Author: Caelin Bragg

Wichita State students are cordially invited to meet Cody Keenan, director of speechwriting to former President Barack Obama, at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 30 in the Beggs Ballroom at the Rhatigan Student Center for an informal meet-and-greet.

Students attending the meeting with Keenan will receive a copy of his book, “Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.”

The event is exclusively for registered WSU students and refreshments will be served. Capacity is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge.

Keenan rose from a campaign intern to become chief speechwriter at the White House and Obama’s post-presidential collaborator. Together, Keenan and Obama’s efforts resulted in what have been called some of the most unforgettable addresses of our time.

The Craig W. Barton Speaker Series is an annual WSU event established to expose students and the community to differing points of view and encourage critical thinking and conversation.

Cody Keenan, former White House speechwriter, will be the speaker for the 2023 Craig W. Barton Speaker Series event at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 30 in Wiedemann Hall. Seat reservations are required, and the event is free and open to the public.

Keenan rose from a campaign intern to become chief speechwriter at the White House and Former President Barack Obama’s post-presidential collaborator. Together, Keenan and Obama’s efforts resulted in what have been called some of the most unforgettable addresses of our time.

The Craig W. Barton Speaker Series is an annual Wichita State event established to expose students and the community to differing points of view and encourage critical thinking and conversation.

Employees enrolled in 2023 coverage through the State Employee Health Plan can earn a premium discount worth $480 annually and HSA/HRA rewards dollars up to $500 per year, just by participating and logging healthy activities throughout the year.

Take advantage of March HealthQuest events:

• 2023 HealthQuest program overview video and quiz: Earn five credits for watching this video and completing the short quiz.
• Learning modules: Earn up to 10 credits by completing on-demand learning modules in the HealthQuest portal. There are many different topics to choose from.
• EAP on-demand trainings: Earn up to 10 credits combined by completing EAP on-demand trainings that are available through the HealthQuest portal and attending EAP webinars (max one credit per day). 

Take advantage of some of the on-demand and online options to earn HealthQuest credits.

• Marathon Health webinar: March focus on nutrients and serving sizes – 1 p.m. Thursday, March 9. Registration will be sent via email with a link to attend. Deadline to view for incentive credits is Friday, March 17.
  • Do you know the six types of nutrients? Do you know what constitutes a serving size of pasta and vegetables? Get started with the basics in this session where we will review the six nutrients, serving sizes for different food groups, and how your plate can reflect nutritional balance at each meal.

As part of the Marathon Health HealthQuest portal, the Healthwise portal offers a ton of information about 26 topics providing a basic overview along with any medical testing and treatment options available for each topic. Check out Healthwise here.

Upcoming events will be published each month, but to plan in advance, check out all currently scheduled HealthQuest events.

Access the HealthQuest portal and start earning points today.

The 2022-23 annual non-teaching employee performance evaluations are now accessible for employee signatures beginning Wednesday, March 1, provided that their manager has submitted their manager review rating in myPerformance.

Employees should log into myPerformance then electronically sign and submit their 2022-23 evaluation by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 7.

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

Helpful hints:

• Progress through each page of the evaluation and select “save” then “submit” on the final summary page for the evaluation to be able to progress to the next phase of the cycle Wednesday, March 8 for manager signature
• Need a copy of a past performance evaluation? Check the box that says, “Show completed and expired tasks,” then “search.”  Select the desired evaluation and “print/save to PDF.”

myPerformance training is available as an online module through myTraining and includes a condensed “myTraining for employees” version.

Students may feel anxious about approaching their professors and need encouragement to interact with them. Despite these reservations, making connections with faculty can help students feel more comfortable in class, get references for jobs or graduate school, and help advise them about career options.

Use the link below and to learn few tips on how to approach and speak with professors. Remember, faculty members are often their best resource for academic success.

Each week, Shocker Athletics provides an update on the latest results, upcoming events and notable moments in WSU sports history.

Shocker softball has cracked the top 25 rankings of NCAA softball teams for the first time this season according to D1Softball, finding itself ranked 23rd overall.

The ranking comes after the team’s 4-0 winning streak last weekend during the North Texas Invitational, beating Northwestern State and North Texas 2-0 each. Shocker softball’s overall record for the season is 12-3.

Shocker softball’s next game will be at home against Western Illinois at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, March 4 in Wilkins Stadium. Season tickets for softball games are sold out, but individual game tickets are still available.

Hippodrome is a celebration of the arts and features the creative talents of Shockers.

Students interested in participating in Hippodrome can do so by either creating a skit, showcasing a talent or emceeing the show. This year, Hippodrome will feature these performances in the skit and talent competition at 7 p.m. on March 31 in the CAC Theater. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 6.

Groups participating in the skit competition will perform a 15 to 20 minute scripted performance with the use of this year’s theme: Superheroes. The top three winners of the skit competition will receive awards for first, second and third place, as well as individual awards for best actor, best use of mystery item and spirit.

The talent competition will be hosted in conjunction with the skit competition. Performers will take the stage between skit performances, and first, second and third place winners will take home cash prizes up to $150.

Hippodrome competitors and performers must be current WSU students.

Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) provides a variety of group counseling services to students in multiple areas of focus and concern.

Group therapy can be effective in addressing multiple challenges individuals face in their lives as well as the unique experience it provides. CAPS runs various groups per semester to address the ever-changing needs of the WSU campus, and group therapy is always free. CAPS services are available in a variety of modalities at this time.

If you think group therapy is right for you, speak to your counselor or call 316-978-4792 to set up a consultation. No appointment is needed to join support groups.

Groups are in-person at the Student Wellness Center unless otherwise specified.

Process Group: Understanding Self and Others

• 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays starting Feb. 14
• 3-4 p.m. Fridays starting Feb. 17

Support groups: No appointment is needed to join.

• Transgender Support Group: 1-2 p.m. starting Thursday, Feb. 16. Email rachel.amerson@wichita.edu for more information.
• Healing from Trauma Support Group: 2-3 p.m. Fridays starting Feb. 17.  Email vanessa@wichitasac.com for more information.
• Neurodiverse Support Group: 1-2 p.m. Tuesdays starting Feb. 14 in 225 Ablah Library (eight weeks only). Email stalnaker@clinic.wichita.edu for more information.

Weather safety is a priority at Wichita State. Please take a few moments to read through the information below regarding how we will keep you informed of weather-related activity.

• We strongly encourage you to sign up for the ShockerAlert System, which will send weather and class alerts to your phone and or email.
• The Wichita State website will be updated with a warning message during a tornado warning or weather situation that impacts classes or activities on campus.
• WSU’s official WSU Facebook and Twitter pages will be updated with pertinent information.
• You can call the Activity Line / Weather and Class Status at 316-978-6633, option 2.
• See a list of tornado shelters for each building on campus.

For more information about the weather outlook, consult the National Weather Service forecast for Wichita.