Barton In the News

The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has announced the appointment of Nikki Beyrle as its new Hospitality Executive-in-Residence and Chair of the Hospitality Advisory Board – marking a bold new chapter in redefining hospitality education in Kansas and beyond. Beyrle will lead the program’s transformation into a nationally and globally recognized model of excellence. A group of prominent industry executives joining the Advisory Board will be announced soon.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University proudly unveiled its newest Envision Arts Program exhibition in Woolsey Hall — featuring the youngest artists ever to have their work displayed in the building. Three talented children from the Cathy G. Hudson Envision Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) now have their art showcased on the third floor of the Barton School.

This past summer, 14 students from the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University took experiential learning to new heights through the Global Entrepreneurship Experience, an immersive three-week study abroad program set in the picturesque South of France.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has announced the newest members of its 25 Under 25 class, an annual recognition program honoring exceptional Barton School students who are making a difference through academic excellence, leadership and community involvement.

New program pairs Barton School of Business students with nonprofits, startups, government, and corporate partners for paid, hands-on projects.

The Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP)— recognized by the Wichita Business Journal with its Innovation Award—celebrated the launch of its fifth cohort during a dynamic welcome event at Wichita State University. The new class features 12 exceptional students representing the W. Frank Barton School of Business, the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the College of Fine Arts.

A team of five undergraduate students from the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University earned finalist recognition at the Cornhusker Business Case Competition, a prestigious national event hosted by the Nebraska Business Honors Academy at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Six student leaders from the Barton School of Business’s Cummings Student Managed Investment Fund (CSMIF) recently traveled to Chicago for the 2025 Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC) Conference, where they engaged with industry leaders, expanded their professional networks, and explored new strategies to strengthen the fund.

The Cummings Student-Managed Investment Fund (CSMIF) at Wichita State University’s W. Frank Barton School of Business opened the 2025-26 academic year with serious momentum, announcing a 20% portfolio increase over the previous year — one of the most successful periods in the fund’s history. The news was shared during CSMIF’s annual fall kick-off event, where students and mentors also introduced the fund’s dynamic new leadership team and outlined their vision for the year ahead.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University today launches Barton Foresight: AI Outlook, a new publication exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, education, and society. As the first in a series of Barton Foresight initiatives, AI Outlook underscores the school’s commitment to equipping its community—and the wider region—with tools to anticipate change and act on it.