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Community Relations

The Office of Community Relations is the University of Kansas Medical Center's front door for community partnerships. We work closely with community members, Kansas City metropolitan health care providers and civic organizations to support community health, research and education programs with the KU Medical Center.

About Community Relations at KU Medical Center

We routinely help our external partners navigate our system and connect faculty, staff and students to the wider Kansas City community. Our goal is to make lasting connections, develop partnerships, and cultivate mutually beneficial relationships that ultimately support KU Medical Center’s efforts to improve health outcomes across the state.

The University of Kansas Medical Center uses the Carnegie Foundations' definition for community engagement, defined as “the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in the context of partnership and reciprocity.”

Highlights from the Office of Community Relations in 2025:

Connected 105 partners across 15 counties in Kansas to research, jobs and education, and health access resources at KU Medical Center, KU-Lawrence, and the University of Kansas Health System.

Partnership Request

Mary Susan Kircher profileAre you or your organization interested in establishing a partnership with KU Medical Center? Please complete a Partnership Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you.

For questions or more information please email Mary Susan Kircher or call 913-588-0331.

Institute for Community Engagement

University of Kansas Medical Center
Institute for Community Engagement

Mailstop 3013
3901 Rainbow Boulevard

Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-5258