Category: Featured Stories

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.” 

Kansas is home to more than 15,000 archaeological sites containing arrowheads, ceramics and bison bones. Some of those sites, and people’s ability to learn their stories, are in danger.

Dr. Matthew D. Howland, assistant professor in Wichita State University’s Department of Anthropology, is in the early stages of modeling risks posed by erosion caused by rivers, flooding and agricultural plowing.

Funded by a $49,955 grant from the University of Kansas Center for Research and the Kansas Board of Regents, Howland is first modeling erosion risk at every archaeological site in the state, including Etzanoa near Arkansas City, using satellite imagery and spatial analysis. Kansas is home to 15,835 archaeological sites, according to the Kansas Historical Society.

“How many of these sites are at risk, and what’s the level of risk from these factors? That’s the goal of the project,” Howland said. “When you look at (Kansas), we have a whole lot of agriculture, and we have a whole lot of rivers that are crisscrossing the state. It leads self-evidently to try to understand the impact of erosion on the archaeological record.”

Combined enrollment by headcount across all Wichita State University locations for fall 2024 is 23,806, according to the annual data released today by the Kansas Board of Regents. This is the largest number of students ever choosing to enroll at Wichita State.

The main WSU campus achieved historic enrollment last year with 17,548 students and exceeded this year with 17,700 students.

At WSU Tech, student headcount increased from 5,655 last year to 6,106 this year — also the highest headcount ever for WSU Tech.

“This record-breaking enrollment is a testament to our steadfast dedication to student success and achievement,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “It is a direct result of our relentless focus on access and affordability and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. By aligning our resources and efforts, we are equipping students with the skills and opportunities they need to lead in their careers and drive progress across Kansas and on the global stage.”