Category: Featured Stories

Suspenders4Hope, a program developed at Wichita State University, is highlighting different departments and individuals on campus who are advocates for mental health in hopes that their stories will inspire others to continue supporting one another in the community.

The WSU School of Social Work (SSW) is being recognized for its support of the mental health of students, faculty, staff and health care professionals.

Four undergraduate students from Wichita State University were among the 18 students recognized at the 22nd annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium in Manhattan, Kansas.

The WSU students who were recognized:

• Yousaf Khan, senior in chemistry
• Alia Michaelis, senior in biochemistry
• Bao Nhu To, junior in biology and health science
• Julie Tran, junior in chemistry

Dr. Valerie J. Thompson is an assistant professor Wichita State’s College of Applied Studies. Her experiences as a practitioner in higher education — and her lens as a Black woman scholar — help inform how she sees the world.

Black History Month provides an opportunity for contemplation, learning and raising awareness about the extensive and varied history of the Black community. Wichita State is embracing the rich tapestry of history and heritage by highlighting some of the amazing Black educators who make a difference in students’ lives every day.

Robert E. Weems Jr. is a faculty member in WSU’s History Department and is the Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History. Weems says African American history is troubling but also demonstrates the resilience of Black Americans.

“As someone who came of age during the late 1960s, over the years as a history professor, I have sought to contribute to the knowledge base associated with the African American experience” Weems said.

Black History Month provides an opportunity for contemplation, learning and raising awareness about the extensive and varied history of the Black community. Wichita State is embracing the rich tapestry of history and heritage by highlighting some of the amazing Black educators who make a difference in students’ lives every day.

Dr. Rhonda Lewis is a professor of psychology at Wichita State University. She says her identity as a Black individual has influenced everything she does in her work as an instructor and researcher.

Black History Month provides an opportunity for contemplation, learning and raising awareness about the extensive and varied history of the Black community. Wichita State is embracing the rich tapestry of history and heritage by highlighting some of the amazing Black educators who make a difference in students’ lives every day.

Ten high school students from Kansas, Missouri and Texas have been awarded the Koch Scholarship at Wichita State University, starting in the fall 2024 semester.

Each scholar each will be awarded $30,000 to attend WSU over four years.

Fall 2024 Koch Scholarship:

• Alexander Baird, Campus High School, electrical engineering (Haysville, Kansas)
• Samir Barraza, Colby High School, computer science
• Carson Brewer, Andover Central High School, computer science
• Tyler Casely-Hayford, Stephen F. Austin High School (Richmond, Texas), mechanical engineering
• Mayce Cashman, Andale High School, finance
• Sophie Clarke, Eisenhower High School, computer science
• Kayla Gann, Smithville High School (Smithville, Missouri), accounting
• Jack Rue, Wichita Northwest High School, computer engineering
• Israel Torres, Wichita Northeast Magnet High School, mechanical engineering
• Erin Vance, Wichita Trinity Academy, mechanical engineering

From the center of campus to downtown Wichita, Wichita State University’s footprint continues to grow and offer new opportunities for students and our community. As the spring semester rolls on, you will notice ongoing and new construction across our 330 acres and beyond.

Projects currently under way:

• Renderings released for Wichita Biomedical Campus
• Shocker Success Center
• Ablah Library
• Wichita State Connect
• Parking Services
• Millie Marcus Annex 
• Intensive English Center + Annex 
• NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research (HAMR) 
• University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium)
• Wilkins Stadium 

Lexi Jensen enjoys the amenities available in Wichita and the campus environment and academic offerings at Wichita State University. In her first months on campus, she dove into activities such as rowing and the Immersive Leadership Institute.

Shockers come from all over, and students from selected major metropolitan areas in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas may be eligible to receive regular in-state tuition at Wichita State. Read what some out-of-state students have to say about why they chose WSU — and Wichita — as their new home.

Wichita State is joining more than 200 of the nation’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) stakeholders to participate in a Department of Commerce initiative to support the development and deployment of trustworthy and safe AI.

Established by the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) brings together AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations to meet this mission.

Our community helped raise $15,000 toward alleviating illiteracy in Shocker Neighborhood through United Way’s Champions of Literacy initiative.

The total amount raised was announced at the Feb. 7 Shocker men’s basketball game against UTSA, where United Way alongside President Rick Muma and Kevin Saal, director of athletics, presented the money raised.

Shockers can still donate to the campaign through the following teams:

• The President’s team
• Shocker Athletics
• Admissions
• Evelyn Hendren Cassat SLH Clinic

Reading helps children build cognitive skills, gain a deeper understanding of the world, improve their concentration and fuel their imagination. As an educational driver for the state of Kansas, Wichita State is committed to helping students of all ages achieve success and become the leaders of tomorrow.