interests and availability.

Upcoming Engagement Council Events

ESC Professional Development Webinar

Jan. 28, 2026

Embedding engaged scholarship in research universities

How do research universities move beyond aspirational language to embed engaged scholarship in lasting ways? Join national leaders exploring actionable strategies — from tenure reform to leadership development — guided by Modernizing Scholarship for the Public Good: A Framework for Public Research Universities.

  • Time: 11 a.m.-noon CT (noon-1 p.m. EST)
  • Led by: Engagement Scholarship Consortium, or ESC*
  • Register | *K-State is a member institution

ESC Professional Development Webinar

Feb. 10, 2026

A comprehensive promotion and tenure toolkit for engaged universities

Rod Williams, vice provost for outreach and engagement at Texas Tech University, discusses the history and need for promotion and tenure, or P&T, reform, scholarly vs. societal impacts, incorporating community-engaged learning in P&T dossiers and the evolution of engaged institutions.

  • Time: 11 a.m.-noon CT (noon–1 p.m. EST)
  • Led by: Engagement Scholarship Consortium, or ESC*
  • Register | *K-State is a member institution

ESC Reflections & Pathways to 2026 Proposals

Feb. 17, 2026

Join us for an Engagement Council session where K-State faculty, staff, and students will reflect on their participation in the 2025 Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) conference.

Learn more about ESC’s value—including its awards, funding, and professional development offerings—and how K-State colleagues showcased their engagement work on a national stage. You will hear best practices for proposal submissions, insights on presentation formats, and the benefits of connecting with engagement scholars as we prepare for the 2026 Engagement Scholarship Consortium conference.

  • Time: 3:00- 4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Room 123, Leadership Studies Building
  • Register

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium is a nonprofit association of higher education institutions committed to advancing university–community partnerships through engaged scholarship, and as a member institution, K-State benefits from its collaborative network and shared opportunities.

ESC Professional Development Webinar

March 18, 2026

Community engagement and impact: A co-curricular model for co-creating change

Lehigh University leaders present their Impact Fellowships program, demonstrating how addressing complex global problems translates into students taking ownership of solutions, advancing knowledge and preparing for lives of impact.

  • Time: 11 a.m.-noon CT (noon–1 p.m. EST)
  • Led by: Engagement Scholarship Consortium, or ESC*
  • Register | *K-State is a member institution

ESC Professional Development Webinar

April 10, 2026

Building capacity for community-engaged research

Experts from Kansas State University, Ohio State University and Merrimack College share professional development strategies for new faculty and graduate students. Learn which initiatives most effectively prepare scholars for community-based inquiry and explore innovative plans for expanding support.

  • Time: 10-11 a.m. CT (11-noon EST)
  • Led by: Engagement Scholarship Consortium, or ESC*
  • Register | *K-State is a member institution

ESC Professional Development Webinar

Sept. 2026

Community engagement in promotion

Diane Doberneck, Michigan State University's director for faculty and professional development, provides an overview of promotion policies and practices supporting community-engaged scholarship. Learn strategies for strengthening institutional policies to support the career success of community-engaged scholars and practitioners.

  • Led by: Engagement Scholarship Consortium, or ESC*
  • Registration to come | *K-State is a member institution

Applied Learning Experiences: Current Approaches and Insights

January 15, 2026

As progress continues toward the 2030 goal of providing Applied Learning Experiences (ALE) for all undergraduates, this session will highlight how students are being integrated into engagement efforts. Featuring select grant awardees and their innovative ideas, the discussion will showcase current initiatives, lessons learned, and key considerations that shape how ALE moves forward within engagement. Opportunities for support will be shared, along with time for collaborative ideation and discussion.

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time: 9:30-10:45 a.m.
Location: K-State Student Union, Rm. 227
Register

 

Previous Engagement Council Events