Author: Caelin Bragg

Luke Parrett, a filmmaking major from Oklahoma, chose Wichita State for its proximity to home and the hands-on learning offered at Shocker Studios. His time at WSU has been shaped by applied learning in nearly every class, preparing him to pursue gig work across the Midwest and build a career in the film industry.

Did you know there are nearly 300 student organizations on campus? Find where you belong by checking out the ShockerSync event calendar, where you can find all the upcoming student organization events: wichita.edu/shockersync.

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 attending the many student organization events on campus. Check out all the upcoming events on the ShockerSync calendar: wichita.edu/shockersync.

Led by an incredible second-place finish by Jose Miguel Ramirez, the Shocker men’s golf team wrapped up its 2024-25 campaign with a ninth-place finish at the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship April 23 at the Ritz-Carlton Members Club.

Ramirez made a big mark in the Shocker record books with his score of 204 (-12). His score was the best by any Shocker at the AAC Championship since the team began competing in the AAC in 2018, and his 12 strokes under par finish is the best score relative to par at the AAC Championship for the Shockers. His runner-up finish is tied for the best individual finish in team history at the AAC Championship, matching Marcus Wochner, who tied for second in 2021. South Florida’s No. 49-ranked Jake Peacock beat out WSU’s Ramirez by just two strokes for the individual trophy, finishing with a 202 (-14) score.

Jose Carletta surged in the final two rounds, leaping into the tournament top 15 with a 66 (-6) score in round three, tying the best-ever individual round for the Shockers at the AAC Championship. Carletta did not record a score worse than par on any of his final 27 holes in the tournament and birdied 10 of those holes.

Rowers endure hundreds of early morning hours on the river, sore muscles, blisters and long road trips in pursuit of a burst of rhythm.

For Wichita State’s rowing team in 1981, hard work, repetition and commitment came together at the perfect time at one of the sport’s most prestigious races. On May 9 that year, Wichita State’s women’s varsity four won the national rowing title at the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia.

Lori (Anderson) Heger remembers the feeling in the racing shell and the music their oars and bodies created that day.

“It was unbelievable, honestly,” she said. “They say it’s like frying eggs on the hull of the boat. If you get rowing together well enough there’s like a crackling sound. I can remember we had that, and we were swinging together.”

Shocker Rowing, founded in 1975, will celebrate its 50th anniversary April 26-27 with activities honoring the history of the program at Wichita State.

Students from Wichita State University’s Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences got the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in their fields at the annual Kansas Academy of Science (KAS) and Central States Entomological Society (CSES) meetings April 4-5 at Friends University.

Among the students who presented, two groups were awarded first place honors for their research:

• Brooks Hartsock — graduate student in physics with Dr. Nick Solomey, professor of physics — was awarded $300 for best oral presentation by a grad student.
• Vee Disbro, junior; Syd Downey, junior; Melissa Hernández, senior; and Leónidas Reyes, senior — with Dr. Mary Liz Jameson, professor of biological sciences — were awarded $150 for best poster presentation from CSES.

Additionally, the following students presented their research at the annual meeting:

Oral presentations:

• Mason Moore, senior with Dr. Leland Russell, professor of biological sciences
• Tiffany Bass, graduate student with Russell
• Jonathan Folkerts, graduate student in physics

Posters:

• Daniel Reichart, senior with Solomey
• Theophilus Eshun, graduate student with Dr. Mark Schneegurt, professor of biological sciences
• Ethan Higginbotham, a recent graduate in physics and mathematics

John Mark Koontz is graduating with a Bachelor of Music in double bass performance. He credits Wichita State’s faculty and ensembles for shaping his growth. His advice: stay consistent. Progress takes time, but it adds up.

President Rick Muma and WuShock crashed the Office of Human Resources’ monthly staff meeting to recognize the staff as this month’s Rick Rewards recipient. The staff was celebrated for the implementation of WuHire, a new system that streamlines the process of hiring staff and students for departments, making it easier for departments to support students on campus.

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

The Shocker community gathered April 22 to remember Dr. Jim Rhatigan, Wichita State’s former dean of students, at a tree dedication ceremony just outside of the Rhatigan Student Center, named in Rhatigan’s honor.

At the ceremony, President Rick Muma spoke to Rhatigan’s lasting legacy to the campus and culture of WSU, and Rhatigan’s wife and daughter, Beverly and Becky, were present, and Rhatigan’s son-in-law, Joe Linot, shared a few words.

“This is a beautiful occasion and we really really appreciate the dedication that Jim has given to the fabric of Wichita State University,” Linot said. “It will always be a part of our lives as long as we live and we thank you so much for having us here today for this dedication.”

Rhatigan came to Wichita State in 1965 as the university’s first, and one of the nation’s youngest at 30 years old, dean of students. He became vice president for student affairs in 1970, holding that position until 1996 and going on to serve as senior vice president until his retirement in 2002.

Lindsey Mendenhall was able to get more than just an education at Wichita State. Through the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), she got to work in her field while getting her degree and has a job lined up with the NIAR Advanced Materials Lab. Beyond the classroom, Lindsey found that the lessons she learned from teaching her dogs set her up for success in her academic and professional lives.