Author: Caelin Bragg

On March 16, the university discovered flooding in the lower level of Ablah Library. Currently, the lower level is closed as clean-up work is underway, but the rest of the library remains open.

Water did not reach the bottom shelves of the R-Z call number ranges on the lower level, which cover medicine (including nursing), engineering and technology, and quick action by library staff kept significant water out of the vaults of WSU Special Collections and University Archives, so there was no damage to materials.

The materials in the R-Z call number ranges are being packed up and moved to off-campus storage so that water can be extracted from under the shelving. All microform collections are also being moved to off-campus storage. An exact timeline for the return of these collections to campus has yet to be determined, but it is expected to be several months.

Researchers who need print materials from those subject areas are encouraged to use the library’s interlibrary loan services. All WSU digital collections (including streaming audio and video) remain active and can be accessed via the library’s discovery function. Materials from the WSU Special Collections and University Archives will be available to researchers by request.

The Shocker women’s bowling team dropped its first match of the Conference USA Championship before storming back through the contender’s bracket with seven straight wins to capture the program’s first conference title March 23 at Colonial Lanes.

With the win, Wichita State clinches the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. The selection show will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 26.

The Shockers (84-36) capped off the incredible run with consecutive victories over #1-seed and defending NCAA champion Jacksonville State, besting the Gamecocks 4-3 in the best-of-seven tiebreaker to force an if-necessary championship match then repeating the feat in another best-of-seven showdown.

President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case will be on KMUW starting at 7 a.m. Thursday, March 27 during KMUW’s spring pledge drive. Listen in on 89.1 FM.

They will be matching listener donations. Listeners can make a donation by calling 316-978-6700, using the KMUW smartphone app or visiting the website.

Michelle Locke has been named interim associate vice president of Financial Services. She takes over from Troy Bruun, who has accepted a position outside the university.

To reach Locke, email michelle.locke@wichita.edu or call 316-978-5103.

Wichita State University is guided by its mission to drive education, culture and the economy for Kansas. Every few years in March, that means driving buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, joy and heartache to add to the public good in Wichita with the NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA’s main event is back in Wichita to continue a long history of Wichita State bringing this bracket-busting event to the city. Intrust Bank Arena is the site for men’s first- and second-round games on March 20 and 22. Eight teams and their fans will visit Wichita for basketball and to explore the city, especially the Old Town, downtown and Delano area located near the arena.

The Barton School of Business has announced the two recipients of the 2025 Professor Fran Jabara Endowed Scholarship. This year’s winners are Wyatt Ochs, a homeschool student from Wichita, and Jennifer C. Sanchez-Reyes from Derby High School in Derby, Kansas. They will each receive more than $32,700 spread over four years to attend WSU and major or double-major in entrepreneurship.

“The Barton School was a pioneer in offering a dedicated entrepreneurship major, and we continue to stand at the forefront of entrepreneurial education,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “The Jabara Scholars are an integral part of this enduring legacy, poised to forge their own path in the world of innovation and business.”

Wyatt Ochs:

School: Ochs Academy (Homeschool)
GPA: 3.8
Organizations: Wichita Warriors Baseball, band leader, youth group

Jennifer C. Sanchez-Reyes

School: Derby High School
GPA: 4.15
Organizations: National Honor Society, DECA

Join Zach Gearhart, chief of staff and executive director of government relations, for updates on the Kansas legislature relevant to Wichita State at 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 14 virtually via Microsoft Teams.

To find a link to the meeting, reach out to Lisa Pappas, executive assistant to the senior vice president for Administration, Finance and Operations, at lisa.pappas@wichita.edu.

The meeting is open to all faculty, staff and students. Legislative updates are held every other Friday.

The second candidate for dean of Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences — Tamela Eitle, dean of the IU School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University Indianapolis — will be on campus March 13-14.

Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend a public forum at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13 in 264 Rhatigan Student Center, Spencer Room.

Additional information regarding the candidate can be found on the Academic Affairs website.

Student Health Services wants Shockers to be aware of health-related travel advisories for your Spring Break destinations. Mexico and other popular vacation sites may also have travel warnings.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus has been featured in an article from the Wichita Business Journal, discussing the impact it will have on the city of Wichita.

The feature highlights recent developments, including the $2.5 million gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which will support the Wichita Biomedical Campus and provide scholarships to nursing students, and the recently announced Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology, which will join the WBC following completion of Phase 1.

Construction is currently underway for Phase 1 of the project, which is scheduled to open in 2027. The Wichita Biomedical Campus is a collaboration between Wichita State, WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) and the University of Kansas.