Courtesy photoWichita State’s aerospace engineering program and its labs, wind tunnels and classrooms convinced Sam Schwarz to come to campus from Missouri. Once at WSU, his experiences in the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College made his experience more interesting and fulfilling.
Sam is one of more than 2,400 students eligible for spring 2026 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what's next for the grad.
What degree will you earn in May?
Aerospace engineering with minor in computer science and university honors minor
What is your hometown
Columbia, Missouri
What schools did you attend before Wichita State?
- Rock Bridge High School in Columbia
Why did you choose Wichita State University?
I wanted to pursue aerospace engineering, so after hearing about WSU and its emphasis on the subject from a local family member, I was really interested in coming here.
Touring WSU and seeing the engineering facilities (John Bardo Center and its labs, Project Innovation Hub, wind tunnels, etc.), as well as the focus on career-readiness with so many available internships in the area, convinced me to come to WSU.
I wouldn’t change a thing!
Did you have any applied learning experience as a student?
I’ve worked at FirePoint Innovations almost for the entire duration of my time at WSU.
I’ve also taken part in various leadership and service-learning experiences, mostly through the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.
I enjoyed the Summer Leadership Institute, BILL’S Trip (an academic service-learning experience named in honor of Bill Cohen) and Leadership Academy: Lead for Tomorrow. I served as a student leader twice more for BILL’S Trip and once as a “Special Project Lead.”
Most recently, as an extension of the Special Project Lead role, I’m helping the BILL’S Trip team perform a research project aiming to identify the impact of student volunteers with trips such as BILL’S Trip on National Parks and the National Park Service.
What is your advice for Wichita State students?
Make the most of your time here!
Take opportunities to travel or develop new skills, build communities beyond just your class homework groups, and take advantages of all the resources (labs, skills training workshops, GoCreate, internship opportunities) available to you while attending WSU.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will move to St. Louis and work at Boeing as a government training systems engineer.
What is your favorite dance move?
Has to be the robot.
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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