Author: Abigail Klein

Wichita State University’s Institute for the Study of Economic Growth (ISEG) has launched an advisory board consisting of seven prominent Kansas executives, who will provide the ISEG team with strategic direction, advice on programs and opportunities for advancement in the industry.

The board is co-chaired by ISEG Executive Director Dr. Ted Bolema and Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business.

Helped by six grants from Kansas Leadership Center, Wichita State University’s HEALTH Student Association in the Department of Public Health Sciences is working to end the pandemic and support students with information and resources to keep them healthy.

Most children love trying on costumes this time of year, but for children with special needs, finding the right costume can be a challenge.

Walkin’ & Rollin’ is a non-profit organization out of Kansas City that provides wheelchair costumes at no cost. During the fall 2021 semester, members of Wichita State University’s GoBabyGo program worked with the non-profit to help local children have a more thrilling Halloween.

The American Athletic Conference is investing in big cities and the state of Texas with its addition of six new members recently.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida Atlantic University, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Texas, Rice University and The University of Texas at San Antonio had their applications for membership approved last week.

The Medical Laboratory Sciences department at Wichita State University has received a $280,000 endowed scholarship gift from Southcentral Pathology.

Dr. Joel Alderson, president of Southcentral Pathology in Wichita, KS, established this fund to provide two full-ride scholarships each year in WSU’s Medical Laboratory Sciences program. Recipients are chosen based on merit and financial need, and each student receives an equal amount of funds. This is the largest scholarship donation ever made to the program. 

Wichita State University’s Environmental Finance Center will help create WaterCorps, a project to connect students to applied learning opportunities in the water workforce.

Wichita State is one of 10 organizations selected to receive part of a $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The new program will help build the water workforce by connecting individuals to internships in the drinking water and wastewater utility sectors and expanding public awareness about the benefits of careers providing vital water services.

The Environmental Finance Centers at the University of New Mexico and Syracuse University will join WSU on the project.

Wichita State’s project description states that funding will be used for WaterCorps, a nationwide network of high school and post-secondary students along with school counselors and water utility professionals, who will connect the students to water utility internship experiences, educational resources, guidance from field experts, and facility tours. Students participating in the WaterCorps program will have the added support of a peer network, providing enhanced learning, shared experiences and broad engagement with water professionals.

“We hope to recruit WaterCorps members from geographically diverse and tribal communities so that the students are able to learn from peers and professionals from a wide variety of community water systems across the United States. As the WaterCorps members share experiences with others beyond their own community they will build a strong connection to the water industry,” said Tonya Bronleewe, director of WSU Environmental Finance Center. “We will share our methods, resources, educational materials, and toolkits in the Environment-Focused Learning Academy online portal. We want what we develop through this project to be available to any school, utility, organization or individual who has an interest in helping young people to find their careers in water.”

The water industry is facing widespread shortages of qualified workers, due to expected retirements, new investments in the nation’s physical infrastructure, and new technical and scientific skill sets required to operate and maintain these systems. These grants will expand public awareness about job opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector and will address the workforce needs of drinking water and wastewater utilities.

About WSU Environmental Finance Center

Across the country, the costs of environmental services, programs, and infrastructure continue to rise. At the same time, the individuals, communities, and governments tasked with paying for environmental protection are experiencing significant financial burdens. The WSU Environmental Finance Center helps solve the issue of how to pay for environmental protection.

Wichita State will feature a YouTube livestream of the inauguration ceremony for Dr. Richard Muma at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex. Members who wished to attend the event in person should have reserved their spot by Oct. 15.

Dr. Richard Muma was selected as 15th president of Wichita State University in May. Muma had been serving as interim president of Wichita State since September 2020.

For more information, call 316-978-3258 or email inauguration@wichita.edu.

The current pandemic-related supply chain issues are affecting everyone worldwide, including the Shocker Community.

According to an article in PPB Newslink, the situation started with a shortage of factory workers in China and other factories worldwide that produce raw materials, components and finished products, coupled with an increase in shipping costs for imported materials and products. The transportation issue was exacerbated due to the scarcity and cost of shipping containers, available space on ships and a shortage of dockworkers to unload the ships once they got to the U.S. ports.

According to Ellen Abbey, Wichita State director of Auxiliary Services, the supply chain has caused a backlog of products and supplies offered at Wichita State, including Shocker Printing Solutions and Central Services Supply. This includes T-shirts, as there is a shortage of raw materials to make yarn, and other printed products. There is also an increase in shipping from both UPS and FedEx, even sometimes causing the shipping to cost more than the item purchased.

While the supply chain issues continue Abbey advises customers of both Shocker Printing and Central Services Supply to plan ahead and to make sure they have the resources to print materials and hold events.

College rivalries are fun, and sometimes heated, on the courts and fields. Outside of the stadiums, athletic conferences often work together to benefit students in academics, research, mental health and career opportunities.

In that spirit, Sara Muzzy and Kim Kufahl of Shocker Career Accelerator organized the AAC Virtual Career Fair 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 28 . All 11 full members of the American Athletic Conference will participate (although the event is not connected to the athletic departments or conference).

Lauryn McIntyre is learning how to build a brand that helps HSI Wealth Strategies get the word out to people in the aviation industry that HSI understands their financial needs.

“Very pilot-centric, very pilot-focused,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot about the aviation industry in my time there.”

McIntyre, a Wichita State University senior, worked with a designer to create an HSI logo that invokes aviation. She also organizes the HSI’s marketing plan, networks with pilots and updates the website to highlight the firm’s expertise.