This month is so very special for me. August 2020 marks the first time I have the opportunity to welcome new and returning Shockers to our campus as president. I am by nature an optimist, and my optimism will be at its greatest as our campus community finally has the chance to reunite after an incredibly challenging spring. Seeing our students walking around campus, gaining some form of a new normalcy, will do wonders for our spirits and mental health.
However, there is no doubt that our new academic year will be different in many ways, as we must all work together to best protect and maintain the health of our campus community. I won’t elaborate on all the procedures, investments and precautions our university-wide health and safety committee has diligently put together, as more detailed information was communicated yesterday to students and employees, and will continue to be communicated on a regular basis.
My optimism pervades into my daily activities. I have been spending a considerable amount of time this summer meeting with community leaders, donors, alumni and civic organizations — reminding them of the critical importance Wichita State University plays for our region and our state. Now more than ever, the unique role of WSU as the state’s only urban research university, in the largest city in Kansas, is needed to address the economic, educational and health disparities that have impacted our state.
Why am I optimistic during such a devastating time in our history? In large part it is because of my firmly held belief that Wichita State is one of our nation’s most innovative universities, and our spirit of innovation is exactly what society needs to come out of this pandemic even stronger.
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In the News at Wichita State |
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WSU researchers awarded prestigious $1.1 million NSF grant to create adaptive wayfinding system |
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Navigating around a city or inside a building isn’t always as simple as tapping on the Google Maps app. For some people with disabilities, it can be nearly impossible. Dr. Vinod Namboodiri, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Wichita State University, is building infrastructure to make getting around a bit easier. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded more than $1.1 million to Namboodiri and his team to create a community-wide wayfinding system for people with disabilities, essentially using digital transformation to make navigation easier. |
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Shocker athletes demonstrate academic agility |
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During the 2019-20 academic year, WSU student athletes set a school record with a 3.54 cumulative grade point average, which continued a 30-semester streak of 3.0 or higher. Other noteworthy student-athlete highlights include:
- 45 earned degrees.
- 189 were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll with a GPA of 3.0 or above in December, and 235 were named in May.
- 119 were named to the Dean’s List with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- 26 had a GPA of 4.0 in fall 2019, and 54 recorded 4.0 in spring 2020.
- In spring 2020, all 11 teams earned a cumulative GPA above 3.0.
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GoBabyGo student work through pandemic to get children moving |
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It’s 139 miles from Coffeyville to Wichita, a distance Sarah Woelk happily drove to help a few children make much shorter journeys.
Woelk, a second-year student in Wichita State University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, helped design and assemble toy ride-on cars for children with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the semester, but several students returned to help finish and deliver six cars to help children become mobile.
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Partnership with Hawaii-based Navatek will grow Wichita jobs through research with NASA, military |
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Navatek LLC, a contractor focused on technology research for U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Defense and NASA, is opening an office on the Wichita State University campus in fall 2020.
This collaborative partnership between Navatek and WSU will grow combined applied research capabilities for the military, provide critical hands-on learning opportunities for students and help diversify the local economy.
Among its work, the Navatek-WSU partnership will explore using inflatable wing materials and structures to extend the range that airborne personnel can travel in squirrel wingsuits.
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John and Colleen Wooley dedicate $2.2 million gift to Wichita State students |
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Nearly 70 years after John and Colleen Wooley first met as students at the University of Wichita, they have established a legacy that will touch the lives of Wichita State University students for generations to come. The couple’s $2.2 million estate gift will provide more than $100,000 in scholarships each year for students with financial need.
Before he died in 2019, Mr. Wooley said he wanted to make a donation that would acknowledge the role the university played in his and Colleen’s lives. Their estate gift will fund the Colleen Lee Wooley and John B. Wooley Scholarship, an endowment that will exist in perpetuity.
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125th Anniversary: Then and Now |
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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.
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Connect with the President |
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Featured Tweet from Dr. Golden |
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July 30: Out for my morning walk-beautiful rainbow shining over the Flats @WichitaState.
Have a great day Shockers!
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CONNECT WITH WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY |
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