WSU News - All Stories

Oct. 9, 2020 — Thousands of school principals are faced with a challenge no other living school leader has faced: leading their schools through a pandemic. We're featuring two principals with roots in Shocker Nation.

Sept. 23, 2020 - Darren Defrain is the social professor of English and director of the writing program at Wichita State. Defrain has written novels, memoirs and essays, created a graphic novel, teaches on graphic novels/storytelling and is actively working on a graphic novel app.

Sept. 21, 2020 — A panelist of performing artists, moderated by Rodney Miller, dean of the College of Fine Arts, will discuss the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on the events industry at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Sept. 18, 2020 - In July, Emily Christensen spent five days on Zoom participating in the National Critics Institute, a program of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn. Christensen, coordinator of external affairs for Wichita State University’s School of Art, Design and Creative Industries, wrote about food, plays, movies and dance. She, and 16 others in her group, listened to and received critiques from people such as such as Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones, who directs the program, and Helen Shaw of New York Magazine.

Aug. 10, 2020 — Dr. Cory Gibson, superintendent of the Valley Center School District and graduate of Wichita State University, has been named the Kansas Superintendent of the Year for 2019-20.

July 23, 2020 — The Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Institute, which receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, recently awarded Wichita State $250,000 to assist in creating a workforce development database focused on compiling a map of educational programs and resources that provide skills required for today’s advanced robotics and manufacturing careers.

July 22, 2020 - The Wichita State University College of Engineering sponsors GoBabyGo, an interdisciplinary program that modifies toy cars for use by children with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the semester and several students returned over the past month to help finish and deliver the six cars.

June 8, 2020 -- In the recent partnership among Wichita State University, Airbus and Tango Flight, the sky is the limit. Tango Flight, a program that launched in 2016 in Georgetown, Texas, provides students the tools to build a two-seat airplane. The young learners are given applied-learning experiences before graduating high school.

May 27, 2020 - Wichita State's Shocker Studio is alway updating its technology for students in the School of Digital Arts and the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Media Arts. An industry advisory board, with voices from around the nation, helps Shocker Studios plan for what’s next and what’s important. The technology upgrades include the two recording studios – one digital, one analog - that are undergoing remodels that include new acoustics, new sound boards and new components.

May 22, 2020 - Wichita State runner Rebekah Topham needed help with reading when she arrived in 2015. She made great strides with the help of tutors and athletic department resources and carries a 3.89 grade-point average. She wants other struggling students to know her story.

May 20, 2020 — Jay Price, director of the public history program at Wichita State University, decided to make a series of graphic novels to commemorate the trail."

May 18, 2020 — COVID-19 might have forced Wichita State’s Ulrich Museum of Art to close its doors, but the museum has found new avenues to shine and thrive: an ambitious public art project and building the Ulrich’s online presence into a teaching and learning resource.

May 15, 2020 -- The America Reads Challenge is an initiative started in 1996 by the Clinton Administration. At Wichita State  six students participated in the work-study program during the spring semester. But when the pandemic hit, the students were out of work with no pay so they facilitated a way to move the program virtually.

May 14, 2020 -- Rhian Cunningham is as creative as they come, with her constant doodles and calligraphy notes, her personality shines through. Currently, she is an intern in the Office of Strategic Communication where she gains hands-on experience in graphic design. After graduation, she is unsure of her next steps but will spend time figuring out what she hopes to do.

May 15, 2020 -- McKenzey Bell knows the importance of taking time to work on your goals and chasing after what you want. She is a pro at visual storytelling and is excited to see where her passion for filmmaking takes her in life.