The Office of Special Programs at Wichita State University administers programs that provide comprehensive services to low-income, first-generation, foster care and disabled individuals. We work to further the success and well-being of our clients through academic, career, social and accommodation services.
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. December's name derives from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, which began in March.
Monthly Celebrations:
World AIDS Day (December 1): The world can end AIDS – if everyone’s rights are protected. With human rights at the centre, with communities in the lead, the world can end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
World Pollution Prevention Day (December 2): World Pollution Prevention Day, that is observed every year on December 2nd, serves as an urgent reminder for all of us to address the environmental challenges that our planet faces. This day commemorates the Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984, an industrial catastrophe that caused widespread death and environmental damage.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) : An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7): National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a solemn observance in the United States that honors and remembers the victims of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by military personnel and civilians during World War II and the importance of preserving and sharing the history of that pivotal moment in American history.
National Bill of Rights Day (December 15): The National Bill of Rights Day is celebrated to to commemorate the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights guarantees fundamental rights and liberties including freedom of speech, press, religion, privacy and due process of law.
The Winter Solstice (December 21): The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.[1] Each polar region experiences continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice.
Christmas (December 25): Did you know that Christmas was not always celebrated on December 25th? Christmas wasn’t celebrated on the 25th of December around until 336 AD. The X in X-Mas stands for “Chi” which is a Greek letter “Chi.” In Japan, KFC is the traditional Christmas dinner.