Author: Jamie Stoskopf

The College of Health Professions is excited to announce that the athletic training and exercise science programs at Wichita State will officially transition from the College of Education to the College of Health Professions, effective summer 2026. The athletic training program will be affiliated with the Department of Physical Therapy, while the exercise science undergraduate and graduate programs will join the Department of Public Health Sciences.

This strategic move reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration among health-related disciplines and expanding opportunities for research, applied learning and community engagement. By joining the College of Health Professions, athletic training and exercise science will be positioned to strengthen clinical partnerships and provide students with enriched educational and professional experiences in the health sciences. The change also opens new avenues for collaborative research and community partnerships focused on improving physical activity participation and overall health and well-being.

Current students will not experience any changes to their degree requirements or graduation plans, and faculty will continue to provide the same high-quality instruction and mentorship. Both the athletic training and exercise science programs will remain located in the Heskett Center on WSU’s main campus through 2026.

The College of Health Professions welcomes the faculty, staff and students in the athletic training and exercise science programs and looks forward to the new opportunities this transition will create to advance education, research, clinical practice and service to communities.

Dr. Stacey Kampe, clinical professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, was featured in “Why Being a Preceptor to the Next Generation of Audiologists Matters” in The Hearing Journal Podcast.

The College of Health Professions is pleased to announce Christine Faulk, M.D. as the new chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council. The college extends its sincere appreciation to Jason Ladner for his leadership and service as chair over the past year.

Faulk is a proud Wichita State alumna, earning her Bachelor of Science in biological sciences before completing her M.D. at the University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita (KUSM‑W). She completed her internal medicine residency with the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education and later practiced with Ascension Medical Group (formerly The Wichita Clinic).

In 2006, Faulk joined KUSM-W as a teaching hospitalist at Via Christi-St. Francis, where she held leadership roles in medical education, directed faculty development and served on several key hospital committees. From 2016-25, she served in various roles at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, including ICU staff physician and associate chief of staff for research. As the ACS for research, she worked closely with the College of Health Professions to build joint research and education efforts.

Faulk is a member of the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

She has remained closely connected to Wichita State through her service on the College of Health Professions Dean’s Advisory Council (2022-current) and the Board of Directors for the Shocker Athletic Scholarship Organization. The college appreciates her continued commitment and looks forward to her leadership in this new role.

Dr. Gregory Hand, dean of the College of Health Professions, will serve as the keynote speaker at the 34 annual KU School of Medicine-Wichita’s (KUSM-W) Research Forum. The event will take place at 8 a.m. April 23 on the KUSM-W Wichita campus at 1010 N. Kansas.

Hand will speak about the growing research partnership between Wichita State University and the University of Kansas, highlighting new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and enhanced regional impact.

Each year, the Research Forum brings together students, residents, faculty and community members to share research projects, discuss emerging findings, and foster new collaborations in community health and medical research. The event reflects a collaborative commitment to advancing research that enhances health outcomes across the region.

Dr. Amy Chesser, professor and director of graduate programs in the Department of Public Health Sciences, was appointed as the 2026 Region 7 Coordinator for the U.S. Health Literacy Association.

Dr. Nikki Keene Woods, department chair and professor of the Department of Public Health Sciences, was recognized with the 2025-2026 Innovative Teaching Award from the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health.

Woods, alongside Master of Health Administration student Umma Ali, received the award for their project “Choose Your Own Adventure: Visualizing Maternal Health Challenges Using Digital Storytelling.”

Pre‑nursing students are invited to attend the Nursing Student Connector from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 9 in 141 Woolsey Hall, Fidelity Bank Ballroom.

This information session is designed to help students plan their next steps toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students will learn about BSN program options, admission requirements and details about the waived competitive application. The event also includes a Q&A with nursing faculty and current students to gain real‑world insights and guidance.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

RSVP by Monday, Feb. 23 at wichita.edu/NursingRSVP.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make connections, ask questions and take the next step toward your nursing career.

The College of Health Professions has three patient-serving clinics that are open to the public. All clinics are accepting new patients and provide high-quality, affordable health care to the community.

• The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic provides speech-language and hearing services to people across the lifespan. The clinic faculty specialize in speaking, hearing, swallowing and spoken and written language impairments. The clinic offers a wide variety of audiology services, including hearing aid fitting and hearing aid repairs of all makes and models.
• The Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation Dental Hygiene Clinic offers a wide range of low-cost preventative, therapeutic and educational dental hygiene services.
• WSU’s General Dentistry’s services include cleanings, fillings, teeth whitening and dental implants. The dental clinic provides services in periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery and prosthodontics. The WSU General Dentistry Practice offers a discount for dental care to WSU students and their spouses and children.

Dr. Dean Elledge, Program Director, Specialist Prosthodontist, and Amanda Conner, AEGD academic program manager, in Advanced Education in General Dentistry, published “Icebreaking and Teambuilding: Engaging Oral Health in Social Exclusion and Discrimination” presented at the 2024 ADEA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Workshop on Oct. 23, 2025.

Abstract: The ADEA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (ADEA DEIB) Workshop, Equity in Action: Dismantling Injustice and Promoting Social Justice in Academic Dentistry on Oct. 23 in Coronado, CA. The workshop will focus on enhancing cultural competency, identifying and dismantling systemic barriers, and developing leadership skills for advocacy.

Dr. Voncella McCleary-Jones, professor and associate dean for academic, faculty and student affairs in the College of Health Professions, was elected as a governor-at-large for the National League for Nursing.