Author: Caelin Bragg

Wichita State University is part of a collaborative effort to address the behavioral health care worker shortage across Kansas. With new funding, mental health care agencies in south-central Kansas will be better equipped to tackle this critical need.

In a recent report, Kansas was positioned among the states with the poorest access and availability of mental health treatment, largely due to a shortage of professionals to care for mental health patients. However, a committed cohort of mental and behavioral health professionals has successfully secured funding to address this deficiency by implementing educational initiatives aimed at bolstering the talent pool of behavioral health professionals within our state.

Backed by $5.7 million in funding from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), the newly established Kansas Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (KSBHCoE) is focusing on key areas to enhance opportunities and expand the mental health workforce. This effort involves strategic collaboration with several local agencies and institutions, including Wichita State.

What started out as an extracurricular activity at the Shocker Gaming Club has ballooned into a career leading students to success for Wichita State’s Joe Mazzara.

Mazzara, who was recently appointed to director of Wichita State University’s Esports program, began his tenure with the program as a volunteer assistant coach while he was an undergrad at WSU, before becoming the assistant director of Esports in 2019.

“During the infancy of the program, I felt I was learning quickly and excelling in areas like recruitment and team operations and always took a player-first approach to program leadership, which allowed me to connect with our players on a personal level,” Mazzara said. “My motivation to continue with the program has been fueled by my previous mentors/directors and the impact we have had on students’ lives as a result of the creation of the varsity esports program.”

Wichita State has been hosting 19 undergraduate students from Mexico on campus this summer. These students are doing research with various WSU faculty mentors through the Delfin Program; six additional students have participated virtually. The students are working hard and are very enthusiastic to be at WSU. Come help send off these undergraduate researchers from Mexico as they complete their seven-week research experience at Wichita State.

The Delfin Program poster session will be from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, July 29 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room. Attend to view the outcome of a wide variety of research conducted and to show your enthusiasm for hosting the students at WSU. This session can also be a recruitment opportunity for graduate students.

For the 12th consecutive year, the Wichita State volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT. The Shockers were further recognized with a selection to the AVCA Team Academic Award Honor Roll, which recognizes the top 20% of team GPAs in each division.

Wichita State completed a strong academic year in 2023-24 with a 3.60 team GPA in the fall and a 3.71 mark in the spring, good for a cumulative GPA of 3.65.

Aaron Mitchell has been named Wichita State University’s senior vice president for administration, finance and operations, effective Sunday, Aug. 18.

Previously serving as associate vice president for financial services at Montana State University since 2019, Mitchell brings Wichita State more than two decades of experience, including 14 years in financial management and leadership positions in high-growth local government and higher education institutions.

“I am both humbled and excited to be named the next senior vice president for administration, finance and operations at Wichita State University,” Mitchell said. “I am ready to hit the ground running to help WSU sustain its impressive growth and to achieve its goal of becoming an R1 research institution while continuing to improve the educational outcomes for first-generation students.”

In a hotly contested championship match, Wichita State men’s golfer Michael Winslow defeated Kansas Jayhawk Will King to win the 2024 Kansas Amateur title Sunday afternoon at Topeka Country Club.

Winslow, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, took down six golfers to take the crown, including defeats of two-seed Alex Springer as well as the reigning Kansas Am Champion and Shocker teammate, Zach Sokolosky. Winslow avenged his defeat to Sokolosky in last year’s championship match with a come-from-behind victory over his former teammate in this year’s championship semifinal.

“This win is a testament to Mike’s hard work and dedication to his craft,” head men’s golf coach Judd Easterling said. “He never loses faith in his game, and I am so proud of him and his results this week.”

WSU TV has begun a new series looking back through the history of WSU and the WSU TV channel. Each week, it will feature a new video showcasing a piece of that history.

This week, WSU TV revisits the 1998 NCAA Cheerleading Championship. Rewatch the CBS broadcast that has WSU face off against the best in the country. The episode premieres at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 25 on YouTube.

Save the date for the 2024 Fall Address at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14 in Miller Concert Hall at Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Doors open at 2 p.m. After the Fall Address, light refreshments will be available at the Shocker Success Center in the newly renovated Clinton Hall.

Stay tuned in the newsletter for a way to RSVP.

Inspiration could strike anywhere. For Mark Schneegurt, it comes from time in nature, daydreaming.

“I need time where I can just sit and think,” Schneegurt, professor of microbiology, said. “I can stare at the bark on a tree and just start scribbling ideas down. To anyone else, it looks like a mess; but, to me, it’s two or three years of ideas waiting to be sewn together.”

Road marking on campus will be striped continuing into next week, weather permitting. Expect delays and one lane traffic across campus July 22-26.

Fairmount Street, North Yale Avenue and Mike Oatman Drive will be restriped at a later date. Stay tuned in the newsletter for more information.