Author: Caelin Bragg

The Wichita Eagle has announced the winners of its annual Best of Wichita competition, and Wichita State was voted gold in best college/university in Wichita. This is the fourth year in a row where Wichita State has been named the best college/university.

Additionally:

• The Child Development Center was named silver for childcare
• The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic was named bronze for audiologist/hearing center
• Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes was named bronze for bowling

We thank Shocker Nation for their participation in the voting process.

The ninth annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for faculty and staff will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 on the third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.

Attendees may choose to attend up to two sessions. Gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing and communication efforts. Stay tuned for more information on the sessions and how to RSVP in January.

Wichita State’s new Scholars Walk honors the faculty whose research and creativity advance knowledge, address pressing challenges and spark tomorrow’s innovations. Each banner along the pathway showcases scholarly work that reflects our mission to serve as an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good.

We are proud to dedicate this newly defined area of campus as a space of reverence and inspiration — celebrating faculty whose contributions shape the future of our university and the world beyond.

As you stroll along the Scholars Walk, located northeast of the Plaza of Heroines, we invite you to pause, reflect and explore. Scan the QR codes to learn more about each honoree’s research and scholarship, and let this walk inspire your own scholarly pursuits.

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

• The first column includes the various start/end (part-of-term) dates for spring 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 administrative schedule can always be found on the website.

If your course is in bold, then your spring 2026 CES evaluation process will start soon. Review the start/end dates in each column so you know when your access to the CES system will start and end.

Based on faculty and staff feedback from a survey sent out following the 2025 Fall Address, the Strategic Planning Committee has refined the university’s values in the Strategic Plan, unifying them into one set of five values.

The university values reflect who we are and underline the culture at Wichita State University. Previously, the values were split between two sets, core and distinctive values. The refined single set of values better serves the decisions, priorities and culture of the university:

Integrity
Students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University uphold the highest standards of honesty, transparency, ethical decision making and personal accountability — fostering trust and respect in every aspect of university life.

Collaboration
Students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University work across disciplines and roles with mutual respect, trust, and shared purpose — communicating openly, supporting one another, and combining strengths to drive innovation and workforce development.

Innovation
Students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University embrace forward-thinking solutions — seizing emerging opportunities with intention, creativity, adaptability, and bold action to drive transformation, spark discovery, and knowledge that shapes a better future.

Academic Excellence
Students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University advance education through engaging, rigorous experiences — delivering high-quality programs, fostering lifelong learning, and generating meaningful outcomes.

Community
Students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University foster belonging through shared purpose, pride, and meaningful connection — cultivating lasting relationships across campus and beyond through collective experiences that strengthen identity and inspire engagement.

Plaques placed across campus expressing our vision, mission and values will be updated in the spring semester to reflect these university values.

If you missed your chance to grab your WuShock glass from this year’s Holiday Party or need an extra for display or someone else, the Office of the President has extras available to pick up. Stop by the Office of the President on the second floor of Morrison Hall during normal business hours to pick one up while supplies last.

More than 1,200 students are eligible to participate in Wichita State University’s 128th fall commencement ceremonies Sunday, Dec. 14 in Charles Koch Arena. Degrees will be conferred at the following ceremonies:

• 2 p.m.: All graduate degree programs
• 5 p.m.: All undergraduate degree programs

Graduates will walk across the stage and be individually recognized. Doctoral candidates will be hooded at the 2 p.m. ceremony.

Guest speaker: Joyce DiDonato 

Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, a 1992 Shocker graduate, will be the virtual guest speaker during the 5 p.m. undergraduate ceremony, where she will also receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.  

The Toast:

The Toast is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. Dec. 12 in Beggs Ballroom on the third floor of the Rhatigan Student Center. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Learn more about The Toast.

Consider this your chance to defy gravity academically. Dive into power, identity and perspective through the lens of Wicked in Wicked: Perspectives from Oz (FYPF 102B), CRN: 24324. If you started after fall 2024, this course can fill Bucket 7 for General Education.

From robot pets to hospital helpers, Social Robotics (PSY 727A), CRN: 24308, in the spring digs into what happens when machines learn to play nice with humans. No robot uprising required.

President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case want to wish everyone in Shocker Nation happy holidays!