Author: James Schisler

The Institute for the Study of Economic Growth is hosting a workshop and hackathon event open to the campus community from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 8 in Woolsey Hall. Agent-based modeling is a way to answer questions and do science by conducting computer-based simulations.

With the workshop training, participants can code their own simulations using free software from NetLogo.

This event focuses on a hands-on approach no matter the person’s experience. Beginners are not only welcome but are encouraged to attend. In the afternoon, attendees will compete for prizes using the skills they have learned. The workshop is a useful resume builder.

Susan Thomas — founder and CEO of 10Fold and the spring 2023 entrepreneur-in-residence at the Barton School of Business — will provide a keynote presentation, “An Entrepreneur’s Journey: Finding the Why to Drive Your Success,” as part of the James Schwartz Lecture Series.

The keynote event is at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 in the Woolsey Hall Auditorium.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Following the presentation, a reception will be held in the Woolsey Hall Fidelity Bank Ballroom. All are welcome to attend the event at no charge.

Stuart Kauffman will present a virtual talk hosted by the Barton School of Business’s Institute for the Study of Economic Growth at noon Friday, March 31.

Kauffman is a renowned theoretical biologist. Originally a medical doctor, he has spearheaded several disruptive new theories including Nobel-worthy contributions in fitness landscapes, gene regulatory networks, the theory of affordances and the theory of the adjacent possible. Also a MacArthur Fellow and a Trotter Prize winner, Kauffman has published game changing books like “Origins of Order: Self-organization and Selection in Evolution” and “At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity.”

Stuart Kauffman will present a virtual talk hosted by the Barton School’s Institute for the Study of Economic Growth at noon Friday, March 31. The topic will be “The Inevitable Anthropocene and Our Choices Now: Prolegomenon to a Next Axial Age.”

Kauffman is a renowned theoretical biologist. Originally a medical doctor, he has spearheaded several disruptive new theories including Nobel-worthy contributions in fitness landscapes, gene regulatory networks, the theory of affordances and the theory of the adjacent possible. Also a MacArthur Fellow and a Trotter Prize winner, Kauffman has published innovative books like “Origins of Order: Self-organization and Selection in Evolution” and “At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity.”

All Wichita State faculty and staff are invited to attend, and they are encouraged to share the event information with any students, alumni or members of the community they think may benefit.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business has announced Susan Thomas, founder and CEO of 10Fold, will serve as the college’s entrepreneur-in-residence for the spring 2023 semester. Thomas is from Newton, Kansas and began her college education at Wichita State.

She founded 10Fold in 1995, and the company is now ranked among the top 8% of independently owned communications firms exclusively focused on business-to-business technology in the United States.

As the Barton School’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Thomas will deliver a keynote presentation at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 titled “An Entrepreneur’s Journey: Finding the why to drive your success.” The keynote is open to the public and will include a networking reception with Thomas afterwards. In addition, she will participate in other presentations on innovation and marketing.

Thomas earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in business from Emporia State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology from the University of Tulsa.

The Frank Barton School of Business has awarded Isabella (Bella) Kilman, a senior from Valley Center High School, the 2023 Clay Barton Scholarship. The $50,000 scholarship is one of the largest business scholarships in Kansas.

Kilman, who plans to major in marketing, was named the 2023 Barton Scholar after competing against numerous other high school seniors in a series of speeches, group exercises and other activities.

Along with securing a perfect 4.0 GPA, Kilman is involved in cheer, DECA, Principal’s Advisory Council and Site Council at Valley Center. She also works as the business development intern with the USD 262 communication office. She will begin taking classes at WSU in fall 2023.

The Barton School recently spoke with Maley Hansen, senior at Wichita North High School and future Barton School of Business student, who was named one of three 2023 Gore Scholars. She plans to double major in business administration and statistics.

More than 480 high school seniors from all over the country competed in this year’s Distinguished Scholarship Invitational to become Gore Scholars. Maley will receive a $64,000 scholarship to attend Wichita State University in August 2023. She is only the fourth North High student to receive the scholarship, which was established in 1954.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business has named Stephanie Cockrell as its new director of graduate programs. In the role, Cockrell will work to define and execute strategies to increase enrollment and retention as well as deliver robust experiences for graduate students. This includes study-abroad programs as well as experiential education and applied leadership opportunities.

Cockrell will also lead all recruiting marketing and communication activities for graduate degree programs. Her first day in her new position was Jan. 23.

Prior to her role with the Barton School, Cockrell served as the assistant director for First-Year Programs at WSU’s Office of Student Success. During her time, she received her Master’s of Business Administration from the Barton School with a concentration in marketing.

Tanvir Arfi, founder, chairman and CEO of Banyan Technologies Group, will provide a keynote presentation, “Future of Human Mobility: Electric Vehicles, Autonomous Vehicles and Emerging Technologies,” as part of the James Schwartz Lecture Series.

The keynote event will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16 in the Woolsey Hall auditorium.

Doors open at 10:45 a.m. All are welcome to attend the event.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business announces that Tanvir Arfi, founder, chairman and CEO of Banyan Technologies Group, has been named the spring 2023 executive-in-residence. Residents provide Barton School students, faculty and the Wichita community vital perspectives and knowledge from industry leaders.

In this role, Arfi will provide mentorship opportunities to students, exchange ideas with Barton School faculty and host a conversation with business leaders. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Bangalore University and a master’s degree from WSU.