Category: News

Wichita State Connect’s PK–12 Advisory Committee will kick off another year of quarterly meetings this September. The committee brings together campus and USD 259 partners to strengthen PK–12 engagement, identify gaps and opportunities, improve coordination and create clearer pathways for students to connect with Wichita State.

The committee currently includes representation from across the university, including:

• Academic colleges and schools
• Undergraduate Admissions and Concurrent/Dual Enrollment
• TRIO and GEAR UP
• University Libraries
• Ulrich Museum of Art
• WSU Tech
• WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement
• Faculty and academic departments
• STEM, engineering and other youth programming
• USD 259

As Wichita State Connect begins the new year, it wants to ensure voices from across Wichita State — including WSU’s Innovation Campus partners — are represented in these conversations.

If your college, department, program or organization is not currently represented and you would like to participate, contact Naquela Pack, director of PK–12 Engagement with Wichita State Connect, at naquela.pack@wichita.edu to learn more and join the committee.

Shocktoberfest, Wichita State’s annual celebration of spirit and pride, is Sept. 28-Oct. 3. During this week, twelve outstanding students represent Shocker Nation on the Shocktoberfest Court, and two are selected to hold the title of Shocker Royalty. These students represent leadership, good character, loyalty to Wichita State and true Shocker Pride. Nominate a Shocker who you feel demonstrate these qualities, or if you are one of these students, submit an application.

Nominees and/or applicants for Shocktoberfest Court should:

• Positively represent Wichita State University
• Play an active role on campus in an organization, group and/or position of leadership
• Promote belonging and Shocker Pride
• Demonstrate academic excellence

Candidate requirements

• Currently enrolled, full-time, degree-seeking students
• 30 or more credit hours completed as of August 2026
• 2.75 GPA or higher
• Good academic and conduct standing with Wichita State

Nominations will close at midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Applications will close on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

• Nominate a student
• Apply for Shocktoberfest Court

For more information on dates, deadlines and court member requirements, visit wichita.edu/royalty.

Undergraduate students can earn a $500 stipend by participating in a Water Science Communications Fellowship during the fall 2026 semester. The program will help you learn about careers in environmental science and communication, strengthen your resume and network with professionals in the community.

This semester’s fellows will focus on water cybersecurity and explore the intersection of technology and water. The fellowship is ideal for undergraduate students interested in environmental or civil engineering, public affairs, cybersecurity and/or public communication who want to build connections and strengthen their resumes through real-world experience and applied learning.

For more information, attend a Q&A session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 in 202 Rhatigan Student Center, Shocker ‘70 Football Room. This is a come-and-go event where you can stop by to learn more and ask questions.

This fellowship is organized by the Environmental Finance Center at WSU and is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is open to citizens of the United States, its territories, or possessions or to individuals lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residency.

Faculty are invited to apply for the 2027 FYRE in STEM program. You can go directly to the FYRE in STEM Mentor application or at wichita.edu/fyre for full information and links for both the mentor and mentee applications.

Applications are due by Oct. 20 so organizers can make mentor-mentee matches by early November. Feel free to forward this information to any STEM colleagues you think might be interested in mentoring FYRE students in spring 2027. For any questions, contact Moriah Beck, Talaty Endowed Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at moriah.beck@wichita.edu.

Some of the newest and boldest ideas in space exploration will be featured Sept. 15-17 at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium (NIAC), free and open to the public at Wichita State University’s Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. The symposium is also available via livestream.

Wichita’s role as host highlights the strong connection between NASA and Wichita State, which includes groundbreaking faculty research, university STEM programs and work with WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research. For example, the solar detector prototype satellite project led by Wichita State’s Dr. Nickolas Solomey, professor of physics, has its roots in the NIAC Symposium.

President Rick Muma will deliver the welcome address at 9:10 a.m. Sept. 15, and Solomey will deliver the keynote speech at 9:30 a.m. that same day.

Organizers have transitioned the Community Garden to fall crops. Check out what’s currently growing for the week of Aug 31, 2026 below. Make sure to wash what you pick thoroughly before enjoying.

• Sunflowers, beds #10 and #11 – Ready to harvest. Cut at the base of the plant to harvest.
• Beans, bed #6 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the beans to be ready to harvest late September-early October.
• Beets, bed #2 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the beets to be ready to harvest mid to late October.
• Carrots, bed #1 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the carrots to be ready to harvest late August-mid September.
• Chili peppers, bed #8 – Not ready to harvest. Gardeners ask that you wait until the chili peppers become bright red before harvesting.
• Italian large leaf basil, bed #5 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the basil to be ready to harvest late October.
• Lettuce, beds #1 and #3 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the lettuce to be ready to harvest late September-mid October.
• Mustard greens, bed #5 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the mustard greens to be ready to harvest late September-early October.
• Onion, bed #4 – Not ready to harvest. The onions planted now will establish roots and small green tops before going somewhat dormant or slow-growing during the cold winter months. You can expect them to be ready for harvest next Spring.
• Peppermint, bed #5 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the peppermint to be ready to harvest late September.
• Radishes, bed #4 and RSC wall – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the beets to be ready to harvest mid to late October.
• Spinach, bed #4 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the spinach to be ready to harvest late September-early October.
• Sweet potatoes, beds #10-14 – Not ready to harvest. You can expect the sweet potatoes to be ready to harvest mid to late October.

The Community Garden is a project of the Student Government Association, the President’s Office and Student Engagement & Belonging.

For questions, concerns or requests to plant your own produce in the garden, reach out to Lauren Madison, student governance coordinator for SEB, at lauren.madison@wichita.edu.

Teaching Tomorrow’s August issue is out and ready. It focuses on recapping the Academic Resources Conference (ARC) and the information that you might need most at the beginning of the semester. Included are short video recaps, summaries and links to the ARC recorded sessions.

All WSU undergraduate students are invited to join the WSU Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl team this year.

The APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl is a collaborative experience for undergraduate students from all majors who want to develop insight into complex ethical issues, learn to communicate clearly and concisely, and build teamwork skills. Participants meet weekly to discuss the case set, practice asking good questions, anticipate opposing positions and develop nuance in their thinking. Teams that compete are judged on the depth and clarity of their thought in a non-adversarial setting.

Students are welcome to attend the meetings to discuss cases even if they don’t want to compete. Ideal for students who want to develop understanding and connect with peers.

• Meetings are from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2-Nov. 4.
• The Rocky Mountain Regional competition will be held Nov. 7.

Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy. Contact susan.castro@wichita.edu to inquire or join.

Suspenders4Hope®, a program developed at Wichita State University, is highlighting different departments and individuals on campus who are advocates for mental health in hopes that their stories will inspire others to continue supporting one another in the community.

The physician associate program is being recognized as a Suspenders4Hope Mental Health Advocate for its commitment to integrating mental wellness and behavioral health education throughout its curriculum, supporting student well-being, expanding interdisciplinary collaboration and preparing future physician associates to provide compassionate, holistic care across Kansas communities.

The Robert L. Cattoi Book Technologies Lab, located in 601 Lindquist Hall, has new and expanded open hours for the semester.

Stop by from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays or 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays to learn new skills in letterpress printing, bookbinding, quill and ink, zine-making, and more. Students are welcome to drop by any time during these hours; no appointments or fees. Learn more about the lab at wichita.edu/booklab.