Category: News

Matilyn “Mati” Newman graduated from Wichita State in May 2025, earning her bachelor’s in integrated marketing communications from the Elliot School of Communication. As a recent graduate, Newman hit the ground running with her role as the digital marketing assistant at the Rotary Club of Wichita. In her role, Newman has witnessed how her classwork intertwines with her professional work.  

“Courses such as Campaigns 626, Ad Copywriting 525 and Communications Strategy 450 have had the most impact on my professional work,” Newman said. “These classes stuck with me, and I find myself referencing to them frequently.” 

Welcomefest is the official welcome campaign for new and returning Shockers and features events, activities and services designed to help everyone have a successful transition to life at Wichita State. Popular programs awaiting new and returning Shockers include Clash of the Colleges, Involvement Fair and much more.

Hosted by various student groups and campus departments, most events are free and give all students a chance to get acquainted with each other, learn their way around campus and find ways to connect with the community. View the schedule of events at wichita.edu/welcomefest.

The Wichita Eagle has released its 2025 Best of Wichita nominations, and Wichita State has been nominated in several categories. The community can vote once a day for their choices in each category through the voting period until 5 p.m. Friday Sept. 5.

• Eat & drink – All-Around Restaurant: Freddy’s
• Eat & drink – Bar/Tavern: Social Tap Drinkery
• Eat & drink – Beer Selection: Social Tap Drinkery
• Eat & drink – Lunch Spot: Wichita State Food Truck Plaza
• Eat & drink – Sports Bar: Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes
• Eat & drink – Tacos: Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
• Education – Childcare: WSU Child Development Center
• Education – College/University: Wichita State University
• Health & beauty – Audiologist/Hearing Center: Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
• Health & beauty – Speech Therapy: Wichita State University (Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic)
• Things to do – Art Gallery: WSU Shift Space, Ulrich Museum of Art, Clayton Staples Gallery
• Things to do – Bowling: Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes
• Things to do – Hotel: Hyatt Place at Wichita State University
• Things to do – Live Theatre: Wilner Auditorium
• Things to do – Museum: Ulrich Museum of Art, Lowell Holmes Museum of Anthropology

The Academe newsletter has returned, and faculty and staff can now submit items for consideration for the first edition in September.

Academe will be published four times a year and will highlight faculty and staff accomplishments. When submitting your item, you will select one of five different categories:

• Research and Publications: Highlights faculty and staff who have recently published research or articles to journals or other reputable publications.
• Presentations: Highlights faculty and staff who have given presentations or seminars off campus, such as at other universities or at conferences.
• Special Projects: Highlights faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond on a project for the university or the community.
• Accolades: Highlights faculty and staff who have been recognized or awarded by a reputable organization.
• In the News: Highlights faculty and staff who have provided their expertise to stories in the news, such as newspapers, magazines, web news, TV stations and/or radio stations.

After selecting your category, please fill out the relevant information for your submission. If you are submitting on behalf of someone else, please indicate that in the comments section.

Submissions for the September edition will be accepted through Friday, Sept. 5. Submission deadlines for future editions of Academe will be shared in WSU Today, so be on the lookout.

If you have questions regarding submissions to Academe, reach out to Caelin Bragg, newsletter editor, at caelin.bragg@wichita.edu or 316-978-3013.

Welcomefest is the official welcome campaign for new and returning Shockers and features events, activities and services designed to help everyone have a successful transition to life at Wichita State. Popular programs awaiting new and returning Shockers include Clash of the Colleges, Involvement Fair and much more.

Hosted by various student groups and campus departments, most events are free and give all students a chance to get acquainted with each other, learn their way around campus and find ways to connect with the community. View the schedule of events at wichita.edu/welcomefest.

Promoting Academic Student Success (PASS) is starting off another academic year and looking for first year students to join. In short, PASS includes paired mentorship with a returning student, bi-weekly workshops and quality social opportunities. This semester’s schedule will start Aug. 26 and will go through Nov. 11. Most programming will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on select Fridays, so mark your calendars. Mentoring is based on your personal availability if there are concerns with Friday conflicts, so you can still apply.

Fill out the application below to the fullest as this information will be used to pair you with your mentor as well as account for you in the program’s data. Email Mia Jefferson at mia.jefferson@wichita.edu for any questions. Applicants will be responded to after the application window closes Friday, Aug. 22 with further details on our first meetup and what to expect for your first semester.

The College of Fine Arts at Wichita State University will proudly celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, commemorating a century of artistic excellence, cultural leadership and community enrichment through creative expression. Beginning later this year, the college will launch a yearlong celebration honoring its storied past, vibrant present and visionary future in arts education.

Founded on July 1, 1926, the College of Fine Arts has been a cornerstone of Wichita State, cultivating generations of artists, musicians, designers, performers and scholars.

“Reaching this significant milestone is a testament to the dedication and passion of our faculty, students, alumni and supporters,” said Marie Bukowski, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “Our centennial year is not only a time to reflect on our achievements, but also an opportunity to energize our commitment to the arts and their essential role in society.”

Centennial year highlights:

• Special exhibitions and performances to showcase work by alumni, faculty and students in visual arts, music, theatre, dance and design.
• Guest lectures and workshops featuring renowned artists and cultural leaders who will share their insights and inspire future creatives.

The College of Fine Arts invites the Wichita community, alumni, students, faculty and staff to take part in this historic celebration. Events will be held throughout the 2025–26 academic year, with details and updates available on the college’s website and social media channels.

As it looks to the future, the College of Fine Arts remains dedicated to fostering creativity, inclusion and excellence—preparing the next generation of artists to create, collaborate and innovate.

The Wichita State University Board of Trustees has approved up to $750,000 to fund a comprehensive feasibility study exploring the creation of Kansas’ first dental school. This is inclusive of support from Fort Hays State University, a partner in the project, which aims to address the state’s shortage of dentists, particularly in rural communities. 

The study, to be completed by fall 2026, will evaluate the scope, scale and structure of a potential dental school based in Wichita, with a presence in rural Kansas through Fort Hays State. Key areas of focus include cohort size, faculty and staff needs, accreditation requirements, facility planning and potential partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers to expand clinical access. 

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program at Wichita State is proud to welcome four new resident dentists to the 2025-26 class: Dr. Ahmed Al Rawe, Dr. Cheyanne Cornwell, Dr. Eric Nguyen and Dr. Monica Noh.  

The AEGD program is a one-year dental residency program that provides dentists with advanced comprehensive clinical experience. It is the only dentistry education training in Kansas. 

The dentists practice at WSU General Dentistry, located at the corner of 29th and Oliver St. The clinic provides a full range of services including cleanings, whitening, fillings and implants, along with in-house specialists for periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, and prosthetics.  

WSU General Dentistry is open to the public and currently accepting new patients. WSU students and their spouses and children are eligible for the Student Dental Discount program. Learn more at wichita.edu/WSUdentalclinic. 

Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) announces the appointment of Eric Hein as director of strategy and product development. In this role, Hein will lead the institute’s long-term strategic planning and guide product development efforts that support industry partners and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Hein brings more than 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, leading engineering, research and development, and defense program execution efforts. At NIAR, he will be responsible for connecting advanced technologies to end users, fostering strategic partnerships and advancing innovative products.

“We are excited to welcome Eric back to Wichita State,” said John Tomblin, executive vice president for Research and Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR executive director. “His extensive background in defense programs, product development and strategic innovation will significantly improve our ability to streamline capabilities across our organization to expand our capabilities, bandwidth and R&D portfolio.”

Prior to joining NIAR, Hein served as vice president of defense programs at Spirit AeroSystems, where he led the execution of key defense contracts and guided the company’s expansion into new defense markets. He began his career at Spirit in 2010, managing propulsion product engineering teams for Boeing programs, including the KC-46A tanker and the 737 MAX. He went on to lead the 737 MAX Propulsion Integrated Product Team and later served as senior director of research and technology, overseeing Spirit’s R&D portfolio, materials and processes group, structures engineering team, and test labs.

Previously, Hein held engineering roles at Cessna and Boeing, contributing to a broad range of commercial and business aircraft programs. He has a private pilot license and Six Sigma certification.

Hein graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross of South Central and Southeast Kansas.