Category: Featured Stories

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.

Wichita State University has launched the Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology (IRMAT), an innovative collaboration focused on addressing disease and disability through applied research and technology. IRMAT will serve as a hub for cutting-edge, patient-driven research and development of transformative technologies to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

The groundbreaking collaboration brings together Wichita State’s College of Health Professions, College of Engineering, and Industry and Defense Programs, along with inaugural clinical partners Ascension Via Christi’s Rehabilitation Hospital, Heartspring’s Outpatient Services and the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, to accelerate scientific advancements and develop assistive technologies.

Support for teaching and research is critical to Wichita State University’s mission to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. The establishment of an office dedicated to retaining, supporting and developing faculty talent is a significant step toward that.

The Office for Faculty Advancement, Retention and Excellence (FARE), funded in part by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, is opening this semester. Its goals include supporting student success, collaborative and externally funded research, and attracting and retaining a diverse faculty body. Success in meeting these goals will elevate Wichita State’s efforts to become an R1 research institution.

The FARE office will collaborate with several departments across campus to deliver programs and services to support faculty, including Office of the Provost, College of Applied Studies, Office of Instructional Resources, Media Resources Center, Office of Hispanic Serving Initiatives and Office of Research.

Wichita State University has named Dr. Monica Lounsbery as its next senior executive vice president and provost, effective Jan. 5, 2025.

“I am truly privileged to assume the vital role of senior executive vice president and provost at Wichita State University at such a crucial time in both the university’s transformational journey and the broader landscape of higher education,” says Lounsbery. “With WSU’s comprehensive enterprise — including WSU Tech, the Innovation Campus, the creation of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, the National Institute for Aviation Research, and the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation — Wichita State University is driving a new model of higher education that effectively responds to the many challenges facing institutions across the country, including those associated with enrollment, value and cost. I am excited to work closely with President Muma and the WSU campus community — including deans, university leaders, faculty, staff and students — to continue WSU’s trend-bucking trajectory to forge the future of the academy while prioritizing educational access and affordability, meeting workforce talent pipeline needs, and increasing the economic prosperity for the communities we serve.”

People with disabilities are frequently the subjects of research, with much of that focus on their health challenges and the obstacles they face in navigating society.

PhotoVoice changes those dynamics by offering adults with disabilities a chance to show what makes their life enjoyable.

Wichita State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is partnering on the PhotoVoice research project with AbilityPoint, an organization focused on the needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Participants are given a digital camera and memory card to take 50 (or more) pictures of the people, places, things and activities that bring them joy.

The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College has been named a Partners in Peace institution, a new distinction awarded in partnership with the Nobel Peace Center in Norway and the National Collegiate Honors Council. This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to fostering global citizenship, peaceful dialogue and leadership among its students, and it places Wichita State among a select group of institutions that champion peace-focused education.

The Partners in Peace initiative celebrates honors programs and colleges that illuminate the work of Nobel Peace Prize laureates through dedicated curricula and hands-on learning experiences. By examining the lives and accomplishments of individuals and organizations that have promoted peace since the Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901, students are encouraged to engage with both historical and contemporary issues impacting peace.

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.

Military and Veterans Services is being recognized for its work in supporting our campus’ military service members and veterans, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed. Hear from Larry Burks, LTC (R) – US Army, director of Military and Veterans Services, on how the office is supporting mental health.

A partnership between Wichita State and the University of Kansas is designed to help new mothers improve their mental health and prevent suicide.

For more than a year, HOPE kits, from WSU’s Health Outreach Prevention and Education Services, have helped people deal with mental health crises. Wichita State is taking that successful program and adapting it to the perinatal population with Growing HOPE kits, in coordination with the Center for Research for Infant Birth and Survival (CRIBS) at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

“We’re really excited to partner with Wichita State,” said Dr. Cari Schmidt, director of CRIBS. “We know that mental health challenges during pregnancy are one of the top complications that we see. Finding support for our families through this partnership and being able to provide our Growing HOPE kits is crucial to supporting their mental wellness and connecting them to resources.”

Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (MDL), a vital resource during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now leveraging its expertise to explore new frontiers. By addressing critical gaps in the health care system, the lab is also offering invaluable hands-on training for students, shaping the future of health care.

Building on its pandemic-era success, MDL is now expanding its reach in three significant areas:

• Microbiology services – Collaborating with small, rural hospitals to process their microbiology specimens, ensuring these communities have access to essential and timely diagnostic services.
• Technical consulting and professional services – Offering technical consultancy and professional services to help small hospitals and clinics maintain and achieve certification, empowering them to establish and operate their own laboratories.
• Pathology partnership – MDL secured a contract with Southcentral Pathology, bringing its technical work under Wichita State’s purview.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus is using a $1 million grant to purchase audiology equipment for assessment, teaching, and research, supporting workforce training for in-demand jobs. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration recently announced the grant, which will be matched by $1 million in local funds.  

“Wichita State University is equipping students with the skills they need to excel in their careers,” Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said. “This investment from the Economic Development Administration will deliver state-of-the-art technology to WSU to provide students with top-notch training.”