Carter doing field work for their program

Carter initially chose Wichita State University for its locality, being able to receive in-state tuition, but he also found a community in the campus and place to call home in the anthropology department in Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. They are now graduating with their master’s in anthropology with a plan to enter a doctoral program in archaeology in the future.

Wichita State senior Steven Soetjoadi was attracted to WSU because of the digital acting degree from the School of Digital Arts. Beyond his studies, he’s found a community at Shocker Studios that embraces inclusivity and ensures his needs are met with compassion and creativity.

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

Aynsley Paterson

Aynsley Paterson stepped out of her comfort zone, overcoming her introverted nature to build friendships and make the most of the Shocker experience.

Jose Miranda

Jose Miranda is a first-generation student who chose Wichita State for its exercise science program and to remain close to home. He is also a loyal Shocker basketball fan, so staying close to Charles Koch Arena mattered.

Yuki To

Yuki To is a first-gen student at Wichita State University who is currently graduating with her degree in health science, and with the help of the scholarships available to her at Wichita State, she is graduating debt free. She made sure to spend time on extracurricular activities and develop connections with other Shockers. Her advice to her peers: “Don’t be afraid to try.”

Five people standing together

The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic had a reason to celebrate in September when client Kurt White, alongside his family and graduate student clinicians, celebrated his participation in Aphasia Friendly Readings. Kurt had been working toward this goal during weekly speech therapy sessions and as part of a home program for several weeks leading up to his well-attended event by friends and family, both in person and on Zoom.

Aphasia-Friendly Readings is an aphasia treatment approach that was initially developed by a former client’s spouse, Harold Regier, and then adapted for the clinic by Dr. Erin O’Bryan, CCC-SLP assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders. Inspired by his wife’s journey with aphasia and difficulty communicating, Harold took notice of her increased ability to speak when participating in reading scripts at church.

He brought the idea of this approach to Dr. O’Bryan in 2020, and she has been conducting research and teaching the method to other professionals ever since. The approach allows for maximal client engagement and family participation by developing a script regarding an important life event/memory as a collaborative therapy activity involving the person with aphasia, family member and speech-language pathologist.

Once the script is established, the person with aphasia and their family member practice reading it, with cuing and guidance from the speech-language pathologist, until the person with aphasia feels that they have improved enough that they are ready to share their story with an invited audience, such as friends and family.

 “This experience was a good reminder that every person has a story to tell, and it was rewarding to be a part of helping Kurt tell his story,” said Tailyn Mellema, graduate student in speech-language pathology. “Even though words are hard for him to say, he has so many memories and ideas to share with the people around him. My favorite part of the experience was seeing all of his friends and family members show up to support him when he presented. It was so evident in his smile that he was excited to share his story with them and encouraged to hear all their kind words.”

Kurt’s aphasia-friendly reading was centered around a passion of his choosing: tattoos. He presented information regarding his large variety of tattoos, plans for a new tattoo and the meaning behind some of them. The story was accompanied by photographs and his mother partnered with him to complete the reading. Kurt’s speech was easily understood and without errors for the three pages of double-spaced reading he completed.

Friends and family commented on how impressive it was to witness someone who typically has difficulty in conversation speak clearly about a past experience that was important to him.

“This approach helped me understand more about Kurt than what he is able to share just in casual conversation,” said Alex, Kurt’s sister. “I realized there are details about his life that he remembers, and by bringing them out through this story reading, I can have more conversations with him about the things that make Kurt, Kurt.”

According to Aphasia.org, aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write. Aphasia is due to injury to the brain — most commonly from a stroke, particularly in older individuals. But brain injuries resulting in aphasia may also arise from head trauma, from brain tumors or from infections. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association estimates 2 million Americans are living with aphasia.

Kurt has been living with aphasia and traumatic brain injury since 2016 and has been a client at The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic for the past five years.

“… Be open and willing to trust the process of the speech clinic and the goals that the clinicians set,” said Denise, Kurt’s mother. “Be patient with your aphasia family member as they know that others get frustrated when they can’t tell you the right words or explain what they mean. Also, be willing to spend extra time with them to help them with words, reading and daily tasks, so they feel important. Consistency and having a regular routine are also important for rehabilitation.”

The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic provides services for speaking, hearing, swallowing and spoken and written language impairments. For information about this specific aphasia treatment approach, or for other inquiries, please call 316-978-3289 or go to: wichita.edu/slhclinic.

Wichita State women's bowling ranked seven in NTCA coaches poll ranking

Following a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, the Shocker women’s bowling team has moved up 10 spots in the National Tenpin Coaches Association poll to number seven. The Shockers were ranked 17 in the NTCA preseason poll on Oct. 1.

Vanderbilt moves up to the number one spot, followed by defending national champion Jacksonville State. Nebraska, Youngstown State and Arkansas State round out the top five, with Stephen F. Austin edging out the Shockers for number six. Seven of the top eight programs are members of Conference USA, with independent Nebraska the lone outlier.

Wichita State is 22-16 through their first three tournaments of NCAA competition, not counting a title at the Mid-States Championships that is classified as an exhibition. The Shockers logged a second place finish at the season-opening Penguin Classic, sixth place at the SFA Ladyjack Classic and seventh at the Colonial Lanes Classic. Along the way, WSU picked up victories against some of the nation’s top programs, including rank one Vanderbilt, rank three Nebraska, rank four Youngstown State, rank six Stephen F. Austin, rank eight Sam Houston and rank nine Maryville.

Staff presenting at the annual Strategic Communications Seminar

The ninth annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for faculty and staff will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 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. And if your team is looking to order promo items for your office, visit the Vendor Fair from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stay tuned for more information on the sessions and how to RSVP in January.

Josie Sloan

Josie Sloan is a first-generation college student who worked as bus driver for Wichita Public Schools while earning her degree in communication sciences and disorders.

Josie is one of more than 1,200 students eligible for fall 2024 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what’s next for the grad.