Community invited to Celebration of Life events for late WSU President John Bardo

A series of events honoring the life of late Wichita State President John Bardo will be held May 6-10 on campus. Dr. Bardo, the 13th president of WSU, died March 12 after a long illness.

The feature event will be the public Celebration of Life from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, May 9, in the Rhatigan Student Center’s Shirley Beggs Ballroom (third floor).

There will be speakers and video presentations about his impact as a cultural, educational and economic driver.

The event will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.

In addition, from 2-3 p.m. May 9, there will be displays in Astor Lounge outside the RSC Beggs Ballroom showing keystone programs and events under Dr. Bardo’s time as president of WSU.

Immediately following the Celebration of Life, a dessert and ice cream reception will be held on the east side of the Rhatigan Student Center.

Throughout the week of May 6-10, there will be a display set up in the RSC Cadman Art Gallery showcasing photos, art and other historical mementos from Dr. Bardo’s life.


The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State's Innovation Campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university's vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.