From Professor to President: Leading Washburn Forward | Dr. Mazachek

We sit down with Washburn University President Dr. JuliAnn Mazachek to trace her path from professor to president and what she refuses to lose as Washburn grows. We dig into affordability, campus expansion, and why real connection still beats a purely online future. • Her backstory from Topeka roots to engineering to business and an accounting PhD • What a PhD in accounting really trains you to do • Why internal leadership growth is rare and why it helps Washburn • How planning shifts when technology and AI move fast • Campus space limits with housing as the biggest constraint • Parking tradeoffs including surface lots vs a future garage • Enrollment growth at Washburn and Washburn Tech • Scholarships, donors, and why finances still block college decisions • The Advisors Excel Hall renovation timeline and what moves in • Washburn Law’s new building impact and rising student credentials • The “magic” of small classes and faculty who know students • Why Topeka works for students, jobs, and quality of life • What it means to be a municipal university and how funding works • Rapid-fire local picks from restaurants to coffee shops to date night • How to connect with Dr. Mazachek and Washburn online Learn more at washburn.edu.________________________________________0:00 - Cold Open On Student-Focused Faculty0:16 - Washburn Snapshot And Benefits0:41 - Meeting President Julian Mazachek3:03 - From Engineering To Accounting Research3:56 - Leading From Within At Washburn7:35 - Space Housing And Parking Realities14:38 - Growth Scholarships And Low Student Debt18:36 - New Buildings And Law School Boom24:09 - The Magic Of Small Classes28:21 - Why Topeka Works For Students32:16 - What A Municipal University Means35:06 - Rapid-Fire Favorites And How To Connect________________________________________Beyond the Podcast: 🎙️Be sure to follow our Topeka Insider Socials below and check out our website for additional stories and articles pertaining to Topeka, KSWebsite -- https://topekainsider.com/Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/topekainsider Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/topekainsider/Follow Your Hosts: 📱Follow both Justin & Jon on their personal socials to get connected. They would love to connect and answer any questions about the show or their day to day.Jon Griffith's Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/thejongriffith/Justin Armbruster's Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/armbruster_jdFor Any Inquiries, please DM @TopekaInsider on Instagram!