Lucas Robins and his Business Leadership Program team didn’t just imagine a new dining option at KU. They made it happen.

When Lucas Robins walked into his first class in the KU School of Business Business Leadership Program (BLP), he wasn’t expecting to help bring a new dining option to campus before he even reached his junior year. 

He also didn’t expect that the experience would strengthen his leadership skills, expand his campus network, launch a marketing internship, and maybe even shape the direction of his future career.

But that’s exactly what happened.

KU's Business Leadership Program

Shake Smart — the popular protein shake and healthy-food stop now buzzing with students in the Ambler Recreation Center lobby — exists at KU because a group of six BLP students worked together to make it happen: Lucas, Nick Sahrmann, Joe Staker, Rebekah Lee, Brianna Coup and Tiya Retchloff. 

They envisioned it, researched it, pitched it, and rallied students and university leadership behind it. Their idea worked so well that construction began just months after their proposal.

“It was shocking, honestly,” Lucas said. “We thought it would hopefully be done by the end of our time here at KU. But for it to be done the next year and up and running was surreal.”

This is the kind of story that has made the Business Leadership Program one of KU’s most sought-after opportunities for first-year business students: cohort-based learning, real-world projects, mentorship, and the chance to make an impact on campus.

Finding Community, Connections and Confidence 

Lucas first learned about the Business Leadership Program through an email to incoming students. “They were recruiting students who they thought were involved and would be interested in joining the program,” he shared. “It’s competitive, and I was lucky enough to be admitted. Being a part of the BLP is really what pushed me to go to KU. I knew that would be a great opportunity.”

Walking into the first day of class changed everything.

“Of course you’re a little nervous walking in at first, as a new college student. But going into that classroom and finding such a quick connection was so helpful,” Lucas said. “We were all so similar, as we were very involved in high school, and we all wanted to be more involved at KU. Having that same set of people that I was always in class with for two straight years, it was just instant friendship with these super nice outgoing people.”

The BLP’s cohort model gives students a built-in community. First-year students spend their first two semesters together in seminar-style leadership courses, plus shared classes like Accounting 200 and Business 150. By sophomore year, they are deep into their capstone project.

The structure matters. It pushes students to stretch themselves and get involved in a variety of ways. For Lucas’ cohort, that involvement made an incredible impact on campus.

The Big Idea: Shake Smart at KU

The capstone project that the BLP students take on in their sophomore year is designed to improve the university or Lawrence community. The parameters are intentionally broad.

“It’s a goal of enhancing campus or the community,” Lucas said. “The Program Director wants you to think big and be specific.”

Lucas’ team brainstormed ideas and kept returning to one recurring theme: students wanted healthier, more convenient dining options.

“We just had the idea of bringing a Shake Smart to KU,” he said. “We thought that dining was missing this healthier element in this area of campus. And it just worked out perfect that Shake Smart had been at other colleges, and they were really pushing to expand and grow.”

They started by conducting research. “We needed to get data to show that people were interested,” Lucas said. “We went and tabled at the Rec Center for a couple of weeks, just gathering student data, showing that they’d be interested and how much they’d spend per week. One of our group members was a resident assistant, so she sent out flyers in all the residence halls. I put stuff through the social media accounts I ran at the time.”

The team quickly connected with thousands of students and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Data-Driven Decisions and Real Business Experience

Next step? They started looping in campus partners.

They met with the director of the Rec Center. They met with the director of KU Memorial Union, who oversees campus dining — and who, as it turned out, had been trying for years to bring something like Shake Smart to KU.

“That’s why the student data was so important,” Lucas said. “They didn’t know if students would be interested.”

At the end of the semester, the team presented to their classmates, the interim dean, and faculty. Their project got high praise and quickly gained momentum. Then came the big moment: a presentation to the KU Board of Directors and others, including the provost and CFO of the university.

“We presented our student data and they loved it,” Lucas said. “They were really happy with all the support students showed.”

Just days later, the team got the news: Shake Smart had been approved. “We were thrilled,” Lucas said.

Hands-On Leadership in Action

As soon as Shake Smart was approved, the team shifted from pitching a big idea to helping bring it to life. The six team members divided into specialized subgroups based on interests and strengths.

“Me and one other student worked with the marketing side of things,” he said. “Two others worked with project management. And then two others worked with human resources.”

Construction began that summer. The space, which was formerly just a vending area, was vacant and ready to convert. By fall, Shake Smart was open. 

While the project’s quick timeline felt almost impossible to believe, it was the effort and execution that made the biggest impression on the program director.

“She was amazed at the timeline,” he shared. “And she was more impressed by just how involved we were in it and how much we actually contributed to making it happen. She was really proud of us.” 

Lucas will always remember opening day. “Free shake day — I couldn’t believe the turnout,” he said. “I got there at 8a.m. and there was already a line of people waiting, and it was raining outside. By the time I finished class at 4:45, the line was still out the door.”

Today, the line remains steady. “There’s often a line there,” Lucas said. “People are always telling me how good it looks, how good it’s running. It’s really cool to see.”

Opening Doors to Internships and More

Lucas spent part of his sophomore year working on Shake Smart’s marketing plan. That meant planning the rollout, coordinating with Union staff, and building buzz. 

That experience led to his current role with the KU Union, KU Dining, and KU Bookstore. “That’s how I ended up getting my social media intern job,” he said.

Now he works about 15 hours per week, producing content, managing schedules, and meeting with the marketing team. “I love what I do with the Union,” he said. “Some of it is out of my comfort zone, but it’s super fun. Stepping out of your comfort zone is important.”

He now has an internship with Koch Industries lined up for next summer, and the Shake Smart experience has even inspired him to add a second major.

“I’ve always been accounting, but through all this marketing work, I think I might add a marketing major,” he said. “I’ve got all this experience now.” 

The Lasting Impact of the Business Leadership Program

By the time the Shake Smart project was complete, Lucas felt like a different kind of leader — one who had seen firsthand what happens when students are trusted with real responsibility and big ideas.

“I feel like I can do anything I really put my mind to at this point. After something big like that happens… I feel like if I need to put the time, work, leadership, effort, communication into any project, I can get it done.” 
— Lucas Robins, KU School of Business Class of 2027

The Business Leadership Program gave him more than expected. It gave him a community that made the university feel close-knit and mentors who genuinely cared about student ownership. And it gave him a chance to shape campus in a visible, lasting way before he even started his junior year. 

Looking back, Lucas hopes future Jayhawks won’t hesitate to get involved and build connections. “It can be hard to do, but it’s so beneficial. Introduce yourself, put yourself out there and make those connections. The more people that you know, the smaller the university feels,” he said. “You’re going to meet so many people and it’s going to make the experience a lot better. I love being a part of the KU community.”