WSU News - All Stories

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 - 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. 21, 2020 -- Saying she wants to help build a new generation of business leaders with a world view, Wichita State alumna Peri Widener has pledged $275,000 to her alma mater. A portion of the gift will launch a program to help develop students into global business leaders.

More than 200 graduates received disposable stethoscopes as a gift from the College of Health Professions.

Aug. 31, 2020 -- Gene and Yolanda Camarena are well known for helping underserved Kansas youth improve their lives through education and other causes. Now the Wichita couple is enhancing that legacy with a $1 million gift to Wichita State University to give students of color opportunities they otherwise might not have.

Kansas Jason Sudeikis writes and stars in the Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso,”  which begins streaming Friday (Aug. 14). In the show, Lasso is a fictional former Wichita State University football coach who moves to coach fictional British soccer club AFC Richmond in the Premier League. Lasso's former life as Shocker coach is featured in the first two episodes.

Aug. 5, 2020 - Wichita State Athletics will introduce mobile ticketing for the 2020-21 season for the sports of volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball. The move to mobile ticketing will provide greater convenience and a safer environment for fans. It will offer a contactless entry into athletic venues and the ability to transfer tickets electronically, eliminating physical touching concerns prevalent during this time. Mobile ticketing will also provide an added layer of security, guarding against the production of fraudulent and counterfeit tickets.

July 13, 2020 - Three Wichita State University alumni wrote, produced and organized "God Save the Wings," a documentary about the glory days of the Wichita Wings professional indoor soccer club from its founding in 1979 into the early 1980s. “God Save the Wings” debuted on February 22 at the Orpheum Theatre and it went so well that organizers planned to show it again on April 10. Then the COVID-19 pandemic changed their schedule and their hopes of entering it in film festivals around the world are largely on hold until the fall.

July 7, 2020 -- Nearly 70 years after John and Colleen Wooley first met as students at the University of Wichita, they have established a legacy that will touch the lives of Wichita State University students for generations to come. The couple’s $2.2 million estate gift will provide more than $100,000 in scholarships each year for students with financial need.

June 1, 2020 - Wichita State senior Allison Schulte, a strategic communication major, describes her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and how teachers reacted to help adjust to the new circumstances.

May 22, 2020 - Wichita State runner Rebekah Topham needed help with reading when she arrived in 2015. She made great strides with the help of tutors and athletic department resources and carries a 3.89 grade-point average. She wants other struggling students to know her story.

May 18, 2020 - Andrew Cruz will graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration marketing degree and a minor in graphic design.

May 14, 2020 -- Rhian Cunningham is as creative as they come, with her constant doodles and calligraphy notes, her personality shines through. Currently, she is an intern in the Office of Strategic Communication where she gains hands-on experience in graphic design. After graduation, she is unsure of her next steps but will spend time figuring out what she hopes to do.