Wichita State students benefit from applied learning at Help Hangar
Textron Aviation’s Help Hangar is where more than 60 Wichita State students work side by side with Textron employees to solve their information technology problems.
You’re invited to attend groundbreaking ceremony today (Wednesday, March 20) at Eck Stadium
Faculty and staff of Wichita State University are invited to join us at 4:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 20) for a groundbreaking ceremony at Eck Stadium for Phase V of the stadium’s development plan. The ceremony will be held at the Eck Stadium entrance.
After the ceremony, cheer on the WSU baseball or softball teams as they compete against KU. The first pitch is at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Eck or Wilkins ticket offices following the ceremony, or in advance from the Koch Arena ticket office.
Seeking Academic Affairs Fellows
The Office of Academic Affairs is seeking several faculty or staff members with an interest in gaining administrative experience through leadership of three projects that advance WSU’s Strategic Plan. These Academic Affairs Fellows will select to work on one of the following three projects: Advancing the use of Open Educational Resources (OER’s) on campus, Developing a Record of Experiential and Applied Learning, and Exploring trends in higher education around curriculum and program development, and student success.
Project work would begin for summer 2019, with some projects extending into AY 2019-20. The deadline to submit a letter of interest is Monday, April 1.
Advancing the use of Open Educational Resources
Developing a Record of Experiential and Applied Learning
Exploring Trends in Higher Education
If you have questions, contact Carolyn Shaw at carolyn.shaw@wichita.edu.
Research workshop: ‘Writing Proposals’
A research workshop, “Writing Proposals,” will be held from noon-1:30 p.m. Friday,
April 12, in 405 Jardine Hall. The workshop will be presented by Fran Cook and Megan
White.
This workshop will provide grant-writing tips and resources to use. Funders and their reviewers want proposals that are clear, concise and consistent. Come to this workshop to learn some hands-on approaches to improving your grant-writing skills.
Fran Cook, CRA, training manager for the WSU Office of Research, will present helpful strategies for responding to a variety of funders and funding opportunities.
Next LaunchPrep entrepreneurial class announced
The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University has announced the next cohort of the LaunchPrep entrepreneurial program. Six early-stage start-ups were selected and began their first session of training in the last week of February.
The startup’s founders will continue to attend training sessions and meet with their mentors to examine their business strategies and create plans for growth and expansion during the next few months, culminating in a Demo Day on May 22.
The LaunchPrep program is a collaboration between the e2e Accelerator Inc. and the Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University that matches participants with local business mentors designed to help each set the stage for future growth.
Here is a look at the latest LaunchPrep cohort, along with the primary mentor for each:
- Blake Benton of Coming Together for a Cure, Inc., with mentor Steve Heiden
- Brent J. Wilson of Hearsay, with mentor Kevin Bauer
- Wes & Kathrine Lewis of James Wesley Furniture, with mentor Marc Conrady
- Fabrice Metan & Francois Djedjes of M.A.D. Ad Company, LLC, with mentor Bob Harbison
- Madison and Lutz Lai of Vrume, LLC, with mentor Derek Sorrells
- Tori Deatherage of Wichita Limelight, with mentor Bill Ramsey
Accessibility Tip of the Week: Face-to-Face classes
Tip: Familiarize yourself with WSU’s Face-to-Face Guidelines. Did you know that WSU’s accessibility standards extend to the in-person classroom? Now is a good time to familiarize yourself with these standards so you can be confident that your in-class presentation habits help you reach all students equally.
The most recent version of WSU’s face-to-face guidelines can always be found in the accessibility section of the WSU website.
The guidelines include recommendations, which are reach goals to try for, and expectations, which are the minimum standard for all in-person classes at WSU. The text-size indicators in all WSU classrooms are part of this program. If you are unsure how to interpret and possibly mitigate text-size issues, IDA has provided a short training article for you.
WSU Weekly Briefing to feature varsity esports coordinator
The WSU Weekly Briefing will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 21, in the Marcus Welcome Center. The featured speaker will be Tyler Levesque (La-Veck), varsity esports coordinator.
Tracee Friess, director of communications for research and technology transfer, will provide an overall university update.
The briefing will be livestreamed and available later that day at WSU Weekly Briefing. There will be time for questions following the briefing.
Business leaders advocate for higher education funding
Representatives from numerous Kansas businesses have signed letters sent to all state legislators advocating for higher education funding. Several companies sent individual letters, and more than 30 businesses co-signed a letter outlining the importance of higher education for the state's workforce.
Honorable Members of the Kansas Legislature,
We write to you in support of the Kansas Board of Regents funding request, which would add $50 million in state support for state universities and $27 million for Washburn University, community colleges and technical colleges.
Our businesses need a skilled workforce to remain competitive and grow. Increasingly, we are struggling to find enough workers with the education and skillsets required for success in our industries. Difficulties in hiring qualified workers pose serious challenges for us in both the short and long term.
This talent shortage is a crisis nationally, and particularly in Kansas. We rely upon the universities, community colleges and technical colleges in our state to provide a workforce that can help our businesses compete nationally and around the world. We believe that increasing investment in higher education will improve our talent pipeline in Kansas.
Kansas businesses have a long history of innovation, entrepreneurship and hard work. We are proud to be part of that tradition and want to see our state’s economy flourish for decades to come. We hope that you will consider the Regents’ request as a way to support business and economic growth.
Click here to see the copies of letters from Garmin, Trane, Stormont Vail Health and BioNexus KC, as well as the letter signed by more than 30 other business leaders.
Senior Wednesday: Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
A Senior Wednesday event will feature Poet Laureate of Kansas Kevin Rabas at 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday, March 20) at the Ulrich Museum of Art. Refreshments will precede the presentation at 10 a.m.
Rabas will share how poetry can illuminate the path through our daily lives, revealing beauty in the mundane tasks and objects that we often overlook. With words and music, this presentation will uplift our daily experiences by exploring what poet Pablo Neruda called the “ode to ordinary things.”
Rabas chairs the Department of English, Modern Languages, and Journalism at Emporia State University, and leads the poetry and playwriting tracks. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, winner of the Langston Hughes Award for Poetry, the Victor Contoski Poetry Award, the Jerome Johanning Playwriting Award, and the Salina New Voice Award. Rabas is also a jazz musician and writes regularly for the Kansas City Jazz Ambassador Magazine (JAM). This program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.
Resume RX today (Wednesday, March 20)
Need your resume or cover letter reviewed but don't have time to make an appointment? The resume doctors with the Career Development Center have you covered. Come see us from 10-11:30 a.m. today (Wednesday, March 20) on the first floor, RSC, for help with your resume, cover letter, interview tips, and general information about our office. No need to register, just stop by and see us!
Mechanical Engineering Seminar Series to feature talk on ‘Wireless-Powered Communication Networks'
Tewodros Zewde
Tewodros Zewde, assistant professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at WSU, will present “Wireless-Powered Communication Networks” from 3-4 p.m. Friday, March 22, in 127 Jabara Hall.
Wichita Space Initiative to feature WSU graduate student Calem Gimar
Join the Wichita Space Initiative as we welcome Caleb Gimar, a graduate student in the WSU Physics Department, who will present a talk "Looking into the Heart of the Sun: A Space Mission Concept,” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in 233 RSC.
Gimar’s talk will discuss design studies conducted at WSU for a novel approach to observing the solar neutrino flux. As always, talks in the WSI's Space Exploration Lecture Series are free and open to the public.
For more information about the WSI and the Space Exploration Lecture Series, go to Wichita Space Initiative.
Applications are open for Shocker Leadership Awards
Applications are now open for the 7th Annual Shocker Leadership Awards. The Shocker Leadership Awards are a way to recognize the work of student-led organizations, students, faculty and staff at Wichita State University. Recognized student organizations, university affiliated student groups and individuals may be nominated by a student, faculty member, staff member, or organization, or may nominate themselves for one of the awards.
One application form must be completed for every award for which one wishes to be considered. A nomination must have all parts to be considered by the selection committee. It is the responsibility of the nominator to turn in a complete packet. Applications are now open. Click on leadership awards to learn more and to submit your application. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, April 12. For questions, contact Gabriel Fonseca, assistant director of Student Involvement at gabriel.fonseca@wichita.edu.
Women in Public Service to host conference April 4 at WSU
Join Women in Public Service for the “Year of Yes Conference” with keynote speaker Opal Mauldin-Jones, city manager in Lancaster, Texas - Winner of League of Woman in Government Trailblazer Award on Thursday, April 4, at the Marcus Welcome Center. Mauldin-Jones will present the keynote address “Say Yes to Now and Learn How to Thrive,” at 9:30 a.m.
Women in Public Service (WPS) is an association of public service professionals created to inspire past, current and future generations by addressing topics relevant to women in public service, while instilling knowledge through education, networking and professional development that strengthens the leadership in our local government and communities.
The one-day conference will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. April 4.
The lunch speaker, Charlene Stevens of GovHR USA, will present "Defining my YES-What I've learned along the way"
The closing general session, “Moving Forward, Because it's the Right Thing To Do,” will be presented by Mary Sweet, hospital administrator from Greensburg, Kansas.
Breakout sessions include Striving for Perfection, Workplace Wellness, Salary Negotiation, Ways we Sabotage Our Career, Are you Exhausted?, and Are you an Ideal Team Player?
Save the date - URCAF 2019
The annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF) will be held on Friday, April 19, in the Rhatigan Student Center. The forum provides an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students at Wichita State to present their scholarly and creative activity to a faculty, student and community audience, while competing for cash awards. Abstract submissions are due by Friday, April 5. For more information, go to URCAF 2019.
Service-Learning Showcase registration open
The Service-Learning Showcase will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in 233 RSC. It is a unique opportunity for students who participate in service-learning through applied learning opportunities to showcase their experience through a research or reflective poster about the application of their course work to current community issues.
The showcase is an open forum for students to interact with faculty, staff, community partners and other students to engage in conversation about WSU’s commitment to the public good. Awards are presented in the following categories: Overall Service-Learning, Community Impact, Innovation and Creativity (i.e., problem solving), and Collaboration/Leadership.
Registration is available here.
Summer Leadership Institute needs faculty / staff squad leaders
Applications for Summer Leadership Institute participants and faculty / staff squad leaders are coming up at the end of March. Don’t forget to fill out your application at Summer Leadership Institute. If you know someone who would be interested in participating or apply as a squad leader, direct them to the website or contact lead@wichita.edu.
Two students win $25,000 Jabara Scholarships to attend WSU
Seniors from Bishop Carroll Catholic High School and Andover Central High School have been chosen for the Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University.
The winners, Andrea Hernandez and Peyton Jensen, will each receive $25,000 over four years to attend WSU.
The scholarship is one of the most prestigious at WSU and one of the largest entrepreneurship scholarships nationally. To qualify, a student must have a minimum ACT score of 24, a minimum high school GPA of 3.5 and be a declared entrepreneurship major.
The scholarship is named for the late Fran Jabara, who served on the Wichita State faculty for 40 years. He was dean of the College of Business Administration for seven years and founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU, the first of its kind. He received the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the President’s Medal in 2002.
Andrea Hernandez
Hernandez is president of the Spanish Club at Bishop Carroll, is a member of her school’s art club and volunteers at summer art camp.
She’s a member of her church choir, a catechist and volunteers at Lord’s Diner.
Hernandez says being an entrepreneur means becoming a leader.
"As an entrepreneur, I hope to inspire individuals to better themselves and follow what they believe in," she says. "I believe that with an education in entrepreneurship, I will be able to live out the values of honesty, ambition and working together to promote the good of others."
Peyton Jensen
Jensen is a Kansas Honors Scholar, has varsity letters in football and basketball, and took part in Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas his junior year at Andover Central High School.
He’s an active volunteer, working with Kids 4 Kids Club as an elementary school student helper, coaching junior basketball and football camps, and finds the time to mow the lawn of an ill neighbor.
"I generally would not have classified myself as the creative type up to that point," Jensen says about his experience with Youth Entrepreneurs. "But there I was forming an idea on how to start a business. The experience changed my life and proved to me that I can push myself to new limits. It also lit a path for me and helped me realize that I want to enter a profession where I can deal with business, think my own thoughts and help companies grow."
Sponsors needed for 10th Annual Shock the Yard Step Show
The Multicultural Greek Council is seeking sponsors for the 10th Annual Shock the Yard Step Show, at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in Charles Koch Arena. This event allows organizations around the Midwest to show off their ability to step and grants them the opportunity to be named the best step team in the Midwest.
We hope that you will consider sponsoring our show. You can find more information on our website or by emailing Rani Somers, coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life, at rani.somers@wichita.edu.
Take advantage of March Rewards in SSGL
Just two Fridays remain to take advantage of our March EAT.DRINK.PLAY. Rewards special in the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes! You can own a bowling lane for two hours on Fridays for just $15 plus shoe rental! Valid for up to six people. Some restrictions apply. Call 978-3479 for more information.
RSC Unplugged features Vince Serrioz today (Wednesday, March 20)
Stop by the Rhatigan Student Center from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Wednesday for the live music series, RSC Unplugged in the RSC’s Starbucks Lounge. RSC Unplugged for today (Wednesday, March 20) features Vince Serrioz. Grab a cup of coffee and relax with some great music!
Shockers start 10-game homestand with Kansas today (Wednesday, March 20)
The Wichita State softball team starts a series of 10 consecutive home games, starting with Kansas at 6 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 20) at Wilkins Stadium. Admission is free for students with a current WSU ID.
Kansas on tap for Shocker baseball today (Wednesday, March 20)
The Wichita State baseball team (8-11) is slated to face the Kansas Jayhawks (13-6) in a midweek game at 6 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 20) at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field. Admission is free for students with a current WSU ID.