Author: Caelin Bragg

The Capitol Graduate Research Summit took place in Topeka on March 22. Close to 50 graduate students from six Kansas public universities presented their research and how it contributes to the economic development of the state.

Two Wichita State students were awarded at the summit, including Kaitlyn Hemberger, English major, for her poster on cybersecurity intervention measures in educations for vulnerable refugee populations in Kansas, and Sarangan Rajendran, electrical and computer engineering major, for his poster on location planning of distributed energy resources based on the impact on transmission networks.

Their advisors were Dr. Mythili Menon and Dr. Visvakumar Aravinthan respectively.

Wichita State students are cordially invited to meet Cody Keenan, director of speechwriting to former President Barack Obama, at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 30 in the Beggs Ballroom at the Rhatigan Student Center for an informal meet-and-greet.

Students attending the meeting with Keenan will receive a copy of his book, “Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.”

The event is exclusively for registered WSU students and refreshments will be served. Capacity is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge.

Keenan rose from a campaign intern to become chief speechwriter at the White House and Obama’s post-presidential collaborator. Together, Keenan and Obama’s efforts resulted in what have been called some of the most unforgettable addresses of our time.

The Craig W. Barton Speaker Series is an annual WSU event established to expose students and the community to differing points of view and encourage critical thinking and conversation.

To enhance public finance conversations, the Kansas Public Finance Center, the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs and the Environmental Finance Center are hosting a free workshop focused on building partnerships between public service practitioners and academic researchers. Join the day of activities starting at 8 a.m. Friday, March 31 in Woolsey Hall.

The conversations at the workshop will feature speakers from across the country who will speak on topics including infrastructure financing, decision-making, municipal sustainability, assessment tools and more.

And join an evening networking reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at Social Tap in Braeburn Square.

The Criminal Justice Student Association and the School of Criminal Justice present the Criminal Justice Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 5 in 305 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom.

Learn about careers in corrections, criminal justice, forensic science, homeland security, law enforcement, police science, public safety, public security and more.

Network with employers who are looking to hire interns, co-op students, and full-time employees.

Get prepped for the career fair by attending these events:

• Career fair prep workshop
  • 11-11:45 a.m. Thursday, March 30 in 265 Rhatigan Student Center.
• Resume clinic
  • 11-11:30 a.m. Monday, April 3 in 231 Woolsey Hall.
• Resume reviews
  • 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4 in 337 Law Enforcement Training Center.

This event is free and open to all majors and the community.

Los Angeles-based indie pop band SAINT MOTEL will perform in concert at Wichita State at 8 p.m. Friday, April 14 in Charles Koch Arena. 

Ticket prices are $10 for WSU students, $25 for WSU faculty/staff and $35 for general public. This concert is for those 18 and older. Tickets can be purchased online. 

Formed while attending film school in Southern California, SAINT MOTEL’s kaleidoscopic sound and inventive live performances have earned the band a loyal fanbase that flock to its headlining shows and standout sets at festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.  

Wichita State University’s chapter for Society of Professional Engineers will host Noche de Ciencias for Wichita Public School students and their families, from 4:30 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at Wichita North High School, 1437 N. Rochester St.

This is a free event to introduce Hispanic students to STEM education and career opportunities.

Wichita State’s Asian Student Conference (ASC) presents its annual ASC Assembly starting 6 p.m. Friday, April 7 in the CAC Theater. The assembly is a multicultural variety show that ASC hosts every spring to showcase different talents within the community. The doors open at 5:30 p.m.

This is also ASC’s last major event of the school year, so it encourages attendees to invite their friends and family to watch the performers spring into competition.

Since this is a competition, a prize will be given to the top three performers chosen by a panel of judges. First place receives $300, second place receives $200 and third place receives $100.

For questions, reach out to ASC’s event coordinators Megan Ta or Amanda Phanivong at asc.shockers@gmail.com.

Join the Department of Public Health Sciences within the College of Health Professions as it cosponsors a community discussion with a panel of physicians from the Medical Society of Sedgwick County from 10 to 11 p.m. Sunday, April 1 via Zoom.

The discussion is cosponsored by the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation, and is part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Big Read: Wichita series of events. Read “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” by Roz Chast, the book chosen for this year’s Big Read: Wichita, and join the discussion. All are welcome, including the general public and healthcare professional.

The panel will also feature guest moderators:

• Suzanne Perez, KMUW reporter.
• Carolyn Harrison, retired nurse and educator.

2022 electronic W-2s are now available in the State of Kansas Employee Self-Service Portal (ESS) for State of Kansas employees.

Employees are encouraged to consent to receive W-2s electronically. Instructions for completing the consent are detailed by clicking this link.

If you experience issues when trying to complete your W-2 consent, try a different web browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.

For assistance with the State of Kansas Employee Self-Service Portal passwords, please call the State of Kansas Help Desk at 785-296-1900 or 866-999-3001.

For employees receiving a printed W-2, the form will be printed and mailed by the end of January 2023. 

Irma Puškarević investigates the semiotics of regional alphabets through collective and personal history and memory. Levente Sulyok explores the relationship between the present, the past and the future in terms of shifting cultural and physical borders.

Both are faculty at WSU’s School of Art, Design and Creative Industries and artists featured in Transmissions: The XXIV Faculty Biennial, on exhibit until April 22 in the Polk/Wilson Gallery in the Ulrich Museum of Art. Join them at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, March 28 at the Ulrich Museum to learn about their inspiration and processes.