Category: Volunteer Opportunities

A group of physical therapy doctoral students is looking for participants aged 18 or older to help with a study on chronic lower back pain. Your participation may help physical therapists understand and treat chronic low back pain in a technological age using at-home therapy services.

If chosen to participate and are placed in the experimental group, you complete an eight-week home exercise program that will be monitored via e-mail. The exercise program will not require external resistance (weights or resistance bands). You will fill out a questionnaire prior to starting the program and three questionnaires eight weeks later. If you are placed in the control group, your only responsibility will be to complete one survey at the beginning of the program and two surveys eight weeks later.

If interested, please complete the survey below. It will only take about 10 minutes. After returning the survey, you will receive an email with further information

Your participation is graciously appreciated, voluntary, and your responses will remain confidential. If you have questions or concerns, please email Austin Foley at amfoley1@shockers.wichita.edu.

Wichita State University will host the Institute by LeaderShape Oct. 8-11at Rock Springs 4-H Center in Junction City, Kansas. LeaderShape is a nationally recognized organization that facilitates participants through a series of dynamic, challenging and exciting sessions designed to increase, develop and launch the leadership capacity of students.

Participants will cultivate leadership skills, reflect and discuss leadership lessons within a small cohort or cluster of students. LeaderShape will be held Oct. 8-11at Rock Springs 4-H Center in Junction City, Kansas.

For more information, visit the Leadershape Institute website. The deadline for applications is September 19.

For more information please email Kennedy Rogers or call 316-978-3022.

Are you interested in leadership development of yourself and your students? The LeaderShape Institute is looking for six cluster facilitators at Wichita State University’s session of LeaderShape Oct. 8-11 at Rocks Springs 4-H Center in Junction City, Kansas. Facilitator prep and training will be scheduled at a later date.

Things to Note:

• All expenses are covered for the program including lodging, food, and materials. Facilitators will be asked to carpool to the site with mileage reimbursed.
• This is a volunteer role that requires one training day and the four-day program in October

The LeaderShape Institute is a nationally recognized and renowned leadership program dedicated to developing participants to become leaders with integrity, purpose and a healthy disregard for the impossible. Read more at the official LeaderShape website.

For more information please email Kennedy Rogers or call 316-978-3022.

The Office of Engagement needs volunteers for two upcoming events. For more details, or to sign up, visit the below links:

• Juneteenth — June 19 
• Outdoor Movie on campus — June 22

For any questions, please email Naquela Pack.

Would you, your friends, your family or your organization like to be citizen scientists? The WSU Environmental Finance Center (EFC) is seeking volunteers to help with litter collection as part of the Wichita Litter Study. Volunteers will collect, count, categorize and record litter gathered in 12 identified locations around Wichita. 

The purpose of this study is to determine the types, amounts and potential sources of trash that can clutter up Wichita’s greenspaces and make their way into our waterways. Volunteers will clean targeted areas within the identified parks, while also categorizing the trash and collecting other important data. The EFC will then analyze the data and develop a report to share with city leaders and the community to help inform future programs to prevent and reduce litter in Wichita.   

Clean-up events are scheduled on both weekdays and weekends in June and July, and last approximately two hours. Trash bags, grabbers, buckets and other equipment will be provided. 

The Wu Crew is seeking volunteers to read once a week virtually to third-grade students from Gordon Parks Elementary School in fall 2021. The Wu Crew is comprised of student, faculty and staff volunteers serving either as a group or individually with various organizations in Wichita.

This effort is part of a partnership between Wichita State University’s Office of Engagement and Gordon Parks Elementary School to help USD 259 reach their long-term strategic goal to increase third-grade reading proficiency. It also aligns with Wichita State’s mission to be an educational driver for Kansas and the greater good.

To volunteer, sign up here.

Volunteers 65 years old and above are requested for a fall-risk monitoring study May 24 and June 11 at Donald L. Beggs Hall (main lobby). The study is part of a research project funded by the Regional Institute on Aging. The purpose is to develop a wireless and flexible skin-wearable electronic device with motion sensors to identify the fall risk of older adults.

Procedures

• The research team will help participants to put the fall risk monitoring device onto the skin.
• Each participant will be instructed to conduct five types of different daily activities (sitting, standing, lying, walking, climbing stairs, and running) as well as three types of falls (forward, backward and lateral falls).

Time

• This device test is expected to last about 60 minutes for fall risk monitoring and 30 minutes for additional education or paperwork.
• The fall-risk monitoring test will be conducted between May 24 and June 11.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

• Participants must be age 65 years or older.
• Participants should be able to stand up from a seated position and lay down from a standing position repeatedly at least 10 times and also walk, run, walk upstairs, and walk downstairs continuously at least for five minutes for each activity.
• Participants should not have mobility or activity difficulty.
• Participants should not have severe visual impairment and hearing loss problems.
• Participants should not have cognitive impairment.

Participants will receive $100 Greenphire ClinCard for their participation. You can use the ClinCard at an ATM or like a debit card. Participants must have a valid Social Security number to participate and to receive the payment.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please email Dr. Yongkuk Lee at yongkuk.lee@wichita.edu, or call 316- 978-7670.

The next Shocker Neighborhood Coalition drive-thru mobile pantry will be 1-3 p.m. May 28 at the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church located at 25th and Estelle Street. Volunteers will provide guests with a box of dry goods, a box of fresh produce, bread, desserts and milk.

Please help spread the word to our neighbors. Sign up here to volunteer.