Wichita State News: Press Release

Parking lot to close for construction of new residence hall

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:30:00 CST

The parking lot south of Cessna Stadium will close Sunday, May 26, so construction can begin on a new residence hall at Wichita State University.

Fences were installed around the parking lot this week, but gates at all entrances will remain open through Saturday, May 25. The gates will be closed and locked on Sunday, May 26. The lot will no longer be available for parking.

Construction equipment and trailers will move to the site after Memorial Day. Jobsite trailers will move to the site the week of May 27.

The loss of 800 parking spaces will be offset somewhat with the addition of 400 parking spaces along 21st Street east of Corbin Education Center. Those spaces are scheduled to be available in mid- to late-July.

Even with the parking lot going offline, there should be ample parking for students attending summer school at Wichita State.

To accommodate the loss of handicapped-accessible parking spaces in the lot going offline, several spaces will be re-assigned as handicapped-accessible parking spaces adjacent to Morrison Hall. This work will be completed during the summer.

In the meantime, there should be adequate handicapped-accessible parking dispersed throughout campus, and additional handicapped-accessible stalls will be created in these areas with re-striping.

University officials continue to work on plans to help alleviate the demand for on-campus parking for students, faculty and staff when fall classes begin in August.

Faculty, staff, students and visitors are encouraged to go to wichita.edu/parking for the latest information on where parking is available, a map and helpful tips.

Construction to start soon on new Wichita State residence hall

Thu, 9 May 2013 07:30:00 CST

Construction of a new five-story residence hall at Wichita State University will start soon after Memorial Day.

The new residence hall will help energize campus and provide exceptional access to academic and recreational opportunities for students who will live near the heart of the campus.

The new residence hall will house about 770 students and be located between Cessna Stadium and Morrison Hall. A new 400-seat dining hall will be attached to the residence hall.

The project will cost about $60 million and be paid for by revenue bonds. Housing revenues will be used over a period of time to repay the bonds.

Ready for fall 2014

Plans are for the residence hall to be completed and ready for students to occupy by the start of the 2014 fall semester.

Mostly first-year students and some returning students will reside in the new residence hall. Several room configurations will be available — singles, standard doubles, double rooms with two singles, and quad rooms with four single rooms. Some will have small living room areas.

Each floor will have a laundry room, community kitchen and lounge area.

After completion of the new residence hall, Wheatshocker Apartments and Brennan Halls will no longer be residence halls. Plans are to raze those buildings for future development. Fairmount Towers will be available for returning students only.

The private/public partner developer selected by the university was EdR of Memphis, Tenn. The lead design architect is Page Southerland Page (PSP) LLP from Denver, Colo. PSP is working with local architects Howard and Helmer and MKEC Engineers.

Dondlinger and Sons Construction and Farha Construction are the construction team under EdR.

To help alleviate the loss of about 750 parking spaces, work also will begin this month on paving the existing Heskett Center intramural field along 21st Street. The new parking lot will accommodate around 400 vehicles.

Work on the new parking lot will begin soon after commencement on May 17 and 18, and will be open in time for the start of fall semester classes on Aug. 19.

Cornejo and Sons LLC will construct the new lot. The parking lot project will cost about $500,000 and be paid by Wichita State's parking system funds.

Plans are to construct a new replacement playfield and renovate the existing field at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex this summer and fall, with the project to be completed during fall 2013.

Sixth class of TRIO/GEAR UP Scholars named at WSU

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:33:00 CST

Wichita State University has announced the sixth class of TRIO/GEAR UP Scholars. Seventeen students were selected from the five pre-college TRIO programs.

Each student will have his or her first year costs for tuition and fees, books and on-campus housing covered through this unique scholarship program.

Additional scholarship opportunities may be available for subsequent years based on academic progress.

Deltha Q. Colvin

"The TRIO and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, GEAR UP, are pleased to identify exceptional students who have the opportunity to matriculate at Wichita State University," said Deltha Q. Colvin, associate vice president for Campus Life and University Relations, Special Programs. "We are pleased that the campus' many resources and opportunities are available to ensure that the students will be helped to make a smooth academic and personal transition to the next phase of their life."

The TRIO/GEAR UP scholarship program was started in 2008 as a way to benefit high school students who are participating in one of the pre-college, federally funded TRIO programs housed on WSU's campus.

The TRIO programs provide comprehensive services to low-income, first generation, foster care and disabled individuals.

Assistance is provided through academic, career, social and accommodation service through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.

Wichita State houses more TRIO programs than any institution in the country.

2013-2014 TRIO/GEAR UP Scholars

Wichita High School East
Madison Murry
Tam Tran
Doan Ly

Wichita High School North
Uriel Bailon
Shelby Fitzpatrick
Nicole Ramirez
Sergio Ziad

Northeast Magnet High School
Andrew Trefethen

Wichita High School Northwest
Marisa Athey
Emilee Johnson
Rebecca Robinson
Michael Wise

Wichita High School South
Kiana Hill
Allen Hyden

Wichita High School Southeast
Cheyenne Bullock
Mineka Rose

Wichita High School West
Erika Canchola

WSU releases revised Wichita metropolitan area indices

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:00 CST

The Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University has compiled the current and leading indices to provide insights into the present and future state of the Wichita economy.

The WSU Current Conditions Index is designed to give an indication of the present conditions of the Wichita metropolitan area economy.

The WSU Leading Economic Indicators Index is designed to give an indication of where the Wichita economy is headed over the next six months.

Click here to read the full report.

Wichita East IB grads make WSU their top choice

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:47:00 CST

Wichita State University is the No. 1 destination for graduates of Wichita East High School's rigorous International Baccalaureate program.

A special East High IB recognition program was held recently where graduates indicated their planned college destination.

In a class that has yielded students who plan to attend MIT, New York University, Northwestern, Seton Hall, Brigham Young, Notre Dame and more, Wichita State was the top choice for more East High IB graduates than any other college.

Bobby Gandu

"We're thrilled and humbled to know that Wichita State will be the college of choice for more East High IB graduates than any other college," said Bobby Gandu, director of undergraduate admissions at WSU.

Gandu credited a multi-step, collaborative recruitment approach with many campus units, ranging from Honors to academic departments to University Relations as being influential in the success.

Of particular note is that the East High IB students have also been successful in various WSU scholarship competitions.

Kiah Duggins was named a Barton Scholar; Sachin Pendse was named a Wallace Scholar; Katie Deutsch was named a Jabara Scholar; Tom Tran was named a McGregor Scholar; and Rachael Manske and Michelle Robbins were named Dean's Scholars.

Among Kansas colleges and universities, 20 East High IB graduates plan to attend Wichita State, 19 intend to go to the University of Kansas and six to Kansas State University. Four other Kansas colleges will each receive one graduate. The remaining 21 East High IB graduates will pursue college out-of-state.

Shocker Rowing to take on K-State in Wichita

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:00 CST

A last minute change to the schedule has allowed Shocker Rowing to have a home regatta in its spring 2013 season.

The race is now set for 9 a.m. Sunday, May 19, on the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita.

Spectators can watch from the Lewis Street bridge or either bank of the Arkansas River between the Lincoln Street dam and the Douglas Street bridge.

Parking will be available at 300 W. Indianapolis.

Originally the May 19 race was supposed to be in Manhattan at Kansas State University's home site.

Shocker Rowing will be racing Kansas State crew as both teams prepare for the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships May 25-26 in Lake Lanier, Ga., site of the 1996 Olympic Rowing venue.

At both the May 19 race and at Nationals, the Shockers will be racing a men's varsity eight, women's varsity eight, men's novice four, women's single and two men's singles. Shocker Rowing will race a men's double on May 19 in addition to a women's four.

The women's varsity eight has been ranked fifth in the nation for the past three weeks, the highest ranking for the Shockers since 2008.

Sri Lanka native finds success in WSU aerospace engineering

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:50:00 CST

His pleasant demeanor presents an unassuming college senior at the beginning of the rest of his life, but most seniors at Wichita State didn't grow up moving in and out of a war zone.

For Tharindu "TJ" Jayaratne, it was a fact of life. As a native of Sri Lanka, he lived in danger nearly every day because of the 30-year-long civil war in the country.

In 1994 when he was 6 years old, Jayaratne and his mother left Sri Lanka during one of the most violent periods of the war. Just four years earlier, hundreds of police officers were massacred by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in one day.

"I was glad we were in the U.S. when we were growing up," said Jayaratne. "While we were here [in the U.S.], the terrorists blew up the building my mom worked in back home."

While his mom was earning her master's degree at Vanderbilt University, Jayaratne spent some of his childhood in Nashville, Tenn.

"I enjoyed both lifestyles," said Jayratne about the cultural diversity he experienced as a child.

Upon returning to Sri Lanka, 10-year-old Jayaratne could not speak Sinhalese. He learned it with ease as a fifth-grader that year and spent the rest of his adolescence in his native country.

Coming back to America

In 2008, Jayaratne returned to the United States and began attending Wichita State University. He credits his decision to a "world-class aerospace engineering program for one-sixth the cost of other such programs." Jayaratne will graduate in May 2013 with a degree in aerospace engineering and a 4.0 GPA.

Jayaratne's interest in engineering is also clear to his teachers. Larry Whitman, associate professor at the department of industrial and manufacturing engineering, emphasized Jayaratne's passion for learning as an engineer.

"His passion to learn more — engineering is not static, and he tries to learn more about the subject at hand," said Whitman. "He does a good job trying to get better."

When asked about his experience at Wichita State, Jayaratne said he most enjoyed the "truly extraordinary" hands-on curriculum the aerospace engineering program provides.

"A lot of engineers haven't built anything by the time they get out of college," said Jayaratne. "That's the good thing about WSU."

Jayaratne has also served as president of the International Student Union (ISU) and project chair for Interfest. Under Jayaratne's direction, Interfest doubled its ticket and food sales in 2012.

As president of ISU, Jayaratne helped organize airport pickups for international students with help from other student groups. The student-run program picks up more than 200 students before each fall semester.

Jayaratne now has a co-op position at the National Institute for Aviation Research, working with the certification and testing of the Learjet 85 business jet. He plans to continue his work there after graduation.

As for graduate school, Jayaratne will apply to several programs.

"I'll probably stay here, though. I like it here," he said.

Outside of work and school, Jayaratne is researching building a 1967 Mustang Fastback.

WSU professor Wilson Baldridge receives fundraising award

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:30:00 CST

Wilson Baldridge, professor and chair of Modern and Classical Languages at Wichita State University, is the recipient of the WSU Foundation Faculty/Staff Fundraising Award.

The award was established to recognize WSU faculty or staff members who have played a key role in cultivating and securing a major gift for WSU.

This is the second year the award has been presented.

Read full story.

WSU's World Trade Council hosting Trade Week event

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:22:00 CST

The World Trade Council of Wichita Inc. is hosting a reception and banquet program, "NAFTA 20: Doing Business with Canada and Mexico - The Largest Trading Partnership."

The event, part of World Trade Week, is Thursday, May 16.

Read full story.

'The Kite Runner' author, Khaled Hosseini, to speak at WSU

Tue, 7 May 2013 14:23:00 CST

Khaled Hosseini

Wichita State University and Watermark Books & Cafe will host Khaled Hosseini, author of the international bestsellers "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns," at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at WSU's Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th St. N.

Tickets are $28.95 plus tax, and include a copy of the new book "And The Mountains Echoed," available for pre-order through Watermark Books & Cafe, by phone at 316-682-1181 or online at www.watermarkbooks.com.

Tickets will be available for pick-up when the book is released on May 21.

Hosseini and Ted Ayres, vice president and general counsel for Wichita State University, will have a book conversation about Hosseini's newest book, followed by a book signing.

Ted Ayres

"I am extremely flattered and pleased to be selected for this opportunity," said Ayres. "To publicly dialogue with someone of Mr. Hosseini's fame and talent on behalf of Watermark Books and Wichita State, excites me greatly."

"And the Mountains Echoed" is a novel about how we love, how we take care of one another and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor and sacrifice for one another and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe — from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos — the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

"We're thrilled to be able to partner with WSU to bring an author of this caliber to Kansas," said Sarah Bagby, owner of Watermark Books & Cafe. "Hosseini's novels introduce readers to situations that are not particularly pleasant, but they help us navigate the intricacies of our complicated, multicultural and multigenerational world. His reputation as one of the best American novelists working today is well deserved."

Author bio:
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat in the Afghan Foreign Ministry, and his mother taught Farsi and history at a high school in Kabul.

In 1976, the Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris.

They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then their homeland had witnessed a bloody communist coup and the invasion of the Soviet Army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted political asylum in the United States, and in September 1980 moved to San Jose, Calif.

Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1988. The following year he entered the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, where he earned a medical degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and was a practicing internist between 1996 and 2004.

In March 2001, while practicing medicine, Hosseini began writing his first novel, "The Kite Runner." Published by Riverhead Books in 2003, that debut went on to become an international bestseller and beloved classic, sold in at least 70 countries and spending more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

In May 2007, his second novel, "A Thousand Splendid Suns," debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, remaining in that spot for 15 weeks and nearly an entire year on the bestseller list.

Together, the two books have sold more than 10 million copies in the United States and more than 38 million copies worldwide. Hosseini's much-awaited third novel, "And the Mountains Echoed," will be published on May 21, 2013.

In 2006, Hosseini was named a Goodwill Envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. Inspired by a trip he made to Afghanistan with the UNHCR, he later established The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. He lives in northern California.

Patenting activity on the rise in Kansas

Tue, 7 May 2013 08:41:00 CST

In 2012 there were 2,756 patents granted to inventors living in Kansas. This represented 1.90 patents per 1,000 workers, slightly below the national average of 1.96 patents per 1,000 workers.

Although the current level of patenting activity in Kansas is below the national average, the growth in patenting activity of 6.3 percent in Kansas between 1980 and 2012 was above the average annualized rate, among the states, of 5.3 percent.

The Wichita State University Center for Economic Development and Business Research has analyzed the Strumsky Patent Database of The Brookings Institution for each Metropolitan Statistical Area in Kansas.

Go here to read the full report.

WSU College Republicans to host fundraising banquet

Mon, 6 May 2013 16:00:00 CST

Congressman Mike Pompeo will be the keynote speaker at a banquet to promote and support the college Republicans at Wichita State University. The banquet will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, May 10, at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

Beverly Gossage, candidate for Insurance Comissioner, also plans to attend.

The WSU College Republicans want to change the face of politics on campus through the student base and supporters such as Pompeo, the Kansas Federation of College Republicans and Credit Union of America.

The WSU College Republicans intend to spark interest and involve young voters in the political process. The group wants to help students understand a system that has an impact on their community and on them individually.

Guests can pay at the door for $18 per person and $30 per couple.

Wichita State senior awarded annual real estate scholarship

Thu, 2 May 2013 11:35:00 CST

Daniel Gutierrez is the 2013-2014 recipient of the Layman L. Clark/Kansas CCIM Chapter Scholarship in Real Estate.

This annual scholarship was established in 2011 by noted real estate developer and WSU alumnus Stephen L. Clark in honor of his father and in order to support WSU students with a demonstrated interest in a commercial real estate career.

Read full story.

Claycomb named interim dean of WSU's business school

Thu, 2 May 2013 09:15:00 CST

Cindy Claycomb

Cindy Claycomb has been named interim dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, effective June 2, according to Keith Pickus, interim provost at Wichita State University.

Claycomb will be interim dean for the 2013-2014 academic year while a national search is conducted for a permanent dean.

"Dr. Claycomb demonstrated great leadership as co-chair of the WSU strategic planning steering committee this past year," said Wichita State President John Bardo. "I'm confident that she will accept this next challenge with the same enthusiasm, energy and commitment."

The change was necessitated when Doug Hensler, the current dean, announced recently that he is leaving Wichita State to assume the position of provost at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

"Dr. Claycomb has developed great relationships in the community and on campus," said Pickus. "She will help ensure that the W. Frank Barton School of Business continues to move forward in the coming year."

Claycomb joined the WSU faculty in 1994 as an assistant professor of marketing and entrepreneurship in the Barton School of Business. She was promoted to associate professor in 2000, and to full professor in 2006.

In 2004, she was awarded a teaching fellowship and became the Neff Family Fellow in Business. She won the 2003 Wichita State University Board of Trustees' Award for Leadership in the Advancement of Teaching. In 1996, she won the Barton School's "Instructor of the Year" award.

Claycomb won the Barton School's "Researcher/Writer of the Year" award in 2004 and 2000. She held a Barton Fellow position in the Barton School during 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2012. These fellowships recognize quality research.

Before coming to Wichita State, Claycomb held several management positions in her 10 years with Pizza Hut Inc.

Claycomb received her doctoral degree in marketing at Oklahoma State University and her master's and undergraduate degrees at Wichita State.

Her areas of expertise are marketing management, sales, retail, services marketing, relationship marketing and supply chain management.

WSU announces spring commencement schedule, speakers

Wed, 1 May 2013 10:14:00 CST

More than 2,200 students are eligible to participate in the 115th spring commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, at Wichita State University. Ceremonies will be held in Charles Koch Arena.

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred in individual college ceremonies.

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
More than 800 liberal arts and sciences students are eligible to participate in commencement exercises at 3 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Mike James, president of the Critical Care Systems subsidiary at Express Scripts.

College of Health Professions
About 400 health professions students are eligible to participate in commencement at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Dr. Paul Uhlig, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Central Plains Cardiothoracic Surgery.

W. Frank Barton School of Business
About 275 business students are eligible to participate in commencement at
8 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Wayne Chambers, president and CEO of High Touch Technologies.

College of Education
Almost 300 education students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Brad Neuenswander, deputy commissioner for Learning Services for the Kansas State Department of Education.

College of Engineering
More than 320 engineering students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be John Lovitt, former senior executive for Rational Software and former CEO of Pattern Insight.

College of Fine Arts
About 100 fine arts students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Bob Workman, director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University.