Olathe Campus awards $68,000 in new student scholarships
Monday, Sept. 23 | Written by Beth Jones
OLATHE — Kansas State University Olathe increased its scholarship support of learners to help enhance access and meet the talent demands of Greater Kansas City industries. This record amount of funds was thanks to ongoing support from Johnson County and engaging strategic partners to grow privately funded scholarships.
“This is the highest amount our campus has awarded since opening,” said Kimberly Voight, director of student services. “We are thankful to have the generous support of the Johnson County Education Research Triangle, the Clay Blair family, Richardson family and our industry partners.”
The campus offers a variety of scholarships, including scholarships provided by the Johnson County Education Research Triangle, or JCERT. The JCERT scholarships are funded through the commitment of Johnson County residents, who approved part of a one-eighth sales tax in 2008. The funding supports part of the campus' operations and provides scholarships for graduate students.
This fall, K-State Olathe awarded 10 JCERT awards. The awards ranged from $2,500 for certificates to $5,000 for master’s degree students. Doctoral students were awarded $7,500.
The campus also awarded 10 Clay Blair Family Scholarship awards to nine personal financial planning students in both the degree and certificate programs, as well as one award to a hospitality management student. These awards ranged from $1,000 to $1,500.
“The recognition and support extended to me through these scholarships have instilled in me a profound sense of responsibility and commitment to academic excellence and community service,” said Stephanie Navinsky, a recipient of a Clay Blair Family Scholarship. “As a recipient of your generosity, I am inspired to give back to my community and make a positive impact on society.”
Additionally, engagement with stakeholders and industry professionals led to strategic partnerships resulting in additional scholarship funds for students. This outreach exemplifies one of the key imperatives in the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan.
For example, K-State Olathe also will be awarding three C&F scholarships for $2,000 each. These scholarships will be distributed to students in the data analytics and insights in animal health graduate certificate program. C&F chose to support K-State Olathe students to strengthen its partnership with the campus and provide a way for students to deepen their knowledge of analytics and the role it plays in animal health.
“The growing use of data analytics and artificial intelligence in the $30 billion animal health industry has increased the demand for employees skilled in these areas,” said Tomasz Mlodecki, CEO of C&F. “Our company understands this demand and is committed to providing support for K-State Olathe students who continue their education and help fill the talent pipeline in this growing field.”
Additionally, one Daniel C. and Kathy Richardson Agriculture, Food and Related Disciplines Scholarship for $2,000 will be distributed to a student this fall. This scholarship honors the legacy of two alumni who were pivotal in the campus’ establishment. Both Dan and Kathy Richardson played roles in the development of K-State's Olathe campus, which opened April 2011.
Learn more about available scholarships at olathe.k-state.edu/scholarships.