The planned Wichita Biomedical Campus — a joint initiative by Wichita State University, WSU Tech and University of Kansas — is one step closer to its funding goal thanks to a $15 million award from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), made available through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee and State Finance Council.
The new funding is in addition to $190 million awarded by the Kansas Legislature — one of the most significant investments ever in the Wichita region — bringing the total so far to $205 million, which allows for the initial phase of construction to begin. The project will ultimately be a $300 million, 471,000-square-foot facility. WSU, WSU Tech and KU will continue to explore all avenues of funding including federal, state, local and private funding for the final project.
This latest award, and other funding received, will allow us to begin the initial phase of construction in early 2024, with a targeted completion date of fall 2026.
The Wichita Biomedical Campus will be a joint health sciences center located in the heart of Wichita that will centralize health care education, collaboration and research.
Students will receive state-of-the-art education that will improve the quality of health and health care outcomes for all Kansans. To start with, about 3,000 students and 200 faculty and staff will be housed at the center, with opportunities for growth in new and existing programs.
“We’re grateful for this grant from the Department of Aging and the overall growing support for such an important initiative for our region,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “The Wichita Biomedical Campus will revolutionize health education, improve health outcomes for patients, and solidify Wichita’s place as a health care hub for southcentral Kansas.”
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling almost 22,000 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.
For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.