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NASA's Tim Fisher

June 23, 2021 - In 1977, a Wichitan watched Star Wars at the Mall theater on East Harry. He returned again and again that summer to watch the lightsaber battles, Jedi Knights and X-wing starfighters. “I’m an original Star Wars guy,” Tim Fisher said. “I was just mesmerized. It sparked that ‘What is possible? What can we do?’” Decades later, Fisher is one of the people helping answer those questions for the United States and the entire world in space. He is chief engineer for NASA’s Gateway program, part of the agency’s quest to return to the Moon and explore Mars.

Cybersecurity applied learning

June 22, 2021 - Joe Jabara doesn’t call his class Hacking 101, but his students do learn how to develop effective attacks on computer systems. The course is actually called Applied Computing Intermediate Design Project, and this past spring its students carried out phishing attempts against a targeted group of Wichita State University faculty, staff and students.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion

June 21, 2021 — Adding to its myriad points of pride, Wichita State University has been named the most affordable, LGBTQ-friendly college in the state. 

Wichita State University engineering students present Ford Hall with a bicycle they modified to meet his needs.

June 7, 2021 — Five-year-old Ford Hall has had to overcome more in his short life than most do in a lifetime. That’s because immediately after he was born, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The doctors informed his mother he would probably never be able to walk. “It was that conversation with that doctor that really lit a fire in us,” said Cori Hall, Ford’s mother.

FirePoint

May 20, 2021 — The FirePoint Innovations Center at Wichita State University has welcomed the first class of students into its Future Innovators Program, a new engineering internship opportunity aimed at introducing historically underrepresented students into the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) technical talent pipeline.

Students standing in front of a decorated porch

May 13, 2021 – Students enrolled in Integrated Marketing Communication Campaigns with Dr. Lisa Parcell have been working with Alce Su Voz, Riverfest and the Kansas Nonprofit Chamber to develop full marketing communication campaigns.

Lydia Melles and Lucy Hoang, Wichita State University computer science major students, work on an autonomous robot that uses ultraviolet C-lights (UVC) to fight COVID-19 at the McConnell Air Force Base Innovation Lab.  The two senior students partnered with the McConnell Innovation Lab as part of their is part of their senior design class.

May 12, 2021 — Two Wichita State University seniors have partnered with the McConnell Air Force Base Innovation Lab to help fight COVID-19 – by using robotics. Computer science majors Lucy Hoang and Lydia Melles are creating an autonomous robot that uses ultraviolet C-lights (UVC) to clean grocery stores.

Tammie Huynh wants to work in the fashion or music industry. She currently works as a marketing intern with Strategic Communications.

May 6, 2021 — Tammie Huynh wants to work in the fashion or music industry. She currently works as a marketing intern with Strategic Communications.

Sierra Gladman came to Wichita State to learn graphic design in a beneficial and local environment.

May 4, 2021 — Sierra Gladman came to Wichita State to learn graphic design in a beneficial and local environment. She wants to help a company grow using her graphic design skills.

Andrea Grisanti wants to pursue a career in graphic design.

May 4, 2021 — Andrea Grisanti is graduating with a bachelors of Fine Arts in graphic design

Janet Federico

April 30, 2021 – Twelve years following receiving her Master’s in Business Administration, Janet Federico moved from Washington, D.C. to Wichita to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Wichita State after rediscovering herself as an author, speaker and illustrator later her career.

Tom Gentile

May 3, 2021 - The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has launched its Executive-in-Residence program. This program will provide Barton School students, faculty and the Wichita community with vital perspectives and knowledge from industry leaders. Tom Gentile, president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, will serve as the program’s first resident for the Fall 2021 semester.

Kristi Parker

April 23, 2021 — Wichita State University’s first Belonging Plaza will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24, directly east of Weidemann Hall. Belonging Plaza is an outdoor pop-up commemorative gathering and programming tool designed to move to different locations on campus.

Two Wichita State students using a tablet.

April 12, 2021 – After months of hard work from Wichita State faculty members Carrie Dickison and Maria Sclafani, the Open Alternative Textbook committee approved English 102 for Open/Alternative Textbook (OAT) course designation. Starting in fall 2021, Wichita State students will no longer have to buy textbooks for English 102.

W. Frank Barton School of Business Institute for the Study of Economic Growth Adam Thierer Technology Policy: A Case for Optimism and Freedom to Innovate Benjamin J. and Bettie M. Gibson Breeding Lectureship 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 14

April 8, 2021 — As part of the Benjamin J. and Bettie M. Gibson Breeding Lectureship, Institute for the Study of Economic Growth at the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University will present Adam Thierer at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 14.