Wichita State University President Rick Muma has launched a new podcast, called “Forward Together,” where the president speaks with guests from throughout Shocker Nation to highlight the people and priorities that guide WSU.

The podcast drops monthly, with the March edition releasing March 9. Some of the guests so far include Hollywood director Dean Hargrove, WSU basketball coach Isaac Brown and WSU research vice provost Coleen Pugh.

Through his guest interviews on “Forward Together,” Muma gives the audience a glimpse of the aspirations and inspirations that drive Wichita State.

Image of a B-1B Lancer being towed to WSU's NIAR Facility.

On March 9, 2022, the B-1 System Program Office (SPO), Tinker AFB, OK awarded a six-year, $100 million follow-on contract to Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) to continue the B-1’s Digital Engineering (DE) transformation. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) helped form the strategic partnership and created a flexible contract structure, which allows NIAR and the B-1 SPO to adapt requirements real time to meet critical warfighter needs. 

PIcture of Tom Gentile.

Tom Gentile, president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, has been named as the newest member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for Wichita State’s W. Frank Barton School of Business.

As a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, Gentile will provide guidance on the Barton School’s strategic direction, innovative curriculum, impactful student experience and industry engagement. The current board is comprised of 50 diverse industry leaders from around the country.

Graphic with green background featuring text "Telling Your Story with ArcGIS Storymaps" is set for 12-1 p.m. Friday, March 25 in Ablah Library.' Picture o Dr. Joseph Kerski and WSU logo.

Dr. Joseph Kerski and Mark Stewart, from the international Geographical Information Systems (GIS) field technology company Esri, will present two workshops March 24-25. The events are hosted by University Libraries.

The second event, “Telling Your Story with ArcGIS StoryMaps” will take place noon-1 p.m. March 25 at the Ablah Library. The event will discuss Esri’s ArcGIS StoryMaps program which enables the creation of inspiring, immersive stories by combining text, interactive maps and multimedia content. Kerski will introduce this technology and offer tips for creating engaging StoryMaps.

The event is free of charge. Registrations is required to attend. For more information about these events, contact ethan.lindsay@wichita.edu.

Stephanie and Matt Clark

In 2006, two former Wichita State students traveled to Ukraine to teach for the Peace Corps.

Locals asked if the Americans knew Britney Spears. They helped them learn a language. They welcomed them with foods such as borscht and layered salads with beets, eggs and mayonnaise.

Parents of typically developing children ages 6-12 years are invited to have their children participate in a research study examining how child- and test-specific factors impact performance on an auditory discrimination listening task.

During the research, participants will complete a hearing screening, a standard cognitive assessment, and two versions of an auditory discrimination task. The procedures will be completed during one, one-and-a-half to 2-hour visit. Participants will be compensated $20.

For more information, please contact Dr. Benjamin Kirby.

The Rhatigan Student Center presents Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. Friday, March 4. Deals and freebies exclusively for campus faculty and staff! Must show ID. Shocker Store- 35% off one regular priced item and 15% off one clearance item. Starbucks- free upgrade from tall drink to grande or venti. Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes- 25% off all pizzas. Shocker Hall Dining- $5 lunch. PLUS MORE! See wichita.edu/rscappreciation for all details.

The Rhatigan Student Center will provide deals and freebies for Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day today, March 4. To receive this offer, all campus partner and affiliate staff members must show their WSU ID. The deals and freebies will include the following:

  • Shocker Store-Take 35% off one regular priced item and 15% off one clearance item
  • Starbucks-Free upgrade from tall drink to grande or venti
  • Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes-Get 25% off all pizzas
  • Shocker Hall Dining- Get a $5 lunch
Nelsen Peterson, a 1990 Wichita State graduate, in Kharkiv in 2014.

The dark blue Kharkiv baseball shirt hangs over the whiteboard in Nelsen Petersen’s classroom as a history lesson and a statement of support.

Petersen, a 1990 Wichita State graduate who majored in biology, is a high school teacher, author, filmmaker and running enthusiast who developed strong connections with Ukraine during his travels.

In accordance with recently updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are no longer required for students, employees or visitors, regardless of vaccination status, while on or in Wichita State University premises or while attending campus activities or athletic events (unless otherwise noted). This includes all indoor and outdoor campus locations.  

The university continues to strongly recommend that all individuals engage in COVID-healthy behaviors including, but not limited to, being vaccinated if able, wearing a mask where social distancing is not possible, testing, and staying home if you feel ill. COVID testing and vaccines are readily available at no charge to WSU students and employees at the WSU Student Wellness Center. No appointment is necessary. Additional information about the vaccine and available locations can be found at www.vaccines.gov. For more information about testing sites, please visit the Sedgwick County Health Department’s webpage.  

Although the university has rescinded all campus-wide mask mandates, please keep in mind that, in certain cases, there may be programmatic or facility requirements dictating the wearing of masks — for example, in our patient-serving clinics or students on clinical practicums and rotations, or in those instances where close contact cannot be avoided and additional precautions may be warranted. Please consult with your supervisor and/or instructor for further instructions, and be sure to follow all posted facility requirements.  

Additionally, pursuant to U.S. Department of Transportation policy regarding public transportation, masks will still be required on all university shuttles through March 18.  

The university will continue to monitor the COVID situation on our campus and in our community and will be prepared to pivot back to a mask mandate if the situation warrants. 

Image of Kansas Capitol with stars above it and text 2022 Kansas Undergraduate Research.

Three Wichita State students’ projects are being highlighted as a part of the Kansas Undergraduate Research Day event March 1-3.

“The student research selected this year offers new understanding of communities in Kansas and beyond,” Kimberly Engber, dean of the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College, said. “These students challenge the boundaries of their majors and push us to think about language, behavioral health, and social determinants. Each year we’re grateful for the opportunity to showcase the high quality of undergraduate work at Wichita State and across Kansas to state legislators and other guests visiting Undergraduate Research Day.”

The Cohen Honors College coordinates WSU’s participation in the events every year. Any student may apply to participate, and the selection of students this year was made by a faculty committee.