Category: News

Are you interested in getting involved with voting and civic engagement? Join the Shockers Vote Campus Coalition for monthly meetings to learn more about voting and ways you can get involved. Meetings will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sept. 12, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7 via Microsoft Teams. For questions and meeting information, email CivicEngagement@wichita.edu

During his first clinical rotation, physician associate student Jack Ellzey headed west to Leoti, Kansas. There he got a truly rural Kansas experience.

“In a county of 2000, you are the one-stop shop for everything medical-related. One minute you are finishing your day in the clinic, then you are working a shift at the county fair food shack that evening, before helping EMS during the rodeo. The emergency department consists of one provider, one room, and two beds- yet handles everything from lacerations to multi-system traumas. This rotation confirmed to me why I chose medicine: the privilege of learning through real responsibility, communicating with patients on my own in a meaningful way, and the teamwork aspect that makes everything work. I will be forever grateful to Leoti for the knowledge and experiences they instilled in me, demonstrating that a location on a map does not diminish the level of care that patients deserve.”

WSU Math Circle resumes its weekly meetings, with the first starting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14 in 372 Jabara Hall. Math Circle is a program for middle school students.

Math Circles are education enrichment and outreach groups that bring mathematicians and mathematical scientists into direct contact with pre-college students. These students meet with math professionals in an informal setting, after school or on weekends, to work on interesting problems or topics in mathematics. The goal is to get the students excited and passionate about mathematics.

Students should bring with them a completed registration form from the website.

In response to feedback from employers and alumni, the College of Engineering adapted its engineering technology program to the applied engineering program in fall 2023. Recently, the college announced that the applied engineering program is now accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria with no applicable program criteria. This accreditation assures students that the program meets high-quality standards recognized globally, enhancing their educational experience and increasing their competitiveness in the job market.

Dr. M. Edwin Sawan, the director of the School of Computing within the College of Engineering, is retiring from WSU and stepping down from his position, effective after Friday, Sept. 12. Following Sawan’s departure, Dr. Visvakumar Aravinthan will serve as the interim director of the School of Computing. He is also the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Sawan has been serving as the director of the School of Computing since March 2024 and served as the interim director for several years prior to that. Before those roles, Sawan was a faculty member in the (then) electrical engineering and computer science department for 30 years before retiring as a professor emeritus. During his tenure, he won numerous teaching awards and was published many times. Following the death of his wife, Sawan founded the Maha “Maggie” Sawan Fellowship for international graduate students in 2011, which awards two new Sawan Fellows each academic year.

The Office of Civil Rights, Title IX, & ADA Compliance (CTAC) has invited two finalists for the position of director of ADA & Section 504 compliance to campus for interviews Wednesday, Sept. 10 and Thursday, Sept. 11.

Each candidate will facilitate a presentation outlining how they intend to lead ADA compliance and accessibility efforts at an institution of higher education in 2025. Presentations will begin at 12:45 p.m. and conclude at 1:45 p.m. with an open Q&A session.

To RSVP, contact Linda Sims, executive assistant for CTAC, at linda.sims@wichita.edu.

On Sept. 17, the Shocker community will unite for Wichita State’s annual online day of giving to support the campus community. As a WSU student, your involvement is a crucial element to the fundraising success.

You can get involved by competing in the student group challenge to earn a $1,000 bonus gift, which will be awarded to the student group with the most donors. Sign up your group or organization to compete for the prize.

You can also get involved by becoming an ambassador and sharing more about the giving day. Check out the Ambassador Toolkit for messaging, graphics, gifs and tips to help spread the word.

Wichita State physical education student Ian Stevens had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the Wichita Wind Surge game Aug. 28 during Credit Union of America’s Educators Night. The evening recognized educators and future teachers who make a lasting impact in classrooms and communities.

Stevens was recently named the 2025 Physical Education Student of the Year and has been actively involved in his field, serving on the KAHPERD Board and volunteering at community events. He begins student teaching this fall, continuing his journey toward inspiring students to live healthy, active lives.

His first pitch at Riverfront Stadium served as a celebration of his achievements and a spotlight on the College of Applied Studies’ commitment to preparing the next generation of educators.

Labor Day is coming up Monday, Sept. 1, Shockers, and that means classes will not be in session, and certain services on campus will have adjusted hours.

As we head into the fall semester, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State’s 330 acres and beyond.

McKnight Art Center

Construction is complete for ventilation upgrades in the printmaking classroom and studios on the second floor of McKnight North.

RSC bowling remodel

Construction is completed in the basement of the Rhatigan Student Center for the project to create offices, locker room and conference room for the women’s bowling team.

Shocker Studios expansion

Construction is complete for the expansion of Shocker Studios located at WSU South on Harry Street. The project created four new classrooms and additional office space for the growing School of Digital Arts program.

Wilkins Stadium

Construction is complete on the indoor softball practice facility adjacent to Wilkins Stadium. Inside the building is a netted softball infield that is divisible into batting and pitching practice areas. Exterior work continues on the north side of the new building where the outdoor batting cages will be relocated in preparation for construction of the softball team and operations building to the south of the new building.

University Stadium Phase 1A/1B

Construction is underway for Phase 1B of the University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium). This phase of construction consists of widening the field to hold a regulation-sized artificial turf soccer field and installing a nine-lane track and internal stadium sidewalks that will connect the east and west sides of the facility inside of the fence. Construction is anticipated to continue through the fall semester.

Brennan I, II and III demolitions

Demolition of the three buildings is underway. TRIO/Upward Bound staff have relocated to their new home in Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex. The demolition project is anticipated to be complete by October.

Ablah Library

Repairs are underway on the basement level to replace flooring damaged by the flooding in the spring. Look for announcements from the library on the status of the project.

Grace Wilkie Hall/Grace Wilkie Annex roof replacement

A roof replacement project is scheduled for fall 2025. Fencing will be installed around the perimeter of the building as work progresses.

Henrion Hall HVAC improvements Phase 3 and 4

Construction will begin this fall in Henrion Hall for a project to provide air conditioning to the remainder of the building following recent projects in the sculpture and ceramics classroom areas as well as relocating and expanding the wood shop. The project will be phased to allow the building to remain occupied but will affect building entrances throughout the year. Construction is anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester.

NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research

Construction on the NIAR HAMR building continues to progress. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. The 170,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices. The building is located on Innovation Boulevard between the Partnership Building 1 and The Suites. The first floor is primarily labs with offices on the second floor.

Partnership Building 3B

P3B, located between Partnership Building 3 and The Smart Factory @Wichita, is under construction. It will house the Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).