Author: Caelin Bragg

Wichita State is honored to be an invited partner to expand entertainment and tourism in Wichita in the development of a premier championship-level tennis facility located within the 35-acre “Ignite at K-96” major multi-sport athletic complex, on the southeast side of the K-96 and Greenwich corridor.

The six-acre tennis complex will be built to NCAA national championship specifications. The facility will feature 12 outdoor and six indoor courts, first-class team accommodations and a spectator capacity of 1,500.

“This is an important step for Wichita State University tennis, and the university is deeply appreciative of the efforts of Marty Cornejo and the FDD team to bring a project opportunity that the university will not have to utilize public funding to develop,” Wichita State President Rick Muma said.

Four Wichita State volleyball student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-District Team selected by College Sports Communicators.

Seniors Katie Galligan, Brooklyn Leggett and Emerson Wilford and junior Gabi Maas were all named to the team.

The 2025-26 Academic All-District Women’s Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.

Usha Haley, professor and W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business in the Department of Management, was featured in:

• “Paramount goes hostile in bid for Warner Bros., challenging a $72 billion offer by Netflix” in the Associated Press
• “War in Iran May Not Save Russia Economy” on HotAir
• “Who’s winning and losing from the AI memory chip shortage” in The Australian

Wichita State University thanks the following faculty and staff for their service to the university and wishes them well on their retirements:

• Dr. Teri Hall, vice president for Student Affairs
• Joan Adkisson, executive director of Finance and Administration
• Dotty Harpool, executive director of engagement and prominence and senior marketing educator
• Nancy Kersenbrock, associate director of the Center for Entrepreneurship
• Paula Seiwert, associate director of the Center for Management Development
• Dr. Deanna Gooch, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational and School Psychology
• Dr. Jean Patterson, professor of educational leadership in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational and School Psychology
• Susie Steinbach, administrative specialist for the Sport and Leadership Studies Department
• Kristin Arnold, assistant dean for finance in the College of Engineering
• Dr. Krishna Krishnan, professor in the Industrial, Systems and Manufacturing Engineering Department
• Dr. M. Edwin Sawan, director of the School of Computing
• Ed Baker, professor of design and technical theatre, School of Performing Arts
• Sheri-Lyn King, medical receptionist in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders
• Dr. Ken Pitetti, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy
• Dr. Buma Fridman, professor in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
• Dr. Ziqi Sun, professor in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
• Jeanne Patton, director of ITS business and finance operations
• Shadi Tafaroji, director of client services in WSU ITS

If you or someone else at the university is retiring and you’d like to share the news, please submit an item for a future edition of Academe.

Richard Todd, associate professor emeritus of history, passed away Dec. 8.

Todd worked for Wichita State for over 30 years before retiring in 1996 and was honored as a Bender of Twigs in 1988. He contributed to “Introduction to the History of Christianity” and had sabbaticals in Athens and Jerusalem, where he participated in an archaeological dig.

After his retirement, Todd continued his scholarly work and published “Napoleon’s Medals: Victory to the Arts” in 2009, which shed light on the artwork depicting Napoleon’s various conquests displayed through the medals he commissioned, and later wrote the “Gold of Qumran” novel trilogy.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1958 N. Webb Rd.

Kevin Konda, associate vice president of Auxiliary Services in the Division of Student Affairs and director of the Rhatigan Student Center, has been named the interim vice president for Student Affairs following the retirement of Dr. Teri Hall.

“I’m honored to continue the legacy of Dr. Teri Hall in the Division of Student Affairs and her vision of ‘connecting every student,’” Konda said. “Our students are the lifeblood of Wichita State, and I am excited to uplift all Shockers as they work toward graduation.”

Konda currently oversees University Dining Services and the Child Development Center and heads operations at the RSC. He was recently honored as a Bender of Twigs during the 2025 Service Recognition Awards for his 25 years of service to WSU.

“During Kevin’s service to Wichita State, he has made the Rhatigan Student Center the primary hub for student life on campus and will continue to elevate the experience for all Shockers,” said Dr. Monica Lounsbery, senior executive vice president and provost. “We thank him for his leadership and for stepping into this role in the interim as we look for a permanent vice president for Student Affairs.”

Additional information on the search for the next vice president for Student Affairs will be shared at a later date in WSU Today.

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.

One of the greatest privileges of serving as provost at Wichita State is the opportunity to work alongside an extraordinary community of faculty and staff. Every day, I am inspired by your talent, creativity and deep commitment to our students and to one another. Your work — whether advancing scholarship, fostering student success, supporting our campus operations or strengthening our community partnerships — shapes the academic heart of this university and elevates Wichita State in meaningful and lasting ways.

Your collective achievements are a reflection of your dedication and passion for excellence. I am profoundly grateful for the care you bring to your roles and for the collaborative spirit that defines our campus. Together, you create an environment where innovation thrives, learning is transformative, and possibility feels limitless.

Thank you for all you do to make Wichita State a place of distinction and pride. It is an honor to work alongside such remarkable colleagues.

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.