The College of Health Professions (CHP) recently hosted its fourth annual Kansas High School Health Science Teacher’s Workshop, providing valuable teaching strategies and professional development for high school educators across the state.

This year’s workshop featured presentations from Dr. Stephen Lewia, assistant professor in the Department of Physician Associate; Dr. Douglas Parham, chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; and Lisa Garcia, associate educator in the Scientific Foundations Division. Topics included interpreting EKGs, screening for speech and hearing disorders, and encouraging critical thinking in the classroom. A student panel, led by Mandy Konecny, director of the CHP Advising Center, offered valuable insights into the student experience at Wichita State and the variety of pathways into healthcare careers. Participants also toured the college’s cutting-edge laboratories, including the Gross Anatomy, Human Simulation and School of Nursing simulation labs.

The teachers received valuable resources and information to bring back to their classrooms, with the goal of inspiring high school students to pursue careers in healthcare. In addition to hands-on learning, the workshop provided a unique opportunity for health science teachers to network with WSU faculty and fellow health science educators from across Kansas. A special thank you to Ascension Via Christi for their generous support of the event and providing gifts for attendees.

Graduates of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program with Program Director, Dr. Dean Elledge

Congratulations to the five graduates of Wichita State’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry program; Drs. Nick Desch, Claire Freeman, Elizabeth Kiefner, Emma King and Brad Miller. These residents successfully completed the one-year postdoctoral program, which provides dentists with advanced training and hands-on experience in comprehensive clinical care. 

A virtual graduation ceremony was held July 10, which can be viewed at wichita.edu/aegdgraduation

Carly Havner and Lisa Belt

The College of Health Professions is proud to welcome Carly Havner as the new chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene, effective July 7. Havner comes to Wichita State from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, where she served as manager of faculty development. She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously worked as a practicing dental hygienist and held multiple faculty positions in dental hygiene education.

Havner succeeds Lisa Belt, who has chaired the department for the past seven years. Belt, who began her tenure at WSU in 2004, has also served as a clinical adjunct faculty, teaching professor and director of the degree completion program. Belt will return to her role as a faculty member, and the college extends its sincere gratitude for her dedicated service and leadership.

The College of Health Professions is pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Henderson as the new associate dean for research, compliance and accreditation. In this role, Henderson will lead strategic initiatives to ensure the quality and integrity of research programs, uphold accreditation standards, support faculty development and enhance educational opportunities for students. Her leadership will play a key role in advancing the college’s mission and vision. Henderson will also serve as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences.

Henderson joins Wichita State from the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Public Health, where she has served since 2016 as a faculty member in the Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership and as director of accreditation, planning and evaluation. She also actively works with the Department of Public Health Sciences at Wichita State as they pursue accreditation in their programs.

Henderson is the former chair of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Data Section and has served on the ASPPH Data Advisory Committee since 2018. She was a founding member of the ASPPH Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Task Force and currently serves on both the ASPPH Peer Review Advisory Group and Education Advisory Committee.

Henderson is the editor-in-chief of Pedagogy in Health Promotion and a master facilitator for the WVU ADVANCE Center, where she leads training and research on consensus building and problem solving. She also serves on the S.T.E.P.S. EQI committee, which focuses on simulation training in healthcare.

Her research, based on her training as a social psychologist, focuses on educational and community-based health interventions. She is involved in projects through the NIH-funded West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the WVU Health Affairs Institute, which provides advanced data analytics across the state.

With over 20 years of experience in accreditation and compliance, Henderson has led evaluation and reporting efforts at the program, school and university levels.

Her recent honors include the WVU Chancellor’s Mentor Award, the Women in Science and Health (WISH) Mid-Career Award and the Foundation for the Advancement of Health Education’s (FAHE) Ann E. Nolte Writing Award.

Evelyn Hendren Cassat  Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic WSU General Dentistry Delta Dental of Kansas Dental Clinic College of Health Professions’  Patient-Serving Clinics

The Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic and WSU General Dentistry Practice at Wichita State are open throughout the summer, providing high-quality, affordable services to both the public and WSU community.

The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic provides services to people across the lifespan who have communication difficulties, including speaking, hearing, swallowing and spoken and written language impairments. The clinic offers free hearing evaluations to faculty and staff. The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is located in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex at the intersection of 29th and Oliver. Call 316-978-3289 to schedule an appointment. Learn more at wichita.edu/SLHclinic.

WSU General Dentistry provides a full range of services including cleanings, fillings, teeth whitening and dental implants, along with in-house specialists for periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, and prosthodontics. Most major insurances are accepted. WSU students and their spouses and children receive a discounted rate. The dental clinic is located in the School of Oral Health at the intersection of 29th and Oliver. Call 316-978-8350 to schedule an appointment. Learn more at wichita.edu/WSUdentalclinic.

Students in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity pose for a photo during a childcare class given by School of Nursing faculty

Earlier this semester, WSU nursing faculty members Christina Glennen, Dorene Owen and Veronica Ramos-Blanford led a hands-on childcare class for members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. The session aimed to introduce students to the fundamentals of infant care, equipping them with the skills and confidence to care for a child.

Participants learned essential topics such as feeding, swaddling, diapering, car seat safety, how to take an infant’s temperature and more. The interactive class included practice with newborn-size manikins to simulate real-life scenarios.

The class was part of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s “Challenge Class” series, which are events designed to equip members with practical life skills that support their personal growth and independence after college. Other topics in the series include cooking, automotive maintenance, time management and goal setting.

Join the College of Health Professions for the 4th annual Health Science High School Teacher's Workshop Wichita State University Main Campus

The College of Health Professions invites high school health science teachers to its fourth annual Health Science Teacher’s Workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.

The health science workshop features cutting-edge health science presentations led by expert faculty and interactive skill-building exercises in the college’s state-of-the-art laboratories, including the Gross Anatomy, Human Simulation and School of Nursing Simulation labs. Teachers will receive valuable resources and information to take back to their classrooms, with the goal of inspiring students to pursue careers in healthcare. The workshop is also a unique opportunity for health science teachers to network with fellow educators from across Kansas.

“I have attended every health science teacher’s workshop, and each year I look forward to another one,” said Stanley May, St. Gianna Health Academy director. “Not only do I get to hear directly from leaders in the field of Health science but also get to network with other Health Science teachers who might be struggling with some of the same issues I am having. The WSU staff really rolls out the red carpet for high school teachers and makes this conference worthwhile.”

High school teachers can register at wichita.edu/HSworkshop.

School of Nursing Nursing Information Session Friday June 6 at 10 a.m. Ahlberg Hall, room 110. Register at wichita.edu/nursinginfosession

Are you interested in a career in nursing? The School of Nursing is hosting an information session at 10 a.m. Friday, June 6 in 110 Ahlberg Hall. Join to learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs at Wichita State, admission requirements and ask questions directly to nursing faculty. Register now at wichita.edu/nursinginfosession.

Forty & Eight representatives with nursing students

Two Wichita State University nursing students have been awarded the Charles E. Bell Nurses Training Scholarship by Forty & Eight Voiture 58 du Wichita, Kansas — a charitable organization of military veterans.  

Gabriella Kriegisch and Elisha Haws, both in their third semester of the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, each received a $500 scholarship during a special ceremony held on May 23. 

The event was attended by several members of the Forty & Eight organization, including Ronald Purdie, Grande du Kansas director of nurses training; Jay Kidder, chapter representative; and Timothy Evans, national director of child welfare. 

Forty & Eight was established in 1920 by U.S. veterans who served in France during World War I. Its name originates from the “40/8” markings on French boxcars used to transport 40 men or eight horses during the war. Membership in the organization is by invitation only. 

Dedicated to supporting education and service, Forty & Eight is committed to advancing education for registered nurses and addressing the nursing shortage in the U.S. 

Audiologist giving a patient a hearing exam. Free Hearing Evaluations Wichita State Faculty and Staff

The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Wichita State offers free hearing evaluations to faculty and staff. During the evaluation, a graduate student — under the direct supervision of a licensed audiologist — will test the patient’s hearing to determine if there is hearing loss and the type and severity of the loss. Hearing evaluations will last approximately one to two hours. If a patient does appear to have hearing loss, the appointment may last longer.

To schedule an appointment, call 316-978-3289. The clinic is located at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex at the intersection of 29th and Oliver streets.