2025 Shocker year in review
President Rick Muma
Every year when December rolls around, I find it hard to believe how quickly the year has passed. Looking back at 2025, Shocker Nation has accomplished so much, and I am incredibly proud to be part of a community that envisions the future so clearly and knows how to turn bold ideas into progress. This year brought new partnerships, new opportunities for our students, and new momentum for Wichita and the region — all fueled by people who show up ready to build what comes next.
- We welcomed two new university leaders in 2025: Dr. Monica Lounsbery, senior executive president and provost, came to us from California State University, Long Beach and Dr. Sarah Beth Estes from University of Arkansas at Little Rock was appointed as the dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. We are thrilled to have their energy and leadership at Wichita State, helping to fuel the university’s growth and potential.
- In January, tragedy struck when a plane traveling from Wichita crashed in Washington, D.C. Several of those who died in the crash had close connections to Wichita State, including 2017 alumna Kiah Duggins, who worked as a civil rights attorney in D.C. To honor Kiah’s memory and her passion for social justice, the Shocker Support Locker — which Duggins cofounded when she was a student — was renamed the Kiah Duggins Shocker Support Locker.
- The Corbin Education Center has been on a rollercoaster ride since it flooded in early 2024, forcing the building to close for more than a year. The building was finally able to reopen in September, allowing staff and faculty to move back into their offices. Then in October we received word that thanks to the dedicated efforts of many in our Shocker community, the 50-year-old Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It’s the only building at WSU to be listed on this registry.
- Wichita State nursing school changed its name to the Ascension Via Christi — Wichita State University School of Nursing, reflecting a decades-long partnership between the university and one of the state’s leading health care providers. The new name recognizes an investment from Via Christi in support of the Wichita Biomedical Campus.
- Speaking of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, have you seen how it’s progressing? Progress has been steady, and we celebrated the placement of the final steel beam with a beam-signing ceremony in August. Phase I of the biomedical campus is expected to open in 2027. Only about a year left!
- I never miss an opportunity to express my deep appreciation for our dedicated staff and faculty, and they gave us several reasons to be proud in 2025. The Kansas Board of Regents honored four faculty and staff members for their excellence in teaching, research, service and student support. Additionally, a new campus feature honors the achievements of faculty in their roles as scholars, mentors and innovators. Next time you’re on campus, I hope you take the opportunity to visit the Scholars Walk near the Heskett Center and join me in celebrating our talented and creative faculty.
- Wichita Monopoly is here! The custom game features three Wichita State properties (yellow, of course) — Morrison Hall, NIAR and WSU Tech — and a Shocker chance card. The game will make an excellent gift for anyone with an affinity for all things Wichita, and we are honored to be a part of the game.
- Need another gift idea? How about a book? I wrote “Student Centered, Innovation Driven” to celebrate and chronicle a decade of strategic change that propelled Wichita State from a commuter campus to a nationally recognized urban research university.
- At a time when many universities are scaling back on fine arts, Wichita State is investing
in them.
- The McKnight Arts Center underwent some much-needed renovations and equipment upgrades for its printmaking spaces. With features such as improved ventilation and an open-concept layout, this space is designed to support creativity and safety, ensuring our students can focus on their craft while working in an environment that encourages creative thinking.
- Construction is underway in Henrion Hall to provide air conditioning to the remainder of the building following the Phase 1 and 2 projects completed over the past five years. The project also includes a new wood shop and dust collection system.
- Renovations will soon begin on the Media Resources Center to expand the vault storage capacity for the Ulrich Museum. The project will include a temperature and humidity-controlled space to allow for safe art storage to meet museum standards.
- Our applied learning model surged this year. In the 2024-25 academic year, students earned $39.2 million through 12,328 paid applied learning experiences. That’s an 11% increase over the year.
- Our student-athletes never fail to impress me with their grit and determination. 2025
was another banner year for Shocker sports:
- Wichita State men’s basketball returned to postseason play with a bid to the 2025 NIT, fueled by a late-season surge and wins over then-No. 14 Memphis, Kansas State and Minnesota. Wichitan Xavier Bell led the Shockers in scoring at 15.2 points on his way to earning All-American Athletic Conference honors.
- Wichita State women’s bowling advanced to the 2025 Final Four in Las Vegas by defeating Felician (N.J.) and Vanderbilt in regional play. The Shockers won the Conference USA Tournament by defeating 2024 NCAA champion Jacksonville State.
- Destiny Masters finished her Shocker career with six All-American honors in the pentathlon (2024), heptathlon (2024, 2025) and high jump (2023 outdoor, 2024 indoor, 2024 outdoor). In June, the El Dorado native placed 10th in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the heptathlon to earn second-team All-American honors.
- Sophomore Elkana Kipruto earned All-American honors by finishing No. 24 in the men’s NCAA cross country championship in November. He is the first Shocker to earn men’s All-American honors since 1992.
- This summer, the AfterShocks dominated The Basketball Tournament, winning the tournament, and Charles Koch Arena brought in record attendance.
- And in club sports, the Wichita State Cricket Club made league history with back-to-back tournament sweeps.
I can hardly believe what we achieved in just 12 months, and this is just a small sample of everything our people do every day to promote and build the future of Shocker Nation. Thank you for your part in our 2025 accolades. I wish you all a very joyful and relaxing holiday season. See you in 2026!
Go Shockers!
Rick Muma
President, Wichita State University