K-State to help more Kansas City high school students chart their paths to successful careers

A $700K Kauffman Foundation grant will help K-State prepare more Kansas City students for postsecondary success — no matter what pathway they choose.

Through skilled advisors placed at select high schools in Kansas City, the Kansas State College Advising Corps aims to increase the number of high school students that plan for and accomplish post-secondary career success. | Download this photo.

By K‑State News and Communications Services

Kansas State University will empower even more high school students in the Kansas City area to find the career pathways that best fit their needs, thanks to a Project grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for the university's Kansas State College Advising Corps, or KSCAC.

While they are employees of K-State, KSCAC’s skilled advisors help students explore any best-fit postsecondary pathways, including technical education, apprenticeships, community college and four-year universities. They work full-time in select partner high schools to match students with sustainable career opportunities in the regional economy, increasing the likelihood of persistence and completion.

"This grant represents a transformative opportunity for K-State to expand our impact in the Kansas City region," said Chris Beggs, KSCAC executive director. “By embedding professional advisors in these 12 high schools, we'll help create clearer pathways for hundreds of Kansas students.”

The $700,000 grant, over two years, will primarily support advisor salaries and benefits, program administration and professional development. This comprehensive approach ensures that KSCAC advisors receive proper training and oversight while maintaining daily presence in partner high schools.

Through its Project grants, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funds organizations that design and implement or scale a multiyear project that contributes to closing economic mobility gaps in the Kansas City region.

"We’re proud to invest in projects that are removing barriers to opportunity," said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Kauffman Foundation president and CEO. "These grants are meant to accelerate ideas and programs that spark career growth, expand access to entrepreneurship, and open new pathways to education."

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