Year: 2024

The Collegiate DECA chapter at Wichita State continues to showcase the remarkable talent of its students. DECA, an international association connecting students to business and professional development opportunities, saw the WSU team compete in a statewide competition in Hillsboro, Kansas Feb. 23. Eight WSU students won eleven medals qualifying them for the upcoming national competition in Austin, Texas, from April 20 to 23:

• George Giem: First place in corporate finance
• Maley Hansen and Grace Skelton: Third place in the marketing communications team event
• Maley Hansen: Second place in marketing management
• Nathan Holloway: First place in hotel and lodging, Second place in restaurant and food service management
• Raven McPherson and Valishia Landrum: Second place in the event planning team event
• Raven McPherson: Second place in human resource management
• Ronish Rasaily: First place in travel and tourism, Second place in hotel and lodging
• Tayshaun Washington: First place in financial accounting, Second place in corporate finance

“Seeing our students excel on such a competitive stage is a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said Pattie Bradley, the group’s faculty advisor as well as the Barton School’s associate educator in economics. “Nathan, Tayshaun and Raven are part of the original students who started DECA at the Barton School in 2022, and they are graduating this spring. Their success, and the success of the entire chapter, not only reflects their individual talents but also speaks volumes about their leadership. We’re eagerly anticipating nationals in Austin and I am confident they will continue to make us proud.”

Dr. Valerie J. Thompson is an assistant professor Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies. Her experiences as a practitioner in higher education — and her lens as a Black woman scholar — help inform how she sees the world.

Black History Month provides an opportunity for contemplation, learning and raising awareness about the extensive and varied history of the Black community. Wichita State is embracing the rich tapestry of history and heritage by highlighting some of the amazing Black educators who make a difference in students’ lives every day.

Robert E. Weems Jr. is a faculty member in WSU’s History Department and is the Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History. Weems says African American history is troubling but also demonstrates the resilience of Black Americans.

“As someone who came of age during the late 1960s, over the years as a history professor, I have sought to contribute to the knowledge base associated with the African American experience” Weems said.

Black History Month provides an opportunity for contemplation, learning and raising awareness about the extensive and varied history of the Black community. Wichita State is embracing the rich tapestry of history and heritage by highlighting some of the amazing Black educators who make a difference in students’ lives every day.

Building Bridges: Spanish Language, Culture, & Creating Welcoming Spaces in an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution is a free workshop offered to faculty and staff in four Thursday sessions (March 28, April 4, April 11 and April 18 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.) or four Friday sessions (March 29, April 5, April 12 and April 19 from 1:30-3 p.m.) at Wichita State Connect.

Faculty from the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures are teaming with Hispanic Serving Institution Leadership to provide experiences to gain a foundational understanding of Spanish language and culture. There will be opportunities to sample foods from Latin America. Participants completing all four workshop sessions will receive a free book and earn a professional development certificate.

Note: The certificate does not bear academic credit nor would it qualify for inclusion on an academic transcript

If you are a corresponding author publishing a research article in an Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) or Springer journal, you may be able to publish your article open access without paying OA fees. The University Libraries subscribes to ACM Digital Library and Springer journals through consortiums. The consortiums have negotiated subscription deals that let authors affiliated with their members publish open access in many ACM and Springer journals without paying Open Access publishing fees. These deals let the University Libraries provide OA publishing with no additional cost to the author or the library. 

When you submit an article to ACM or Springer, you will need to use your @wichita.edu email address and list Wichita State University as your institutional affiliation. When your article is accepted, the publisher’s submission software will check eligibility for open access publication under a library deal.  

For ACM, all research articles will automatically be published OA if the corresponding author is affiliated with Wichita State University. For Springer, corresponding authors will have the option to choose OA publication when a research article is accepted for a hybrid journal. For a list of eligible Springer journals, see the Open Access Agreement for Lyrasis page.  

If you have questions, contact Virginia Kay Williams at virginia.williams@wichita.edu in the University Libraries. 

Lot 19E, the parking lot near Eck Stadium, will be closed starting Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3 for an athletics event. Faculty, staff and students that typically park in this lot will need to park in other lots per their ePermit type in the area of the building. The YMCA lot is not available for faculty, staff or event guest parking and could result in a citation.

The purpose of lot reservations is to help accommodate large groups of guests visiting campus for events or the event itself. Lot reservations are not to be used for WSU affiliates. Remember, visitors to campus can park without an ePermit up to three times each semester.

Red reserved and ADA stalls are not subject to lot closures and proper use is permitted during this time.

Wichita State students who are interested in performing at the 14th annual drag show in April, sponsored by the Student Activities Council (SAC), Ambassadors for Diversity and Inclusion (ADI) and Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies, can sign up online.

Organizers are seeking student drag artists to perform one or two five-minute sets. This is an opportunity for new and experience performers to showcase their talent. Students will be compensated based on their number of sets. Students can sign up on the website or on ShockerSync.

Friday, March 1, One of the most transformational speakers in the nation will be visiting Wichita State University to talk with first-generation students about the keys to attaining career success in college and beyond from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 1 in the CAC Theater.

With one study revealing that more than 50% of college graduates are either underemployed or unemployed, Dr. Joshua Fredenburg will be visiting campus to share specific career strategies that first-generation students can use to position themselves for career success in college and beyond.

Dr. Fredenurg is a nationally acclaimed speaker, author, leadership consultant and a visionary force in personal and organizational development. With a career spanning over sixteen years, he has touched lives across 49 states and globally, delivering powerful messages on leadership, diversity and inclusion, student success and personal empowerment.

Holding a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a master’s degree from Biola University, Dr. Fredenburg combines academic rigor with real-world experience. His journey is not just marked by professional achievements but also by his profound impact on individuals and organizations.

As the president and founder of the First-Generation Student Career Conference, he has transformed the lives of thousands, especially culturally diverse and first-generation students, guiding them towards leadership excellence. Recognized for his contributions, he has received numerous accolades, including an honorary membership from Golden Key International and recognition as a Top Leader Under 40 in South Florida.

“My goal as a speaker is not only to inspire, motivate and empower students with information that will enable them to thrive, succeed and reach their fullest potential as a student, but it’s ignite the purpose in them to make a positive impact in their community, nation and world,” Dr. Fredenurg said.

The department on campus that will be hosting the event is the TRIO Student Support Services office which is led by Dr. Linda F. Rhone. Dr. Rhone and her team do an incredible job at providing excellent programming that helps first-generation students thrive, succeed, graduate and position themselves for career success in college and beyond.

To learn more about the event, contact the offices of Dr. Joshua Fredenburg by reaching out to his speaking team at 305-298-3632 or via email at dr.joshuafredenburg@gmail.com.

Join Pi Sigma Alpha and the Department of Political Science at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 in 417 Lindquist Hall for more snacking and socializing while watching the results of the Super Tuesday primary unfold.

Stop by Financial Aid’s table for leap day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center to learn more about financial aid, upcoming dates and to write a letter to yourself.

Financial Aid wants you to focus on investing in yourself by reflecting on your financial goals. For more information about how to start your financial wellness journey, visit the Shocker Financial Wellness webpage.