Shocker Neighborhood development panel

Join the Wichita State Office of Strategic Engagement and Planning, W- Young Professionals and ICT UP for a community conversation 5:30-7 p.m. July 20 at McAdams Recreation Center. The event will include a panel lead by community leaders who will discuss and highlight a current development project in the city that sheds light on the importance of exercising civic duty, and how we as residents, students, faculty, staff and business owners can be more engaged with development processes in Wichita.
 
The panel:
1. Former Community Service Rep for District One: Kameelah Alexander
2. Commercial Real Estate: Justin Enlow
3. Community Rep: District One Advisory Board Chair: Tex Dozier
4. Neighborhood business owner: Kirby’s: Alex Thomas
5. Neighborhood resident: Tereza Zardoz
6. Wichita State Student Government Student Body President: Rija Khan
 
The panelists will share their thoughts and experiences on being civically engaged and discuss their visions for future development. The development project we will highlight is in the Shocker Neighborhood around 17th and Hillside Street, University Village.
 
If you are unable to attend the development panel, Wichita State is also asking for community input to use during the current development process of University Village via survey. This is a one-question survey that will then be shared with the private developers who will submit proposals to develop the west and south boundaries of the university. 

Parking lot 3N, 3S closed for repairs

Parking lots 3N and 3S, located by Cessna Stadium, will close for repairs July 19-24. The lots are scheduled to reopen Monday, July 26, provided there are no weather delays. Lot 11, located in front of Devlin Hall, will remain open until completion of lot 3.

Center for Entrepreneurship announces new reporting structure

With the goal of furthering its mission to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among the campus and community, Wichita State’s Center for Entrepreneurship has changed its reporting structure.

Formerly part of WSU’s Barton School of Business, the center is now under the operation of the College of Innovation and Design, led by Dean Jeremy Patterson.

This new reporting structure will continue to move the Center for Entrepreneurship forward as it seeks to grow WSU’s legacy as an entrepreneurship leader in our community. The entrepreneurship major and the associated private academic scholarships will remain with the Barton School.

Additional key decisions will be announced in the coming months.

“The Center for Entrepreneurship’s value to the university and our business community is immeasurable and will remain as we moved forward,” Patterson says.

Five senior Lifelong Learners.

Fall Lifelong Learning courses available at WSU

Wichita State will be offering ten new Lifelong Learning courses for senior citizens this fall. Classes will be offered both in-person and online, making the courses available and accessible to senior citizens statewide.

All in-person classes will be held at Wichita State University’s Metropolitan Complex located at 5015 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, KS 67220. No Lifelong Learning classes will be held at senior centers or retirement communities this semester. In-person registrations will be accepted on a first come basis.

Students who select the online option will receive a link via email each week to view the class on their own devices. Students can watch the recorded course at their convenience.

Residents and members of the community 60 years of age or older can audit these courses without paying tuition.  WSU has scholarship money available to cover course fees for students enrolling before Sept. 8. After Sept. 8, some course fees may apply. Although geared toward the senior citizen population, anyone less than 60 can enroll in the courses if they pay regular tuition and fees.

Courses for fall 2021 include:

  • From Melting Pot to Salad Bowl
  • Mass Extinctions: Are we in a Sixth?
  • Humans and Epidemics
  • Global Politics
  • The Story of Latinx Immigration to Wichita
  • Shakespeare III
  • Philosophy of Humor
  • The Geology of Kansas State Parks
  • Behind the Exhibit Case
  • The People of the Plains

For more information contact 316-978-3731 or email lifelonglearning@wichita.edu.

Forward Together: A monthly newsletter

July 2021 Forward Together newsletter available

This month’s issue of Forward Together starts off with a message from Dr. Rick Muma about how Wichita State fits into the New University model. Additional items include the following:

  • Wichita State names new College of Engineering dean
  • Air Force to develop F-16 digital twin with NIAR’s help
  • Center for Entrepreneurship announces new reporting structure
  • Sanchez earns Kansas Human Rights Commission appointment
  • Wichita State freshman targets Paralympics in rowing time trials
  • Shocker alum helps engineer NASA’s return to the Moon and more
  • Shocker students’ innovation represented at Make48
  • Wichita State named No. 1 most affordable, LGBTQ-friendly school in Kansas

Rededication of class of 1934 sundial July 19

The class of 1934 sundial will rededication is scheduled for Monday, July 19. Remarks are at 11:30 a.m. on the east side of Hubbard Hall.

The late George Platt (1931-2017), associate professor emeritus from the Hugo Wall School, worked with Mary Nelson, Wichita State University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives, to learn the story of the sundial.

The sundial was a gift to the university from the class of 1934. Photos in the Parnassus yearbook from the 1950s show the sundial just west of Jardine Hall. The sundial had been missing for many years and resurfaced in summer 2014.

Wichita State School of Music, Oratorio Concert, Friday, July 23 at 8:00pm, Wichita Channel 8.1 - kpts.org, wichita.edu/music

School of Music’s ‘Oratorio Concert’ to broadcast on KPTS

The Wichita State School of Music is excited to announce the premiere of its 2021 “Oratorio Concert” on KPTS at 8 p.m. July 23 (Wichita channel 8.1), with repeat performances at 9 p.m. July 24 (channel 8.2) and 8 p.m. July 26 (channel 8.2).

The premiere includes recordings of Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” and Joel Thompson’s “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.” The concert will have an encore performance on the WSU School of Music social media channels immediately following the July 23 premier. It will also be archived and available on the WSU School of Music YouTube   and Facebook page.

Word cloud. As entertainment and shopping. Farmers market Grocery store community center cofffee shop transportation public transit educational system activities for kids during summer additional resturants community center libary more entertaiment shade from sun Keep all pools open learning how to swim More money for community Keep bridge open Keep Dunbar threaten open Change pattern of streets Polish streets More community events Remove Power polls More parking Continue places for kids Better education Access to education Better education I would like to see this area be developed to promote community events and provide structures to accommodate crowds for presentations, performance art, plays, etc.. Ideally in support of these events would be small businesses that are lead by students to test out their entrepreneur skills (IE: food stalls, cafes, mini restaurants, lounges, etc). The primary goal of these structures should be to allow for different types of businesses to grow and change as students graduate and new students come in to implement different business ideas. That’s a good question! I’m honestly not 100% sure. Maybe a small local-style shopping center with an opportunity for food and entertainment options. Grocery Store A community center that has things geared towards college students I’d like to see an urban park so the kids can play soccer,basketball & other activities. If you add a dog park then this would also Benefit the neighborhood families greatly. Shopping is not ideal but a grocery store on the property is great. The neighborhood lacks affordable/ accessible access to food. I’d like to see a focus on creating community so a small outdoor theater would also help bring music to local families aswell. Something for the family, go carts, laser tag, bowling. Maybe grocery store, Parking Water park A community center where people can also drop off their recycling and at the center people up cycle those products A coffee shop/art gallery in one Karaoke cafe Restaurants, grocery store, activities for kids, free workout studios, 13th St needs work More benches Free parking, more sculptures Multicultural market More public events Grocery store opportunities, small business opportunities Mental therapy institution Affordable housing Free clinics shaded seating areas hands on events Whole Foods waterpark waterpark ice rink roller coaster grocery store grocery store dog park cafe/restaurant sports center better education outdoor fun stuff basketball more community events youth learning classes update recreational center indoor events more businesses large outdoor fans air condition fix streets make the area a business area improve roads and sidewalks better education unification/ no competition recreational center redo everything / houses more concrete pathway show what it represents restruants add more benches more affordable housing more public events keep save a lot open free parking more and better grocery stores better restaurants more seating kid activities hands on events free clinics more pop up shops for small businesses mental therapy water parks roller coaster dog park sport center cafe' grocery store ice novel Grocery store/pharmacy restaurants something that is accessible (physically and financially) for the exiting members of the Shocker neighborhoods. Supermarket, Movie theater, Recreational Park with swimming pool and splash pad, and trails for bikes, Clothing store, Museums, Pet store. fresh fruits and veggies at good prices - a grocery store an outdoor mall. I think giving space for students to develop products or services and letting them showcase their product for a semester would be great! It allows Wichita’s entrepreneurial spirit to be showcased by WSU entrepreneurial students and giving them applied learning opportunities. A competition could be held for the space or spaces. In the actual mall, I think having a place to eat, live, and play gives out of state and international students a hub just off campus. Staying and including locally-owned firms to Wichita and the surrounding areas would be first. Outdoor open green space with gardens and clean eating eateries and a produce/farmers mixed venue space. Family friendly places for older (teen) kids. Once they outgrow the kid activities, we need more for the 12-17 year old. We also need more social places for the 20-35 crowd. Outdoor exercicse, outdoor eating maybe even on sand around some water. Make a small water feature, surround it with sand and give Wichita a "beach hangout" with some family "game" activities and some young adult "volleyball" activities. shaded areas, walking paths, benches or seats, picnic areas w/tables and seating or w/o Automatic car wash, Arbys (drive thru) Pickleball Courts (The only ones are at chicken N pickle and they’re always super pack, would be a good community building opportunity) Football stadium Coffee shops and and non-fas food venues Restaurants, nail salon, market/grocery store A CVS, Walgreens, or Walmart type of store. Someplace close that one could go to get a last minute greeting card and gift, over-the-counter medicine or Band-Aids, toiletries, and someplace that has a good assortment of snacks and drinks entertainment and grocery stores Health food store - like Sprouts! we would like more chances to have places to walk to, and more public transit. Local stores would be nice. a beer hall with healthy food Grocery store, post office, Farmers market, dog park, smoothie shop, parking garage If developed in this area my family and I would love a theme park with a destination hotel. Let’s stop just being “in the middle.” Let’s bring tourism here instead of just being a blip in the road. I would like to see a water park in our future as well. I think we should develop our downtown waterfront area in a similar fashion to Oklahoma City. They have a great river front district. They have entertainment (not just food) for both family and adults of different ages. Access to groceries and fresh produce + prefer buildings with green certification and development using green energy, low carbon and other sustainability features.

Office of Engagement seeking input for development process

The Wichita State University Office of Strategic Engagement and Planning requests community input for its current development process. The input will be shared later on with the private developers who will submit proposals for augmenting the west and south boundaries of the university, also known as University Village.

Private developers typically build at their discretion with a focus on items that drive economic benefit. We see this survey as an opportunity to elevate the voices of the communities that make up Wichita State and hope that we can bring the desires of those communities into the development process and help bring to fruition some mutually beneficial opportunities.

A Wichita State University student operates machinery at Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute.

Wichita State’s mechatronics program earns ARM endorsement

Wichita State University’s partnership with the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute (ARM) has resulted in the Department of Engineering Technology being among the first programs in the nation to earn an ARM endorsement for their mechatronics track – a certification that will translate to stronger job prospects for graduates.

Track coach uses iPhone, drone, slushies to document Kansas small towns

People from France farmed and produced silk in Kansas in the 1860s as part of a dream of a utopian community.

“Who knows what was going on here in Silkville,” John Wise says as he stands in front of a stone schoolhouse in Franklin County near the end of his 12-minute video.