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Graduate School

Graduate School’s Innovation and Inspiration Campaign

Last October, Kansas State University kicked off the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of K-State with the goal of raising $1 billion.

InnovationInnovation and Inspiration and Inspiration: The Campaign for Kansas State University will raise $1 billion to advance K-State toward our goal to be a top 50 public research university by 2025. To date Kansas State University has raised $886 million. The Graduate School’s goal is to raise $1 million. Philanthropic support is fundamental to the university achieving its strategic vision.  Your support is critical as the university faces continued decreased state funding that effects all our programs.  Gifts from alumni and friends are essential for K-State to continue to provide the type of student experiences and quality academic programs and contributions to our land-grant mission through our research and extension initiatives that have built the university’s reputation.

How does the Graduate School contribute to the success of our students and the university?

The Graduate School strives to prepare graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary for professional success in any chosen field. With over 116 graduate degrees, at the master’s and doctoral levels, and over 40 graduate certificates offered at the Manhattan, Salina, Olathe campuses or through distance learning, the Graduate School provides many opportunities for those seeking to advance their knowledge and professional experiences.

The Graduate School also provides leadership opportunities, professional development seminars, mentoring, and networking opportunities for all graduate students.  Our collaborations with the Graduate Student Council, the Library, the Writing Center, Career Services, Powercat Financial Counseling and many university partners allow us to provide a rich array of enriching programs.

The following opportunities for philanthropic investment in the Graduate School will help create and sustain success as we ensure that K-State’s long tradition as a public research university is preserved and we strive to become a top 50 research university.

The Graduate School’s goal is to raise $1 million

charts-for-grad-school-progress

As of September 7, 2016, the Graduate School is 41% of the way to our goal.

Tuition support and stipend

K-State must offer competitive stipends and tuition support to compete for the best graduate students.

When state resources are not available to provide adequate funding, private gifts make competitive stipends and tuition possible.

By establishing a scholarship or stipend award with the Graduate School, or with a specific graduate program, you will invest in the education and research of current and future graduate students at K-State

Fellowship program

Fellowship funding awarded through the Graduate School directly benefits all departments and colleges at K-State.

Endowed fellowships increase K-State’s ability to be on the leading edge of graduate research and education, particularly in our interdisciplinary programs.

Fellowships also help the university recruit and retain students from under-represented groups, enhancing the diversity of our campus. Your support will ensure the Graduate School can provide support for K-State’s top candidates during their first year of graduate studies.

Professional development

Professional development for K-State graduate students spans a broad range of possibilities. Attendance at workshops and seminars offers invaluable learning and networking opportunities.

The most pressing need is the ability to travel and attend national and international meetings to present research findings. Funding for travel and related expenses is also needed for students to collect data at other institutions or laboratories.

Professional development enables students to remain at the forefront of their chosen fields. Your support will make a difference in the Graduate School’s ability to offer professional development opportunities to students as they strive to continually acquire and disseminate knowledge in their field of study.

In addition to those three focused areas, you can donate to an established fund such as the University Distinguished Professors (UDP) Graduate Student Award.

Alumni and Friends Testimonials

Gail McClure (’67 and ’70) describes why she supports the Graduate School’s Professional Development Program. 

I recently established the Graduate School Excellence Fund for Enhancing Science Communication that will [MH1]  for several reasons.  First, as an alumnus, I benefitted from a strong communication program at KSU, and I used those skills effectively throughout my career. But during my lifetime, the world became increasingly complex, and the importance of helping people make sense of what is happening and why grew rapidly.  Experts and professionals feel mounting pressure to communicate more effectively—with peers, with consumers, and with a public increasingly skeptical of “experts.” Questions around issues like climate change, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), the plight of our public education system, the causes of autism, tenets for a modern democracy, clearly illustrate the complexity and immediacy of the need. We must develop professional communicators who are better scientists, analysts and educators, and scientists, analysts and educators who are better communicators.

While the need to convey complex ideas and facts in brief, simple, straightforward messages grows, the infrastructure to support this need is increasingly fragmented and undergoing constant change. Media, professional organizations and other non-profits that used to help translate and communicate complexity for a democratic society, have lost capacity and/or credibility. New forms and formats are evolving but not quickly enough to fill the void reliably.  Consequently, expectations fall increasingly to the professional and this trend will continue.  That’s why the PDP offered by the Graduate School seems refreshingly on target and on time.  Land Grant institutions like KSU have a great leadership opportunity and responsibility to address the growing communication challenges for professionals.  Such efforts build both public trust in our knowledge generating systems and the capacity of graduates to serve society. I am delighted to do my part to support the cause

University Distinguished Professors (UDP) Graduate Student Award  

The University Distinguished Professors Graduate Student Award was established to recognize exceptional achievement by doctoral students at K-State. Dr. M.M. Chengappa, current UDP president, was instrumental in initiating the award and annually provides financial support for the award.  Chengappa states, “I believe in excellence in research and scholarly activities by graduate students and support efforts to recognize outstanding graduate students for the accomplishments and contributions to K-State”.  Dr. Charles (Chuck) Rice also indicated that he contributes regularly to this fund as it furthers the students’ careers and enhances K-State’s impact on our professions.

One of K-State’s 2025 goals is to increase K-State’s reputation for outstanding graduate students with the critical skill sets needed to excel in their careers in a global environment. The UDP Graduate Student Award recognizes and supports those doctoral students to achieve success in the early part of their professional career.  Attracting and rewarding high quality graduate students brings success to K-State faculty and its programs. Previous award winners include graduate students from chemistry, psychology, computer and informational sciences, plant pathology, marriage and family therapy, and anatomy and physiology. The support of the UDPs and others is essential for funding awards such as the University Distinguished Professors Graduate Student Awards and establishing similar awards.

Thank you for the numerous ways that you support graduate education at K-State. Please consider how you can help the Graduate School and K-State continue to make a difference for our graduate students. To donate to the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign and to support the Graduate School’s priority needs, please visit our website. Questions about the Graduate School can be directed to Dr. Carol Shanklin, Dean of the Graduate School.