College of Fine Arts News - All Stories

The Hospitality Management program is pleased to welcome three new members to its advisory board: Wynn Hukle, Matt Lokay, and Scott Redler. Bringing extensive industry experience and leadership expertise, they will help guide the program’s continued growth and strengthen connections between students and the hospitality industry.

The Hospitality Management program is pleased to welcome three new members to its advisory board: John Crow, Chris Angel Gomez, and Amy Waysack. Bringing extensive industry experience and leadership expertise, they will help guide the program’s continued growth and strengthen connections between students and the hospitality industry.

June 15, 2026 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research officially opened its new Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research following a two-day grand opening event that brought together industry leaders, federal partners, Wichita State and NIAR employees, and the greater community.

When Nikki Beyrle stepped into her role at the Barton School of Business at Wichita State University, the focus was clear: create a hospitality program that reflects how the industry actually operates.

June 11, 2026 — Wichita State University is expanding its Teacher Apprentice Program™ (TAP) to include new middle-school level math and science pathways aimed at addressing critical teacher shortages across Kansas.

June 10, 2026 — Wichita State University is preparing students and families for significant updates to federal financial aid programs scheduled to take effect July 1 as part of new federal legislation commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill.

The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University announces the creation of the Ross Tidemann Scholarship, a new four-year scholarship that will support incoming Barton School students through the Allen, Gibbs, and Houlik Scholarship Competition beginning in fall 2026.

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.