WSU News - All Stories

Nov. 4, 2020 – The College of Health Professions (CHP) is celebrating its 50th anniversary at Wichita State University. Since its founding in 1970, the CHP has been highly renowned for its innovative approaches to education and supplying the health care industry with skilled, passionate professionals.

Nov. 3, 2020 -- Brandyn Rathman, from Sioux City, Iowa, is excited to start his career in the medical field after graduation. He said he believes his experience at Wichita State University will help him help his patients lead healthy lives. Rathman is one of more than 1,200 students eligible for fall 2020 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad.

Oct. 30, 2020 — When Dr. Linda Rhone walked across the Wichita State University campus as a freshman in the 1970s, she had no idea that she would one day add a Ph.D. to the end of her name and serve the university as director of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS).

Oct. 30. 2020 — A team of interdisciplinary researchers at Wichita State University is using artificial intelligence and big data to digitally transform the way communities predict and respond to natural disasters.

Oct. 28, 2020 - Tyler Pennick, director of videography for Wichita State’s Office of Strategic Communications, created a documentary about WuShock in bronze. After two years of development, the documentary was accepted into the Tallgrass Film Festival and awarded for its success.

Oct. 22, 2020 -- Wichita State University is now offering voluntary asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for employees.

Oct. 14, 2020 -- The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) voted today to appoint Wichita State University (WSU) Provost Richard Muma as interim president of WSU. Dr. Muma has been serving as acting president since September 25 and will begin serving as interim president immediately.

Sept. 30, 2020 - The annual ceremony of remembrance for those who died in the 1970 Wichita State University plane crash will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Cessna Stadium. There will be a reception immediately following the remembrance on the Cessna Stadium concourse. Enhancements have been made to Memorial ’70, located near the 18th Street and Hillside entrance to the university. Those additions to Memorial ’70 will be officially be revealed on Oct. 2.

Sept. 30, 2020 — Over the years, many hikers have trekked to the crash site of the plane that claimed the lives of 31 souls — including 14 members of the Wichita State University football team, 14 staff and boosters, and three crew members.

Sept. 30, 2020 - Wichita State athletic trainer Tom Reeves was known as a man devoted to his athletes on the football team. His sense of humor and caring touch helped them through injuries and difficulties. On Oct. 2, 1970, he helped survivors escape the wreckage of the Martin 404 after it crashed in Colorado. Badly burned, Reeves got them away from the plane and down the mountain to help before he fell unconscious. Reeves died on Oct. 5 in a Denver hospital.

Sept. 28, 2020 - A new sculpture recognizes the survivors of the crash at Memorial '70 at Wichita State University. The names of teammates who landed safely in Utah that day are a fitting addition to the existing upright Memorial ’70 monument. “One of the main reasons we did what we did, was so the future generations would know that there were survivors,” architect Randy Phillips said. “And how their lives were impacted, especially since they lived when so many didn’t. Most, if not all, suffered greatly in silence.” The desire to honor teammates by telling the story of the crash motivated Phillips, as it has driven so many connected to Oct. 2, 1970 near Silver Plume, Colo.

Sept. 23, 2020 - Darren Defrain is the social professor of English and director of the writing program at Wichita State. Defrain has written novels, memoirs and essays, created a graphic novel, teaches on graphic novels/storytelling and is actively working on a graphic novel app.

Sept. 23, 2020 - Bill Burch played linebacker for the Shockers in 1970 as a senior. As fate would have it, a knee injury kept him from traveling to Utah State on Oct. 2. He had expected to travel with the team, but instead was forced to stay home and heal. On that day, the Martin 4-0-4 airliner that carried the Shocker starters crashed near Silver Plume, Colorado, killing 31 people – 14 student-athletes, 14 staff and boosters, and three crew members.

Sept. 16, 2020 - Deja Young is a returning Paralympian in track and a Wichita State alumna. Casey Ralzlaff is a first-time Paralympic hopeful in wheelchair tennis and current student at Wichita State. Both of their sports are cancelled due to COVID-19.

Sept. 18, 2020 - In July, Emily Christensen spent five days on Zoom participating in the National Critics Institute, a program of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn. Christensen, coordinator of external affairs for Wichita State University’s School of Art, Design and Creative Industries, wrote about food, plays, movies and dance. She, and 16 others in her group, listened to and received critiques from people such as such as Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones, who directs the program, and Helen Shaw of New York Magazine.