Author: Caelin Bragg

While squirrels and other wildlife are a familiar sight on campus, leaving food out for them can attract pests and other unwelcome visitors. The university encourages the community to help maintain a safe and sustainable campus environment.

What you can do to help:

• Avoid feeding the animals on campus: Let wildlife take advantage of the natural nutrients across campus, as additional feeding can attract unwelcome pests or large animals. These animals can disrupt campus activity, especially after hours, or the natural ecosystem.
• Support wildlife by letting nature take the lead: Campus wildlife like squirrels have natural instincts and seasonal behaviors that help them thrive. Interfering can disrupt these patterns and may lead to dependency on humans or poor health. Observe and appreciate wildlife from a distance to help them remain safe and self-sufficient.
• Keep our campus spaces and artwork clean: Help preserve the beauty and integrity of campus by keeping shared spaces clean and free of food waste. Food left out can lead to damage of benches, gardens, landscaping and outdoor sculptures from the Ulrich Museum of Art as pests and other animals are attracted to campus.

Thank you for your help keeping our campus safe, not just for us, but also for the local wildlife, where they can thrive in their natural habitats.

Join the first meeting of the WSU Faculty/Staff Club from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 at Club 95 in Partnership Building 11. The event will feature the College of Health Professions, the College of Fine Arts and University Libraries with a rotating slide presentation. There will also be three live TEDx Talk starting at 4:30 p.m.:

• Dr. M’Lisa Sheldon will present on the state of access to care and rehabilitation for children in our local school districts.
• Ed Baker will present his TEDx Talk titled “Replace Fear of the Unknown With Curiosity,” centered on the power of curiosity to overcome fear and unlock human creativity and growth.
• Brent Mai will present  “The Volga Germans of Kansas”, a niche group of ethnic Germans who spent 110 years living on the Russian steppe before migrating to the plains of Kansas in 1876 and who have had a significant impact on all things Kansan.

Come have fun and enjoy the company of your colleagues as well as some good music, food and drink.

Wichita State has a number of programs that help students travel the country or the world while simultaneously working toward their degree. Students should explore academic travel opportunities such as Study Abroad early so they can prepare financially and academically.

Another Broken Egg Cafe is a partner of Wichita State, and that means students like yourself can get a 10% discount while using your Shocker ID. Conveniently located just two miles north of campus, its hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekends. You can check out the menu ahead of time at anotherbrokenegg.com and then stop by at 4862 E. 35th St.

Another Broken Egg Cafe is owned and operated by Wichita State graduates Jacob O’Conner and Jon Peterson.

Shockers, you can now view the schedule of courses available during the spring 2026 semester. Plan ahead and schedule an appointment with your academic advisor now so you’re ready to enroll in your classes starting Nov. 10.

Due to technical difficulties, the Oct. 29 town hall will not be held as planned. Information regarding the rescheduled town hall will be communicated soon in Shocker Blast. 

Do you want to hear more from your student and university leaders about what has been happening this year? Do you want to share your thoughts or concerns on your education and student experience? Attend the virtual Student Government Association (SGA) town hall featuring university administration starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29 virtually via YouTube.

Here, you’ll get a chance to not only hear from the Student Government Association and the university administration, you’ll also have a chance to ask questions over the course of the town hall.

Students interested in submitting questions for consideration can email sga.president@wichita.edu before or during the town hall.

Faculty and staff are invited to a virtual town hall with university leaders from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.

You can access the streamed town hall on YouTube. Staff and faculty interested in submitting questions for consideration can email townhall@wichita.edu before the town hall, or questions can be asked in the YouTube chat during the town hall.

The annual Innovation Works Competition will take place Nov. 7-9, in partnership with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, offering a fast-paced, interdisciplinary hackathon experience with cash prizes and a Lockheed Martin facility tour for the winning team.

This year’s theme challenges students to design technologies for a future moon base, developing innovative solutions that enable life and work on the lunar surface, from habitat systems and power generation to mobility and communication.

During the 48-hour, in-person event, teams will collaborate, prototype, and pitch their solutions to judges from Lockheed Martin, WSU, and industry partners. Teams must include three to four current Wichita State students, and students from all majors are encouraged to participate.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams:

• $5,000 for first place
• $2,000 for second place
• $1,000 for third place

The winning team will also receive an exclusive opportunity to tour a Lockheed Martin facility and meet with engineers and technologists shaping the future of space exploration.

Teams must register by Nov. 1. For more information, rules and registration details, visit wsuinnovationworks.com or contact jared.goering@wichita.edu.

The Grafly Gardens are a set of sculptures made by Charles Grafly, arranged together in a tucked away spot surrounded by nature in the southwest corner of campus. It’s not only a place to admire master craftsmanship, but it’s somewhere to take a break from the hustle of college life.

The sculptures were gifted by Dorothy Grafly Drummond and Charles H. Drummond and are part of the extensive Ulrich Museum of Art Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection, pieces of which you can spot all over campus.

Feeling the pressure as deadlines pile up? The upcoming Procrastination Prevention Night is your chance to stay on track and finish strong. Whether you’re juggling papers, projects or assignments — or stuck in a class because of academic requirements — the late-night study session with personalized support from 6 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday, Oct. 22 in Ablah Library is here to help.

Take advantage of workshops, tutoring and more to help you tackle assignments and stay on track — plus arts and crafts, games and food will be available to reduce stress as deadlines approach.

Sponsored by the Shocker Learning Center and University Libraries.