Category: Volunteer Opportunities and Surveys

The College of Engineering is seeking faculty and staff from across the university to serve as group activity judges for the college’s annual Wallace Invitational for Scholarships in Engineering (WISE) competition from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Judges will meet in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room, then be dismissed to various room on the second floor of the RSC.

Teams of two judges will observe and score small groups of four to five competitors. Evaluation will focus on students’ teamwork, communication and problem-solving abilities rather than their technical knowledge, so an engineering or computing background is not required for judges.

Those interested in judging should complete the online form by Friday, Nov. 14. For questions, contact Dr. Jacob Mendez at jacob.mendez@wichita.edu.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of a four-week intervention consisting of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and static stretching of the trapezius and hamstring muscles on tongue strength and endurance, muscle flexibility, and perceived muscle tension in healthy young adults.

Participants will complete two testing sessions (pre and post), four weeks apart, assessing tongue muscle strength and endurance using the IOPI device, neck and hamstring flexibility using ROM assessments, and muscle tension using a Perceived Muscle Tension Questionnaire (PMTQ).

Participation will include two testing sessions, pre and post, for about 60 minutes each.

• The treatment group will include two in-person intervention sessions per week and one at-home stretching session per week for four weeks at about 30 minutes per session.
• The control group should maintain normal activity throughout the study, and no intervention is required.

Inclusion criteria:

• Participants must be 18-30 years old.
• No history of tongue or recent oral surgery (except tooth extraction >6 months ago)
• No known neurological disorder or TMJ dysfunction
• Not currently in a physical therapy or rehab program
• Not under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol

Location: Wichita State University, Human Performance Laboratory (HPL), 210 Heskett Center

If you are interested in volunteering for this study, contact Vindhya Sayam at vxsayam@shockers.wichita.edu or 316-768-9866.

Should you have any questions or concerns, contact: Dr. Heidi Bell at heidi.bell@wichita.edu or call 316-978-5150.

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

Do you have spring break plans yet? Have you thought about going on an Alternative Spring Break?

Alternative Spring Break will expose WSU students to complex social and cultural issues through community visits, direct service, group discussions and common readings. The 2026 Alternative Spring Break trip will take place in Dallas.

Participants will depart Wichita State on Sunday, March 15 and return late on Friday, March 21. We will stay at Camp Carter in Dallas-Fort Worth. Throughout the week, we will volunteer with organizations that focus on food and hunger, youth and mentoring, environment and sustainability, and animal welfare. On the final day, we will have a tour day, and students can choose between spending the day at Six Flags or touring Dallas museums.

The cost of the trip is $150 per student, which includes transportation, lodging, food, programming and the final day of fun activities. Meals during travel to and from Kansas to Texas are not included. The full payment of $150 must be received by Jan. 9.

Trip participants are required to attend a series of three one-hour meetings before the trip and one post-trip seminar. Participants who are unable to attend the meetings must meet individually with the civic engagement coordinator to get the information that they have missed. The meetings will explore issues related to the service projects through readings and discussions, as well as provide logistical information about the trip.

Selection will be based on the application and reflection statements. Participants will be chosen anonymously by a selection committee of staff from Student Engagement & Belonging.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Applications should be submitted to the SEB office in RSC 216 or emailed to Loren.Belew@wichita.edu. Participants will be notified by Friday, Dec. 5.

The Distinguished Scholarship Invitational (DSI) will be held Nov. 22. Three $64,000 Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships are awarded through the DSI process to high school seniors to attend Wichita State in fall 2026, and observers are needed to help in selecting the next Gore Scholar recipients.

Observers are Wichita State faculty, staff, alumni and community members who are present in each room to score the student participants in three activities – an interview, a consensus-building activity and a group presentation. There are two shifts observers can choose from: 7:30 to 10:50 a.m. and 2:15 to 5:45 p.m. Observers can volunteer for one or both shifts. Historically, more than 65% of the seniors who attend this program ultimately enroll at Wichita State.

If you’re interested in serving as an observer, go to wichita.edu/dsiobserver for more information.

Questions? Contact Mandy Harmon, director of events and marketing in Admissions, at mandy.harmon@wichita.edu.

Volunteers are needed for Wichita State’s fall 2025 commencement from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14. Learn more and register at wichita.edu/commencement.

The Shocker Store would like your feedback. Take its quick survey and receive a $5 digital coupon, which is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and all community Shockers. Deadline to take the survey is Oct. 31.

Help runners stay on track by volunteering as a course guide for the upcoming Pumpkin Run from 7:50 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. No experience needed — just a smile and a sense of direction. Your energy and encouragement can make all the difference to those on the course. Sign up today and be part of the fun.

Have feedback on dining operations on campus? WSU Dining wants to hear them. Share your thoughts and you could win a TV and Xbox Series S. First, visit WSU Dining’s Linktree to complete the survey and then fill out the prize entry form also on WSU Dining’s Linktree. The survey closes Oct. 31 and is open to students, faculty, staff and all WSU community members.