College of Arts and Sciences aims to boost applied learning under leadership of Lisa Melander
Kansas State University’s College of Arts and Sciences has long been dedicated to experiential learning in the lab, on the stage, in the community and with partnering organizations. And now, it takes that commitment a step further.
As the university prioritizes the integration of applied learning into every student’s experience, the college has established a faculty fellow position to develop and nurture applied learning opportunities that prepare students for life beyond K-State.
Lisa Melander, professor of criminology and sociology, has been named the college’s inaugural faculty fellow for applied learning by Chris Culbertson, dean of the college.
"Dr. Melander has successfully developed and coordinated student internships for more than 10 years, and I look forward to seeing the difference she makes for our students on a broader scope," said Culbertson.
Melander will catalog and assess current applied learning experiences, determine capacity-building needs, and help develop new opportunities.
The college already offers research, creative and other applied learning opportunities in all its departments. It also provides more than $200,000 a year in competitive awards to support students doing research and unpaid internships. The awards are made possible by student fees and philanthropic gifts.
“Many of our students already gain professional experience by conducting research in world-class laboratories, creating marketing content and statistical analyses for real clients, delivering multimedia news broadcasts, participating in law enforcement, medical examiner and attorney’s office internships, and so much more,” said Melander. “I’m excited to build on these and give all our students an even greater edge in the job market.”
Melander joined K-State’s sociology, anthropology and social work department as an assistant professor in 2010. She was promoted to associate professor in 2014 and to professor in 2021. She has served as the sociology program director, the department’s graduate program director, the sociology and criminology internship coordinator, and the Criminology Club advisor. She has served the university on the Institutional Review Board, the Graduate Council and the Integrity in Research and Scholarly Activity Committee.
Her research interests include issues surrounding women’s incarceration experiences, intimate partner violence, and technology-facilitated aggression. She is an appointed member of the Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a recipient of the Roy Barnett Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentorship, and she has attended the James R. Coffman Leadership Institute.