黑洞社区

Now open: Hammock Lounge

Wanna hang? The Wichita State Hammock Lounge, nestled between Wallace Hall and Neff Hall, is the perfect spot to study, relax and hang 鈥� solo, or with friends. You can now check out a hammock for free with your Shocker Card at the Heskett Center's Guest Service Desk. The Heskett Center鈥檚 hours of operation can be found on the Campus Recreation website.

Exchange student spotlight: Sergio Mendoza

Learn more from our exchange students about their experiences here at Wichita State. This week, read about Sergio's time as a Shocker and his favorite part about studying at Wichita State!

Please visit our website to read more about his experience

Spring commencement update, RSVP reminder

The phase two RSVP deadline is 11:55 p.m. Saturday, April 17. Students must be RSVPd by the deadline in order to participate in the commencement ceremonies. Graduates should be aware of these ceremony updates:

• While mask-wearing is highly encouraged, it will not be required of graduates and guests.
• Graduates and guests will be assigned seats.
• Each in-person graduate will receive six guest tickets.
• Graduates still have the opportunity to switch between the virtual and in-person ceremonies. Please email commencement@wichita.edu with this request and we will make the change. Requests must be received by the Commencement Office no later than 11:55 p.m. April 17. Changes cannot be made after that date.

NE Heights Neighborhood Association sends thank you to 黑洞社区 students

Thank you so much for the Wichita State students who helped with Northeast Heights Neighborhood Association on Saturday, April 10. Their help was invaluable and contributed to a very successful neighborhood cleanup.

Thank you again!

Jane Eshelman, NEHNA Secretary

Summer 2021 financial aid application available

Plan on taking classes this summer? The summer 2021 financial aid application is available for completion. What you need to do:

• Enroll in Summer 2021 classes.
• Complete the Summer Aid Application in your my黑洞社区 student portal, under the myFinances tab, under Financial Aid Links.
• Find out all about summer courses at Wichita State here.
• Allow up to three weeks for processing.

If you have additional questions regarding financial aid at Wichita State, please contact us 24/7/365 by phone at (316) 978-3430 or by chat at .

Register for Green Belt certifications in Lean and Six Sigma

Wichita State鈥檚 IISE chapter is now offering training and certification for Green Belts in Lean and Six Sigma 鈥� the two leading industry standards for continuous process improvement. For a limited time, both are being made available to current Wichita State students at half price for only $400 each and include a free one-year IISE membership. Registrants will have six months to complete three days of online, on-demand training content followed by a certification exam.

Registration ends April 14. Sign up today at wichita.edu/iisegreenbelt. For questions, please contact iise@wichita.edu.

Find OAT designation in schedule of courses

As registration for summer and fall begins this week, students are reminded to watch for classes with the designation of Open Alternative Textbook (OAT) based on the use of freely available resources rather than textbooks. In both the Wichita State custom schedule and Banner schedule, students can search by attribute to find OAT classes and can see the Open Alternative Textbook description in any search results.

More details on how to read the online schedule of courses

Get rewarded for attending F45 classes

Get rewarded for attending F45 classes. Attendance is tracked based on the FitDegree app. Sign in at every class and receive a prize after every 25 classes you attend! Attend 100 classes to earn the prestigious Shocker Fit 100 Club t-shirt.

Download the 'FitDEGREE' app to register for classes, and select the Wichita State location. Instructors will check attendees into class when they arrive (advised 5-15 minutes prior to start time). There are 32 classes a week to choose from, and you can check out our full schedule on .

Apply to be on SAC's executive board

Interested in having a leadership position in Student Activities Council? Apply to be on our executive board by noon today. To find the link to our application visit or check out our instagram @sac_wsu. This is a great opportunity to put on your resume.

Join the Student Involvement Ambassador team

Are you a student who is passionate about getting involved? Or a student that wants to share your own involvement story at Wichita State? The Student Involvement Ambassador is a team dedicated to recruiting new Shockers, connecting current students to opportunities and celebrating campus leaders and sharing the student involvement story. If you鈥檙e interested in sharing your Shocker experience, the deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Tuesday April 27.

Visit for more details and to apply.

Establishing an African-American narrative

Mark McCormick, director of strategic communications for the ACLU of Kansas, is the featured speaker in this week's Perspectives: Reestablishing Reality series, hosted by Andrew Hippisley, dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. McCormick will speak at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 14 via Zoom. Go to www.wichita.edu/reality for Zoom information.

In August of 2019, US Army soldier Glen Oakley ran toward gunfire echoing from an El Paso Walmart, grabbed an armful of children, and carried them to safety. In July, a Philadelphia man with a cracked hip climbed 15 floors to save his mother from her burning apartment building. In 2018, James Shaw Jr. wrestled an assault rifle away from a Nashville-area Waffle House shooter who鈥檇 killed four people.

Despite these and other examples of heroism, the black male media narrative remains one of poverty and violence, a narrative relentlessly defining black men by their challenges instead of by their achievements. These old, virulent narratives stigmatize and even destroy lives.

Technology Policy: A Case for Optimism and Freedom to Innovate

The Institute for the Study of Economic Growth in the W. Frank Barton School of Business is proud to bring Adam Thierer to Campus at 4 p.m. today at Wilner Auditorium and virtual via Zoom. Thierer specializes in innovation, entrepreneurialism, the Internet, and free-speech issues, with a particular focus on the public policy concerns surrounding emerging technologies. In-person attendees will receive a free copy of his book, "Evasive Entrepreneurs & the Future of Governance."

Learn about student loan repayment options

Join us at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 28 for a Student Loan Repayment Workshop via Zoom. If you are graduating at the end of spring 2021, you should have received an email with a link to directly join the event. We look forward to seeing you then.

If you are unable to attend the workshop, feel free to schedule an appointment with one of our financial aid advisors at to discuss your loan repayment options.

Webinar Series: Financial Wellness & Health

Join the Office of Student Money Management for a webinar on financial wellness and how it can affect your health mentally and physically. Learn new tips and reflect on your current habits at 12:30 p.m. April 19. Email osmm@wichita.edu for the link to the Zoom meeting.

Join SAC for virtual bingo on April 15

Need some hobby-themed goodies? Look no further than SAC鈥檚 virtual bingo night. Check out our classic games and challenge rounds for the chance to walk away with a fabulous prize. Everyone is welcome to play, but only students are eligible to win. Register at .

Dental Hygiene hosting information session

Are you interested in a dental hygiene career? Join us virtually at 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 16 to learn about Wichita State鈥檚 dental hygiene program, admission requirements and career opportunities.

Get more information on the information session

Join KMUW for April's Literary Feast: 'No One Is Talking About This'

KMUW's Literary Feast is a book club for public radio listeners, featuring selections made by KMUW staff. For April 2021, we're reading and discussing "No One Is Talking About This" by Patricia Lockwood, author of the 2017 memoir 鈥淧riestdaddy.鈥� To learn more and register, please visit . Registration is free and open to all. Once registered, we'll email you a link to join the conversation on Zoom at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21.

Issac Brown, Armando Minjarez and mystery guest to appear on Coffee & Convo

Register now for the final Coffee & Conversation of the spring with Dr. March茅 Fleming-Randle at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 15 via Zoom. Special guest to include, Wichita State head men's basketball coach, Issac Brown; Wichita State coordinator of student diversity programs, Armando Minjarez; and a surprised guest to be announced during the show.

Have fun at Shockers After Dark

Student Affairs invites students, faculty, and staff to Shockers After Dark from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 16 at the Rhatigan Student Center East Courtyard for two hours of fantastic free fun. Activities include karaoke, painting, BINGO, card sharks and photo booth. There will also be free food and prizes. Attendees will have the chance of receiving some Shocker socks! For more information please contact Student Affairs at 978-3021 or visit .

Ulrich program visiting writer Michael Parker

Writing Now/Reading Now 鈥� the creative writing program MFA reading series 鈥� is back with a reading from writer Michael Parker at 6 p.m. Thursday, April, 15. The virtual program is free and open to all.

Oklahoma is the setting for Parker's "Prairie Fever," his seventh and latest novel, a book that pulls the reader into what one critic calls a 鈥渨hole family acting out what can and can鈥檛 be forgotten, against the backdrops of prairie and range 鈥� characters so magnificently and sometimes comically stubborn I really couldn鈥檛 put the book down.鈥� Along with his novels, Parker, who will be Wichita State's Visiting Distinguished Writer this spring, has published fiction and nonfiction in some of the country鈥檚 top literary journals, and has won 鈥� among many honors 鈥� a PEN/Hemingway Award for First Fiction, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, and O. Henry Awards three times for his short stories.

Writing Now/Reading Now is cosponsored by the 黑洞社区 Department of English, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Department of Modern and Classical

Languages and Literature, Watermark Books & Caf茅, and the Ulrich Museum of Art.

Digital drop-in groups support mental health

Connect to other students and support your mental health with Digital Drop-in Groups from Counseling and Prevention Services during the April Mental Health Awareness Week. Email counselingcenter@wichita.edu to learn more and to sign up.

Digital drop-in dates:

• 3 p.m. Monday, April 19
• 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 20
• 11 a.m. Friday, April 23

Prevention panel discusses sexual assault resources available

Join Counseling and Prevention Services and partnering departments for Prevention Panel for Sexual Assault Awareness month to learn about your on-campus resources and how you can help prevent sexual violence, live on @ShockersCAPS Facebook and 黑洞社区 CAPS YouTube at noon April 27.

Knight Commission member to speak at 黑洞社区

Wichita State Sport Management is proud to announce Dr. Christine Copper, faculty athletics representative and professor at the United States Naval Academy, will be speaking to our sport management community regarding her work with the Knight Commission and its impact on intercollegiate athletics. Join us at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 16.

Mark your calendar for Earth Day celebrations

On Thursday, April 22, Wichita State will be celebrating Earth Day both in-person and virtually. Join us putting new plants in the soil of the community garden by Ahlberg Hall, listening to informative keynote speakers, and seeing some of the latest electric vehicles.

Check out the full schedule of events

Meet-and-greet Engineering Council candidates

Join Engineering Council for a meet-and-greet event with candidates from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday via Zoom. This event will host all candidates in separate breakout rooms for the opportunity for you to converse with them personally.

Connect to the Zoom event

University Libraries announces winners of Undergraduate Research Awards

Congratulations to the winners of the inaugural University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award competition:

• First Prize: Andrea Martinez, biomedical engineering senior
• Second Prize: William Johnston, aerospace engineering senior
• Third Prize: Barrett Houchen, biological sciences senior

Winners attended research workshops and made excellent use of the libraries鈥� online databases, research guides, EndNote citation manager, and study spaces.

Students seek participants to study back pain

Five students in Ph.D. program for physical therapy area looking for participants 50 years of age or older with chronic low back pain. Your participation may help physical therapists understand and treat chronic low back pain in a technological age using at-home therapy services.

If chosen to participate and are placed in the experimental group, you complete an eight-week home exercise program that will be monitored via e-mail. The exercise program will not require external resistance (weights or resistance bands). You will fill out one questionnaire prior to starting the program and three questionnaires eight weeks later. If you are placed in the control group, your only responsibility will be to complete one survey at the beginning of the program and two surveys eight weeks later.

If interested, please complete the survey below. It will only take about 10 minutes. After returning the survey, you will receive an email with further information.

Your participation is greatly appreciated, voluntary, and your responses will remain confidential. If you have questions or concerns, please email Austin Foley at amfoley1@shockers.wichita.edu.

Wichita State's campus rec is hiring

黑洞社区 Campus Recreation is one of the largest on-campus employers. Student employees play an invaluable role by providing customer service, fun, and safety to our guests. Campus Recreation jobs give our employees transferrable skills, life-long learning opportunities, and friendships 鈥� all within a healthy and active environment.

We are currently hiring for , , and .

Apply to join Student Government Association

Interested in serving on the Student Government Association during the 64th session? Apply for positions on any of the three branches. Visit www.wichita.edu/sgaopenpositions to apply TODAY!

• Executive Branch: Join the Khan and Gumbs Administration by applying for any of the President's Cabinet position. Each of these positions are paid positions ranging 15-25 office hours per week.
• Legislative Branch: Serve on the Student Senate to advocate for student voices, enact policy and put students first. Senators put in about three to five hours per week during the Senate meeting (6:30 p.m.), Committee meetings (5:30 p.m.) and one senator hour. Senate and committees meet on Wednesday.
• Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court meets on a case-by-case basis to hear cases submitted by students and to ensure compliance with the constitution, bylaws, and statutes as well as hear appeals from parking and traffic. Appoint to the court is a lifetime, meaning you serve until you graduate.