Former Kansas State University president Jon Wefald dies at age 84
Jon Wefald, who served as president of Kansas State University from 1986 to 2009, has died at the age of 84.
His presidency, which lasted 23 years, was the second-longest in the school’s history, according to the university.
“Dr. Wefald’s legacy is one of transformation, growth and a true passion for our great university,” current K-State President Richard Linton said in an announcement on the university’s Facebook page. “Our condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Wefald, who authored a book on his time at the helm of the Manhattan campus, during a time of growth and turbulence in the Wildcats football program.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Twitter honored Wefald, calling him a “transformative leader” and giving a nod to how he grew K-State’s enrollment and footprint.
During his time as president, Wefald oversaw an enrollment boost that took K-State to more than 20,000 students, and he added 30 buildings to the campus.
He also brought a number of speakers to campus, including former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and four U.S. secretaries of defense, according to the university.
In 1998, he was named Kansan of the Year by The Topeka Capital-Journal. In 2008 he was co-awarded the same title with then-University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway.
“K-State has had some really great presidents,” Wefald previously said. “You want to leave it in better shape than it was when you started, in all facets. I think we transformed K-State from a rural, agrarian institution into a major university on the national and international landscape.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 9:56 AM.
