More than 2,400 students are eligible to participate in Wichita State University’s 126th spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11 in Charles Koch Arena. There will be three ceremonies to celebrate the graduates:
- 9 a.m. — Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts, Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College, and the College of Innovation and Design. The featured speaker will be Shawn Chastain, executive coordinator of fine arts for Wichita Public Schools.
- 1 p.m. — The College of Applied Studies and the College of Health Professions, with featured speaker Marshall Cho, who is a coach, educator and community builder.
- 5 p.m. — The W. Frank Barton School of Business and the College of Engineering, with featured speaker Tanvir Arfi, who is CEO and founder of the Banyan Technologies Group.
All graduates will walk across the stage and be individually recognized. Doctoral candidates will be hooded at the ceremony.
All graduation attendees will be required to be screened by security personnel and metal detectors as they enter the arena. Koch Arena will open one hour before each ceremony is scheduled to begin. It’s recommended audience members arrive early to allow sufficient time to get through security. There will also be a clear-bag policy for all those in attendance.
Please note that guest seating will be on a first-come basis, and no tickets will be required for entrance.
For those who are not able to attend in person, the ceremony will be available via online livestream. To view the ceremony, go to wichita.edu/commencement and scroll down to "Watch the Livestream” and click “Watch.”
For more information regarding commencement, consult the commencement FAQ online.
About the commencement speakers
- Shawn Chastain is the executive coordinator of fine arts for Wichita Public Schools, where he oversees more than 275 fine arts teachers across the district. Outside the district, his community involvement includes conducting the Wichita Choral Society, and A.R.I.S.E. (African Americans Renewing Spirituals Ensemble) and director of Calvary United Methodist Church in Wichita. He also serves on the boards of the Wichita Arts Council, Ballet Wichita and the Wichita Symphony.
- Marshall Cho — a coach, educator and community builder — has used his diverse experiences to mentor athletes across different cultural backgrounds, from college to youth levels. From South Korea to the United States and Africa, Marshall has developed thriving basketball programs, inspiring athletes globally while proudly representing his Korean American heritage. With a background in education and a trailblazing career, Marshall has coached at various levels, including high school and college, and has been involved in international basketball initiatives, highlighting his passion for the game and community building.
- Tanvir Arfi is the founder, chairman and CEO of the Banyan Technology Group, a capital group dedicated to the automotive aftermarket industry and offers a differentiated alternative to the traditional private equity capital market. Prior to his time with Banyan, Arfi was President at Solera Holdings, a mid cap company listed on NYSE and the Group President of Robert Bosch’s Automotive Service Solutions division. He also serves on the board of ACES, a leading autism education services company and is the Chair of the Automotive Network of YPO, the world’s largest community of CEOs
Wichita State graduates are also invited to celebrate their achievements at The Toast at 5 p.m. Friday, May 10 at the Heskett Center. Attending graduates will receive a commemorative WSU champagne flute after brief remarks from President Rick Muma, Vice President of Student Affairs Teri Hall and Vice President of Alumni Engagement Stacie Williamson.
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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