MANHATTAN — Trent Stine still isn’t sure if it’s possible to have a bad day at Kansas State University.
The facilities, the campus, the people — everyone and everything has always felt so inviting at K-State, the junior said, even since before he applied for admission.
“I had a community here since I got here, before I was even a student,” Stine, originally from Shawnee, said. “That’s how friendly K-State is. I’ve been welcomed here since day one. It never felt like I was going to college. It felt like I was going to a second home.”
It’s a student experience that K-State continues to foster as one of the best in the country, according to a national survey by The Princeton Review.
The national survey of students — whose latest results were published in the annual “The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition” earlier this week — shows K-State is No. 1 and 2 for friendliest and happiest students, respectively.
The university’s not-so-secret formula for building that environment is in its top-ranking student success efforts and initiatives, several of which scored in the top 15 in the country.
It starts with attracting top students. Through its land-grant mission of access to higher education and success after graduation, K-State provides some form of aid to nearly 83% of students who choose to attend K-State. Institutional scholarships amounted to more than $92 million in scholarships during the 2023-24 school year.
Creating a great learning environment starts with welcoming students and does not stop there, said Thomas Lane, vice president for academic success and student affairs and dean of students. It takes an extensive network of K-State employees working to provide top-tier services for K-State to earn No. 2 in the country for the best quality of life.
“From the moment you meet our students, it’s clear why our campus is renowned as one of the friendliest and happiest in the country,” Lane said. “But the real purple magic unfolds when you witness the incredible effort staff and faculty put into supporting our students, creating a vibrant campus atmosphere where they can thrive and be successful.”
Across the university, several departments and centers create wraparound services that support students in each facet of their K-State journey.
K-State’s student support and counseling services ranked No. 2 in the country, while Lafene Health Center earned the university a No. 10 ranking for health services.
That’s a testament to K-State’s efforts to build a holistic culture of well-being through the Health-Promoting University initiative, said Kathleen Hatch, Morrison Family associate vice president for student well-being.
To do well in the classroom, students need to be well, and that requires an extensive network of staff who provide support programs and services, Hatch said. It also requires an environment where both staff and students can feel like they can reach their goals in developing success for the campus.
“We all need something a little different each day for what makes us succeed and smile,” Hatch said. “Even when someone has a rough day, hopefully we can find the moments of levity of this place that has such a sense of purple pride. There’s just this genuine excitement and interest at K-State for people to thrive.”
Through those support systems, K-State students become well-prepared for success after their time on campus. The university, through its Career Center and several career development staff across the university, helps students draft resumes, explore job and internship opportunities and transition into careers.
As a result, 96% of K-State graduates are employed or furthering their education in the six months after graduating, and K-State was ranked No. 2 in the nation for best career services.
“We’re about building these relationships with students very early on, whether it’s when they’re looking for part-time jobs and internships while they’re in college, all the way to full-time employment or graduate or professional school after their time at K-State,” said Keri Keller, executive director of the Career Center.
Stine, the junior from Shawnee, said it’s hard for any number to completely capture the wraparound effect on his success that K-State’s support services have had.
“These services make me feel like I’m not alone,” Stine said. “If I’m drowning in schoolwork, I can go to someone in Scholars Assisting Scholars for one-on-one peer tutoring. I’ve even become friends with some of my tutors. They’re there, and they care, and that’s helped me be the best student I can be.”
Other top 15 rankings include:
• No. 2 Town-gown relations
• No. 3 Best athletic facilities
• No. 5 Students love their school teams
• No. 8 Best college dorms
• No. 10 Best health services
• No. 10 Students love these colleges
• No. 14 Best campus food
• No. 14 College city gets high marks
• No. 15 Most active student government
These rankings are a point of pride for K-State students, said Student Body President Paige Vulgamore, and they give the campus a reason to smile.
“As you walk across campus, it’s clear in the way that students are always laughing, waving, smiling and catching up with each other,” said Vulgamore, a senior in agriculture economics, Scott City. “The joyful and welcoming atmosphere we have at K-State is truly something special — you feel it the moment you step on campus, and that feeling stays with you.”
