Applied Learning Stories

Jordan Devoy is a Fine Arts alumna, who majored in filmmaking and graduated in December 2025. Before earning her bachelor’s degree in media arts with a filmmaking concentration, she had on-the-job training at Shocker Studios. Devoy gained experience in solo and collaborative projects throughout the production process. As a studio videographer, she shot and edited videos for Shocker Studios and its clients.

In May 2024, Ananda Smith graduated from Wichita State University with a bachelor’s degree that included a strong emphasis on studying and practicing public policy. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in communication at the Elliott School of Communication. Throughout her academic journey, Smith has gained extensive experience in multimedia journalism and has recently added a copywriter role to her growing resume. In this position, she connects with Shockers and the greater Wichita community through her media work.

Andrew Gibson is a College of Engineering senior and will receive his bachelor’s degree in computer science in May 2026. In his Applied Learning Experience, Gibson is a research assistant at Envision Research Institute. Envision is a Wichita, Kansas, nonprofit that provides services for people who are blind or visually impaired, including employment opportunities, clinical rehabilitation services, childcare and an art program. As a research institute, Envision employs a research team that works together to aid the blind and visually impaired community. Gibson uses his computer science knowledge as a research assistant to advance Envision’s mission.

Wichita State fine arts senior Samantha Bunce is one step closer to becoming a full-time art educator. In fall 2025, she began student teaching at Wichita Brooks Middle School. Under the guidance of art educator Lauren Gilmore, Bunce crafted a creative learning environment for students at this STEM and arts magnet middle school.

In May 2019, Gonzalo Niera Maquilon graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor's degree in psychology and another in anthropology. Driven to serve his community, he earned certificates in community psychology and human factors while attaining his bachelor's degree at Wichita State. Later that year, he began his master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology and graduated from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since graduating from Meredith College in 2021, Maquilon has poured his heart into human resources through various post-graduate roles. In his current role as a human resources specialist for the City of Wichita, he reflects on human resources’ influence on his work and his own “... impact on the life of others at work.”

In December 2023, Timothy “Tim” Cao earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with multiple emphases in economics, finance and real estate, with a minor in business analytics from Wichita State University. Cao continued his education at the Barton School of Business and in December 2024 he earned his master’s degree in economics and quantitative analysis with a data analytics concentration. Now at POET, Cao is a business support analyst, where his expertise in data analysis is vital in POET’s operations. A year after becoming an alumnus, Cao reflects on his academic and career journey with Wichita State’s support.

Kathryn “Kat” Fishwick has spent the past five years at Wichita State researching teen dating violence education programming, a primary prevention technique used to combat the public health crisis of intimate partner violence. Dr. Fishwick earned her doctoral degree in community psychology in May 2025. During her time at WSU, Dr. Fishwick applied her knowledge and expertise while working for the Health, Outreach, Prevention and Education Services department. HOPE Services advocates for suicide, sexual violence and substance misuse prevention, along with mental health and wellness promotion through outreach and education. Dr. Fishwick’s years at Shocker Nation encompassed research dedication, community outreach and professional development.

In August 2025, Santiago Carbajal began his sophomore year as a software engineering student contractor at NetApp through Ennovar. Working with NetApp’s Performance and Benchmarking Team, Carbajal actively shapes his future through hands-on experience in this Applied Learning Experience. Carbajal advances in his own future and in future technology, by coding, testing and learning new technologies like machine learning and AI development at NetApp.