Author: Jennifer Lane

Nick Elam, educator and inventor of the Elam Ending for basketball, will speak at Wichita State at 5:15 p.m. tonight, Aug. 23 at 231 Hubbard Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

The Elam Ending has gained acclaim as an exciting format to end basketball games, and is currently employed by The Basketball Tournament (TBT), including the TBT regional played in Wichita. The story of the Elam Ending is about more than basketball and statistics, it’s about persistence and positive thinking. Elam’s speech will explore the personal side of a 15-year journey to bring a vision to life on the court. The speech will also offer takeaways for future leaders, innovators and risk-takers.

Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies (CAS) will induct nine new members to its Hall of Fame for fall 2022. The inductees come from a variety of backgrounds representing each department within the college and are being recognized for their outstanding contributions to their field. The college will celebrate the inductees with a banquet 6-8 p.m. Oct. 21 at the WSU campus.

The CAS Hall of Fame recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who have made a positive impact on the college at any point since its founding. This includes the full range of people and programs that have been associated with the college at various points in its history. The traits and qualities Hall of Fame members possess are reflective of the college’s core values of collaboration, discovery, diversity, integrity and leadership. The 2022 class includes the following inductees:

• Dr. Marlene Schommer-Aikins, professor emerita-educational psychology, is an accomplished scholar, former coordinator of the educational psychology master’s program, chair of the counseling, educational and school psychology department.
• Sue Bair, assistant professor emerita-physical education, was a faculty member who served at WSU for 33 years, mentoring and profoundly affecting the lives of hundreds of physical education students.
• Amber Carithers, alumna-English language arts, is a teacher at Hutchinson High School, and was part of the 2022 Kansas Teacher of the Year Team.
• Dr. Leonard Chaffee, dean and professor emeritus, now deceased, Chaffee served as dean for 20 years (1967-1987) and remained on the teaching faculty within education administration after his retirement.
• Dr. Randy Ellsworth, professor emeritus-educational psychology, served as dean (1996-97), associate dean (1994-2006), department chair (1990-94) and established the Center for Research and Evaluative Services.
• Dr. Jon Engelhardt, dean and professor emeritus, served as dean at WSU (1997-2007) and is a nationally-recognized leader in education, founding two professional and research organizations and serving on executive boards.
• Frank Rokosz, associate professor emeritus-physical education activity program (PEAP), is the longest-serving faculty member in the history of the college, teaching 45 years and leading the university’s PEAP program.
• Dr. Oliver Troxel, former dean, now deceased, was the college’s first dean (1926-1929) and was highly active with the Red Cross and National Education Association.
• Dr. John Wilson, professor emeritus-elementary education, “Dr. John,” as he is affectionately known by his students, was an education faculty member whose creativity, commitment and advocacy for educators distinguished his career.

The 2022 class of inductees were chosen via an open nomination process and then selected by a committee of diverse college stakeholders.

Nominations for the 2023 CAS Hall of Fame inductees are now open at. Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2023.

The American Counseling Association (ACA) announced Feb. 16 that Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, professor of Counseling and director of Latinx Studies at Wichita State, has been elected to serve as the ACA’s president-elect beginning July 1. Rivera will begin serving as the ACA’s 72nd president on July 1, 2023.

“Being the first Latinx male to be ACA president and the first Puerto Rican is a humbling experience and yet provides a great sense of pride and satisfaction to be able to serve the counseling profession nationwide,” said Rivera.

Rivera specializes in multicultural counseling, group work, chaos theory, liberation psychology, technology, supervision, multicultural counseling, prisons, Puerto Rican studies, identity development, and gang-related behavior. His research has appeared in numerous prestigious national journals, and he serves on two editorial boards.

Rivera also leads WSU’s Latinx Studies program. The Latinx Studies Initiative, launched in 2019, allows the university to better serve its growing number of Latinx students by hiring educators with expertise in Latinx needs.

“Dr. Torres Rivera has established himself as a key leader within the Wichita State community and the counseling profession,” Dr. Clay Stoldt, interim dean of the College of Applied Studies, said. “He consistently brings expertise, energy and commitment to his work leading WSU’s Latinx Studies initiative and as a counseling educator. We are thrilled that Rivera has been elected to this prestigious position and know the ACA will benefit from his leadership, just as we have.”

A member of the ACA Governing Council from 2018 to 2021, Rivera also served on the ACA Executive Committee. From 2010-2011, Rivera served as President of the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD).

Three first-year educators from Wichita State were recently recognized by the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) for their outstanding teaching skills through the 2022 Kansas Horizon Award program.

The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by KSDE, gives all school districts in the state an opportunity to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible for the award, teachers must have completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding.

The following WSU educators were recognized by KSDE for 2022:

• Kynnedy Myers: Myers graduated from WSU’s Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP) in 2020 and teaches at Ewalt Elementary School, Augusta USD 402.
• Emily Crawford: Crawford will graduate from TAP in spring 2022 and teaches at Northridge Elementary School, Newton USD 373. Crawford has been teaching in the classroom on the limited apprentice license TAP candidates receive through the program.
• Nicole Menard teaches at Buhler High School, Buhler USD 313, and is a 2020 graduate of WSU’s English Education program.

TAP is an online bachelor of arts in early childhood education and elementary education at WSU. The program prepares candidates for licensure as a Kansas teacher with a flexible program of study, specially designed for paraeducators to earn their bachelor of arts in Early Childhood Unified/elementary Education so that they can become the classroom teacher of record in a shortened time.

For the past seven years Jennifer Stone, associate professor of special education in the department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education (ISLE) at the College of Applied Studies (CAS) has partnered with CAS patron Jay Hull to fulfill Christmas wishes for Starkey, Inc.’s Angel Tree project.

The number of angel wishes granted through this partnership varies year to year, but this year the partnership served 25 Angels — the largest to date. Funding for the Starkey Angel Tree project is donated by Hull and matched by CAS in addition to the student and faculty volunteers from ISLE donating their time to purchase, wrap and deliver the gifts to Starkey.

“This outreach project has meant a lot to us. It helps show students that being part of your community outside of your classroom is part of being a good teacher and citizen,” Stone said. “Often, students have gone in to volunteer at the Christmas and spring parties where they get to directly interact with and support the diverse population that Starkey serves.”

The relationship between CAS and Starkey started in 2005 when Jay Hull established the Joe Hull Scholarship (named after Hull’s brother Joe) to benefit the masters in special education program at Wichita State University (WSU). Recipients of the scholarship have been required to volunteer with Starkey to see where some of their future students may be employed as adults. The partnership between WSU and Starkey grew from there.

Hull’s commitment to supporting Starkey was inspired by his brother Joe Hull who has cognitive disabilities and a winning personality. “The Angels often have deceased parents and family that have ignored them so they wouldn’t have Christmas without the program,” Jay Hull said. “Many, like my brother Joe still believe in Santa. Still today, Joe can’t wait for Santa at age 59.”

Stone said that through the last seven years, they have completed the lists of 107 Angels through this partnership.

The Department of Sport Management has secured approval for a new undergraduate certificate in Sport Leadership and Branding. The 15-credit certificate launches in the spring 2022 semester.

The new credential will be available to all students. However, it is particularly designed to support the educational needs of varsity student-athletes in the new Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) marketplace.

“Key to supporting student-athletes is educating them on personal leadership, branding and NIL-related concepts,” Dr. Mark Vermillion, interim associate dean and department chair in Sport Management, said. “The purpose of the new certificate is to support student-athletes and the athletic department by providing essential educational resources, support and content associated with student-athletes’ development in these key areas.”

The new certificate builds on the ALTITUDE student-athlete development program launched in fall 2021 by Wichita State Athletics in partnership with Opendorse. Students who complete various facets of the ALTITUDE program may secure academic credit toward the Sport Leadership and Branding certificate.

The new certificate includes nine credits of required courses in leadership, personal branding, and sport and entertainment agencies. The other six hours of electives include options in sport marketing, technology in sport management and an applied leadership experience.

This fall the College of Applied Studies celebrated the inaugural class of Hall of Fame inductees. Nominations are now open for 2022 inductees.

The CAS Hall of Fame recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who have made significant positive impact on the college at any point since its founding. This includes the full range of programs that have been associated with the college at various points in its history. The traits or qualities hall of fame members possess should be reflective of the college’s core values of collaboration, discovery, diversity, integrity and leadership.

Nominations will be accepted until Feb. 11, 2022, and can be submitted through the link below. 

Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies (CAS) inducted its inaugural class of 12 for its Hall of Fame Sept. 24. The inaugural class featured inductees from throughout the college’s history, including alumni, patrons and former faculty members.

The CAS Hall of Fame recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who have made a positive impact at the college at any point since its founding. This includes the full range of people and programs that have been associated with the college at various points in its history. The traits and qualities Hall of Fame members possess are reflective of the college’s core values of collaboration, discovery, diversity, integrity and leadership. The inaugural class includes the following:

• Harry F. Corbin, university president from 1949 to 1963, known for leading the fight to bring the university into the state system of higher education.
• Richard Gaskill, executive director of the Sumner Mental Health Center, in recognition of his internationally-recognized work in play therapy.
• John Hansan, former faculty and department chair, for his strong dedication to sports and role in launching the university’s Sport Management programs.
• Nick Jimenez and family for their generous support in donating the largest scholarship for Sport Management students in the College.
• Doris and Ralph Klose for their generosity in funding over 20 scholarships per year to secondary science and mathematics teacher education candidates.
• Margaret Meek, longtime educator in Wichita, for her dedication and commitment to teaching, including her work teaching reading to diverse students.
• Lori Miller, former faculty, for being a driving force behind the establishment of the Sport Management programs and an internationally recognized sports management scholar.
• Jackson Powell, dean from 1950 to 1966, who advanced the college in multiple ways, including convincing Frank Lloyd Wright to design a new education center in Wichita.
• Twyla Sherman, former faculty, in recognition of her 42 years of service to WSU in science education and the impact she had on individual teachers.
• Leslie Sipple, the college’s second dean from 1929-1950, for his outstanding contribution to the Teacher Training Program and his recognition throughout the state and Midwest as a leader in education.
• Gladys Taggart, former faculty, for evolving the physical education program at WSU, as well as her multiple contributions to all areas of women’s athletics.
• Alicia Thompson, alumna and superintendent of Wichita Public Schools, for her outstanding leadership during some of the most challenging times in American education history.

The inaugural class of inductees were chosen via an open nomination process and then selections by a committee in 2020.

“I can’t imagine a more impressive group of people to be part of our first class in the CAS Hall of Fame,” said Dr. Clay Stoldt, interim dean. “The scope of their accomplishments and the impact they have had is incredible. Their legacies set the bar for all of us who are part of the college today.”

A call for nominations for the second group of CAS Hall of Fame inductees will be issued soon, and anyone may make nominations.

Dr. Edil Torres Rivera — Wichita State professor and Latinx studies director in the Interventions Service and Leadership in Education Department at the College of Applied Studies — will present “In search of a decolonized curriculum: Reimagining models for decolonization and critical consciousness” at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Jabara Hall (room 127).

Rivera is interested in multicultural counseling, group work, chaos theory, liberation psychology, technology, supervision, multicultural counseling, prisons, Puerto Rican studies, identity development and gang-related behavior. His primary research focuses on how indigenous healing techniques are a necessary ingredient when working with ethnic minority populations in the United States.

Rivera has additional interests in studying the implications of social injustice and oppression in counseling and psychotherapy with ethnic minorities, especially those involving school-age Latinos and Latinas in the United States.