Kansas State University

search

K-State Parents and Family Program

Category: Issue 52, March 2017

K-State Students Win Internships

Two years ago, the K-State Career Center launched a university-wide initiative to centrally track and collect data on students participating in summer internships.  A team of representatives from Undergraduate Studies, Student Life, academic colleges, Information Technology Services, Office of Assessment, and other key stakeholders worked together to develop an efficient data collection and reporting process.

Career Center Executive Director Kerri Keller shared the catalyst for the initiative: “Internships are growing in their importance as a high-impact educational practice for college students and as an activity that promotes career readiness.  While the current survey only reflects one year of data, ultimately, learning from student internship experiences will help K-State expand their connections with employers, provide academic advisors with internship ideas for students, strengthen university ties with industry, and demonstrate K-State’s commitment to the career readiness of its students.”

The team of representatives collaborated to define internship for the purpose of the survey as “educationally-related work experiences that integrate knowledge and theory with practical application and skill development in professional settings.”

The Wildcat Internship Survey (WINS) was distributed in a year ago to 11,000 students and achieved a 59% response rate.  Freshman were purposely excluded along with students from the Colleges of Education and Agriculture because these two colleges had pre-existing methods for students to report similar information. Continue reading “K-State Students Win Internships”

K-State’s Black Student Union is Best in Big 12 for Ninth Time

 

For the ninth time in 12 years, the university’s Black Student Union, or BSU, was awarded the Clarence Wine Award for Outstanding Big 12 Council of the Year at the 40th annual Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government, Feb. 16-18, at the University of Texas, Austin.

“I could not be prouder of the hard work and dedication that our BSU continues to demonstrate year after year,” said Brandon Clark, program coordinator in the university’s Office of Diversity.

To be considered for the award, the organization had to assemble a book and presentation about its successes in serving students and celebrating diversity. Clark said K-State’s Black Student Union continues to win the award for several reasons:

• Maintaining, promoting and growing annual traditions, including the Welcome Back Barbecue in August for more than 20 years.

• Connecting freshmen and new students with upperclassmen through the Black Student Union’s mentorship program.

• Consistently inviting keynote speakers for Black History Month events in February.

• Presenting these accomplishments and more in a clear and enthusiastic way at each year’s conference.

“While winning awards is nice, I’m just glad that this organization is committed to its mission of focusing on the development of the K-State community,” Clark said. “Our BSU works to advance academic stability, political action and leadership of black students while promoting black culture across all aspects of life.”

In addition to the Clarence Wine Award, members of the university’s Black Student Union received three awards at the conference:

• Alexis Cushshon, freshman in architectural engineering, St. Louis, Missouri, and president of the Black student Union’s Freshman Action Team, was honored with the Mickey Leland Award for Outstanding Community Service.

• The Freshman Action Team received the Most Outstanding Freshman Action Team of the Year Award.

• Bryan Davis, junior in management information systems, Topeka, and president of K-State’s Black Student Union, was elected as the 2017-2018 chair of the Big 12 Council on Black Student Government.

Zelia Wiley, interim associate provost for the Office of Diversity, said the Black Student Union’s achievements show its commitment to welcoming and retaining diverse students at the university.

“I’m so pleased with the student leaders in our BSU,” Wiley said. “The Office of Diversity stands behind BSU and all our multicultural student organizations.”

Delegates of Kansas State University’s Black Student Union at the Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government.

 

Content provided by:  Office of Diversity Program Coordinator Brandon Clark

Keeping K-State Students Safe and Healthy

As part of K-State’s comprehensive and proactive approach to encourage students to stay safe and healthy, K-State requires all students to complete the annual (July 1 – June 30) web based Alcohol and Sexual Assault Prevention Program (ASAP).

Health Promotions Director Julie Gibbs

K-State’s ASAP uses the Think About It series of modules from Campus Clarity© to address alcohol and other drug use and sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention through interactive educational content and scenarios.

The ASAP program is designed to help students:

  • Make healthy decisions.
  • Know and understand state laws and K-State campus policies.
  • Be aware of university community resources associated with these topics.
  • Be aware of how to report concerning behavior.
  • Learn how to safely intervene when suspicious or concerning behavior is observed.

There are four ASAP modules.  Each module is updated annually and has content specifically designed for a particular student group:

  • Undergraduate and graduate students (21 and younger) enrolled in their first term at KSU receive the “Think About It: Part 1” training.
  • Undergraduate and graduate students (21 and younger) enrolled in terms two and beyond receive the “Think About It: Campus Save” training.
  • Adult learner undergraduate students (22 and older) receive the “Think About It: Adult Learner” training.
  • Graduate students (22 and older) receive the “Think About It: Graduate Student” training.
Program to reduce risky student behavior and prevent sexual assault on your campus.

Continue reading “Keeping K-State Students Safe and Healthy”

Meet Career Center Executive Director: Dr. Kerri Keller

Director of Parent & Family Relations Mindy Weixelman sat down with K-State Career Center Executive Director Dr. Kerri Keller in her office to learn the latest news about career development resources available to K-State students.

Career Center Executive Director Dr. Kerri Keller

Mindy:  Thank you so much for meeting with me, especially late on a beautiful Friday afternoon!

Kerri:  The Career Center enjoys the partnership we have with parents, so I’m glad to visit with you. I think I have information that will benefit parents and families.

Mindy:  Yes, you do!  Let’s jump right in.

We know that most parents send their student to college because they want their student to get a JOB. Tell parents and families about the K-State Career Center and your team of staff.

Kerri:  The Career Center facilitates the career readiness of all students throughout the K-State community. We help students explore majors and careers, develop their potential through internships and career-related experiences, tell their stories through their resumes and interviewing, and connect with employers and other opportunities. Each student has a friendly and knowledgeable Career Center advisor who works with their college and is available for in-person appointments, classroom presentations, email consultations and more to help your student.

Mindy:  You have such a talented staff. I completely agree that they are friendly and knowledgeable. I would also share that they have a reputation for being very effective with employers and students.

I think it’s important for parents and families to understand your role at the Career Center.  Give us a feel for what your role includes.

Kerri:  As director of the Career Center, I provide leadership and overall management of our department. I am fortunate to work with a committed, hard-working and enthusiastic team of nearly 50 full-time and student employees. I see my job as being similar to an orchestra conductor – I’ve played several of the instruments among our group but my goal now is to help everyone else be the best at their part so that we can create a powerful career services harmony – one that is music to the ears of our students, families, employers and others within the K-State community.

 

The team of professional staff at the K-State Career Center located in the Berney Family Welcome Center

Mindy:  I love that answer!  I think a lot of people can relate to your analogy of an orchestra conductor.

Do you hire student employees at the Career Center?  If so, can you provide some examples of how student employees advance the work of the department?

Kerri:  Yes, student employees are vital members of the Career Center team. Our student staff welcome current and prospective students to our facility, greet employers and other campus visitors, and answer questions about utilizing our services. Our career specialists assist their peers with major/career exploration through individual assistance and our 1-credit hour career class. Other student employees throughout our center assist with planning events, entering jobs, marketing our services and managing our Career Closet. Our graduate assistant staff provide career advising to students, provide outreach to student groups and manage a variety of other projects and programs. Continue reading “Meet Career Center Executive Director: Dr. Kerri Keller”

Over 40 Years of Helping Students Achieve Academic Success

Educational Supportive Services (ESS) is a FREE service that helps first-generation, low-income and disabled students earn undergraduate degrees. ESS students can take advantage of one-on-one tutoring, peer mentoring, workshops (academic, financial, career, etc.), and more—all designed to make sure students improve academic success, graduate and achieve their life goals. ESS is funded by a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant.

 

Do you know a student who would benefit from this program? For more information:  Call (785) 532-5642 or visit Educational Supportive Services.

 

 

 

The Ronald E. McNair Baccalaureate Achievement Program  (McNair Scholars Program) prepares talented under graduates for graduate study, with the goal of increasing the number of Ph.D. recipients from underrepresented socio-economic and ethnic groups. The hallmark of the program is its Summer Research Internship where students conduct original research, report their finding, write an abstract, and present. Additionally the program provides classes, colloquia, advising, tutoring, and faculty mentoring to support academic success, assist with completing the application process, and preparing students for the graduate study environment. The McNair Scholars Program is a TRIO program funded from the federal Department of Education.

For more information: Call (785) 532-6137 or visit McNair Scholars.

 

McNair Scholar presenting at the Heartland Research Conference on September 23, 2016.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading “Over 40 Years of Helping Students Achieve Academic Success”