WSU News - All Stories

Aug. 28, 2025 — Wichita State University is pleased to announce the naming of the Ascension Via Christi Wichita State University School of Nursing, reflecting a decades-long partnership between the university and one of the state’s leading health care providers. 

Aug. 27, 2025 — Several groundbreaking manufacturing research programs from Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) have been named finalists for the industry’s top honors by the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) and the American Composites Manufacturers Association’s (ACMA) Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE).

Aug. 7, 2025 — The Wichita State University Board of Trustees has approved up to $750,000 to fund a comprehensive feasibility study exploring the creation of Kansas’ first dental school. This is inclusive of support from Fort Hays State University, a partner in the project, which aims to address the state’s shortage of dentists, particularly in rural communities.

July 31, 2025 — Wichita State and Groover Labs received a state grant to boost student innovation and help bring Kansas ideas to market. The funding expands hands-on learning, prototyping and outreach across the state.

July 31, 2025 — Wichita State University is one of the recipients of a renewed $20 million grant as part of the AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning (IFML), of which WSU is a founding member.

July 18, 2025 — Wichita State student Carter Duff gained hands-on experience in federal law enforcement through a paid Homeland Security Investigations internship, part of the university’s applied learning program with the Midwest Criminal Justice Institute. The experience gave him career clarity, reinforced his classroom learning, and solidified his goal of working in federal law enforcement.

July 14, 2025 — Wichita State University has been named a partner in the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Great Plains Hub — a $14 million initiative that equips researchers, students and entrepreneurs with the tools to move ideas from the lab to the marketplace. The first WSU-led cohort begins Sept. 15 and will further strengthen the university’s innovation ecosystem.

June 26, 2025 — Electrical engineering major Karaline Scott is getting an early start on her career path. The Wichita State sophomore is spending her summer at Professional Engineering Consultants, where she’s getting paid to work alongside industry professionals and experiencing how engineering concepts translate to real-world impact.

June 18, 2025 — Hexcel Corp., a global leader in advanced composites technology, is expanding its long-standing partnership with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research by establishing a Hexcel Application Center inside NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems.

June 12, 2025 — Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received a patent for VISION, an AI-powered composite inspection robot designed to detect and repair damage on aircraft parts autonomously. Developed at NIAR’s Automation Research Center and recently installed at a U.S. Army facility, the system uses machine learning to analyze inspection images and speed up aircraft maintenance.

June 9, 2025 — Shocker Composites, founded by Wichita State alum Vamsidhar Patlolla, transforms carbon fiber waste into high-performance, sustainable materials using a recycling method he developed during his graduate research. With support from Wichita State’s NIAR and Innovation Campus, the company is scaling up its impact and demonstrating how university-backed startups can drive real-world innovation and sustainability.

May 29, 2025 - Ridge Estes, from Bucklin, used his study time and his athletic time wisely during his Wichita State University career. He majored in exercise science with minors in health science and entrepreneurship and graduated earlier this month with a 3.473 grade-point average.

May 21, 2025 — Wichita State University and Dassault Systèmes have opened the Manufacturing Innovation Center, a cutting-edge research and design facility on WSU’s Innovation Campus. Developed in partnership with WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), the center is now available to industry collaborators seeking to explore virtual twin technology, 3D design solutions and advanced automation in real-world environments.

May 9, 2025 — Lisa Oldham, a proud two-time Wichita State grad, has dedicated her academic and professional journey to advocating for healing and justice in underserved communities. Fueled by resilience and a deep connection to Indigenous culture, she aims to serve others through work in corrections, mental health and substance use recovery.

May 8, 2025 — Natasha Seneviratne found her place at Wichita State through family ties, supportive scholarships and hands-on experiences that helped her grow into a confident engineer.