Category: News

Applications for the 11th annual Shocker Leadership Awards have been extended to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 19. The Shocker Leadership Awards recognize the work of student-led organizations, students, faculty and staff at Wichita State.

Official WSU student organizations, university-affiliated student groups and individuals may be nominated by a student, faculty member, staff member or organization. Nominations can also be made by an individual for themselves.

For any questions, contact Abbi Whisler, student organization coordinator at Student Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership, at abbi.whisler@wichita.edu.

Students with business ideas can apply for funding to help make their idea a reality. There are a total of three funds offering support to student startups through the Center for Entrepreneurship:

• Women for Women Innovation Fund
• Don Hackett Support for Entrepreneurialism Fund
• Moral Family Fund for Innovation

The applications for all three funds close Friday, March 31, so be sure to to apply before it is too late.

There are diverse experiences all around, some that people may never know exist. These invisible diversities are given a chance to shine at the Humanities Conference. Any topic under the theme “Lost Voices: Diversity in experience,” from any major or academic level, can be submitted.

The new deadline to submit is Friday, March 31.

The conference is brought to WSU by the Philosophy Society, Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society), the Linguistics Club and EGSA and will be held in late April.

Want to be awarded up to $250? Apply for the University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award for utilizing library resources. All enrolled WSU undergraduate students or WSU concurrent students who submit a project to the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF) are eligible to register. The deadline to enter is Friday, March 31.

Students applying must be able to provide the following information:

• Details about them and their URCAF research.
• A 200-300 word description of how they used WSU Libraries’ collections, services, equipment and/or facilities in their URCAF project.
• Their works cited in a bibliography.

The Shocker Support Locker will be closed on Tuesday, March 7 for staff development.

Proposals for University Research/Creative Award (URCA) projects are due to the Office of Research no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 7.

The URCA provides funding of up to $4,500 for faculty to retool or reestablish productive research or creative projects or as seed money to develop pilot data where external funding is available. Proposers must work with a grant specialist in the Office of Research prior to submission and all completed applications require an endorsement from the chair and dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered.

Contact proposals@wichita.edu to get started on submitting a proposal.

The College of Health Professions (CHP) has begun developing its five-year strategic plan. The college has retained the facilitation services of The Clarion Group to assist the faculty and staff during the planning process.

At a CHP townhall meeting on March 3, Greg Hand, dean of CHP, described the anticipated plan to faculty, staff and students as “a living, breathing document that will be a major determinant of our activities and our resource allocation for the next several years.” The initial work group revised the college’s vision and mission statements.

A planning retreat then identified the college’s general challenge to “be recognized as a regional leader in innovative health professions education” and five priority areas that will be used to create measurable and achievable goals for the future. The planning process for the CHP is made more complex as it must include the challenges of moving from multiple academic, research and clinical sites to the new Wichita Biomedical Center in 2026.

A strategic planning website is being developed so that the process is accessible and transparent to interested CHP stakeholders.

The Office of Online and Adult Learning has started its new podcast, Shockers Learning Out Loud (SLOL), which features special guests, resources, tips and inspiring stories.

Hosted by Dr. Pam O’Neal, associate director of student engagement, and Dr. Amber Anderson, associate director of retention, the SLOL podcast aims to support online and adult learners and help lead them to success.

Tune in anywhere podcasts are available or go to the website to listen to the episodes released so far.

Visit the Shocker Store in the Rhatigan Student Center to check out its new selection of color wall T-shirts.

The tees are available for $10.99, and they can also be purchased online on the Shocker Store website. And remember, shoppers can order online and then choose in-store pickup.

Summer and fall course schedules are now available to view online. Students are encouraged to choose their classes before registration begins on Monday, April 3.

Why should students take summer classes?

• Summer classes are a great way to catch up on credits and graduate sooner.
• Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
• Courses are available in two-, four- or eight-week schedules with online or in-person formats.

Students should be sure to reach out to their academic advisor with any questions about scheduling their summer and fall classes.