The October issue of Teaching Today addresses the very important topic of digital transformation. From what it is to where it’s going, we cover as many aspects of digital transformation as we could.

This month’s issue is huge! It also has many guests including Terrance Figy (high-performance computing), David Macdonald (music and artificial intelligence), Ethan Lindsay (Arc GIS), Ali Levine (Microsoft 365’s cool features), and Provost Shirley Lefever (digital transformation and education).

We hope you enjoy this issue, and as always, if you see something you like, please share it with a friend.

Anyone can subscribe to Teaching Today by simply emailing the Office of Instructional Resources at OIR@wichita.edu.

The ALOTYS 2021 award recipient holding his award plaque.

The Office of Adult Learning is preparing to host its third annual Adult Learner of the Year (ALOTY) Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 9. Every year, the ALOTYs recognize an outstanding adult student at Wichita State University and both a WSU partner and a community partner who support these adult learners on their journey toward a degree.

If you have an adult learner in mind who you would like to nominate for the ALOTY, you can nominate them at the link below. To learn more about the ALOTYs and see some of the past recipients, go to www.wichita.edu/aloty.

Announcement of 3MT competition. Registration closes on October 21. Competition will be held October 11. Register at Wichita.edu/3MT

The Three-Minute Thesis is an academic competition that challenges doctoral and master’s students to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. The Graduate School will host the fifth annual 3MT competition Nov. 11 at the Rhatigan Student Center.

Registration is required and closes at 11:59 p.m. tonight.

Physicians Assistant Students January 1973 - Initial Class V.A.C. Wichita, KS Charles Scott, James Oehlert, Richard Hamaker, Steven Bland, Marc Dicker, Marvis Goostree, Madonna Ward, Willie Howard, Keith Wilborn, Gary Nelson, Andy Robles, Absent - Lonnie Bradford Right to left: D. Cramer Reed - Dean C.H.R.P.; V.J. Valgora - Program Director; Alfred H. Hinshaw - Med. Director

On Oct. 14, the Physician Assistant program at Wichita State celebrated its 50th anniversary with an open house and reception for alumni, faculty, staff, students and supporters.

Founded in 1972, the WSU PA program was the first program in Kansas and one of the first in the nation. The program provides students with a patient-centered education that includes high-tech simulation scenarios, real-life cases and clinical problem solving.

“For 50 years, Wichita State’s PA graduates have improved health outcomes throughout the community and across Kansas by increasing access to medical care, particularly in underserved and rural areas,” said Dr. Rick Muma, Wichita State president and first certified PA in the nation to serve as a university president. “With our exceptional faculty and rigorous curriculum, Wichita State’s PAs have a reputation for providing excellent care and compassion for the people of our state.”

The Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board for the W. Frank Barton School of Business has appointed new leaders.

Erin Cummings, owner and founder of YESyoga, will serve as president, while Ryan Potter, director of Portfolio Development at Koch Investment Group, will serve as her vice president. Cummings and Potter have both sat on the board since 2020.

The Alumni Council makes recommendations to the dean on the school’s strategic direction, curriculum, student experience, business partnerships and global outreach. Members also serve as guest speakers and mentors, host alumni events and engage in community service initiatives.

Cummings is an alumna of the Barton School and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in real estate. Potter is a graduate alumnus of the Barton School and holds an MBA degree.

Banner with pink background and green text that reads "Mikrokosmos 69 Seeks Creative Writing Submissions! Submissions Close November 15th."

The literary magazine, Mikrokosmos, seeks fiction, poetry, and nonfiction submissions. All Wichita State students, faculty, and alumni are invited to submit.

We welcome any works of fiction and nonfiction up to 6,000 words or three flash pieces and any works of poetry up to four pieces or eight pages.

Direct all submissions to mikrokosmos@wichita.edu with the subject line “Mikrokosmos.” Submissions will be accepted through Nov. 15.

Sorry We Are CLOSED Open Again: Monday, October 24, 2022 10:00 AM

The Shocker Support Locker will be closed until 10 a.m. Oct. 24. Contact Caitlin Nolen at caitlin.nolen@wichita.edu or 316-978-3022 if you have any questions.

McKnight North, McKnight West and the Ulrich Museum will be without water this week due to a water main break. Water services are expected to resume Monday, Oct. 24.

Students are requested to provide updated information to Wichita State anytime there is a change in their mailing address, phone number or emergency contact.

Find the link to your profile page on the myWSU Home tab, under Student Tools > myContact Info. A separate link there also provides an opportunity to update self-reported military affiliation.

It is especially important that you provide and update an emergency contact. The person you list will only be contacted in the event of a health or safety emergency in which you are personally involved. If you live on campus, this will also be the person contacted should you be reported as missing. You may list a parent, family member, spouse, or other trusted individual as your emergency contact.

Please take a few minutes to ensure WSU has your updated information and an emergency contact.

headshot of Dr. Christine Porter.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business has named Dr. Christine Porter as its new School of Accountancy director. Porter is replacing Dr. Greg Merrill who left in August.

“We are so glad to have Christine as our new Director,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School. “Her professionalism, vision, knowledge and dedication led to her ascension to this leadership role. It’s obvious that she is also well respected, connected and admired by her peers.”

Porter joined WSU in 2015 after receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Her research focus is audit archival research and many of her papers explore bank auditors as well as non-Big4 audit markets.

Since joining the faculty, Porter has been published in multiple publication journals including “Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory,” which is a top-tier journal in her field. Porter has also been teaching and auditing and managerial accounting courses at the Barton School. Before receiving her Ph.D, she worked in public accounting for five years for regional firms in Baltimore and Denver.

“I’m energized about the future of the School of Accountancy,” said Porter. “I plan to uphold the top quality curriculum and programs we are known for while equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to make a difference in the field.”

For more information on the Barton School’s School of Accountancy, visit wichita.edu/academics/business/accountancy/.