Who we are

K-State First and its programs are made possible by the support of administrators, staff, faculty members, and students from across campus. K-State First has 50 First-Year Seminar faculty, 45 lead Instructors in the CAT Communities, and over 50 Learning Assistants (peer mentors). The K-State First Director and staff (listed below) work closely with a Student Advisory Council and campus-wide advisory workgroup as well as committees focused on communication, research and assessment, K-State First Book, faculty development, diversity and inclusion, and overall strategic planning.

Meet the K-State First Team!

Learn more about our team of dedicated staff, graduate students, and student workers, and what we love about how our work impacts first-year students!

Hannah Bennet	Graduate Assistant: Learning Assistant Program	I enjoy working with Learning Assistants because of the passion they have for supporting first-year students to find purpose and belonging here at K-State. Supporting students to develop and meet their growth edges is inspiring to me.
Tara Coleman tcole2@ksu.edu	K-State First Book Coordinator	I love planning, developing, and implementing the common reading experience for K-State students.
Dr. Brie Heidbreder heidbr@ksu.edu	Director	I love bringing together members of the K-State community who are dedicated to the academic and personal success of our newest students.
Totty Norwood nn092300@ksu.edu	Office Specialist	My favorite thing about working with first year students is watching them gleam with excitement for the future and helping them find what they are passionate about!
Halle Schindler	Graduate Assistant: Financial Futures Initiative	I love establishing connections with students through collaborative efforts and crafting content that proves immensely beneficial for their first year in college and sets the stage for lifelong advantages.
Mariya Vaughan mbjv@ksu.edu	Assistant Director	I love working across the university with faculty, staff, and students to create a welcoming and diverse community. I also love working with first-year students in my CAT Community and FYS classes, who I learn so much from every year.
Brent Weaver bweaver2@ksu.edu	Learning Assistant Coordinator	I love training our Learning Assistants (peer educators) because peer-to-peer education is such a high-impact form of education. I have seen how successful our LAs are at empathetically engaging with first-year students.
Mia Wells	Student Worker	I love being a part of K-State First because I have seen the support from this program change the trajectory of student’s academics, personal wellbeing, and overall engagement in a positive focus.