Category: Foundation and Alumni Engagement

Wichita State University sees many returning adult and nontraditional students each year, and after graduating in 1971, Ed Vega thought about one day doing something to help them. Today, Vega wants to honor the pursuit of education his mother inspired in him by designating a planned gift in her name toward a scholarship for women who are returning adult students.

“My mother, Carmen Torres Vega, after retiring at 65, enrolled and completed her GED. She absolutely loved school,” said Vega. “Even though she had to drop out after the eighth grade to help raise her siblings, she made it a priority to educate herself.”

With a company mission to improve the lives of members and the communities it serves, Meritrust Credit Union is deeply committed to creating opportunities in the greater Wichita area. To advance that mission, they’ve pledged $200,000 to support the Shocker Success Center at Wichita State University.

“We really recognize and appreciate the talent WSU is able to provide,” said Moji Rosson, director of Growth Strategies at Meritrust. “Educational institutions are the bedrock of any strong community, and we want to do everything we can to help set WSU’s programs apart.”

President’s Club was founded to honor the legacy of Wichita State’s 15 presidents who advanced the university through the years. Members of the President’s Club include donors who seek to continue the legacy of advancing the university with their generous contributions.

Each year at the event, an individual who has made significant contributions to the partnership between WSU and the Wichita community is recognized with the Board of Trustees’ Award. We are thrilled to announce Jeff Fluhr, president of the Greater Wichita Partnership, as this year’s recipient.

Ryan Doll and Joan Wagner have fond memories of their time at Wichita State, easily recalling the instructors and courses that left a lasting impression on their professional lives. But they also remember the challenges they encountered as students. To help the university fill gaps in funding that often get overlooked, the couple is pledging a planned gift valued at $1 million dollars to the university.

“One of the challenges colleges face is that equipment will be donated, but they don’t have the little pieces to support it – like cables or even space for tables to set it up,” Doll said. “This gift will provide for those little things that sometimes get missed.”

Following a national search, Wichita State University’s newly restructured alumni organization — the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement (WSUFAE) — has hired Stacie Williamson as its new vice president for alumni engagement, effective Nov. 28.

Williamson is a 2005 WSU business administration and marketing graduate.

“I’m thrilled to join the WSUFAE in this new role,” Williamson said. “As a WSU graduate, I feel immense pride when I step onto campus.

WSU President Rick Muma says he’s excited to welcome Williamson back to her alma mater in this new role.

“As Wichita State’s influence as an urban public research university grows, expanding the scope of alumni engagement is a key element in advancing WSU’s forward progress,” Muma said. “With her enthusiasm and drive, Stacie is the right person at the right time to lead our alumni engagement efforts.”