Category: News

Wichita State’s College of Engineering is ranked 12th in the country out of over 500 universities in the Cyber Power Rankings, which were created by Cyber Skyline in partnership with the National Cyber League (NCL). The rankings represent the ability of students to perform real-world cybersecurity tasks on the Cyber Skyline platform.

Students from across the College of Engineering, primarily cybersecurity and computer science majors in the School of Computing, competed in various team and individual competitions. The new ranking for Wichita State is up from 20th place in the fall.

In addition to the overall ranking, the student team Sky-Shoc-2025 — headed by Charles Hill and made up of students Joe Rehhop, Daniel Halbleib, Juan Barrientos, Harsh Subnani, Carlos RSF and Alexander Pickett — placed eighth out of nearly 5,000 teams. Other WSU teams include:

• 41th place: Club Penguin – Aidan McGillivray, Sophia Hunt, Koral Richardson, Divy Patel, Hyacinthe Howell, Jack Delmar, Morgan Stewart
• 106th place: Beggs Badgers – Brynn Potter, Ashe Pate, Andrew Sauls, Jessica Methman, Bryden Young, Jason Kurtz, Andrew G.
• 156th place: Wuber Drivers – John Sanburn, John Dugan, Agustin, Andrew Lisenby, Juan Herrera, Preston Elliott, Klayton Carroll
• 174th place: Apun – Sophie Clarke, Sean Dugan, Liam Moore, Remington Derksen, Hannah Nikkel, Kyra Rolen, Reilly Waller
• 220th place: WuRu? – Adrien Banuelos, Adrian Ceballos, Ike Wells, Tyler Crabtree, Alex Caldwell, Joseph Damato, Sheikh Mohamed Ragib Ahsan
• 229th place: WULUGNUTS – Arpan Dey, Clementine Maldonado, Chelsia MathewJudin, Brett Blasi, EnmaAisha User
• 230th place: Noble – Joshua Penka, Matthew Larsen, Mason Lang, Luke Stenzel, Juan Banales, Luke Stenzel, Cece Marquez
• 244th place: CVE 316 – Benjamin Gerstenkorn, Set Htut, Spencer Russell, Hon Luu, Fabian Gracia, Ryan Buck-Carlson, Dylan Busby
• 314th place: WuGotThis – Braden McCaig, Jacob Rutt, Vicky Li, Lena Moore, Marshal Underwood, Tyler Scholl, Conner Schinkus
• 415th place: Wubynumbers – Waleed Qaki, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chukwuemeka Iweha, Zac Reichuber, Austin Hall, Dylan Insixiengmay

Individuals were also recognized, with seven Wichita State students breaking the top 500 of over 8,500 individuals:

• 84th place: Aidan McGillivray
• 149th place: Joe Rehhop
• 177th place: Daniel Halbleib
• 249th place: Juan Barrientos
• 304th place: Sophie Clarke
• 448th place: Sophia Hunt
• 470th place: Arpan Dey

The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award honors institutions that foster a culture of mental health wellness and belonging by providing innovative support for the emotional well-being of students, faculty and staff.

Awardees demonstrate campus-wide integration of mental health initiatives, including accessible services, peer support, emotional resilience and proactive policy. Along with an inspiring group of peers, Wichita State receives this national higher education honor with an ongoing commitment to being a positive influence in the lives of all students, faculty, staff and administrators.

Returning to college isn’t always easy, but Aria’s journey proves it’s worth it. Through the Shocker Comeback Program, Aria re-enrolled at Wichita State to pursue a more stable career with greater earning potential. Financial challenges and time constraints made the process daunting, but the Comeback Scholarship helped relieve the burden while WSU’s flexible online accounting program made balancing life and school possible.

The Division of Student Affairs proudly announces the recipients of the inaugural Divisional Staff Excellence and Pillar Awards, honoring the exceptional individuals who embody the heart and mission of Student Affairs through their unwavering dedication to student success and community impact.

These awards are more than recognition — they are a celebration of the passion, perseverance and purpose that drive staff to connect every student through the division’s guiding pillars: equip, educate, empower and engage. In launching the Divisional Staff Excellence Awards, Student Affairs is elevating a culture of appreciation and belonging.

This year’s honorees were selected from a highly competitive group of nominees, each representing diverse roles, departments and contributions across campus. These individuals inspire all to lead with integrity, show up with heart and serve with excellence.

Staff Excellence Award recipients

• Rising Star Award: Clarence Albury
• Milestone Award: Tia Hill
• Outstanding Supervisor Award: Samantha Rowan
• Unsung Hero Award: Kimberly Vermillion
• Transformational Leader Award: Dr. Christopher Leonard
• Excellence in Belonging Award: Caitlin Nolen

Pillar Award recipients

• Equip: Emily Zimmerman
• Engage: Vanessa Bell
• Empower: Kennedy Rogers
• Educate: Cora Olson

Honoring a legacy: The Dr. Teri Hall Connecting Every Student Award

In tribute to a legacy that has shaped the very foundation of Student Affairs at Wichita State, the Division of Student Affairs is honored to present the inaugural Dr. Teri Hall Connecting Every Student Award. For years, Dr. Teri Hall has led with fierce compassion, intentional care and a deep-rooted belief in the power of connection. Her commitment to inclusion, balance, student-centeredness and staff well-being has touched every corner of the division.

This award, named in her honor, celebrates a leader whose heart, vision and advocacy have made a lasting impact. Because of Dr. Hall, Shocker Nation is more connected, more courageous and more committed to the mission of serving students with empathy and excellence. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of student affairs professionals for years to come.

The Division of Student Affairs celebrated these outstanding team members during its annual summer retreat on June 18, with a special presentation by Dr. Monica Lounsbery, senior executive vice president and provost, who joined in honoring the award recipients.

The College of Health Professions is pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Henderson as the new associate dean for research, compliance and accreditation. In this role, Henderson will lead strategic initiatives to ensure the quality and integrity of research programs, uphold accreditation standards, support faculty development and enhance educational opportunities for students. Her leadership will play a key role in advancing the college’s mission and vision. Henderson will also serve as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences.

Henderson joins Wichita State from the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Public Health, where she has served since 2016 as a faculty member in the Department of Health Policy, Management and Leadership and as director of accreditation, planning and evaluation. She also actively works with the Department of Public Health Sciences at Wichita State as they pursue accreditation in their programs.

Henderson is the former chair of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Data Section and has served on the ASPPH Data Advisory Committee since 2018. She was a founding member of the ASPPH Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Task Force and currently serves on both the ASPPH Peer Review Advisory Group and Education Advisory Committee.

Henderson is the editor-in-chief of Pedagogy in Health Promotion and a master facilitator for the WVU ADVANCE Center, where she leads training and research on consensus building and problem solving. She also serves on the S.T.E.P.S. EQI committee, which focuses on simulation training in healthcare.

Her research, based on her training as a social psychologist, focuses on educational and community-based health interventions. She is involved in projects through the NIH-funded West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the WVU Health Affairs Institute, which provides advanced data analytics across the state.

With over 20 years of experience in accreditation and compliance, Henderson has led evaluation and reporting efforts at the program, school and university levels.

Her recent honors include the WVU Chancellor’s Mentor Award, the Women in Science and Health (WISH) Mid-Career Award and the Foundation for the Advancement of Health Education’s (FAHE) Ann E. Nolte Writing Award.

The Office of Financial Services (Accounts Receivable/Student Accounts, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Purchasing and Travel) will have limited services available Tuesday, June 24 due to year-end processing.

If you have not already done so, submit your fall 2025 textbook requests to the Shocker Store. The latest Access Now requests will be accepted is Monday, June 30.

Requests for course materials to be in Access Now will be accepted via email (lisa.fitzsimmons@wichita.edu), in person (RSC Shocker Store) or campus mail (box 55). For any questions or concerns, contact the Shocker Store at shockerstore.books@wichita.edu or 316-978-7032.

Wichita State University celebrated 126 graduates of its Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP), which helps paraeducators become licensed teachers while continuing to work. Most are first-generation college students, now moving from earning about $11,000/year to starting salaries around $40,000.

The ceremony included starfish pins and TAP stoles, symbolizing the impact educators make. “The Teacher Apprentice Program provided me with the support, tools, and coaching I needed to grow into the educator I am today,” said graduate Janete Hernandez. “I’m proud to have completed this journey and excited to continue making a difference in the classroom.”

TAP also helps fill critical teacher shortages in Kansas – nearly 200 positions this year alone.

Dr. Linnea GlenMaye, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, has announced that she will retire Aug. 16.

In 1998, GlenMaye came to Wichita State after completing her dissertation in social welfare at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 2004, she was appointed as director of the School of Social Work, and in 2011 she moved into her current role as associate vice president for Academic Affairs. She also served as the acting dean of the College of Health Professions in 2020.

GlenMaye has been instrumental in developing the Master of Social Work program and has contributed significantly to academic affairs and faculty development.

“Dr. GlenMaye has been a steady, thoughtful presence at Wichita State for more than two decades. Her ability to lead with intellect and empathy has made this university better,” said Dr. Monica Lounsbery, senior executive vice president and provost.

Details regarding the search for her successor will be shared in the coming months.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve Wichita State in several roles over these 27 years. Over that time, I’ve seen so much change and growth, but one thing never changes and that is the importance of relationships built across the campus. I will dearly miss the outstanding faculty, staff, and students who have enriched my life both personally and professionally,” GlenMaye said.

There will be a reception to honor GlenMaye’s service to the university and to celebrate her retirement from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 in Woolsey Hall’s Fidelity Ballroom.

Wichita State’s Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) recently concluded a report done at the request of the Wichita/Sedgwick County Homelessness Task Force, looking at the economic impact of homelessness in the city and county.

The study is the most comprehensive local effort to date to quantify the financial effects of homelessness across public, nonprofit and private sectors.

“Homelessness impacts our entire community. That’s why this City Council took action, including revising the camping ordinance and making an unprecedented investment in Second Light, a new shelter with comprehensive services,” said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu. “This study provides a foundation as we work to implement those efforts and pursue real, lasting solutions.”

The lower-bound documented impact includes:

• At least $11.3 million in public sector costs such as police response, code enforcement and parks maintenance
• At least $8.9 million in nonprofit sector costs, including healthcare and shelter services
• $35,000+ in direct private sector costs to a single establishment, such as cleanup and property damage

The PPMC report also includes a housing needs assessment, revealing a shortage of both very low-income rental units and high-end homes. The assessment found that single-person and large households face the greatest difficulty securing affordable housing. Data also suggest that suppressed household formation — when individuals delay moving into their own homes — could represent at least 2,600 potential new households, especially among adults aged 18 to 34.

The full study identifies several next steps to improve local data and planning:

• Develop standardized tracking systems across public departments
• Expand private sector research to quantify broader economic impacts
• Improve cost-measurement tools for both direct and indirect homelessness-related expenses