Category: News

Loren Belew, civic engagement coordinator for the Office of Student Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership, secured a seat on the 2024 Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) Advisory Board.

The SLSV Coalition is a nationwide nonpartisan network committed to boosting student voter turnout and awareness across college campuses. Sixteen leaders from across the United States were selected to lead educational opportunities for students and facilitate access to voter registration. During the 2020 presidential election cycle, the SLSV Coalition played a major role in doubling the national student voter turnout compared to previous election years. The advisory board has great expectations for the 2024 election.

“I look forward to serving on the SLSV board and think it will be a great opportunity to work with other colleges, universities and nonprofits to talk and learn about best practices and ways to engage students in voting and civic engagement,” Belew said.” I hope that I will also be able to share some of these resources with our own campus and that we may be able to incorporate them into our own voter engagement initiatives.”

Belew earned her place in the board based on her dedication to civic engagement and commitment to having Wichita State recognized as a voter-friendly campus. In her role, Belew collaborates closely with the Shockers Vote Coalition and its delegates, ensuring all voices of Wichita State are heard in the upcoming elections. Additionally, she provides guidance to the Community Service Board, further emphasizing her dedication to bringing civic awareness to the campus community.

With a student enrollment exceeding 23,000 at Wichita State, enhancing student voter turnout can greatly impact election results. By fostering a community of civic engagement and awareness on campus, Belew aims to empower students to actively participate in elections.

The College of Applied Studies (CAS) proudly announces the appointment of four distinguished professionals to its Dean’s Advisory Board. Alicia Sanchez, Amy Williams, Ed O’Malley and Kyle Ellison have joined the board, each bringing a unique set of skills and experiences to enrich the strategic initiatives and academic pursuits of CAS.

• Alicia Sanchez: Spirit AeroSystems, global culture & DE&I manager
• Amy Williams: Spirit AeroSystems, global community relations & DE&I director
• Ed O’Malley: Kansas Health Foundation, president & CEO
• Kyle Ellison: Khan Lab School Wichita, founding director

These individuals represent a diverse range of backgrounds, from corporate social responsibility to community leadership and education advocacy. Their combined expertise will contribute significantly to shaping the future direction of CAS, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of applied learning and community engagement.

“We are excited to welcome Alicia Sanchez, Amy Williams, Ed O’Malley and Kyle Ellison to the CAS Dean’s Advisory Board,” said Dr. Jennifer Friend, dean of the College of Applied Studies. “Their wealth of experience and dedication to excellence will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our programs and initiatives to better serve our students and community.”

WSU Hope Services asks faculty to encourage students to complete the confidential National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey sent to their WSU email addresses. Experiences reported by students will help Hope Services capture a snapshot of health and mental wellness on campus and will inform future wellness programs and services at WSU.

Students can enter a drawing to win a grand prize of either a red parking spot for an entire semester or an Amazon gift card worth $250, among other prizes like free massages and gift cards to the Shocker Store.

For questions about the survey, contact Marci Young, director of HOPE Services, at 316-978-4792 or marci.young@wichita.edu.

The Barton School of Business has named its two recipients of the 2024 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship. This year’s winners are Annika Lindeman from Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kansas, and Abby Rexford from West Jessamine High School in Wilmore, Kentucky. They will each receive more than $32,700 spread over four years to attend WSU and major in entrepreneurship.

“The Barton School’s commitment to entrepreneurship goes beyond just lessons in the classroom,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “These scholarships are a testament to remaining one of the premier institutions for entrepreneurship in the country. I’m excited to welcome Annika and Abby to the Barton family.”

The Jabara Scholarship is one of the largest of its kind nationally for future entrepreneurs. To qualify, a student must write an essay and have achieved at least a 24 score on their ACT, a 3.5 high school GPA and declare entrepreneurship as their major. The scholarship is named after the late Fran Jabara, who was a WSU faculty member for 40 years and founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU. Along with serving as the dean of the College of Business Administration, Jabara received the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the President’s Medal in 2002.

The WSU Faculty Ombuds program offers assistance and informal dispute settlement processes to all faculty members. Ombuds are members of the International Ombuds Association and receive professional training on coaching and conflict resolution.

Ombuds serve four-year, staggered terms. It currently has a vacancy and are looking for people interested in receiving training and serving in the Ombuds capacity. WSU tries to provide Ombuds with a variety of backgrounds to respond to the diverse faculty needs. Contact Dr. Carolyn Shaw, Ombuds coordinator, at Carolyn.shaw@wichita.edu if you are interested or would like more information.

Enter a drawing to win a prize of either a red parking spot for an entire semester or an Amazon gift card worth $250, among other prizes like free massages and gift cards to the Shocker Store, by completing the confidential National College Health Assessment (NCHA) survey sent to your Wichita State email address by WSU HOPE Services.

The School of Music is delighted to share the outstanding news that its very own Catherine Consiglio, professor of viola, is set to be honored with induction into the Kansas Chapter of the American String Teachers Association (KASTA) Hall of Fame at this year’s state music convention. The prestigious accolade truly reflects Consiglio’s lifelong commitment and remarkable contributions to string music education.

On Saturday, Feb. 17, the Barton School of Business hosted its first-ever “Beyond” Hall of Fame gala. The event took place at the beautiful and iconic Mark Arts and inducted three members into its inaugural class: W. Frank Barton, former president of Barton Distributors and co-founder of Rent-A-Center; Clark Bastian, chairman of the board at Fidelity Bank; and Fran Jabara, founder of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Barton School of Business. Business and university leaders, community members, esteemed alumni, and family and friends of the inductees attended. Each honoree was recognized in a special manner and received their well-deserved awards. Family members of Frank Barton and Fran Jabara accepted these posthumous inductions on their behalf.

The proceeds from the “Beyond” Hall of Fame were raised to enhance and enrich the student experience, ensuring their success. These initiatives are instrumental in shaping the next generation of business leaders, attracting and retaining exceptional student talent and ultimately strengthening the workforce pipeline for businesses in Wichita and across Kansas. As a result, the Barton School is investing in the future of business education and empowering the leaders of tomorrow. More than $800,000 was raised in support of this effort, exceeding its target goal.

Faculty, it’s time to collect summer and fall 2024 textbook information. The adoption due date for summer courses is April 1 and fall is April 15.

Verba Collect is a simplified faculty experience including pre-populated course assignments, easy-to-adopt past adoptions and smart book search. Verba Collect will send out customized emails to faculty and department coordinators with a unique link that logs you into a walk-through process without any need for username or password. Once you get into Verba Collect, there are four short videos for your perusal showing how to get started, add materials and submit your adoptions. Keep an eye on your email inboxes for an email from Verba.

If you are interested in providing your course materials digitally through the Shocker Store’s “Access Now” program, where students will access them in Blackboard, select that option in the “Item Questions.” Should you choose to have your courses participate in the program and those courses cross list with another course. please order the same thing for both and note that on your order.

Those planning on using open resource materials can indicate that on their order as well and to flag the course as such and the information can be made available to students.

Those interested in learning more about Access Now can reach out at accessnow@wichita.edu. For any other questions or concerns, contact the Shocker Store at shockerstore.books@wichita.edu or 316-978-7032.

Shockers are encouraged to apply to be a Passage 2 Success Mentor for the summer and next school year term, an opportunity to help diverse backgrounds transition to Wichita State.

The program will be hosted the week before classes begin. The group of leaders will ensure that Passage 2 Success is operated smoothly and efficiently as possible. This year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is seeking 12 to 16 current WSU students to serve as the leaders for Passage 2 Success.

Requirements of becoming a Passage Leader:

• Currently in good academic standing with a minimum of a 2.5 GPA
• Ability to perform duties in an ethical and professional manner
• Ability to be on campus as early as Aug. 5
• Preferred: Experience working with diverse populations, such as AALANA (African American, Latino, Asian and Native American), international, LGBTQ+ and ally groups

The deadline to apply is March 1.