WSU Tech President Sheree Utash chosen as member of American Workforce Policy Advisory Board
Sheree Utash
WSU Tech President Sheree Utash has been appointed to a prestigious national American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Other members on the 25-member board include the CEOs of Apple, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Walmart, Home Depot and IBM, among other prominent appointees.
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump announced the members of the board, which will work directly with the National Council for the American Worker, leveraging the knowledge of its members to develop and implement a strategy to revamp the American workforce to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.
In addition to her responsibilities as president at WSU Tech, Utash is WSU’s Vice President of Workforce Development and serves on the President’s Executive Team.
“I feel privileged to be part of the newly formed American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.”, said Utash “This is a chance to reframe and redesign education and training for skilled jobs in our country. It offers the opportunity to align career technical education to meet business and industry needs and 21st century skills that require a higher level of learning than past generations. These colleagues from the private sector, employers and educational institutions are subject-matter experts primed for this role. While challenging, advising the federal government on how we can improve education, training and re-training for American workers is an opportunity I welcome. This is difficult work, but it is critical as we build the future workforce to fuel the economy of the United States.”
The Advisory Board, co-chaired by Secretary Ross and Ivanka Trump, brings together members from diverse backgrounds including the private sector, educational institutions, and state and local governments. The members will provide varied perspectives on workforce issues facing communities and businesses across the country, while raising awareness of multiple pathways for American workers to obtain family-sustaining careers. The members’ terms last until July 2020.
The members of the Board include:
- Jay Box, President, Kentucky Community and Technical College System
- Walter Bumphus, President & CEO, American Association of Community Colleges
- Jim Clark, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Tim Cook, CEO, Apple
- Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Juanita Duggan, President & CEO, National Federation for Independent Business
- Elizabeth Goettl, President & CEO, Cristo Rey Network
- Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President, & CEO, Lockheed Martin
- Eric Holcomb, Governor, Indiana
- Barbara Humpton, CEO, Siemens USA
- Al Kelly, CEO, Visa
- Vi Lyles, Mayor, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP America
- Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building and Trades Unions
- Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart
- Craig Menear, Chairman, President, & CEO, Home Depot
- Michael Piwowar, Executive Director, Milken Institute
- Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors University
- Kim Reynolds, Governor, Iowa
- Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, & CEO, IBM
- Scott Sanders, Executive Director, National Association of State Workforce Agencies
- Johnny Taylor, President & CEO, Society for Human Resource Management
- Jay Timmons, President & CEO, National Association of Manufacturers
- Sheree Utash, President, WSU Tech
- Marianne Wanamaker, Professor, University of Tennessee
University update recap at Weekly Briefing
A number of topics were addressed during the university update portion of last week's WSU Weekly Briefing, including SGA, expanded research, the WSU Foundation and eSports convention recap.
SGA
We’d like to start today’s briefing by recognizing the recent change in SGA leadership. Acting president Muma and the executive team is supportive of SGA, and the university administration expects to work closely with the new SGA president, Shelby Rowell, moving forward.
Expanded research
In research news, WSU’s research funding from federal and industry sources continues to increase steadily, and the university is on track to top last year's record total of $104 million. Recently, the National Institute for Aviation Research received a $16 million contract from the Department of Defense for sustainment and readiness of the legacy fleet. Other grants of significance in this fiscal year include $1.6 million from the National Institutes of Health; $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education; and $2.4 million from the Department of Defense.
WSU Foundation
As you may know, the WSU Foundation raised a record $66.6 million during the last fiscal year. We’re thankful for the continued generosity of our amazing donors and their strong commitment to the university’s vision and mission.
One recent example is Jane McDonald, a donor who passed away last October. Ms. McDonald honored her father, Frank A. Boettger, with a $5 million commitment to the construction of the new business school. In recognition of the gift, a 300-seat auditorium on the new building’s main level will be named for her father, who was an avid fan of Shocker athletics and who believed that the university was an important community asset.
We encourage everyone to visit wichita.edu/horizon to read the latest about the Foundation, its donors, and how they are investing in the success of current and future Shockers.
eSports convention recap
We want to acknowledge the success of the Midwest eSports Convention that was hosted in the Experiential Engineering Building on Feb. 1-3. According to the Sunflower, the event saw more than 1,000 attendees and more than $20,000 in prize money was awarded to tournament winners.
We’re excited about the rising popularity of eSports among our students and are working to create opportunities for them to pursue their eSports goals by:
- Offering a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Media Arts with a game design emphasis
- Hiring a full-time eSports coordinator
- Creating a three-credit-hour undergraduate course called the “Overview of Esports” within the sport management department
- And sanctioning and supporting WSU varsity eSports
Students wanting to participate in the eSports program can visit wichita.edu/esports to find out more.
KBOR chair sends letter to Legislature on higher education funding
Acting WSU President Richard Muma and Chief of Staff Andy Schlapp have recently testified before legislative committees in support of the Regents funding request described below. Click on presentation.
Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) Chair Dennis Mullin sent the following letterto all state legislators outlining the need for a restoration of funding to higher education in Kansas.
World Trade Council of Wichita invites you to a dinner talk
The World Trade Council of Wichita invites you to a dinner talk on Thursday, Feb. 21 on "Negotiating with China and Why Subsidies are a Non-Starter" by Usha Haley, W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business & Professor of Management. The evening will start with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Wichita Marriott Hotel on Corporate Hills Drive.
The World Trade Council is part of the Center for International Business Advancement (CIBA) at the Barton School of Business. There is a reduced attendance price of $10 for students.
For more information on the dinner and to make reservations, contact Sherryl Hubble at sherryl.hubble@wichita.edu or call 978-3176. See agenda and other details.
Fred VanVleet's hard-won career as an NBA star
W5's Peter Akman sits down with Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet to talk about his remarkable journey to the NBA from his hometown of Rockford, Ill., the tragic death of his father, and the work ethic that gets him respect both on and off the court. The story includes footage from VanVleet’s experience at Wichita State.
New WSU scholarship will help DACA students succeed
Former Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson and his wife, Stacy, have established a generous scholarship at Wichita State University to help children of undocumented immigrants earn their degrees to pursue the American Dream.
The Parkinsons said they believe the contributions of immigrants have helped the United States become the greatest country in the world.
Pictured above - The first winners of the Parkinson Scholarship for DACA students are Jonathan Lozano, left, and Javier Martinez.
‘The Comedy of Errors’ to be performed this week
“The Comedy of Errors” by William Shakespeare will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 to Saturday, Feb. 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, in Wilner Auditorium. WSU students receive one free ticket with their WSU student ID. Tickets are $15 general public; $12 military / senior citizens / faculty / staff; and $10 students.
For tickets, contact the Fine Arts Box Office or call 978-3233. The show is rated G.
And for added fun on Saturday Feb. 23, the School of Performing Arts invites you to join the Hollywood fantasy by attending the show dressed as your favorite Hollywood personality.
One of Shakespeare’s earliest plays, “The Comedy of Errors” is a farcical adventure of mistaken identity and the mayhem that ensues. A mother, a father, twin baby boys and their twin baby servants are separated during a storm at sea. Twenty-three years later one young man and his servant arrive in a town famous for enchantment and wizardry. Unknown to them, their separated-at-birth identical twins already live there. Chaos soon reigns amidst a series of misunderstandings involving a furious wife, confused friends, and a little unexpected romance until all is sorted out and the family is at last happily reunited. Set against the backdrop of 1930s Hollywood, this play is sure to delight the madcap comedy lover in everyone.
The cast includes School of Performing Arts Theatre and Music Theatre actors Lance Vaillancourt (Antipholus of Syracuse), TJ Wade (Antipholus of Ephesus), Mia Nave (Dromio of Syracuse), Kinsey McDaniel (Dromio of Ephesus), Mirta Santana (Adrianna), Christian James (Luciano), Wesley Sweigart (Egean), Amanda Coon (Abbess), Sydney Alder (Angela the Goldsmith), Zachary Richardson (Merchant #2), Ciaran Schaedtler (Balthazar/Pinch), Julian Cornejo (Duke), Maria Whitmer (Courtesan), Madysen Baker (Luce), and Robert Stillwell (Officer).
The creative team is made up of School of Performing Arts faculty, staff and students, and includes Danette Baker (Director), Amy Chisman (Set Designer), Catherine Wieck (Costume Designer), Jemimah McPeek (Lighting Designer), Ed Baker (Sound Designer), Wesley Sweigart (Properties Master), Katherine Donaghue (Stage Manager) and Makenzie Hercules (Assistant Stage Manager).
Special offer for upcoming WSU women’s basketball game with UConn
The Shockers will host UCONN at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26. There will be a mini basketball giveaway at this game as well. Group tickets are available for $12 for reserved seating for a group of 10 or more (save $3 a ticket) or $8 for general admission for a group of 10 or more (save $2 a ticket). You can purchase tickets at the link below.
WSU / UConn women's basketball game
Love Locks Pod dedication recap
The first pod at Wichita State University has been installed. Dozens gathered to be some of the first to put their locks on the structure.
Graduate student seeking participants for buying habits and product packaging study
Are you the primary grocery shopper in your household? A graduate student in the Elliott School of Communication is looking for focus group participants to discuss buying habits and product packaging. The purpose of this research is to show marketers how to better advertise products through packaging.
The focus groups will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25 (ages 35-50), Tuesday, Feb. 26 (ages 50+), Monday, March 4 (ages 25-34) and Tuesday, March 5 (ages 18-24).
For more information or to RSVP, email Katie Miller at kjmiller4@shockers.wichita.edu.
Upcoming events at University Libraries
Upcoming events at the University Libraries include "Intellectual Property Basics," "Research: How Do I Write a Literature Review?", "I've Heard of Endnote: How Do I Get Started?," "Making Mary's Monster Escape Room," and more. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
- “Making Mary's Monster: A University Libraries and Women in Horror Month Escape Room” Feb. 18-22 in Special Collections, Ablah Library. See times and register.
- “Patent Basics for New Inventors” from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in 217 Ablah Library. See workshop details.
- “A Call for Papers! How Do I Publish or Present at Conferences?" from 4- 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in 217 Ablah Library. See workshop details.
- “Advanced Searching: How Do I Go Beyond Basic Search?” from noon-1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in 217 Ablah Library. See workshop details.
- "Citations: How Do I Write Papers in APA Style?" from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27 in 217 Ablah Library. See workshop details.
- "Dear Diary: How Can I Find Diaries, Journals, and Letters?" from noon-1 p.m. Friday, March 1, in 217 Ablah Library. See workshop details.
Click for more information and event registration. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend.
Shocker Store sales
This week at the Shocker Store (RSC location) you can take 20 percent off basic Wichita State sweatshirts and winter accessories. Our St. Patrick’s Day T-shirts are now available for $12 at both the RSC store and the Braeburn Square store!
The Popcorner Flavor of the Week is chocolate covered strawberry.
Foster tops WSU wins list with sweep over Creighton
Tenth year head coach Colin Foster became WSU's wins leader, as the Shockers collected wins over Nebraska and Creighton
Sunday inside the Dillon Tennis Center.
The Shockers (5-4) collected wins over Louisville (4-1), Nebraska (4-1) and Creighton
(4-0) over the weekend, on their way to four-straight victories after starting the
season 1-4. Foster has compiled an impressive 179-75 record in his 10 years as head
coach.
Volunteers needed for research study
Research Topic / Purpose of the study: The purpose of this research study is to explore the higher educational experience of Returning Adult Students and Traditional Students; looking at whether they prefer online learning or traditional classroom experiences.
Procedures: Participants will respond to an online survey that should only take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey is completely anonymous (no personal or identifying information is collected.)
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria:
- Participants must be over the age of 18 and have participated or be currently participating in an online course.
To participate, click on the link and complete the survey.
Contact: If you have any questions regarding this survey, contact Amy Belden at amy.belden@wichita.edu or Jaehwan Byun at jaehwan.byun@wichita.edu.
Your participation in this research study is appreciated.
Comedian Matt Bellassai to present show at WSU
Writer, comedian, Internet personality, and 2016 People’s Choice Award Winner Matt Bellassai will present a comedy show at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in Hughes Metropolitan Complex, presented by Student Activities Council.
Bellassai writes frequently about pop culture, humor, and the struggles of daily life as a twenty-something man-child. He is the former writer, producer, and star of BuzzFeed’s “Whine About It,” a comedic web series that drew a weekly audience of more than 5 million viewers on Facebook. He can currently be found on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook in his new video series “To Be Honest,” where he shares his hilarious commentary on the struggles of life as a single gay man living a childish life in New York.
Tickets can be purchased for $5 to students with WSU ID (limit one per person), $8 to WSU faculty and staff with WSU ID (limit one per person), and $12 to the general public. All ticket options can be purchased in the Student Involvement Office, Suite 216, Rhatigan Student Center with cash or check only. General admission tickets can also be purchased online, via credit card, at WSUMatt.eventbrite.com*.
Tickets are on sale through 3 p.m. Thursday, March 7. Ticket sales will reopen when doors open at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 7. All on-site ticket sales will be sold at the general public ticket rate, and can be purchased with cash, check or credit card. Contact Student Involvement at 978-3022 for all event and ticket questions. *Taxes and fees not included in online general public ticket price.
For more information about SAC sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/sac or contact us at sac@wichita.edu.
Kansas-based annual biosciences symposium honors university students for research posters, presentations
Eighteen undergraduate students were honored for their scientific research presentations at the 17th annual Kansas IDeA (Institutional Development Awards) Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium Jan. 19-20 in Overland Park, Kansas.
The annual symposium is part of the K-INBRE initiative to prepare promising university students for careers in bioscience careers in Kansas. Ten campuses in Kansas and Oklahoma participate in the collaborative network that is led by the University of Kansas Medical Center.
“Providing training and professional development opportunities to students with promising careers as biomedical researchers is a priority for the K-INBRE program,” said Doug Wright, principal investigator for K-INBRE and professor and vice chair in anatomy and cell biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “This program strives to keep the biosciences in Kansas growing and thriving with opportunities for students, young faculty, and established researchers, which are showcased at the annual Symposium.”
The program provides opportunities for students to work in research laboratories or in their communities developing research projects under the guidance of seasoned mentors. These opportunities give students the tools and guidance to better inform their future career choices in the bio and medical sciences.
The annual Symposium brings together the network of students, faculty and staff from the University of Kansas Medical Center, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, Washburn University, Wichita State University, and Langston University in Langston, Okla. More than 160 posters were presented by students, postdocs, faculty, and staff from all 10 of the campuses in Kansas and Oklahoma.
The following WSU students received cash prizes for their oral and poster presentations:
- Abby Jurgensmeier, majoring in anthropology, “Tags and TIRF Microscopy to Monitor Palladin Interactions with Actin” –poster presentation. Her parents are James and Christie Jurgensmeier from Salina, Kan.
- Erina Kutilek, “Role of Myopalladin in cardiac muscle functions and disease” –oral presentation.
- Hunter Picard, majoring in biochemistry, presented “Structure-Guided Design and Optimization of a Novel Series of Dipeptidyl Inhibitors of Norovirus 3CL Protease” –poster presentation. His parents are Robert and Stephanie Picard from Rose Hill, Kansas
$1 off frappuccinos at Starbucks in RSC
During RSC Unplugged from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 20) you can take $1 off frappuccinos and lattes size grande or larger!
RSC Unplugged
Stop by the Rhatigan Student Center every Wednesday for the live music series, RSC Unplugged. The Tom Page Trio will be featured from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. today (Wednesday, Feb. 20) in the RSC’s Starbucks Lounge. Grab a cup of coffee and relax with some great music!