Author: Caelin Bragg

Labor Day is coming up Monday, Sept. 1, Shockers, and that means classes will not be in session, and certain services on campus will have adjusted hours.

Wichita State is pleased to announce the naming of the Ascension Via Christi — Wichita State University School of Nursing, reflecting a decades-long partnership between the university and one of the state’s leading health care providers.

The naming recognizes an investment from Via Christi in support of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a joint initiative of WSU, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas, that will redefine health care education in Kansas by strengthening collaboration across disciplines and supporting interprofessional health care learning.

“Via Christi’s support of the Wichita Biomedical Campus highlights their commitment to improving health care across our city and state, and we are proud to recognize that support with this naming,” President Rick Muma said. “This project requires significant partnership from our community, and we are proud to build on the longstanding relationship between WSU and Via Christi as we enter a new era of health care education.”

University Libraries Special Collections invites you to step into the life of award-winning actress and WSU alumna Shirley Knight. See Hollywood scripts, on-set photos, awards and personal letters that share her journey from Kansas to the big screen.

Knight’s career spanned stage, television and film. She starred on Broadway in “Three Sisters” and “Kennedy’s Children,” appeared on TV shows like “Maverick,” “Thirtysomething,” “Law & Order” and “House,” and was featured in films including “As Good as It Gets,” “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” and “Grandma’s Boy.”

The exhibit is on display in the Rhatigan Student Center’s Cadman Art Gallery & The Looking Glass from Sept. 15-Oct. 10.

Located right in front of the Rhatigan Student Center and Shocker Success Center is the Community Garden, open to all students to plant and harvest a variety of fruits and vegetables, maintained by WSU’s Green Group.

Whether you’re an adept gardener, someone looking to find a new hobby while attending Wichita State or just want to find fresh fruits and veggies for your dorm room, the Community Garden has something for everyone.

Several groundbreaking manufacturing research programs from Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) have been named finalists for the industry’s top honors by the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) and the American Composites Manufacturer’s Association (ACMA) Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE).

All five recognized research initiatives were conducted at NIAR’s Advanced Technology Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS) as part of the Modeling for Affordable Sustainable Composites program, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Representatives from Wichita State University, the University of Kansas and the State of Kansas commemorated the placement of the final steel beam on Phase 1 of the Wichita Biomedical Campus Aug. 26.

Jeff Fluhr with the Greater Wichita Partnership emceed the event, with remarks from President Rick Muma; Doug Girod, chancellor of KU; Sen. Jerry Moran; Ty Masterson, president of the Kansas Senate; and Alex Breitenbach, Wichita office lead at JE Dunn Construction.

Phase 1 of the location is a $222 million, 350,000-square-foot joint health sciences center, in downtown Wichita. Once complete, the Wichita Biomedical Campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology’s health care program, and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy.

As we head into the fall semester, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State’s 330 acres and beyond.

McKnight Art Center

Construction is complete for ventilation upgrades in the printmaking classroom and studios on the second floor of McKnight North.

RSC bowling remodel

Construction is completed in the basement of the Rhatigan Student Center for the project to create offices, locker room and conference room for the women’s bowling team.

Shocker Studios expansion

Construction is complete for the expansion of Shocker Studios located at WSU South on Harry Street. The project created four new classrooms and additional office space for the growing School of Digital Arts program.

Wilkins Stadium

Construction is complete on the indoor softball practice facility adjacent to Wilkins Stadium. Inside the building is a netted softball infield that is divisible into batting and pitching practice areas. Exterior work continues on the north side of the new building where the outdoor batting cages will be relocated in preparation for construction of the softball team and operations building to the south of the new building.

University Stadium Phase 1A/1B

Construction is underway for Phase 1B of the University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium). This phase of construction consists of widening the field to hold a regulation-sized artificial turf soccer field and installing a nine-lane track and internal stadium sidewalks that will connect the east and west sides of the facility inside of the fence. Construction is anticipated to continue through the fall semester.

Brennan I, II and III demolitions

Demolition of the three buildings is underway. TRIO/Upward Bound staff have relocated to their new home in Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex. The demolition project is anticipated to be complete by October.

Ablah Library

Repairs are underway on the basement level to replace flooring damaged by the flooding in the spring. Look for announcements from the library on the status of the project.

Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex roof replacement

A roof replacement project is scheduled for fall 2025. Fencing will be installed around the perimeter of the building as work progresses.

Henrion Hall HVAC improvements Phase 3 and 4

Construction will begin this fall in Henrion Hall for a project to provide air conditioning to the remainder of the building following recent projects in the sculpture and ceramics classroom areas as well as relocating and expanding the wood shop. The project will be phased to allow the building to remain occupied but will affect building entrances throughout the year. Construction is anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester.

NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research

Construction on the NIAR HAMR building continues to progress. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. The 170,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices. The building is located on Innovation Boulevard between the Partnership Building 1 and The Suites. The first floor is primarily labs with offices on the second floor.

Partnership Building 3B

P3B, located between Partnership Building 3 and The Smart Factory @Wichita, is under construction. It will house the Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Students, have you been to student hours yet? If your answer is no, take the opportunity this week to visit at least one of your professors in their office during their student hours. Only a handful of students each semester use this opportunity to get to know their professors outside of the classroom. You might even gain an advisor, mentor or get the answer to your questions from your text.

Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to study, need help with research or just finding a new book to read, students have access to thousands of materials in Ablah Library. Does the library not have what you need? You can also borrow from libraries across the country, all for free, using Interlibrary Loans. You can also reserve private study spaces for you or your group. Get started by visiting wichita.edu/library.

Do you know a STEM student who loves conducting research? They may be eligible to receive an award of up to $7,500 for an entire academic year. Interested students can join an informative workshop on the Barry Goldwater Scholarship application process from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27 in 265 Rhatigan Student Center, Lucas Room for an opportunity to learn how to craft a compelling application and get their questions answered. Students can RSVP by emailing: undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu.

This event is sponsored by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub, the Graduate School, Cohen Honors College and the McNair Scholars Program.