Administration
John W. Bardo
President, Wichita State University
John William Bardo was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1948. He grew up in that area and graduated from Oak Hills High School in 1966. After high school, John attended the University of Cincinnati where he received a bachelor’s degree in economics (1970). He also studied economics and social policy at the University of Southampton, England, during his junior year. After graduating from Cincinnati, John received a master’s degree in sociology from Ohio University (1971) and a Ph.D. in sociology (1973) from the Ohio State University. He also attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard in 1987.
John’s first academic appointment upon completing graduate school was at Wichita State University as an assistant professor of sociology. He also worked and taught in the Hugo Wall Center for Urban Studies. During his time at WSU, he also obtained a Fulbright to Australia where he and his wife Deborah studied Americans as migrants and had a sabbatical appointment at the University of Wales at Swansea in social policy.
After leaving WSU, John held a variety of appointments at Southwest Texas State University, the University of North Florida, Bridgewater State College, and Western Carolina University. At Western Carolina, John served as chancellor from 1995 to 2011 after which he rejoined the faculty.
John’s academic interests involve the relationships between higher education, the economy and quality of life. He speaks regularly on issues associated with the New Economy and building competitiveness. When not working, John enjoys international travel and working with stained glass.
John first met his wife Deborah in Neff Hall on the WSU campus and they married in 1975. They have one son, Christopher who lives in Cary, North Carolina where he is studying biology and chemistry at North Carolina Central University.
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Ted D. Ayres, Vice President and General Counsel
Wichita State University
Ted D. Ayres earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Central Missouri State College in 1969 and his juris doctorate degree in 1972 from the University of Missouri.
In May 1996, Mr. Ayres joined Wichita State University as general counsel and associate to the president. In July 2002, he was promoted to vice president and general counsel. He also serves as general counsel to the WSU Foundation, the WSU Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Inc. and the WSU Board of Trustees.
He and his wife, Marcia, have three sons.
Keith H. Pickus, Interim Provost and Professor of Modern German and Jewish History
Keith Pickus earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with Honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1983. He was awarded a Master of Arts in modern German History from the University of Washington in 1988; received an "Inter-Israeli University Fellowship," to attend the Hebrew University in Jerusalem during the 1988-89 academic year; and he completed his doctoral program in modern European Jewish History at the University of Washington in June 1993.
Pickus assumed a tenure-track position in the History Department at Wichita State University in 1995. His formal administrative career began in 2000 when he took on the role of Graduate Program Coordinator for the History department. He served as the Associate Dean for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2001-07) and the Associate Provost for Strategic Planning and Operations (2007-2011). Pickus was named Interim Provost in June 2011.
He is married to Deirdre O'Farrell, and they have three children, Maeve, Lila and Claire.
Wade A. Robinson, Vice President for Campus Life and University Relations
Wichita State University
Prior to his arrival at Wichita State in July 2009, Wade A. Robinson served as associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Dr. Robinson received his Bachelor of Science in fitness and leisure management from the College of Education at Kearney State College in 1989; his master's in educational administration at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1992; and his doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1995.
As vice president for Campus Life and University Relations at Wichita State University, he oversees student life, enrollment services, Rhatigan Student Center, TRIO/GEARUP programs and university relations. The position also continues as the university's liaison to the Alumni Association.
He and his wife, Vicki, have three children.
Mary L. Herrin, Vice President for Administration and Finance
Wichita State University
Mary L. Herrin, CPA, was named WSU's vice president for administration and finance in January 2008, replacing Roger D. Lowe, who retired.
Ms. Herrin received bachelor's and master's degrees from Wichita State University and was awarded a Kansas Certificate of Certified Public Accountant in 1979. She joined WSU in 1973 as an administrative assistant and served as associate vice president for administration and finance/director of budgets before being named to her current post.
She is secretary of the board of directors of the Central Association of College and University Business Officers and a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers. She also serves on the 2008 YWCA board of directors as vice president of finance and is a member of Mortar Board and Soroptimist International of Wichita.
She was honored in 2003 with the President's Service Award, and in 2005 with the Wichita State University Alumni Association's Staff Recognition Award.
Ravi Pendse, Vice President for Information Technology and Executive Director of the Advanced Networking Research Institute (ANRI)
Wichita State University
Ravi Pendse, Vice President for Information Technology and Executive Director of the Advanced Networking Research Institute (ANRI)
Dr. Ravi Pendse earned his Doctoral (1994) and Masters (1985) degrees in Electrical Engineering from Wichita State University and his Bachelors (1982) degree from Osmania University in India. In 2009, he earned his IEM certificate from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.
As the chief technology strategist he oversees all technology supporting units on campus, including University Computing and Telecommunications, Media Resources Center, and KMUW.
In addition to his administrative role, he is also a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Executive Director of Advanced Networking Research Institute, Wichita State Cisco Fellow, and Senior NIAR Fellow. He also serves on the advisory committee of Kan-Ed and on the Kansas Research and Education Network board. He also serves on the Microsoft Higher Education Advisory Group (HEAG). He is a senior member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Eric L. Sexton, Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
Wichita State University
Eric L. Sexton was appointed as director of athletics in April 2008. A 1987 graduate and former student-athlete at Wichita State University, Sexton previously served the university as executive director for government relations and board of trustees.
He received both his Bachelor of Business Administration in management and Master of Public Administration from Wichita State University, and his doctorate in political science from the University of Kansas.
During his tenure, he has received numerous awards, including the Wichita Business Journal 40 under 40 award; the National Security Forum of the U.S. Department of Defense; Leadership Wichita; and the University of Kansas Black Faculty and Staff Council President's Scholar. In summer 2002, President George W. Bush named him to the Presidential Commission for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.