Category: Featured Stories

WuShock’s look, no matter the era, is distinctive. Depending on your age, Wu might bring back memories of the Final Four or other big moments.

Wichita State University’s mascot, created in 1948 by junior Wilbur Elsea, evolved over decades into today’s modern design. That doesn’t mean previous versions of Wu fell out of style.

Vintage WuShock logos, from as far back as the 1950s, are enjoying a comeback. In December, Wichita State announced its partnership with Homefield, an Indianapolis company dedicated to vintage college clothing.

Join President Rick Muma and his team as they prepare future Shockers for a lifetime of success. The President’s Team is raising money for the United Way’s Champions for Literacy initiative, which puts books and supplies into the hands of USD 259 students.

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.

Students not reading proficiently by the fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out, and illiteracy often continues into adulthood. Donations to the campaign stay local to the Shocker Neighborhood through United Way of the Plains to alleviate illiteracy in the community.

As you return to campus for the spring semester, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State’s 330 acres and beyond. 

Read more about the latest developments happening around Wichita State.

The Barton School of Business is pleased to announce the addition of 10 new members to the Dean’s “Fabulous 50” Advisory Board.

• Walter Berry, executive chairman and corporate pilot of Berry Companies, Inc.
  A second-generation leader, Berry plays a key role in guiding the company as its leadership transitions to the third generation. In addition to his leadership at Berry Companies, Walter serves on the boards of various industry trade associations and community organizations.
• Dr. Silver Kung, founder, chairman, and chief investment officer of Siegfried Capital
  Dr. Kung founded Siegfried Capital Group in 2015, focusing on a single investment strategy in supply chain finance for institutional investors worldwide. Currently, Siegfried Capital manages approximately $2.62 billion in assets across various markets, including Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands.
• Brad Elliott, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Equity Bancshares, Inc.
  Under Elliott’s 20 years of leadership, Equity Bank has grown to $5.4 billion in total assets with more than 70 locations across Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. He has strategically expanded the company through capital raises and bank mergers, and in 2015, he led the business through its initial public offering (IPO). In 2023, he moved Equity’s common stock from the Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
• Treena Mason, executive vice president and chief sales officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS)
  Mason plays a key role in driving the growth of BCBSKS, building brand value, and fostering relationships with employer groups, providers and the company’s nearly one million members. She began her career at BCBSKS as a group consultant and has held several leadership positions, including regional manager, chief marketing officer, vice president of group sales and senior vice president of sales and operations.
• Bill Voloch, president and CEO of Wesley Healthcare
  Voloch joined Wesley Healthcare in 2013 as chief operating officer and was promoted to president and CEO in 2015. In his current role, he oversees the business and strategic operations of Wesley Healthcare, including the 859-bed Wesley Medical Center, the 99-bed Wesley Woodlawn Hospital & Emergency Room and the Wesley Emergency Care Network, which includes four emergency departments, two of which are freestanding.
• Michael Monteferrante, president and CEO of Envision
  Envision, one of the nation’s largest organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, is led by Monteferrante. The organization provides employment and opportunities through outreach, rehabilitation, education, research, and community programs.
• Tien Huynh, principal partner at G1 Group
  A serial entrepreneur, Huynh has built a diverse portfolio of successful businesses across industries including automotive, real estate, finance and sports. At G1 Group, he focuses on development and strategic growth. A proud graduate of Wichita State University, Huynh earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship.
• Gary Oborny, founder, chairman and CEO of Occidental Management
  With over 38 years of experience in a variety of business ventures, Oborny is the managing member of more than 30 holding entities across diverse industries, including real estate, oil and gas, aerospace manufacturing, wine and spirits, agriculture, banking, technology, manufacturing, and alternative energy.
• Marty Cornejo, co-owner of Cornejo Holdings
  Cornejo Holdings is a diversified company with interests in operating businesses, warehouse developments, manufacturing, hotels and luxury apartments. His extensive background in the family business, Cornejo & Sons Construction, includes serving as president until its acquisition in 2010.
• Yvette Connor, principal and risk advisory practice leader at CohnReznick
  In her role at CohnReznick, Connor provides strategic, enterprise and operational advisory services to both commercial and public sector organizations as they mature their risk management programs. She is a recognized leader in enterprise governance, risk and compliance, known for helping large organizations implement value-based initiatives to achieve key performance indicators and optimize risk management frameworks.

Seeing an opportunity to support partnerships with the Wichita community, Wichita State University has established the new Office of Community Partnerships.

Under the new office, the Community Engagement Institute (CEI) and Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC), alongside other WSU affiliates such as the Small Business Development Center, will seamlessly support collaborations between the university and community partners.

The creation of the office was a joint effort led by Dr. Scott Wituk, CEI executive director, and Misty Bruckner, PPMC director.

On Feb. 6, 2023, two massive earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria, followed by more than 30,000 aftershocks in the subsequent three months. The epicenter of the 7.7- and 7.8-magnitude quakes were near Antakya (Antioch), Turkey — a city near the Syrian border, known for its rich history and celebration of Islamic, Christian and Judaic religions.

Antakya has been the focus of decades’ worth of Dr. Jens Kreinath’s research, giving him a scholarly perspective of the region’s cultural and political landscapes before and after the 2023 disaster.

The College of Engineering at Wichita State University has partnered with Groover Labs, a nonprofit collaborative workspace, technology hub and rapid prototyping lab in Wichita, to support the regional business community. The collaboration aims to assist businesses in designing and building prototypes, testing proof-of-concept ideas and engaging in low-volume manufacturing.

As part of the initiative, the college’s Project Innovation Hub is expanding its scope to accept projects from companies and community organizations. The projects – which include design and machining of parts, analyzing manufacturing processes, engaging in product development with entrepreneurs and supporting research – are executed by Wichita State students under the guidance of Project Innovation Hub staff and college faculty. A notable example of their work includes more than 400 handrails designed, manufactured and installed in Charles Koch Arena on the Wichita State campus.

As part of the U.S. Air Force’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center contract, Wichita State University is partnering with SNC to modernize and deliver a new fleet of “Nightwatch” aircraft — the airborne command center for the president of the United States, secretary of defense and chairs of the joint chiefs of staff, ensuring continued critical command, control and communication during national emergencies.

It is a critical program that will ensure that the United States is adequately prepared for unfaltering communication during a national emergency.

The contract between WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and SNC, a global aerospace and national security company, is the most significant industry contract in the history of the university.

Approximately 400 Wichita State students and staff are expected to work on this project, which will be conducted at NIAR’s Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility and the Partnership 2 building on WSU’s Innovation Campus.

NIAR’s global experience in composites and advanced materials, digital twin, advanced manufacturing technologies and certification are uniquely positioned to meet the goals of this project to enhance SNC’s ability to deliver a cutting-edge, innovative solution to the USAF. The fleet of aircraft being modernized first entered service in 1974.

One of two 747-8i aircraft recently arrived in Wichita from SNC’s Aviation Innovation and Technology Center in Dayton, Ohio.

For the first time, Wichita State University has entered the top 10 in the country in engineering research and development (R&D) expenditures, according to data announced this week by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development Survey.

Wichita State is also ranked No. 1 for aerospace engineering R&D expenditures for the first time in its history.

For fiscal year 2023, Wichita State’s total of $327 million from all funding sources for aerospace ranks ahead of Georgia Institute of Technology ($294 million), Utah State University ($271 million), Johns Hopkins University ($196 million) and the University of Colorado ($90 million).

These rankings put Wichita State among other prestigious engineering universities such as the Georgia Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Texas at Austin, Purdue and Stanford.

As the holiday break nears, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State’s 330-acres and beyond. 

Main campus:

Public Policy and Management Center
The Public Policy and Management Center will move into Garvey International Center, 3203 E. 17th St., in early December.

Corbin Education Center
Corbin Education Center remains closed with repair work underway this fall to replace equipment in mechanical room damaged by a chilled water line break in March.
The College of Applied Studies will likely move back into Corbin at the end of the spring 2025 semester.

McKnight Art Center
Construction will begin soon on ventilation upgrades on the second floor of McKnight North. Work is scheduled to finish by the fall of 2025.

Duerksen Fine Arts Center
Construction will begin after the fall semester to add a single occupancy restroom and lounge area in the B wing.

Wichita Biomedical Campus:

Construction work on the Wichita Biomedical Campus site continues.
At the beginning of November, crews finished up the 270 auger cast piles that were drilled 65-feet deep. Shoring has been installed and now the elevator pits are being dug. They will begin pile caps, and perimeter foundations next.
Road closures around the site will begin in January along with the installation of a tower crane that will be built to begin placing structural steel in February 2025.
You can watch a live broadcast of the construction online at: bigview.ai/wichitabiomedicalcampusliveview.
Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2026.

Innovation Campus:

NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research
Construction on the NIAR HAMR building began in May. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.
The 170,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices. The building will be located on Innovation Boulevard between the Partnership Building 1 and The Suites. The first floor is primarily labs with offices on the second floor.

Partnership Building 3B
P3B, located between Partnership Building 3 and The Smart Factory @Wichita, is under construction. It will house the Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Athletics:

University Stadium Phase 1A
Construction is underway on Phase 1A on the east side of University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium).
Crews are moving dirt to prepare for construction that will include ticketing, restrooms, concessions and bleacher seating.
Phase 1A completion is scheduled for May 2025 before KSHSAA Track and Field State Championship on May 30-31.
Phase 1B will begin after KSHSAA Track and Field State Championship. Phase 1B will consist of widening the field and installing a nine-lane track.

Wilkins Stadium
Construction on the indoor practice facility next to Wilkins Stadium is underway. Steel will arrive on site in late November. The facility is scheduled to be complete in March 2025.

Pickleball courts
Construction will begin by the end of 2024 on three pickleball courts on the lawn area between Heskett Center, Hubbard Hall and Lindquist Hall.
The sculpture “Canto IV – A” will be relocated to the grass area west of McKnight Art Center.