Author: Caelin Bragg

Since it’s baseball, call it that home run moment — the reaction you see when something finally clicks for a young student.

“They get really excited when they get an answer correct, because they know that they’re growing,” said Natalee Delgado, a freshman marketing major and Rudd Scholar at Wichita State University. “They’ll see that they got it correct and their little mouths just drop, and they get this big smile.”

That’s an experience 30 of Wichita State’s Rudd Scholars get often as they work with youngsters in the Bright Lights Educational Enrichment Program at the Leslie Rudd Learning Center at League 42’s McAdams Park baseball complex. Each afternoon, several of them work on math skills with students in fifth through eighth grade and literacy with students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to a Halloween Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31 in Grace Wilkie Annex.

Stop by the TRIO DSS Office, the Office of Online & Adult Learning, the McNair Scholars Office and the ROTC Office to enjoy spooky snacks and creepy crafts and learn more about what each office has to offer. Students are also welcome to participate in a costume contest.

Questions about the open house can be sent to TRIO DSS at 316-978-5949 or trio.dss@wichita.edu.

Shocker Gaming Club will host a Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) Halloween Party to celebrate the release of the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Heskett Center E-Sports Hub.

There will be an opportunity to play Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted in VR (on a first-come, first-serve basis), classic Halloween movies and a FNAF-themed costume contest, with the winning prize being a ticket to watch the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie.

The art of looking convincing in a sword fight or brawl is crucial to stage and screen. Punches don’t hit flesh and knives lay flat against the victim.

The audience must believe it is real and dangerous.

“When I tell them I can kill the six inches around them, they definitely give me some interesting looks,” said Emily Redfield, a Wichita State University theater performance major.

In July, WSU seniors Redfield and Cat Kee attended the National Stage Combat Workshop in Ruston, Louisiana. The three-week course offered instruction, testing and certification with weapons such as swords, shields, firearms, rapiers, daggers and quarterstaffs.

Shockers can hear directly from Wichita State leaders at a town hall from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 in 233 Rhatigan Student Center, Santa Fe Trail Room. President Rick Muma; Provost Shirley Lefever; Teri Hall, vice president of Student Affairs; SGA President Iris Okere; and Student Body Vice President Sophie Martins will lead the town hall and answer questions from Shockers.

The town hall is presented by the Student Government Association (SGA), and the town hall will also be available to watch on the SGA YouTube channel.

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) has awarded Wichita State’s Innovation Campus with the 2023 Emerging Research Park Award at its annual international conference held this week.

Each year AURP recognizes a research park or innovation district that, within 10 years, has created an exceptional ecosystem which brings technology from inception to market, creates high-paying jobs, and contributes to the economic health of its region.

In 2012, WSU had a bold vision of what the Innovation Campus could be. And now — as the Innovation Campus nears its 10th anniversary — an underutilized area of campus has been transformed into 120 acres of state-of-the-art research facilities, collaborative partnerships and educational opportunities with more than 50 partner businesses to date.

All benefits-eligible state employees must participate in open enrollment. Log in to the Member Administration Portal to make your elections.

Events occurring this week:

• Online open enrollment presentation from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. Registration is not required.

Take advantage of the scheduled virtual and in-person presentations, as well as on-demand options. To add meeting reminders to your calendar or for additional information, visit the Open Enrollment website. Any questions should be directed to TotalRewards@wichita.edu.

The College of Engineering is searching for a new associate dean for research and invites the campus community to attend presentations from each of the candidates sharing their vision for the future of the college:

• Dr. Bayram Yildrim, professor of industrial, systems and manufacturing engineering – 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17 in 123 Wallace Hall
• Dr. Ramazan Asmatulu, the Boeing Global Professor of mechanical engineering – 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18 in A131 Partnership Building 2
• Dr. Anil Mahapatro, chairperson and professor of biomedical engineering – 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18 in A131 Partnership Building 2

All benefits-eligible state employees must participate in open enrollment. Log in to the Member Administration Portal to make your elections.

Upcoming events:

• Online open enrollment presentation from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. Registration is not required.

Take advantage of the scheduled virtual and in-person presentations, as well as on-demand options. To add meeting reminders to your calendar or for additional information, visit the Open Enrollment website. Any questions should be directed to TotalRewards@wichita.edu.

The Wichita State University Police Department (WSU PD) invites students, faculty, staff and Innovation Campus partners to join a conversation with its department members from 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the Rhatigan Student Center foyer.

WSU PD officers, dispatchers and Parking Services personnel will be available to speak with members of the campus community about the department, campus safety or a variety of other topics. Donuts will also be provided to attendees courtesy of WSU PD and Parking Services.