Julie and Roger Davis have launched the applied learning initiative at Kansas State University with a $2 million gift to name the position of the program’s executive director.

The Next-Gen K-State strategic plan aims to provide every degree-seeking student with an applied learning experience by 2030. This initiative will enable students to apply their classroom knowledge and skills in real-world settings through education abroad, internships, service learning, and undergraduate research.

Julie Davis, a K-State accounting graduate from 1978, and her husband, Roger, who both reside in Santa Barbara, California, have previously contributed to K-State in various ways. Their latest gift supports the campus-wide applied learning initiative, which is based in the Staley School of Leadership.

K-State’s high ranking in The Princeton Review reflects students’ satisfaction with their college experience, and the focus on applied learning is set to enhance that experience further. Craig Schroeder has been appointed as the first Julie and Roger Davis Executive Director for Applied Learning at K-State. He joins the university from the University of Kentucky, where he founded and led a successful 15-year applied learning program focused on providing STEM opportunities and access. Schroeder also contributed to scaling this model at universities across seven other states as part of a collaborative research group.