Wichita State News: Students

Relationship with Beechcraft provides jobs for students

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:40:00 CST

Thanks to a strong relationship between Beechcraft and Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), dozens of WSU students are getting hands-on experience creating 3-D designs for Beechcraft airplanes.

The students are working at Beechcraft as employees of NIAR's CAD/CAM Lab. They're using CATIA 3D CAD design software and Mentor Graphics software to implement change requests for all production lines and recreate outdated two-dimensional drafting plans.

"They physically become part of the Beechcraft team," said Shawn Ehrstein, NIAR's CAD/CAM Lab director.

Much of the design work the students are completing was previously contracted to other companies. In 2010, bringing those jobs back to Wichita became a goal for Ehrstein and Scott Yeakley, Beechcraft's director of engineering operations.

"It's a winning situation for everyone," said Ehrstein. "The university provides hands-on learning opportunities, students get industry experience using industry tools while earning a paycheck, and Beechcraft gains a pipeline for new hires."

'A win-win scenario'

Most of the students are participating in the university's Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning program to satisfy curriculum in the engineering program.

Before students are hired, they must commit to working for the lab for the remainder of the semester. And, in turn, Beechcraft guarantees the students a job for as long. This has been a main contributor to the program's success.

"The NIAR/Beechcraft relationship is a win-win scenario in every sense of the meaning. We are proud to be a part of this successful business relationship," said Yeakley.

The partnership has already provided opportunities for nearly 40 students, and an additional 30 students will soon be hired for a new program this summer. Individuals to fill these positions have already been selected. Ehrstein recruits students by word of mouth and by posting flyers in and around Wallace Hall.

Students who have worked for NIAR's CAD/CAM Lab are in high demand in the aircraft industry. Since the program began in 2010, all of the lab's long-term student employees have secured jobs in the industry. Even Dassault Systems, the manufacturer of CATIA design software, has called Ehrstein looking for recruits.

"We hope we can continue to build this relationship and use it as a model for working with additional organizations," said Ehrstein.

WSU Summer Choir to present 'A French Connection'

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:13:00 CST

The Wichita State University Summer Choir presents "A French Connection" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, in Wiedemann Hall. The program includes a variety of music that is not sung in French, but has a connection to that country.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for students, with discounts available. Call 316-978-3233 or go to www.wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice.

The program includes the Requiem by composer Gabrielle Faure, which will be accompanied by professor Lynne Davis on the Marcusen organ.

Other pieces include a medley from Les Miserables based on the French revolution, selections from South Pacific, whose main character is a Frenchman, and "Give me Your Tired, Your Poor," a tribute to the Statue of Liberty which was donated to the United States by the French government.

Special musical guest for the performance is the Wichita Chorus of Sweet Adelines, who is coming off of a first-place finish in their chorus division last March.

Members of WSU rowing team help Moore, Okla., cleanup

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:54:00 CST

Five members of the Shocker Rowing Team volunteered to help with the clean-up from the tornado that devastated Moore, Okla.

The Wichita State University students spent June 5 going door-to-door in one of the afffected zones, asking if they needed any help cleaning up, or basic living supplies that may have been lost in the tornado.

The student volunteers talked with some families and submitted their information to headquarters to come later in the day to help elsewhere.

The WSU rowing team members joined a group of about 15 people and grabbed shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, etc., and got on a bus to go to the neighborhood to clean up debris.

They did their part to help pick up broken glass shards, roof shingles, branches and general trash.

Shocker Rowing earns All American, regional honors

Thu, 6 Jun 2013 10:50:00 CST

The success of Wichita State University's rowing team has been recognized recently with many of the crew members receiving top honors.

Ashley Brown, coxswain for the Women's Varsity 8+, was selected to the women's first team All American by the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA).

She is the first Shocker to make the first team.

Freshman novice rower Megan Allison was selected to the women's Freshman All American team. She is the third Shocker to be selected for this award.

Criteria for selection used included 2,000-meter testing scores, career racing results, accomplishments within their team, individual performances and the coach recommendation performance of their crew.

Shocker Rowing also was honored during the ACRA regional awards by earning 10 of the possible 20 spots. Twelve is the maximum possible for any program.

Read here to find out more about the regional awards.

Grad student wins WSU's $6,400 Sawan Fellowship

Thu, 6 Jun 2013 10:17:00 CST

Vijay Venkitachalam, a graduate student in electrical engineering, is the fourth recipient of the Maha "Maggie" Sawan Fellowship for Graduate Students at Wichita State University.

Venkitachalam will receive the award at 9 a.m. Friday, June 7, at the WSU Ablah Library, first floor, Reserve Section, Leisure Reading Room.

The Sawan Fellowship awards $6,400 for an academic year and is to be divided evenly between the spring and fall 2013 semesters, said Armin Gerhard, executive director of International Education at WSU.

Venkitachalam did his undergraduate work in India. He worked hard saving money to come to the United States to continue his studies, which he did by starting at WSU in January 2012.

The Maha "Maggie" Sawan Fellowship for Graduate Students was established by Edwin Sawan, professor emeritus in electrical engineering and computer science at Wichita State University.

It is established in memory of his late wife, Maha "Maggie" Sawan, who died in 2010, and honors her lifelong dedication to education and service to family and community.

Humanities scholarship awarded to Northwest High senior

Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:37:00 CST

Erin Gray

Wichita senior Erin Gray has been selected to receive the Anna Elizabeth Walsh Humanities Scholarship, one of the largest awarded at Wichita State University.

Gray, 17, the daughter of Daniel and Susan Gray of Wichita, graduated in May from Northwest High School. She plans to major in creative writing in WSU's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Walsh scholarship covers the recipient's costs for tuition, books, room and board and certain other expenses. It is renewable for all four years of college as long as the recipient meets academic standards, making the value of the award in excess of $50,000 over its life.

Officials in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences select the recipient for the prestigious scholarship, which was established in 1994 by WSU alumna Kathleen Walsh in honor of her mother, a teacher. Since then, it has been awarded to 11 students in the Fairmount College.

Gray was selected because of her 3.5 grade point average as well as a long list of accomplishments and activities, says Eunice Myers, Fairmount College associate dean.

Gray was a drum line co-captain in her school's marching band, served as vice president of the Drama Club and won a playwright competition in the Kansas Thespian Contest in 2012. She says her dream is to be a playwright.

"I really enjoy writing and especially playwriting," Gray says. "At first, I thought I might want to be a journalist, but now I want to pursue creative writing. Wichita State has a great creative writing program."

"She's clearly a leader and a talented young woman," Myers says. "We're talking about a young woman with a wide range of abilities as a musician, writer and actor/director. We're thrilled to have a student of such high quality join us at Wichita State."

Gray competed in Wichita State's Distinguished Scholarship Invitational, which awards some of WSU's most sought-after scholarships to high-achieving students.

Linwood Sexton Scholarship awarded to Solomon High senior

Wed, 29 May 2013 13:06:00 CST

Eddie Sandoval

Solomon High School (Solomon, Kan.) senior Eddie Sandoval was recently named the Linwood Sexton Scholarship recipient at Wichita State University for the 2013-2014 academic year.

The four-year scholarship provides full tuition, books, fees and on-campus housing, and has opened the door for Sandoval to get a college education.

Sandoval is described by his high school band director as the "definition of a positive attitude with his abilities to encourage others on a daily basis."

A student leader
At Solomon High School, Sandoval was successful at academics while working part-time and being involved in school activities. He lettered three years in football, basketball and marching and jazz band, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Sandoval also served as class student vice president for the past three years.

He is known throughout his community as a hard worker, often stopping to help neighbors with mowing and snow removal.

"I take pride in my work and make sure I do the best in everything I do," Sandoval said.

Sandoval looks forward to attending Wichita State in the fall and plans to major in Business Finance.

Scholarship history
The Sexton Scholarship was established in 2000 to honor its namesake, Linwood Sexton.
Sexton, a Wichita State legend in football, is a member of the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame and Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

An untiring advocate for equal opportunity and social justice, he has been honored with many awards for his efforts in promoting understanding and respect among people of different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds.

Incoming freshman applicants must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and demonstrate financial need. All students are eligible to apply, but preference is given to minority students.

The scholarship is automatically renewed as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.

Student Ambassador Society selects new members

Tue, 28 May 2013 14:35:00 CST

Wichita State University's Student Ambassador Society (SAS), under the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, selected 33 incoming and current WSU students for membership beginning in fall 2013.

WSU faculty, staff, students and various Kansas high school and community college officials nominated more than 400 students to apply for SAS membership; only 65 candidates received interview opportunities.

"The membership selection process for Student Ambassador Society is highly competitive," said Bobby Gandu, SAS adviser and director of admissions at WSU. "We couldn't be more pleased with the quality of these new members and we look forward to seeing them help take the organization to new heights."

Through SAS, students can impact the future of the university, gain professional networking opportunities, meet fellow WSU students, develop leadership skills and enhance their overall college experience.

Each SAS member donates about 15-20 hours per semester in biweekly meetings and in helping and supporting the admissions office by working with prospective students and their parents, potential university donors and the greater Wichita community.

During the 2012-2013 academic year, student ambassadors donated thousands of hours and participated in more than 100 admissions activities.

For more information about Student Ambassador Society at Wichita State, go to www.wichita.edu/sas.

2013-2014 SAS inductees
Wichita Collegiate School
Amani Braxton
T'Keyah Williams

Wichita High School East
Katie Deutsch
Kiah Duggins
Rachael Manske
Sachin Pendse

Wichita Heights High School
Carley Larson

Wichita High School North
Alissa Bey

Wichita High School Northwest
Amanda Johnson
Abigail Kretzschmar

Wichita High School Southeast
Courtney Allen
Tram Ngo

Andover High School
Jordan Haas
Jacob Highfill

Andover Central High School
Ashley Schrader

Campus High School
Emry Woelk

Derby High School
Ericka Feltrop

Eisenhower High School
Sarah Nelson

Garden Plain High School
Tyler Gegen

Goddard High School
Jacob Meister

Lee's Summit North High School (Lee's Summit, Mo.)
Erika Henseler

Lyndon High School
Gabriel Clark
Dylan Sloop

Maize South High School
Alex Hohler

Mulvane High School
Reegan Innes

Olpe High School
Emily Samuels

Rose Hill High School
Chelsea Pinkerton

Salina High School South
Margy Long
Lydia Newquist

Santa Fe Trail High School
Whitney Wilson

Shawnee Mission North High School
Jordan Johnson

Valley Center High School
Andrew Mayfield
Alan "Wyatt" Vieux

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

Flint Hills stories lure Elliott School students out of classroom

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:36:00 CST

The Flint Hills Media Project at Wichita State University helps students become well-rounded journalists by getting them out of the classroom to look for real stories.

The Elliott School of Communication summer course will mark its fourth year in June when students and faculty go onsite to cover the ever-mobile Symphony in the Flint Hills. The course runs June 10-July 5, with the event on June 15.

"(Sitting in a classroom) doesn't teach you to be a journalist or a storyteller," said Amy DeVault, an assistant professor for the Elliott School.

"You have to be out there meeting and talking to people and finding out what makes them tick," she said.

The students not only gain experience creating media for digital and print formats, but they also cross into other disciplines as they prepare to cover a range of topics.

"Students have to prepare to interview orchestra musicians and to write intelligently about the symphony concert," DeVault said. "They learn everything they can about the tallgrass prairie and the history of each region we're covering."

This summer, the students will add military history and knowledge to their repertoire.

The Symphony in the Flint Hills (SFH) has been staged in a different pasture every year since 2006. This year's symphony takes place in historic Ft. Riley. Students will also cover the stories about current Army training and life at the fort.

'A learning lab'
Since 2010, Elliott School students and faculty in the four-week course have helped tell the story of music, rural life and small towns as the symphony has moved through a new Flint Hills county each year.

The first week, they drive to the chosen site, set up headquarters in a nearby motel some days before the symphony, and fan out in teams to find stories.

The following three weeks back in the classroom are feverish as they write features; edit stories, photographs and videos; and design, layout and publish work on a project website and in a glossy, four-color magazine.

Some of the stories are even picked up by state and local newspapers and television stations.

"The (Flint Hills Media Project) provides a great learning lab for students and teachers alike," said DeVault.

She has taught the course for three years, the first two with late professor Les Anderson, who developed the course concept.

Last year, associate professor Kevin Hager co-taught the course with DeVault and quickly caught her enthusiasm.

"It's one of the classes that people who teach should want to teach because it's not books and lectures and classrooms," said Hager. "It's going out and doing what you love to do."

"This class is becoming one of our leading examples of experience-based learning," said Lou Heldman, interim director for the Elliott School.

Trending nationally
Nationally, out-of-classroom environments are increasingly seen as vital teaching opportunities for many professions. Education Week and related publications are emphasizing the value of real-world settings to improve digital learning, gain a broader base of knowledge and hone skills in problem-solving and creative thinking.

Meanwhile, the Elliott School's popular media project has attracted the attention of national education associations.

In April, DeVault and Hager were invited to co-present the Flint Hills Media Project at the 2013 National Broadcast Educators Association conference in Las Vegas. And last November at the National High School Journalism Convention in San Antonio, DeVault led a daylong workshop on team storytelling by taking more than 50 high school students out into the city to find and tell stories.

The messages: Get out of the classroom and into real stories. Think like a reader. Use multiple tools to tell your story. Work together using each person's strengths.

When Matt Cecil, the new Elliott School director, learned about the project during his Wichita State interviews last fall, he took the idea back to South Dakota State University and helped create a similar experience for students to get off campus and cover an annual summer festival.

On the scene
"Les taught me how to teach this way," said DeVault, who, in 2009, joined Anderson in a similar lab environment in tornado-wiped Greensburg, Kan., as its residents rebuilt their lives and their town.

As with Greensburg, the Flint Hills course puts faculty working side by side with students and encouraging them to develop their own relationships with sources.

"It's like the old apprentice model," said DeVault, adding that it builds strong bonds between all participants.

Good journalism is all about relationships, she noted. When the students get to know the people they are interviewing and something of their culture, they become more involved in the stories they are producing.

Kristin Baker, an Andover High School journalism teacher who participated in the 2012 Flint Hills Media Project, wrote about the closing of Marlow Woodcuts in Americus, Kan., after touring the dusty remnants of the once thriving business with its last owner, Wanda Douglas.

"Whenever Wanda got teary-eyed, so did I," said Baker, who was taken aback at the delicately carved beauty of the woodcuts once sold all over the world.

"When we started, our goal was to help Symphony in the Flint Hills get these stories in the media. Second, of course, was to give our students that experience," said DeVault.

And, while helping the SFH organization narrate the story of the distinct Flint Hills eco-region, which has the most dense coverage of intact tallgrass prairie in North America, something else has happened, DeVault said.

"What we didn't expect is that students from everywhere would come home with a love for the Flint Hills and an appreciation for Kansas people."

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.

WSU to hold commencement ceremonies May 17-18

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:13:00 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.

Information on individual college ceremonies is available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2195.

Links to stories about some of the graduates are available at:

http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/cnews/?cnid=11220

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.

Graphic design senior lands internship at space astronomy program

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:05:00 CST

Sara Crowdis

In June, Wichita State University senior Sara Crowdis will travel to Baltimore for an internship at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). But, Crowdis isn't a science major; she will graduate with a graphic design degree.

Crowdis was accepted to the Space Astronomy Summer Program (SASP) at STScI for students interested in astronomy and science. Out of 200 national and international applicants, only about 20 were chosen. The internship runs from mid-June until mid-August.

"I positioned myself differently than all the other scientists and said I would balance the team out by bringing in a new perspective," she said. "People must have been surprised when they saw my major."

While at STScI, Crowdis will work in the Office of Public Outreach, where she will assist in producing "Science Year in Review," a book that includes recent astronomy findings. She will also help employees with various Hubble projects.

"I don't think it is common for graphic designers to apply," said Crowdis. "All of the other interns are majoring in physics or astrophysics, and a few with computer science."

STScI is located on the Johns Hopkins University campus and is a part of NASA's Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). The institute operates the science program for the Hubble Space Telescope and will conduct science and mission operations for the future James Webb Space Telescope. It also supports other astronomy programs and general scientific research.

An unexpected interest

Crowdis, who grew up in Douglass, Kan., said she will greatly benefit from being exposed to a new type of work setting and living in a different region of the United States for a couple of months.

"I like working with professionals in their environments and learning from those real-world experiences," she said. "Plus, I will also be able to say I worked for NASA, and that seems pretty cool."

Crowdis learned about SASP after taking a Digital Imaging for Astronomy pre-session class in the honors program with instructor Martin Ratcliffe. He encouraged Crowdis to apply after she expressed an interest in how photos are imaged for NASA.

"I only needed two credit hours, so it was going to fill an elective space," she said. "I ended up really enjoying the class."

After graduating from Wichita State this May, Crowdis will do advertising and design work full time for Fairbank Equipment in Wichita, a job she originally received through WSU's Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning.

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.