Category: News

The Office of Student Engagement & Belonging is proud to announce that Sigma Phi Epsilon are the Hippodrome 2026 champions. Sigma Phi Epsilon won first place for its performance of “Huxley: A Five Act Stage Play” that explored themes of virality, childhood dreams and loss.

SE&B also thanks the other participants: Beta Theta Pi, Delta Gamma & Gamma Phi Beta/Sigma Alpha Epsilon & Alpha Phi/Delta Delta Delta & Delta Upsilon/Phi Delta Theta & Kappa Kappa Gamma. SE&B would also like to thank all alumni who attended the event and a special thank you to WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement for putting on the All-Greek Reunion this past weekend.

The 2026-27 Wichita State undergraduate and graduate catalogs are now live and online. Links to both catalogs can be found at wichita.edu/catalog.

Get updated information on admission, financial aid, advising, student resources, degree requirements and more.

Use the “Search Courses” feature to find courses offered at WSU by subject, department or course attributes such as general education, badges and honors.

Look on the “Degrees and Academic Majors” page to browse through all of WSU’s undergraduate or graduate degrees, programs and certificates. The search feature allows you to narrow the table down to the programs you are most interested in. Click on the name of the program and go right to the program information.

The catalogs are accessible from your desktop, tablet and smartphone.

Links to download PDFs of the full undergraduate and graduate catalogs are located at the bottom right of every page.

Wichita State is excited to announce that the State of Kansas Applied Learning Funds are now open for applications for the fiscal year 2027.

Who can apply?

Wichita State colleges and departments are invited to submit proposals. Special attention will be given to programs that have traditionally lacked access to paid applied learning opportunities.

What are the funding priorities?

• Areas of greatest need: Priority will be given to proposals that expand paid applied learning opportunities in fields with limited access to paid experiences and strengthen the Kansas talent pipeline.
• Academic alignment: The work-based experience should connect with your academic program, ensuring students are building valuable bridges between theory and practice.
• Data-driven approach: The ability to collect data on your program’s effectiveness is crucial. This helps us ensure these funds have a lasting positive impact on student success.

To submit your proposal, visit wichita.edu/ALfund.

Shocker Studios Casting wants to grow into Kansas’ source for matching talent with projects of all types.

Producing a movie or short film that needs a certain actor to fill a role? Is your business launching a market campaign or in need of a voice-over? Are you a student in need of a type of actor for a video project?

“A casting office serves as a tool to connect,” said Kayla Shebshayevich, assistant educator for acting for the digital arts at Wichita State University’s School of Digital Arts. “The casting office reaches out to its network of actors, and they’re responsible for finding that best talent for that project to make it a success.”

Wichita State has been designated a Military Friendly School in the Tier 2 Research Institution category, earning gold status, and has also been recognized as a Military Spouse Friendly School, ranking in the top ten at number eight. These prestigious distinctions highlight Wichita State’s unwavering dedication to creating a supportive, inclusive and accessible environment for service members, veterans and military-connected learners.

This recognition reflects the university’s ongoing efforts to provide high-quality academic programs, personalized support services and meaningful career pathways that empower military-affiliated students to succeed both in the classroom and beyond. From tailored advising and veteran-focused resources to strong campus and community partnerships, Wichita State continues to prioritize the unique needs of those who have served and their families.

Faculty who are passionate about student recruitment are invited to apply for the Recruitment Faculty Fellows program. Fellows partner with the Office of Admissions to engage with prospective students through in-person and virtual recruitment efforts, serve as advocates within their colleges and collaborate on initiatives that enhance the prospective student experience.

This program is ideal for faculty interested in connecting with future Shockers and contributing to a university-wide culture of enrollment growth. Applications are due by May 1.

To learn more and apply, visit wichita.edu/recruitmentfacultyfellow. For questions, contact Kayla Klein, director of communications for Undergraduate Admissions, at kayla.klein@wichita.edu.

The annual budget process for colleges and departments to submit their budget requests into the university’s budgeting system is about to start.  Budget and review officers have already received, or will receive in the near future, guidance from their leadership team regarding more specific expectations for completing the process. As in past years, budget and review officers are responsible for completing the budget request for their organizations of responsibility, unless otherwise directed by their leadership team.

The TM1 Budgeting System will open for FY27 budget requests beginning on April 20. TM1 can be found in the Employee Toolbox in myWSU.

Training for budget and review officers this year exists through multiple options.

First, a training video titled “TM1 Training Video” is posted in the Employee Toolbox in myWSU. The video is meant to help you navigate the budget system and walk you through the various forms in order for you to view and make changes to your budget. You will not need to sign up for a class to access the training video, rather the video will be available on an ongoing basis.

Second, a training video titled “TM1 Reports Video” is posted in the Employee Toolbox in myWSU. The video will explain the purpose of each report and educate you on how the reports could be used to assist you with your budgeting and on-going business decisions. The reports are available year-around and additional reports may be added throughout the year. You will not need to sign up for a class to access the training video, rather the video will be available on an ongoing basis.

Third, a TM1 training guide is available in the Employee Toolbox that provides instructions on the use of the budgeting system, as well as a budget development guide for budget and review officers that summarizes timelines, important university budgeting practices, and common budget actions and expectations of budget and review officers.

Finally, the University Budget Office will host Open Training Labs (schedule below) for in-person training and assistance. You can register for the sessions through myTraining. If you are an experienced budget or review officer, you are likely to find the video training sufficient as a reminder of how the budgeting system works. For faculty and staff new to the process, and depending on how your college or department traditionally handles the process of entering your budget requests, the Open Training Lab is likely to be beneficial. The Open Training Labs are designed to work in conjunction with the training videos, as a result your attendance will be more effective if you’ve watched the training videos prior to attending the training lab.

Open Training Lab dates are outlined below.

• 9-11 a.m. April 27 – Open lab in 124 Jabara Hall. Register through myTraining
• 3-5 p.m. May 4 – Open lab in 124 Jabara Hall. Register through myTraining
• 10 a.m.-noon May 13 – Open lab in 124 Jabara Hall. Register through myTraining

Keep in mind that one of the most significant components of the budget are changes to existing positions. As in past years, changes to filled positions have to be made through the regular HR form process. HR forms impacting FY27 must be submitted no later than May 15. Submissions after this date will not be incorporated into your FY27 adopted budget.

Planned dates for the budget calendar are outlined below.

• April 20 – Budget system opens for changes
• May 18 – Final day for budget officers and review officers to complete budget requests within TM1 prior to VP review. Last day to submit HR forms
• May 25 – Final day for vice presidents to review requests and enter changes in TM1

If you have difficulty logging in to the system, contact your budget analyst for assistance. Note, in order to access the TM1 system off-campus, you need an active VPN connection.

As always, the Budget Office is happy to provide guidance and help you work through any budget questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your assigned budget analyst.

WSU’s public affairs graduate program has achieved its highest ranking in the school’s history, according to U.S. News & World Report for the 2026-2027 academic year. The program, part of the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs, is now ranked No. 92, an improvement from 96th the previous year. The program ranked No. 16 among public affairs graduate programs in the Midwest, and it secured the second position in Kansas.

Additionally, the program’s specialty in public finance and budgeting has been ranked 17th by U.S. News, which ties it with Harvard University.

“Our rankings reflect a deep commitment to public service both in and out of the classroom. We are incredibly proud of the work being done by our faculty and staff, students and alumni, the Environmental Finance Center, and the Kansas Public Finance Center,” Hugo Wall School Director, Dr. Stephanie Newbold, says.

The 5th annual haiku contest will be closed to submissions at midnight on Friday, April 17. Winners will be announced at Wichita State’s Japan Festival at 3:30 p.m. April 24 in room 233 of the RSC. 

Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that consists of three lines in a five-seven-five-syllable pattern. They are often about nature and often include a kigo, or season word, that gives a sense of the time when the poem takes place. Entries can be made in English or Japanese. 

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way organizations operate, and Mohan Sai Dandu is helping lead that transformation. After earning his master’s degree in data science from Wichita State in spring 2024, Dandu now works as the lead gen AI data scientist at Delta Bravo AI, developing tools that turn complex data into meaningful insights and practical solutions.

Pursuing his master’s at Wichita played a crucial role in shaping the future of Dandu’s career. Going through the data science curriculum equipped him with the skills needed to succeed and gave him a solid foundation in data analysis, machine learning and AI that he uses every day in his work.

He credits much of his growth to the mentorship he received from professors Rosemary Radich, Jennifer Akers and Alden Wilner, who guided him academically and personally during his time as an international student. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “Their mentorship supported me not only professionally but personally, which meant a great deal as an international student.”