K-State advances research, education, community engagement
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State University announced a series of initiatives spanning business education, agricultural research, student wellness and facility expansion as the institution continues its next-generation land-grant mission.
Former Boeing Defense, Space & Security CEO Leanne Caret will teach a new course, Leading in Business Organizations, during the spring 2026 semester in the College of Business Administration. The K-State alumna, who appeared on Fortune's Most Powerful Women list for five consecutive years, will bring guest speakers including Aon CEO Greg Case and former Meredith Corporation chairman Steve Lacy to provide students with insights from top executives.
The university also confirmed Kansas' first live detection of the Asian longhorned tick, an invasive species that carries Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a potentially deadly cattle disease. The Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is one of only three U.S. labs capable of testing for the pathogen and has tested about 2,000 samples nationwide since 2022, with 38% testing positive.
K-State introduced Oakley, a three-year-old golden retriever serving as the campus therapy dog through the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being. The certified therapy dog, handled by assistant director Jenneen LeMay, provides companionship to students, faculty and staff and will participate in wellness programs throughout campus.
A $6 million National Science Foundation grant will support research led by civil engineering professor Prathap Parameswaran to develop a circular waste-recovery system addressing Ogallala Aquifer depletion. The four-year project involves partnerships with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Oklahoma State University and Seward County Community College to convert livestock wastewater into clean water, fertilizer and energy.
President Richard Linton announced seven Presidential Engagement Fellows who will connect university research with Kansas communities through 2028. The inaugural cohort includes biosecurity expert Stephen Higgs, animal sciences professor Cassandra Jones, English instructor Theresa Merrick Cassidy, management instructor Brandon Savage, K-State Olathe associate dean Darrin Smith, consumer sciences professor Yue Teng Vaughan and health sciences professor Linda Yarrow.
McKinley Robb, a sophomore electrical engineering student, completed a summer internship at Black & Veatch focusing on substations connected to renewable energy sources. The experience allowed her to apply classroom knowledge to large-scale industry projects and identify her career interest in substation design.
K-State Salina celebrated its 60th anniversary, marking six decades since the former Air Force base became an educational campus in 1965. The campus, which joined K-State in 1991, was the first in Kansas to offer a computer science degree and continues to lead in aerospace and technology education. A celebration was scheduled for Oct. 9 at the Salina Selfie Station.
The Technology Development Institute helped Washburn University student Emily Harmon bring the Trumpet Fidget to market through Pocket Keys, LLC. The device replicates trumpet valve resistance for musical practice and serves as a sensory-friendly fidget tool. Manning Music became the first distributor with stores in Topeka and Manhattan.
The university opened the Bilbrey Family Event Center on Oct. 10, the first completed facility in K-State's $210 million Agriculture Innovation Initiative. The center features a 130-by-250-foot arena with seating for 3,000 people and will host approximately 40 events annually, including the K-State Rodeo, 4-H competitions and FFA events.