Category: News

On Feb. 28, Wichita State hosted National TRIO & GEAR UP Day 2025 at Woolsey Hall, celebrating the transformative impact of the federally funded programs. Betty Paugh Ortiz, vice president of programs at NCCEP, delivered a keynote on GRIT: Growth Mindset, Resilience, Impact and Transformation. Associate VP Deltha Colvin, the trailblazer of these programs, highlighted TRIO’s 60-year legacy, while Provost Monica Lounsbery emphasized the programs’ impact on student success.

The event featured interactive activities, including a scavenger hunt, a hands-on technology session and a mental health workshop led by Dr. Larry Mitnaul. Dr. Alicia Thompson reaffirmed WSU’s commitment to supporting underserved students. With nine TRIO and three GEAR UP programs serving 7,000+ students statewide, WSU remains a leader in educational access. These programs continue to provide vital support, ensuring students achieve their full potential.

For more information, visit the Office of Special Programs website.

Jocelyn Galicia-Powell is a Wichita State graduate and founder of 2UAuto, a local auto company that comes to you to detail your vehicle. She also owns The Outpost, a restaurant near Cheney Lake. Check out the latest Shock Doc featuring Jocelyn and hear how her time at Wichita State set her up for success.

Wichita State is more than a campus where students learn and study. It’s a place to solve problems, to do research, to forge a pathway to a better tomorrow. It is a community where the dreamers, doers and Shockers of the future are encouraged to push boundaries, think critically and pursue their passions.

Kyle Shay studied abroad in Bilbao, Spain in fall 2024. Check out Kyle’s spotlight to learn about his semester abroad.

Are you interested in studying abroad over the next winter break? Start planning now and look at the options available in many different countries.

Programs are generally three weeks long during the month of January. Areas of study include environmental studies, international business, music, religion, art history, photography, language, psychology, sociology and more. Costs range from $2,000 to $6,290 (includes most fees for the programs except for the flight).

Get started by completing the WSU study abroad application or email Study Abroad at studyabroad@wichita.edu.

The African American Faculty and Staff Association (AAFSA) is pleased to announce its spring 2025 scholarship recipients.

• Gabriela Zermeno – Junior majoring in international studies and business administration
• Caitlyn Joseph – Junior majoring in biomedical engineering
• Anestacia Marston – Sophomore majoring in psychology

The AAFSA scholarship, awarded annually, is very competitive yet these recipients stood out among all other applicants based on well-written and articulated essays, academic performance and their well-communicated need.

Are you ready to take your business idea to the next level? The Shocker New Venture Competition (SNVC) is your chance to showcase your startup, gain mentorship and compete for funding. Whether you’re refining an early-stage idea or scaling a venture, SNVC provides the resources and connections to help you succeed.

Competition timeline:

• Round one: March 3-27 – Application and business model video submission due
• Round two: May 2 – Trade show
• Round three: May 2 – Finals

Why compete?

• Grand prize of $25,000 to jumpstart your venture
• Receive expert feedback from judges and mentors
• Network with investors, entrepreneurs and fellow innovators

Don’t miss this opportunity to turn your vision into reality.

The College of Engineering hosted a public 5k run/walk from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 on the WSU campus. More than 130 people registered for the event, and despite the cold temperatures, 106 people ultimately participated. Through registration fees, about $3,600 was raised, which will benefit the College of Engineering Need-Based Scholarship Fund.

Following the 5k, awards were presented to the overall fastest participant, as well as the top three fastest male and female participants in the student category, staff/faculty category, alumni category and community member category. Winners were as follows:

• Overall fastest: Max Lazzo (alum)
• Top three male students: Cooper Zimmer, Adan Silerio and Cole Albert
• Top three female students: Lizabeth Mueting, Olivia O’Reilly and Isabella Porter
• Top two male staff/faculty: Christopher Leonard and Kobe Ford
• Top three female staff/faculty: Monica Bergkamp, Tracee Friess and Julie Scott
• Top three male alumni: Max Lazzo, Clark Pint and PJ Phan
• Top three female alumni: Carina Perez, Samatha Ringer and Natalie Castillo
• Top three male community members: Samual Scott, Seth Bergman and Ryan Nance
• Top three community members: Sana Christmann, Erika Pint and Daisy Marquez

The Office of Human Resources would like to welcome Triniece Robertson to Wichita State as its new director of HR operations and Total Rewards. Triniece started in her role in February.

With her 10 years of experience in human resources, including most recently as the director of human resources from the city of Newton, Triniece will provide leadership and oversight on compensation, benefits, leave/ADA, HRMS and the HR Service Center teams as a member of WSU’s HR office.

She graduated from WSU with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and from the University of Phoenix with a master’s degree in human resource management. She is also a SHRM-CP and is president-elect for the Kansas PSHRA (Public Sector HR Association).

The goal of the VOLARÉ Institute of HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities) is to build research capabilities at the participating HSI institutions by increasing funding levels and expanding STEM initiatives. The VOLARÉ Institute is funded by NSF for at least the inaugural year. The WSU team consists of Dr. Sara Mata, executive director of Hispanic Serving Initiatives; Dr. Rhonda Lewis, professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Psychology; and Dr. Coleen Pugh, dean of the Graduate School.

WSU faculty are encouraged to fill out the VOLARE Institute Faculty Survey. Check your email for your personal invitation to complete the survey. The link would have been sent to your WSU email address March 4. It will be sent again on March 11 if you have not already completed it by then.