Biannual e-waste and shredding event. Sponsored by the NetApp Green Team

Visit NetApp on the Innovation Campus for its semesterly campus-wide e-waste and shredding event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 in the NetApp parking lot, lot 44S.

The following are items that can be disposed of during the event:

  • Personal documents accepted for secure shredding
  • All personal electronics accepted, including appliances
  • Secure data destruction for e-waste (hard drive shredder)
  • On-site assistance available for larger loads

The event is sponsored by the NetApp Green Team.

Casey Ratzlaff competes in a tennis match

Justin DeSanto met Casey Ratzlaff in 2017 at Wichita State University and agreed to coach him when it became obvious tennis mattered to Ratzlaff.

“Working with someone who was chasing a professional career and wanting to do this for a living was very appealing,” said DeSanto, now men’s coach at Dartmouth College. “You knew you were going to get that buy-in at every practice, and that’s what I got with Casey.”

The team that started at WSU’s Coleman Tennis Complex grew into one of the most successful in wheelchair tennis. Ratzlaff, a sport management major at Wichita State, will play in the men’s open division in the Paris Paralympics Games starting Friday. He is the top-ranked American and seeded No. 13 in the 64-man field.

Decorative image

Join the OzSec for an in-person event Oct. 18-19 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita, 400 W Waterman, where cybersecurity enthusiasts gather to discuss the latest trends and challenges in the industry. Shedding light and pushing back the darkness, bringing education to the information security community.

In addition, students, staff and faculty may have free passes to the conference thanks to a sponsorship with the School of Computing. Reach out to Julie Manning, lab coordinator in the School of Computing, at julie.manning@wichita.edu for more information.

Connect with like-minded professionals, attend informative sessions, and network with top experts in the field. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills in cybersecurity.

Lucille Portley

Lucille Portley, a Wichita State staff member of more than 23 years, passed away Aug. 3. She held varying roles within the Office of Admissions over her career and had most recently served as an admissions evaluator, reviewing applications and admitting students to the university.

Lucille’s longevity on the admissions team was a reflection of her loyalty to the university and dedication to student service. She’d annually hold the crown for answering the greatest number of incoming phone calls from students and parents, and would manage the largest volume of tickets from prospective students. Lucille was also the teammate who would be the first to remind the staff to celebrate upcoming ultra-important days like “National Ice Cream Day” or “National Cookie Day.” The staff could always depend on her for a stocked candy and chocolate jar, which made her workstation a popular destination for staff and any of their children visiting the office. Over the years she was a reliable presence in the office, provided a valued historical perspective and would keep service to students and parents paramount to her work every day. From being involved in orientation to supporting admissions representatives with their duties to processing applications, she had an impactful career and the team will greatly miss her as a colleague and friend.

The university community is invited to her homegoing service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 at New Life Church, 1156 N. Oliver.

Photo of students in a class engaged in a lecture with a faculty member.

Do you know of a faculty or staff member who promotes student success, or a student who has been helped by a faculty or staff member through the initiative, that should be highlighted in WSU Today? Email your ideas to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor with the Office of Strategic Communications, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu.

The WSU West building has reopened for classes starting Aug. 26.

WSU West was temporarily closed last month for issues relating to the building’s HVAC system, resulting in elevated humidity levels. The HVAC and software controller were replaced and updated last week, and humidity levels are back to normal.

Facilities Services will continue to monitor humidity in the building and make adjustments as needed.

Construction workers place sewer and electrical down at the Wichita Biomedical Campus site.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus construction is underway after breaking ground earlier this year.

Williams Street has been closed to allow utility installation for the site, and work continues on digging up old foundation from the site to begin placing the new foundation for Phase 1 of the Wichita Biomedical Campus.

You can watch a live broadcast of the construction online at: https://www.bigview.ai/wichitabiomedicalcampusliveview

Students in the School of Performing Arts perform on stage

The School of Performing Arts in the College of Fine Arts invites the Wichita community to its 2024-25 season of productions.

This year’s season is centered around “Building Community.”

Fall 2024:

  • Express – Sept. 28 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Mid-American Dance Theatre presents the Student Choreography Showcase – Oct. 24-26 in Litwin Theatre, Heskett Dance Studios (student-led production)
  • Twelfth Night – Nov. 7-10 in the Wilner Auditorium
  • Dance at Ulrich – Nov. 15 in the Ulrich Museum of Art
  • Senior Capstone Celebration – Nov. 23 in Wilner Auditorium
  • Dance Informal Showing – Dec. 5 in Wilner Auditorium

Spring 2025:

  • Spring Awakening – Feb. 20-23 in Wilner Auditorium
  • The Angel of Death reading by Bela Kiralyfalvi competition winner – March 6-8 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Wichita State Musical Theatre Company production – April 10-12 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex (student-led production)
  • Film double feature: Mostly Harmless (Mostly) and Dance Film – April 19 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Spring Dance Concert – April 24-27 in Wilner Auditorium
  • Empty Space Theatre production – May 1-3 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex (student-led production)
  • Dance Informal Showing – May 8 in Wilner Auditorium

You can attend on-campus Wichita State Fine Arts events at no additional charge with your Shocker ID, thanks to the Student Government Association. Learn more about this season’s productions on the School of Performing Arts website.

President Rick Muma stands in front of Morrison Hall

The Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) has awarded Wichita State University President Rick Muma the 2024 Donald A. Wilson Visionary Award. The award, which was based on a nomination by leadership at Ascension Via Christi, recognizes Muma’s efforts in developing the Wichita Biomedical Campus, building partnerships and advancing Wichita’s health education infrastructure. 

KHA’s Visionary Award “recognizes hospital-related individuals who have made an outstanding, innovative contribution to health care delivery, health care financing or initiatives that improve the health and clinical outcomes of their community. The award recognizes a hospital-related individual who has been a change agent in the hospital industry,” according to its website.  

Muma has been a significant driver behind the vision and development of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a collaboration with the University of Kansas and WSU Tech. Phase 1 of the biomedical campus broke ground in downtown Wichita in May, and the first building is expected to open in 2026.

Students in the School of Performing Arts perform on stage

The School of Performing Arts in the College of Fine Arts invites the Wichita community to its 2024-25 season of productions.

This year’s season is centered around “Building Community.”

Fall 2024:

  • Express – Sept. 28 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Mid-American Dance Theatre presents the Student Choreography Showcase – Oct. 24-26 in Litwin Theatre, Heskett Dance Studios (student-led production)
  • Twelfth Night – Nov. 7-10 in the Wilner Auditorium
  • Dance at Ulrich – Nov. 15 in the Ulrich Museum of Art
  • Senior Capstone Celebration – Nov. 23 in Wilner Auditorium
  • Dance Informal Showing – Dec. 5 in Wilner Auditorium

Spring 2025:

  • Spring Awakening – Feb. 20-23 in Wilner Auditorium
  • The Angel of Death reading by Bela Kiralyfalvi competition winner – March 6-8 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Wichita State Musical Theatre Company production – April 10-12 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex (student-led production)
  • Film double feature: Mostly Harmless (Mostly) and Dance Film – April 19 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
  • Spring Dance Concert – April 24-27 in Wilner Auditorium
  • Empty Space Theatre production – May 1-3 in the Welsbacher Black Box Theatre, Hughes Metropolitan Complex (student-led production)
  • Dance Informal Showing – May 8 in Wilner Auditorium

Tickets can be purchased online from the College of Fine Arts Box Office. Wichita State students can attend on-campus Wichita State Fine Arts events at no additional charge with their Shocker ID, thanks to the Student Government Association.

Learn more about this season’s productions on the School of Performing Arts website.