A monthly update to Shocker Nation: September 2020

September 2020

Shocker spirit shines across campus

August proved to be an exciting month for Wichita State and a time when we all made a turn to a form of normalcy. For quite a few months, as I and my dog Rudy walked around the campus every day, it seemed the only people we would come upon were the extraordinary team taking care of our campus, including facilities, landscaping and police.

That has all changed since the new semester started. How wonderful it has been to see our students back on campus, spending time together in the student center or in small groups walking to classes together — all the while being responsible by wearing their masks and abiding by appropriate social distancing.

I have witnessed one-on-one music lessons being taught outside in front of my office with the student and faculty member safely distanced from one another, outdoor faculty lectures with students seated in pre-drawn circles painted on one of our grass malls. Even our coaches are creative in the ways they are working with their teams. I recently went to the first day of softball practice and watched as the team took the field wearing masks and keeping socially distanced by using both dugouts and the stands.

In the News at Wichita State

WSU moves forward on National Institute for Digital Transformation, convergence sciences

Leading efforts to diversify and grow the economy of Kansas– while providing an important platform for creating new and innovative opportunities for students – Wichita State University made a significant advancement by moving forward on a state-of-art research, testing and teaching facility to house the newly launched National Institute for Digital Transformation (NIDT) as part of President Golden’s Convergence Sciences initiative. A major building block for this effort was supported last week when the Wichita State Board of Trustees agreed to allocate the necessary funding to bond the development of the facility – an approximately 30,000-square-foot building on the Wichita State Innovation Campus.

Wichita State to bring high-volume COVID-19 test lab to Sedgwick County

Wichita State University’s newly launched Molecular Diagnostic Lab (MDL) will be playing a key role in the fight against COVID-19 while addressing economic and health needs of our region. The lab exemplifies the innovative spirit of the university and is garnering national attention for the convergence of Shocker researchers spanning the biological and health sciences, engineers specializing in robotics and faculty in supply chain to create a laboratory that is versatile and responsive to the needs of the community. The Sedgwick County Commission is partnering with Wichita to increase lab testing capacity for nasopharyngeal swab testing and saliva testing.

Gene and Yolanda Camarena donate $1 million to promote diversity and accessibility

Gene and Yolanda Camarena are well known for helping underserved Kansas youth improve their lives through education and other causes. Now the Wichita couple is enhancing that legacy with a $1 million gift to Wichita State University to give students of color opportunities they otherwise might not have.

Wichita State chemist identifies potential COVID-19 treatment

Dr. Bill Groutas, Wichita State University medical chemist, is part of a team of scientists from highly respected research institutions that has published a study showing a possible therapeutic treatment for COVID-19. Groutas is part of the team that published “3C-like protease inhibitors block SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro and increase survival in MERS-CoV-infected mice”— which appeared in the Aug. 3 issue of the prestigious medical journal Science Translational Medicine. It reveals how small molecule protease inhibitors show potency against human coronaviruses. These coronavirus 3C-like proteases, known as 3CLpro, are strong therapeutic targets because they play vital roles in coronavirus replication.

Read more about Dr. Groutas' research

CLASH OF THE COLLEGES 2020

First-year students donned masks and competitive spirit for the 2020 Clash of the Colleges. This year's competition is being played both in-person and virtually, including a series of races and minute-to-win-it challenges. Clash of the Colleges ends on Sept. 14. The winning college wins a banner in front of their building for a year.

Watch this year's opening ceremonies

More information on Clash of the Colleges

Wichita State recruits top talent to Kansas through affordable Shocker Cities partnership

Through the Shocker Cities Partnership, Wichita State University is generating tremendous interest from students and their families in several cities in Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas to attend Kansas’ only urban-based research university. Shocker Cities pairs Wichita State’s highly affordable tuition with the university’s reputation for accessible education, applied learning experiences, rigorous and cutting-edge academics, and a powerful Shocker experience.

Learn more about the Shocker Cities opportunity

125th Anniversary: Then and Now

In September 1895, Fairmount College, the forerunner of Wichita State University, held its first classes just northeast of 17th Street and Hillside. Now, 125 years later, we celebrate the ever-expanding role of our institution as a pillar of cultural and academic excellence, a vital engine of economic growth and a positive force in the lives of millions.

Join in as we plan our Quasquicentennial with a host of events, activities, stories and history.