WSU Today: Thursday, July 25, 2024

Featured Stories

Wichita State Esports sees continued growth as it enters a new era under new leader

What started out as an extracurricular activity at the Shocker Gaming Club has ballooned into a career leading students to success for Wichita State’s Joe Mazzara.

Mazzara, who was recently appointed to director of Wichita State University’s Esports program, began his tenure with the program as a volunteer assistant coach while he was an undergrad at WSU, before becoming the assistant director of Esports in 2019.

“During the infancy of the program, I felt I was learning quickly and excelling in areas like recruitment and team operations and always took a player-first approach to program leadership, which allowed me to connect with our players on a personal level,” Mazzara said. “My motivation to continue with the program has been fueled by my previous mentors/directors and the impact we have had on students’ lives as a result of the creation of the varsity esports program.”

WSU included in initiative to boost behavioral health workforce

Wichita State University is part of a collaborative effort to address the behavioral health care worker shortage across Kansas. With new funding, mental health care agencies in south-central Kansas will be better equipped to tackle this critical need.

In a recent report, Kansas was positioned among the states with the poorest access and availability of mental health treatment, largely due to a shortage of professionals to care for mental health patients. However, a committed cohort of mental and behavioral health professionals has successfully secured funding to address this deficiency by implementing educational initiatives aimed at bolstering the talent pool of behavioral health professionals within our state.

Backed by $5.7 million in funding from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), the newly established Kansas Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (KSBHCoE) is focusing on key areas to enhance opportunities and expand the mental health workforce. This effort involves strategic collaboration with several local agencies and institutions, including Wichita State.

News

Introducing WuHire, the new talent management system

Wichita State University is excited to announce a significant advancement in its journey towards excellence. This initiative strengthens the university’s ability to streamline various hiring processes and positions WSU at the forefront of talent market expectations with the implementation of the newly named talent management system, WuHire.

WSU is delighted to share that Julie Brin from KMUW 89.1 FM and Hollie Johnston from Human Resources are the winners of the naming contest with their creative submission, “WuHire.” Congratulations to Julie and Hollie for their innovative and memorable contribution, and a big thank you to everyone who participated.

The WuHire system will feature:

Integration of multiple systems
Updated career site with new mobile functionality
Process automation and reduced user data entry
Robust reporting and enhanced compliance capabilities

Stay informed on key milestones:

July/August: WuHire Show and Tell events
September: Training sessions (both in-person and virtual)
October: WuHire goes live

Faculty and staff are invited to follow the WuHire SharePoint for additional information and ongoing updates.

WSU TV begins airing historical content with Throwback Thursday

WSU TV has begun a new series looking back through the history of WSU and the WSU TV channel. Each week, it will feature a new video showcasing a piece of that history.

This week, WSU TV revisits the 1998 NCAA Cheerleading Championship. Rewatch the CBS broadcast that has WSU face off against the best in the country. The episode premieres at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 25 on YouTube.

Events and Recreation

Join Latine Faculty and Staff Association for Summer Social at Social Tap

Come out to Social Tap to meet the new executive board of the Latine Faculty and Staff Association at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25.

This will be an opportunity to reconnect and play board games prior to the start of the academic school year.

Help send off Delfin Program students at poster presentation July 29

Wichita State has been hosting 19 undergraduate students from Mexico on campus this summer. These students are doing research with various WSU faculty mentors through the Delfin Program; six additional students have participated virtually. The students are working hard and are very enthusiastic to be at WSU. Come help send off these undergraduate researchers from Mexico as they complete their seven-week research experience at Wichita State.

The Delfin Program poster session will be from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, July 29 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room. Attend to view the outcome of a wide variety of research conducted and to show your enthusiasm for hosting the students at WSU. This session can also be a recruitment opportunity for graduate students.