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

WSU News Archive   Return to WSU News Home

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.

Student at Henrion Hall

Dec. 8, 2021 - The second phase of renovations is close to complete on Wichita State’s Henrion Hall, the 100-year-old building that houses WSU’s studio arts. This recent renovation affects the first-floor north side of the building, where the sculpture department conducts most of its casting processes. Updates include new ventilation and air conditioning, as well as improved accessibility and functionality of workspaces.

nursing students work with simulation manikin

Dec. 7, 2021 – The College of Health Professions (CHP) has initiated a major expansion to the its clinical simulation capabilities. Students across the CHP’s clinical degree programs will have increased exposure to high-tech robotic simulated patients in preparation for treating humans.

A Blackhawk helicopter arrives at Wichita State University.

Dec. 7, 2021 — Since its inception, the National Institute for Aviation Research’s digital twin program has been rife with opportunities to progress research, digital transformation, engineering technology and sustainability efforts. It’s also been an important career steppingstone and training ground for more than 250 Wichita State University students, who have gained valuable applied learning experiences while working on the project.

Megan Schmidt, 34, obtains nursing degree with the support of her family.

December 6, 2021 — From being a mom of five to becoming a labor and delivery nurse. How does Megan Schmidt do it all? Schmidt is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

W. Frank Barton School of Business

Dec. 3, 2021 — The same data, software and tools used by the world’s leading business and financial decision-makers can now be accessed in the Koch Global Trading Center of the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University.

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.

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.

Masks

Nov. 1, 2021 - Helped by six grants from Kansas Leadership Center, Wichita State University’s HEALTH Student Association is working to end the pandemic and support students with information and resources to keep them healthy. HEALTH distributed more than 6,000 free and reusable masks, some with “Shockers United” branding, some plain black and sequined masks for the inauguration of president Rick Muma. It assembled gift boxes for quarantining students with information on COVID-19 vaccines and testing and gifts such as Wichita State water bottles, stickers and lanyards.

Medical Laboratory Sciences students and Dr. Joel Alderson

Oct. 27, 2021 – The Medical Laboratory Sciences department at Wichita State University has received a $280,000 endowed scholarship gift from Southcentral Pathology. Dr. Joel Alderson, president of Southcentral Pathology in Wichita, KS, established this fund to provide two full-ride scholarships each year in WSU’s Medical Laboratory Sciences program.

AAC Career Fair

Oct. 21, 2021 - The Shocker Career Accelerator organized the AAC Virtual Career Fair on Oct. 28 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). All 11 full members of the American Athletic Conference will participate (although the event is not connected to the athletic departments or conference).

Lauryn McIntyre

Oct. 20, 2021 — While Lauryn McIntyre, who is majoring in marketing with a minor in personal selling, is growing out of her comfort zone in her internship, she isn’t doing it without support. That is the key feature to the applied learning model used by Shocker Career Accelerator to match Wichita State students with industry partners in a way that invests time in building a relationship that helps both parties.

Debra Pile

Oct. 14, 2021 – The College of Health Professions (CHP) at Wichita State University is pleased to announce Dr. Debra Pile as the chair for the School of Nursing and associate dean for Nursing Practice.

audiology student examines simulation manikin

Oct. 4, 2021 – The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has received a gift to create the Audiology Simulation Lab at Wichita State University. The lab contains five state-of-the-art Canadian Audiology simulator for Research and Learning (CARL) manikins and auxiliary equipment.