Five white adolescents (two girls and three boys) stand side-by-side and a red carpet holding metal trophies of varying sizes and shapes. They are wearing matching white t-shirts with a team logo that reads "67101V" and has a blue dolphin jumping over the text. In the background are three black banners each with the words "VEX Robotics Competition Kansas State Championship 2022".

First-year students Brylea Schmidt, Aerospace Engineeringand Ethan Keller, Computer Science, will travel to Dallas to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship May 5-7. A livestream of the competition will be available.

Both students participated in the robotics program at Maize Career Academy before graduating from high school in December 2021. Brylea Schmidt will be in charge of team 67101V’s award winning notebook and served as the robotics club president. Ethan Keller is the team’s programmer and driver.

Wichita State Common Read 2022-2023 The University's common read program is designed to spark conversation between students across majors on campus. This program strives to take topics learned in the classroom from the book and provide meaningful connections out of the classroom through programs and activities. Join the conversation: #WichitaStateCommonRead Visit: wichita.edu/commonread

The Office of First-Year Programs in Student Success is pleased to announce the 2022-23 Common Read book, “Notes from a Young Black Chef,” by Kwame Onwuachi.

We are excited to welcome our new students using the themes of this book throughout the year. If you have a program, student organization or course that may be interested in using the book, or have any questions, contact First-Year Programs at 316-978-5420 or Tahrima Musa at tahrima.musa@wichita.edu

Study Abroad Webpage for Faculty & Staff; Check out the webpage to learn more about study abroad resources for your students!

Faculty, advisors and staff play a vital role in internationalizing the student experience at Wichita State by creating unique learning opportunities, motivating students to seek study abroad experiences, and assisting students with degrees. They also help students identify experiences that fit into degree and career planning while supporting the transfer credit process for WSU students who study abroad.

If you would like to help support study abroad programs at WSU or request a classroom presentation, please go to the Study Abroad page to learn more.

Image featuring three seated individuals at a banquet and text Early Closure Friday, May 6.

The Heskett Center will close at 5 p.m. Friday, May 6. This is due to the Campus Recreation Recognition Banquet. The building will reopen Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m.

Picture of the staff of Wichita State's Conferences and Non-Credit Services receiving a visit and cookies as part of the Rick Rewards Presentation on Thursday, April 21.

The staff of Wichita State’s Conferences and Non-Credit Services received a visit and cookies as part of the Rick Rewards Presentation on Thursday, April 21.

Rick Rewards is a program by President Rick Muma that launched in December 2021. The program allows President Muma to show his appreciation for the efforts of a member, or members, of the campus community.

WSU’s Conferences and Non-Credit Services staff was recognized for their efforts to make events, especially commencement, both successful and impactful.

KAKE News recently did a video story about Alba Morales. Morales was sworn in as the Wichita State University Police Department’s first female sergeant since the 1970s, and the first Hispanic female sergeant in March. Morales has been working at WSU for five years.

Graphic image of sunflowers on a background with text Community Engagement Institute and Wichita State University Logo.

Check out the latest news from Wichita State’s Community Engagement Institute (CEI). The April 2022 edition includes a staff highlight, information about upcoming CEI events and recommended reads.

Participate in the Climate Survey | Check your official university email address for more details and share your feedback! | For questions or additional information, contact climatesurvey@wichita.edu.

Wichita State will launch a campus-wide university climate survey today, April 18. The survey will be sent to official university email addresses. All students, faculty and staff are asked to participate in this confidential survey about the campus environment.

This survey will guide Wichita State University as it works to continue its mission of inclusive excellence – a commitment to being an inclusive campus that reflects and promotes – in all community members – the evolving diversity of society. Every member of the campus is encouraged to participate.

Students who participate in the survey will be entered into a giveaway for a chance to win one of 10 $50 gift cards.

Wichita State University is embarking on a campus-wide university climate survey. This is an important opportunity to share your perspective and your voice. Climate surveys are key in the journey to establishing equity and inclusivity for any university, and it is critical we are conducting this again. Effecting change requires each member of our community to participate in efforts to build a community where all are welcomed and valued.

How the survey will work
On Monday, April 18, a survey invitation will be emailed directly to all active students, faculty and staff official university email addresses from Hanover Research, an independent market research and analysis surveyor. The survey will be live through April 30. You will be asked direct questions, and you can also fill in open-ended answers of your campus experiences and your thoughts. The study is for research purposes only; all information you provide will be maintained on a confidential basis by Hanover Research and will only be reported to Wichita State University. The survey should only take 20-25 minutes of your time.

The survey will enable WSU to elevate and accelerate the university’s work to ensure we are an equitable, diverse, accessible, and inclusive community. The university encourages you to participate thoughtfully. We are making great strides in inclusive excellence – a commitment to being an inclusive campus that reflects and promotes – in all community members – the evolving diversity of society. Wichita State believes that diversity and inclusion efforts are not complete until it addresses the current state of the climate. This survey will help us in our continuous efforts to ignite change and showcase our work. As we get more responses, we will get better results in representing our community. Please check your emails in the next few days for your individual link and take the time to complete the survey.

What staff members should note
On April 6, The Docking Institute of Public Affair sent out a survey to all University Support Staff (USS) and Unclassified Professional Staff (UPS) and representatives with the subject: USS-UPS Staff Climate Survey 2022 a few weeks ago. While they are seeking input on climate, their survey does not talk about the climate on campus. Instead, it discusses the climate of working with the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) system. 

For more information, contact the Climate Survey representative at climatesurvey@wichita.edu.

A Blog for Future Shockers logo featuring text floating above yellow shocks of wheat and a black background.

Do you know a prospective Wichita State student?  Let them know about the new Admissions blog. The blog will serve as a one-stop-shop and a resource for future Shockers.

In the first blog, Bobby Gandu, assistant vice president of strategic enrollment management, shares his expertise on the topic of best cookies on campus.

For more information or to get a department or college in the blog, contact Will Miller, marketing coordinator, at william.miller@wichita.edu.

Graphi image of Former First LadyDeborah Bardo | 1953-2022| WSU logo Wichita State University.

Deborah J. (Davis) Bardo, former first lady of Wichita State University, died April 15, 2022.

Mrs. Bardo was married to WSU’s 13th president, Dr. John Bardo, for 44 years until his death on March 12, 2019. She is survived by their son, Christopher.

Mrs. Bardo served as Wichita State’s first lady from 2012 to 2019. In that role, she especially enjoyed being around students and supporting the many events that brought the community and university together.