Author: Caelin Bragg

Through the inaugural Student Practical Architecting Challenge (SPARC), FirePoint Innovations Center at Wichita State University awarded nearly $40,000 to two student-based teams for their novel innovations in devising future-ready, modular and adaptable software systems to support the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) initiative.

The first-place winners Murphy Ownbey and Greg Heiman, and second place winner Aiden McGillivray, all recent graduates from Wichita State University’s College of Engineering, will be recognized during the MOSA Industry & Government Summit & Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. More than 50 teams from colleges and universities across the country participated in the SPARC competition.

A love of reading led Denae Sawyer to seek — and earn — an internship last spring with Dzanc Books, a non-profit publisher of literary fiction and non-fiction. Sawyer, who is working on a master’s degree in innovation design at Wichita State University, spent the spring semester interning remotely for 20 hours a week.

Her work consisted of reading and researching to determine if the manuscript fit Dzanc’s standards and sensibility. She also evaluated the potential audience and marketing strategies.

“We would sift through and pick one (manuscript) that especially spoke to us,” she said. “We would start developing a really, really generic portfolio of — what is the story about, what makes it good, what is the audience, what is the marketability?”

The final step to being a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate is to refer classmates in potential distress to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or submit a concern to the CARE Team.

CAPS encourages Shockers to take a proactive role in the mental health needs of their peers.

The final step to being a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate is to refer students in potential distress to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or submit a concern to the CARE Team.

CAPS encourages faculty and staff to take a proactive role in the mental health needs of Wichita State students.

To be a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate, Shockers should add a “mental health advocate” tag to their email signatures.

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 last step.

To be a Suspenders4Hope mental health advocate, faculty and staff should add a “mental health advocate” tag to their email signatures.

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 last step.

The next University Staff Senate (USS) meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19 in 265 Rhatigan Student Center, Lucas Room. All USS meetings are open to the campus community.

You can also join the meeting via Zoom.

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.

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.