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2026 Wallace Scholarship Winners

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.

Alyssa Pace stands with an oversized check for $50,000

Feb. 18, 2026 — On Tuesday, Feb. 17, members of Wichita State University’s W. Frank Barton School of Business visited Belle Plaine High School to surprise senior Alyssa Pace with the 2026 Clay Barton Scholarship. The $50,000 award is one of the largest business scholarships in Kansas and will cover four years of tuition support at Wichita State.

Samara Langley

Feb. 16, 2026 — Samara Langley, a Colegio del Sol (Asunción Paraguay) graduate, is the winner of the 2026 Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship at Wichita State University.

Two women work on computers

Feb. 9, 2026 — Wichita State University has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to create the Wichita HIREs program: Humanities Internships Reward Employers, an initiative designed to expand applied learning opportunities for students pursuing humanities degrees.

2026 Clay Barton Scholarship finalists

Feb. 9, 2026 — The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has announced eight exceptional high school seniors as finalists for the 2026 Clay Barton Scholarship, one of the largest and most prestigious business scholarships in the state of Kansas.

A graphic announcing the 2026 Gore Scholars from Wichita State University. Three portrait-style photos are displayed in a row against a yellow and black Wichita State background. Below each photo is a name: Mackenzie Bucl, Kayden Lankford, and Samantha McClintock. At the bottom of the graphic is an outdoor image of the large “Wichita State” campus sign under a blue sky.

Jan. 30, 2026 — Wichita State University has selected the 2026 recipients of the $64,000 Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships: Mackenzie Bucl, Kayden Lankford and Samantha McClintock.

Wichita State students pose and jump near a Wichita State sign.

Jan. 26, 2026 — Wichita State University is proud to announce a transformative $1 million gift from an anonymous 1958 graduate of the University of Wichita to support need-based scholarships in the W. Frank Barton School of Business.

Wichita State University campus

Jan. 16, 2026 — Wichita State University has selected the top 12 finalists in the annual Distinguished Scholarship Invitational.

NSF ranks Wichita State No. 1 in aerospace engineering R&D and No. 9 in overall engineering R&D from all funding sources

Jan. 12, 2026 — Fueled by a boost in contracts from federal agencies and various military branches, Wichita State University continues to hold strong in its standings in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development Survey, reporting $392 million in research expenditures in the latest survey.

Dr. Ali P. Gordon

Jan. 7, 2026 Dr. Ali P. Gordon has been named as the next dean of the Wichita State University College of Engineering, effective June 7.

Isabella Winter

Dec. 8, 2025 — Isabella Winter enjoyed earning her undergraduate degree so much that she came back and earned her graduate degree in engineering management. Her advice to other students is "step out of your comfort zone and talk to people in your classes."

Natalie McConico

Dec. 8, 2025 — Natalie McConico is a homegrown Wichitan who was already well-versed in the many attributes of Wichita State University. She was particularly impressed by the opportunities available to engineering students.

Exterior of the Shocker Success Center

Dec. 2, 2025 - The impact of the Shocker Success Center is seen in the increased traffic and in how the convenience encourages staff members to work together while helping students. The Shocker Success Center brings 18 campus resources, previously housed in 12 buildings, into one building.

Scholars Walk banner

Nov. 18, 2025 - The Scholars Walk at Wichita State University honors the achievements of faculty and their roles as scholars, mentors and innovators. Installed this month, Scholars Walk is a series of banners along the northeast walkway from the Plaza of Heroines highlighting faculty from the academic colleges.

Wichita State University water tower and sunflowers

Oct. 1, 2025 — Wichita State University and the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) are celebrating record-breaking enrollment this fall, continuing a decade of extraordinary growth. Over the past 10 years, WSU has grown 27.3% and WSU Tech 101.5%. That momentum is reflected in this fall’s historic headcount of 25,147 students — the highest in university history.