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Kristen Knott and family

Oct. 21, 2026 - “Parents need to know there is support and they’re not alone,” said Pamela O’Neal, associate director in the Office of Online and Adult Learning at Wichita State University. The Parents and Caregivers Community is designed to help adult learners make those choices and succeed with a community of people in similar family and work situations.

Wichita State students gather in the Rhatigan Student Union

Oct. 21, 2026 — Beginning with the class of 2027, more students will be able to see a Wichita State education as a possibility thanks to $218,000 in new scholarship opportunities available through Wichita State’s annual scholarship competitions.

Regine Feilmeier Tennis Complex

Oct. 20, 2026 - Wichita State University has announced that its new tennis facility will be named the Regine Feilmeier Tennis Complex, recognizing Regine and the Feilmeier family's longstanding commitment to Shocker Tennis and their continued investment in Wichita State's future.

Field of Screams Kansas actor

Oct. 20, 2026 - WSU students Reese Willbanks and Izzie Licata are among the roughly 100 actors at Field of Screams Kansas, a long-running haunted attraction at Prairie Pines in Maize and loaded with connections to Wichita State. The lore of the murderous Spurlock family, the attraction’s theme, started with a class paper at WSU by Kip Scott, owner/operator of the attraction.

Kevin Kelly

Oct. 7, 2026 — What began as a student job at Wichita State's Walter H. Beech Wind Tunnel has grown into a 20-year career fueled by curiosity. Now a research manager at NIAR, Kevin Kelly has played a key role in the facility's evolution while mentoring others and continuing to ask the question that drives every engineer: "Why?"

Wichita State University campus

Oct. 1, 2026 - Wichita State University is taking part in the statewide free college application period — Apply Free Days — Monday, Oct. 5 through Friday, Oct. 9. During this period, any Kansas resident who applies for degree-bound undergraduate admission to Wichita State can do so without paying the application fee.

A teacher works with three students in a classroom setting.

Oct. 1, 2026 — The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has named Wichita State University as a finalist for its 14th annual Innovation & Economic Prosperity Awards. The awards recognize innovative projects or programs in economic engagement.

A yellow and white chart shows that Wichita State and WSU Tech have a combined enrollment of 24,640 students for fall 2026.

Sept. 30, 2026 — Driven by the largest freshman class in university history, combined enrollment by headcount across all Wichita State University locations for fall 2026 is 24,640, according to annual data released today by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Memorial '70 gathering

Sept. 29, 2026 - The annual remembrance at Memorial ’70 will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at the memorial sculpture at the university entrance at Memorial Drive and Hillside. The ceremony will honor the 31 people - WSU football players, administrators, supporters and flight crew - who died in the crash in Colorado on Oct. 2, 1970.

John Tomblin

Sept. 24, 2026 — The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has elected Dr. John Tomblin to the grade of Associate Fellow, class of 2027, recognizing his exceptional leadership and global technical excellence in aerospace engineering. Tomblin is executive vice president for research and Industry and Defense Programs at Wichita State University and executive director of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

Wichita State basketball fans

Sept. 24, 2006 — Get your first look at the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Shocker Madness, the annual start to the season, at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Admission is free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and both teams will sign autographs until 6 p.m.

WuShock points at the camera while dancing around a bonfire at Shocktoberfest 2025

Sept. 24, 2026 — Wichita State University invites the community to show its black-and-yellow spirit during 2026 Shocktoberfest, a weeklong tradition of Shocker pride from Monday, Sept. 28 through Saturday, Oct. 3.

CubeSat prototype

Sept. 3, 2026 — On May 3, a satellite prototype created at Wichita State was launched into low space orbit by NASA. On Aug. 4, when the first delivery of data came through, Professor Nickolas Solomey and his entire team of faculty and students breathed a huge sigh of relief.

NIAC Symposium at Wichita State

Aug. 31, 2026 - Some of the newest and boldest ideas in space exploration will be featured Sept. 15-17 at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium at Wichita State University.

Members of the physician associate program pose in front of a wall with Wu on it. Members of the program are all wearing shirts that read "Suspenders4Hope #WeSupportU," with stylized yellow suspenders that are made up of different words printed on the shirts.

Aug. 25, 2026 — Wichita State University continues to expand its commitment to mental health and wellness across academic disciplines. The physician associate (PA) program has officially been recognized as the next Suspenders4Hope® Mental Health Advocates on campus. This designation highlights a curriculum-wide effort to prioritize psychological safety and awareness for both future practitioners and the patients they will serve.