Wichita State University’s success is linked to our ability to respond to the needs of our campus community, as well as the area workforce.
One of the most obvious signs of that commitment can be seen through the physical expansion of campus. You may notice lots of dirt moving around right now.
Here are some of the projects under way:
- The Intensive English Center has moved to Lindquist Hall, and its former home near 17th Street and Hillside will be razed by the end of spring semester.
- A large area outside Clinton Hall has been fenced off to allow for the transformation of Clinton Hall into the Shocker Success Center. The fence stretches from Clinton Hall, along the east side of the Rhatigan Student Center, into the east portion of Parking Lot 7 and circling back up around Clinton Hall, preserving access to the Multicultural Greek Quad and the Plaza of the Heroines. The entire campus community’s patience and understanding is appreciated. We know there will be inconveniences during construction, but it will all be worth it.
- To prepare for the Shocker Success Center, Ablah Library will be integrating connections to the center from the library.
- The ongoing work on the Corbin Education Center will be completed soon. The fountain has been restored to working condition, and the spires are being painted and rewired to allow them to be illuminated at night. Final touches on the building, designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, should be completed by early spring 2023.
- Construction on Millie Marcus Annex will begin in February. The annex will be an expansion of the Marcus Welcome Center and will house the Shocker Career Accelerator offices. The integration of admissions and career services is intended to send a clear message to students about the support they will receive for applied learning opportunities and career development.
- Phase one of the Cessna Stadium renovations will begin in late spring. The east side demolition will begin after the Kansas State High School Track and Field Championship May 26-27.
The Innovation Campus is also experiencing some big changes, with several exciting announcements to come soon:
- Partnership Building 11 recently broke ground. The building is located by P3 and the Hyatt and is being built to house future partners interested in locating on campus and focusing on digital transformation.
- The new home of the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation (NIRDT) at the corner of 18th Street and Oliver will be completed in February. The 37,000-square-foot building will include a collaboration hub, cyber/data analytics area, testing labs, eight research labs and a 168-rack data center.
- The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) will break ground on its Technology and Innovation Building in fall 2023. The new 85,000-square-foot research facility will be located on the Innovation Campus, near existing research and partnership facilities to take advantage of available infrastructure. This facility’s proximity to other research and instructional spaces and numerous industry partners builds on the proven success of previous programs and extends capacity for additional training and research for the region.
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has started renovations on P3. This will be home to its Center of Excellence, the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board, a second National Correlation Center for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, and will provide a myriad of training in CGI. It will serve as a national academy for the training of ATF’s Intelligence Research Specialists.
- Listen for an announcement this spring about new restaurants and retail opening in Braeburn Square and a new apartment complex across the lake from Braeburn Square.
“The improvements and new projects sprouting up across campus punctuate the growth and progress we’re making throughout the university,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “The projects not only add aesthetic appeal to our campus, but many of the updates make our campus and buildings more accessible to our students, setting our Shockers up for success.”