Author: Caelin Bragg

The Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing in Morrison Hall will be closed for staff development Friday, Sept. 5. The office will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8.

For immediate issues, contact Shelly Coleman-Martins, vice president of Strategic Communications and Marketing, at shelly.coleman-martins@wichita.edu or leave a voicemail at 316-978-3045 and the office will get back to you when it reopens Sept. 8.

Did you know you can rent out pickleball equipment for free and play on the new pickleball courts outside of the Heskett Center? Just bring your Shocker ID to the front desk of the Heskett Center and play some games with your peers between your classes.

You can take advantage of many more perks at the Heskett Center, as all WSU students get free membership to Campus Recreation with their Shocker IDs.

Learn how to leverage AI tools to enhance communication, streamline workflows and improve decision-making at “Practical AI: Getting the most out of today’s AI Tools” workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 13 at Devlin Hall.

The session will cover AI fundamentals, best practices, tailored use cases, policy suggestions, and outside resources, equipping you with the knowledge necessary to use today’s AI tools.

Connected Nation Internet Exchange Points (CNIXP) in partnership with Wichita State is hosting a summit, “An AI Interconnection Summit: Network Infrastructure for AI Leadership in Kansas and Beyond,” from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11 in the NetApp building

The one day, no cost summit will bring together national and international experts in internet infrastructure to explore how Kansas, and the United States, can lead in the emerging AI economy. The event will highlight the interconnection infrastructure that is needed to reduce network latency, lower costs and enable smarter connectivity across all sectors — from business and education to healthcare and beyond.

Attendees will gain actionable insights into how local and regional leaders can leverage the new Wichita IXP to drive innovation, strengthen economic competitiveness and expand digital opportunity.

Wichita State, Shocker Athletics and WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement are excited to return to the Kansas State Fair to host Shocker Saturday on Sept. 13.

Wear your Wichita State gear and help make the day full of Shocker Pride, and kids can participate in the Shocker Scavenger Hunt with prizes available at the Capper House for those who completed the hunt. Be sure to attend the many other Shocker-themed events throughout the day as well:

• Members of some of Shocker Athletics teams will be available to sign Shocker swag at the Capper House.
• Shocker Sound Machine will start playing at the main entrance at 10:30 a.m. and will march through the fairgrounds through 11 a.m.
• Starting at Noon at Carrie’s Beer Garden is the Alumni + Friends Social, featuring President Rick Muma; Kevin Saal, director of athletics; Telly McGaha, WSUFAE president; and Shocker Athletics coaches Paul Mills, Terry Nooner, Kristi Bredbenner and Brain Green. You can RSVP on the WSUFAE website.

The Office of Civil Rights, Title IX, & ADA Compliance (CTAC) has invited two finalists for the position of director of ADA & Section 504 compliance to campus for interviews Wednesday, Sept. 10 and Thursday, Sept. 11.

Each candidate will facilitate a presentation outlining how they intend to lead ADA compliance and accessibility efforts at an institution of higher education in 2025. Presentations will begin at 12:45 p.m. and conclude at 1:45 p.m. with an open Q&A session.

To RSVP, contact Linda Sims, executive assistant for CTAC, at linda.sims@wichita.edu.

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. Friday, Oct. 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
• All personal electronics accepted, including appliances
  • 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.

Michael Horn, bestselling author of “Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career,” will present a dynamic keynote as part of the Barton School of Business’ fall 2025 James Schwartz Distinguished Speaker Series, “The New Career Playbook: Mastering Job Moves in a Changing World.”

Horn’s talk will share fresh insights on navigating career transitions, identifying opportunities and taking ownership of personal and professional growth.

The keynote event is at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 in Woolsey Hall, followed by a networking session.

Doors open at 9 a.m. After the keynote, there will be networking and book signing in the atrium. The first 75 attendees will receive a complimentary copy of “Job Moves.” This free event is open to the public. RSVP at wichita.edu/new-career-playbook.

Join the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub (UReCA) to learn about the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) and K-IMBRE programs by listening to students currently participating in them. The event is at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, in 262 Rhatigan Student Center, Herrman Room. RSVP by emailing undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu.

Want to see what some of your fellow Shockers are up to? The ShockerSync calendar has even more events for you to check out throughout the semester: wichita.edu/shockersync.