Hands-on history

Through the unique History of K-State Workshop, students get hands-on experience with the university's collections of tradition and heritage.

A college professor looks over a student's shoulder as she sits at a library table and looks through an antique book.

Eric Brandom, associate professor of history, guides Lilly Schultejans, junior in political science, as she researches archival materials on K-State's fraternities and sororities.

Tommy Killian and Rafael Garcia

By Tommy Killian and Rafael Garcia

K-State Division of Communications and Marketing

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026

Like most students, Benjamin Karten quickly learned to love full well the historic buildings and facilities at Kansas State University.

The difference is, he decided to help write some of that history.

Through the hands-on History of K-State Workshop course, Karten and other students last fall worked closely with K-State Library's Richard L. D. and Marjorie J. Morse Department of Archives and Special Collections to delve deep into the department's extensive holdings of historic university materials.

Led by Eric Brandom, visiting assistant professor of history, workshop students developed public-facing materials over a K-State history topic of their choice.

A student wearing sunglasses on the top of their head and a purple "KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY" shirt sits at a wooden library table and carefuly reads through an old book. A laptop sits next to the book.
Benjamin Karten, senior in real estate and community development, reviews a century-old ledger of statistics on K-State facilities.

Karten focused on how buildings such as Seaton and Regnier Halls — as well as the since-destroyed Farm Machinery and Denison Halls — have historically been used as learning spaces.

"I've done a lot of random and fun research on K-State history on my own before, but with this class, I could expand on that in a more formal setting and find some cool information on K-State's long lost buildings," said Karten, a senior in real estate and community development.

Learn more about the class in the video above.

A student wearing sunglasses on the top of their head and a purple "KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY" shirt sits at a wooden library table and carefuly reads through an old book. A laptop sits next to the book.
In a file of historic university photographs, Benjamin Karten researches K-State buildings that have been destroyed by fire.

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