WSU Today: Aug. 29, 2019

Wichita State recognized for its efforts in student success

Wichita State's efforts to recruit and retain students from historically under-served and under-represented areas haven't gone unnoticed. WSU is one of six universities recognized by the 2019 Social Mobility Innovator Awards as a student success leader.

The Social Mobility Index ranks nearly 1,400 four-year U.S. colleges and universities according to how successfully they enroll students from low-income backgrounds and graduate them into promising careers. The goal of the SMI is to help redirect the attribution of "prestige" in the higher education system toward colleges and universities that are advancing economic mobility, the most pressing civic issue of our time.

Read complete story on Social Mobility Innovator Awards.

Hyatt Place hotel to break ground today (Thursday, Aug. 29) at WSU

The first hotel on the Wichita State campus is beginning construction. 

A 106-room Hyatt Place hotel will break ground at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday, Aug. 29) on Wichita State’s Innovation Campus, within walking distance of the new Fuzzy’s Tacos, the Shocker Store and Starbucks. 

The groundbreaking will take place on 19th Street just west of Oliver. The event will kick off shortly after WSU’s 10 a.m. weekly briefing in the Marcus Welcome Center. The campus community is welcome to walk over from the briefing to the groundbreaking.

Read the full story

Rahman appointed Dean Fellow to explore new academic programs

Muhammad Rahman

Muhammad Rahman, a professor of mechanical engineering, has been appointed to a newly created role to explore possible new programs in chemical engineering and materials engineering.

Rahman will serve as Dean’s Fellow, a new part-time position created to develop strategic initiatives that do not fall within any specific department.

“Dr. Rahman is expected to lead these efforts while seeking broad input from across the College of Engineering and outside stakeholders,” College of Engineering Dean Dennis Livesay said.

ISME Colloquium tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 30)

Wei Wei

Wei Wei, an assistant professor in mechanical engineering at WSU, will present "3D Mesoporous Carbon-Based Electrodes for New Generation Solar Cells” from 11 a.m.-noon tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 30) in 214 Clinton Hall.

Join in the retirement celebration for Doris Wells

The Office of Purchasing invites you to the retirement celebration for Doris Wells from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, with remarks at 2:30 p.m. in 261 RSC.

This is a come-and-go event to share your memories and well wishes as we celebrate the many years of service, contributions, and dedication to her career with WSU.

Cake and refreshments will be served, along with a receiving table for cards and gifts. No RSVP required.

Attend a brown-bag lunch and discover the advantages of the Learning Quest 529 Educational Savings Plan

Rising education costs may have you wondering if you can afford it. Did you know you can enjoy a tax-advantaged account while building savings for education expenses? You can open a Learning Quest account for anyone, including yourself, children and grandchildren. With the Learning Quest UGift program, friends and family members can also help support the student’s education! 

Join Teresa Stewart at either 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, in 266 RSC, for a brown bag lunch presentation and Q&A session. She will talk about the earning opportunities and tax advantages of using a Learning Quest 529 Plan to save for educational expenses. 

Attendees are invited to bring their lunch to the presentation. Light snacks and drinks will also be provided. 

Contact Teresa Stewart at Teresa_Stewart@americancentury.com with any questions or to register for one of the sessions!

Click here for more information.

Public reception launches special exhibition of Apollo mission art today (Thursday, Aug. 29)

A public reception this Thursday on the Wichita State University campus will celebrate a special exhibition of the art that NASA commissioned for its Apollo 9 and 13 missions. 

The reception celebrating the exhibition, "Lowell Nesbitt: Apollo, 1969," will be held from 5-7 p.m. today (Thursday, Aug. 29), on the second floor of the Experiential Engineering Building. The reception is free and open to the public. 

The special exhibition is on display now to Nov. 17, featuring the prints made by artist Lowell Nesbitt, who was commissioned by NASA in 1969 to commemorate its Apollo 9 and 13 missions as part of the NASA Art Program.

This special exhibition was made possible through a new program at Wichita State’s Ulrich Museum of Art called Ulrich Connections, which ties the museum’s robust exhibition and event programming more directly to the world outside its walls. As part of the program, the Ulrich seeks out strategic partnerships with campus academic units and community organizations to create temporary exhibitions and events that allow the museum to reach new audiences, increase awareness, and reduce barriers to access and use of its collection.

Find out more at ulrich.wichita.edu or https://www.facebook.com/events/2392342870881134/.

Picture above: Lowell, Nesbitt, Spacesuit Checkout, 1969. Collection of the Ulrich Museum of Art.

Kansas Board of Regents launches Military Articulation Portal

The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) announced the launch of its Military Articulation Portal (MAP). Many Kansas postsecondary institutions offer college credit for military experience. MAP provides a central resource for military service members and veterans to explore the course credit available to them at public postsecondary institutions in Kansas.

“Veterans and service members possess a wealth of experience and skills that they have learned in the military,” said KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders. “Kansas has been a leader in offering college credit for that experience, helping veterans get a head start on postsecondary programs. I’m excited that we are launching this portal to make it simple to identify available college credit and programs.”

MAP is available at military.kansasregents.org.

The portal links specific military occupations and courses to postsecondary course credit within applicable degree programs. It allows service members and veterans to search for college credit options based on their Military Occupational Specialties or by institutions and programs.

MAP was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

Get your Shocker-themed buttons!

WSU’s highly popular Shocker-themed buttons are now available for your department to purchase. They make great freebies for students and campus guests—and add a dash of Shocker spirit to your own wardrobe.

The buttons are packaged in sets of 50, with five buttons of each design in a set. The order deadline is Friday. Sept. 6. 

Click here for more information and to order buttons.

Engage WSU 2019 to feature keynote address from Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers

From 7:30 a.m.-noon Friday, Sept. 13, the Public Policy and Management Center and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement will present Engage WSU, a day that brings together university, public, nonprofit and community leaders for current research and knowledge exchange in public service. 

Engage WSU will be held at WSU's Marcus Welcome Center and will feature a keynote address from Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers, Parting Words from retired Sedgwick County undersheriff Brenda Dietzman, the Road to Public Service with Leavenworth Mayor Jermaine Wilson and various breakout sessions. 

The breakout session topics will include Media Coverage of Community Driven Issues; Profiles of High Utilizers of Mental Health Community Services; Continuing the Connecting Conversation: Talent & Retention; and Diversity and Community Engagement. 

To learn more about Engage WSU and to register, visit www.wichita.edu/engagewsu.

Increase your influence with your key stakeholders

Increasing Influence for Project Managers will be presented by Gerald Graham, Ph.D., from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Sept. 12-13. The cost is $899. There’s a 40 percent discount for WSU faculty, staff, and students. Some restrictions apply.

Coordinating a project can encompass a multitude of stakeholders, all with a different agenda. The task of keeping the project team, the boss, the customer and your department colleagues focused and working in the right direction seems almost impossible. Dr. Graham will lay groundwork that gives you a plan for success.

* Trust-based relationships
* Essential elements of a communication plan
* Using negotiations as a project manager

For more information, go to cmd.wichita.edu or register at 978-3118.

Become a conversation leader for Intensive English Language Center

If you enjoy learning about other cultures and meeting people from around the world, come volunteer as a conversation leader at the Intensive English Language Center!

Conversation outings are Wednesdays from 10-11:30 a.m.; and 12:30-2 p.m.

Fall 2019 Conversation Schedule
Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25
Oct. 2 and 23
Nov. 6, 13, 20
Dec. 4

Orientation for conversation volunteers is at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the Intensive English Language Center, 1741 N. Hillside.

For more information, contact volunteer coordinator Nancy Millham at nancy.millham@wichita.edu.

Join CAPS for the Autism Spectrum Support Group

Go through the semester with a community of support. Connect with other students on the spectrum, build a social group, and learn skills to promote your social and academic success. No appointment needed. Hope to see you there!

Check out wichita.edu/caps.

Join WASAC and CAPS for the Healing from Trauma Support Group

Join WASAC and CAPS to gain support for healing from traumatic experiences. Group members will explore the healing process, increase coping skills, and learn how to identify and manage triggers. No appointment needed. Please double-check the Counseling and Prevention Services website for the location in the RSC, since the room will change during the semester.

Boats & Bikes opens to get people moving on the Arkansas River

Olga Navarro spent the summer renting boats, counting paddles and teaching people how to row at Boats & Bikes on the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita.

She is a senior industrial engineering major and a member of Wichita State’s rowing team who will soon leave the water for her career. While that next step won’t require her to explain water safety, it will likely require her to speak to groups, explain plans and work with customers. 

Those skills don’t come naturally to Navarro, so she views her time at Boats & Bikes as a valuable real-world, applied learning experience. Boats & Bikes is a store that rents bikes, boats, kayaks and paddleboards and is managed by Shocker Rowing.

Read complete Boats & Bikes story.

Grand opening is set for River Vista’s Boats and Bikes

A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held for Boats and Bikes at River Vista, a retail watercraft and bicycle rental facility, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, at 150 N. McLean Blvd.

Attendees may park on the upper level of the River Vista parking garage, accessible via the north entrance to the property. The entrance to Boats and Bikes is on the river level of the River Vista Complex.

Boats and Bikes is based out of River Vista and is a partnership between River Vista’s development group and Wichita State University, which ties in with Shocker Rowing’s new boathouse.

Read complete story on the grand opening..

Labor Day weekend hours at the RSC

The Rhatigan Student Center and some of its departments will have altered hours for Labor Day weekend. The Shocker Store will be open normal hours of 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, but closed on Monday, Sept. 2. Need a place to hang out, grab a bite to eat, or bowl over Labor Day weekend? The Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes will be open the entire weekend! For all RSC building and department hours, go to www.wichita.edu/rschours.

$1 Cosmic Bowling Games for Labor Day weekend

Make it a cosmic Labor Day weekend at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes! From 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31-Monday, Sept. 2, cosmic bowling is just $1 per game, with free rental shoes! Offer is not valid for group reservations. Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes is open to the public, so join us for some dollar cosmic bowling on campus. For more information, call 978-3479.

National Cheese Pizza Day – Free pizza!

Celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day with Student Activities Council and Campus Credit Union by stopping by from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, on the north patio of the Rhatigan Student Center. Come and enjoy some pizza while the supply lasts.

Volleyball single-match tickets now on sale

Single-match tickets for Wichita State volleyball's 11 home matches during the 2019 regular season are now on sale.

The Shockers are slated to play three nonconference home contests in the Shocker Volleyball Classic, presented by Ashley HomeStore, against AVCA preseason top-10 teams BYU (Sept. 12) and Texas (Sept. 14), and VCU (Sept. 13).

Wichita State will have eight American Athletic Conference home matches, including showdowns against conference rival Cincinnati (Sept. 29), and preseason favorite and 2018 American champion UCF (Oct. 18).

Read complete story on volleyball single-match tickets.