Author: Caelin Bragg

Starting Aug. 17, the Heskett Center pool will be temporarily closed for approximately four weeks to allow for scheduled maintenance and a comprehensive assessment of the facility. This proactive work is intended to ensure the pool remains safe, reliable and well-maintained for all users.

Depending on the nature and extent of repairs identified during the assessment, the pool could be unavailable for a longer period, especially if major repairs are necessary. In that case, university administration will determine whether major repairs are budgetarily feasible. We will keep campus informed throughout the process.

Heskett Center pool staff are working to inform regular users of the pool. Students who qualify for a YMCA membership are able to use pool facilities at all YMCAs in the Wichita area. For updates on this project, please check out the Heskett Pool website at wichita.edu/heskett.

Our Kansas Board of Regents 403(b) retirement plan providers, TIAA and VOYA, are offering several webinar learning opportunities in July. See below for registration details on upcoming webinars:

TIAA:

• 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 22: Steps to help secure your income in retirement: a mid-career check-in – Only 34% of non-retirees think their retirement savings plan is currently on track. A check-in at this stage of your career can help you take action now to set yourself up for greater financial security later.

VOYA Financial:

• 11 a.m./2 p.m. Tuesday, July 21: 6 tips for a mid-year check-in – Get six easy tips to keep your finances on track for the year.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) returns to Charles Koch Arena at 8 p.m. today, July 20. The AfterShocks, who took home the championship and $1 million prize last year, are looking for a repeat to win this year’s $2 million prize.

The team’s journey begins with its first game in a best two out of three math against The Enchantment, the University of New Mexico’s alumni team. The second game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday, July 23 at Charles Koch Arena, with the third game scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, July 24 as the tiebreaker if necessary.

Shocker Nation can help cheer on the AfterShocks in Charles Koch Arena by purchasing tickets at goshockers.evenue.net/events/TBT.

Wichita was ranked as the number one city in the nation for aerospace and defense investment by Global Location Strategies (GLS), a leading consulting firm for industrial manufacturing site selections.

In a report published by the firm, “2026 Best Places for Aerospace & Defense,” GLS cited Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research and its many programs, and the extensive talent pipeline that helps business thrive in Wichita, as part of its ranking of Wichita as number one in the nation.

The table below is to assist instructors with certain dates regarding CES. These dates are for the fall 2026 semester.

• The first column includes the various start/end (part-of-term) dates for fall semester courses.
• The second column includes dates meant for instructors. This is the timeframe when instructors will receive emails about the CES process and procedures that they should complete. Instructors will receive additional emails during and after the student CES access dates.
• The last column includes the dates that CES will be available for the students to complete course evaluations.

The full CES administration schedule is always accessible online.

The CAC Theater, located near the Rhatigan Student Center, has reopened after closing in May 2025 to assess and address the work needing done to bring the facility into ADA compliance.

Updates to the facility include:

• An accessible lift at the front entrance
• A family restroom
• A new ticket booth
• And accessible audience seating

Check out what’s currently growing at the Community Garden for the week of July 13, 2026. The beds in the garden are now numbered to help you quickly find what you’re looking for. Make sure to wash what you pick thoroughly before enjoying.

• Cilantro, bed #7 – Ready to be harvested. To pick, use clean scissors or gently pinch with your fingers and cut stems about one to two inches above the soil. Be sure to take the outer stems first to allow the inner leaves to keep growing. Gardeners also ask that you avoid pulling the entire plant or more than one-third of the plant at a time. Watch a video guide to harvesting cilantro.
• Cucumbers, bed #5 – Some are ready to be harvested.
• Peppermint, RSC wall – Ready to be harvested. Use clean scissors to cut or pinch at the stem just above a leaf node (the spot where two leaves grow from the stem). Gardeners ask that you avoid pulling off individual leaves, because cutting the stems encourages the plant to become bushier and produce more growth. For uses of peppermint, try blending it with basil for a basil-mint pesto; chopping and adding it to a summer salad; or muddling the leaves for a summer beverage.
• Basil, bed #7 – Not ready to be harvested.
• Beets, bed #2 – Not ready to be harvested. Expected to be ready for harvest mid to late August.
• Carrots, bed #1 – Not ready to be harvested. Expected to be ready for harvest late August to mid September. 
• Chili peppers, bed #8 – Not ready to be harvested.
• Radishes, RSC wall – Not ready to be harvested. Expected to be ready for harvest mid to late July. 
• Squash, RSC wall – Not ready to be harvested.
• Sunflowers, beds #10-11 – Not ready to be harvested. The sunflowers have been planted to add some colorful beauty to the garden. Gardeners ask that you refrain from harvesting the sunflowers until they have reached their peak maturity. 
• Sweet Potatoes, beds #10-14 – Not ready to be harvested. Expected to be ready for harvest mid to late October. 
• Tomatoes, beds #1, #3 and #7 – Not ready to be harvested.

The Community Garden is a project of the Student Government Association, the President’s Office and Student Engagement & Belonging.

For questions, concerns or requests to plant your own produce in the garden, reach out to Lauren Madison, student governance coordinator for SEB, at lauren.madison@wichita.edu.

Stop by the Food Truck Plaza on campus to enjoy cuisines from local food truck vendors.

Wednesday:

• Desi Fusion: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Carne Asada Jalisco: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Thursday:

• Desi Fusion: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Schedule is subject to change. Visit the Food Truck Plaza website for the most up-to-date information.

Wichita State has released the list of the over 2,400 Shockers who graduated in spring 2026. View the list of Kansas graduates and the list of national and international graduates.

Overall, graduates completed a total of 2,449 degrees — 1,627 undergraduate degrees and certificates and 822 graduate degrees and certificates — with 336 honored as cum laude, 527 honored as magna cum laude and 149 honored as summa cum laude.

Additionally, you can see the names of the over 3,600 students included in the spring 2026 semester Dean’s Honor Roll list. To be included on the honor roll, students must be a full-time student (at least 12 credit hours) and have at least a 3.5 grade point average on the 4.0 scale.

The Barton School of Business invites the Wichita State and greater Wichita communities to an open house reception celebrating the opening of a new Envision Arts Exhibition from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16 on the third floor atrium of Woolsey Hall.

The exhibition features “Stitching Community Together: Community Quilt Blocks,” a collaborative collection created by participants from Envision Arts and Heartspring as part of the “Envision Your City” community mural project. The installation continues the Barton School’s ongoing partnership with Envision Arts and highlights artwork that celebrates creativity, connection and community.

Guests are invited to stop by anytime during the reception to view the exhibition, learn more about the collaboration and enjoy light refreshments. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is appreciated to assist with event planning and refreshments.