Shocker Blast: Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023

Featured Stories

Wichita State, WSU Tech celebrate highest historical enrollments

Wichita State University’s efforts to transform the educational experience for students and redefine the role of a university to foster statewide economic growth have yielded remarkable results: the highest enrollment in its 128-year history.

Combined enrollment by headcount across all Wichita State University locations for fall 2023 is 23,203, according to the annual data released today by the Kansas Board of Regents.

For the Wichita State campus, the numbers represent an increase of 3.7% in fall student headcount from 16,921 in 2022 to 17,548 in 2023. That’s the largest number of students ever choosing to enroll at Wichita State.

At WSU Tech, student headcount increased 12.6% from 5,021 last year to 5,655 this year — also the highest headcount ever for WSU Tech.

Learn more about the record enrollment

Scholarships

Apply for FHCP healthcare scholarship

Applications for the Future Health Care Professionals (FHCP) Peter Cohen Leadership in Healthcare Scholarship are now being accepted until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3. To apply, students need to meet the following application requirements:

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours for the fall 2023 Semester at Wichita State.
Students must have a declared major or pre-major within the College of Health Professions.
Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA minimum for any completed college courses/high school before enrollment.
Students must have fewer than 59 completed credit hours.

Completed applications will consist of:

A completed application information form
An applicant essay
An applicant activities chart
Signed student certification statements

Applicants must apply via Scholarship University and send all finished applications to fchpwsu@gmail.com or deliver a paper copy to 400 Ahlberg Hall.

For questions or concerns, contact fhcpwsu@gmail.com.

Fill out the application

News

Graduation stoles are available for pre-order

Graduating students, if you are a member of any of the listed groups below and would like to order the group’s corresponding graduation stole, pre-orders must be completed by Oct. 20.

Shocker Bowling
Japanese Culture Association
University Innovation Fellows
Dental Hygiene
Medical Laboratory Sciences
BS in Nursing
SOSW (Student Organization of Social Work)

The stoles are only available by pre-order, they will not be carried in store later. For questions, email shockerstore@wichita.edu or call 316-978-7021.

Pre-order your graduation stole

Shockers requested to update their contact information with WSU

Students are requested to provide updated information to Wichita State any time there is a change to contact information. This includes mailing address, phone number and emergency contact. It is especially important that Shockers provide and update their emergency contact.

The person listed will only be contacted in the event of a health or safety emergency in which you are personally involved. If you live on campus, this will also be the person contacted should you be reported as missing. You may list a parent, family member, spouse or other trusted individual as your emergency contact. You will find the link to your profile page on the myWSU home tab, under “Student Tools” and “myContact Info”. A separate link also provides an opportunity to update self-reported military affiliation.

‘Next Level Chef’ winner named Barton School’s latest Entrepreneur-in-Residence

The Barton School of Business has announced Pyet DeSpain, an award winning and global private chef, as its Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the fall 2023 semester. DeSpain was the first winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef” TV show on Fox. In 2021, she was named one of the top 25 best private chefs in Los Angeles by Entrepreneur Magazine.

“I am very excited to share my passion for cooking, entrepreneurship and my heritage with the students and faculty of the Barton School,” DeSpain said. “While I now call Los Angeles home, my heart belongs with where I grew up – in the Midwest. This will serve as a pseudo homecoming for me.”

As the Barton School’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, DeSpain will host a keynote presentation titled “A Recipe For Success: When Business Meets Passion” at 11 a.m. Nov. 2 in Woolsey Hall. There she will discuss her life’s journey and transformational experiences including winning “Next Level Chef.”

Learn more about DeSpain

Pumpkin Run registration prices will increase Oct. 1

Effective Oct. 1, registration prices for the Pumpkin Run will increase.

5K Run registration:

Current price: $30
New price starting Oct. 1: $35

Little Pumpkin Run Registration:

Current price: $17
New price starting Oct. 1: $18

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a Little Pumpkin ready for some fun, this event is perfect for everyone in the family.

Presentations and Talks

Writing Now/Reading Now presentation will feature author Kerry Jones

Join a celebration of the 45th anniversary of Wichita State’s MFA program as Kerry Jones, MFA 2000, reads from “The Last Innocent Year,” winner of Southeast Missouri State University’s Nilsen Prize at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 in the Beren Gallery at the Ulrich Museum of Art. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m.

Jones’s fiction has won the Richard Yates Short Story Award and appeared in “Sycamore Review,” “Alaska Quarterly Review” and “Bryant Literary Review Quarterly.”

Writing Now/Reading Now is cosponsored by the Department of English, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Watermark Books & Café and the Ulrich Museum of Art.

Chemistry, biochemistry weekly colloquium continues with Dr. Xiaoyan Tan

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will host Dr. Xiaoyan Tan from George Mason University at its next colloquium at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 in 224 McKinley Hall.

Dr. Tan will present his talk, “Designing Non-Centrosymmetric Magnetic Oxides.”

Colloquiums are open to the public and undergraduates are encouraged to attend.

Learn more about the colloquium series

Learn proven techniques to complete your paper, thesis or dissertation

Become a fluent and productive writer through easy-to-follow steps by attending a session from Dr. Peg Boyle Single, who will present her streamlined system for academic writing from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 via Zoom.

Learn how complete your paper, thesis or dissertation using proven techniques such as interactive reading and citable notes.

Learn more and find the Zoom link

Campus community invited to presentation from Muslim Students Association guest speaker

The Muslim Students Association invites the campus community to a lecture presentation discussing women In Islam from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 in 110B Woolsey Hall.

Ustadha Fatima Lette, an instructor at Qalam Institute who also continues to serve her community as a teacher at the Roswell Community Masjid in Atlanta, Georgia, is the guest speaker who will speak about the importance of women In Islam.

Everyone is welcome, and participants are encouraged to bring their family and friends. Light refreshments will be served.

CHP presents nationally recognized cardiac surgeons discussing medicine in age of AI, digital transformation

The College of Health Professions is pleased to host Drs. Brett Grizzell and Bassem Chehab with Ascension Via Christi for the presentation "Medicine in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation" at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 at the CAC Theater. The event is open to everyone at no additional charge.

The College of Health Professions is pleased to host Drs. Brett Grizzell and Bassem Chehab with Ascension Via Christi for the presentation “Medicine in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation” at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 at the CAC Theater. The event is open to everyone at no additional charge.

Drs. Grizzell and Chehab are nationally renowned experts in heart surgery and are founding members of the Structural Heart program at Ascension Via Christi. Learn more about the exciting new technologies that are transforming medicine and healthcare.

Brett Grizzell, MD, with Wichita Surgical Specialists, is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, skilled in minimally invasive surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). He is a founding member of the nearly 10-year-old Structural Heart team at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, where he also serves as medical director of its Lung Cancer Screening program. Dr. Grizzell was raised in Wichita and in 2004 received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he did his residency in general surgery. He completed his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Washington University/Barnes-Jewish Medical Center in 2011.

Bassem Chehab, MD, with Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas, is board-certified in internal and cardiovascular medicine and specializes in complex coronary interventions and structural cardiology interventions. Dr. Chehab received his medical degree from Lebanon University in Beirut. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine; in 2012, he completed his fellowship in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. During his training, he developed an extensive background in research, having worked on multiple pivotal clinical trials and research projects and being involved in pioneering work on TAVR and other minimally invasive procedures. Dr. Chehab was recruited to Wichita by CCK and Ascension Via Christi to join Dr. Grizzell in the development of a multidisciplinary Structural Heart program at St. Francis, where he now serves as medical director for the hospital’s Heart Valve Clinic and Structural Heart program.

Events

Attend the fall 2023 InterFest event Sept. 27

The International Student Union’s annual InterFest: International Food Festival is a festival where Wichita State students prepare and sell dishes from their native countries. Attend the event at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 on the Grace Memorial Chapel lawn.

The festival provides a platform for intercultural sharing where the campus community and visitors can try out diverse cuisine and learn about the origins and cultural significance of a particular dish. It also serves as a fundraiser for international student associations, although small groups of students also participate to have as many diverse dishes as possible.

For questions regarding the event, contact isu@wichita.edu.

Join CAPS for Mindfulness and Meditation Sept. 27

Join Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for Mindfulness and Meditation from 11:15 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 27 on Facebook Live.

Mindfulness is focusing one’s awareness on the present moment by intentionally noticing thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations without any judgement. The sessions offer various meditation exercises designed to develop mindfulness and promote holistic wellness.

Join WSU’s Academic Convocation featuring author of ‘My Broken Language’

Students, faculty and staff are invited to the fall 2023 Academic Convocation, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 at Winner Auditorium. Doors will open at 9 a.m.

Academic Convocation is the official academic welcome for all first-year students. The event celebrates new Shockers’ entry into higher education and inducts them into a community of learners.

Learn more about Academic Convocation

NetApp e-waste, shredding event scheduled for Sept. 29

Visit NetApp on the Innovation Campus for its quarterly campus-wide e-waste and shredding event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 in the NetApp parking lot, lot 44S.

The following are items that can be disposed of during the event:

Personal documents accepted for secure shredding.
All personal electronics accepted, including appliances.
Note: old tube TVs must be taken to the Waste Connections Transfer Station, 2745 N. Ohio St.
Secure data destruction for e-waste (hard drive shredder).
On-site assistance available for larger loads.

The event is sponsored by the NetApp Green Team.

Medical Laboratory Sciences to host virtual information session

Wichita State’s Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences is hosting an information session from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 via Zoom.

Faculty and students will give an overview of the Medical Laboratory Sciences program at Wichita State, the application process and career opportunities in the medical laboratory sciences profession.

Call 316-978-3146 to schedule a lab tour or in-person appointment.

Shop the Shocker Athletics Garage Sale Sept. 30

Shocker Athletics is hosting its annual garage sale from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 inside the Aetna Multi-Purpose Facility (enter through the exterior doors on the east side of Charles Koch Arena).

Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis and include jerseys and uniforms, assorted apparel, bags, and equipment. Prices listed are non-negotiable. Customers are encouraged to pay with cash, but credit cards will also be accepted.

Shockers invited to Safety Circus Sept. 30

The Safety Circus from the University Police Department is from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. The circus will be outside with the inside open for restrooms, vendors and food/drinks (pizza, subs, coffee, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, etc.) at no additional charge.

Some of the attractions include Tipsy Trials (riding on tricycles with drunk goggles through a course), cornhole with drunk goggles on, how to properly go through a four-way stop, a semi-truck so people can view blind spots, how to change a tire, a seatbelt conveyer that simulates what it feels like to be in a crash, information about riding motorcycles amongst other stations.

Register and attend the Suspenders4Hope 5K, 1 Mile Memorial Walk

Join Counseling and Psychological Services for its third annual Suspenders4Hope 5k and One-Mile Memorial Walk to benefit StopSuicideICT Saturday, Sept. 30.

Registration and check-in begin at 8:30 a.m., with the 5k starting at 9 a.m.. The race is an official, certified course on Wichita State’s campus and will begin in the Steve Clark YMCA parking lot. Following the race, several speakers and awards will be given.

The event will conclude with a One-Mile Memorial Walk in honor of those who lost their lives to suicide. All registrants for the run and walk will receive a race T-shirt.

WSUPD to host Safety Circus event

The University Police Department will host its first Safety Circus. The event will be multi-organizational event with resources, information and demonstrations related to various aspects of safety.

Attend the event from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 in the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex at no additional charge.

Register for Michael Tilford Conference on diversity and multiculturalism, travel support available

Registration is open for the 2023 Michael Tilford Conference, taking place Oct. 5-6 at Washburn University.

Volunteer Opportunities

Seeking participants for a survey of experiences, feelings, acceptability

Study seeks participants who are Wichita State students aged 18 and older and feel they are interested in learning more about how to enhance their ability to interact socially with others. Interested participants will complete an online survey regarding their experiences, thoughts, feelings and attitudes. This survey also provides an opportunity for participants to indicate their interest in participating in additional research at WSU, in which they would have an opportunity to learn skills which some find useful in improving social skills. Those interested in participating further will be contacted if they qualify based on their responses.

Register to volunteer for the 2023 Wu’s Big Event

Join the Community Service Board for its largest one day volunteer event. Work with your fellow Shockers for a morning of volunteering throughout the community Oct. 7.

Individuals, groups, organizations, students, staff and faculty are all invited to attend. The kick-off will begin in 208 Hubbard Hall at 9 a.m., check-in is from 8:30 to 8:50 a.m., with a breakfast and kick-off celebration. Participants will then load the buses and be at a service site by 10 a.m. Volunteers will work until noon and return to Hubbard Hall for lunch and closing festivities. The event will end by 1:30 p.m.