December 17, 2021
Steffensmeier named interim director of K-State’s engagement office
Submitted by Staley School of Leadership Studies
As announced in August, following recommendations made by an interdisciplinary engagement planning group, Provost Taber established the university’s engagement office in the Staley School of Leadership Studies. Tim Steffensmeier, professor and director of the interdisciplinary leadership communication doctoral program, has been named interim director of the office, effective Nov. 28.
As interim director, Steffensmeier provides strategic administration of the office, developing and executing initial plans to support and advance engagement activity across the university.
“We are fortunate to have Dr. Steffensmeier’s leadership, working with colleges and other partners to support and celebrate the remarkable engaged learning and research happening at K-State,” said Mary Hale Tolar, director of the Staley School of Leadership Studies. “Beyond sharing the impact of university engagement to Kansans and beyond, the work of the office is to further integrate engagement into the student learning experience and promote engagement to prospective students and their families as part of a signature K-State experience — connecting students, faculty and communities to make progress on real-time challenges.”
Steffensmeier played a key role as a co-chair of the engagement planning group and has advanced the work of the new engagement office since the announcement of its transition to the Staley School in August. Steffensmeier comes to this role as a former department head of communication studies and as director of Third Floor Research, an applied research partnership between the Kansas Leadership Center and the Staley School.