Theme 6: Invest in the Jobs and Economies of Tomorrow

We must focus on business development, job creation and unique partnerships that drive economic prosperity, impact and growth in Kansas and beyond.

Economic impact has always been a key part of K-State's traditional land-grant mission. As we adapt our focus toward becoming a leading next-generation land-grant university, we must both lead and drive the dialogue with our partners to create economic impact while continually aligning our institution with the rapidly evolving needs and demands of the communities and economies we support, as well as the opportunities our university can help create to improve social mobility for K-State students and Kansans across the state.

This concept of economic prosperity and impact connects to all facets of our institution. We will adapt curricula and remove unnecessary hurdles that inhibit our ability to nimbly respond to employer demands for skills and experiences. We will firmly integrate this focus on workforce preparedness and economic impact into our universitywide focus on applied learning, supplying employers with educated and prepared graduates that meet their needs. We will reimagine existing models like the K-State Career Center as a vital conduit for aligning employer needs and student preparedness in real time. We will empower our colleges, units, faculty and staff with the skills, connections and support they need to form, maintain and scale our community and industry partners — recognizing that our partners don't see us as individual colleges or campuses but as One K-State. We will clarify, streamline and elevate our structures and processes to more efficiently connect our work and impact to surrounding communities and economies, from sponsored research to commercialization. And we will work with our many university partners to accelerate how we leverage our campus footprint to form public-private partnerships that create clear, tangible value for our institution.

Our end goal — making it clear to our partners, the state, the nation and the world that K-State is ready to lead the charge in building a vibrant economy for present and future generations.

Foundational work is already delivering results. Our economic development activity in FY25 generated 1,107 or more jobs created or retained, 662 businesses established or expanded and $12.7 million in matching funds, loans, or equity leveraged — concrete proof that K-State’s statewide presence translates into economic impact. The K-State Industry Partnership Network has been launched to create a structured platform for collaboration, information sharing and strategic relationship management with key industry partners. Two new interdisciplinary institutes — the Institute for Community Health and Well-being and the Institute for Financial Education and Prosperity — are now operational, anchoring K-State’s cross-university response to major societal challenges. These investments are building the institutional agility needed to sustain K-State’s economic leadership role through 2030 and beyond.