Campus Connection: March 12, 2019

Wei Wei, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, won for her research project, “Direct conversion of CO2 to Graphene for solar energy applications.”

Shuang Gu is an assistant professor the department of mechanical engineering. His winning research project is titled “Redox-mediated ammonia synthesis with ultrahigh efficiency and low cost for sustainable fuels.”

Also from mechanical engineering, assistant professor Askari won for his project, “High-performance multifunctional nanocomposites reinforced with highly interlocked and chemically functionalized helical carbon nanotube.”

Students were also recognized for their venture-based projects. Jason DeGarmo, from chemistry won for his project titled “Boost Hoop – Boost your game.”

The John A. See Awards began in 2014 after See donated $1 million to provide prizes to WSU faculty and students conducting outstanding research or producing other significant work.

See was director of flight test and prototype development at Boeing until his retirement in 1985. Although not a Wichita State alumnus, he has been a generous WSU supporter who values the importance of higher education and believes in WSU’s commitment to growth and pioneering work.

Higher Learning Commission

WSU and WSU Tech recently both hosted visits from the Higher Learning Commission. We’re proud of the faculty from both institutions for the work they’re doing to make these visits a success.

WSU’s site visit was on Feb. 26 and was required due to WSU’s growth and the additions of WSU Old Town and WSU South. The accreditation team met with several campus leaders representing WSU offices who provide direct service to students. The visit also included a meeting with graduate students in the physician assistant and physical therapy programs—and concluded with a tour of the facilities.

Confirmation of the affirmed accreditation, including the new locations, is expected by summer.

WSU Tech’s visit came on February 25 and 26. While on campus, the HLC team met with WSU Tech students, faculty, staff, administration, WSU Provost Rick Muma and members of the WSU Tech Board of Trustees.

The visit was done as part of the year-four comprehensive evaluation to ensure that WSU Tech is meeting the HLC Criteria for Accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement and complying with certain requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education. WSU Tech will find out the results of the comprehensive evaluation later in the spring.

 

Transfer enrollment update

KBOR recently released their annual Transfer Feedback Report highlighting the most recently available data from fall 2017. We’re happy to announce that WSU remains the #1 transfer destination in Kansas for eight years in a row. Based on this data, WSU transfer students totaled 942. We were also the No. 1 transfer destination for students from Butler, Cowley, Hutchinson, Independence, Coffeyville and Pratt Community Colleges. On March 1, WSU Tech announced record-breaking enrollment for spring 2019, with its headcount reaching 5,000 students for the first time in college history.

This is the sixth consecutive semester the college has seen strong enrollment growth. As of the 2019 spring semester census date, overall student credit hours were up 2.6 percent over last spring. Headcount made the largest increase, up 11 percent. This is equal to 515 more students being enrolled than in spring 2018.

These enrollment numbers are just another example of our joint effort to provide accessible, life-changing education to more students while working to meet the area’s workforce needs.  

 

Ways and Means Committee

Provost and Acting President Rick Muma traveled to Topeka Wednesday to advocate for increased investment in higher education. This investment is vital to providing greater access to quality education so that Kansas can grow the workforce needed in today’s economy.

The legislative request is for $50 million for state institutions in the FY2020 budget. So far, the House Appropriations Committee has added $20 million, the Governor $9 million—and the Senate Ways and Means Committee will make their recommendation next Monday.

 

Haysville GEAR UP

On Tuesday, we were happy to announce that the university has been awarded $4.2 million from the U.S. Department of Education to implement GEAR UP in Haysville school district USD 216 through 2025. Every student in 6th and 7th grade will benefit from GEAR UP’s college prep resources.

The grant will provide Haysville more than $8.4 million over seven years, which includes in-kind funding, in resources devoted to college access and success services.

Haysville GEAR UP works with community-based partnerships to provide students with direct services, including mentoring, homework assistance, tutoring, college counseling, campus tours and financial aid counseling.

The program follows each 6th and 7th grade student through high school graduation. The classes of 2024 and 2025 will be directly impacted by the program—and we look forward to seeing many of them as official Shockers.

Spring break hours for University Libraries began Sunday, March 10 and end Sunday, March 17. For a full list of hours, visit library hours.

“Tech Tuesday: Google Home” from noon-2 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in C-Space, Ablah Library. See workshop details.

“Graphic Design Tools for Your Small Business” from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in C-Space, Ablah Library. See workshop details.

For more information and event registration, go to library events. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.

For more information about these assistantships, go to Student Affairs Assistantships.

To apply to attend the graduate weekend, click on Graduate Weekend.

For more information, contact the Vice President of Student Affairs at VPStudentAffaris@wichita.edu or call 316-978-3021.

Grad Assistant weekend invitation

“The Theory of Relativity” is a song cycle written in 2016 by the Drama Desk Award-nominated team Neil Bartram and Brian Hill. It is a musical written for and about college-age youth and is sure to offer audiences a new perspective on the millennial generation and the idea of infinite uncertainty combined with the logical certainty of mathematics and physics. It is an emotional and highly accessible show that examines love, friendship, parental expectations, personal aspirations and human connection.

The cast of the musical features 13 musical theatre majors (Ariel Glorsky, Natalie Carrera, Ari Chandler, Grace Roush, Courtney Wages, Katriana Kisner, Jackson Dorris, Nora Dooley, Philip Hanson, Jacob Kramer, Trevor Seyl, William Day and Lucas Lowry).  

Along with the cast, the musical features a variety of talent from the design team, including Associate Professors David Neville (lighting design) and Ed Baker (set design and technical direction); and student design and technical theatre majors include Erin Mittman (stage manager), Sydney Jordan (sound design), Ali Miro (asst. lighting designer), Emily Evans (costume coordinator) and Wesley Sweigart (props).

Tickets are $20, $18 and $10. WSU students receive one free ticket with WSU student ID. 

For more ticket information, call the WSU Box Office at 316-978-3233 or online at Theory of Relativity tickets.

You or your team can also be a vendor and sell food at the event. Please go to www.wichita.edu/interfestto register as a vendor. Any group / individual representing any organization can participate in this. It's literally a fundraiser for your organization / yourself. Don't like cooking? You can still help us. Send an email to isu@wichita.edu mentioning you want to volunteer in InterFest!

For more details go to our Facebook page Wichita State University International Student Union.