TRIO is a group of federally funded outreach programs that were put in place to support disadvantaged students who want to pursue higher education. Wichita State University sponsors eight TRIO programs, each of them focusing on a specific population and with a unique focus.

The TRIO programs listed below, including the Haysville GEAR UP and Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP programs, are under the umbrella of the Office of Special Programs in the Division of Strategic Engagement and Planning. Since 1986, the last Saturday of each February has been designated as National TRIO Day to recognize the efforts of these programs in assisting our nation’s low-income and first-generation college students.

Focus on first-gen: This week we highlight Francisco Medina III, who is majoring in political science and minoring in philosophy.

How does it feel to be the first member of your family to attend college? (¿Cómo se siente ser el primer miembro de su familia en ir al colegio?)

Es un gran orgullo ser el primero en mi familia en ir al colegio (It is with great pride to be the first in my family to go to college). Estoy orgulloso de tener la oportunidad de avanzar mi carrera educativa y romper los estereotipos tradicionales (I’m proud to have the opportunity to advance my education career and break traditional stereotypes).

What piece of advice would you share with an incoming first-generation college student?

The path of a first-gen student is not easy compared to some other students you will meet. However, the ambition that exists within us is just as strong if not stronger than theirs, so never doubt your abilities.

Any advice you would share with the Wichita State community working with first-generation students?

To take in consideration that not all first-gen students will have the same resources as other students do. Each student comes from a different background and going to a college is an experience that is new to them and their families.

What do you hope to do after you graduate from Wichita State?

After graduation, the plan is to go law school to obtain a Juris Doctor degree to become a lawyer.

Signup to join the First-Gen Affinity Shockers — Designed to foster a community of first-generation professionals to build a group that offered professional development and networking opportunities where common experiences could be shared and address the needs of first-gen professionals as they navigate Wichita State University.

All Wichita State students are asked to complete a ten-minute online survey to gather information about food security across the campus. The survey is a partnership between WSU, the city of Wichita, Friends University, and Newman University to gather information about food security faced by post-secondary students in the Wichita area. The survey is anonymous and will be used to inform an action plan to address the issue.

For more information, contact Diane Tinker-Hurst at diane.tinker-hurst@wichita.edu.

Wichita State University is participating in the 2021 Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Designation Program (APLU) and would like to hear from its university constituents and partners via a five-minute online survey.

This program is awarded through APLU’s Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE). The designation is conferred to APLU member universities that demonstrate excellence and leadership in planning, implementing and evaluating programs and initiatives that support innovation and regional economic development.

WSU is committed to the ideals of this designation which are embedded in its culture and its mission, as well as the strategic plans put forward by the Kansas Board of Regents and the State of Kansas Department of Commerce.

The application process is rigorous and demands working through an intensive process of institutional self-study. The key to the self-study is the online survey to capture the activities, discover the perceptions and measure the experiences from our university constituents and partners.

For more information, contact Diane.Tinker-Hurst@wichita.edu.

Black image featuring white letters 'Blackboard.'

Ultra Format Courses are currently experiencing an intermittent bug involving the rubric tool. Most rubrics are functioning but are failing and causing the page to reload. If instructors are having these issues, please contact the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR) at OIR@wichita.edu and provide them the following:

  • The course CRN and the assignment(s) that have the problem
  • Include information about the rubric, including if it is points-based or percent-based and if it is new or copied in from a previous version of the course.

This information will then be added to the ticket OIR has with Blackboard. The only fix available for instructors at this time is to delete the rubric and recreate it.

Image featuring conversation hearts and text 'Teaching Today.'

Check out the February issue of Teaching Today. This edition includes the Office of Instructional Resources’ annual “Fall in Love with Teaching” issue. It also includes advice, technical help and a few warnings about known issues teachers are currently seeing in Blackboard.

To subscribe to Teaching Today or to make recommendations to Teaching Today, send a request to the Office of Instructional Resources know at OIR@wichita.edu.

Image features an abstract art banner. In red text written upon a black background, it states, "Mikrokosmos Poetry and Fiction Contest." Above this, it states the words in white 'Get creative!'

Wichita State’s English Department is currently seeking creative writing fiction and poetry submissions for their print publication Mikrokosmos and online publication mojo.

Cash prizes are available in both the fiction and poetry categories:

  • First prize $200
  • Second prize $100
  • Third prize $50

Writers can submit their work via submittable. Writers are encouraged to submit in both categories.

Piggy bank with graduation cap on a pile of money.

Tuition Assistance applications for summer 2022 are now being accepted through the Online Application Form. The online application will be available through April 15 and will close at the end of this application period.

Due to the volume of applications received each semester, requests to submit late applications will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.

Full program details can be found at Wichita State’s Tuition Assistance website. For more information, contact TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.

GRASP logo of hands shaking with Wichita State University logo

Graduate advisors, do you have graduate students working on awesome research or scholarly projects? The Graduate School is now accepting abstract submissions for the 18th Annual Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) Symposium April 29 at the RSC Ballroom. The submission deadline is March 11, 11:59 PM.

GRASP spreads awareness on campus about the state-of-the-art research and scholarly projects being conducted on campus, showcases innovative research, highlights graduate student participation in research/projects, recognizes the research mentoring of faculty advisors, and provides an opportunity for students to practice their presentation skills. For information about GRASP, visit our website.

Support Mental Health and get a $5 discounted ticket for WSU vs South Florida. Help end stigma and show your support for mental health by wearing your Suspenders4Hope to the Women’s Basketball game vs. South Florida on February, 24th at 6:00 pm in Charles Koch Arena. All those wearing the shirt will get a discounted $5 ticket. To get a free shirt, complete the #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide Training at www.suspenders4hope.com or shirts are available for purchase in the Shocker Store. All proceeds go to support prevention programming in our community.

Help end the stigma of mental health and show your support by wearing a Suspenders4Hope T-shirt at the Shocker Women’s Basketball game vs. South Florida at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Charles Koch Arena.

Participants wearing the shirt will get a discounted $5 ticket. To get a free Suspenders4Hope T-shirt, complete the #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide Training at #WeSupportU website. Shirts are also available for purchase at the Shocker Store. All proceeds of the Suspenders4Hope T-shirt fund support prevention programming in the Shocker community.