Category: News

Four clinical mental health counseling students from Wichita State have launched the “Are You Theorious?” podcast. Greg Chewning, Alec Dulaney, Damian Montanez and Timber Keller aim to foster community and inspire creativity in clinical mental health.

Covering topics like counseling theories, emotions, diagnoses, relationships and client experiences, the podcast seeks to spark wonder, aid in personal growth and empathize with listeners. Drawing from their Wichita State experiences, the podcast serves as a platform to share insights, with weekly episodes featuring group discussions, smaller formats and insightful monologues.

The Regional Institute on Aging (RIA) at Wichita State is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for graduate student or faculty projects and research, supported by a gift from the estate of Evelyn Cassat, that addresses issues related to facilitating well-being in older adults.

The RIA is currently accepting applications until April 1.

The Barton School of Business has announced that Dr. Seth Cockrell will serve as the next chair of the Marketing Department. Cockrell, who has been working at the Barton School for more than five years as a faculty member, will take over from Duane Nagel, recently appointed as the Barton School’s senior associate dean.

“Seth is well-suited to guide our marketing department to unprecedented levels of excellence, building upon the growth trajectory established by Duane’s leadership,” remarked Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School.

Cockrell has a wealth of experience from working in both corporate settings and academia. He has served as an SAP consultant with HCL AXON where he worked in the areas of logistics, operations management, MIS and CRM on projects for notable companies such as Sikorsky Aircraft, Schweizer Aircraft, TXU Energy and Consumers Energy.

Wichita State has a single website for all students, staff and faculty to utilize for reporting any incidents of concerning behavior. If you see something that gives you cause for concern, submit any information you have through the appropriate form on the website, which includes reporting forms for:

• Care Team: Used to report any person who is concerned about the health or safety of a WSU student, employee, visitor or the campus community at large.
• Title IX/ Discrimination: Used to report any discrimination on the basis of sex and all forms of protected characteristic discrimination.
• Bias Incident: Used to report any bias related incidents.
• Student Advocate: Used to report any student complaint, where the student advocate can help provide resources and resolution options.
• Conduct: Used to report behavior that is disruptive to the campus community, infringes on any person’s ability to successfully pursue their academic progress, violates the Student Code of Conduct or puts others or themselves in danger.
• Academic Integrity: Used to report violations of the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual Section 2.17 / Student Academic Integrity.
• Clery: Used to report any clery crimes.

Remember, if there is an emergency, always call Wichita State University Police at 316-978-3450 or dial 911.

The College of Engineering has announced that Dr. Jacob Mendez will serve as its interim assistant dean for student success. The position was previously held by Dr. Jason Bosch, who recently accepted a new position at the Kansas Leadership Center. The assistant dean role involves leading the Engineering Student Success Center (ESSC) which currently includes five other staff members.

Before accepting the interim assistant dean position, Dr. Mendez served as the director of student engagement and career readiness within the ESSC. His track record includes spearheading transformative student engagement initiatives and propelling the growth of signature programs like the ACE Mentoring Program, Engineering Living Learning Communities and GEEKS Tutoring Center. College-wide events like Engineering Welcome Week and National Engineers Week have also flourished under his leadership. Recently, Dr. Mendez collaborated closely with Dr. Bosch on a student professional development program.

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is here to help students and families unlock every dollar. With the new 2024-25 FAFSA simplification, things seem to be taking longer than expected. However, financial aid is here to ease your mind and reassure you its team is ready to support Shockers in the process.

In response to the delay, it has extended its 2024-25 FAFSA priority date to April 1. It currently is available for in-person and virtual appointments. Financial aid encourage all prospective and current Shockers to attend one of its completion events during the WSU FAFSA Tour. Visit the links below for more information on the events and about the FAFSA at Wichita State University.

• About FAFSA (wichita.edu/FAFSA)
• FAFSA completion events (wichita.edu/financialaidevents)
• Make an appointment (wichita.edu/finaidappt)

Once FAFSA data is released to financial aid, it is committed to sharing financial aid information as soon as possible. It assures you that there will be enough time and it is here for you. For quick information, follow financial aid on Facebook and Instagram.

“Completing the FAFSA form is the first step to unlocking thousands of dollars in need-based scholarships, grants, work-study and student loans to help pay toward your college costs. We are here to help you through this process” said Sheelu Surender, executive director of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Wichita State has released the list of all 1,280 Shockers who graduated in fall 2023.

Overall, graduates completed a total of 1,380 degrees — 834 undergraduate degrees and certificates and 549 graduate degrees and certificates — with 168 honored as cum laude, 184 honored as magna cum laude and 48 honored as summa cum laude.

Wichita State has released the names of the 3,686 students included in the fall 2023 semester Dean’s Honor Roll list. To be included on the honor roll, students must be a full-time student (at least 12 credit hours) and have at least a 3.5 grade point average on the 4.0 scale.

The Barton School of Business has finalized the inaugural group for the Erin and Kyle Cummings $500,000 Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). The class consists of 30 students from across the world representing 10 majors.

“This represents the epitome of applied learning. The unmatched experiences and opportunities to invest real money will be a substantial asset, fostering the growth and knowledge of each participant.” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School.

In February, SMIF students will embark on a historic venture, collaboratively investing $250,000 in stocks, bonds and more — the first opportunity of its kind in school history. Guiding and inspiring them will be Paul Attwater, a seasoned industry executive boasting over 40 years of experience in investing and wealth management.

The proceeds from the portfolio will be reinvested into the program, allocating a percentage to bolster Barton School’s student experience and support initiatives aimed at enhancing their success.

Enthusiasm is building as the powerhouse team behind the 2024 Tilford Conference is announced, a vibrant celebration of diversity, equity and inclusion at Wichita State. It is delighted to unveil the distinguished Statewide Advisory Committee Representatives, a pair of exceptional individuals who will shape the transformative event:

• Dr. Rhonda Lewis, professor and graduate coordinator, Department of Psychology
• Dr. Gary Brooking, chair of applied engineering

These accomplished professionals will play a pivotal role in crafting an inspiring and impactful Tilford Conference, with over 500 attendees expected to participate. The event is scheduled to take place at Wichita State Oct. 3-4.

Save the date:

As the conference approaches, rest assured that countless hours of meticulous planning are underway.

In addition to the Statewide Advisory Committee, it is in the process of forming additional committees, ensuring a diverse group of individuals contribute their expertise to make this conference unforgettable.

Stay tuned for more updates as it unveils the conference agenda, introduce the distinguished speakers and open registration.

Learn more about Dr. Michael P. Tilford.