By Megan Green

Kansas State Collegian

When Fort Scott, Kan., needed to determine the water capacity at Fort Scott Lake, K-State helped.

Alok Bhandari, associate professor in civil engineering, and several students went to the field and worked to determine the capacity. By doing this, Bhandari said the city saved at least $30,000 it would have spent on a consulting firm.

This project was part of the Center for Engagement and Community Development, which began July 1. The center was formed to give K-State a way to teach students, help researching teachers, and contribute to the well-being of the state by becoming active partners with towns all across Kansas.

"The university is into fulfilling its historic mission - the land grant mission - so that we are the people's university," David Procter, director of the center, said. "That means we want to work with citizens, groups and local communities."

Provost Duane Nellis said he hopes the center will make K-State a more engaged institution, thereby making it one of the premier land-grant universities.

A few parts of the university, like the College of Agriculture, already have established work with the center.

Fred Cholick, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension, said Research and Extension has been practicing engagement for the last 100 years. The center will partner with Research and Extension.

Procter said the center is the place for community leaders to discover what K-State can do to help solve local challenges and problems.

"It's this idea that we take expertise we have here at K-State and match that expertise to community needs," Procter said.

The center also helps professors research in the real environment while giving back to the state, said Dan Kahl, liaison between the center and Research and Extension.

"This partnership will strengthen the research here with efforts across the state," he said. "K-State has incredible research that is vitally needed for the growth of Kansas communities."

Another example of engagement work is a drama therapy class for adolescents with special needs that took place last summer at K-State.

"When students are involved it gives real-life context to the curriculum," Kahl said. "They're learning and often it gives added relevance to their curriculum."

An extension agent in every Kansas county advises the center of issues in his or her county.

"The main thing, essentially, is that is we're trying to match all the expertise of K-State to the communities," Procter said.