Options available for students experiencing academic difficulties
Hello, Shockers.
Given the challenges of 2020, including a shift to online and hybrid learning, and the uncertainty of this pandemic, it’s understandable that some students are experiencing academic difficulties. Therefore, Wichita State University would like to remind students of three options to students who might be struggling during the fall 2020 semester:
- Contact your instructors: Your instructors want you to be successful, so reaching out to faculty should be your first course of action. Some faculty members might offer extensions or assistance under certain circumstances.
- Late withdrawals: Any class that had a withdrawal deadline of Oct. 27 or later, the withdrawal deadline is being extended to Dec. 3. Contact your advisor to discuss this option. For more information on how to withdraw from a class, click here.
- Scholarships: Students who drop below the minimum requirements to maintain a scholarship — either due to withdrawal from a class or GPA requirements — can appeal for a probationary period while they work on their GPA. Students do not need to wait until the scholarship is withdrawn to file an appeal. Students with circumstances related to COVID-19 or the uncertainty of the pandemic are strongly encouraged to apply for an appeal.
All of us in our Shocker community are ready to support our students in any way we can. Do not hesitate to reach out to our faculty and staff to learn more about your options for academic success.
With Shocker Pride,
Shirley Lefever
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost
Call for Fiscal Year 2022 Educational Opportunity and Student Services Funding requests
It’s again time to begin the process for submission of funding requests through Student Government Association for the Educational Opportunity Fund and Student Services Fee for FY ‘22. Through the student services fee, these programs provide financial support to facilitate students’ academic pursuits (Educational Opportunity Fund) or the funding of programs / activities delivered directly to students (Student Services).
If you’ve submitted requests in the past, the Budget Review Officer should receive an email from the Budget Office to kick-off the submission process. If you have not submitted requests in the past, but are considering submitting a new request, please contact Lauren Smith, Jason Post, or David Miller in the Budget Office at 978-3030 for more information.
Requests are due no later than Friday, Jan. 29.
Complete 8 of 11 Shocker Strong modules to be entered to win a $500 book scholarship
In addition to boosting your resilience and coping skills, the Shocker Strong Resilience Program could also help pay for your books! Complete and submit eight of 11 modules in Blackboard to be entered to win one of five prizes. That's five chances to win! Available prizes are two book scholarships worth up to $500 and three Shocker Surprise Grab Bags. Learn more at wichita.edu/SSdrawing.
Not seeing Shocker Strong in Blackboard? Sign up at wichita.edu/SSjoin!
Entries are due by midnight Friday, Dec. 4.
Are you stressed?
We get it. With the end of the semester and holidays approaching, not to mention the pandemic, we have seen a lot of students who are experiencing more stress than usual. Let us help! Email student.success@wichita.edu to schedule a quick one-on-one session and receive some effective, quick techniques to help you manage your stress in the coming weeks.
University Libraries schedule through the holiday season
University Libraries will have the following hours through holiday break:
Thanksgiving Break hours at Ablah Library (Nov. 23-29)
Monday - Tuesday, Nov. 23-24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday - Sunday, Nov. 25-- 29 CLOSED
End of term hours at Ablah Library (Nov. 30–Dec. 13)
Monday – Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday 1-5 p.m.
Sunday CLOSED
Winter Intersession hours at Ablah Library (Dec. 14-20)
Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday CLOSED
Please note that hours are subject to change. Stay up to date with library hours and policies at libraries.wichita.edu/covid19.
F45 is hiring!
Want a job that is more rewarding than just a paycheck? Join the fun, energetic team that leads our F45 community to better health. Send in your resume and cover letter to andy.sykes@wichita.edu. Applications are due by Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Exercise Science Performance Suite Interns wanted!
Campus Recreation is looking for exercise science interns! This role includes equipment maintenance, cleaning, roster management, spotting, risk management, live educational posts, online live stream educational content, and much more.
If you are interested, please use the application form and send it to andy.sykes@wichita.edu. Applications are due Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Students and faculty - get up to $20,000 from the John A. See Innovation Award
The John A. See Innovation Award is to be applied directly to advancing the technology. Ideally, this will support additional investment by others. Examples of supported costs are prototype development, product testing, and marketing analysis. The award cannot be used for faculty salaries but may be used to pay for external consulting fees. Awards typically range from $1,000 to $20,000.
CAPS is looking for volunteers for a focus group
Wichita State Counseling and Prevention Services is seeking volunteers for a 90-minute focus group. These 90-minute collaborative zoom sessions focus on substance use on campus and how it is best addressed. Working audio and video is required.
Please email Krystal Moroney for more information. Focus group times and dates are 2-3:30 p.m. and 3:45-5:15 p.m. Monday Nov. 30, and 2:30-4 p.m. and 4:15-5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Funding opportunity for WSU female entrepreneurs
The Women for Women's Innovation Scholarship Fund is awarded to Wichita State University female students to support innovative ideas showing promise of commercialization. The fund was established in 2020 in order to support women leaders and entrepreneurs in moving their ideas forward by providing recipients a boost to “Shock The World.”
All full- and part-time WSU students are eligible to apply. The deadline for application is Dec. 11.
Women for Women Innovation Scholarship
Enroll for an in-person service-learning course in psychology!
The INSPYRE research lab (directed by Dr. Samantha Gregus) is currently recruiting undergraduate mentors for a 3-hour service-learning course in psychology (PSY 416) for the spring 2021 semester!
Prior to enrolling in PSY 416 (Psychology and Problems of Society) mentors are required to: pass an interview and background check, have reliable transportation, lunch availability from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at least twice a week, and attend class on Mondays from 3:30-6 p.m.
We have a course syllabus, class readings, and paper assignments. Mentors will receive training at the beginning of the course and a grade at the end based on attendance and completion of assignments. We are interested in recruiting mentors from any college and major.
For more information, please contact the INSPYRE research lab at inspyre@wichita.edu ASAP.
Join the team
Are you a student who is passionate about getting involved? The Student Involvement Ambassadors is a team dedicated to recruiting new Shockers, connecting current students to opportunities, celebrating campus leaders and sharing our story.
We currently have positions available. If you’re interested in sharing your Shocker experience, the deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27
Undergraduate STEM majors are encouraged to apply for the Goldwater Scholarship
Sophomores and juniors with a strong commitment to a research career in the sciences, mathematics and/or engineering are encouraged to apply to the competitive and prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Visit the Goldwater Scholarship website for more information about the application and who is eligible to apply.
Students interested in applying must notify Dean Coleen Pugh by Monday, Nov. 23. Questions? Email coleen.pugh@wichita.edu.
Want to experience a different city & university? Apply for National Student Exchange by Feb. 1
National Student Exchange allows undergraduate, domestic students the opportunity to study at one of nearly 200 universities across the United States and Canada – while paying regular WSU tuition and earning credit toward your degree.
The application materials for exchange during fall 2021 and spring 2022 are available at wichita.edu/nse and are due Feb. 1, 2021. If you have questions, please contact Trish Gandu at trish.gandu@wichita.edu.
Do you want a non-traditional Honor Society experience?
Fill out the application now to be part of the Mortar Board Honor Society next school year!
The Mortar Board Honor Society is one of the country's premier senior college honor societies. Open to academic seniors of all disciplines and majors, the society stresses its members to exhibit its three core ideals: Scholarship, Leadership, and Service.
As a member, you will be part of an organization that strives to help its school and local communities by hosting various charity events and fundraisers. These events, and others, will also bring you into contact with the other members of the society and help you form connections that will enhance your final year as a Shocker!
Due to the fact that each year the society replaces its members due to graduation, you will have the guaranteed opportunity to leave a huge mark on a student organization, even if you have a full schedule. Interested in joining? Fill out the application below and you'll be notified if you are selected. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31, 2020.
Mortar Board Honor Society Member Application
Psychology researchers want to learn how your child is coping with COVID-19
Researchers at Wichita State University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are doing an online research study to see what 10-17 year-old children think about COVID-19, and what they think about their parents’ beliefs and behaviors during this time.
When children complete the survey, their family will be entered into a raffle for a $10 gift card. We hope about 250 children complete our survey, and we will raffle 50 of the gift cards. If you have a child living in your home who is 10-17 years old, your child might be eligible for this study.
If you are interested in learning more about being in this study, please click the link below.
If you have any questions, contact Samantha Gregus, Ph.D., at samantha.gregus@wichita.edu.
Engage in facts not fear around Covid-19!
The African American Faculty and Staff Association is a proud partner of the Wichita Black Alliance. Our own Karen Wright will serve on the #FactsNotFear Town Hall. Tune in at 7 p.m. today (Monday, Nov. 23) at facebook.com/wichitablackalliance, and listen to the live conversation with urban health professionals, those who have lost loved ones due to Covid, and others directly impacted by the virus.
Learn more about the Wichita Black Alliance.
Wednesdays in Wiedemann Annual Christmas Organ Concert is tomorrow
Please join us for the Wednesdays in Wiedemann Annual Christmas Organ Concert at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, on the great Marcussen organ in Wiedemann Hall.
Two guest student organists and a lovely soprano, also a student at WSU, will perform. We will have carol-singing by the audience, and as usual, one favorite, and lively, joyful works performed on the organ by Lynne Davis, Robert L. Town Distinguished Professor of Organ.
Free admission. You may attend in person (social distancing and masks required) or watch the live stream on the WSU School of Music Facebook page.
New F45 class schedule starts on Nov. 30
The Heskett Center's interim fitness schedule will start on Monday, Nov. 30. We will offer one F45 class at noon and another one at 5:15 p.m. Monday through Friday until Dec. 18. Download the FitDegree app to check class availability and to reserve your spot.
Pee for Pizza: Free STI testing on Dec. 2
World AIDS Day is in December! One way to prevent AIDS is to regularly get tested for HIV. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, Positive Directions, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Student Health Services will host Pee for Pizza, which includes free HIV testing. Walk-ins will not be accepted, so call 316-978-4792 to schedule an appointment for this medical service. Masks are required.
Meet a Shocker: A degree 56 years in the making
There were two Shocker milestones in 1964: Wichita University became Wichita State University, and a 17-year-old Martha Backman walked onto the Wichita State campus and began her college education.
This fall, 73-year-old Martha will celebrate her 56-year circuitous educational journey with a bachelor’s degree in aging studies.
According to university records: Of the 88,349 bachelor’s degrees awarded by Wichita State, Martha is one of only four who were 73 years old at the time of their graduation. Nine other students have been older than 73, with the oldest Shocker graduate being 90 years old. Martha is in second place for the length of time to get her degree. Her 56 years is superseded by only one person who took 69 years.
Generation Lead Podcast Series featuring Tajahnae Stocker
Current graduate student Alexus Scott and Student Involvement have partnered together to conduct and produce a podcast series focusing on the development of our next generation's leaders. The podcast series is called Generation Lead and features voices from current WSU students, staff, faculty, and community partners.
Due to the recent virtual change in in-person programming, the podcast series provides high impact dialogue that empowers, challenges, and motivates a generation to lead and take space in their personal capacities with great measure. You can check out previous and upcoming episodes via streaming platforms like Anchor, Spotify, Breaker, and Google Podcasts.
The Creator of Change, we’re going to learn and discuss more about the ICT Community Fridge Project. The ICT Community Fridge Project has launched and received an abundance of support from the local Wichita community. This initiative and movement have been giving back in the form of providing mutual aid. The fridge serves as a resource to reduce food insecurity in targeted areas across the city.
Tajahnae Stocker has developed a program that precisely acknowledges the disparities and provides relief to the barriers and challenges that folks are faced with daily. Being a current student, we will explore the creation of her recent idea and discuss what leadership capabilities it’s taken to develop such a viable resource in such a short amount of time
Generation Lead Podcast Series
Support our recent WSU graduates and vote 'CYFIVE'
These recent WSU graduates need your vote to advance to the finals of the global (or international) Xprize Next Generation Facemask Challenge.
Vote “CyFive” now through Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the bottom of Xprize.org/masksurvey.
RSC closed for Thanksgiving break
The Rhatigan Student Center and its departments will be closed from Wednesday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 29 for the Thanksgiving break.
Free tutoring and academic mentoring for diverse Shockers!
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is offering free tutoring and academic mentoring!
Our tutors help students develop a deeper understanding of class material and gain successful skills that can improve their overall GPA.
Our academic mentors offer biweekly meetings to help you with academic success skills, such as time management, effective studying and note-taking, test preparation and more!
You can drop in any of the listed times or schedule an appointment. See when we are open, what classes are offered, and how to request appointments at wichita.edu/pass!
TRIO DSS supports students with disabilities - applications open!
WSU's TRIO Disability Support Services (DSS) Program is excited to enroll students with disabilities for this academic school year. They offer numerous free services such as academic advising, career development, study skills assistance, financial literacy assistance, tutoring, and more. Many DSS graduates cite DSS as a critical program on campus that provided the support, university connections, and resources necessary for their success.
Quotes from DSS graduates and more information
I will apply what I have learned through TRIO DSS to the next chapter of my life - completing a Master's Degree! I am really thankful for the relationships that I have formed through TRIO DSS and look forward to what new challenges there are to conquer in my near future.
-Tiffany H.
My advisor believed in me when everyone wrote me off. That kind of belief and caring is so strong, it turned a college dropout into a student with a WSU GPA of 3.8 who is going to graduate in a month. I was able to get my first all “A” semester last fall because of their encouragement. Without my advisor’s support, I do not think I would be graduating at all.
-Ben L.
For more information, or to apply, go to www.wichita.edu/dss or call 978-5949. TRIO DSS is located in 158 Grace Wilkie Annex.
Thanksgiving Massage Special at the Heskett Center
Don’t miss the Thanksgiving Massage Special! While celebrating the spirit of thanksgiving, make sure to also give thanks to your body.
For the month of November, you can schedule a 90-minute massage for only $50. Gift certificates are available for purchase.
For more information, visit the Heskett Center Guest Services desk or call 316-978-3082.
Black Friday at the Shocker Store in Braeburn Square
Come shop for Shocker gear on Black Friday Nov. 27! That day, enjoy buy one, get one half-off Shocker gear at the Shocker Store Braeburn Square location. Store hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. for Black Friday. Sale is not valid with other discounts or promotions and some exclusions apply. Happy shopping, Shockers!