Steve Blume creates scholarship to pay forward support he received as a K-State student.
“I hope the scholarship motivates more STEM-related students to go to K-State and major in engineering. And if there’s fear about money, I can help them out with this scholarship to lessen that concern.”
Steve Blume
A chance encounter at Kansas State University’s open house led Steve Blume to his academic major and a successful career.
“The head of agricultural engineering was walking through, greeting prospective students,” Blume explained. “He asked me about my grades and ACT score. After I told him, he said he thought he could get me a scholarship, which he did. I thought I wanted to study engineering and that sealed the deal.”
Blume majored in agricultural engineering. After graduating in 1979, he made a career working in the oil and gas industry.
As a first-generation student, Blume didn’t know what to expect when he decided to go to college, but he knew he had to work hard to get good grades in the challenging engineering field.
“Everyone talks about their great time at college — going out to parties, etc. I didn’t do any of that,” Blume said. “I studied, played intramural basketball, worked out and went to a few football games. But that’s okay. It was a good choice for me at the time. Now I can enjoy all the hard work I put into it.”
The relationships Blume forged in college are some of his fondest memories.
“The support and the relationships I had with my professors, especially the ag engineering professors, are some really good memories,” Blume said. “They mentored me and coached me to be successful in school and be prepared for my career afterwards.”
To pay back the assistance he received while a K-State student, Blume created a scholarship for first-generation students majoring in engineering.
“I hope the scholarship motivates more STEM-related students to go to K-State and major in engineering,” Blume said. “And if there’s fear about money, I can help them out with this scholarship to lessen that concern.”
Engineering runs in Blume’s family — two of his four sons are engineers, and his wife, Debbie, is an engineer. One piece of advice Blume passed on to his sons is applicable to all students.
“To those who receive the scholarship, I want them to be passionate about being engineers, passionate about getting a good education at K-State, and then passionate about applying what they learned in their jobs,” Blume said. “If they are, they will be successful.”
