June 15, 2026 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research officially opened its new Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research following a two-day grand opening event that brought together industry leaders, federal partners, Wichita State and NIAR employees, and the greater community.
May 28, 2026 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), in collaboration with Hexcel Corporation, celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Hexcel Applications Center.
May 26, 2026 — Wichita State University has received approval to rename University Stadium to Crossland Stadium in recognition of Crossland Construction’s significant contributions and longstanding connections to the university.
May 19, 2026 — Wichita State University marked the opening of a federal forensic laboratory on its Innovation Campus, expanding the university’s role in applied learning and national public safety efforts.
May 18, 2026 - Karsen Richard plans to teach math in middle school starting in the fall. His experience with inspirational teachers means he will walk into the classroom with goals beyond the subject matter.Throughout his classes, travels and baseball practices, two people who helped him served as role models.
May 13, 2026 - Caden Carlson, who pole vaults on the Wichita State track and field team, is a two-time member of the American Conference’s All-Academic team. He earned two of Wichita State’s most prestigious scholarships, which helped him focus on his studies on his way to a job in Wichita’s vibrant aerospace industry.
April 30, 2026 — Wichita State University has selected Wichita Northwest High School senior Dulce Torres Gonzalez as the 2026 recipient of the $34,000 Mark and Stacy Parkinson Scholarship.
April 7, 2026 — Wichita State University has selected two recipients for the Richard D. Smith Scholarship, the university's largest scholarship award. Sallie Longwell of Valley Center, Kansas, and Caroline Love of Norfolk, Nebraska, will receive more than $80,000 over four years.
March 25, 2026 — Wichita State University’s W. Frank Barton School of Business has awarded the 2026 Professor Fran Jabara Endowed Scholarship to two Wichita-area students: Adeline Lank from Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School and Gabriel Shaffer from Valley Center High School. Each will receive $36,400 spread over four years to attend WSU and study entrepreneurship.
March 18, 2026 - Make48 returns to Wichita State University to launch the 10th season of the invention competition and host teams from its first Classroom Innovation Experience on March 20-22.
March 18, 2026 — Wichita State University has awarded the 2026 Mike and Mary James Scholarship to Derby High School senior Noah DeVault, who plans to study communication at Wichita State beginning in fall 2026.
Owen and Ellery Prothro are enjoying an up-close look at their favorite sport. They are charged with chronicling Wichita State University’s most successful men’s basketball season since 2021 for The Sunflower, WSU’s independent, student-run news source.
March 6, 2026 — Wichita Southeast High School graduate Ronal Bhagat returned to his alma mater on March 6 with a surprise — and a $50,000 investment in a student’s future. Southeast senior Natalia Malcolm learned in front of her classmates that she will receive the four-year scholarship to attend Wichita State University beginning this fall.
Feb. 19, 2026 — Wichita State University’s College of Engineering has named the latest group of high school seniors to join the Wallace Scholar program.
