Category: News

Further strengthening their partnership, the United Way, with assistance from Wichita State University, secured a  Youth Service America (YSA) grant. The $15,000 grant will fund service and leadership opportunities for youth in the area.

The award was based on an application submitted and written by Jadie Chauncey, a community impact intern for United Way of the Plains, who is currently enrolled at Wichita State. Other students who contributed key parts of the application were Ngoc Vuong and Jordy Mosqueda, WSU students with Safe Streets Wichita, as well as Wichita Public School students Truc Dao and Yuki To.

Pete Najera, United Way of the Plains CEO and president, congratulated Chauncey on the grant award. “United Way of the Plains is committed to investing in our youth. We loved working with other community organizations to form this partnership and win this prestigious grant at the national level to benefit our region through the leadership of the next generation. The award also demonstrates the powerful impact of our partnership with Wichita State University and other educational institutions.”

• Three entities will each receive $5,000 from the YSA grant award: United Way of the Plains, Wichita Public Schools, and Safe Streets Wichita
• The initiative’s success will be measured by changes in the volunteering hours and/or rates through a service tracking system used by Wichita Public Schools
• A 12-month timeline for high school and university students to collaborate and contribute service hours will be developed this fall for special events, including 9/11 Day of Service, Martin Luther King Day of Service and Global Youth Service Day. Wichita is one of only five U.S. cities where the grant was awarded

The Office of Adult Learning is considering forming an organization for Wichita State University employees who are working on their first bachelor’s degree.  

To learn more, or to provide input, please contact Pamela O’Neal or call 316-978-8315.

More parking lot repairs are scheduled for this summer. The initial lots will include 6, 10, 20 and 21. More lots will be added over the summer.

Repairs are tentatively scheduled as follows:

Lot 6 – June 7-16

Lot 10 – June 10-16

Lot 21 – June 21-25

Lot 20 – June 28-July 8

Lots will be closed for use during these dates. Please note dates are subject to change. Accommodations can be made for staff with handicapped parking needs.

For questions, please contact David Stauth. You can also view the parking map here.

Wichita State University Libraries provides simpler and easier access for streaming videos. The Resource Of The Month for June covers multiple streaming platforms offered in the libraries’ databases and collections including instructional and entertainment content from some of the most renowned producers.

Discover more at the WSU University Libraries website.

Launching a startup can be difficult and expensive. Save yourself the hassle and money by attending E-Launch 1-4 p.m. June 7-July 19. This hybrid training is available as in-person or digital training.

Register your spot today.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be hosting a come-and-go reception for Danielle Johnson from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 28 at 208 RSC. Bid a bittersweet farewell to Danielle as she begins a new chapter in her life.

Spring 2021 Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness (SPTE) results were mailed to your department on Thursday, May 27.  Please check with your office staff about receiving your results.  No electronic version is available

Insider threats are increasingly a problem in our society. Learn more about the dangers when you enroll in HLS 470D: Insider Threats.

Are these perpetrators negligent or are they acting maliciously? The Ponemon Institute conducted two studies on the cost of insider threats in 2018 and 2020; and according to their reports, the total average cost of a threat increased by 31% between 2017 and 2019, from $8.76 million to $11.45 million.

This 16-week class in fall 2021 explores the ever-growing danger of insider threats faced by both government and business entities. Students will examine real-life case scenarios and strategies used to identify, mitigate, deter, and prevent insider threats from their own and former employees ranging from espionage, embezzlement, sabotage, and active shooters.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has partnered with the WSU Alumni Association to launch the college’s first alumni council. The Barton School of Business Alumni Council consists of professionals who received their bachelor’s or master’s degrees from the business school and represents different regions, degrees and backgrounds. The diverse, global group serves as leaders to numerous companies. The council members can be found on the council’s website.

“We’re excited to partner with the Barton School in creating its alumni council,” said Courtney Marshall, president and CEO of WSU Alumni Association. “There’s a lot of pride in the program you graduate from at WSU. We hope this opportunity creates a deeper connection for our alumni to the Barton School.”

Wichita State University worked with United Way of the Plains and Wichita Public Schools to donate books to second- and third-graders at three Shocker Neighborhood schools: Mueller Aerospace and Engineering Discovery Magnet Elementary School, Jackson Elementary School, and Spaght Science and Communications Magnet Elementary School.

The partnership is part of an effort to elevate awareness about illiteracy and combat summer learning loss. The parental reading guides included with the books encourage working with children to practice and improve their skills even after the school year ends.

Financial donations made earlier this year during a five-day Coaching for Literacy campaign helped fund the summer reading initiative. Nine area high school boys and girls basketball teams joined the Wichita State University Men’s Basketball team in promoting the hashtag ‘Fight4Literacy’ and requesting donations to purchase books. International Paper provided a matching grant through the national nonprofit, Coaching for Literacy. More than $30,000 was raised, including nearly $7,000 donated by local members of Women United.

“Students who aren’t reading at grade level are falling behind. In fact, they’re four times more likely to drop out of school. Our volunteers are passionate about literacy initiatives and many of them have been part of our partnership with area schools that provide reading coaches,” said Women United 2021 Chair, Justine Milmine of INTRUST Bank. “With all the learning disruptions created by the pandemic, we wanted to package and provide book sets for these children so that they stay on track in school and continue improving their reading skills. We’ve missed being part of their success and we are really hoping to get back to our in-person coaching when the next school year starts this fall.”

Pete Najera, United Way of the Plains CEO and President, said, “We know that reading is the cornerstone of all learning and it’s critical for children in that age group to practice reading every day. We fight for every child to reach their potential and growing strong readers is an investment in the future of these children, their families, and our community.”