Author: Quang Nguyen

On behalf of the Offices of Financial Aid and Diversity and Inclusion, we would like to thank the students who attended our FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Fun Financial Aid workshops.

We would also like to congratulate Oscar Maturino and Austin Helgerson for receiving the FAFSA FUN Book Scholarship.

As a reminder, FAFSA’s priority completion date for Wichita State is Dec. 1. Please make sure to complete it as early as possible for priority consideration for financial assistance.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is proud to present the Diversity Lecture Series, featuring Dominique Morgan at 6:30 p.m Wednesday, Nov. 17 at the Rhatigan Student Center’s Beggs Ballroom.

Resilience is not something we are born with. It is something we can be taught and nurtured. Dominique Morgan’s resilience was nurtured through life experience and has evolved out of necessity (homelessness, incarceration and surviving sexual assault). She has dedicated herself to the work that instills the values of resilience and liberation in her community, whether its youth in the classroom during a sexual health lesson, supporting an incarcerated person with advocacy or supporting the leadership of color.

Dominique Morgan (she/her) is an award-winning artist, activist, and TEDx speaker. As the executive director of Black and Pink, she works daily to dismantle the systems that perpetuate violence on LGBTQ/GNC people, and individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS.

In order to attend, you must register for the event.

Are you ready to renew your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? Join the Offices of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) and Financial Aid for two upcoming workshops from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 8-9 virtually and in-person. Members who register for either session have a chance to win a $500 book scholarship for the spring 2022 semester.

Completing FAFSA is an important step a student can take to get money to help pay for college. Learn more and engage with advisors from the Office of Financial Aid and get help completing your FAFSA.

Learn the history and traditions of Día de los Muertos by joining the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and collaborating Hispanic and Latinx student organizations 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at the  Rhatigan Student Center (first floor). The event will include traditional sweets and activities during the holiday.

Halloween can be a night for people to celebrate and have fun, but that is not the case for everyone. Many college students are currently brainstorming what, or who, they will be for the night. While some people do not intend to wear something offensive, certain costumes can invoke stereotypes that lead to racism, discrimination, and in some cases an increase in violence in those communities.

Whether the harm is intended or not, the result is the same and minoritized communities experience heightened anxiety and tension as they experience these stereotypes. It is important to understand how some costumes are offensive to others and their respective heritage and culture.

One of the main areas of concern is cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is “the act of adopting elements of an outside, often minority culture, including knowledge, practices, and symbols, without understanding or respecting the original culture and context.” As you decide what, or who you will be this Halloween, take the necessary steps to make certain you will not appropriate someone’s culture.

Remember: A culture is not a costume.

Students are invited to attend the Black Excellence Town Hall hosted by Wichita State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) 4-6 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Rhatigan Student Center Beggs Ballroom.

During the town hall, members of ODI will ask older and younger Black students how they are doing in the current climate at the campus. Topics will include the COVID-19 pandemic, representation of WSU Black faculty and staff on campus and how students can navigate their path at WSU.

Students must register to attend the town hall.

The Charisma Experience workshop, hosted by Men of Excellence is set for 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 via Zoom. The keynote speaker for the event will be Mr. James Martin, II.

The Charisma Experience is designed to provide college students with professional development, etiquette and other soft skills seminars that help participants exhibit a polished, professional image in the workplace.

Please register to receive the Zoom link for the event.

Quang Nguyen, Wichita State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion communications and marketing specialist, was recognized as an honoree at the Wichita Business Journal’s 2021 Marketing Awards Aug. 26.

The award honors Wichita-area senior marketing professionals who excel in making their company or organization look and perform its best.

“Marketing is heavily important to both the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Wichita State University because it allows us to tell the story of our students,” Nguyen said. “We need to allow our students to share their college journeys and experiences and it is critical to our work with stakeholders; otherwise, we have missed an opportunity to achieve our mission of being an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good.”