"Civil" dean leaves legacy in College of Engineering
By Joe Kleinsasser
 Bill Wilhelm, standing next to the engineering honors society symbol near Wallace Hall, will retire after leading the College of Engineering for 21 years. |
It's not the largest college at Wichita State, but the College of Engineering has had a tremendous impact on the university.
One constant in a time of dramatic change has been Bill Wilhelm, dean of the college for 21 years.
How did a civil engineer from West Virginia University wind up leading the college? Wilhelm laughs and says, "I always tease that they were trying to hire the best dean they could and that required a civil engineer."
Wilhelm is grateful for his WSU experience. "If you examine any good engineer closely, you'll find that deep down they all have a strong need to build. I am especially grateful that Dr. Clark Ahlberg and Dr. John Breazeale took a chance on a young civil engineering educator in 1979, and invited me and my family to come to WSU and try to satisfy my need to build something of importance.
"It has been fun to take the foundation and structure developed by my predecessors, Deans Ken Razak and Charles Jakowatz, and to work at building a structure that is taller and stronger.
"Fortunately, I have been able to work with good department chairs and a strong faculty and staff along with many outstanding students who have represented WSU engineering well after their graduation."
As he anticipates retirement, Wilhelm says the absolute landmark change during his tenure was the addition of doctoral programs.
When he arrived, the university only had a small doctoral program in aerospace engineering. Four of WSU's 10 doctoral programs today are in the College of Engineering - aerospace, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering.
When he was hired, Wilhelm says, "My mandate was to develop Ph.D. programs in engineering as a stepping stone for other Ph.D. programs at the university."
Establishing doctoral programs meant moving more aggressively into the world of research.
"We were able to establish the first Center of Excellence (the Center for Productivity Enhancement) as part of an overall economic development initiative for the state of Kansas," says Wilhelm.
"In 1983 we were approved for one of the first three centers of excellence along with KU and K-State.
"After we got the Ph.D. program in place we were able to build on that start. That was the beginning, if you will, of the National Institute for Aviation Research, which has become a very important piece of the overall enterprise here at Wichita State."
Another change is the size and makeup of the engineering faculty. The faculty has grown from 35 to 50.
"Probably a third of our faculty have come out of Ph.D. programs at schools that generally would be viewed by most in engineering among the top 50 engineering schools," says Wilhelm. "I think those are the kind of changes that bode well for the future of the institution."
Wilhelm also is proud of the College of Engineering's impact on Wichita. He says the fact that there are more than 500 engineers with WSU degrees at Boeing worldwide, and nearly 30 percent of the engineers at Cessna, Raytheon, and Bombardier/Learjet with WSU degrees says a lot about how Wichita State is contributing to their success.
Wilhelm says, "Part of the reason companies here have done well and flourished is that they have gained a lot of stability from our graduates."
The number of international students in the college also has been a plus, according to Wilhelm, particularly as industry has become more globalized.
"In a sense Wichita State has been a little ahead of the game in that we've had significant numbers of undergraduates and graduates from a variety of other countries.
"Our students have gotten to know a lot more about the cultures of the world, and about getting along with people who look at life perhaps a little differently. I think the companies are beginning to have a better appreciation of the importance of that in the educational process."
Wilhelm and his wife, Pat, plan to retire in Wichita and remain loyal to WSU. Their five children and their spouses have earned 12 WSU degrees.
