After an inaugural year, Spero has secured funding for its second year, thanks to private and corporate partners and a reinvestment by the Charles Koch Foundation. Housed within the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University, Spero—Latin for ‘hope’—helps individuals achieve lasting independence through skill-building and access to meaningful employment. In its first year, it became both the first micro-credential program in WSU’s history and the first 1EdTech TrustEd Micro-credential program in the world.
“I am proud of the impact Spero has already made in helping community members who need it most,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, Dean of the Barton School and Executive Director of Spero. “With the continued support of the Charles Koch Foundation and the commitment from new donors, we look forward to expanding the growth opportunities for our students.”
In its second year, Spero will expand the scope and course programming for both the Career Readiness and Entrepreneurship tracks.
Focused on building the skills, confidence, and professional development necessary to succeed in the workplace, the Career Readiness track will expand its cohort to additional applicants and feature a Career Advancement Program (CAP). The CAP will provide graduates with ongoing support for continued job placement and career progression. This will increase opportunities to expand their skill sets, meet with Spero employers, participate in additional interviews, and land full-time jobs with these organizations.
FALL 2025 SPERO EMPLOYERS:
- Bank of America
- Berry Companies
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
- Building Controls and Services, Inc.
- Cargill
- Cocoa Dolce
- Cox Communications
- EmberHope
- Emprise Bank
- Equity Bank
- Evergy
- Fidelity Bank
- Hall’s Culligan
- Hutton
- IMA Financial Group
- INTRUST Bank
- Koch
- Max Aerostructures
- Meritrust Credit Union
- B. Hoidale
- PrairieFire Coffee Roasters
- Star Lumber
- Textron Aviation Inc.
- weavix, Inc.
The Entrepreneurship track, aimed at providing practical training for those looking to start or grow their businesses, will expand to include a Venture Advancement Program (VAP), where participants will be supported with market research and consulting services, gain privileged access to resources, and jointly develop their ventures via hands-on activities with field experts.
Spero is also launching an Alumni group for graduates to remain engaged and capitalize on a wide range of relationship networks with former and current participants, faculty, business leaders, and members of Barton School advisory board.
“The Spero program has become a magnet for talented individuals committed to shaping their own futures,” said Genin. “The interest in Spero has been remarkable, and we believe that expanding our offerings will be met with continued enthusiasm from the community.”
Applications for both micro-credential programs, offered complimentary to qualified participants, are open and interviews will be conducted in July.
Interested individuals can apply through the following links:
- Career Readiness Micro-Credential Program Application: Apply Here
- Entrepreneurship Micro-Credential Program Application: Apply Here
To learn more about Spero, visit www.wichita.edu/spero. For any questions, please contact Dr. Alexander Ziegler, Director of Student Experience and Employer Relations, Spero at alexander.ziegler@wichita.edu or spero@wichita.edu.