Luke Parrett

April 30, 2025 — Luke Parrett, a filmmaking major from Oklahoma, chose Wichita State for its proximity to home and the hands-on learning offered at Shocker Studios. His time at WSU has been shaped by applied learning in nearly every class, preparing him to pursue gig work across the Midwest and build a career in the film industry.

Dr. Sarah Beth Estes

April 28, 2025 — Wichita State University has appointed Dr. Sarah Beth Estes as the new dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Estes brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student and faculty success.

Dr. Mary Liz Jameson shows off her dung beetles to a student at the lab

April 28, 2025 When the email notification popped up, Dr. Mary Liz Jameson, professor of biological sciences, thought there must have been a mistake. It must have been for someone else at the university or perhaps another Mary Liz at a different university. Once the shock wore away, Jameson realized it was true: She had been elected to the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Sciences Fellows, class of 2024, for her integrated work on entomology.

Adam Key

April 22, 2025 — Missourian Adam Key, was drawn to WSU for its welcoming community, affordability and emphasis on applied learning. Adam has built an impressive resume through internships, leadership roles and hands-on experiences with local businesses and startups.

CARE/SOS Teams in their Suspenders4Hope T-shirts.

April 14, 2025 The CARE Team and Student Outreach and Support (SOS) are being recognized as a Suspenders4Hope Mental Health Advocate for their proactive support for the campus community. Their work ensures students, staff and faculty alike all have the tools necessary to work and learn at their full potential. Hear from Katie Davidson, director of SOS, on how the teams are supporting mental health.

Two students hold out an artifact from an archeology dig in Texas

April 10, 2025 — Wichita State students spent summer 2024 excavating the Boxed Springs archaeological site in East Texas, uncovering 6,000 years of Caddo history through hands-on research, artifact analysis and academic publishing.

Tyler Winn posts with WuShock

April 20, 2025 — Tyler Winn’s journey at Wichita State University has been shaped by perseverance and applied learning. After transferring from a community college to WSU in 2023, he quickly connected with faculty and gained valuable internships, including with the Wichita Thunder and NCAA March Madness.

Rudd Scholars

March 27, 2025 - The eighth cohort of Rudd Scholars includes 14 Kansas high school seniors who have chosen to attend Wichita State University. This brings the greater total of Rudd Scholars studying at WSU in the fall of 2024 to 62 students, the most of any Kansas Board of Regents institution.

Luke Hoy poses with members of the Barton School and his ceremonial check

March 24, 2025 The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University visited Valley Center High School to award senior Luke Hoy the 2025 Clay Barton Scholarship Feb. 26. The surprise included an announcement and presentation of a ceremonial check of $50,000, which is one of the largest business scholarships in Kansas.

2025 Jabara Scholarship winners: Wyatt Ochs and Jennifer Sanchez-Reyes

March 12, 2025 The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has announced the two recipients of the 2025 Professor Fran Jabara Endowed Scholarship. This year’s winners are Wyatt Ochs, a homeschool student from Wichita, and Jennifer C. Sanchez-Reyes from Derby High School in Derby, Kansas. They will each receive more than $32,700 spread over four years to attend WSU and major or double-major in entrepreneurship.

Dr. Darren DeFrain holds a phone that shows the Vizling app he created.

Feb. 25, 2025 — The National Endowment for the Humanities recently awarded a Wichita State University faculty member $150,000 to further develop a smartphone application that allows visually impaired people to read materials rich in visual content.

Dr. Moriah Beck, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Wichita State

Feb. 14, 2025 — Dr. Moriah Beck's journey as a scientist is rooted in the belief that research is a powerful driver of innovation and personal transformation. For Beck, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Wichita State University, research is far more than an academic pursuit — it’s a way to connect with a global scientific community and spark change.

Grace Naylor

Feb. 13, 2025 Grace Naylor, senior at Prairie View High School, is the winner of the 2025 Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship at Wichita State University.

Several runners participate in a 5K

Feb. 12, 2025 — The College of Engineering at Wichita State University is hosting a public 5k run/walk that is open to students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members. The 5k will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 on the WSU campus. Registration proceeds from the 5k will go toward the College of Engineering Needs-Based Scholarship Fund.

Melissa Penkava Koza works on a costume for a show.

Jan. 31, 2025 What started as a work study position in the costume shop of her university’s theater department has propelled Melissa Penkava Koza’s sewing hobby into guiding the next generation of costume creators.

2025 Gore Scholars

Jan. 31, 2025 Wichita State University has selected the 2025 recipients of the Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships. Each student will receive a $64,000 scholarship to attend Wichita State in August 2025.

The 12 finalists for the 2025 Distinguished Scholarship Invitational

Jan. 28, 2025 Wichita State University has selected the top 12 finalists in the annual Distinguished Scholarship Invitational.

Snowy campus

Jan. 6, 2025 — Wichita State University will return to normal campus operations Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Javier Martinez in his graduation regalia

Dec. 16, 2024 Javier Martinez received the Mark and Stacy Parkinson Scholarship, which, alongside Wichita State University’s closeness to home and mechanical engineering program, made it a no-brainer for Javier to attend WSU. He used the opportunities available to him as a Shocker to stay up on his studies and now joins his peers in graduating with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.

Carter working in the field

Dec. 12, 2024 Carter initially chose Wichita State University for its locality, being able to receive in-state tuition, but he also found a community in the campus and place to call home in the anthropology department in Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. They are now graduating with their master’s in anthropology with a plan to enter a doctoral program in archaeology in the future.