Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving
Wichita State University will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday from Thursday, Nov. 22 through Sunday, Nov. 25.
There are no classes tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 21) but university offices will be open. Classes will resume on Monday, Nov. 26.
Shocker Pet Pathway is just around the corner
WSU is developing a walking path designated for you and your four legged friend(s) on #WichitaState's campus! #wsunow
Dog treat dispensers
Selfie spots 📸
Scenic routes on campus
Sponsored pet dedication signs
Find out more about Shocker Pet Pathway.
WSU Tech responds to recent announcements of increased aviation jobs by offering tuition-free training to meet workforce needs
As Wichita's aviation companies plan to add more jobs, WSU Tech is ramping up its training opportunities and offering them tuition-free. Through WSU Tech's Wichita Promise scholarship program, individuals will have the opportunity to get trained for select high-demand jobs with tuition and fees paid and a guaranteed job interview.
“Our hope is people who are currently looking for a way to get into a career, whether they are unemployed or underemployed, will see this as their opportunity to make that happen,” said Sheree Utash, WSU Tech president.
The eligible aviation programs include Aviation Sheetmetal Assembly, Process Mechanic Paint, and Composite Fabrication. All training can be completed in as little as six weeks to three months, and students will receive a technical certificate upon completion.
“We are seeing over 95 percent of our students in these programs receive job offers,” said Megan Madasz, director of Employer Relations at WSU Tech. “For programs like aviation sheetmetal assembly and process mechanic paint, aviation companies are interviewing students in the first few weeks of their training, and most will have contingent job offers before they graduate. This is exciting because students are then able to go to work almost immediately after they complete their training.”
For individuals interested in a career outside of aviation, WSU Tech will be offering the Wichita Promise Scholarship for their pre-health courses for surgical technology, dental assistant and practical nurse.
Classes for the eligible programs will start in January. Scholarship applications are currently being accepted at WSUTECH.edu/WichitaPromise, and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Black Friday at the Shocker Store
Searching for the perfect gift for your favorite Shocker fan? Save big on Shocker gear at the Shocker Store's Black Friday Sale! On Friday, Nov, 23 and Saturday, Nov. 24, at their Braeburn Square location only, take 25 percent off storewide! Store hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. both days. See you there, Shocker Nation!
Annual Christmas Organ Concert coming Wednesday, Nov. 28
The next Wednesdays in Wiedemann will feature Lynne Davis performing the annual Christmas Organ Concert at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, in Wiedemann Hall. Admission is free.
Coming soon: 56th Annual Candlelight Concert
WSU Choirs will present the 56th Annual Candlelight Concert: “The Marvel of This Night” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30; 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, in Wiedemann Concert Hall. For tickets, go to Fine Arts Box Office or call 978-3233.
Get in the spirit of the season with an incredible variety of music, featuring perennial favorites “Beautiful Savior” and “Personent Hodie.” Other highlights include “Before the Marvel of This Night” by Carl Schalk, and “Night of Silence” by Daniel Kantor. The concert celebrates the 200th anniversary of the beloved Christmas carol, “Silent Night.”
The concert features WSU's Concert Chorale and Women's Glee Club, conducted by Michael Hanawalt, and A Cappella Choir and Madrigal Singers, conducted by Tom Wine.
Each choir will also perform separately and as part of a mass choir. Also featured are organist and professor Lynne Davis and pianist and professor Justine Sasanfar.
Started by Harrison Boughton and modeled after the famous St. Olaf College Christmas Festival, the Candlelight Concert is the longest-running musical tradition at Wichita State.
Invitation to SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit on Dec. 12
Learn how to access non-dilutive funding and meet one-on-one with SBIR experts from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, in 264 Experiential Engineering Building.
This workshop begins with an overview of the SBIR program, and how it differs from the STTR program. After covering recent and pending changes in SBIR/STTR, the discussion turns to a recommended process for developing a competitive Phase I proposal to any agency.
If you think you already know the Greenwoods' four-step process, come hear their new process which now entails seven steps. Each attendee also will be eligible for a free review of their Phase I proposal.
The cost of the event, including lunch, is $25 for general admission and $5 for WSU students. This event is open to the public.
10 Minutes with Kaye Monk-Morgan
By Brittany Schowalter - Digital Editor, Wichita Business Journal
Kaye Monk-Morgan has spent much of the last three decades on the Wichita State University campus.
After earning her bachelor's degree from WSU in 1993, Monk-Morgan was hired full-time as the university's community college coordinator in 1995. She also earned a master's degree in public administration from WSU in 1996.
During her time at WSU, Monk-Morgan has seen a lot of change, which she talked about recently during an interview for this week's Wichita Business Journal “10 minutes with” piece. Monk-Morgan is currently assistant vice president for Academic Affairs.
You've been at WSU for a long time, but you just started a new role (assistant vice president for academic affairs) in August. How's that going? Awesome. It's wonderful. One of the things that I've experienced thus far is that it's really interesting having been in a place for a really long time where you think you know to go to another office and do different work and realize you don't know very much at all. So it's going really well.
There are a lot of changes happening on the WSU campus and a lot of expansion. What has it been like to be a part of that from the inside? It's very exciting! It's challenging because we're building things as we “fly” them. So often times it's adaptive work, so we're not quite sure if it's going to work. One of the things about innovation is that you try something new. If it works, great, do it again. If it doesn't work, you don't do that and try something different. So that part has been kind of challenging — to maintain the stamina for that kind of innovation process. But to know that you have been a part of an experience that's going to set the stage for what Wichita State's going to look like for the next 20 or 30 years is very exciting.
You were the emcee for the WBJ's inaugural Ignite ICT Women's Conference. What did you think of the event? I thought it was awesome. There aren't many places where you can go into a space where there are diverse women who come together about a shared set of values and a mission of self-empowerment, growth and development, and to help their city grow in the same sense where that's what you get to talk about and think about all day. So marinating in that spirit and having the opportunity to share and converse with folks who have those types of ideas, notions and support has been a really phenomenal experience.
There's a lot of talk lately about pushing young people to get two-year technical degrees. Does all of that talk take away from the perceived value of a traditional liberal arts four-year degree? You know, I worked for 20 years working with high school students going into college, most of whom were first generation and/or kids who were coming out of poverty. I'm a firm believer in what I call “stackable credentials” — to be able to work in a field with a job often times with some type of post-secondary training, whether that's a two-year or certificate program that provides access and revenue to help students actually obtain a four-year degree. I'm always going to be a proponent of folks getting as much education as they possibly can. But I understand that there are ways in which ... we can stair-step our way if that's necessary. There are some fields that don't require that. So to make sure that students have access to two-year degrees, I think is a great option.
What is the biggest challenge that Wichita State University faces today? To make sure we stay as relevant in 20 years as we are today. As Wichita changes, are we innovating and creating new spaces? As the demographics of our students change over the years, are we able to provide them with the same level of service that we have historically? How do we do that with changing financial models? And just how do we make sure we're supporting Wichita and the state of Kansas as we grow and try to meet the challenges coming in the future?
Weekly briefing update: Dean Rodney Miller shares importance of infrastructure initiative to the College of Fine Arts
The College of Fine Arts is located in two of the most iconic buildings at Wichita State - Wilner Auditorium and Henrion Hall, both of which are in line for improvements to support academic priorities. Their combined repair / renovation would account for $3.5 million of the funding provided by the proposed infrastructure initiative, according to Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts.
Wilner Auditorium, originally called the Auditorium and Commons building, was built with federal funds provided under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which made possible its construction in 1938.
Wilner Auditorium was renamed in honor of George Wilner, first head of speech and theatre, who joined the university in 1923. The 553-seat Wilner Auditorium still serves as the main stage for theatre activities, and has been an important launching pad for the professional careers of WSU theatre graduates.
While final decisions have not been made, Miller said, “It is our hope to improve the natural acoustics through modifications of the existing orchestra pit and remaining balcony. This will benefit students, faculty, staff, and the public who attend the performances.”
Henrion Hall, the second oldest building in use on the Wichita State campus, is even more iconic. It is an amalgam of three facilities – two gymnasiums and the concrete stands of WSU's original football stadium.
The first facility, the west gym, originally called Memorial Hall in honor of the servicemen who gave their lives in World War I, was constructed in 1921. The second gym, the ladies' gym, was built in 1937 as another WPA project. It connected the original Memorial Hall gym with the brick stands of the original football stadium, built in 1928. Because of this unique configuration, the building offers three immense open areas with few load-bearing walls in between. This provides a veritable blank slate for architectural configuration.
Henrion has never been renovated. Although the building is structurally sound, a number of building code, Americans with Disabilities Act, ventilation and other building system deficiencies exist. It is our hope that the $2 million allocated from the student fee money, combined with the $850,000 WSU has committed from this year's budget for repair / renovation, will go far in rehabilitating this wonderful facility, while benefiting students, faculty and staff.
According to Miller, the allocation from the infrastructure initiative also has a $500,000 budget for upgrades to technology infrastructure for both of these facilities as well as Miller Hall, bringing the total Fine Arts portion of the fee to $3.5 million.
SAC presents Amal Kassir on Nov. 29
Amal Kassir is a Muslim woman, born and raised in Denver to a German-Iowan mother and a Syrian father. She is an international spoken word poet, having performed in 10 countries and more than 45 cities.
Join Student Activities Council at 6 p.m. Thursday Nov. 29, in the CAC Theater. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, go to Student Activities Council.
Parking garage will be closed for a time over Thanksgiving break
The parking garage will be restriped over the Thanksgiving shutdown. The garage will close on Thursday evening, Nov. 22, and reopen Saturday morning, Nov. 24, weather permitting.
Thanksgiving break hours of operation in the RSC
The Rhatigan Student Center and its departments will have adjusted hours of operation during Thanksgiving Break. To view the hours, go to wichita.edu/RSChours
WSU student creates diagnostic tool that could change the prenatal industry
One in 10 babies suffers from fetal acidosis, or a lack of oxygen during birth. Mother of five and Wichita State University student Tammy Dorsey has developed the Pedi-Cell, a noninvasive diagnostic tool that will close a huge clinical gap in the prenatal industry and make child birth safer.
Fetal acidosis can happen for dozens of reasons. When babies are in acidosis, they expel carbon dioxide like normal. However, hydrogen levels spike, which causes the acidity to build up in the blood. Organs and tissues are affected, causing a degree of complications that could be life long, chronic and, in extreme cases, cause death.
“I want the doctors to know when the baby is in trouble so they can make decisions that's best for the situation,” says Dorsey.
Koskei earns All-American honors
Winny Koskei finished 35th at the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships Saturday morning, earning
All-American honors.
In below freezing temperatures and scattered snow showers in Madison, Wisconsin, Winny Koskei ran 20:32.1 to place 35th in the 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships at the Thomas
Zimmer Course. Koskei became the third Shocker under head coach Kirk Hunter to earn All-American honors.
Game day specials all day
The Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes is your Shocker Basketball headquarters! For each men's basketball game, they will have a different game day special, honored all day long. On Sunday, Nov. 25, you can take 15 percent off all starter menu items!
Salvation Army Angel Tree and Star of Hope
Provide a Christmas gift for a local family through The Salvation Army's Angel Tree and Star of Hope programs! The Shocker Store and Student Involvement will host a tree in the RSC to help Wichita families have a happy holiday season!
Starting yesterday (Monday, Nov. 19), if you are interested in sponsoring a family, stop by the tree in the Shocker Store (RSC location only) and choose your angel or star off the tree. Bring it to the front desk of the Shocker Store to sign up to sponsor that family. Gifts are then returned back to the Shocker Store (RSC location) once they are purchased.
Gifts need to be returned by Tuesday, Dec. 4, and should be unwrapped, new and clearly labeled with your angel or star's tag / number.
For more information, contact Chelsea Redger-Marquardt of Student Involvement at 978-3022 or chelsea.redger@wichita.edu. Thanks for helping make the holidays a little brighter for others!
12 Days of Christmas Sale
Looking to find your favorite Shocker a holiday gift? Stop by the Shocker Store's Rhatigan Student Center location for its annual 12 Days of Christmas Sale from Monday, Nov. 26, to Saturday, Dec. 8. Or shop the sale online at shockerstore.com. New sale items are added daily!
Get your Wichita State ugly sweaters and tees at Shocker Store
Get in that festive, Shocker spirit with some Shocker ugly sweaters and tees from the Shocker Store! There is a different sweatshirt and long sleeve tee option at the RSC location and the Braeburn Square location.
All options are available online at shockerstore.com. Sizes are small-3XL. Make sure you are decked out Shocker-style for the holidays!
Game Day Sale at the Shocker Store
On Sunday, Nov. 25, head to the Shocker Store at Braeburn Square to take advantage of their Game Day Sale! The day of every men's home basketball game you can take 20 percent off your entire purchase! (Braeburn Square Store only, some exclusions may apply)