Author: Naquela Pack

Monday Markets will continue 2:30-3:30 p.m. today at the Paradise Baptist Church parking lot located 17th and Oliver streets. Buy fresh and local produce, connect to community resources, get your blood pressure checked and more.

Upcoming Monday Market dates:

• Sept. 13: Braeburn Square, 21st and Oliver
• Oct. 11: Paradise Baptist Church, 17th and Oliver

The Office of Strategic Engagement and Planning needs your help providing more engagement opportunities on campus. Those who wish to contribute can look for the office’s signs on campus and scan the featured QR code.

The requests will be used as community input for its current development process. The input will be shared later with the private developers who will submit proposals for augmenting the west and south boundaries of the university, also known as University Village.

Private developers typically build at their discretion with a focus on items that drive economic benefit. We see this survey as an opportunity to elevate the voices of the communities that make up Wichita State and hope that we can bring the desires of those communities into the development process and help bring to fruition some mutually beneficial opportunities.

Help Wu Crew Reads reach its goal of 50 volunteers by the end of August. Wu Crew Reads volunteers read children’s books aloud and ask students questions about the books to help them better understand the story.

To participate, volunteers are asked to commit 20 minutes from 2:40 to 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoons for a semester. During this time, volunteers will read virtually with a student at Gordan Parks Elementary School.

Wu Crew Read is part of an effort to help USD 259 reach its long-term strategic goal of increasing third-grade reading proficiency, which aligns with Wichita State’s mission to being an educational driver for Kansas and the greater public good.

The Wichita State University Office of Strategic Engagement and Planning requests community input for its current development process. The input will be shared later on with the private developers who will submit proposals for augmenting the west and south boundaries of the university, also known as University Village.

Private developers typically build at their discretion with a focus on items that drive economic benefit. We see this survey as an opportunity to elevate the voices of the communities that make up Wichita State and hope that we can bring the desires of those communities into the development process and help bring to fruition some mutually beneficial opportunities.

The Wichita State University Strategic Engagement and Planning (SEP) has officially announced Wichita State Good Neighbor Week Sept. 28-Oct. 4.

During the week, there will be a student-led panel on food insecurity, events including a neighborhood tour through campus Oct. 2 and a panel on service providers in the neighborhood.

Good Neighbor Week speaks to Wichita State’s 2019 Climate Survey indicating opportunities for improvement within the satisfaction of culture and atmosphere on campus and the “Why Good Neighboring Matters” featured in the Chung Report. In the report, of “108 cities surveyed, Wichita ranked the 11th lowest on talking with neighbors frequently, ninth-lowest on doing favors for neighbors frequently and the lowest on seeing and hearing from friends and  family frequently.”

Loneliness and social isolation have been linked to an increase in both heart attacks and strokes. Data has shown that loneliness, social isolation, or both were associated with an increased risk. The risk was similar to that of light smoking or obesity, according to the researchers.

SEP hopes that through Good Neighbor Week we increase engagement on and off-campus and create connections to lead to a sense of belonging. Helping people feel connected and part of something bigger than themselves is the goal. Neighboring does take time and effort, but there are both personal and community benefits.

Thank you to the WSU Student Government Association outreach director, the WSU Department of Sports Management, Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes, the United Way of the Plains and the Ulrich Museum and for committing to being a part of the Good Neighboring Week activities.

For more information or to get involved with Good Neighbor week, email Naquela Pack. 

Check out the current list of volunteer opportunities available in Shocker Neighborhood and sign up today.

The Wichita State University Office of Strategic Engagement and Planning requests community input for its current development process. The input will be shared later on with the private developers who will submit proposals for augmenting the west and south boundaries of the university, also known as University Village.

Private developers typically build at their discretion with a focus on items that drive economic benefit. We see this survey as an opportunity to elevate the voices of the communities that make up Wichita State and hope that we can bring the desires of those communities into the development process and help bring to fruition some mutually beneficial opportunities.

The Wichita State University Office of Engagement, Office of Admissions and TRIO Student Support Services will have booths at the JuneteenthICT Celebration at the historic McAdams Park beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 19. Goodie bags, info and books will be available at the booths.

The Office of Engagement needs volunteers for two upcoming events. For more details, or to sign up, visit the below links:

• Juneteenth — June 19 
• Outdoor Movie on campus — June 22

For any questions, please email Naquela Pack.