Social Impact Lab

April 8, 2026 | 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

save the dateWe are excited to host our annual Social Impact Lab for students in grades 7-10 on Wed., April 8, 2026. At this one-day camp, students do hands-on activities to learn about careers in various helping professions, meet with K-State faculty members and students, and experience a day on campus. Student groups and individual registrants are welcome.

An optional campus tour will be offered from 1:30-2 p.m.

To be notified when registration opens, please complete this form.

Thanks to generous funding from the College of Health and Human Sciences, this event is free for participants to attend. A T-shirt and lunch are included.

The Social Impact Lab is organized by K-State's School of Human Sciences and Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work in the College of Arts and Sciences. For questions, contact Kristen Kremer, associate professor of social work, at kpkremer@k-state.edu.

Breakout sessions at our 2026 event include:

  • Case of the Missing Medication: Join the Addiction Counseling and Gerontology programs for a morning of mystery and intrigue. See if your active listening and problem-solving skills are up to the task of helping us determine which person in the room is attempting to pull off the who done it of the semester.
  • Disability Access Scavenger Hunt: Participants will experience campus from the perspective of someone with a disability. Participants will explore accessibility issues inside the K-State Student Union and see whether individuals with different disabilities would be able to access its different areas.
  • Social Work BINGO: Students will learn more about social workers and what they do in a fun game of BINGO.
  • Befriending Conflict: Student participants will have the opportunity to engage in conflict resolution and peacebuilding activities that build a foundational understanding of the importance of effective conflict management and resolution skills.
  • Aspire to be a Super Communicator: What Hostage Negotiators Know That You Should Too - How to Talk Your Way Out of (Almost) Anything: Secrets from a former FBI Hostage Negotiator. This session will include 5 impactful lessons with an interactive exercise.
    1. Slight of Mind
    2. Listen Up
    3. Say What?
    4. Solve Tricky Problems
    5. Get Your Way with "Why"
  • The Many Hats of a Child & Family Social Worker: Join us as we explore how social workers support children and families involved in the child and family well-being system. Social workers play many vital roles providing direct support, guiding policies and procedures, training others, and offering supervision. No matter their position, they are essential in helping families feel supported and building safety and stability across Kansas.
  • Build a Brain: Students will become brain builders, using materials to see how experiences shape a child’s growing mind. As participants construct their brain architecture, they’ll discover how strong supports make sturdy structures, while stress without help can cause weak structures.
  • Building Healthy Relationships: Healthy relationships don’t just happen; they’re built on trust, respect, and communication. This interactive workshop is designed to explore what makes relationships strong and positive. Participants will learn the key components of healthy relationships while creating and testing a model relationship to see how it holds up against everyday challenges. Whether you're looking to strengthen existing relationships or build new ones, this workshop will equip you with the tools you need to succeed!