2025 CAS Faculty and Staff Highlights

Dr. Beatrice Latawiec, Dr. Jody Fiorini, Dr. Jason Li, and Dr. Susan Bray's presentation proposal was accepted for two national conferences (American Counseling Association [ACA] and American Educational Research Association [AERA]).

• Latawiec, B., Fiorini, J., Li, J., & Bray, S. (2026). Unpacking beliefs about change and personal theories of change in counselors-in-training writing. The AERA 2026 Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA.

Dr. Jason Li, Dr. Philip Mullins, and Dr. Jaehwan Byun's presentation proposal was accepted for two national conferences (American Counseling Association [ACA] and American Educational Research Association [AERA]).

• Li, J., Mullins, P., & Jaehwan, B. (2026). Simulating the couch: Using AI for client role-playing in student training. The ACA 2026 Annual Conference & Expo, New Columbus, Ohio.

Dean Friend presented at the 2025 WSU fall address event and highlighted the vital role of applied learning at Wichita State, sharing her own experiences as a student teacher and the challenges of balancing work and education. She emphasized how paid applied learning opportunities ease financial pressures, prepare students for careers, and address workforce needs in Kansas. Jenn also pointed to initiatives like the Student Teaching Applied Learning Project and the Teacher Apprentice Program as powerful examples of student success.

Dr. Beatrice Latavietz presented her research-study at a conference in early July, organized by The Society for Text & Disclosure at the University of Padua, Italy. Dr. Latavietz’s study was on Interpersonal Communicative Competencies and Epistemic Beliefs in Dialogic Argumentation and Education of Preservice Teachers.  

Dr. Kim Moody, Professor in TALS, presented her research at the Oxford Education Research Symposium over the summer at Harris Manchester College in Oxford, England. 

At the SIDLIT 2025 Conference in July in Wichita, Dr. JaeHwan Byun and Dr. Mara Alagic presented “GenAI as Design Material: Crafting New Learning Paradigms.” Their session explored how generative AI can be used not just as a tool but as a flexible design material, enabling participants to experience behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist approaches to learning with AI while reflecting on what kind of learners we become when collaborating with it. Learn more here.

Dr. Kim Moody gave a featured presentation in September at the Wichita Collective Impact 3^rd Quarter Luncheon to share information about the new Collaborative Literacy Education, Advancement, and Research Initiative (WSU CLEAR). CLEAR will be partnering with Collective Impact to offer Family Literacy Nights hosted in Wichita elementary schools, beginning on October 16^th from 6:00-7:30PM at Holy Savior Catholic Academy. 

Dr. Fuchang Liu gave a poster presentation at the 2025 convention of American Psychological Association (APA) in Denver, CO in August. His presentation was “Holistic or Componential: How Fractions are Mentally Represented and Accessed."

Dr. Reagan Murnan delivered a virtual professional development session to more than 250 Wichita Public Schools paraprofessionals and campus support staff during the district’s Inservice Day. Her engaging session highlighted the importance and power of explicit instruction, equipping participants with practical strategies to support student learning. 

Dean Friend presented at the WSU Faculty Senate this week to provide information related to the proposed name change from College of Applied Studies to College of Education. The presentation included the departmental name changes proposed to change ISLE to “Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational and School Psychology” (CLES) and School of Education to “Teaching and Learning.”

Dr. Aubrey Neihaus presented to students during Spirit Week at East High in September. She went to alumna Elsa Carpenter’s (class of 2022) precalculus class to talk about becoming a math teacher. The precalculus students learned about the benefits of the teaching profession and did a fun math task. 

Dr. Sara Mata and Dr. Valerie Thompson presented at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Hub (UReCA)’s first Lunch & Learn of the Fall 2025 semester. The panel discussed how different research perspectives affect the Hispanic/Latin community and academic spaces.

Dean Friend gave a presentation on leadership at the Credit Union of America Management Team quarterly meeting in August. Frank Shoffner, President/CEO of CUA, presented Dean Friend with a unique gift – a limited-edition baseball cap signed by Shoffner and his co-host of the CUA video podcast “Between Two Branches”. Friend was a guest on the program earlier this year. 

Dr. Daniel Bergman presented “Unlock Your Origin Story to Empower Your Impact” at the Educators Rising National Conference, an event with over 3,500 middle and high school students and their sponsors. 

Dr. Sara Mata for led the third annual Herencia program, a cultural immersion experience preparing high school seniors for college success. With support from presenters across WSU, including Dr. Bobby Berry and Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, students explored language, earned college credit, and built pathways to higher education.

CAS Faculty Dr. Jason Li and Dr. Phillip Mullins along with Dr. Xun Liu of Virginia Commonwealth University, published, “Revisiting learning experiences, self-efficacy, and career outcome expectations among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic” in the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance.

CAS Faculty Dr. Ediil Torres Rivera, Dr. Susan Bray, Dr. Jason Li, and Dr. Philip Mullins published

“Decolonization Vs. Westernization in Counseling” in the International Journal of Psychology.

Sun Young Lee, associate Professor in the School of Education, published “Transpacific Curriculum History: Undoing the Citational Practice of Global Whiteness in Education Reforms” in Harvard Educational Review. 

Dr. Yang Fu published Shelton, A., Hogan, E., & Fu, Y. (2025). Factors influencing special education teacher educators’ focus on emergent multilingual learners in preservice literacy coursework. Teaching and Teacher Education, 166. 

Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, Dr. Susan Bray, Dr. Jason Li, Dr. Phil Mullins, and Ekua Ayensua-Mensah, published Decolonization vs. Westernization in Counseling, in the Interamerican Journal of Psychology. This journal reaches over 42 countries in four languages.

Dr. Aubrey Neihaus has a chapter coming out in the book, Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Intimate Scholarship: Being, Knowing, and Ethics. The chapter is titled, “Humanizing Collaborations Between Mathematicians and mathematics Educators – Desert Islands Not Required.” Preview the chapter.

Dr. Daniel Bergman, Professor of Education, published “Remembering More Than Your ‘Why’” for the George Lucas Educational Foundation’s  Edutopia

Dr. Wonyoung Kim launched the Journal of Contemporary Issues in Sport (JCIS). The peer-reviewed journal is published by the Sport and Leadership Studies Department in collaboration with University Libraries and Dr. Susan Matveyeva. Read the inaugural issue of the JCIS, featuring work from Dr. Wonyoung Kim, Dr. Mark Vermillion, and Dr. Mike Ross.   

Dr. Victoria Koop, Associate Professor in ISLE, received $54,301 from the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation to evaluate the Guided Independent Living Assessment (GILA) Program. The program helps individuals with disabilities build independent living skills in a supportive apartment setting. Dr. Koop’s evaluation will measure program impact and guide improvements.

Dr. Dan Sigley and Dr. Lindsay Luinstra, Assistant Professors in Athletic Training, received an award from the KS Innovation Fund by the WSU Foundation in the amount of $4,773 for the project titled, “Identifying Barriers to Reporting Concussion Data in Kansas High Schools.

The College of Applied Studies hosted the Fall Clinical Educator Kickoff on April 7, welcoming around 200 clinical educators and pre-service teachers from USD 259 and surrounding districts. The event provided training, role preparation, and networking opportunities, supported by program chairs, faculty, and staff including Dr. Jennifer Friend, Dr. Heidi Stinchcomb, Dr. Aaron Rife, Maria Wehby, Tierra Knox, Michelle Critchfield, and Raodot Jimoh.

Dr. Philip Mullins, ISLE Department Chair & Associate Professor and Sports Counseling Coordinator, was selected by the Wichita Business Journal for recognition in Young Professionals in Professional Services.

Jill Wood and Dr. Julie Thiele received a $285,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, working with WSU Foundations, to offer $9,500 scholarships to 30 TAP students located in rural Kansas communities. 

TAP Leadership Team hosted a Professional Development for our adjunct instructors and Success Coaches on July 31. Topics included the new Educator Dispositions Assessment, Intentional and Ethical Use of Generative AI, TAP program and policy updates, a TAP student panel and special words and prizes from our Credit Union of America partners. 

Joe Mazzara, Director of Esports, who was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Additionally, Wichita State’s Esports program recognition at the NACE 2025 National Convention included: Avery Pierce, Finalist for Assistant Director of the Year and Brooks Valdez, Finalist for Student Leadership Award.

Alexus (AJ) Cossell, Assistant Education and Internship Coordinator in Exercise Science, on receiving funding in the amount of $24,000 from the State of KS Applied Learning Fund for the Graduate Exercise Science Project. This funding will support 5 student experiences in both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, each awarded a $2,400 scholarship to help offset cost-of-living expenses. 

Cossell also received funding in the amount of $120,500 from the State of KS Applied Learning Fund for the Exercise Science Applied Learning Project. This funding will support 25 student experiences in Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 with $4,800 scholarships to help offset cost-of-living expenses

Dr. Jaehwan Byun, Associate Professor in the School of Education, was awarded the Jean Spalding Faculty Fellowship for 2025-26. Dr. Byun was selected for this Fellowship by the Dean of the College of Applied Studies due to his high research productivity and plans for scholarship this year. This Fellowship honors Mrs. Jean Spalding, who worked in the budget office of USD 259. She and her spouse, Lee, became volunteer fixtures in the Wichita community, including American Red Cross blood drives, Helping Hands through Central Christian Church, Via Christi Hospital and Partners in Caring. These Fellowship funds can be used to support travel, equipment, graduate assistants, and to supplement salary. 

Dr. Aaron Rife, Associate Professor and School of Education Chair, received funding in the amount of $545,960 from the State of KS Applied Learning Fund for the CAS Student Teaching Applied Learning Project. This funding will support 84 pre-student teaching experiences, each awarded a $1,440 scholarship, and 85 student teaching experiences from Fall 2025 through Spring 2026, each awarded a $5,000 scholarship to help offset cost-of-living expenses. 

Dr. Daniel Bergman, Professor of Education, was elected to serve as the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) District XI Leader. This three-year term on the NSTA Leadership Council will represent the states of Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Learn more by clicking here.  

Dr. Kim Moody, Professor and Coordinator of MAT in ECU/EEU, Reading Specialist & Structured Literacy, on received funding in the amount of $45,000 from the State of KS Applied Learning Fund for the Reading Education & Achievement (READ) Applied Learning Project. This funding will support a total of 20 student experiences, with 10 students participating during Fall 2025, and 10 students during Spring 2026 for 10 hours per week. 

Dr. Julie Thiele, Associate Professor and Chair of the TALS Department, received funding in the amount of $130,000 from KBOR to continue the Strengthening Pathways from Student to Teacher: Filling Special Education and  Elementary Classroom Vacancies initiative. 

Dr. Rich Bomgardner, Associate Professor and Athletic Training Program Director, received funding in the amount of $64,800 from the State of KS Applied Learning Fund for the Athletic Training in Clinical Sites Applied Learning project. This is the first award for CAS in the new fiscal year 2026.  

The College of Applied Studies received an award of $321,000 from the Kansas Board of Regents to launch the new Collaborative Literacy Education, Advancement, and Research (CLEAR) initiative.

The College of Applied Studies (CAS) announced its 2025 award recipients during its annual CAS Awards Ceremony, held in the spring 2025. The event recognized faculty, staff and community partners whose work strengthens the college’s mission to advance education, innovation, and student success. The awards span university-level recognitions, college-specific honors and special acknowledgments of service and leadership. View recipients and read more.