November 11, 2025
Help Connect Kansas Communities with Presidential Engagement Fellows
Submitted by Office of External Engagement
Kansas State University's Presidential Engagement Fellows are ready to visit communities across the state — but the Office of External Engagement needs your help finding the right audiences.
Since launching the program this fall, seven exceptional faculty members have been preparing to share their research, spark innovation and problem-solving expertise with communities across Kansas. Now, we're working to ensure that the people who could benefit most are aware of this resource.
That's where we need your help.
Meet the fellows
Our inaugural cohort spans four key areas, each addressing real challenges Kansans face every day:
Community health and well-being
- Linda Yarrow, School of Health Sciences assistant professor, College of Health and Human Sciences
Enabling technologies
- Theresa Merrick Cassidy, Department of English Writing Center assistant director and senior instructor, College of Arts and Sciences
- Brandon Savage, Department of Management instructor, College of Business Administration
- Darrin Smith, K-State Olathe associate dean of faculty, research and administration, associate professor
Global food security and biosecurity
- Stephen Higgs, Biosecurity Research Institute director, associate vice president for research, Peine Professor of Biosecurity and University Distinguished Professor in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology
- Cassandra Jones, Department of Animal Sciences and Industry professor and teaching coordinator, College of Agriculture
Sustainability
- Yue Teng Vaughan, School of Consumer Sciences assistant professor, College of Health and Human Sciences
These presentations aren't your typical lecture. Each fellow knows how to take complex research and make it click for whoever's in the room — whether that's elementary students, farmers, business owners or retirees.
Who needs to hear from them?
Anyone and everyone. We've designed the program to work for:
- Schools at any level (K-12, community colleges, etc.)
- Civic groups like Rotary, Lions Club or local chambers
- Farm bureaus and agricultural cooperatives
- Business associations looking for fresh perspectives
- Healthcare organizations and public health departments
- City councils and county commissions
- Senior centers and community education programs
The Office of External Engagement handles all the logistics and costs. Communities simply need to request a visit from a fellow.
How we need your help
Consider the people and organizations you know throughout Kansas. Your volunteer organization. The school district where your children attend or attended. The farming community where you grew up. Your college roommate who's now running a small business in western Kansas.
Those connections matter. A personal recommendation from you carries weight that a cold email never will.
We're not asking you to coordinate anything — just help us spread the word. Forward this article. Drop a note to someone you know. Mention it next time you're chatting with people back home. Share it on social media if you're interested.
What happens during a visit?
Every engagement gets customized for the audience. A third-grade class learning about biosecurity looks completely different from agriculture producers discussion sustainability practices or business leaders exploring AI integration. Fellows typically spend 30 to 90 minutes with groups, mixing presentation with conversation and Q&A.
The goal isn't to overwhelm anyone with jargon. It's to spark ideas, answer real questions and sometimes plant seeds for longer-term collaboration.
Why this matters
"This program represents our unwavering belief that K-State belongs to all Kansans," said Marshall Stewart, executive vice president for external engagement and chief of staff. "Every community has the potential for extraordinary transformation when connected with the right expertise and vision."
We mean that. As a land-grant university, our job isn't just to do significant research — it's to make sure that research actually reaches the people who can use it. The Presidential Engagement Fellows program puts that commitment into action.
How communities can request a visit
It's simple. Organizations can fill out this form or contact the Office of External Engagement, which takes it from there:
Email: externalengagement@k-state.edu
Phone: (785) 532-6221
Three ways to help right now
- Forward this to someone in your network who works with Kansas communities
- Make an introduction if you know an organization that's a perfect fit
- Mention it casually when you're back in your hometown or at community events
Help us connect the dots between great expertise and communities that could benefit from it.
Questions? Contact the Office of External Engagement at externalengagement@k-state.edu or (785) 532-6221.