What does it mean to be a student-centered university?
President Rick Muma
At Wichita State University, our work begins with students and is shaped by their
goals and circumstances.
Understanding who our students are informs every decision we make.
- 47.5% are first-generation college students.
- 42% are Pell Grant-eligible, reflecting the financial realities many face.
- 71% are Kansas residents, with 46% coming from Sedgwick County.
At the same time, these figures represent 18,458 individual students, each with their own histories, aspirations and pathways forward. They are artists, engineers, educators, teachers, health care workers, scientists and entrepreneurs. Some are discovering new possibilities; others are returning to finish what they once started. Many are balancing coursework with responsibilities beyond campus. When we talk about being student-centered, we are talking about designing a university that recognizes those individual journeys and responds with purpose and care.
For many Wichita State students, the path to a degree is shaped by real considerations — how many hours they can work, how far their dollars will stretch and whether support is available when challenges arise. These realities inform how we think about access and affordability, and they guide our commitment to creating conditions that allow students to persist and thrive.
Scholarships, need-based aid and clear financial aid guidance help students and families plan ahead and stay focused on progress rather than short-term obstacles. When affordability is addressed with intention, students gain room to learn, grow and envision what comes next.
That sense of momentum matters, and it carries forward into how we support students throughout their academic journey. Our focus on student success and persistence emphasizes connection: early, ongoing and responsive. Through the Shocker Success Center, students find advising and academic support brought together in ways that make help easier to find and more effective to use. These touchpoints reinforce that progress is built one semester at a time, with guidance and encouragement along the way.
For many students, the journey to Wichita State includes steps taken elsewhere. Transfer pathways and articulation agreements ensure those steps count. By strengthening partnerships with colleges across Kansas, we create continuity for students who arrive with experience and earned credit. Clear pathways reduce uncertainty and help students move forward with confidence toward degree completion.
As students advance, applied learning becomes a powerful bridge between education and purpose. Last year, Wichita State students completed 12,328 applied learning experiences, earning $39.2 million while developing skills that extend beyond the classroom. Opportunities supported by the Shocker Career Accelerator allow students to gain meaningful professional experience while supporting themselves financially — often clarifying career goals and strengthening their sense of direction.
Research adds another dimension to that growth. Through initiatives such as the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Hub, First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) and faculty-mentored projects, students engage early in inquiry and discovery. These experiences foster curiosity and a deeper connection to learning.
If you would like to know how you can contribute to our student-centered initiatives, visit WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement's website to start supporting our priorities, such as need-based scholarships and other student success opportunities.
Taken together, these efforts form a student experience shaped by intention and care. At Wichita State, we remain focused on building an environment where every student has the opportunity, support and encouragement to move forward with purpose and possibility.
Go Shockers!
Rick Muma
President, Wichita State University