Professional Development Workshops
These workshops are for all students in the Shocker Design Experience. Each workshop will help you build specific and different professional competencies that we want you to practice and build on to increase your student success. All workshops will be offered during class times as well as additionally offered at various times throughout the week; sign up for the workshops that fit your schedule. Some workshops are limited in size, so if one is full try another time. To sign up for a workshop, expand the workshop title and click the link in the description.
In-Person Workshops - Full Listing by Date
Use this listing to easily identify days and times that work for you. Then use the link to read more about the workshop and sign up.
9/25 at 3:30 - Study Abroad with Ann Burger (jump)
9/25 at 5:00 - Professional Image with Shocker Career Accelerator (jump)
9/26 at 3:30 - AI in Our World Today with Christy Manning (jump)
9/26 at 5:00 - Unleashing Your Potential with Zeeshan Khan (jump)
9/30 at 3:30 - The Art of The Phish and Why it Works with Joe Jabara (jump)
9/30 at 5:00 - Communicate Like a B.O.S.S. with Erin Shields (jump)
10/2 at 11:30 - Shocker Financial Wellness "Buying/Leasing Cars" (jump)
10/2 at 4:30 - Building Resilience with Jacob Mendez (jump)
10/7 at 3:30 - ADHD is Real with Isabel Medina-Keiser (jump)
10/7 at 6:00 - Building Resilience with Jacob Mendez (jump)
10/9 at 3:30 - Time Management with Stefanie Coronado (jump)
10/9 at 6:00 - Engineering Your Success with Tau Beta Pi (jump)
10/16 at 11:30 - Shocker Financial Wellness "Living On/Off Campus" (jump)
10/16 at 3:30 - Information Literacy with Aaron Bowen (jump)
10/17 at 3:30 - Professional Image with Shocker Career Accelerator (jump)
10/23 at 3:30 - Learning to "Lean" with LEGOS with Cindi Mason (jump)
10/24 at 3:30 - Finding Your Strengths with Kennedy Rogers (jump)
10/24 at 5:30 - Building Resilience with Jacob Mendez (jump)
10/28 at 3:30 - Study Abroad with Ann Burger (jump)
10/30 at 3:30 - Effective Networking with Pierre Harter (jump)
10/30 at 3:30 - Learning to "Lean" with LEGOS with Cindi Mason (jump)
FYS Topics
These workshops cover first-year seminar topics like the common read, information literacy, financial literacy, and more.
Academic Convocation is an exciting event that blends our Common Read program with other student learning and engagement opportunities. Faculty awards will be recognized and the event will feature a student speaker and a keynote address. This year's guest speaker: Quiara Alegria Hudes, author of "My Broken Language."
Information literacy is the ability to discover and use various types of information. It's an essential skill for navigating the information age. Take this workshop to learn about strategies for finding information—from a library, archive, database, or the Internet—and the ethics of using it. Also discussed are different types of resources and explains how to evaluate their usefulness and trustworthiness. The librarians also show how to avoid plagiarism and copyright infringement, and accurately cite sources. For students in Shocker Design Experience only.
In-Person Option with WSU Librarians Aaron Bowen and Jessica Pierpoint (75-minutes):
Room: John Bardo Center room 264 OR 338 (check below)
Click here to sign up for one in-person workshop:
- Wednesday, 10/16 at 3:30 - 5:00 PM, in John Bardo Center 338
- Tuesday, 11/5 at 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, in John Bardo Center 338 (now full)
Online Option on LinkedIn Learning with Librarian Elsa Loftis (1 hr 47 mins):
- Watch the course on Information Literacy, and
- Submit the certificate of completion at the end of the course to your instructor.
There are 168 hours each week--how do you find time for what's important? In this workshop you'll make a plan to make the most of your time and you'll learn about the resources provided by the Office of Student Success. This workshop is for students in the Shocker Design Experience only.
In-Person Option with Stefanie Coronado (50-minutes):
Room: JBC 338
Click here to sign up for one workshop:
- Wednesday, 10/9/2024 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
- Tuesday, 11/5/2024 at 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Online Option - Watch these three TED Talk videos linked below to help you rethink how you spend your time. To earn credit for this workshop, upload a written reflection discussing which strategies you'll try from each video, listing specific ways you'll improve your time management.
Watch the following:
- How to gain control of your free time (11:45)
- Getting in control and creating space (17:48)
- How to manage your time more effectively (according to machines) (4:47)
Submit your reflection by including it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Can you succeed in college with ADHD? Yes you can! Join the Office of Disability Services to discuss realistic solutions for managing college life and ADHD. Each attendee will receive a free ADHD tool kit to take home.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Monday, 10/7/2024 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Studying abroad doesn't have to be just a fantasy. If you are curious, determined to try new things, interested in meeting new people and discovering new places, then studying abroad could become your reality. This Study Abroad workshop is offered by the International Education Office to help interested students start exploring their options. Interested students will get to learn about the programs, cost, funding, application process, and more. For students in Shocker Design Experience only.
In-Person Option for SDX Students:
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Wednesday, 9/25/24, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
- Monday, 10/28/24, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Online Option - Students have the option of choosing to watch our study abroad information session video or attend an information session in-person (dates listed below).
In-Person Option - Sponsored by the Office of Financial Aid, Shocker Financial Wellness is dedicated to developing a community of financially knowledgeable Shockers. Having awareness and confidence about personal finance helps students make smart financial decisions during and after college. Peer Financial Coaches also offer one-on-one peer financial advising on topics like budgeting and saving.
Click here to sign up for any of their workshops:
- 09/18/24 | 11:30AM - 2PM | RSC 142 - "Budgeting 101"
- 10/02/24 | 11:30AM - 2PM | RSC 142 - "Buying/Leasing Cars"
- 10/16/24 | 11:30AM - 2PM | RSC 142 - "Living On/Off Campus"
- 11/20/24 | 11:30AM - 2PM | RSC 142 - "Scholarship Tips"
Online Option - Take the course linked below to help you learn step-by-step techniques to eliminate bad debt, build a good credit score, and generate passive income. This course also explores how to budget, how to use a financial decision matrix, and how to manage risk by setting up an emergency fund and selecting appropriate insurance policies. Take the Financial Adulting course (1h).
To earn credit for this workshop, (1) take a screenshot of your exam results or the completion screens and (2) upload the screenshots, and (3) upload a short written reflection of which 5 new skills, features, or tools you learned in this course that you'll put into practice. For students in Shocker Design Experience only.
Watch the following:
- Click here to take the LinkedIn Learning course Financial Adulting
- Submit your screenshots by including them in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Your first year in college can be a very challenging time academically and personally. In this workshop, we will spend time focusing on developing skills to be resilient throughout your college experience. We will also discussing imposter syndrome in order to help you overcome any challenges or setbacks you are going through.
Room: Partnership 2, room A131
Click here to sign up for one workshop:
- Wednesday, 10/2/2024 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
- Monday, 10/7/2024 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
- Thursday, 10/24/2024 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Unsure about how to effectively communicate with instructors and peers in college? Worry no more because in this workshop you’ll gain tips and tricks to getting your point across in a productive way when communicating with people through Shocker email, Blackboard, etc.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Mon 9/30/2024 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
This informative and interactive workshop focuses on identifying one’s strengths and learning about how they are embodied and used in our own personal, academic, and professional aspirations. Students will be able to take the world-renowned inventory, access the Gallup Access platform for free, and unlock their top 5 strengths to prompt internal reflection and promote external action. Check out our website for additional information on our strengths-based approach at Wichita State!
IMPORTANT: Complete the CliftonStrengths inventory BEFORE coming to the workshop. It is recommended to set aside 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted time and limit distractions. Note that if you have already taken the inventory for another class, workshop, or reason, you will not need to retake it.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Thursday, 10/24/2024 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Shocker Career Accelerator Workshops
Prepare yourself for a future internship or career by attending workshops that will help you build your resume, setup your LinkedIn profile, and connect to employers. The links here direct you to the SCA website to sign up.
(In Person) Oct. 1 @ 2:30 - 3:00 PM
(Online) Sept. 13 @ 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
In this workshop, we provide a high level overview of many different topics, including professional dress, professional communication, and interview etiquette. This will help prepare you for presenting your project at the Fall Showcase.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Sept. 25, 5:00-6:15 PM
- Oct. 17, 3:30-4:45 PM
- Nov. 7, 3:30-4:45 PM (now full)
Info coming soon!
Nov. 12, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Up to 45% off select career wear, shoes, and accessories, when you use the extra 30% off Suit-up coupon available at the event. WSU ID required. To shop online, text SHOCKS to 67292 to get your 30% off coupon.
Register and view employers here
October 6, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at JCPenney Towne East
Workshops Offered by Faculty and Industry
This workshop will examine AI technology in three parts. First, we will review a brief history of AI and talk about how the most powerful models today work. Then, we will have a prompting workshop where we will use ChatGPT or another language model of your choice - so bring your laptop if possible! Finally, we will touch on a range of ethics issues in AI such as bias, intellectual property, and international relations.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for one workshop:
- Thursday, Sept. 26 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Learn about inventors on our campus! The Matchmaking Program links entrepreneurs, investors and businesses with technology, ideas and opportunities developed at Wichita State. See familiar faces from campus and talk about their stories about being inventors of something new and taking it to the next level. Come ready to do some activities and unleash your creative potential.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for one workshop:
- Thursday, September 26, 5:00-6:30 PM
This presentation will detail the current state of cybersecurity growth, explore hacker motives, and demonstrate how easy it is to get information on individuals and use it to craft a malicious phishing email. Students will be encouraged during the seminar to use their Open Source Intelligence skills to find target data.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Monday, 9/30/2024, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Creating and nurturing a professional network can be extremely helpful when trying to find a job AND as you progress through your career. In this workshop you’ll gain an understanding of why networking is important and tips and tricks on how to build and nurture your own network.
(Note: this is not computer networking; rather, it is when you build relationships with other professionals both in your career field and in other related fields. It involves talking to people to make personal connections.)
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Wednesday, 10/30, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM (this workshop is now full)
We know engineers design things-- cars, airplanes, bridges, computers...but who designs the processes, systems, and methods involved in getting those products to the end-user? Industrial engineers are concerned with the people and the processes involved in manufacturing and service, working to make large and complex systems of people, money, information, energy, equipment, and materials operate more effectively. Come learn about the systems and processes involved in the build of an airplane through a fun, hands-on LEGO activity!
Room: John Bardo Center room 338 OR JBC 264
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Wednesday, 10/23/2024 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM in JBC 338 (this workshop is now full)
- Wednesday, 10/30/2024 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM in JBC 264
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), that are emitted both directly and indirectly into the atmosphere from human activities. This workshop will raise awareness about carbon footprints and provide strategies to reduce them. Participants will learn about their impact on the environment, measure their carbon footprint, and create a personal action plan to reduce their carbon footprint.
Room: John Bardo Center room 338
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Wednesday, November 4, 3:30-4:30 PM (now full)
Tau Beta Pi, WSU’s engineering honor society, will be hosting a panel of high achieving engineering students who will share their advice and experience for succeeding in and out of the classroom, specific ways to get involved with research, tips for preparing to join the engineering world, and answer any of your questions! Please join us to learn more about engineering opportunities here at WSU and to meet fellow students!
Room: John Bardo Center room 264
Click here to sign up for the workshop:
- Wednesday, October 9, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Ablah Library Entrepreneurship Research Workshops
Wichita State University Libraries is one of 87 U.S. Patent and Trademark Research Centers (PTRCs) in the country and the only PTRC in Kansas. Since receiving this designation in 1991, we have received copies of U.S. patents and a variety of patent and trademark searching tools in both print and electronic formats, as well as extensive training in providing patent and trademark research assistance. The Library is open to the public, and we assist with preliminary patent and trademark research by appointment at no charge. Please contact librarian Jessica Pierpoint for more information or to schedule an appointment.
The Entrepreneurship Research Workshops help inventors and entrepreneurs learn how to protect their intellectual property and support their business through research.
Date/Time: Fridays from noon-1pm
Specific Workshops:
- October 11th: Market Research for Start Ups
- In person: Digital Learning Commons located on the first floor of Ablah Library.
- Virtual: please register in advance for link by clicking on event title below.
- October 25th: Intro to Intellectual Property
- In person: Digital Learning Commons located on the first floor of Ablah Library.
- Virtual: please register in advance for link by clicking on event title below.
- November 7th: Navigating Innovation and Tech Transfer - Rob Gerlach, Director of Intellectual
Property and Technology Transfer at Wichita State University
- Date/Time: Thursday from 5:30-7pm, in person only
Asynchronous Workshops for Students with Busy Schedules:
LinkedIn Learning is free for WSU students, but you will have to take a first step of linking your WSU account to your LinkedIn account. Follow these instructions on how to access LinkedIn Learning for free.
Choose one TED Talk video on a topic that you are interested to learn more about. To earn credit for this workshop, write a reflection summarizing the big idea of the video, what was meaningful to you, and if it changed your perspective on anything. Include it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Choose from the following:
Choose one Humans of New York storyline or series. Analyze how the conversation progressed and extrapolate the interview questions that were asked. To earn credit for this workshop, write a reflection summarizing the big ideas of the interviews, what was meaningful to you, and list out what interview questions you think Brandon Stanton asked in order to get the responses he did. Include it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Humans of New York (web) Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Watch these three TED Talk videos linked below to help you rethink how you spend your time. To earn credit for this workshop, write a reflection discussing which strategies you'll try from each video, listing specific ways you'll improve your time management. Include it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Watch the following:
Take these two courses linked below to help you become a better Microsoft Teams user. Take both the Microsoft Teams Essential Training (2h 21m) and Microsoft Teams Tips and Tricks (1h 3m). To earn credit for this workshop, (1) take a screenshot of your exam results or the completion screens and (2) upload the screenshots, and (3) write a short reflection of which 5 new skills, features, or tools you learned in these courses that you'll put into practice. Include this in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Watch the following:
How are you protecting your work? Author and attorney Dana Robinson gives you a high-level overview of intellectual property (IP), including topics such as patents, trademarks, and other protections. Learn the answer to common IP questions and discover an attorney's perspective on how you can best safeguard your ideas, and avoid infringing others' rights. This course includes a 1.5-hour video series with chapter quizzes and a final exam (7 questions). To earn credit for this workshop, take a screen capture of your final exam score and include it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Want to patent your invention or technology—or avoid infringing on someone else's? Learn the defining characteristics of successful patents, including what is and is not patentable and the types of patents available. Lawyer Dana Robinson shows how to distinguish between good ideas that can be patented as well as good ideas that don't meet the strict requirements of patent law. He also outlines the process and timeline of the patent application process and explains how businesses can avoid infringing on existing patents with a simple search. This course includes a 1-hour video series with chapter quizzes and a final exam (7 questions). To earn credit for this workshop, take a screen capture of your final exam score and include it in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Take these two courses linked below to help you refine your elevator pitch for your idea. This should supplement what you've already learned in Blackboard in the class. Take both the How to Speak so People Want to Listen course (34 min) and How to Create a Perfect Elevator Pitch course (1 hr 50 min). To earn credit for this workshop, (1) take a screenshot of your exam results and certificates from each course, (2) write a written reflection of how you'll modify or improve your pitch script based on what you learned in these courses. Include them in your Personal Development Plan assignment.
Click here to take the LinkedIn Learning course How to Speak so People Want to Listen
Click here to take the LinkedIn Learning course Product Management: Building a Product Strategy (creating an elevator pitch)