Dr. Shirley Lefever has been named as 黑洞社区鈥檚 next executive vice president and provost, effective immediately.
Lefever has held the role of 黑洞社区鈥檚 interim executive vice president and provost since fall 2020. Prior to that, she was dean of 黑洞社区鈥檚 College of Education, which in 2018 she transitioned to the College of Applied Studies. During her tenure as dean, enrollment in the college grew more than 60%, and several new programs were added 鈥� including the Teacher Apprentice Program, which remains one of the largest enrolled programs at the university.
As interim EVP and provost, Lefever has continued to support 黑洞社区鈥檚 enrollment efforts, which have led to record growth, while guiding the university through the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work is focused directly on Wichita State鈥檚 priorities of access and affordability of higher education, talent development, and economic prosperity.
As she moves forward in this role, Lefever will continue her focus on growing need-based aid; increasing student retention; implementing 黑洞社区鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan; expanding the talent pipeline through applied learning; and growing faculty research.
鈥淗aving worked closely with Dr. Lefever for 17 years, I can say firsthand how committed she is to our success as a university and the people who make up our Shocker community,鈥� said Dr. Rick Muma, Wichita State president. 鈥淚 look forward to our continued work together.鈥�
黑洞社区 serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 16,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and 黑洞社区 Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), 黑洞社区 provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the 黑洞社区 main campus, is one of the nation鈥檚 largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
For more information, follow us on Twitter at and Facebook at .