Category: Featured Stories

WSU Tech President and Vice President of Workforce Development at Wichita State University Dr. Sheree Utash testified before the U.S. Senate’s Commerce Committee on Aviation on Thursday about the growth of the aviation industry and the increasing demand for highly skilled aviation workers. 

The committee, which includes U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran from Kansas, held a hearing titled “Strengthening the Aviation Workforce” to “examine challenges facing the aviation workforce and identify solutions for improving the education, recruitment, hiring, training and retention of workers in the aviation industry and at the Federal Aviation Administration.” The hearing also examined “opportunities to increase representation in and promote awareness of aviation careers,” according to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation website. 

The U.S. Army has awarded Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) a $100 million contract to advance and modernize the army’s ground transportation fleet.

The five-year Modernization of Integrated Technology for Ground Systems (MINT-GS) award comes from the Materials Division, Advanced Manufacturing of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) at Detroit Arsenal, Michigan.

The mission of the MINT-GS program is to develop innovative tools, methodologies and qualification framework for advanced manufacturing processes and materials, allowing for the modernization and sustainment of ground vehicle and ground vehicle components. It supports GVSC’s mission to provide the warfighter with enhanced capabilities and to ensure readiness.

Wichita State will show off its unique cultural and educational assets while welcoming the community to campus during Open Streets ICT at WSU and Shocker Neighborhood on Sunday, April 16.

Open Streets ICT, sponsored by Wichita Park and Recreation, is a community-building event, on a closed street, intended to promote healthy active living and social engagement. The event is free to the public and to groups, businesses, organizations and vendors.

From noon to 4 p.m., Open Streets ICT at WSU and Shocker Neighborhood will take place on 17th Street from Oliver to Volutsia. The two-mile stretch is open for biking, walking and running. 17th Street will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The sixth cohort of Rudd Scholars includes 18 Kansas high school seniors who have chosen to attend Wichita State University.

Each Rudd Scholar will receive a full-ride scholarship, which includes tuition, fees, on-campus housing, and considerable networking and coaching support along the way.

The following are the students who were awarded the Rudd scholarships:

• Ashlyn Armstrong — Central Plains High School in Claflin, Kansas
• Natalee Delgado — Valley Center High School
• Alejandra Facio — Garden City High School
• Kylie Flaming — Inman High School
• Liberty Gilkey — Kiowa County High School
• Hayden Hartung — Hesston High School
• Jackson Haslett — Clearwater High School
• Elias Iseman — Bishop Carroll Catholic School in Wichita
• Riley Jaske — Sterling High School
• Isabella Kilman — Valley Center High School
• Zain Maknojia — Halstead High School
• Katherin Mayer — Bishop Carroll High School
• Erik Moreno — Wichita High School South
• Chinonye Otuonye — Wichita Northwest High School
• Katie Rempel — Hillsboro High School
• Ryan Richardson — Sumner Academy of Arts and Science in Kansas City, Kansas
• Jade Simeona — Goddard High School
• Ashlee Villarreal — Garden City High School

Wichita State University has selected the 2023 recipient of the Linwood Sexton Scholarship: Grecia Esparza from Wichita East High School. Esparza will receive a full-ride scholarship to attend Wichita State this fall.

Esparza is planning to study secondary education for mathematics at Wichita State. As a student at East High School, she is highly involved in a variety of activities — including the Latino Club, French Club, Students Against Prejudice, National Honors Society and AVID. She also volunteers for a summer camp, where she oversees activities and leads a group of 6- and 7-year-olds.

Lauren Hughes — senior at Owasso High School (Owasso, Oklahoma) — is the winner of the 2023 Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship at Wichita State.

The Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship awards up to $26,000 over four years to an incoming freshman student who has demonstrated academic excellence, has an academic vision for the future and who expresses an interest in advancing knowledge through individual learning. The McGregor Scholar agrees to maintain active membership in WSU’s Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.

Hughes is the daughter of Karri Lynn Hughes and Joseph Bradshaw Hughes. She was the senior class representative of National Honors Society and captain and coach of the Varsity Mock Trial team. She also designed and built sets for her high school’s stagecraft program; tutored middle school students in English, math and science; and has been a part of the concurrent student program at Tulsa Community College since 2019.

Lara Uyar, a native of Turkey, discusses how she is affected by the current crisis in her country caused by an earthquake near the border with Syria in the newest Roundhouse podcast.

Uyar, a sophomore on Wichita State’s volleyball team majoring in international business, talks about how she is handling the emotions of being far away from family and friends during the difficult time and how her teammates offer support. We also talk about sports in Turkey, her adjustment to the United States and spring volleyball practices at Wichita State.

The classic sit-com set – think anything from “I Love Lucy” to “Seinfeld” to “The Big Bang Theory” – is now a teaching tool at Wichita State University’s Shocker Studios.

The set, part of a 6,500-square foot film studio, opened this semester and is used by students studying film, cameras, editing, lighting, scene design, writing, acting and sound. Similar to what one might see on a variety of familiar TV shows, the set features a living room, kitchen, dining area, doors and windows with which to create any number of atmospheres.

Braeburn Square on Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus is transforming the dining and shopping scene in Wichita. With four new tenants — Sesame Mediterranean Kitchen, Jersey Mike’s, Two Hands Corn Dogs and Pedego Wichita — the shopping center is fully occupied and fast becoming a hub for all Wichitans to gather, feast and shop.

The four new tenants will join Braeburn Square’s current tenants: Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Meritrust Credit Union, the Shocker Store, Social Tap Drinkery, Starbucks, Wheatly’s Burgers and Sungrano Pizza.

Seven high school students from Kansas and Oklahoma have been awarded $30,000 to $45,000 each as the newest recipients of the Koch Scholarship at Wichita State University.

The scholarship is awarded annually by WSU’s Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College. The new scholars each will be awarded $30,000 for in state or $45,000 for out of state tuition over four years.