Category: Events and Recreation

At this year’s joint URCAF+GRASP Conference is keynote speaker Carl Bowden, MBA, who will be speaking from 1:15 to 2 p.m. Friday, April 24 in 110 Woolsey Hall, Frank A. Boettger Auditorium. Carl is a consultant at Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, one of the largest Certified Public Accountant (CPA) advisory firms in Kansas, and will discuss uncertainty and career building. Carl Bowden was recently featured on President Rick Muma’s “Forward Together” podcast.

His presentation, “From Exploration to Focus: Making Sense of Your Career Journey,” explores how career paths rarely unfold exactly as planned — and why that’s a good thing. Drawing from his experiences across diverse roles, global travel and graduate school at the Barton School of Business, Carl reflects on how experimentation, observation and meaningful relationships can bring clarity over time.

The URCAF+GRASP oral presentations will begin at 8 a.m. and poster presentations will begin at 11 a.m.

Through his journey into consulting at AGH, Carl illustrates how treating experiences like data points can reveal patterns, refine purpose and guide better decisions. This talk challenges graduate students to embrace uncertainty, stay curious and take intentional steps toward building a career that is both impactful and authentic.

For any questions, email undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu or gs3@wichita.edu.

All faculty and teaching staff are invited to an American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter meeting on building faculty and teaching staff power and for other updates on campus issues. The meeting will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 24 in 209 Hubbard Hall.

Bring a friend or two for updates on events around the campus and state. For questions or a password to the Zoom remote link, contact AAUP chapter secretary George Dehner via email at george.dehner@wichita.edu.

The Center for Entrepreneurship invites students, faculty, business leaders and community members to attend the 2026 Shocker New Venture Competition (SNVC) — a high-energy showcase of emerging startups and student innovation.

Taking place on Friday, May 1 in Woolsey Hall, this annual competition highlights the most promising new ventures from students across Kansas as they compete for funding to bring their ideas to life.

The Office of First-Year Programs is now accepting donations for the Shocker Swag Swap. Students, faculty, staff and community members can drop off Wichita State gear they no longer want and earn Swag Bucks to use at the event.

Here’s how it works: donate your unwanted Shocker gear ahead of time, and the Office of Student Success will record your items and have your Swag Bucks ready for you at the swap. Then, on the day of the event, you can use your Swag Bucks to shop for gear.

Donating does not require participants to take anything in return, but participants must donate gear in order to receive gear.

Drop off your gear at the Office of Student Success in 218 Shocker Success Center. The Shocker Swag Swap is from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, May 4 in 319 Rhatigan Student Center, McKay Room.

Bring in the Shocker gear you no longer want, and trade it for something you will. For questions, contact Kaelyn Hannah at kaelyn.hannah@wichita.edu.

Join the First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) from 3 to 5 p.m. May 13 at Ablah Library’s Collaboration Hub for a captivating showcase of research projects. Explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics projects from first-year Shockers already putting their research skills to work.

This event is open to everyone, and food will be provided, so mark your calendars and don’t miss out. Learn more at wichita.edu/fyre.

It’s National Library Week. Join University Libraries for a sweet treat from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at Ablah Library, to celebrate libraries and the communities that make them great.

National Library Week, April 19-25, is an annual time to highlight all the ways libraries benefit individuals and communities alike. Not only do libraries provide books to read, but they offer a variety of valuable resources. WSU Libraries offers study spaces, research assistance, tech tools and so much more, to help students achieve success.

De-Stress Fest is a great opportunity to showcase the engaging events happening across Wichita State while supporting students during one of the highest-stress points in the semester.

The Student Activities Council (SAC) is inviting departments and organizations to submit events to be featured in the official De-Stress Fest listing and marketing campaign. Participating events benefit from increased visibility through coordinated promotion across campus platforms, helping boost attendance, expand your reach and connect with a wider student audience.

If you are hosting an event during this time that focuses on relaxation or studying, it’s encouraged you submit your event details (name, date, time, location and brief description) by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 26.

Join in creating a strong, campus-wide initiative that highlights your programming and supports student well-being.

Questions? Contact SAC at sac@wichita.edu.

Dr. Dinorah Azpuru, professor of political science, will be leading a discussion on regime change in Latin America and beyond at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23 in 417 Lindquist Hall. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

For dietary accommodations, contact RaeLynn Jordan at raelynn.jordan@wichita.edu.

The Japanese Culture Association, with sponsorship from the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literature, will be holding its annual Japan Festival beginning 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 24 in 233 Rhatigan Student Center, Santa Fe Trail Room.

The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. with martial arts performances, and booths will open at 1 p.m. and run until 3:30 p.m. Visitors can learn about a variety of Japanese traditional arts including ikebana, calligraphy, ink painting and origami. Games and a bazaar will also be available, and visitors can purchase traditional Japanese foods as well.

Join Path to Purpose, an interactive session designed to help undecided students explore potential majors and next steps, from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 21 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room.

Participants can explore three engaging station areas focused on community, coursework and career. Gain insight into how your interests, values and strengths connect to different academic paths. This program is a great opportunity to ask questions, reflect on your goals and learn about resources that can support your decision-making process.

Whether you are feeling unsure about your major or just want to explore your options, this session will provide helpful guidance and a supportive space to start figuring out what comes next.