A Message from Dean Michael McClure about Seaton Central Renovation

Seaton has always been more than a building. For generations of APDesign students, it has been the place where ideas were sketched late at night, where friendships were forged, and where futures were built. Today, we have an opportunity—and an urgent need—to bring the first floor of Seaton Central back to life for the next generation.

Our College of Architecture, Planning & Design is thriving. Enrollment has grown nearly 33% in the past five years, and our retention rates are 7–8% above the university average. Students want to be here. But we face a serious challenge: we are educating more than 1,000 students in a facility designed for 800. Last year alone, we had to turn away nearly half of our qualified first-year applicants simply because we don’t have the space.

Now, we have a historic opportunity. With support from the Kansas Campus Restoration Act, the state will fund 60% of the cost of renovating Seaton Central’s first floor. To unlock these funds, APDesign must raise the remaining 40%—$3 million from private donors.

This renovation will transform Seaton Central into high-quality design studios, applied learning labs, classrooms, technology hubs, offices, and common areas that reflect the excellence of our programs. Two features make this project especially critical:

Classroom 0057: This space is the hub of our large APDesign lecture courses, but it is also the most heavily used general-use classroom on the entire K-State campus. Its renovation into a next-generation learning environment will benefit not only our students, but students across the university.
Seaton Central Entry: With the university’s new master plan, the entry to Seaton Central will stand at the very heart of campus. It will be the first academic building visitors see when they come from the parking garage and exit the student union — making it a true front door to APDesign and to Kansas State.
Your support will:

• Leverage state dollars. Every gift is multiplied, thanks to the 60/40 match.
• Ensure equity. All APDesign students will have access to high-quality spaces, no matter where they sit.
• Preserve tradition. We will honor Seaton’s legacy while preparing it for the future.
• Expand opportunity. More space means more students admitted to follow in your footsteps.
• Strengthen K-State’s campus. This renovation will showcase APDesign’s excellence at the very center of the university.

Seaton Central is our past and our future. With your partnership, it will once again be the heart of APDesign — and the heart of Kansas State.

We must raise $3 million to meet this match and secure Seaton Central’s transformation. I invite you to join us in making this vision a reality. Together, we can ensure that Seaton continues to inspire and equip generations of Wildcats to come.