K-State First Awards
Our program offers a variety of awards to students, faculty, and staff for their work to foster belonging and engage in student success work each year.
We want to recognize the excellence and passion that our colleagues and students put forth each and every day! Click below to learn more about each award, past winners, and how to apply.
Scholarships
K-State First Book Awards
K-State First Book Awards celebrate the common experiences shared at K-State with the common book. The award winners all work hard to foster student engagement, enhance students' educational experience, expand the consideration of new ideas, values and concepts in the classroom and in the university community, and use creative applications of the themes from the common book of the year.
The K-State First Book program offers several awards, including the Bill Miller and Debbie Leckron Miller K-State First Book Scholarships, a Student Group Award, and a Faculty/Staff Award.
Individual Award | Group Award | Faculty/Staff Award | Past Winners
| Bill Miller and Debbie Leckron Miller K-State First Book Scholarships | |
| Number of awards: | 2 |
| Amount of Award: | $1,000 |
| Eligibility: | Any current K-State student |
| Submission Deadline: | Friday, December 15, 2023 by 11:59 pm |
| Description: |
Share your experience with the book. Your experience can be shared through a non-fiction essay, creative writing, music, video, visual art, performance art, or some other medium. Indicate the basis for your experience, such as the book, a classroom discussion, or a K-State First Book sponsored event, program, or assigned reading selection. |
| Apply: | Applications closed |
| Student Group Award | |
| Number of awards | 1 |
| Amount of Award: | $250 |
| Eligibility | Center for Student Involvement registered student groups, K-State learning communities, and K-State residence |
| Submission Deadline: | Friday, December 15, 2023 by 11:59 pm |
| Description: |
Please share your group’s experience with the book. You can share that experience through whatever medium you prefer. Entries should indicate in some specific way how your group interacted with the book and/or with one of the events on campus, such as the a lecture, a classroom experience, or some other event or program. For the group application process, please also provide a short (100-150 word) description of how your group would use the $250 award. (Note: The funds may not be donated to another group or organization, and the money must be spent by your group during the Spring 2024 semester.) |
| Apply: | Applications closed |
| Number of awards: | 1 |
| Eligibility: | Current K-State faculty and staff |
| Submission Deadline: | Friday, December 15, 2023 by 11:59 pm |
| Description: |
Faculty and staff are invited to submit their learning activities related to the common reading selection. Activities may include, but are not limited to, paper assignments, events, discussions, and programs. One outstanding activity will be selected based on:
|
| Apply: | Applications closed |
Past Winners
|
Year |
Faculty Winners |
Student Winners |
|
2023 |
Cliff Hight |
Kristen Wallace and Madisyn Robertson, Individual Award Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences or (MANRRS), Group Award |
|
2022 |
Andrew Smith |
Marquel Denstedt and Matthew Lane, Individual Award Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences or (MANRRS), Group Award |
|
2021 |
Lisa Tatonetti |
Tamara Monroy, Individual Award Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences or (MANRRS), Group Award |
|
2020 |
Suzanne Porath |
Grace Huynh and Bailey Roberts, Individual Award, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences or (MANRRS), Group Award |
|
2019 |
Traci Brimhall |
Leah Hennes, Individual Award |
|
2018 |
Kathrine Walker Schlageck |
Bailey Nobrega, Individual Award |
|
2017 |
Julie Pentz |
Cara Hopkins, Individual Award |
|
2016 |
Donald Saucier |
Mawi Sonna, Individual Award League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Group Award |
|
2015 |
Be Stoney |
|
|
2014 |
Charles Sanders |
Muriel Eaton, Individual Award |
|
2013 |
Dan Ireton, Joelle Pitts, and Ben Ward |
Brett Bachman, Individual Award |
|
2012 |
Laura Donnelly |
Jamie Westphal, Individual Award |
|
2011 |
L. Sue Williams |
Shana Gordon, Eric Hampton, Mathew McKernan, Kelly Novosel, and Emilio Quezada |
K-State First Bosco Family CAT Community Scholarships
This scholarship is awarded thanks to the generous contributions of the Bosco Family, Bill and Debbie Miller, and other donors, for participation in our high impact CAT Community program.
K-State First awards four in-state scholarships and one out-of-state scholarship to first-year students enrolled in a CAT Community each fall to cover the cost of the CAT Community one-hour connections course tuition.
We are especially eager to support first-generation college students and/or students with financial need.
Past Winners
| Year | Students |
| 2023 |
Kavon Jemison Mallory Brooks Samson Chen Darleen Ferrer Javier Vazquez |
| 2022 |
Carson Corwin Lilyanna Cruz Veronica Fuendling Joseph Hernandez Grace Lucas |
Awards
First-Year Advocate Awards
The First-Year Advocate Award celebrates faculty/staff and students who:
- Engage with first-year students.
- Help students succeed academically.
- Build community.
- Show they value equity and inclusion.
- Empower their students.
- Help their students find purpose and achieve their goals.
Nominations for the First-Year Advocate Award are due by February 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm. Successful nominations will demonstrate how the nominee meets the above listed criteria. Nominations may be submitted in a variety of formats. For example, nomination materials could be an essay of 500-600 words, a video with specific testimonials, or a PowerPoint presentation with images and quotes related to the nominee’s impact.
Nominate a 2023 First-Year Advocate
| Faculty Winners | Student Winners |
| 2023 - Ruth Welti | 2023 - Ellise Peterson |
| 2022 - Susan Rensing | 2022 - Nikela Reed |
| 2021 - Eve McCulloch | 2021 - Trenton Schneider |
| 2020 - Jessica Henault | 2020 - Julia Gross |
| 2019 - Mike Finnegan | 2019 - Krista Everhart |
| 2018 - Don Saucier | 2018 - Bailey Porter |
| 2017 - Tamara Bauer | 2017 - Haley Weinberg |
Learn more about the fall 2023 winners
K-State First Special Recognition Award
Each year, our team recognizes someone at K-State for their exceptional university leadership and unwavering dedication to first-year students. These individuals have been essential to the success of our program throughout the years and we value their passion for and contribution to our K-State First mission.
| Award Winners |
| 2024 - Don Saucier |
| 2023 - Gregory Eiselein |
| 2022 - Karin Westman |
| 2021 - Kevin Cook |
| 2020 - Emily Lehning |
| 2019 - Tara Coleman |
| 2018 - Provost April Mason |
| 2017 - Bill Miller and Debbie Leckron Miller |