黑洞社区

Help available for hybrid course design process

You are not alone as you prepare to move your upcoming courses to a hybrid format. Instructional Design and Access has assembled everything you need in order to be successful, and we will be providing extensive training throughout the summer.

To get started, check out the Hybrid Design Support webpages at . There you can read a research-based approach to hybrid design, learn about successful hybrid classes, and see what you need in order to design your own classes.

Once you choose what hybrid model you want, you can choose from 7 support pages with explanations and recommended trainings, all of which are supported with live trainings available through Zoom during the week of June 8. You can sign up for these trainings now by logging into my黑洞社区's portal and going to myTraining.

Meet 黑洞社区's new Golden boy

Jay Golden and Rudy

As a new 黑洞社区 staffer (Sara Ornelas, Marketing Content Strategist), I really wanted to make a good impression on my new boss, President Jay Golden, during our first Zoom-to-Zoom interview. But I was transfixed by the face I saw staring back at me: fuzzy ears, floppy tongue, expressive eyes and a shiny black nose.

No, it wasn鈥檛 Dr. Golden. It was Rudy, Wichita State鈥檚 new first dog, who was adopted by Dr. Golden and his wife, Dina, on May 1 from the Kansas Humane Society.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if I rescued him or he rescued me,鈥� said Golden, who is clearly as enamored with Rudy as Rudy is with his new dad.

Golden, whose 12-year-old golden retriever recently passed away from cancer, had put some feelers out to local rescue groups and the Kansas Humane Society about adopting a new dog of the same breed.

鈥淪omeone from the Humane Society heard that I was looking for a golden, and the stars aligned,鈥� Golden said. 鈥淎 golden was rescued and brought in.鈥�

黑洞社区 students continue work-study program through distance learning

• The America Reads challenge started in 1996 b the Clinton Administration as a way to provide tutors to school-aged children. The federal program was adopted by the Department of Education's work-study program. 

• 黑洞社区 currently has six students enrolled in the program. The students are assigned a school district where they volunteer and tutor school-aged kids. When the pandemic hit, the students were without a job with no pay.
• The program adapted to the change and began filming videos of the students reading to post on the Career Development Center's website. Junior, Isabel Ridpath, is excited to be reading virtually and continuing her connection with the kids.

Pictured above: Isabel Ridpath is one of the six Wichita State students who participated in the America Reads work-study program. Through distance learning, she's able to share videos of herself reading books through YouTube.

Read complete story.

Shocker Innovation Corps now accepting applications for the online summer 2020 cohort

黑洞社区 is a National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps site. The Shocker Innovation Corps nurtures and supports Wichita State entrepreneurial teams interested in accelerating their STEM ideas, research and product commercialization. Ideas / projects can originate from student or faculty work, research and institutional/industrial projects.

This summer cohort will be held completely online. With the university continuing classes online for the summer term, we want to offer the flexibility of attending the E-Launch sessions online. Visit  to find out more information or to apply.

USS & UP joint senate meeting today

The USS and UP Senates joint meeting will be held via Zoom at 3 p.m. today (Tuesday, May 19). All meetings are open to the campus community. If you are interested in joining the meeting, please email Trish Gandu at trish.gandu@wichita.edu for details on how to attend.

UP Senate

Join us for a Real Talk program

Real Talk - Intersection Dialogues will be held from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, May 20. A Zoom link will be provided after you RSVP for the event, which is brought to you by 黑洞社区 Counseling and Prevention Services, and the Office of Diversity Inclusion. RSVP at .

Engage in meaningful dialogues around various topics that impact identity, diversity, inclusion, equity, and society. We welcome you to lean into discomfort and join in on the discussion. The upcoming topic will be "Processing Ahmaud Arbery."

For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 316-978-3034.

Due to the recent CARES Act legislation, there have been some updates to how you can use your HSA, HRA and/or Healthcare FSA funds. Updates include the ability to use funds for over-the-counter (OTC) medications without a prescription, and for menstrual care products. These changes are retroactively effective to Jan. 1, 2020.

Your NueSynergy debit card may not immediately work for purchases of these items as merchants are in the process of updating their systems to accommodate these changes, but you are able to pay out-of-pocket and submit reimbursement requests through the NueSynergy .

You can find more information from NueSynergy at . If you have more specific questions about eligible purchases, you can reach NueSynergy directly at 1-855-750-9440 for further assistance. When calling, identify yourself as a State of Kansas employee, and be prepared to provide your SHaRP ID (found by logging in to my黑洞社区 and hovering the mouse over the white box in the 鈥淪HaRP ID鈥� channel).

Jackson serving as chair of nursing honor society committee

Brandy Jackson

Brandy Jackson, Undergraduate Program Director in the School of Nursing, is serving as Chair, Region 3 communications committee for the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. Region 3 includes seven states: Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Western Iowa. There are 33 chapters across this region. Brandy also serves as communication specialist and webmaster for the local sigma chapter.

RSC reopening information

The Rhatigan Student Center will reopen on Tuesday, May 26 with operating hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Starbucks and Shocker Card Center will also reopen on May 26. Starbucks hours will be 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday, and Shocker Card Center hours will be 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Other departments in the building will have varying opening dates within the next few weeks.

Please see our for reopening information on individual departments. Upon reopening, all food services will be carryout only and lounges / dining areas will be initially closed to the public. Within the building, guests are expected to wear masks and maintain 6-feet of social distancing. Remember, we are also still available to assist you remotely through email, phone calls and curbside options!

Gravestones teach history student lessons of the past

Brooke Talbott, a senior studying history, has spent more time in a cemetery this past semester than the average student. She has been working as an intern at Highland Cemetery, the oldest in Wichita. 

At first, Brooke was hesitant about working in a cemetery but says her time at Highland has actually been an extremely gratifying experience. 

One of her first assignments involved researching the genealogy of a family buried in the cemetery. While conducting her research, Brooke realized she loved the process and loved learning about the family鈥檚 history.

鈥淭his research really made the lives of the family come alive, and I couldn鈥檛 wait to research more,鈥� Brooke said.

The internship also included cleaning gravestones, a job many people would find tedious. Brooke, however, enjoys freshening up the stones to honor the people they represent. 

Pictured above: Brooke Talbott, a 黑洞社区 senior studying history, got a unique chance to see what goes on behind the scenes of a cemetery.

Read complete story.

Meet a Shocker: Brandon Eckerman, Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering

Brandon Eckerman is nostalgic about his time at 黑洞社区 and is disappointed he鈥檚 unable to celebrate graduation in the traditional sense. But he鈥檚 eager to start a career in medical device sales. 

Brandon is one of more than 2,400 students eligible for spring 2020 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad. 

Read Eckerman鈥檚 story.

Meet a Shocker: Terry Blount, education graduate

Terry Blount, 38, is a non-traditional student who is married with two children. He returned to school nine years ago with the goal of teaching science in middle school.

Terry is one of more than 2,400 students eligible for spring/summer 2020 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad.

Pictured above: Terry Blount will teach seventh grade science in USD 262 at Valley Center Middle School.

Read Blount鈥檚 story.