A Welcoming Place to Grow

It’s a bright, sunny afternoon at Washburn University’s School of Applied Studies and students are taking advantage of a break between classes. They sit together in comfy chairs and at tables with natural light streaming through the windows, sipping drinks from Dialogue Coffee while studying and socializing. Having this kind of community space is exciting for Kara Langin, family and human services assistant professor and bachelor’s coordinator – and she says it has also made Washburn more appealing to new students. 

“It’s very warm and welcoming,” Langin said. “Before and after class, I see students more than I would generally. I can get to know them and check in with them, and we hold meetings at Dialogue Coffee. It feels like we are the hot, new, fun spot. It feels inviting.”

Langin has only been in the new building for one semester, but she and other SAS faculty have already noticed positive impacts. After the completion of the new School of Law building in 2023, SAS moved from Benton Hall to what was previously Mabee Library last spring. The completely revamped space has allowed the programs in SAS to enhance their offerings. In Benton, which served as a dormitory before housing SAS and was torn down this summer, space was at a premium – but in the new building, larger classrooms and offices have improved the educational experience for students and instructors.

“We can walk as we lecture and not trip over bookbags or squeeze between desks,” said Michele Smith, lecturer and clinical coordinator for the radiology program. “We have a dedicated corner with older x-ray equipment and books to show the history of radiology. We have a smartboard that is integrated with two large screens so everyone can see. We have a desk up front where we can spread out, and we have two other rooms dedicated to our labs.”

Larger classrooms have also allowed the radiology program to admit more students. Previously, the program accepted 20 to 25, but this year the class has 32 – “And there is still room to grow,” Smith noted. More dedicated storage has eliminated the need for boxes and totes stacked on cabinets, and plugins that pull down from the ceiling allow every student to charge their electronic devices. Instructors are also able to provide a more accessible, hands-on educational experience by allowing students after-hours access to the lab, which comes equipped with a fully energized X-ray machine.

“X-ray is one of those fields where the more you do it and the more you practice the better you get,” Smith said. “For students to be able to come in and get hands-on experience and practice as much as they want helps them in the long run – and to get all of them around the table in that lab setting is also beneficial. They can all see and follow along with the lesson.”

For Amy Memmer, mcj ’03, jd ’03, associate professor and chair of the criminal justice and legal studies department, having more space has enabled their program to offer more effective and realistic crime scene simulations for their students, including staged apartments with opportunities to examine fake blood spatter, dust for fingerprints and find hidden evidence. Connected offices encourage collaboration between faculty.

“One of the things I appreciate the most is that in the old building our faculty offices were divided in a couple of different suites and we weren’t connected,” Memmer said. “Having our offices all together is better for collaboration and communication. We check in with each other and know what’s going on, and there’s always someone to mentor new faculty.”

Then there’s Dialogue Coffee, a favorite of both faculty and students. A Topeka-based coffee shop and bakery, Dialogue employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and was acquired by the nonprofit Capper Foundation in 2023, allowing them to offer even more employment training and opportunities. Langin says having the coffee shop right outside SAS has created a cheerful environment.

“The coffee shop provides many opportunities for engagement and collaboration,” Langin said. “When we have students coming for campus visits, they walk into a brand-new environment with lots of natural light and open space. It’s very inviting, and it makes the university look good. Who wouldn’t want to be in a beautiful new building?”

Going forward, Smith is excited about the potential for growth and collaboration within SAS and the connections that can come from students having room to spread out, get comfortable, work together and enjoy a great cup of coffee.

“We’re looking at growing our program, and as we move forward that will be awesome because we have the space to do so now,” she said. “This move has been great. We can interact with our students better and do more in the classroom because of the space, and we look forward to more possibilities in the future.”