August 2024

Reflecting on our legacy, building the future

At the beginning of each academic year, the university puts on a fall kick-off event for faculty and staff. It’s an opportunity for us to reconnect, reignite our passion for the work we do and realign with our shared vision. And each year, I’m awed by how much we’ve accomplished — not just year over year, but in the history of our university.

In 129 years, we’ve come so far from the struggling-but-determined Fairmount College with just 16 students and three faculty members to a flourishing urban public research university with a reputation for academic excellence, innovative problem-solving, community engagement and outreach, and a forward-looking vision that continues to drive us toward new horizons in education, research and economic prosperity.

As we reflect on this remarkable journey, I’m reminded of my inauguration theme: "Inspired by the past, focused on the future." I selected this theme because I think it’s essential to recognize the pivotal moments that have shaped our university’s evolution. It was 60 years ago that we made the transformative leap from the Municipal University of Wichita to Wichita State University, joining the state system and setting the stage for our future growth.

University leadership hosts 2024 Fall Address

President Rick Muma with other university leadership held the 2024 Fall Address Aug. 14 in Miller Concert Hall at Duerksen Fine Arts Center.

Speakers discussed the 10-year anniversary of the Innovation Campus, the developments at Wichita State during that time and what's on the horizon for the university, highlighting the university's priorities:

• Helping families through access and affordability
• Supporting Kansas businesses with a talent pipeline that meets employer needs
• Increasing economic prosperity with higher education that benefits the Kansas economy

Wichita State names Aaron Mitchell as senior vice president for finance, administration and operations

Aaron Mitchell has been named Wichita State University’s senior vice president for finance, administration and operations, effective Aug. 18.

Previously serving as associate vice president for financial services at Montana State University since 2019, Mitchell brings Wichita State more than two decades of experience, including 14 years in financial management and leadership positions in high-growth local government and higher education institutions.

“I am both humbled and excited to be named the next senior vice president for finance, administration and operations at Wichita State University,” Mitchell said. “I am ready to hit the ground running to help WSU sustain its impressive growth and to achieve its goal of becoming an R1 research institution while continuing to improve the educational outcomes for first-generation students.”

Wichita State Esports sees continued growth as it enters next era under new leader

What started out as an extracurricular activity at the Shocker Gaming Club has ballooned into a career leading students to success for Wichita State’s Joe Mazzara.

Mazzara, who was recently appointed to director of Wichita State University’s Esports program, began his tenure with the program as a volunteer assistant coach while he was an undergrad at WSU, before becoming the assistant director of Esports in 2019.

“During the infancy of the program, I felt I was learning quickly and excelling in areas like recruitment and team operations and always took a player-first approach to program leadership, which allowed me to connect with our players on a personal level,” Mazzara said. “My motivation to continue with the program has been fueled by my previous mentors/directors and the impact we have had on students' lives as a result of the creation of the varsity esports program.”

Winslow and Benn see golfing triumphs over the summer, basketball gears up for the new year

With a new school year upon us, Shocker Athletics has been busy with a summer full of excitement. Read the latest from our athletics teams:

• Men's golfer Michael Winslow won the Kansas Amateur in July in Topeka, part of a summer that included winning the Kansas City Amateur and advancing to the semifinals of the Missouri Amateur. He played in the U.S. Amateur Championship from at Hazeltine National Golf Club earlier this month. In the Kansas Amateur, he defeated Shocker teammate Zach Sokolsky, the 2023 champion, in the semifinals.
• Women’s golfer Brooklyn Benn won the Oklahoma Golf Association’s Stroke Play Championship in Tulsa. She shot a 142 in the final round to win by five strokes.
• Softball outfielder Addison Barnard ended her career by being named AAC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Barnard graduated in May with a degree in health science and a cumulative GPA of 3.82. She hit 93 home runs as a Shocker to rank fifth in NCAA history.
• Distance runner Jackson Caldwell earned AAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Men’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Caldwell graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
• On July 1, Wichita State added women's bowling to its roster of NCAA sports. The Shockers, coached by Holly Harris, won the Intercollegiate Team Championship for the 11th time in April.
• The annual Shocker Basketball Tipoff Luncheon is Oct. 4 at Charles Koch Arena. Doors open at 11:45 a.m.
• The men’s basketball team announced a game versus Saint Louis on Nov. 22 in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center in the Hall of Fame Classic.
• The women's basketball team won two games in the Virgin Islands during an exhibition tour in August.
• Shocker volleyball unveiled its banner from the 2023 National Invitational Volleyball Championship before its scrimmage against Kansas State.

For updates on all things athletics at Wichita State, visit goshockers.com.

New Marcus Welcome Center annex showcases Wichita State student experience

Since 2005, Wichita State’s Marcus Welcome Center has served as the gateway to campus, welcoming prospective students and their families. It showcases the university’s commitment to excellence and guides visitors through the application and admissions process.

Thanks to another generous gift from the Marcus family, the center now features a new addition that underscores Wichita State’s dedication to students’ applied learning and career development.

The Milly Marcus Annex is now the permanent home for the Shocker Career Accelerator, a multidimensional career-readiness experience that helps students build resumes and LinkedIn profiles, practice and prepare for interviews, meet with prospective employers, and find applied learning and post-graduation full-time employment opportunities.

Wichita State opens the new Shocker Success Center, a centralized student success location

Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors will see the newly created Shocker Success Center — formerly Clinton Hall, located between the Rhatigan Student Center and Ablah Library — on campus starting fall 2024, which brings together several student services under one roof.

Starting construction fall 2022, the Shocker Success Center fills the need for a centralized location for students to find many of the services Wichita State provides. Prior to its construction, these student services were spread across campus.

View the making of the Adelante Juntos mural at Duerksen amphitheater

The larger-than-life Adelante Juntos (Forward Together) mural celebrates the past, present and future of Latinx culture at Wichita State. Dive into the intricate journey of the mural’s creation with its creator Nathalia Gallego (GLeo) and directors Ulrich Museum of Art and Armando Minjárez (Del Norte Studio).

Wichita Biomedical Campus construction underway, watch the progress live

Construction is underway on Phase 1 of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a $300 million, 471,000-square-foot joint health sciences center, located at the southeast corner of Broadway and William.

Work on foundations and underground utilities will continue throughout 2024 on the eight-story building in the heart of downtown. A live view of its construction can be found on YouTube.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus is a joint project between Wichita State and the University of Kansas. Once complete, the campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, including the Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, WSU Tech’s health care program and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy.

Wichita State alum Ryan Barnes went from casual bowler to one of the best in the country

In March 2020, Ryan Barnes considered himself a high school basketball player, a 5-foot-10 point guard who wanted to play like NBA star Chris Paul. He wore his hair like former Shockers star Ron Baker and made himself valuable on a team loaded with talent.

Within a few months, Ryan considered himself a collegiate bowler, even though he barely qualified as a recreational bowler. Four years later, he appears on a path to be the next PBA Tour great and, along with his parents, heirs to a family bowling legacy the tour last experienced with Dick and Pete Weber.



“(Ryan) has all the makings of a superstar,” PBA Tour Commissioner Tom Clark said. “He’s clearly obsessed with being the best he can be. That something that’s rare in athletes. He’s got it.”

View the list of Wichita State's spring 2024 graduates and honor roll students

Wichita State University saw 2,384 Shockers graduate in the spring 2024 semester, and WSU celebrated the total 3,429 students on the Dean’s Honor Roll list last semester.

Overall, graduates completed a total of 2,645 degrees — 1,495 undergraduate degrees and certificates and 1,150 graduate degrees and certificates — with 301 honored as cum laude, 428 honored as magna cum laude and 136 honored as summa cum laude.



To be included on the honor roll, students must be a full-time student (at least 12 credit hours) and have at least a 3.5 grade point average on the 4.0 scale.

Sheree Utash inducted into 2024 Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame

Sheree Utash, vice president of workforce development and president of WSU Tech, was inducted into the 2024 Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame from the Kansas Aviation Museum.

Inductees will be celebrated at the Kansas Aviation Honor Awards Nov. 19 at the Kansas Aviation Museum.

Utash has been the president of WSU Tech since 2015 and previously served as its vice president of academic affairs. She oversaw the college’s transition to WSU Tech.

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