Author: Caelin Bragg

The director of the National Science Foundation visited Wichita State University in January.

The Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan toured Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research, WSU Tech and the National Center for Aviation Training as a guest of U.S. Senator Jerry Moran.

The tours focused on demonstrating how Wichita State partners with industry to educate and train students for the workforce through applied learning.

The American Red Cross is seeking blood donors of all races and ethnicities to help meet the diverse needs of patients, including those with sickle cell disease. The most compatible blood for patients often comes from donors of the same race or similar ethnicity.

Encourage friends, family and the community to make an appointment at the WSU blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 7 and 8 at the Heskett Center.

Appointments can be made on the Red Cross website or by calling 1-800-733-2767.

Wichita State University has selected the 2023 recipients of the Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships. Each student will receive a $64,000 scholarship to attend Wichita State University in August 2023.  

The 2023 Gore Scholars are:

• Maley Hansen, Wichita North High School
• Lesly Hernandez, Maize High School
• Jayden Island, Derby High School

President Rick Muma and Shirley Lefever, provost and executive vice president, are conducting a town hall for faculty and staff about WSU’s Student Success and Persistence (SSP) initiative. Join them 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7 in the Rhatigan Student Center ballroom to learn more.

The SSP initiative, which falls under the umbrella of Strategic Enrollment Management, includes comprehensive and holistic tactics to support students throughout their academic journeys.

Students should take time to reflect on their past semester and think about their successes and what they can change to maximize their future success. To do this, there are a number of resources are available to students, including meeting with a success coach or a peer financial coach in Student Success for assistance in setting goals, completing success plans or designing a financial plan to remain on the path to graduation.

Students should also think about about what applied learning experiences they are interested in as well as social and leadership opportunities, which can be found in Student Involvement.

Finals can be a stressful week for students, but it doesn’t have to be.

Use proper preparation to avoid stress by getting plenty of rest and consider adjusting your work schedule.

Additional resources are available at the Office of Student Success website. Students should also consult the finals schedule well in advance of finals week and develop a study plan for the remainder of the semester.

Students working on final fall 2022 assignments have access to a variety of success resources including the Writing Center, Math Lab and Shocker Learning Center.

Students can also take advantage of visiting their instructors during student hours for clarification on class content, forming a study group or cleaning and organizing dedicated study spaces during the final weeks of the semester.

Wichita State students can develop skills inside and outside the classroom by working with their career ready competencies and strengthening them before graduation. Students needing professional work experience in their field can also explore applied learning opportunities. Students can keep track of their applied learning opportunities in the app Shocker 360.

Wichita State has a number of programs that can help you travel the country or the world while simultaneously working toward your degree and enhancing your student experience. Students should explore academic travel opportunities such as Study Abroad and National Student Exchange early so they can prepare financially and academically. 

Additional tip to help this week:

If resources are running low, students can receive basic necessities from the Shocker Support Locker.

As enrollment approaches, you should consider how to complete 30 credit hours in one academic year. By enrolling in a combination of fall, spring and summer classes, you can remain on track with your degree programs and potentially shorten the time it takes to earn your degree. Some studies show that completing 30 hours each academic year increases academic performance and decreases student debt.

Speak with your academic advisor to develop an academic plan or run a degree audit in Degree Works.