Applied Learning Stories

Janett Lerma-Reyes, a mechanical engineering sophomore and was an operations summer 2025 intern at Shuttlewagon. Shuttlewagon, a mobile railcar mover manufacturer, designs railcar movers for rail yards, industrial facilities, and ports. At the Kansas City location, Lerma-Reyes' work centers around Shuttlewagon’s assembly line processes, improving its efficiency, accuracy, and safety for workers.

Niki Noland is a spring 2025 Wichita State graduate who majored in studio art, concentrating in print media. Before leaving Wichita State and the College of Fine Arts, Noland directly impacted Wichita’s art scene, interning for the City of Wichita’s Arts and Cultural Services Department and Public Art Manager, Jana Erwin.

Emily Rueda is an Integrated Marketing Communication senior at Wichita State University. In the Spring 2025 semester, she experienced the behind-the-scenes aspects of social media marketing through an internship with the College of Fine Arts. Funded through WSU’s Applied Learning Fund, which provides paid, hands-on experiences in students' majors and future career fields.

Vivian Salazar is a junior at Wichita State majoring in mechanical engineering. On campus, Salazar is a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Engineering intern for The Smart Factory by Deloitte. At Deloitte, she supports the smart maintenance and repair facility by managing Industry 4.0 machinery.

Liza Danilova is a senior majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications at Wichita State University. Originally from Moscow, Russia, Danilova came to Kansas as an international student and has since embraced every opportunity to grow her skills and gain professional experience in the U.S. With a strong interest in social media management, she has taken on several roles at WSU that align with her career goals. As graduation approaches, Danilova’s diverse internships have equipped her with the skills and confidence to pursue her dream job in the field.

Karaline Scott, a Wichita State electrical engineering sophomore, is currently interning for Professional Engineering Consultants. As a power and process division intern her tasks are focused on AutoCAD software, reading diagrams and schematics used in real world electrical systems.  

Lucas Garces is a double- alumnus of Wichita State University. He first graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's in business administration, then again in 2020 with a master’s in applied economics. Today, he works at Google as a data scientist.

Matilyn “Mati” Newman graduated from Wichita State University in May 2025, earning her bachelor's in integrated marketing communications from the Elliot School of Communication. As a recent graduate, Newman hit the ground running with her role as the digital marketing assistant at the Rotary Club of Wichita. In her role, Newman has witnessed how her classwork intertwines with her professional work.