For WSU News and WSU Today content older than July 2018, search the WSU News Archive.

WSU News Archive   Return to WSU News Home

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

Feb. 17, 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.

Grant Adler

Feb. 13, 2025 - Shocker pitcher Grant Adler, who attended Derby High School, will graduate in May with a general studies - chemistry degree while continuing to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He will intern at Spirit AeroSystems for a second summer.

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.

Snowy campus

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

A Wichita State student works in Wichita State's College of Engineering Hub

Dec. 18, 2024 – The College of Engineering at Wichita State University has partnered with Groover Labs, a nonprofit collaborative workspace, technology hub and rapid prototyping lab in Wichita, to support the regional business community.

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.

Lilith Samples

Dec. 12, 2024 Following time at another university, Lilith Samples realized her hometown of Wichita was where she belonged and is now the first in her family to graduate from college. While at Wichita State University, she was able to work at the Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology in Neff Hall and hopes to continue in the profession after graduating.

WSU and other officials standing in front of an airplane

Dec. 3, 2024 — As part of the U.S. Air Force’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center contract, Wichita State University is partnering with SNC to modernize and deliver a new fleet of “Nightwatch” aircraft — the airborne command center for the president of the United States, secretary of defense, and chairs of the joint chiefs of staff, ensuring continued critical command, control and communication during national emergencies.

NSF graphic

Nov. 26, 2024 — Wichita State University has entered the top 10 in the country in engineering research and development expenditures, according to data announced this week by the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey. WSU is also No. 1 in the country for aerospace engineering expenditures.

child with prosthetic bionic arm

Nov. 20, 2024 – Wichita State University has launched the Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology (IRMAT), an innovative collaboration focused on addressing disease and disability through applied research and technology. IRMAT will serve as a hub for cutting-edge, patient-driven research and development of transformative technologies to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Image of the rubble in Antakya, Turkey, caused by an earthquake in 2023.

Nov. 18, 2024 — In the wake of the devastating 2023 earthquakes that obliterated much of Antakya, Turkey, Wichita State cultural anthropologist Dr. Jens Kreinath turned to his writing to preserve the region’s rich interfaith history, honor its victims, and confront the ethical dimensions of human dignity amid an apocalyptic tragedy and government inaction.

Dr. Monica Lounsbery

Nov. 13, 2024 -- Wichita State University has named Dr. Monica Lounsbery as its next senior executive vice president and provost, effective Jan. 5, 2025.

Military and Veterans Service members wear their Suspenders4Hope T-shirts

Oct. 30, 2024 Suspenders4Hope, a program developed at Wichita State University, is highlighting different departments and individuals on campus who are advocates for mental health in hopes that their stories will inspire others to continue supporting one another in the community. Military and Veterans Services is being recognized for its work in supporting our campus’ military service members and veterans, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed.

Students work in the Molecular Diagnostics Lab

Oct. 15, 2024 – Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, a vital resource during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now leveraging its expertise to explore new frontiers. By addressing critical gaps in the healthcare system, the lab is also offering invaluable hands-on training for students, shaping the future of health care.