COVID-19 UPDATES
Questions about classroom and campus
As we make plans to return to a more normal campus environment for summer and fall, here are some select FAQs addressing questions we are hearing from students.
- What will my classes look like?
- Students should visit the edu/summer2021and wichita.edu/fall2021 webpages to see what additional details instructors have posted about how their courses have been designed. Instructors initially posted information in March, prior to the recent changes by the country regarding masking and event capacities. Instructors have been given the opportunity to update information in mid-April to take these changes into account
- Do instructors have the authority to remove a student from class if they refuse to
wear a face covering?
- We are following county guidelines. There is no longer a mask mandate. Everyone is encouraged to follow COVID-healthy behaviors, including masking, frequent handwashing, and distancing as space allows.
- Can instructors use Zoom for office or student hours instead of in-person office hours?
- Instructors are responsible for coordinating schedules with their departmental chairperson and must clearly communicate their availability with students.
Additional FAQs about summer and fall can be found on .
Learn more about AmeriCorps opportunities
Do you want to make a difference in your community? Would you like to work at a non-profit organization or gain hands-on experience serving with students? If so, consider applying for an AmeriCorps VISTA or AmeriCorps State position. Details for each opportunity are listed at my.americorps.gov when you search for 黑洞社区 on the Americorps website.
A brief, recorded by graduate student Felicia Smith explains an overview of the AmeriCorps programs 鈥� including the 18 openings for summer and year-long positions hosted by 黑洞社区.
If you or someone you know has served as an AmeriCorps or Peace Corps member, please consider applying for the VISTA Leader position which begins in June.
For more information, contact Angela.gaughan@wichita.edu or 316-570-1309.
Exchange Student Spotlight: Hyunjin Kim
Learn more from our exchange students about their experiences here at Wichita State. This week, read about Hyunjin Kim's time as a Shocker and her favorite part about studying at Wichita State. Visit www.wichita.edu/studyabroadspotlights to read more about her experience.
Speaking Freely on Freedom of Expression
In case you missed it, the full video of the March 31 Speaking Freely panel is available for viewing. Go to to watch the panel discussion and for other resources, including a recap of the event and a video on civil discourse.
Softball single-game student tickets available
Softball single-game tickets are available now. Opponents coming to Wilkins Stadium include Houston, Kansas City, USF, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas. Student tickets are free for pickup at the box office every game day. If you would like to purchase tickets go to or call 316-978-FANS. Tickets are going fast so claim yours today!
Blackboard login and landing pages to change
On Saturday, May 29, Blackboard's login page and landing page (the place you come to first when you login) will change significantly. This is a cosmetic change and will not impact Blackboard's functionality. The change will be triggered at 8 a.m., and by 9 a.m. it will be complete.
What will happen on May 29? Our login area will become streamlined with a photo of campus on the left side of the page, and a login box on the right. You will access the login area the same way you do now, and your same credentials will work. Once you login, you will access your "my courses" area by clicking the "courses" link in the left-hand menu.
What will not change? Once you enter your course, it will look very similar to how it looks now. There will be some color changes as all courses will be standardized in terms of color. Everything should be in the same place, however. And tool availability will be the same. Your courses will still be in "old familiar Blackboard" and will not be in the "Ultra course format."
Why is this change is happening on May 29? This date allows spring term grades to be turned in and for summer pre-session classes to be complete before the cosmetic changes to the login and landing pages happen.
How will students will be notified? Students will be notified through Shocker Blast and their advisors. Please help spread the word.
Where to go with questions: The Office of Instructional Resources has created an FAQ page. If you have other questions, please send them to OIR@wichita.edu
Apply to be a Passage 2 Success leader
Passage leaders are an integral part of Passage 2 Success, a week-long retreat for incoming freshmen from diverse backgrounds to help in their transition to Wichita State University. This year, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is seeking eight to ten current Wichita State students to serve as the leaders for Passage 2 Success.
For more information about expectations, responsibilities, requirements and the application, go to . The deadline to apply is Sunday, May 2.
New landing page for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The updated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan and resources are available online for your convenience. Visit the new landing page today.
Have questions or would like to provide feedback? Leave a written message for 黑洞社区's Chief Diversity Officer online at the bottom of each page.
Cadman seeks art show applications
The Cadman Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center, is accepting applications for fall 2021 exhibits through midnight on Sunday, May 9. The world needs art now more than ever. The Cadman accepts proposals from degree-seeking students wanting to exhibit their work solo, group shows with several students, or groups sponsored by student groups, clubs, or faculty and staff. All proposals must be art oriented, and there is no limit on the style of art displayed. Applicants will interview with a selection committee on the evening of Thursday, May 13. For more information and our easy application, please visit .
University Libraries teams up with Wichita Public Library for webinar
University Libraries is partnering with the Wichita Public Library for this fun webinar. Discover a free and useful online resources for finding book recommendations and tools for keeping track of what you鈥檝e read or want to read.
Enter a Mother's Day gift basket drawing
Are you looking for a Mother's Day gift that your mom will love? Lambda Pi Upsilon presents you with a Mother鈥檚 Day basket drawing. Enter for a chance to win a gift valued at $114. Our basket will include the following: $25 nail salon gift card, an illustrated 8x10 portrait print of your choice of photo, scented candle, mini-hand sanitizer, hand lotion, perfume, and a box of yummy treats from local businesses that includes half a dozen strawberries, half a dozen cookies, and six slices of churro cheesecake!
Prices start at $5 for one ticket, $12 for three tickets, and $18 for five tickets!
This sale will run through May 6, and the winner will be announced Friday May 7! The basket will be delivered contact-free so don鈥檛 miss out!
Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Bobby Watson to perform with Wichita State students
The School of Music welcomes renowned jazz saxophonist Bobby Watson, in a free concert at 7:30 p.m. April 29 at the Duerksen Amphitheater, with Jazz Arts 1 Ensemble led by James Pisano. Also featured is Banda Hispanica led by John Goering. Audience members are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. The rain location is Miller Concert Hall.
Watson will also present a free master class on at 11 a.m. April 29 in Duerksen room C107.
Clothesline Project spotlights impact of abuse and violence
The Alpha Theta chapter of Sigma Psi Zeta presents The Clothesline Project at 6 p.m. Friday, April 30 via Zoom. (Zoom ID: 944 4601 3860; password: CPSP21).
The purpose of the Clothesline Project is to increase awareness about the impact of violence and abuse in our society and to stir people to action. It serves as a visual reminder of statistics we tend to ignore. It conveys the voices of those who have been silenced or pushed away. More importantly, the Clothesline Project gives survivors the opportunity to break the silence and to make their own stories heard and valued. Our Clothesline Project is a tribute to all survivors of gender-based violence in our community in hopes of preventing violence in the future.
Learn more at . Contact philanthropy chair Kaylee "LOGIC" Thamrin at syzlogic@gmail.com with any questions.
Who shares misinformation online?
Mythili Menon will present this fourth lecture of the five part "Perspectives: Reestablishing Reality" at 2 p.m. today. She is an assistant professor of English and linguistics and the director of the linguistics program at 黑洞社区.
Misinformation on the web has several consequences for communities and democracy. Are consumers of news susceptible to false belief? Are certain personality traits more likely to share false information online? In this talk, Menon will report results of a news-sharing game where we tested the sharing behavior of consumers of news by incorporating fine-grained information such as personality traits, demographic information, including political beliefs. Our results have the potential of informing existing news-verification systems and social media of the differences between how end-users belonging to different personality traits consume and share misinformation online.
For more information on the Perspectives series and how to join the lecture, visit www.wichita.edu/reality.
Panel: The Movement of the Plastics Industry Toward Sustainability
We wrap up our Earth Day celebrations with a special panel moderated by Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate School Dean Coleen Pugh at 2 p.m. April 30. Dr. Pugh will be be joined by experts in the plastics industry:
- Joel Matsco, Covestro
- Mike Biddle, Evok Innovations
- Abdala Bashir, Danimer Scientific
Jazz ensemble to perform live in RSC today
The Wichita State School of Music presents Jazz Arts 2 live in concert. The ensemble will perform at 11 a.m. today on the stage next to the RSC's Starbucks. Take an early lunch and join us for some live music.
Pee for Pizza: Free STI testing May 5
In 2019, the CDC reported 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, the three most common sexually transmitted illnesses.
On May 5, SHS, Positive Directions, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will have free STI testing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For participating, you'll get free pizza.
Appointments are required, so call 316-978-4792 now to save your place.
May 2-8: Celebrate public service
Join the 黑洞社区 Public Policy & Management Center to celebrate public service May 2-8.
At 3 p.m. Monday, May 3, hear about living a life dedicated to public service and the road that prepared Dr. Lee Norman to confront a pandemic.
At 1 p.m. Friday, May 7, hear about Dr. Monk-Morgan's journey in public service, as well as encouragements for the future. Afterward, join the Wichita Federal executives and Wayne Bell, district director of the SBA, as they announce and celebrate the winners of the Annual Make a Difference Awards, which recognizes federal public servants for notable service.
Attend or watch Wednesdays in Wiedemann Annual POPS concert
Please join us for the last of the Wednesdays in Wiedemann with Lynne Davis 20-21 series in our Annual POPS concert in Wiedemann Hall on the great Marcussen organ at 5:15 p.m. today.
This half-hour concert will be devoted to some great organ pieces and the lovely soprano, Madison Roth, will be singing two beautiful arias with the organ accompanying her.
Attend in person (free admission) or watch the live stream from the 黑洞社区 School of Music Facebook page.
Save the date: Analytics Showcase on Nov. 5
After more than a year's delay, we are happy to announce that the Inaugural Analytics Showcase at 黑洞社区 is scheduled for fall 2021.
Please save the date of Nov. 5 on your calendars for this exciting event.
The showcase will offer an opportunity to learn about the following topics:
- Innovative analytics research and curricular activities taking place at Wichita State University.
- Groundbreaking analytics applications of business, government, and non-profit organizations in Wichita and the surrounding region.
- State-of-the-art analytics software solutions being offered by leading technology providers.
Attendees will will able to network with organizations and analytics exerts to identify opportunities to collaborate and partner on projects of mutual interest.
Get more information about the Analytics Showcase
Economists Anonymous welcomes guest speaker Andrea Amaro
Economists Anonymous invites you to hear special guest speaker Andrea Amaro it at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 via Zoom. Amaro is a Wichita State alumna who is currently serving as the vice president of Global Alliances and Partnerships at Infor. Join us for a discussion as she speaks about her path to vice president at Infor, how emerging technologies are helping businesses around the globe, and how to apply your field of study to these new innovations to stay competitive in the job market.
For more information and to get the Zoom link to the event, email jodi.pelkowski@wichita.edu.
The Shocker Career Accelerator invites students to Cracking the Career Code
Join the Shocker Career Accelerator in the Cracking the Career Code at 11 a.m. April 29 in the RSC 262. Find out what skills employers are looking for from new employees, and how to develop them. We can help you identify and understand the eight career competencies and show you how to put them into action on and off campus and be a top candidate for that dream job.
Collaborate with others and win up to $4,000
Teams of two to four people will work together during this one-day, virtual design challenge hosted by the College of Innovation and Design, in partnership with the Kansas Business Group on Health, to answer the question, "How might we make it easier to connect rural residents to their doctor to provide daily health information?"
Learn more and register at wichita.edu/ruralhealthchallenge.
Enjoy lunch and dessert at the Food Truck Plaza
Stop by the plaza for lunch and dessert with Dr. Tawook Mediterranean Kitchen and Cheri鈥檚 Sweet Ride food trucks! Dr. Tawook specializes in Shish Tawook (Chicken Sandwich) and Falafel. Cheri鈥檚 Sweet Ride serves cookie sandwiches, jumbo cupcakes, cookie cutouts and more. Get your meal to go, or spread out on our socially distanced picnic tables or beautiful green space. The trucks will be on site from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 29.
Class offers youth mentoring opportunity
The INSPYRE research lab (directed by Dr. Samantha Gregus) is currently recruiting undergraduate mentors for a three-hour service course in psychology (PSY 608) for the fall 2021 semester.
Prior to enrolling in PSY 608 (Special Investigations) mentors are required to...
- Pass an interview and background check.
- Have reliable transportation.
- Have lunch availability from noon to 2 p.m. at least twice a week.
Mentors will receive training at the beginning of the course and a grade at the end based on attendance and completion of assignments. We are interested in recruiting mentors from any college and major. For more information, please contact the INSPYRE research lab at inspyre@wichita.edu.
Doctoral student needs participants for hearing research
A doctoral student in communication sciences and disorders is conducting a study on comparison of an existing and a newly developed clinical technique for evaluating function of the middle ear. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, have normal hearing, have not had an ear infection in the past three months, nor had a cold or flu in the past two weeks. Participants will receive a no-cost comprehensive hearing evaluation and ear examination prior to testing. The testing will take about one hour in Room 106 Hubbard Hall. We have implemented a virus protection plan following university guidelines. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kara Barrus at 316-650-5329, or Dr. Xiao-Ming Sun at Xiao-Ming.Sun@wichita.edu.
Volunteers needed for fall-risk monitoring study
Research Topic/Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to develop a wireless and flexible skin-wearable electronic device with motion sensors to identify the fall risk of older adults.
Procedures:
- The research team will help participants to put the fall risk monitoring device onto the skin.
- Each participant will be instructed to conduct five types of different daily activities (e.g., sitting or standing, lying, walking, climbing stairs, and running) as well as three types of falls (e.g., forward, backward, and lateral falls).
Time:
- This device test is expected to last about 60 minutes for fall risk monitoring and 30 minutes for additional education or paperwork.
- The fall risk monitoring test will be conducted on Thursdays and Fridays between April 15 and May 28.
Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria:
- Participants must be age 65 or above.
- Participants should be able to stand up from a seated position and lay down from a standing position repeatedly at least for 10 times and also walk, run, walk upstairs, and walk downstairs continuously at least for five minutes for each activity.
- Participants should not have mobility or activity difficulty.
- Participants should not have severe visual impairment and/or hearing loss problems.
- Participants should not have cognitive impairment.
Location: 1845 Fairmount St., 黑洞社区, Beggs Hall (Main Lobby), Wichita, KS 67260
Payment to participation: You will receive a $100 Greenphire ClinCard for your participation. You can use the ClinCard at an ATM or at the store like a debit card. Participants must have a valid Social Security Number to participate and to receive the payment.
Contact: f you are interested in participating in this study, please contact PI, Dr. Yongkuk Lee by email yongkuk.lee@wichita.edu or phone (316) 978-7670.
Service-Learning Showcase Awards announced
The Service-Learning Showcase is a great opportunity for students who participate in academic service-learning through applied learning opportunities to showcase their experience through a research or reflective poster about the application of their coursework to current community issues. This year the showcase was held in a virtual format with a total of two rounds of judges. On Friday, April 23, our final 10 projects presented and engaged with a panel of judges comprised of community non-profit leaders. The judges and our team were amazed by each and every project submission.
Awards were presented in the following categories:
Overall Service-Learning Project
- Title: Pen Pals Project
- Community Partner: Spaght Science & Communications Magnet Elementary School, USD 259
- Student(s): Yajaira Barraza, Autumn Judd, Eva Esparza, David Baird
- Faculty: Dr. Samantha Gregus
Community Impact in Service-Learning Award
- Title: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Language and Terminology in the Healthcare System
- Community Partner: M-Care
- Student(s): Daria Moore
- Faculty: Dr. Rachel Showstack
Innovation and Creativity in Service-Learning Award
- Title: Bridging the Gap: Medical Translation Smartphone Application
- Community Partner: HealthCore Clinic
- Student(s): Daphne Cavallaro, Kathleen Bozarth, Miriam Mangaza, Dorcas Nsimire, Jonathan Lewin, Chris Lewin
- Faculty: Dr. Mythili Menon
Collaboration and Leadership in Service-Learning Award
- Title: Implementing Spanish Medical Terminology
- Community Partner: USD 443- Dodge City School District & USD 457- Garden City School District
- Student(s): Cali Keith
- Faculty: Dr. Rachel Showstack
JCPenney Suit-Up event is online this spring
From April 28 through May 2, shop online at JCPenney and take an extra 30% off select men's and women's career dress apparel, shoes and accessories. Register to receive your coupon.
- Check out the newest seasonal items like career dress apparel, fashion jewelry, handbags and luggage.
- Turn up the style with locks of savings. New clients get 20% off salon services with a designer or senior designer.
- Receive a free beauty consultation in-store at Sephora.
Down load the JCPenney mobile app ahead of time and start earning $10 rewards!
Shockerthon raises funds for Children's Miracle Network
Every year a group of motivated students leads a program known as Miracle Network Dance Marathon (Shockerthon) at 黑洞社区. Miracle Network Dance Marathon is a student-led philanthropic movement uniting students all across North America in support of their local Children鈥檚 Miracle Network Hospitals. Wichita State has raised more than $320,000 for sick and injured Kansas kids. If you want to build leadership skills, gain personal development, serve your community and access an international network, text "SHOCKER" to 51555 to find the interest form and all things Shockerthon.
The money raised from Shockerthon directly helps kids in our community with things like medication assistance, equipment funding, travel to specialists and so SO much more. Meet Vinny, a 14-year-old boy who loves video games and hanging with his friends. Although from the outside he may appear normal, Vinny has cystic fibrosis. He needs to take more than 150 pills, consume more than 10,000 calories and requires two one-hour treatments with his specialized percussion vest daily in order to survive. Being a part of Shockerthon will allow you to meet and develop personal relationships with Miracle kids just like Vinny!
We at Children鈥檚 Miracle Network at Ascension Via Christi are very eager to develop our executive team members and get started planning events for the coming year. We have seen students grow exponentially as individuals and professionals thanks to their time with Shockerthon.
Ulrich accepting paid internship applications
The Ulrich Museum of Art on the 黑洞社区 campus is accepting applications from Wichita State students for its paid internship program, which offers valuable experience in the everyday workings of a university art museum. These internships offer students interdisciplinary and experiential learning that is informative on both intellectual and practical levels. Tasks may include assisting with research for exhibitions, cataloging works of art, helping with publicity, participating in exhibition installations, working on programs, and giving exhibition tours. Internships for course credit in fulfillment of curricular requirements are available in coordination with many academic departments.
To apply, please email a current resume accompanied by a cover letter to either Ksenya Gurshtein, curator of modern and contemporary art or Jana Erwin, head of education, summarizing your past experiences related to art and museum work, your goals for the future, and an explanation of why you would like to intern at a university modern and contemporary art museum. Please note: We strongly recommend visiting the museum's exhibitions and exploring this website before writing the cover letter. The application deadline is April 30, 2021.