Author: Erin Stieben

Start the semester off warm and cozy by enjoying hot cocoa with the colleges. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan. 23, the academic colleges at WSU will serve Shockers hot cocoa to ring in the new semester.

Each college will serve the hot cocoa in their respective buildings:

• College of Applied Studies: Heskett Center lobby
• Barton School of Business: Woolsey Hall lobby
• College of Engineering: John Bardo Center
• Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences/Cohen Honors College: Lindquist Hall lobby
• College of Fine Arts: Duerksen Fine Arts Center in the Miller Lobby
• College of Health Professions: Ahlberg Hall lobby

For questions, contact the Office of Student Affairs at 316-978-3021.

Join the Women’s Leadership Initiative for its next book club. This time, the selection is “The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are” by Alicia Menendez.

The event is open to anyone who would like to read this title with the group. Participants will meet twice in person: from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19 and Jan. 16, both in 261 Rhatigan Student Center, Olive Room to discuss key takeaways and thoughts from the book. Reading during the winter break is a perfect way to unwind and reflect, making it an ideal time to dive into this inspiring book.

Connect over warm drinks and write notes of positivity for organizations in the community at the Women’s Leadership Initiative Social at 4 p.m. Dec. 11 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room. The gathering is all about spreading cheer, making new connections and enjoying delightful treats. Join Women’s Leadership Initiative for a fun event where it celebrates kindness, connection and community spirit.

The Women’s Leadership Initiative is hosting a fireside chat with Dr. Shirley Lefever, executive vice president and provost, at 4 p.m. Nov. 6 in 301 Rhatigan Student Center, Gridley Room. Enjoy refreshments and socializing before gathering to listen to Dr. Lefever’s inspiring journey from teaching fifth grade to becoming WSU’s provost.

She will share valuable lessons learned, insights on her mentors and role models, tips for balancing professional and personal life, and much more. This event is open to all members of the WSU community. Register below to help provide an accurate head count.

Join others for the Women’s Leadership Initiative Book Club. The current selection is “Born to Shine: Do Good, Find Your Joy, and Build a Life You Love” by Kendra Scott.

Participants will meet twice in-person Oct. 30 and Nov. 13 to engage in dialogue about takeaways and thoughts related to the chapters. There will also be a Teams chat with the weekly prompts for members to engage virtually.

Women’s Leadership Initiative’s conversation with Mayor Lily Wu has been moved to noon to 1:30 p.m. March 10, 2025 for the Third Annual Women’s leadership luncheon in Beggs Ballroom in the Rhatigan Student Center. Mayor Wu will share her journey of leadership and career development, discussing how she found the courage to lead authentically, navigated challenges and transformed obstacles into milestones for success. She will also talk about the impact of women mentors and role models on her journey, offer recommendations for cultivating empowerment and personal growth in the workplace, and share her strategies for balancing professional responsibilities with personal life.

Mayor Wu, elected last fall and serving since January 2024, brings a wealth of experience from her 12-year career as a journalist with KAKE and KWCH. As a Gore Scholar at WSU, she holds dual bachelor’s degrees in international business and integrated marketing communication. She has also contributed to the Barton School of Business Dean’s Alumni Council and the WSU Alumni Association Board.

Student Outreach & Support is excited to announce the promotion of Courtney Lockhart to lead case manager and advocate for the department. In this new role, Courtney will continue to provide essential support to students facing barriers to academic success and wellbeing, while overseeing his cohort in the day to day functions.

Courtney has been a dedicated staff member at Wichita State since 2003. In his 21 years of serving students, Courtney has accomplished many milestones, including serving as president and vice president of the African American Faculty and Staff Association; being an active member and staff advisor for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; serving as a staff senator for the 2023-25 term; and completing the inaugural Like A Boss cohort through the Division of Student Affairs this past spring. Courtney is also a proud alum of WSU, having received his Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, Master of Counseling and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

This event has been postponed. Stay tuned for more information.

Original post:

Join the Women’s Leadership Initiative for a presentation by Wichita Mayor Lily Wu from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 in Beggs Ballroom in the Rhatigan Student Center. Mayor Wu will share her journey of leadership and career development, discussing how she found the courage to lead authentically, navigated challenges and transformed obstacles into milestones for success. She will also talk about the impact of women mentors and role models on her journey, offer recommendations for cultivating empowerment and personal growth in the workplace, and share her strategies for balancing professional responsibilities with personal life.

Mayor Wu, elected last fall and serving since January 2024, brings a wealth of experience from her 12-year career as a journalist with KAKE and KWCH. As a Gore Scholar at WSU, she holds dual bachelor’s degrees in international business and integrated marketing communication. She has also contributed to the WSU Barton School of Business Dean’s Alumni Council and the WSU Alumni Association Board.

Join the Women’s Leadership Initiative for its October Mentoring Talk Circle from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 9 in the RSC Ballroom. Lunch will be provided.

Wichita State University was recently awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation for its ADVANCE project, “REACH for Excellence: WSU’s ADVANCE Adaptation Initiative for Equity in STEM Faculty.” Leading this initiative are principal investigator Dr. Jan Twomey and co-principal investigators Dr. Linnea GlenMaye, Dr. Rhonda Lewis, Dr. Moriah Beck, Dr. David Eichhorn and Tiffany Franks who will tell us about their ambitious objectives that include mentoring, reducing bias, and establishing a faculty development office to make WSU a more inclusive academic environment

Join the Women’s Leadership Initiative for the Welcome Back Kickoff Reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Wichita State Connect.

Kickoff the school year with the Women’s Leadership Initiative. Learn more about its upcoming events, network with others and build a community. Appetizers will be provided. Feel free to drop in at your leisure.

While RSVPs are recommended, they are not required. The event is free to attend.

And join the Mentoring Circles Talk from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 in 305/306 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom, presented by Carolyn Shaw and Moriah Beck. Lunch will be provided.

Everyone has stereotypes about what a mentor is and what they might long for in a mentoring relationship. People tend to think of mentors in a formal way, perhaps as long-term relationships, but it’s important to recognize that everyone likely have less formal mentors in their daily lives already. This is not necessarily someone who is senior to you or who guides you over the long term. This activity will help people think more deliberately about who these people are and where we might have room for additional mentoring relationships.