College of Fine Arts News - All Stories

Wichita State University’s Spero program housed and led by the Barton School of Business is entering its third year after graduating 80 participants across its Career Readiness and Entrepreneurship pathways. Early outcomes indicate that more than 75% of Career Readiness graduates report being employed, while 3 out of 4 Entrepreneurship graduates are operating ventures currently generating revenue.

May 28, 2026 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), in collaboration with Hexcel Corporation, celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Hexcel Applications Center.

Thirty-six years after sitting in the crowd as a Wichita State graduate uncertain about what came next, Koch executive and Barton School alumnus Richard Dinkel returned to Charles Koch Arena with a message for the Class of 2026: uncertainty is not something to fear; It is where growth begins.

May 26, 2026 — Wichita State University has received approval to rename University Stadium to Crossland Stadium in recognition of Crossland Construction’s significant contributions and longstanding connections to the university.

The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has received a $500,000 commitment from Vicki Decarsky via Derby Community Foundation in support of Spero, a workforce and entrepreneurship initiative designed to expand opportunity across Wichita.

May 20, 2026 — Dr. Moriah Beck, Talaty Endowed Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wichita State University, has been elected a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious scientific societies.

May 19, 2026 — Wichita State University marked the opening of a federal forensic laboratory on its Innovation Campus, expanding the university’s role in applied learning and national public safety efforts.

May 19, 2026 - GoBabyGo, a program that modifies children’s cars so that children with disabilities can enjoy more mobility, celebrates its 10 th anniversary at WSU this month. In early May, the program had its delivery day, the culmination of months of interdisciplinary work by students, staff and mentors to customize the cars at no cost to the six families.  

May 18, 2026 - Karsen Richard plans to teach math in middle school starting in the fall. His experience with inspirational teachers means he will walk into the classroom with goals beyond the subject matter. Throughout his classes, travels and baseball practices, two people who helped him served as role models.