Extension and Engagement Week
Celebrating community, connection and opportunity
Join us on October 20-24, 2025, for Kansas State University's second annual Extension and Engagement Week! Through learning, leading and engaging, we are fulfilling our mission as the land-grant university — tackling the world's most pressing challenges and doing meaningful good in Kansas and the world.
Events schedule
Extension Annual Conference
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025
This free conference cultivates connections among university and Extension colleagues and will feature university updates, a keynote on resiliency by J. Scott Angle and afternoon breakout sessions to spark ideas that translate into community impact.
Members from the K-State community are invited to join Extension professionals and volunteers on Wednesday, Oct. 22 for a day of engagement and community-centered development. Pick sessions that align with your schedule and goals and walk away feeling empowered and inspired to be a champion of engagement on K-State's campus!
Featured programs
University Updates
8:00 a.m-9:00 a.m.
Marshall Stewart, Executive Vice President for External Engagement and Chief of Staff
Forum Hall, K-State Student Union
Keynote presentation
9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
“AI: Competitor or Collaborator in Delivery of Extension?"
Dr. Scott Angle, University of Florida Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Forum Hall, K-State Student Union
General Session
10:45 a.m.- Noon.
Gregg Hadley, Assistant Vice President and Director of Extension
Tim Steffensmeier, Assistant Vice President and Director of Engagement and Outreach
Forum Hall, K-State Student Union
Breakout sessions
1 - 1:50 p.m.
Programming options:
- University Engagement 101: How K-State Shows Up and Why it Matters — Matt Casey, Tim Steffensmeier and Jennifer Tidball
- The Role of Extension in Emergency Preparedness and Response — Andrea Burns
- Leveraging Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems as a Tool for Better Technical Assistance — Rial Carver and Jenny Doty
- Sparking Conversations: Local Food Systems and Food Access — Rebecca McMahon
- Using GIS and Data Analytics to Drive Adaptive Strategies and Collective Impact in Extension Programs — Shawn Hutchinson
- Lead Strong: Building Resilience and Relationships in Tough Times — Alicia Boor
- Building Resilient Teams in Times of Change — Deborah Kohl
2 - 2:50 p.m.
Programming options:
- Weathering the Storm in Agriculture: How to Cultivate a Productive Mindset — Rachael Clews, Sharon Erickson-Fryback
- Kansas Health Foundation: Upward Mobility — Lindsay Wilke and Jessica Gnad
- QPR Training to Address Suicide Risk — Alicia Boor
- Your Future with Extension Facilitation — Kyler Langvardt
- Extending a Helping Hand: How University Archives Collaborated to Preserve and Provide Access to Extension Resources — Helena Egbert, Ryan Leimkuehler and Danielle Hall
- The Beyond Ready Movement and the Local 4-H Program — Dr. Sarah Maass
- Engagement in Action: Stories, Challenges, and Perspectives from Across K-State — LeAnn Brosius and Besangie Sellars
3:30 - 4:20 p.m.
Programming options:
- Food for Health: Advancing Community Well-Being through Research, Education and Extension —Valentina Trinetta
- Precision Hyperspectral Agricultural Tracking CubeSat (PHAT-Sat) — Paul Snider
- Data-Driven Decisions: Using Health Data to Guide Community Planning — Kaitlyn Peine and Becky Reid
- Summit to Series: Elevating Youth Volunteer Engagement Together — Lexi Ray and Cyla Gardner
- Leveraging Partnerships to Fight Hunger and Build Community Resilience: A Hunger Free Kansas Mini-Grant Showcase — Clara Misenhelter
- Cultivate Impactful Partnerships —Tara Markley
- Advancing K-State Research & Extension Through Microcredentials — Ron Jackson
Signature partner events