Category: Events and Recreation

The 2026 Kansas Gender & Sexuality Conference will be held March 6 at the Marcus Welcome Center. The conference is free and open to all students, faculty, and staff from Kansas colleges and universities as well as to surrounding communities. Organizers request that all attendees pre-register to help with the conference planning process, even if they plan to attend only part of the day. You can find out more information about the agenda and how to register at wichita.edu/genderconference.

Pre-registration will be open until 11:59 p.m. Feb. 25, but there will still be an opportunity for on-site registration the day of the conference.

About this year’s keynote:

Organizers are excited to share that the keynote speaker will be Dr. Barbara A. Kerr, Distinguished Professor of Counseling Psychology Emerita at the University of Kansas and author of “The Psychology of Liberty: Reclaiming Everyday Freedom,” whose talk is titled “Women and Liberty.”

Students, student groups and university organizations are invited to participate and help bring the heat to Open Streets ICT: WSU & Shocker Neighborhood from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19.

Open Streets ICT: WSU & Shocker Neighborhood is a free community-building event along 17th Street (from Oliver to Volutsia), focused on elevating physical well-being and healthy living while fostering lasting connections.

Volunteer and connect with thousands of community members or table and increase engagement through fun activities and games. Registration is free, just select “on route” when completing the form.

For questions, contact Naquela Pack at naquela.pack@wichita.edu or 316-978-5955

Wichita State is now an official partner of Accessibility Summer Camp — an annual virtual conference dedicated to building community and sharing best practices around accessibility. As part of this new partnership, all WSU faculty and staff will receive free admission to the 2026 camp once registration opens.

Want to learn more? Join ASC Live! at noon Friday, Feb. 27 at noon on Zoom for a free webinar featuring long‑time members of the planning committee. They’ll share the history of the conference, how it has grown and what makes this community‑driven event so special.

Visit the ASC Live! webpage to learn more or register now for Friday’s session.

Registration for Paddles for Purpose 2026 by the Rho Beta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. on April 25 at Chicken N Pickle, 1240 N. Greenwich Rd., is now officially open. Registration is $50 per team.

Teams will compete for a number of prizes:

First place: $200 and a set of custom paddles provided by the Rho Beta Chapter
Second place: $100
Third place: $50

And new this year is a traveling trophy to the winning team provided by the Rho Beta Chapter. The last day to register is March 20.

All proceeds from this pickleball tournament will go towards funding Dreamers Scholarship, which is a scholarship the Rho Beta Chapter of SLB hosts, aimed at providing financial assistance to WSU students who do not qualify for federal student aid.

For questions, visit @wichitastatebetas on Instagram or email Marcus Richards, chapter vice president, at mlrichards1@shockers.wichita.edu.

Join the Department of Political Science for Pizza and Politics at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 in 417 Lindquist Hall. Dr. Carolyn Shaw, professor of political science, will present slides from her recent visits to Cuba. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

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

Students are invited to participate in Leadership Labs, a hands-on program where you can develop and practice leadership skills instead of hearing about them, from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room.

The lab will provide a safe learning environment, tackling real campus issues, where students will collaborate with peers to identify challenges, brainstorm and apply strategy. Whether you’re interested in problem-solving, team leadership or learning how to influence positive change, Leadership Labs will give you the tools and experience to grow as a leader.

Don’t miss this chance to practice leadership in action and connect with other students who are passionate about making a difference. A limited number of leadership kits will also be available for participants.

College life can be overwhelming between family, friends, classes and studying that you may feel you’re missing out. That’s why ShockerSync is your hub for student organizations and sports clubs for a variety of majors, hobbies and interests.

Beat the FOMO and check out all the events coming up on campus and find your community at wichita.edu/shockersync.

You are cordially invited to join the National Employee Appreciation Day celebration with President Rick Muma and his executive team from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 6 at Woolsey Hall.

Confirm attendance by RSVPing online by Monday, March 2 to meet the executive team, have a hamburger and enjoy yard games.

Participate in a hands-on art series. Students are invited to reflect on their experiences, express ideas through creativity and contribute to a collective mural that changes each month. The next event is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.

Monthly themes are as follows:

• January – Fresh Starts and Big Ideas
• February – Care in Action
• March – Rooted and Ready
• April – Looking Back, Looking Ahead
• May – Reflections

Email csb.grad@wichita.edu with any questions.

The 2026 Kansas Gender & Sexuality Conference will be held March 6 at the Marcus Welcome Center. The conference is free and open to the public. Organizers request that all attendees pre-register to help with the conference planning process, even if they plan to attend only part of the day. You can find out more information about the agenda and how to register at wichita.edu/genderconference.

Pre-registration will be open until 11:59 p.m. Feb. 25.

About this year’s keynote:

Organizers are excited to share that the keynote speaker will be Dr. Barbara A. Kerr, Distinguished Professor of Counseling Psychology Emerita at the University of Kansas and author of “The Psychology of Liberty: Reclaiming Everyday Freedom,” whose talk is titled “Women and Liberty.”