Author: Caelin Bragg

The community will soon have a new restaurant to choose from when Two Hands Corn Dogs opens on Wichita State University’s campus Friday, Sept. 22.

Two Hands, founded in 2019 and based in Los Angeles, is the next eating establishment to take root in Braeburn Square on WSU’s Innovation Campus, joining Starbucks, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Sesame Mediterranean Kitchen, Social Tap, Sungrano Pizza, Wheatly’s Burgers and Jersey Mike’s.

National Forensic Science Week is Sept 17-23, and the School of Criminal Justice along with the student Forensic Science Society will host two guest speakers to help commemorate the week.

John Ham from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Excellence will lead a conversation at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19 in 337 Law Enforcement Training Center on forensic science careers within AFT and the cutting edge science ATF is using in its criminal investigations, including the NIBIN program, which is currently functioning on WSU’s campus.

And at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, ATF Special Agent and Certified Fire Investigator Aaron Chaffee will provide an overview of ATF’s Fire and Explosive investigative program to include how forensic resources of the ATF Laboratories, Fire Research Laboratory and National Center for Explosives and Training Research are used to assist investigators. The presentation will be in 337 Law Enforcement Training Center.

Associate Professor Emeritus Bill Richardson, passed away Sept. 6 at the age of 86.

Richardson joined the Department of Mathematics in 1962 and retired from the role in 2013. He continued to teach for the department as associate professor emeritus through spring 2017.

During his 55 years of service at Wichita State, he has made significant contributions to the development of the math department and provided high-quality administrative services, including serving as assistant chair and then associate chair, from 1964 to 2004. Richardson is greatly respected by students and faculty and will be missed.

A time of remembrance for Richardson will be held by the department at a later date to be announced.

A memorial fund is open to donations from the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement.

To be a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate, faculty and staff should wear their official Suspenders4Hope T-shirts, available at the Shocker Store, to showcase their support and advocacy for mental health. They can also post selfies of themselves in the shirt with the hashtag “#Suspenders4Hope.”

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will feature one step a day for the following two weeks on how to be a mental health advocate. Stay tuned for the next steps.

To be a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate, Shockers should wear their official Suspenders4Hope T-shirts, available at the Shocker Store, to showcase their support and advocacy for mental health. They can also spread the word by posting selfies of themselves in the shirt with the hashtag “#Suspenders4Hope.”

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will feature one step a day for the following two weeks on how to be a mental health advocate. Stay tuned for the next steps.

All Shockers and friends are invited to participate in the annual Shocktoberfest parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.

You can register to participate in any of the following ways:

• Walking/dancing
• Decorated vehicle
• Float
• Inflatable

The theme is “Parade for the Decades,” and there will be four $500 prizes for the following categories:

• Wu’s Winner: Entertainment on Point
• Best Use of the Theme
• Most Creative
• People’s Choice Award

The parade will launch just east of the John Bardo Center on WSU’s Innovation Campus and will end at Braeburn Square. Immediately after the parade, the Shocktoberfest Patio Party will be held in Braeburn Square, and all are invited to attend. Parade winners will be announced at the Patio Party.

Students can also enter the Spirit Competition for a chance to win $1000, $500 or $250 in prize money. Teams must have at least eight current students on their rosters, attend events and participate in the parade. The $25 entry fee for groups competing in the Spirit Competition will be waived by Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership.

Shocktoberfest runs Oct. 2-8 and is WSU’s annual fall celebration of Shocker spirit and pride. The multi-day series features events, activities and competitions coordinated by the Office of Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership with support from the Student Activities Council and several campus partners. See the full list of events online.

All Shockers and friends are invited to participate in the annual Shocktoberfest parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.

You can register to participate in any of the following ways:

• Walking/dancing
• Decorated vehicle
• Float
• Inflatable

The theme is “Parade for the Decades,” and there will be four $500 prizes for the following categories:

• Wu’s Winner: Entertainment on Point
• Best Use of the Theme
• Most Creative
• People’s Choice Award

The parade will launch just east of the John Bardo Center on WSU’s Innovation Campus and will end at Braeburn Square. Immediately after the parade, the Shocktoberfest Patio Party will be held in Braeburn Square, and all are invited to attend. Parade winners will be announced at the Patio Party.

Shockers can also enter the Spirit Competition for a chance to win $1000, $500 or $250 in prize money. Teams must have at least eight current students on their rosters, attend Shocktoberfest events and participate in the parade. The $25 entry fee for groups competing in the Spirit Competition will be waived by Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership.

Register online. Registered student organizations will have the $25 registration fee waived.

Shocktoberfest runs Oct. 2-8 and is WSU’s annual fall celebration of Shocker spirit and pride. The multi-day series features events, activities and competitions coordinated by the Office of Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership with support from the Student Activities Council and several campus partners. See the full list of events online.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Kara McCluskey, associate educator for the Department of Applied Engineering in the College of Engineering.

• What role do you think faculty/staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
  “As a faculty member, I believe we can play a big role in student’s success and persistence. We need to set a high expectation level but make sure students know we believe in them and know they can succeed. By listening to students and getting to know what they are passionate about, we can guide them to a career path they will succeed in. We also help students by letting them know it’s ok to stumble along the way in their academic journey, and we are here to help them get back on track.”
• What is one small thing any faculty/staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
  “Getting to know students and letting them know you care is the single most important thing a faculty member can do. I ask students how their days are going as they walk into my class. Giving them encouragement and empathy when their days aren’t going well and celebrating the positives on good days is a small way of letting them know I care about them. It makes my day better when students come early to class just to share something about their day with me.”
• How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
  “Faculty advising is a time when I get to know students and their career goals. Before teaching, I worked in industry, so I share my perspectives with students and give them advice when they are finding their ‘dream’ job.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Trevr Bahr.

Trevr — senior majoring in applied engineering with a concentration in facilities management — a Burlington, Kansas native who graduated from Burlington High School, will be one of the first students to graduate from the facilities management concentration.

He says that faculty and staff need to remember what students’ needs are, and understand how the work they are assigned impacts their education, but in his department, he has found faculty who understand what student life is like and have helped him succeed inside and outside of the classroom, notably Kara McCluskey, associate professor of engineering.

“Kara McCluskey has always been very helpful with academic advising. She assisted me through the new curriculum. Also, Kara is connected with industry and set me up with an internship after my freshman year of college.”

McCluskey is excited to see how well Trevr has done in the program and is excited to see where his career will take him.

“Trevr is an outstanding student and will be a highly successful facility manager. We could not have asked for a better student to be the first graduate from this program. He will be a great representative of Wichita State.”

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

Dr. Ken Ciboski, former professor of political science, passed away July 30 at the age of 89.

Ciboski served as professor for the university for 48 years until his retirement in 2017. He actively engaged with the public through his contributions to public television and public radio, further cementing his role as an influential voice in his field.

Born in Goodland, Kansas, he spent his early years farming with his father and working as a typesetter for the local newspaper. Ken earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.

A memorial fund is open to donations from the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement.