Expanding North

At a former Kmart in North Topeka, the future of Washburn Institute of Technology is taking shape. The building has been empty since the retail store shuttered in 2016, but its 90,000 square feet coupled with a large parking area made it an appealing site for the new Manufacturing Training Center at Washburn Tech North. By fall of 2026, Scott Smathers, dean, hopes the space will be up and running, providing new opportunities for students, industry partners and the surrounding community.

“We’re taking a building that’s been sitting empty for a lot of years and bringing students there,” Smathers said. “This gives us the space to continue to grow. We can enhance existing programs, offer new programs and better meet the needs of our industry partners in northeast Kansas.”

After considering other options including constructing a new building or utilizing space on Washburn Tech’s main campus, the current location was selected because it fit their needs and, as Smathers said, would allow them to “get more space for less money.” The list of programs that could move or expand there includes electrical, industrial maintenance, cosmetology, automation/robotics and the business and industry group, with customized classroom and lab space based on each entities’ unique needs.

“We have the opportunity to expand Washburn’s presence,” Smathers said. “We have a location on the east side of Topeka and adding the north campus allows Washburn to expand in Shawnee County, which is absolutely critical to what we are trying to achieve.”

Washburn Tech North will also allow Washburn Tech to serve more students, as their waitlist quickly fills up each year as demand for qualified professionals increases. Smathers said the school is currently “bursting at the seams,” particularly in the construction and electrical fields.

“We need to be able to meet the demand for education to fill the workforce requirements of industry,” said Chris Mullins, electrical technology instructor. “For electrical, we have 50 students on our waiting list and our program holds 40. It will benefit our students with high-paying jobs and a good quality of life in Kansas as Ichabods.”

For Mark Stock, Washburn Tech Business and Industry Center director, the new space will allow more people in Topeka and throughout the region to learn what Washburn Tech has to offer. The Business and Industry Center primarily offers continuing education courses for the general public and customized trainings for businesses, as well as apprenticeships and internships. Stock said many individuals and organizations don’t utilize these options simply because they haven’t heard about them, and he hopes the school’s expansion will help get the word out.

“I’m excited about drawing attention to these offerings that many people in our community and region aren’t aware of,” Stock said. “We want to highlight some of the great work that’s done here in preparing students for the workforce; they are in high demand with regional employers.”

By increasing the number of qualified professionals in several fields, the Washburn Tech North campus will benefit area employers as well. Each program has its own advisory board made up of industry leaders who help write the curriculum and keep it relevant to the skills students need to enter the workforce.

“We are gearing these students up for a career in their chosen industry,” Stock said. “That’s really what Washburn Tech is about: getting those students prepared to immediately make an impact in their company, ranging from manufacturing to transportation to health occupations to engineering to information technology to early childhood education. Each one is getting those students ready to go to work.”

As construction begins this spring, Washburn Tech staff are excited for the future, including more collaborations between departments, the ability to better serve students’ needs with upgraded facilities and more opportunities to work with leaders throughout the university. At the end of the day, though, Mullins said he’s most looking forward to helping students realize their potential.

“We want to give our students the quality of life they deserve and they’re capable of – and that they might not know is there,” he said. “The possibilities of what could happen in the future and being able to impact more students and have a broader reach will be amazing. I think this is just the first step. It’s a heck of a time to be an Ichabod. I’m so excited for the future of Washburn Tech and Washburn overall.”