Applied Learning Stories

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.

In May 2025, Michael Rivas graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Before graduating, he shared his educational journey and its challenges with Wichita Public Schools (USD 259) high school students. Working with Wichita State Undergraduate Admissions’ Lead Admissions Representative, Baylee Almos, Rivas became a college access coach his senior year. He became integral in enhancing college accessibility and providing post-secondary planning to high school upperclassmen. Rivas connected with students about his honest experience as a first-generation, transfer and nontraditional student.

Nidhi Shenoy is a graduate student pursuing her master’s degree in quantitative analysis and economics at Wichita State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and economics from Mount Carmel College in May 2024. Since then, Shenoy has embraced every opportunity to bridge data analysis with storytelling. In the summer of 2025, Shenoy became an essential part of internal communication at The Smart Factory by Deloitte. As an internal marketing intern, she played a key role in streamlining communication for thousands of employees. Drawing on her background in journalism and economics, Shenoy analyzed data and produced content for the experience team.

In May 2025, Rory Mata graduated from Wichita State with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and another in chemistry. She also earned a Spanish for the Professions undergraduate certificate. Mata fully explored professional pathways in both fields during her internships. She explored a career as a chemistry researcher at NASA in Kansas and as a Spanish translator at The Exploration Place, through an internship funded by Wichita State’s Applied Learning Fund.