Category: News

The Office of Civil Rights, Title IX, & ADA Compliance (CTAC) has invited two finalists for the position of director of ADA & Section 504 compliance to campus for interviews Wednesday, Sept. 10 and Thursday, Sept. 11.

Each candidate will facilitate a presentation outlining how they intend to lead ADA compliance and accessibility efforts at an institution of higher education in 2025. Presentations will begin at 12:45 p.m. and conclude at 1:45 p.m. with an open Q&A session.

To RSVP, contact Linda Sims, executive assistant for CTAC, at linda.sims@wichita.edu.

On Sept. 17, the Shocker community will unite for Wichita State’s annual online day of giving to support the campus community. As a WSU student, your involvement is a crucial element to the fundraising success.

You can get involved by competing in the student group challenge to earn a $1,000 bonus gift, which will be awarded to the student group with the most donors. Sign up your group or organization to compete for the prize.

You can also get involved by becoming an ambassador and sharing more about the giving day. Check out the Ambassador Toolkit for messaging, graphics, gifs and tips to help spread the word.

Wichita State physical education student Ian Stevens had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the Wichita Wind Surge game Aug. 28 during Credit Union of America’s Educators Night. The evening recognized educators and future teachers who make a lasting impact in classrooms and communities.

Stevens was recently named the 2025 Physical Education Student of the Year and has been actively involved in his field, serving on the KAHPERD Board and volunteering at community events. He begins student teaching this fall, continuing his journey toward inspiring students to live healthy, active lives.

His first pitch at Riverfront Stadium served as a celebration of his achievements and a spotlight on the College of Applied Studies’ commitment to preparing the next generation of educators.

Labor Day is coming up Monday, Sept. 1, Shockers, and that means classes will not be in session, and certain services on campus will have adjusted hours.

As we head into the fall semester, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State’s 330 acres and beyond.

McKnight Art Center

Construction is complete for ventilation upgrades in the printmaking classroom and studios on the second floor of McKnight North.

RSC bowling remodel

Construction is completed in the basement of the Rhatigan Student Center for the project to create offices, locker room and conference room for the women’s bowling team.

Shocker Studios expansion

Construction is complete for the expansion of Shocker Studios located at WSU South on Harry Street. The project created four new classrooms and additional office space for the growing School of Digital Arts program.

Wilkins Stadium

Construction is complete on the indoor softball practice facility adjacent to Wilkins Stadium. Inside the building is a netted softball infield that is divisible into batting and pitching practice areas. Exterior work continues on the north side of the new building where the outdoor batting cages will be relocated in preparation for construction of the softball team and operations building to the south of the new building.

University Stadium Phase 1A/1B

Construction is underway for Phase 1B of the University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium). This phase of construction consists of widening the field to hold a regulation-sized artificial turf soccer field and installing a nine-lane track and internal stadium sidewalks that will connect the east and west sides of the facility inside of the fence. Construction is anticipated to continue through the fall semester.

Brennan I, II and III demolitions

Demolition of the three buildings is underway. TRIO/Upward Bound staff have relocated to their new home in Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex. The demolition project is anticipated to be complete by October.

Ablah Library

Repairs are underway on the basement level to replace flooring damaged by the flooding in the spring. Look for announcements from the library on the status of the project.

Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex roof replacement

A roof replacement project is scheduled for fall 2025. Fencing will be installed around the perimeter of the building as work progresses.

Henrion Hall HVAC improvements Phase 3 and 4

Construction will begin this fall in Henrion Hall for a project to provide air conditioning to the remainder of the building following recent projects in the sculpture and ceramics classroom areas as well as relocating and expanding the wood shop. The project will be phased to allow the building to remain occupied but will affect building entrances throughout the year. Construction is anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester.

NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research

Construction on the NIAR HAMR building continues to progress. 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 is 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).

Check out the new version of the myShockerhealth newsletter. Twice a month, the Student Health newsletter provides relevant health information and wellness tips for WSU students and staff. Opportunities to engage in healthy activities, events and volunteer service are also highlighted.

Welcome Dr. Tiffany Schmidtberger back to Wichita State as the new director of Student Conduct & Community Standards (SCCS). In this role, Tiffany will provide leadership to the SCCS office, guiding efforts to foster accountability, integrity and community responsibility.

A proud WSU alumna (’05, bachelor of arts in psychology), Tiffany’s leadership journey began right here — serving in SAC, SGA and Housing. Her passion for service led her to AmeriCorps VISTA, a doctorate in education policy and impactful roles in residence life and student affairs.

SPARK (formerly Women of WSU) is now accepting memberships. Membership has expanded to be more inclusive of all the employees at WSU, WSU affiliates and their spouses, regardless of gender. The price remains $12 for a year of “Social, Philanthropic, Activities, Relationships and Kindness.”

SPARK provides scholarships to WSU students and fosters a sense of community through the spirit of friendliness and support. Several interest groups are offered and may be selected for free on the payment page. Proposals for new groups are welcome

Go to the section menu on the SPARK website for details about interest groups, events and membership. Contact Angela Paul, VP of membership, at angela.paul@wichita.edu, spark@wichita.edu or 316-978-5084.

Lucas Garces is a double-alumnus of Wichita State. He first graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s in business administration, then again in 2020 with a master’s in applied economics. Today, he works at Google as a data scientist. 

His degrees reflect his interest in finance and economics. His bachelor’s concentration was in finance and financial management services, and his master’s focused on financial economics. However, Garces was still exploring his ideal career path during college. It was through various internship roles during his studies that he began to uncover it. 

Faculty and staff in the College of Applied Studies will move back into Corbin Education Center throughout the week, starting Monday, Aug. 25.

The building, located on the north side of campus, has been closed since March 2024 after a water line break caused flooding in the basement. Since then, crews have worked to restore and prepare the facility for reopening.

Designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and dedicated in 1964, Corbin Education Center is both a protected historical site and the long-time home of the College of Applied Studies. Named after former WSU President Harry F. Corbin Jr., the center is one of the most recognizable and iconic structures on Wichita State’s campus.