Author: Sara Ornelas

Wichita State University is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine incentive program to include a $250 award for fall 2021 for current students who can show proof of vaccination. Participating students may also be eligible to receive one of 20 scholarships worth $5,000 each for the spring 2022 semester, which will be awarded through a random drawing.  

• Who is eligible? All degree-bound students enrolled for fall 2021 who provide proof of being fully vaccinated through WSU Student Health Services or any other location. Students must submit documentation of both shots of either Pfizer or Moderna, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  
• How to provide proof: Students may submit proof of vaccination through the myShockerHealth portal. If you have not yet submitted proof, please log in to the portal to do so. Instructions on how to upload documents are at wichita.edu/uploadhealthdocs. If you have already received your COVID-19 vaccine through Student Health OR have already submitted your vaccination records to Student Health, you do not need to submit them again. You can check the myShockerHealth portal under “Immunizations” to verify if your COVID-19 vaccinations are on file.  Students with questions can ask them via the myShockerHealth portal.
• Deadline: Proof of full vaccination (either one dose of Johnson & Johnson or both doses of either Pfizer or Moderna) must be provided by Oct. 8. Please note: To meet that deadline, students who have not started the COVID-19 vaccine series will need to receive their first dose of Pfizer by Sept. 17, or the first dose of Moderna by Sept. 10, to allow enough time to receive the second doses and submit records before Oct. 8.  
• How the awards work: The $250 award will be applied to the student’s account and will be refunded per the student’s refund profile in mid-October. The $250 will not be applied to account balances. The $5,000 scholarships (non-refundable) will be drawn, awarded and applied to spring 2022 tuition and fees, up to an amount of $5,000. Winning students will be notified via email or phone call.
• How to get vaccinated: Free vaccines are available through Student Health Services for all students. You can also schedule vaccine appointments at any one of Sedgwick County’s vaccine locations or other local vaccine providers, found at www.vaccinefinder.org.  

Vaccinations continue to be the best weapon against COVID-19 as we work together to move past this pandemic. We encourage anyone who can to get vaccinated from Student Health or anywhere else where it’s offered. 

As a reminder, masks are required in all indoor classrooms and labs at Wichita State and are strongly recommended indoors elsewhere. 

“Throughout my medical career as a physician assistant, I’ve never seen a vaccine like the ones we have for COVID-19, which are extremely effective in preventing serious illness or death,” says WSU President Dr. Rick Muma. “By encouraging our students and the rest of our campus community to get vaccinated, it gives us the best odds at keeping our classrooms and campus open — and eventually ending this pandemic.” 

As the fall 2021 semester begins, the 21 students in the inaugural class of Adelante Scholars have begun their careers as Wichita State University students.

The Adelante Scholarship was established in 2020 through a gift from Gene and Yolanda Camarena. It’s geared toward incoming freshmen and new transfer students. Preference is given to students who are of Black, Hispanic and Latino heritage with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and demonstrated financial need.

Starting fall 2022, any qualified high school senior who is a resident of Sedgwick County will be eligible to receive a scholarship covering unmet tuition and fee costs of attending Wichita State University.

That’s thanks to a new scholarship created by Wichita State called the Shocker Promise. Previously available to qualified students who live in the Shocker Neighborhood, this scholarship has now been extended to all eligible incoming first-time freshmen living in Sedgwick County.

At Wichita State, opportunities to learn and grow happen everywhere. Shocker 360 is an app that lets you log your beyond-the-classroom experiences, use them to earn points, and share them with potential employers. Now students can win prizes for the points they earn on Shocker 360.

• First 500 students to 100 points get a bound journal
• First 300 students to 150 points get a water flask  
• First 200 students to 200 points get Shocker Dining Dollars  
• First 100 to 250 get $50 in Shocker Store credit  
• First 10 to 300 get a party for six in Shocker Grill and Lanes
• Top 5 scores for the semester get JBL earbuds
• Top score for the semester gets an iPad

If you were unable to attend or watch live the 2021 Faculty and Staff Fall Address, you can watch a recording of the entire program.

President Richard Muma, with the assistance of several university representatives, outlined key focus areas for the coming year:

• Access and affordability
• Applied learning and digital transformation
• Interdisciplinary research

The Department of Defense (DoD) has designated South Kansas as a Defense Manufacturing Community (DMC), making the region eligible for $5 million through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation’s Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program. The initiative is led by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

The annual faculty and staff fall address is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today at the Beggs Ballroom located in the Rhatigan Student Center. The event will also be available via a YouTube livestream.

President Richard Muma, with the assistance of several university representatives, will outline key focus areas for the coming year:

• Access and affordability
• Applied learning and digital transformation
• Interdisciplinary research

It’s great to see so many Shocker faces on campus! Keep yourself safe and healthy, enjoy our beautiful campus, and best of luck this semester.

Hello, Shockers! After more than a year of virtual classes and Zoom meetings, it is with particular enthusiasm that I welcome you back to Wichita State! I look forward to seeing all your faces around campus, in meetings, and in our classrooms.

In this time of uncertainty around COVID-19, it’s particularly important that we take measures to promote and protect our own wellness, as well as the health of our loved ones and the community.

One such precaution you can take is getting vaccinated against COVID-19. As a licensed physician assistant myself, I have taken this step, and know these vaccines are an important part in ending the pandemic. We’ve made it easy for you to receive a vaccine at Student Health located in the Wellness Center. We are also requiring masks in our classrooms and labs, and we’re strongly recommending masks be worn in all other indoor spaces on campus. 

As we head into the fall semester, I hope you’ll also take some time to enjoy a meal in the RSC, take a stroll around our beautiful campus, and connect with other members of our Shocker family.

During the coming weeks and months, I look forward to talking with all of you about how we can work together to achieve our shared vision for Wichita State. I hope to see you in person or virtually at our annual faculty and staff fall address on Wednesday.

Again, welcome back, Shocker family. And best of luck in all your endeavors.

Go Shockers!

Amanda Phanivong, a Wichita State University senior studying integrated marketing communication, recently began a fellowship with the Kansas-based Storytime Village Inc. While working there with their marketing and special events cohort, Phanivong has fully embraced her time with the Storytime team.