Last Word | JuliAnn Mazachek

Photo by JENNIFER GOETZ

What is your vision for Washburn University?

My vision for Washburn University is our vision. Working with university leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community stakeholders, we will create a vision for Washburn that is innovative, collaborative and bold. There is an incredibly bright future for Washburn.

It is a challenging time in higher education. Washburn, like most institutions, faces enrollment challenges and changing student demographics. Working as a team, we will prepare for and embrace a future that is ready for new ideas to best meet the needs of students and our communities. Academic courses and programs along with delivery methods may need to change while, at the same time, we continue initiatives to make college affordable.

We know the tremendous importance of educating our future workforce, business owners, thought leaders and community partners. The vitality of our communities and economy depends on the next generation which is why Washburn continues to always put students first.

What is Washburn doing right that you hope to capitalize on?

True to its history, Washburn continues to be a student-centered university committed to open access. Devoted to excellence in teaching, our smaller class sizes allow our accomplished faculty to connect with students inside and outside of the classroom and form real relationships, helping students navigate their university life to success even after graduation. We prepare students who are ready to contribute in their workplace, to be leaders in our businesses and communities, and to build and grow a thriving economy for our state.

We continue to launch initiatives to help students succeed. Staying true to our historical mission of open enrollment, we are committed to equitable outcomes for all students. We meet students where they are and help them achieve their educational goals and dreams. Through the campus-wide efforts led by our faculty and our Center for Student Success and Retention, Washburn recently reported a graduation rate of 54% which reflects a university record and the highest rate among Kansas’ regional universities. Many of our students are first-generation students making the increase from 36% even more notable and important.

Washburn continues to create new initiatives to make the cost of college more affordable. We recently unveiled a new scholarship grid for incoming freshmen beginning in the fall of 2023, providing significantly more scholarship dollars for students based solely on their high school GPA. ACT or SAT scores are no longer required.

In addition, we have established a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) course marking initiative. Students in a ZTC course are not required to purchase primary materials for teaching or learning such as textbooks. It is projected that, all students combined avoid total textbook costs of more than $400,000 per semester.

I believe these are just a few factors that prompted U.S. News and World Report to rank Washburn University as the top public regional university in the state and the 14th best in the entire Midwest. Washburn also is listed as having the lowest student debt in Kansas, the fifth lowest among similar institutions in the Midwest, according to the 2022-2023 rankings.

What are your top priorities for Washburn?

Growing enrollment is our top priority at Washburn University.

For more than a decade, college enrollment nationwide has been steadily declining. Demographic factors such as falling birth rates, rising education costs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are impacting the number of students choosing to pursue education after high school. We will be working diligently to grow the workforce with highly qualified graduates who are ready to work and contribute to the economic vitality of Topeka and our state.

Universities across the country are competing to attract more students to their universities and to higher education. Washburn is committed to doing a better job of telling our story and ensuring students and their parents know the exceptional educational opportunities we make available in such a great community. We have a pathway to educational success no matter what your career dreams or goals. We truly are the best place to pursue an education. We work hard to make sure every student has the best opportunity to succeed. Our vibrant campus allows them to live and learn in facilities that are modern while paying tribute to our rich history spanning more than 150 years.

Students may study abroad or jump-start their careers by seeking internships with area businesses. Others take advantage of our close proximity to the Capitol by working in state government. The opportunities are nearly limitless.

Another priority is to listen. Through meetings with individuals and groups on campus as well as stakeholders in our community, I am eager to imagine the future together and discover the bold hopes and dreams for Washburn University, the important role Washburn will have in growing our community, and then most importantly to bring those shared goals and vision to reality.

My final priority is challenging the status quo. We know the achievement of bold goals will only be possible with a bold approach to reimagining, innovating and collaborating around the ways we serve and teach our students, we work with our business community, and the contributions we make to ensure a solid workforce and thriving economy for the future.

How will you build on Washburn’s connection to Topeka?

The Topeka and Shawnee County communities are experiencing a tremendous amount of energy and momentum right now, and Washburn University continues to be a core part of that. By collaborating with our state and local leaders as well as area business partners, Washburn strives to meet community needs and prepare students to live, work, prosper and belong here.

Our graduates are an integral part of the local economy. Washburn alums are leaders and important members of their agencies, companies and organizations. We hope to keep that pipeline flowing. A special component of that is Washburn Tech and the importance its graduates play in the workforce. We will continue looking for new ways to strengthen those partnerships.

I want everyone in Topeka to know Washburn University and Washburn Tech. To know the amazing stories of our students and graduates, to readily know the great educational opportunities we offer for students, and to know the important difference we make in the community we are committed to serving and growing. We walk together with our community partners in making Topeka and Shawnee County the very best place in Kansas to live, work and learn.

What are you most proud of about Washburn?

During my first interview on campus 30 years ago, I looked for signs that Washburn cared about its students. What I saw then and what I see now is the same. Washburn University is unwavering in its commitment to creating one of the very best student-focused institutions in our state and region. A place where students are known—not numbered. Faculty and staff are genuinely committed to the success of our students and supporting them in achieving their educational goals and dreams.

I have experienced this approach as an educator, administrator and even a parent. Two of my children are Washburn University graduates and I observed, firsthand, the life-changing impact caring faculty had on my children and the difference they can make in the lives of all students. Washburn University is a very special place.

I am also proud and extremely honored to serve as Washburn University’s first female president. While it’s not a focus, I realize the significance of being the first woman in this position. It motivates me, even more, to be the best leader possible as we continue on this amazing journey of moving Washburn University forward. Go Bods!