WSU Today: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023

Shocker Athletics

Shocker volleyball sweeps UTEP, wins NIVC

Wichita State silenced a raucous sell-out crowd, sweeping UTEP 25-14, 25-22, 25-22 to claim the NIVC championship and the program’s first national postseason title.

The Shockers (26-8) dominated the match virtually from start to finish, trailing just 1-0 in the first set and by just three points in the second on their way to another sweep. Wichita State dropped only one total set in the entire tournament, sweeping four of five matches on their way to the title.

Men’s basketball hosts Junior Shockers day Dec. 16

During the Southern Illinois game at 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 16, Shocker men’s basketball will host Junior Shockers Day. All Junior Shockers members can attend the game at no additional charge with their credentials. All members will also be able to enjoy the new pregame kids zone in the practice gym and get autographs from the players and coaches after the game.

Post game autographs are exclusive to season ticket holders and Junior Shocker members. A Junior Shocker membership is $30.

Purchase a Junior Shocker membership

Featured Stories

Meet a Shocker: Ana Alicia Casados

Ana Alicia Casados encourages her peers to stop and take time for themselves, to not get swept away in their responsibilities, and to always remember why they chose to go to college. She has been able to succeed in college herself by following this advice and will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in exercise science.

Ana is one of more than 1,400 students eligible for fall 2023 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what’s next for the grad.

Meet a Shocker: Avery Pierce

Avery Pierce loves Wichita’s coffee scene and the applied learning in the sport management program at Wichita State University. She is assistant director of communication for WSU’s varsity Esports program.

Avery is one of more than 1,400 students eligible for fall 2023 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what’s next for the grad.

Meet a Shocker: Ashlynn Farney

Ashlynn Farney took time off college during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which she returned to Wichita, changed her major to filmmaking and started attending Wichita State. She will graduate with her Bachelor of Applied Arts with a concentration in filmmaking in December.

Ashlynn is one of more than 1,400 students eligible for fall 2023 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what’s next for the grad.

Parking and Traffic

Parking Services to offer parking garage add-on ePermit

Parking Services is excited to announce the creation of a parking garage add-on ePermit for the spring semester. Any current ePermit holder is eligible to purchase this add-on for $50. The add-on will allow ePermit holders to park on floor two, the ramp to three, floor three and the ramp to four at anytime in the spring semester without having to pay the hourly rate. This ePermit will go on sale at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2 in person at the University Police Department. Payment is to be with cash or check only and a limited amount of these ePermits will be made available. You must have a current ePermit on file or you will be required to buy one at the time of the add-on purchase.

This is the first semester the add-on is available. Because this is a pilot program, Parking Services is open to feedback and will look to make any necessary adjustments before offering the add-on again in the fall.

Game day parking enforced Dec. 16

For the Saturday, Dec. 16 Shocker men’s basketball game, a number of lots in the vicinity of Charles Koch Arena will be reserved for Shocker Athletic Scholarship Organization parking beginning at 3 p.m. During this time, signage will be in place alerting drivers of the impending lot assignment changes.

Anyone previously parked in these lots will need to move their cars by 3:00 p.m. Any unauthorized parking in a game day lot carries a $50 citation fine.

Learn more about game day parking

Foundation and Alumni Engagement

WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement year-end deadlines

The WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement remind employees about year-end deadlines:

Foundation accounts payable: No special dates and times. Business will continue as usual.
Foundation Year-End Gift Receipt Information for 2023 Tax Credit: Checks without a postmarked envelope will need to be delivered to the Foundation Finance Team Office by 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29. Checks with an envelope postmarked by Dec. 31 need to be at the office by end of business Monday, Jan. 8.
Information for credit or debit cards to be processed in the office will need to be submitted by 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29.
Online bank drafts and online credit cards will be able to be processed until midnight Sunday, Dec. 31.

News

Student Affairs department highlight: Student Government Association

Student Government Association (SGA) is the governing body of all students at Wichita State. It represents and advocates for student needs and issues on campus through local, state and federal government officials. SGA is made up of the executive branch, legislative branch, judicial branch, Office of the Student Advocates, association agencies and several other commissions and tasks forces. All of these groups are available to help serve students and their needs.

SGA allocates over $11 million worth of student fees that funds services such as Student Health, Campus Activities, educational scholarships, the Sunflower and more. Other initiatives include:

Association scholarships
Individual and organizational funding
Food for Fines
Menstrual product program
Shocker Support Locker

Learn more about SGA

Submit department, organization Welcomefest events

Welcomefest takes place during the beginning of classes each semester and features dozens of activities. This campaign highlights events and services designed to help all new and returning students navigate life at Wichita State.

Submit department or organization events for inclusion in the spring 2024 Welcomefest marketing, which includes an event calendar, web listing and more. The deadline to submit events for inclusion in all Welcomefest marketing is 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18.

Please note, Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership (SEAL) reserves the right to deny or terminate any events that are not planned completely or are deemed inappropriate for Welcomefest and/or the people in attendance.

To register an event, visit the Welcomefest website. For questions, contact SEAL at 316-978-3022 or seal@wichita.edu.

College of Engineering and Barton School of Business join together to offer an introductory AI course

The College of Engineering and Barton School of Business are joining together to offer an introductory AI course this coming spring. The new course, “Generative AI for Problem Solving,” will cover practical applications and novel use cases for generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. The course will also analyze the ethical, professional and social implications of the advancement of AI.

The class (ENGR 150A/BSAN 150A) will meet from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and is open to students from any college with no prerequisites or programming background required. To search for the course, students may use CRN 26636 and CRN 26637 respectively. For questions or override approval, contact Nathan Smith at nathan.smith@wichita.edu.

Events

Stop by the Metroplex for lunch, last-minute shopping

Stop by and join the Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13 at the Hughes Metropolitan Sports Complex for some one-stop shopping.

Browse gift items from over 50 local small businesses all under one roof, hosted by the SBDC. “We really wanted to give local small businesses an extra chance to connect with holiday shoppers,” said Brandi Willet, SBDC regional director.

A wide variety of gift items or gift cards for services such as massages, pet sitting and cleaning will be available for purchase. Cash purchases are appreciated, as payment goes directly into the entrepreneur’s pocket without delays or added processing fees.

This is the perfect lunch hour outing as Taters N Toppings and Want Bierocks, two local food trucks, will be on-site. In conjunction with a Very Merry Metroplex, 1 Million Cups is moving to the Metropolitan Complex and will kick off with networking at 8:30 a.m.

WSUPD sergeant presentations for community scheduled Dec. 14

As part of their sergeant promotion process, the Wichita State University Police Department (WSUPD) will do presentations for the community starting at 8 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 in 261 Rhatigan Student Center, Olive Room. Community members will be asked for their feedback for the applicants as a part of the selection process.

Surveys

Public Health Science seeks participants for fetal heart rate monitor research survey

The Department of Public Health Science, along with the Biomedical Engineering Department and School of Nursing, are conducting an interdisciplinary research project on the acceptability of a fetal heart rate monitor among reproductive-aged women. The survey seeks to determine whether women would be comfortable using the fetal heart rate monitor that is being designed.

Take the survey

Kudos

Medical Laboratory Sciences student awarded endowed scholarship from Southcentral Pathology

Congratulations to Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) student Isai Chavira for being selected as the recipient of the annual endowed scholarship from Southcentral Pathology Laboratory for spring 2024. Isai was nominated by faculty in the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences for his dedication and outstanding academic performance in the program. Jayron Banks, scholarship recipient in spring 2023, will continue to receive the scholarship in spring 2024. Congratulations Isai and Jayron.

The Southcentral Pathology Scholarship award was established in 2021 by Dr. Joel Alderson, president of Southcentral Pathology in Wichita, the largest group of surgical pathologists in southcentral Kansas. This generous award provides full-ride scholarships to two deserving students each year in the WSU MLS program. Recipients are chosen based on merit and financial need, and each student receives an equal amount of funds. This is the largest scholarship donation to the MLS program. We sincerely appreciate Dr. Alderson for his invaluable support to the WSU MLS program and its students.