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Valeria Esparza sits in front of the Wichita State University sign. She is wearing a grey sweater and black turtleneck and is sitting on a brick ledge. There is some shrubbery below the sign.

Dec. 8, 2021— Valeria Esparza’s dream was to attend college as a first-generation student. She is now guaranteed a position to teach elementary education as her future job following graduation. Esparza is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

Madeline Shonka (left) created an app called CoVstat to help patients with chronic illnesses. Devon Creasman (right) created ICT Box which brings local artisan goods to your doorstep.

November 29, 2021 – Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship (CEI) has granted two students the Women for Women's Innovation Award — one who wants to use an app to help those with chronic illnesses, the other who wants to support local businesses by creating Wichita artisan gift boxes.

Pedro Piña-Guerrero is sitting on some long limestone steps with his hands crossed and a smile on his face.

Nov. 24, 2021 – It was a bright and sunny afternoon in August 2021 when Pedro Piña-Guerrero received a call that would change his life: He had won the Adelante Scholarship to attend Wichita State University.

Aunjnae White, a first-generation student, posing with her degree in psychology.

Nov. 22, 2021 – New beginnings are usually an adjustment, and it can be a leap of faith if you are the first to go to college in your family.

NAIR WERX

Nov. 4, 2021 - A $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will help Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) purchase tools and supplies to support Flight Test Research Center and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility at NIAR WERX.

The American Athletic Conference logo

Oct. 29, 2021 - The American Athletic Conference is investing in big cities and the state of Texas with its addition of six new members recently. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida Atlantic University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Texas, Rice University and University of Texas at San Antonio had their applications for membership approved last week.

Today, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. held a grand opening event and ribbon cutting ceremony for its National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC), a joint project with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

Oct. 15, 2021 – Today, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. held a grand opening event and ribbon cutting ceremony for its National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC), a joint project with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). This new research center will significantly expand Spirit’s capabilities and production efficiencies in the defense and space market.

Louisa Brunt

Oct. 11, 2021 - Louisa Brunt, from Manchester, England, transferred to Wichita State from Texas Tech University to golf and to earn her master’s degree in criminal justice. Brunt graduated from Texas Tech, where she earned Academic All-Big 12 honors three times, with a major in criminology and a minor in forensic science. Brunt expects her career path to take her into police work or the FBI.

NIAR MRO

Oct, 1, 2021 - The 777 conversion program will provide unique applied learning opportunities for WSU engineering and WSU Tech students. NIAR’s ability to provide applied learning experience for students will expand with a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for the purchase and installation of equipment for the institute’s Flight Test Research Center and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility on South Oliver near Spirit AeroSystems.

Shocker Nation graphic

Sept. 30, 2021 -- Enrollment for fall 2021 at Wichita State University and WSU Tech is showing strong growth despite a decline in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of thousands of local jobs.

Prisca Barnes (right) reads to a student at Storytime Village.

Sept. 22, 2021 — What started as one woman’s passion project has flourished into a literacy empire that serves thousands of children in schools across the Wichita area — helped along the way by the people and services of Wichita State University.

John Lee, director of Campus Recreation

Oct. 16, 2021 - Later this fall, pickleball becomes permanent on campus at the Heskett Center’s Outdoor Sports Complex.  When it became necessary to resurface six tennis courts, John Lee, director of Campus Recreation, decided to do something different. The complex will feature four pickleball courts, two courts for tennis and two existing courts for half-court basketball and one for futsal. 

The Boeing 777 aircraft rests at NIAR facilities.

Sept. 8, 2021 — WERX at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received its first Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft. As part of its rapidly growing Maintenance Repair and Overhaul program, WSU-NIAR WERX, in conjunction with Kansas Modification Center, will convert the passenger aircraft into a freighter that will be transferred to an external client to meet the growing needs of the e-commerce and express cargo market.

Casey Ratzlaff

Aug. 23, 2021 - Casey Ratzlaff, a Wichita State University senior majoring in sport management, will compete in the Tokyo Paralympics Games beginning Aug. 27, at Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo. 

A group photo of the 2021 Adelante Scholars

Aug. 19, 2021 — As the fall 2021 semester begins, the 21 students in the inaugural class of Adelante Scholars have begun their careers as Wichita State University students.