Category: Events and Recreation

Zach Gearhart, chief of staff, will update faculty and staff on legislative issues raised related to Wichita State from the Kansas state government.

The meeting is open to all faculty and staff every other Friday in the Morrison Hall board room. The next meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, April 7.

Attend the next part of the Writing Now/Reading Now series for a reading by WSU’s 2023 distinguished visiting writer, Melinda Moustakis, at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 6 in the Beren Gallery of the Ulrich Museum of Art. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Writing Now/Reading Now is cosponsored by the Department of English, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Watermark Books & Café and the Ulrich Museum.

Moustakis’s story collection, “Bear Down, Bear North: Alaska Stories,” is set in the rugged landscape where she was born, and received the Flannery O’Connor Award and a five Under 35 selection by the National Book Foundation. Her forthcoming novel, “Homestead,” has been called a “stunning debut” by Booklist, given a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, and been praised as follows by New York Times bestselling author Jess Walter, “Moustakis’s writing is so good, so precise, so strong, and so deeply felt that it immediately creates a sense of time and place.”

Join the 2023 Tilford Symposium on April 25 and April 26 in the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. This year’s theme, “Building resilience and community: Prioritizing mental health, well-being, and inclusive allyship,” is presented by the Office of the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer and funded by the Student Government Association.

This one-of-a-kind conference brings together industry leaders and influencers to discuss crucial issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion and mental health. Honoring the legacy of Dr. Tilford, a champion of inclusive excellence in education.

Registration is open to all faculty, staff, students, industry partners and community members at no additional charge. Don’t miss the opportunity to be inspired by brilliant individuals, gain valuable insights into diversity and inclusion challenges, participate in critical conversations to enhance an organization’s culture, and identify strategies to recruit and retain talent.

The symposium features a tentative schedule of events including a meet and greet, keynote address, breakout sessions, panel discussions and lunch table topics.

Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) invites helping professions students to a free opportunity to connect, discuss and learn with peers in a safe setting. It will cover four topics, and students may attend one or all sessions in the series.

All events are from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Student Wellness Center:

• April 6: The three Bs: Boundaries, balance and burnout.
• April 13: Self care: A necessity, not a luxury.
• April 20: The social network: Tips to build professional connections.
• April 27: Helping the helper: Finals de-stress event.

For more information, email romero@clinic.wichita.edu.

Join AHINSA for a colorful celebration of Holi starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15 in front of Hubbard Hall. The party will be a vibrant and lively affair, filled with music, games, refreshments and plenty of colors. Entry to the party is just $5, and attendees will get to experience the joy and energy of the beloved Indian festival in the company of like-minded individuals.

At the Holi party, participants can expect to groove to the beats of one of the best DJs in town, play exciting games that will test their skills and agility, and savor delicious snacks and drinks that will keep them energized throughout the day. But the highlight of the event will be the colorful powder that AHINSA will give out to everyone, so attendees should come dressed in their whitest clothes and get ready to be doused in a rainbow of hues as they celebrate the spirit of togetherness and joy that Holi represents.

Whether they’re a first-time attendee or a seasoned Holi veteran, AHINSA hopes the party is an unforgettable experience for participants that will leave them with memories to last a lifetime, so grab some friends and family and come join AHINSA for a day of fun, frolic and festivity.

For questions, email ahinsa@wichita.edu. Follow AHINSA on Instagram and Facebook.

The AI Interest Group is hosting its initial meeting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 in 264 Rhatigan Student Center, Spencer Room. The meeting is open to any and all faculty and staff interested in conversations about AI and its impact on instruction. This will be the first in a series of sessions.

The topic for the first session will be “Talking to students about AI” and will discuss syllabus recommendations, assignment and exercise ideas, and more.

Future topics for this group will include AI and the instructor’s work, AI and creativity, AI and intellectual property, and more.

The Mortar Board Senior Honor Society’s philanthropy is “Reading is Leading,” and it encourages children to find joy in reading and use it as a skill. Its main event to promote it is a campus book drive.

This semester, it is having another book drive from Monday, April 3 to Thursday, April 14. The campus community can donate new or slightly used books at the Heskett Center, Shocker Hall, Shocker Dining Hall, Rhatigan Student Center, Ahlberg Hall or the Ablah Library. It is also hosting a competition for the book drive: The WSU student organization that donates the most books will receive $100 towards the group’s budget or philanthropy of choice. Officers or advisors of a WSU student organization that would like to register for the competition can contact Rachel Smith at: wsumortarboardsecretary@gmail.com. Emails should include the sender’s name, their position in the organization and the name of the organization.

Last semester, 282 books were donated by the WSU community to Minneha Elementary, and Mortar Board and Minneha are extremely grateful for the successful turn out.

Prospective students are invited to join an informational session for Wichita State’s Master of Education in Learning and Instructional Design program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 4 via Zoom.

Request a Zoom link for the session prior to the start by emailing Dr. JeaHwan Byun, associate professor in the School of Education, at jaehwan.byun@wichita.edu or Dr. Mara Alagic, professor in the School of Education, at mara.alagic@wichita.edu.

The Master of Education in Learning and Instructional Design program is an innovative, 100% online, 30 credit hour program designed for educators and professionals that offers a transformative and individualized learning opportunity with flexibility.

The Department of Public Health Sciences (PHS) is co-hosting a series of film fests for the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Big Read: Wichita alongside the Wichita Public Library and Tallgrass Film Association. The next event is a screening of the movie, “Supernova” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6 in the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St. N.

Food and popcorn sponsors are Wichita Medical Research and Education Foundation and Proud of Wichita, The LGBT Chamber of Commerce. After the screening, join a discussion of the film at The Monarch at 579 W. Douglas Ave. with guest moderator Robert Miller from CAREpitch and PHS. Food and beverage discounts are offered with a ticket stub.

Each week will feature a new film that, like “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” by Roz Chast, the book chosen for this year’s NEA Big Read: Wichita, explores caregiving and the universal challenges experienced as one cares for someone with a chronic illness, injury, medical trauma or nearing end of life.

Prospective students are invited to join an informational session for Wichita State’s Master of Education in Learning and Instructional Design program at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4 via Zoom.

Request a zoom link for the session prior to the start by emailing Dr. JeaHwan Byun, associate professor in the School of Education, at jaehwan.byun@wichita.edu or Mara Alagic, professor in the School of Education, at mara.alagic@wichita.edu.

The Master of Education in Learning and Instructional Design program is an innovative, 100% online, 30 credit hour program designed for educators and professionals that offers a transformative and individualized learning opportunity with flexibility.