Category: News

People are returning to the Wichita State University campus as summer continues and the fall semester approaches. If you’re a newcomer – or feel like it’s been a while – you’ll notice construction and new businesses on campus. 

Faculty and students now have two resources available at the Wichita State University Service-Learning website. These resources include the following:

• A faculty module to support faculty in understanding teaching pedagogy, academic service-learning best practices, including building community partnerships, and reflection. Certificate generated at completion for inclusion in your FAR.
• A student module that faculty can assign to students to provide training and guidance for course integration of service-learning. A personalized certificate is generated for students who complete the module.

The Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Wichita State University honored local small business owners Mark Buckley and Geneva Nisly, owners of the Toy Depot Inc., and Sarah Leslie, owner of Leslie Coffee Co., at the 2021 Kansas Small Business Awards Ceremony Aug. 2.

Toy Depot Inc. was presented with the award for best existing business of the year. Located in Hutchison, Kansas, this vintage 1920s-style toy store sells original board games, action figures, trains, dolls and collectible items. Since they began working with the Kansas SBDC, Buckley and Nisly have had a two-fold increase in sales on their website and on eBay, as well as increased customers in the store through social media marketing.

Leslie Coffee Co. was presented with the award for best emerging business of the year. Leslie learned and honed her coffee-loving craft while living in New York and was excited to bring the unique culture back to Wichita. The Kansas SBDC helped her develop a business plan, set financial projections, find a location, prepare for a loan request and assisted with the opening process.

Congratulations to our winners.

Parking services will close portions of the parking garage outside the Rhatigan Student Center Friday, Aug. 13, for an event. The fourth floor will close all day. The third floor and the ramp leading to it will close after 5 p.m.

Customers with a Yellow ePermit who park on the fourth level are permitted to park on the second and third floors Aug. 13.

The annual Michael Tilford Conference on Diversity and Multiculturalism until 11:49 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13.

Submissions should relate to the theme of this year’s conference, “Better Together: The Power of Coalition Building in DEI Work.” The conference will focus on the power and necessity of building coalitions within diversity, equity and inclusion work, in order to create lasting change within higher education.

For more information or to submit a proposal, please click the link below.

The new Wichita State Blackboard Support portal is open for business.

In addition to a frequently asked questions section, users can also access to connect via chat, calls or email for assistance. Simply search by phrase or keyword. 

Interested in joining the Shocker Rowing crew? The next rowing interest meeting will take place noon-6 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Shocker Rowing Boathouse at River Visita (150 North McLean Boulevard in Wichita) The meeting is also available via Zoom (Password 755225).

Wichita State University will host the Institute by LeaderShape Oct. 8-11at Rock Springs 4-H Center in Junction City, Kansas. LeaderShape is a nationally recognized organization that facilitates participants through a series of dynamic, challenging and exciting sessions designed to increase, develop and launch the leadership capacity of students.

Participants will cultivate leadership skills, reflect and discuss leadership lessons within a small cohort or cluster of students. LeaderShape will be held Oct. 8-11at Rock Springs 4-H Center in Junction City, Kansas.

For more information, visit the LeaderShape Institute website.

Summer 2021 Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness (SPTE) results were mailed to your department Friday, Aug. 6.

For more information, contact Sandy Ranney, Social Science Research Lab associate director, at 316-978-5984.

After a national search, Aaron Hamilton is the next director of Wichita State University’s OneStop Student Services.

Hamilton received both his Bachelor of Arts in communications and his Master of Public Administration degrees from WSU. He previously worked at WSU Undergraduate Admissions since 2003. During this time, Hamilton served in progressive leadership roles as senior recruitment coordinator; assistant, associate and senior associate director of admissions. Hamilton also served on the President’s Diversity Council, was appointed the government relations chair for the Great Plains Association of College Admissions Counselors (GPACAC), and worked as president and treasurer for the Kansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (KACRAO).

In this new role, Hamilton will oversee the activities of OneStop, which provides first-level of support for all students in matters relating to admissions, registration, financial aid, student accounts. and general advising. OneStop also provides advising for all first-year students, providing seamless support for students navigating the complexities of college before they arrive on campus.

The OneStop is an important part of the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) team and reports directly to the associate vice president for SEM, Dr. Carolyn Shaw. OneStop began in 2014 in an effort to support students better and reduce the amount of work it would take students to resolve their nonacademic issues.