Year: 2024

For a second year, Wichita State will show off its unique cultural and educational assets while welcoming the community to campus during Open Streets ICT – WSU and Shocker Neighborhood on April 14. 

Open Streets ICT is a community-building event on a closed street, intended to promote healthy active living and social engagement. The event is free and open to the public. 

Join Interstellar Seminar for a discourse on the ethical questions that surround multi-generational missions to the stars from 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 in 104 Jabara Hall and online with Dr. JS Johnson-Schwartz, assistant professor of philosophy.

How does society articulate and defend the intrinsic value of the knowledge gained from space science in the context of planetary stewardship? How does it frame the questions that lead to the ethical principles defining permissible human space settlement?

Dr. Johnson-Schwartz studies the philosophy and ethics of space exploration at WSU, touching on space policy, law, inclusivity, the environment and metaphysics. A prolific author, she is a thought leader on the epistemic values of space exploration, exploitation and settlement.

Annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations for 2024-25 are now accessible for managers to complete the planning step of the myPerformance evaluation cycle. Planning should be completed by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 31.

The 2024-25 review period begins March 1 and ends Feb. 28, 2025. Managers should log into myPerformance to add expectations, competencies, and goals for the current review period then meet with their employees to review and provide a copy of their evaluation for reference throughout the year.

Helpful hints:

• Managers have unlimited access to update and edit content on evaluations in myPerformance until the employee self-evaluation step begins Jan. 1, 2025.
• Be sure to save and submit anytime you update or make changes to an evaluation. You still have access to make changes after you save and submit.
• Employees don’t have access to their 2024-25 myPerformance evaluation until the employee self-evaluation step which is why it’s important to review and provide a copy of their evaluation for reference throughout the year.
• To find in-progress or past evaluations in myPerformance, check the small box “Show completed and expired tasks” then click “Search.”

For more information (including myPerformance training, quick reference guides, and other resources) go to the myPerformance webpage (wichita.edu/myPerformance).

The College of Engineering has announced that Dr. M. Edwin Sawan will serve as the director of its School of Computing for a term of three years. He had been serving as an interim department chair for the College of Engineering since 2022. Within his role as an interim department chair, Dr. Sawan was particularly passionate about ensuring faculty, staff and students feel valued. During the recent search for someone to serve in a more permanent role, Dr. Sawan was one of the candidates recommended by the department faculty, and ultimately, was selected.

Before serving as the interim department chair for the School of Computing, Dr. Sawan served as a professor in the (then) Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department for 30 years. During his tenure, he won numerous teaching awards and was published many times. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Sawan founded the Maha “Maggie” Sawan Fellowship for international graduate students in 2011, which awards two new Sawan Fellows each academic year.

Junior Shockers has a plethora of benefits for your young Shocker fans. As a member, your child can attend all regular-season home baseball games and all regular-season home conference softball games at no additional charge. There is also one designated Junior Shocker Kids Club Day game that offers unique experiences only for Junior Shocker Kids Club members. Last year on Junior Shocker days, members got to tour the stadiums, throw out the ceremonial first pitches and meet softball and baseball student-athletes to get their autographs.

Soon after signing your child up as a Junior Shocker, you will receive a membership kit mailed directly to your address that includes a membership T-shirt, a lanyard with credential and a welcome letter from WuShock.

To sum it all up, children can receive admission to various WSU sporting events, unique Junior Shocker experiences and a membership kit all for $30.

Sign up your child today. Memberships are good through June 30, 2024.

For questions, email marketing1@goshockers.com or call the Shocker Ticket Office at 316-978-3267.

Join the Office for Workforce Professional and Community Education (WPCE) in celebrating Johny Buchanan-Spachek at a come and go retirement reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, March 22 in Hughes Metropolitan Complex, room 132.

Johny has served the WSU community as an office manager for 12 years in multiple offices including the Student Government Association and the College of Applied Studies, spending the past year and a half with WPCE. During her time at WSU, Johny was an active member of the Staff Senate for many years and even served as senate president from 2016-17. She is also a part of the Women of Wichita State University, where she served two terms as its treasurer.

Help show appreciation for her service to the university by joining the celebration for refreshments and light snacks while wishing Johny all the best as she heads back to Texas.

The Society of Public Historians welcomes the campus community to its second monthly meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 21 in Fiske Hall.

It will finalize its Spring Walking Tour as well as other upcoming plans for the club.

Join University Libraries for its Entrepreneurship Research Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 29 at Ablah Library in the Digital Learning Commons (in-person and online).

Discover types of trademark protection and learn search strategies for existing marks and logos. Bring a lunch and spread the word. The session is free and open to all.

Join the Trademarking Your Business workshop from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 29 at Ablah Library in the Digital Learning Commons (in-person and online).

Sharpen your trademarking skills at this workshop, designed to suit various student needs. Whether you’re a business student starting a tech venture or a design student safeguarding your brand’s aesthetic, this session is for you.

Bring a lunch for a productive break. Open to all, with no cost to attend.

Make sure to catch the latest episode of the “Forward Together” podcast. Join President Rick Muma when he talks to Dr. Bobby Berry, assistant dean and assistant professor for the College of Applied Studies, about serving students and his research and work with first-generation students.

Watch the episode online or listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts or Apple Podcasts (iTunes).

The next episode will feature representatives from GoBabyGo. Subscribe to be notified when new episodes are available.