Dr. Richard D. Muma, PhD, MPH, PA-C

President, Wichita State University

President Richard Muma

Muma

Dr. Rick Muma assumed the presidency of Wichita State University officially on May 6, 2021, after serving as the interim president on two separate occasions.

Under Dr. Muma’s leadership, Wichita State University has expanded the breadth and depth of its influence through several significant initiatives and achievements, all guided by the three priorities he set to guide the university everyday: providing an affordable and accessible education, developing the talent pipeline, and increasing economic prosperity for the community and state.

Providing an Affordable and Accessible Education

  • Continued year-over-year enrollment growth with over 23,000 students between WSU’s main campus and WSU Tech (highest ever).
  • Raised more than $10 million of ongoing support toward need-based aid.
  • Launched the Student Success and Persistence initiative, a university-wide effort that has led to improved persistence rates and graduation rates.
  • Opened the Shocker Success Center, a facility that will transform the way students learn and succeed at Wichita State University, housing 19 student support services. The facility offers all-inclusive student support in a welcoming space conveniently located in the heart of campus.
  • Opened the Marcus Welcome Center — Milly Marcus Annex, a new addition to the Marcus Welcome Center that houses the Office of Admissions and the Shocker Career Accelerator, to showcase and provide services of the full Shocker experience from major to degree to career in one facility.

Developing the Talent Pipeline

To support talent for local businesses and industry:

  • In conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), opened the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Excellence with additional construction on a state-of-the-art forensics’ lab.
  • Opened the Digital Research and Transformation Hub, which works with strategic partners to facilitate digital transformation research.
  • Began construction on the Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research building to help small companies adopt smart and advanced manufacturing processes into their business.
  • Began construction on Phase I of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a joint project between Wichita State University and the University of Kansas to create an academic health science center that fosters job creation, collaboration, research, and interprofessional learning. Once complete, the campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, including its Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, WSU Tech’s health care program and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy — all into one location.

Increasing Economic Prosperity

  • Grew research expenditures to a total of $261 million, up from $192 million in 2021, a 27 percent increase.
  • Gained emerging Hispanic Serving Institution status with more than 17 percent of our students identifying as Latinx.
  • Began work to develop University Village, which is a bold initiative to create a community connection to the Shocker neighborhoods surrounding WSU with needed services like child care and fresh food, as well as dining and entertainment.
  • Joined the Age-Friendly University Global Network, indicating our commitment to meeting the personal, educational, and career needs of adults of all ages and to creating age-inclusive environments on campus.
  • Broke ground on the renovation of University Stadium to transform into a state-of-the-art track and field, soccer, community event space.
  • Broke ground on Wilkins Stadium renovation, home to Shocker softball.

Muma has published his research in notable journals and has edited four books, two on HIV infection and two others on patient education. He’s currently in the process of publishing a book about Wichita State’s extraordinary transformation over the past decade.