Author: Caelin Bragg

Need a getaway from the hustle and bustle of university life? Head over to the Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes in the lower level of the Rhatigan Student Center for bowling, billiards, pizza and community. WSU students get a discounted rate for the bowling alley, so make it an outing with your friends.

Remember that the Wichita State University Police Department is available 24/7 on campus during emergencies.

See something? Say something: Call UPD at 316-978-3450 for emergencies on campus. Calling 911 while on campus will connect you to Sedgwick County dispatch, which could result in delays from responders. Add 316-978-3450 to your contacts list so you always have immediate access to emergency services on campus.

If you are away from a phone, you can use one of the many emergency phones on campus, which you can find the locations of through the campus map (wichita.edu/map) under “Campus Safety.”

The University Police Department is here to support students, employees and visitors and ensure they feel safe on campus.

ITS has successfully resolved the technical issues experienced on campus this morning. Thank you for your patience.

In May 2024, Ananda Smith graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor’s degree that included a strong emphasis on studying and practicing public policy. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in communication at the Elliott School of Communication. Throughout her academic journey, Smith has gained extensive experience in multimedia journalism and has recently added a copywriter role to her growing resume. In this position, she connects with Shockers and the greater Wichita community through her media work. 

In her first year as a graduate student, Smith worked as a reporter for The Sunflower, as a broadcast assistant for CBS Sports and as a multimedia journalist summer intern for KSNW-TV. 

In August 2025, she began her final graduate year and her new role. 

Her path to Wichita State wasn’t ordinary. Neither is her story. Meet Shocker pole vaulter Abby Rexford and discover the journey that shaped her: China to Kentucky to Kansas

Wichita State is more than a campus where students learn and study. It’s a place to solve problems, to do research, to forge a pathway to a better tomorrow. It is a community where the dreamers, doers and Shockers of the future are encouraged to push boundaries, think critically and pursue their passions.

Read more in the latest Wichita State annual report for 2025.

The majority of university life takes place outside of the classroom. Use your time in school as an opportunity to find lifelong friends and make connections by getting involved with the many student organization on campus.

See what events are coming up this weekend by exploring ShockerSync, your portal for student organizations at WSU, by visiting wichita.edu/shockersync.

In conjunction with the National Weather Service, the State of Kansas will participate in the Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 2-6. At 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, Sedgwick County Emergency Management Services will sound the severe weather sirens throughout the county.

All personnel — faculty, staff, students and guests — are expected to go to a designated shelter until the all clear is given. This drill will be educational for all involved and provide those overseeing campus safety a way of evaluating the effectiveness of WSU’s emergency preparedness during a tornado. Go to the Wichita State tornado shelters webpage to learn more about what to do during a tornado warning and to locate your designated shelter.

Make sure you are signed up to receive alerts in the case of a real emergency by going to wichita.edu/alert and signing up for ShockerAlert.

For more information, contact Andrew Clem — Environmental, Health and Safety Department director — at 316-978-7904 or andrew.clem@wichita.edu.

The Wichita Police Department will use the Hughes Metropolitan Complex for WPD Honor Guard training all day Monday, March 2.

The campus community may see an increased presence of police vehicles and may hear gunfire as the Honor Guard practice ceremonial rifle movements, including the 21-gun salute. This is only for training purposes.

President Rick Muma and WuShock stopped by the Student Success and Persistence Coalition’s monthly meeting to recognize the team as the next recipient of Rick Rewards. The team was celebrated for their work in promoting and enhancing WSU’s Student Success and Persistence initiative, which has resulted in large increases in fall-to-fall retention and bolstered overall enrollment.

Rick Rewards is awarded by President Muma to show his appreciation for the efforts of the campus community.