Wichita State University’s W. Frank Barton School of Business has awarded the 2026 Professor Fran Jabara Endowed Scholarship to two Wichita-area students: Adeline Lank from Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School and Gabriel Shaffer from Valley Center High School. Each will receive $36,400 spread over four years to attend WSU and study entrepreneurship.
The Jabara Scholarship is one of the largest of its kind nationally for entrepreneurs. To qualify, students have to complete essay questions about the importance of education in entrepreneurship and ideas that they find intellectually interesting as well as score at least a 27 on their ACT, 1260 on their SAT or achieve a 3.5 high school GPA. The selection process culminated in the AGH Scholarship Competition, when they were interviewed by a panel of judges.
“During the scholarship interview process, applicants were presented with a startup scenario and asked to discuss how they would navigate challenges related to growth,” said Chris Broberg, interim director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. “Adeline stood out for her mature business thinking and practical problem-solving approach. The judges appreciated her ability to think ahead about real operational challenges while maintaining a strong commitment to product quality. The judges were impressed by how Gabe connected his ideas to real action in his own life. He shared specific examples of motivating classmates to join leadership organizations, participate in drug awareness initiatives, and become more engaged in academic activities.”
The scholarship is named after the late Fran Jabara, who was a WSU faculty member for 40 years and founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU. Along with serving as the dean of the College of Business Administration, Jabara received the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001, the President’s Medal in 2002, and was inducted posthumously into the Barton School of Business Beyond Hall of Fame in 2024.
Meet the 2026 Jabara Scholars
Adeline Lank
- Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School
- GPA: 3.88
- Organizations: National Honor Society, girls cross country, Handmaids of Mary, Blessed Sacrament girls mentorship group, Catechesis of the Good Shepard
Why does entrepreneurship interest you?
Whether it was a lemonade stand, jewelry sale, or babysitting business, I have always
loved having a business and coming up with ways to generate sales. Studying entrepreneurship
interests me because I would like to become equipped with the tools to eventually
start my own business. I want to start businesses that work for the people. Creating
positive and healthy working environments for employees and enhancing customers' daily
lives are two essential elements that I want to keep in focus throughout all of my
endeavors. I have so many ideas and aspirations. Studying entrepreneurship will help
lay the groundwork to bring these goals to life.
Do you have any current entrepreneurial interests or goals?
I hope to start my own clean-living line, which will focus on creating affordable,
nontoxic products that the consumer can purchase with confidence. I hope to have products
ranging from skincare and makeup products to cleaning supplies, potentially even entering
the fashion industry. I want my lines to guarantee customer satisfaction without the
side effects of many toxic dyes, fragrances and ingredients. I would also like to
start my own party-planning company, connected to a storefront with products available
for purchase or for rent.
Why WSU? Why the Barton School?
Community was one of the key factors I considered when looking at various colleges,
and Wichita State’s community always stood out to me. I am excited to join the community
this fall. The Barton School interested me because of the student-oriented focus.
I look forward to the ways the school works with students to plug them into internships
and build references that will help aid the transition between the business school
and the workforce.
Gabriel Shaffer
- Valley Center High School
- GPA: 3.94
- Organizations: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, boys tennis, girls tennis manager, National Honor Society, drumline, Madrigals Choir, Ping Pong Club, drama, SAFE/SADD Club, Science Club, Riverlawn Christian Church worship team and youth group, Riverside Tennis Center, Pawsitive Impact volunteer, Lord’s Diner volunteer
What does receiving the Jabara Scholarship mean to you?
It felt absolutely surreal when I was told I won the Jabara Scholarship. I was home
alone, and I just wanted to be able to tell my family. They encouraged me, prayed
for me, and cheered me on through this entire process. The reduced financial burden
will allow me to clearly focus on my learning and involvement so I can join organizations,
engage in leadership and pursue applied learning opportunities. Graduating with less
student debt will impact my life in ways that I cannot even fully comprehend right
now, and it gives me the chance to dream, explore and build the kind of future that
I may not have been able to build otherwise.
Why does entrepreneurship interest you?
Entrepreneurship interests me because I feel like it gives me flexibility when it
comes to my future and doesn’t box me into one specific thing. I’m a person who loves
to try new things, so this feels like a great fit for me. My interest in entrepreneurship
was sparked when I started shoveling driveways on snowy days. It was just something
that I decided to do one day, and it turned into me having a list of regulars who
rely on me every winter. I also work on weekends at catering events, and that experience
has allowed me to watch and learn what it’s like to run a business. Both of these
jobs have taught me what it means to take initiative, provide excellent customer service
and value a strong work ethic.
What do you hope to learn and experience during college?
I hope to sharpen my current skills and learn many new ones. One thing I am looking
forward to most is gaining hands-on experience that will help build my resume and
my professional networks before graduation. After meeting some wonderful people through
the Barton School and doing my own research about the school, it was clear this was
a place that values its students and blends strong academic programs with endless
opportunities to gain real-world experience.
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 overall for engineering R&D.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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