Category: Student Success and Persistence

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is closely monitoring federal aid changes resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by congress last year. There are sweeping changes to Pell Grants and Federal Student Loans. The office asks that campus partners help encourage Shockers to get enrolled and stay enrolled by its priority date of July 1 to prevent delays with their fall financial aid.

With changes to federal regulations on aid offers effective July 1, starting in the 2026-27 school year, students in part-time status (11 to six credit hours in the semester for undergraduates, eight to five for graduate students) will receive a reduced amount of federal loan offers than students in full-time status (12 credit hours and over for undergraduates, nine or more credit hours for graduate students). Students who withdraw from hours during the semester may have their loans adjusted.

By finalizing their schedule by the priority date of July 1, students ensure they receive the correct loan packages, Pell Grants and other financial aid offers. If not, they may miss out on potential aid or face delays in receiving their aid.

The McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Let your students know that the program is accepting applications for the 2026-27 academic year.

Key benefits:

• Mentorship from faculty members and experienced researchers
• Opportunities to conduct research and present findings at national conferences
• Workshops and seminars focused on graduate school preparation, including GRE prep and application assistance.

For more information, call 316-978-3139 or visit the McNair website.

As the semester comes to a close, take a moment to update student feedback in the Student Early Alert System (SEAS). If a previously flagged student has shown improvement, remove the alert to ensure accurate tracking of progress and impact.

Thank you for supporting student success.

Applications are currently open for the 2026-27 Retention Faculty Fellows. Retention Faculty Fellows support SEM Goal 3 to “Increase persistence rates of degree seeking student populations.” The university identifies faculty who are interested in becoming more engaged in retaining students and promoting student success and persistence through excellent and creative pedagogy. These faculty will share best practices and create opportunities for other faculty members to be in dialogue about quality instructional design and student engagement.

Applications are due by the end of Friday, May 1. For questions or more information, contact Brett Petersen-Bruner, associate vice provost for Student Success and Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

The Office of Student Success is proud to recognize the 2025-26 Outstanding Collaboration Partners for their unwavering commitment to supporting student achievement, persistence and holistic success at Wichita State. This year’s honorees have gone above and beyond to foster meaningful partnerships, break down barriers to access and create intentional opportunities for students to feel supported, connected and empowered throughout their journey:

• The Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• Campus Dining
• Office of Student Accommodations & Testing

Through collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to student-centered work, these partners exemplify what it means to champion student success across the campus community.

As we progress through the rest of the semester, instructor feedback in SEAS (Student Early Alert System) continues to be a valuable tool for supporting students. Take a few minutes to update student progress. If a student you flagged earlier is now making progress, removing the alert helps Student Success better understand how this intervention is working.

Accessing SEAS is easy:

• Log in to myWSU
• Go to the Home or Teach/Advise tab
• Click the SEAS link

Thanks for partnering with us to support student success! For more information about SEAS, visit the SEAS website.

Are you looking for ways to help your students explore career options and make informed decisions about their future? Attend the upcoming PathwayU: Overview & Advisor Access training 11-11:45 a.m. Monday, April 6 virtually via Microsoft Teams. Register on myTraining via your myWSU.

PathwayU is the comprehensive career assessment tool, utilized by the Shocker Career Accelerator. It is designed to guide students to their purpose, supporting their success and persistence. In this training session, you will learn how to:

• Navigate the platform’s features, including assessments, career matches, WSU major alignment and military crosswalk
• Gain valuable insights into student interests and career aspirations
• Integrate PathwayU into your teaching or advising practices to empower students

Before the session, create an account at wichita.pathwayu.com and take the four career assessments.

Help your students tackle academic challenges more effectively by encouraging them to attend a hybrid workshop from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, presented by Ablah Library (in person and online). In this workshop, students can learn how to create impactful and visually effective posters to communicate research findings at conferences, competitions and other presentations.

As deadlines approach and stress levels rise, many students are feeling the academic pressure. Encourage them to attend Procrastination Prevention Night from 6 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, March 25 at Ablah Library for the support they need to stay on track and finish the semester strong.

The night features librarians, success coaches, tutoring sessions, arts and crafts, games and more to help students jumpstart their work, tackle assignments and reduce stress.

Plus, University Libraries has them covered with coffee and snacks to keep them fueled and focused throughout the night — all for free.

Sponsored by the Shocker Learning Center and University Libraries.

The HALA Scholarship for Community Service assists students in completing their program of study at WSU. The scholarship was established in 1991 and provides scholarships to outstanding Wichita State students.

The purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to students while promoting the value of community service to foster a sense of civic duty and commitment to the university and greater Wichita area. The key objectives of the scholarship are to aid in the retention and graduation of WSU students.

To achieve these objectives, the scholarship includes awards based on financial need, academic achievement and service activities. Awarded students must agree to engage in community services activities for WSU and/or community-based organizations. The deadline for students to apply is Friday, March 20.