Mercedes Lubbers

This week’s Student Success and Persistence highlight comes from Mercedes Lubbers, student success and retention specialist in the Business Student Success Center.

  • What role do you think faculty/staff play in a student’s success and persistence?
    “I think faculty and staff, outside of finances, play one of the largest roles in a student’s success and persistence. I feel it is my job to make my students feel understood, supported and cared about while guiding them because I remember what it felt like to be a student who struggled and at the end of the day, the faculty that supported me and who made me feel important were the reason why I successfully graduated (shout out to the English department).”
  • What is one small thing any faculty/staff member can do to make a student’s day or let them know they’re cared for?
    “I think one of the easiest things we can do is making genuine eye contact with our full attention as we ask a student, ‘How are you?’ or ‘How was your weekend?’ Some question, whatever it may be, that allows you to show consideration and active interest in the student’s answer. Some questions are easy to throw out there as habit, but people can tell when the question is asked as formality and when it is asked from genuine care.”
  • How do you promote student success through your campus duties?
    “It depends on how we define student success. For me, student success is when a student realizes what the best option, path or resolution is for them. I think this is where my strength lies since I engage students as individuals and care about their experiences and what they’re going through. I utilize a ‘strengths’ mindset and will go over with students their strengths and areas they feel they need support; I ask them open-ended questions, and when requested, offer my own personal experiences and perspective to help them look at situations with more clarity, so that they ultimately draw—or learn to accept—their own solutions. This is ultimately why I love being an advisor and working with students.”

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, 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.

Two students talking with each other. Be a Suspenders4Hope Mental Health Advocate | 4. Check in with your peers and encourage them to check on one another

To be a mental health advocate, Shockers should regularly check in on their peers and form networks of support with one another.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will feature one step a day for the following two weeks on how to be a mental health advocate. Stay tuned for the next steps.

Two students talking with each other. Be a Suspenders4Hope Mental Health Advocate | 4. Check in with students and encourage them to check on one another

To be a mental health advocate, faculty and staff should regularly check in with students and encourage them to connect with their peers about their mental health.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will feature one step a day for the following two weeks on how to be a mental health advocate. Stay tuned for the next steps.

WSU Math Circle resumes meetings for the fall semester. The next meeting is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 in 372 Jabara Hall. Math Circle is a program for middle school students.

Math Circles are education enrichment and outreach groups that bring mathematicians and mathematical scientists into direct contact with pre-college students. These students meet with math professionals in an informal setting, after school or on weekends, to work on interesting problems or topics in mathematics. The goal is to get the students excited and passionate about mathematics.

Middle school students should bring a completed registration and consent form from the website.

President Rick Muma holds a Rick Rewards sign with staff from Building Trades

Building Trades staff at the Gaddis Physical Plant were recognized as the next recipient of Rick Rewards on Sept. 6. The staff were honored for their work around campus, including the recent construction of the brand new Forward Together podcast studio backdrop, which you can see in the latest episode.

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

Make sure to catch the latest episode of the “Forward Together” podcast. President Muma speaks with Travis Yang, director of Wichita State’s esports program, and assistant director Joe Mazzara about Shocker Esports, which began in 2019 and quickly became WSU’s fastest-growing varsity program.

Watch the episode online or listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts or Apple Podcasts (iTunes).

The next episode will feature a conversation with Dave Isay, founder and president of StoryCorps. Subscribe to be notified when new episodes are available.

Students riding a cart at Shocktoberfest

Wichita State is holding a parade next month and is inviting anyone in the community to join in.

Starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 6 on the WSU campus, the parade is part of the university’s annual Shocktoberfest celebration.

The parade will launch just east of the John Bardo Center on WSU’s Innovation Campus and will end at Braeburn Square. Immediately after the parade, the Shocktoberfest Patio Party will be held in Braeburn Square, and all are invited to attend.

Parade winners will be announced at the Patio Party, which will include live music from The Source, giveaways and special offers from Braeburn Square restaurants. Bring your own chair or grab a spot on the patio for this casual and fun-filled gathering.

The parade and party are hosted by WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement and the Division of Student Affairs.  

Anyone with questions can contact Amber Duncan at 316-978-5483 or amber.duncan@wichita.edu; or Stacie Williamson at 316-978-3834 or stacie.williamson@wichita.edu.

President Rick Muma and Jacob O'Connor talk in the Real Conversations podcast studio

President Rick Muma joined Jacob O’Connor on the latest episode of the “Real Conversations” podcast. They discussed a variety of topics from the future of Wichita State to President Muma’s personal workout routine.

Listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Wichita State Athletics announced plans to add women’s bowling as a NCAA Division I sport competing in 2024-25. Women’s bowling will become the 16th sport at Wichita State, launching July 1, 2024. Current women’s bowling coach Holly Harris will serve as the program’s first NCAA Division I women’s head coach.

The history in the State of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita is rich with Hispanic culture.

As Hispanic-Service Institutions Week closes and Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off, join a community celebration of Latinfest from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 in Old Town. The event will feature music, food, art and talent highlighting the cultures of Latin America.