Author: Jamie Stoskopf

Dr. Jennifer James, Assistant Teaching Professor – Department of Physical Therapy, was recognized with Dually certification in both Pediatric and Neurologic Physical Therapy from American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists.

Dr. Heather Henderson — Associate Dean for Research, Compliance and Accreditation in the College of Health Professions Dean’s Office and Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences — taught the introductory course on teaching in higher education for Association of University Programs in Health Administration’s (AUPHA) Art of Teaching Institute that Henderson helped design.

Dr. Karissa Marble-Flint, Associate Professor, MA CSD (SLP) Program Coordinator – Communication Sciences and Disorders, published “Turning the Page: Midwest SLPs’ Lived Experiences Providing Literacy Services in Schools” in Seminars in Speech and Language June 5.

Abstract: School-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) from four midwestern states were surveyed about their knowledge and confidence regarding literacy intervention. To obtain accounts of lived experiences, SLPs who completed the survey were invited to a follow-up interview. Fourteen SLPs completed interviews with a member of the research team via a recorded Zoom meeting. The interviews were approximately an hour long and each question was presented on a shared screen. Interview data were transcribed and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Five overarching themes emerged: (1) SLPs are responsible for language services to support student literacy; (2) barriers of time, administrator knowledge, and instructional tools that support SLP literacy instruction; (3) collaboration and training would improve confidence; (4) how multi-tiered systems of support and Title I impact SLP literacy services; and (5) the role of other team members in literacy services. Overall, SLPs know that they can play an important role in literacy assessment and intervention but are unsure of how their specific skills fit into the greater school context. Training may improve confidence in serving students with literacy needs differently from other service providers. Future work could explore partnerships between SLPs and other professionals to best serve students with literacy needs.

Collaborators Dr. Amy Peterson, Dr. Klaire Brumbaugh and Dr. Whitney Schneider-Cline

Dr. Voncella McCleary-Jones, Associate Dean for Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs – College of Health Professions Dean’s Office, was selected to serve as a reviewer of nursing programs, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program at Wichita State is proud to welcome four new resident dentists to the 2025-26 class: Dr. Ahmed Al Rawe, Dr. Cheyanne Cornwell, Dr. Eric Nguyen and Dr. Monica Noh.  

The AEGD program is a one-year dental residency program that provides dentists with advanced comprehensive clinical experience. It is the only dentistry education training in Kansas. 

The dentists practice at WSU General Dentistry, located at the corner of 29th and Oliver St. The clinic provides a full range of services including cleanings, whitening, fillings and implants, along with in-house specialists for periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, and prosthetics.  

WSU General Dentistry is open to the public and currently accepting new patients. WSU students and their spouses and children are eligible for the Student Dental Discount program. Learn more at wichita.edu/WSUdentalclinic. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.