Current Honorees

President's Distinguished Service Award

Cheyla Clawson Chandler, School of Performing Arts, College of Fine Arts

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
Having the incredible opportunity to facilitate and collaborate with colleagues and students to build a unique, professional community, and enhance arts education and impact in the School of Performing Arts, in the College of Fine Arts, and wider WSU community.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
I have great pride in the opportunity afforded by Wichita State to be a part of a community that celebrates and embraces diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all roles across campus.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Your success is my success (mentorship). If you fail, I fail (mentorship responsibility). It is our collective responsibility to ensure everyone is supported and succeeds (community perspective).

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
The use of file sharing and Microsoft Teams has greatly allowed for transparency and collaboration in our school. And, the cell phone (for better and for worse).

What practical skills do you wish you had?
The ability to say no, more often.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
The ability to hear and share diverse perspectives without judgement.

What qualities do you admire in others?
I admire curiosity and creativity in collaboration and problem-solving (and the ability to be professional vs. taking things personally).

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
To fly, and to speak every language on earth.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
I would love to travel to any period of war or intense negotiation and be in the decision-makers' room and hear the process.

Describe yourself in three words.
Serial entrepreneur (sorry, those go together), pragmatic, contemplative

What is one item on your bucket list?
To finish a doctoral degree.

What (or who) inspires you?
My daughter and grandchildren

What is the best concert you attended?
Who has time for a concert?

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
No idea

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
An astronaut ... it involved flying/floating.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Society does not define or decide what success is for you.

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Password (if I have a good partner)

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I love sports, and miss having time to go to Shocker Basketball games.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Calories matter?

Are you right or left handed?
Left-handed

President's Distinguished Service Award

Gabriel Fonseca, Student Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership, Division of Student Affairs

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I think my biggest accomplishment has been with my work with Student Government. When I got here I know that relationships were like walking on egg shells. I have been so proud of the work that SGA leaders have done to repair relationships and grateful for university leaders and faculty to do their part in working on those relationships. The chance to earn my doctoral degree has also been something that I am more proud during my time at Wichita State and honestly my promotion to Director as a young professional has been something that I have been working hard to do for my career. Additionally, the honor of serving as the first Staff Senate President, with the privilege of representing my peers at the University was an honor of a lifetime.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
During my time here, I have found a chance to learn from so many amazing people and that has made such an impact in my professional career. I have been extremely fortunate to be given so many opportunities to try new things and experiment on thing. This place has given me permission to be exactly who I am, and I am so grateful for that.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
You can't let the people who know less, or care less, stop you from doing what's right.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
This is super silly, but FaceTime, because I get to see the faces of my family when I call them because I get to see their faces because I do not often travel home.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I would say how to write a check, but I learned that recently, (I know) but really, how to invest money in the stock market.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Public speaking

What qualities do you admire in others?
I admire people who are fearless to try new things and to never see regrets but see opportunities and lessons learned.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
Shapeshifting

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
I want to go back in time where they wrote the US Constitution to help them choose their words better.

Describe yourself in three words.
Passionate. Fierce. Courageous.

What is one item on your bucket list?
I want to visit all the Presidential Libraries

What (or who) inspires you?
This is going to sound cheesy, but 13 year old me. The resiliency that he had and the fearless attitude he had find joy in everything, even when things were hard.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Jennifer Lopez: All I Have, her Las Vegas residency

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Oh totally, Nick Jonas!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
I wanted to be Superman because I wanted to help save the world. But also, I wanted to be a chef so that I could own my own restaurant and be the biggest name in food in the world.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
The courage to be happy also includes the courage to be disliked

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Deal or No Deal or Wipe Out (if I stretched enough)

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I radiate momma bear energy. I am extremely protective of the students and staff around me. I will stand up for them day in and day out and never let anyone make them feel less than.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Pizza

Are you right or left handed?
Right

President's Distinguished Service Award

Mythili Menon, Department of English, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
My most significant accomplishment at WSU is creating The Center for Educational Technologies to Assist Refugee Learners (CETARL) which provides free, accessible, education for all by developing digital-game based learning platforms for middle-school refugee and asylee children, The game teaches them both science and English. The center is working to improve the lives of people who resettled in the United States as refugees or asylees. The center is also conducting digital literacy workshops to improve digital literacy skills among refugee and asylee adults.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
Shocker nation, hands down, has the best student population. I love the students I teach and mentor. It is the reason why I do what I do.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Just be yourself, Mythili!

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
Amazon's Alexa has a hard time understanding my "Indian" accent. This is interesting to me as a linguist because there are many strides that need to be made in AI and human speech perception by AI and machines. This is a vibrant area of research in linguistics, and I always hope to mentor some students at WSU who are interested in this area of research.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I wish I could fix my car without having to pay a fortune to get it repaired in the auto shop.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Critical thinking

What qualities do you admire in others?
I admire patience and resilience, also the ability to listen and empathize with others.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
Travel wherever I want, whenever I want. Also transporting myself back in time to different places.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
I would travel to 5th millennium B.C to visit the Sumerian civilization to learn more about Sumerian, one of the oldest languages in the world.

Describe yourself in three words.
Independent, motivated, hard worker

What is one item on your bucket list?
Visit the pyramids in Egypt.

What (or who) inspires you?
My grandmother - Aniyathi Menon. She was far ahead of times. She went to college, and she was the first woman president of the college's student body. She was also one of the first woman drivers in the 1940s in Cochin, India.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
The Aerosmith concert in 2007 when the band toured India.

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Sushmita Sen, a veteran Indian movie actor.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
I wanted to be a chemistry professor. I was very interested in organic chemistry and my goal was to do a PhD in chemistry.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Always follow your heart.

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Jeopardy!

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I won the French nightingale singing competition conducted by Alliance Française in India.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Dosa. Dosa is a savory Indian crepe made from rice and white lentils and eaten with sambar and chutney.

Are you right or left handed?
Right

President's Distinguished Service Award

Jessica Pierpoint, University Libraries, Division of Academic Affairs and Research

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I have had the privilege to contribute to University Libraries going on 10 years now through my work starting as a student assistant in various departments within Ablah Library to now as a current staff member serving as there Patent and Trademark Specialist for Kansas only Patent and Trademark Resource Center. Getting to be a part of the continuous change the library has and continues to make to help foster overall student success has been a true blessing and I can't wait to continue that journey with my fellow library colleagues.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
Shocker Nation is all I have ever know-having grown up in this environment as a dependent of a former staff retiree, a student turned alumni, and now full-time staff member. Being a Shocker is HOME: it is where I have received my education, met my spouse, had my whole career journey, and now get to share with my little one, which is truly awesome! I am proud to be a Shocker because this is where I have grown and without its creativity, innovation, and deep rooted connections I would not be the person I am today.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Do what makes you happiest no matter what that may be.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
Internet, I use it every day in multiple ways and without it I might not be able to do my job the same.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I wish I was bilingual. I come from a Mexican American background and even though my culture comes through in various ways, language was one way that never connected with me. Although, I am trying to learn Spanish better now but harder when you're older.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Communication skills through public speaking and writing.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Leadership, Confidence, and to be Tech Savvy

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
Time traveling or be in two places at once.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
I am obsessed with anything 80s, so probably travel back into time to sometime between 1980-1989. Not sure what I would do but just to experience that time frame in history.

Describe yourself in three words.
Determined, Optimistic, Thoughtful

What is one item on your bucket list?
To travel to Cabo - a goal for me and my best friend.

What (or who) inspires you?
My father, for who I would not be where I am today if it was not for him. He is the one that started my love for all things Wichita State University and gave me my work ethic.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Twenty One Pilots (Heavy Dirty Soul Tour at Walmart AMP in Rogers, Arkansas). My husband and I try to see them for each tour and this was the concert they sang a cover version of our wedding song.

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Not sure but will be taking any ideas.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
Teacher/Librarian. I come from a long line of educators (teachers/professors/counselors), so I knew that was a field I wanted to continue in but once I hit 5th grade librarianship was more my first choice but knew the journey was long since needed a master's degree. Helping people learn and find their own passions, whether that be through books or research, just excites me!

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Take your time-things will happen when they are meant to happen.

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Who wants to be a Millionaire?

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
Most think my only time as an undergrad was spent at the library but it was actually spent first in athletics. During my first undergrad year here at WSU, I was actually one of the girl managers for the 2012-2013 men's basketball team. Getting to experience being a part of a team that traveled to the Final 4 will be a part of my life I will always cherish and remember.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Any type of potato chips and have a Dr. Pepper Icee

Are you right or left handed?
right

President's Distinguished Service Award

James Porter, Ulrich Museum of Art, Division of Academic Affairs and Research

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
The repair and re installation of the Joan Miro mural Personnages Oiseaux

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
The sense of community and tradition associated with being a Shocker

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Measure twice cut once.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
GPS. I don't need a map in the car and it's a major time saver

What practical skills do you wish you had?
Be a better writer.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Knowing how to balance a check book

What qualities do you admire in others?
Patience

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
Flight

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
1974, I go find Bill Gates and invest in new venture

Describe yourself in three words.
Honest, sincere

What is one item on your bucket list?
Base jumping

What (or who) inspires you?
My wife

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Beastie Boys

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Sam Rockwell

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
Artist

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Start saving now

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Price is Right

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I worked in the Alaska fisheries to pay for college

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Pizza

Are you right or left handed?
Right

President's Distinguished Service Award

Chelsea Redger-Marquardt, Cohen Honors College, Division of Academic Affairs and Research

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I think my biggest contributions are related to supporting experiential learning and collaborative/ high-impact teaching. Examples include Lead for Tomorrow: Cohen Honors Leadership Academy which includes an annual Place as Text travel experience with students and faculty, BILL'S Trip (Building Investment in Lifelong Leadership and Service) in which students and faculty travel to a National Park Service unit to engage in service-learning, past Alternative Spring Break trips, or supporting Service-Learning faculty development with Dr. Rhonda Lewis. Each of these experiences has built community, a sense of belonging, and had an impact on students, faculty, and various communities.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
Because it is a community that centers people. Great students, great colleagues, great campus partners.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
The little things matter. Send the note of gratitude, think about the people aspect first and foremost, and do things that you say you will.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
The first innovation that I really remember- "wow, that is awesome" was my first iPod. All my music in one place when I was walking across campus to go to class ... that was the jam.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
A photographic memory.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
The ability to communicate with kindness, grace, and respect for others.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Curiosity, compassion, presence, intellect, values/ethics

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
The power to teleport - think of the travel benefits.

Describe yourself in three words.
Organized. Upbeat. Creative.

What is one item on your bucket list?
Travel, it's always travel. I would also like to attend a World Cup.

What (or who) inspires you?
Lots of things inspire me - a great song, creative spaces, and from a people aspect my parents have always been an awesome inspiration and support.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
This is a tough question as concerts are one of my favorite things to do. Recently, I was able to attend an acoustic show with the lead singer and guitarist of Matchbox Twenty and the Goo Goo Dolls with my husband. That was great show in a cool historic venue. Other highlight shows have included James Taylor, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and numerous Fall Out Boy shows (another of my favorite bands).

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Julia Stiles

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Explore, explore, explore. Be open and take all the opportunities you can. Also, you will make lifelong friends at this stage in your life and rooting for and supporting one another in each stage of life is a magical thing.

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Not much of a TV game show person but I would love to have the cooking expertise to try Chopped.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
In eighth grade I won the state egg drop championship.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce.

Are you right or left handed?
Right

President's Distinguished Service Award

Ken Wiseman, GoCreate Maker Space, Division of Industry and Defense Programs

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I think my best contribution is problem solving that benefit both Wichita State University and the community as a whole; such as the my involvement with the construction of the Promise Bridge that saved the university overall cost. Also, the work that I do with Envision and other non-profits.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
My mom graduated from WSU and I remember her graduation ceremony. She instilled in me the love for Wichita State and what the university does for students and the community.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
The best advice I have been given is that all problems have a solution and sometimes you just have to be patient for it. Perseverance always leads to success.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
Artificial Intelligence, Google, YouTube and all that information at my fingertips - all the time.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I still do a lot of things 'old school.' I wish I had more computer skills.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Communication. The ability to be relatable but also relate.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Honesty, integrity, loyalty, kindness and empathy.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
Super Brain Power: All the knowledge inside my head.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
Either go to Galileo and learn about his teachings and theories or Nikola Tesla and learn about all of his inventions.

Describe yourself in three words.
Disruptor, Renegade, Defender.

What is one item on your bucket list?
Get my degree.

What (or who) inspires you?
My mother

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Rob Thomas

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Robin Williams

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
I wanted to be a pediatrician, because I wanted to help and protect children.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
How you learn is different from others and it doesn't mean that you are stupid. Being curious is good!

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Whose Line is it Anyway? Or Naked and Afraid.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
The amount of empathy I have for the underdog.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Tiramisu

Are you right or left handed?
I use my right hand for writing but I'm very ambidextrous with most things.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for this honor. I am very humbled and I was caught off guard by being acknowledged for something I love to do and talk about everyday. Being in the spotlight is difficult for me but I extremely grateful for this award.

Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award

David Wright, Office of Academic Affairs and Research, Division of Academic Affairs and Research

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
The opportunity to be part of a group of cross-functional subject-matter-experts who fundamentally changed the way business is done at WSU!

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
Because we give the forgotten the opportunity to be heard.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
"Don't answer the call, they (the media) already wrote the story, they just need you to say anything so they can make it legit."

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
People. In the People-Process-Technology triad, technology is simply a vehicle, it takes people and process to make technology go where you need to be. So, the most impactful technology for me was the people I worked with, they changed my life and that of others.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
Proper pronunciation.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Start with humility.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Smart, funny, humility, loyalty, and above all, can laugh at themselves.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
We already have super human powers, it's called the team, nothing we can't do together.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
Yesterday, I can never get enough done in one day.

Describe yourself in three words.
Work-ethic, collaborative, loyalty.

What is one item on your bucket list?
Did them all already.

What (or who) inspires you?
The unicorns I work with daily in my jobs.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Never attended a concert.

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Will Smith.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
Scientist, because when I was a kid (early-1960s) those were our heroes, not celebrities, rock stars or athletes.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?
Don’t let them stop you.

If you could be on a TV game show, which one would it be?
Survivor.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I’ve watched every episode of Bold and the Beautiful from 1992 to the present.

FILL IN THE BLANK: If calories did not matter, I would eat/drink _______ every day.
Fortunately, I possess the DNA to eat endless high calories and see no weight gain.

Are you right or left handed?
Right

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Don’t let others stop you from doing what you know is right, and never forget that 'doing' can be done in many different ways, but it can’t be done alone. I have a placard on my wall I see every day which keeps me going, it states: "If I advance, follow me. If I hesitate, push me, If I retreat, kill me" (Catholic Insurgents during the Mexican Revolution 1910-1920).