Author: Carmen Hytche

The annual remembrance of Memorial ’70 will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2, at the memorial sculpture at the university entrance at Alumni Drive and Hillside (18th and Hillside). The reception will be held immediately after in the lobby of Duerksen Fine Arts Center northeast of Memorial ’70.

In an annual ceremony of remembrance, a wreath is placed at Wichita State’s Memorial ’70 each Oct. 2. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators and supporters who died in a plane crash Oct. 2, 1970.

The WSU “Gold” plane, a Martin 404 carrying 36 passengers and a crew of four, crashed at approximately 3 p.m. on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado while enroute to Logan, Utah for a game with Utah State University. Twenty-nine persons died at the scene, while two others died later after receiving medical attention for their injuries. The WSU “Black” plane landed safely in Utah.

This time of remembrance is to acknowledge the changes that the plane crash made in the lives of the victims, their families, their friends and the university. 

Wichita State asks employees to take a brief survey about the 2023 Fall Address from Aug. 16. The survey will be open to responses until 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31.

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards will recognize faculty and staff for exemplary, dedicated and caring service to the Wichita State community.

The Shocker Pride Celebration will be held at 9:30 a.m. on May 5 in the Frank A. Boettger Auditorium of Woolsey Hall. The reception to meet and greet the honorees is at 9 a.m. in the Koch Atrium.

Honorees were selected by their peers from the university’s Staff Senate and Faculty Senate. RSVP on the Shocker Pride Celebration homepage.

The 2023 President’s Distinguished Award honorees:

Faculty Senate

• Suzanne Hawley
  • Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health Professions.
• Justin Rorabaugh
  • School of Digital Arts, College of Fine Arts.
• Carolyn Shaw
  • Department of Political Science, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

University Staff Senate

• Jennifer Anozie
  • Health Professions Dean’s Office, College of Health Professions.
• Carley Enyart
  • Housing and Residence Life, Division of Student Affairs.
• Sheri-Lyn King
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health Professions.
• Kevin Wedan
  • Fine Arts Dean’s Office, College of Fine Arts.

University Staff Senate – Wayne Carlisle Award

• Jana Henderson
  • Office of Research and Technology Transfer (Pre-Award), Division of Industry and Defense Programs.

The 2023 Ad Astra Conference will be held at Fort Hays State University from March 31 to April 1. The event is open to all first-generation students, and the first 30 students who register by Tuesday, Feb. 28 are provided with meals, a T-shirt and housing for the conference. Transportation to the conference is provided by the F1rst-Gen Student Organization.

The Ad Astra Conference brings first-generation students from universities across Kansas together for a common experience with a desired outcome of greater persistence to graduation and a better prepared future.

The annual Strategic Communication Seminar was held Jan. 26 in the Rhatigan Student Center. Attendees were able to choose to attend three of six sessions to gain additional insights, tools and tips to help improve marketing and communication efforts in their university departments.

Materials from the seminar are now available to view.

The seventh annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for WSU faculty and staff will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Jan. 26 in the RSC Ballroom (third floor).

Attendees may choose to attend three of six sessions. Gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing and communication efforts.

RSVP information coming soon.

In case you missed it, you can now view photos from the Shocker Pride Celebration May 6. The Shocker Pride Celebration recognizes outstanding employees with the President’s Distinguished Service Award and the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award.

The 2022 University Faculty Awards honorees will be recognized at 2 p.m. Friday, May 6 at the Marcus Welcome Center. The University Faculty Awards recognize excellence in teaching, research and creative activities.

2022 University Faculty Award Honorees:

• Excellence in Teaching: Manira Rani
• Young Faculty Scholar: Crystal Dozier
• Academy for Effective Teaching: Bryan Lehecka
• Excellence in Research: Vinod Namboodiri
• Excellence in Research: Nickolas Solomey
• Excellence in Creative Activity: Cheyla Clawson Chandler
• Excellence for Community Research: Heidi Cornell
• Faculty Risk-Taker: Mehmet Barut
• Young Faculty Risk-Taker: Dosun Ko
• Excellence in Accessibility: John Hammond
• Excellence in Accessibility: Donna Sayman
• Excellence in Online Teaching: Laura Zellers

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards will recognize faculty and staff for exemplary, dedicated and caring service to the WSU community. The recognition ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, May 6 at Marcus Welcome Center. Honorees were selected by their peers from the University Staff Senate, Faculty Senate and the Strategic Enrollment Management Committee.

The sixth annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for Wichita State faculty and staff will be held 10 a.m.-noon, Thursday, Feb. 3 via Zoom. Attendees may choose to attend three of six sessions. During the event, participants will gain additional insight, tools and tips to help them improve their marketing and communication efforts.