Author: Caelin Bragg

Owen and Ellery Prothro consider sports a bond. Older brother Owen roots for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ellery, the younger sister, is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Nuggets. They talk about the NFL, the NBA and, above all, college basketball and their jobs covering Wichita State.

The Prothro siblings, from Wichita, are enjoying an up-close look at their favorite sport and working together in a different setting from the usual brother-sister relationship. They are charged with chronicling Wichita State University’s most successful men’s basketball season since 2021 for The Sunflower, WSU’s independent, student-run news source.

“It’s fun, and (Owen) knows a lot about it and will answer any questions I have,” Ellery said. “We could talk about it for a long time, all the technicalities and what makes it so awesome. There are times I can say that Owen is my best friend.”

Faculty, staff, students and campus partners at Wichita State can visit NetApp on the Innovation Campus for its semesterly campus e-waste and shredding event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 17 in the NetApp parking lot, Lot 44S. This event is exclusive to WSU faculty, staff, students and campus partners and not open to the public.

The following are items that can be disposed of during the event:

• Personal documents accepted for secure shredding
• Personal electronics accepted, including appliances. No TVs accepted
  • Note: For recycling old TVs, refer to Sedgwick County’s recycling guide
• Secure data destruction for e-waste (hard drive shredder)
• On-site assistance available for larger loads

The event is sponsored by the NetApp Green Team.

While many factors help student retention, Samantha Corcoran’s favorite is fostering curiosity. She likes to ask her students: “Do you love learning? Do you love going new places?”

“We’ve chosen to focus on increasing student curiosity in everything that we do,” says Corcoran, associate engineering educator in the College of Engineering.

Wichita State University’s First-Year Seminar “Introduction to Technology and Innovation” and Shocker Design Experience are producing impressive retention increases. Freshman persistence has increased to 80% from fall 2024 to fall 2025. That’s a 14% increase since the program was updated in 2021.

As we cross the midpoint of the 16-week semester, instructors are reviewing student progress using the Student Early Alert System (SEAS). This system helps identify students who may benefit from additional support.

If you receive a SEAS alert email, it’s an opportunity to reflect, connect with resources and take steps toward improvement. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your instructor, academic advisor or a Success Coach if you have questions or need assistance. They’re here to support your success.

Need help setting up your online professional footprint? The Shocker Career Accelerator has a number of resources that can get you started:

The Career Closet in the lower level of the Shocker Success Center has free professional attire available for students. After you have your career fit, come get a free professional photo any time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Marcus Welcome Center, when the university is open.

From there, you can start setting up your LinkedIn profile using this helpful guide from SCA, which goes over the things you need for your profile, how to start networking with others and posting regular content. Additionally, you can start putting together your resume and cover letter using these templates developed by SCA.

Want to walk through creating your profile or resume with someone more experienced? You can schedule an appointment with an SCA career coach through Shocker Central, emailing sca@wichita.edu or calling the office at 316-978-3688.

The Wichita State University Police Department wants to remind Shockers to stay vigilant of scammers. Make sure you’re informed of the telltale signs of scammers:

• The police will never notify an individual over the phone that they have a warrant for their arrest. Additionally, the police or legitimate companies will never demand payment over the phone through cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, or through gift cards.
• Do not share personal or financial information over the phone unless you are certain of the caller’s identity. If you are ever concerned a caller may be a scammer, hang up and find a phone number from a trusted source, such as an official website or phonebook, and call back to confirm their identity.
• Make sure to reach out to law enforcement if you have been contacted by a scammers or have fallen victim to them. WSUPD can be contacted at 316-978-3450, and the Wichita Police Department can be contacted by dialing 911. You can also file a police report to the Wichita Police Department by calling 316-268-4221.

And share this information with your friends and family so they know to not engage with potential scammers. WSUPD is here to help the campus community stay safe and hopes that everyone can help keep their peers safe from scammers. If you have questions, email WSUPD at police@wichita.edu.

College life can be overwhelming between family, friends, classes and studying that you may feel you’re missing out. That’s why ShockerSync is your convenient hub for student organizations, sports clubs and events for a variety of majors, hobbies and interests.

Beat the FOMO and check out all the events coming up on campus and find your community at wichita.edu/shockersync.

GoCreate is a workspace on campus for individuals to develop and create their own ideas and projects, and students with a Shocker ID get an automatic membership. From 3D printing and electronics to metal and woodworking, there’s something for everyone to flex their creative and maker muscles. Learn more at gocreate.com.

President Rick Muma and the President’s Executive Team observed National Employee Appreciation Day March 6 in Woolsey Hall. The WSU Employee Appreciation Day was filled with conversations and food. WuShock also made an appearance to greet employees and take photos.

The event was part of President Muma’s Rick Rewards, a recognition of different departments every month to highlight the work of the Shocker community that betters everyone in Shocker Nation.

Join President Rick Muma when he engages with Edward Bart, director for the American Sign Language program in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, about curriculum, career paths and deaf culture.