When Congress passed the Morrill Act of 1862, it created a framework for universities like K-State to democratize education and engage directly with the needs of their communities—not just to study the world, but to help shape it (National Research Council, 1995). In this spirit, our research isn’t just about producing knowledge—it’s about putting that knowledge into action.

This approach aligns with the land-grant university’s evolving mission to build partnerships that not only share knowledge but co-create it. We work alongside community partners, not as subjects of study but as collaborators and co-educators. Through this model, we equip students, scholars, and practitioners with the tools to understand and address systemic challenges—such as food insecurity, labor inequality, and climate resilience—through both critical reflection and practical intervention (Boyte, 2004; Fitzgerald et al., 2012).

Our lab is proud to reinforce this mission by fostering reciprocal relationships between the university students and faculty, and communities throughout Kansas and the world. At Engaged Stories Lab, we contribute to this broader ecosystem of engaged research by training the next generation of leaders in what Ernest Boyer (1996) called the "scholarship of engagement"—a model of inquiry that connects theory with action, and learning with service.

The Engaged Stories Lab exists not only to document but to inspire—to create a platform where narrative becomes a tool for advocacy, a method for understanding, and a spark for sustainable social change.

We are committed to producing research that speaks with communities, not just about them, and to cultivating leaders who understand that the most powerful change often begins with listening.