Kansas State University announced a big win on Tuesday – and we’re not talking about the overtime victory over Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown.

Officials from K-State and Network Kansas announced a partnership that will advance business support, research and expertise to all 105 counties. It aims to create more than 3,000 jobs and generate $3 billion in investment by 2029, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

University President Richard Linton compared this to the original KSU mission as the state’s land-grant university, which was to teach and research practical agriculture, science, military science and engineering. This is the 21st century version of a mission of service in Kansas communities.

Steve Radley, CEO of Network Kansas, said his agency focuses on community entrepreneurship. “What we have learned is that entrepreneurs in communities are the people that solve community problems, and they grow local economies,” he said.

We should also mention the role that community colleges and technical colleges in Kansas will play in preparing people for those newly created jobs in the coming decades. The Kansas Association of Community College Trustees will continue to encourage the Legislature to fund technical education at the appropriate level.

Susan Thacker