Author: Brett Bruner

Attend an informational meeting from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 in 245 Rhatigan Student Center, CUW Room, to learn about the new Journeys feature within Navigate Student. Discover how Journeys can help students achieve their success goals by guiding them through essential milestone steps.

This informational session will assist offices, departments and units who may be interested in building a specific Journey within Navigate Student to student populations.

For more information, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success & Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

Attend an informational meeting about Shocker Pre-Season Programs from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 in 245 Rhatigan Student Center, CUW Room, to learn how your office, unit or department can develop a Shocker Pre-Season Program for fall 2025.

Shocker Pre-Season Programs provide an opportunity to assist incoming students transition smoothly into college life at WSU. These programs are a key part of WSU’s student success and persistence initiative as they provide intentional pathways to help students learn about, select and transition between majors. For more information or questions, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success & Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

The F1RST Generation Coordinating Council invites all faculty, staff and students to join for a photo at 1:11 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4 on the east side of the Rhatigan Student Center to kick off National First-Generation Celebration Week.

All are invited to wear their First-Gen Shocker T-shirts for the photo. If you do not have one, visit the F1RST Generation Coordinating Council table from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4 on the first floor to pick up a free First-Gen Shocker T-shirt while supplies last.

Faculty and staff are invited to sign up to participate in the Walk & Talk program all day Wednesday, Nov. 6 as part of National First-Generation College Celebration Week.

Faculty and staff are invited to sign up to participate in this experience, in which first-gen Shockers will be invited to sign up to walk and talk with a faculty or staff member to learn more about their college experience and share their own story.

By signing up to participate in the First-Generation Celebration Week Walk & Talk program, both the faculty/staff volunteer and the first-gen college student will both receive a limited-edition pair of WSU First-Gen Shockers socks. For more information or questions, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success & Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

The First-Year Seminars (FYS) program will host an informational session at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25 in 256 Rhatigan Student Center, Edmiston Room. The session will describe the process on how to create and teach an FYS class for first-year students.

Teaching an FYS is an excellent opportunity support the academic transition of first-year students to Wichita State and support student success and persistence. For more information, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success and Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice invites faculty of high D-, F- and W-outcome courses to attend the inaugural DFW Institute as part of the Academic Resources Conference from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12 at Wichita State Connect. The afternoon will provide you with a community of practice to examine promising practices from the Student Experience Project as well as technology resources that can be utilized with your course.

The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice and the DFW Institute align with WSU’s Strategic Enrollment goal three (to increase persistence rates of degree seeking student populations) – Strategy 3.5 (to provide best practices for student success … fostering a success-oriented mindset and sense of belonging).

For questions or more information about the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success and Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice is available for all who teach at WSU (tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty, adjunct faculty, GTAs, etc.). The Shocker Teaching Community of Practice, rooted in the Student Experience Project created by the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities and the Coalition of Urban-Serving Universities, provides a monthly gathering space for community members to learn about, implement and reflect on the five core components of student success that can be implemented in teaching practices.

Monthly meeting times will be set based on availability of members of the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice. To join the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice for the 2024-25 academic year, fill out the online form.

For questions or more information about the Shocker Teaching Community of Practice, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success & Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

Faculty members with an interest in supporting student success and persistence should apply to become a Retention Faculty Fellow. Applications for the 2024-25 academic year are open through Monday, May 6.

Retention Faculty Fellows support Strategic Enrollment Management goal three to “Increase persistence rates of degree seeking student populations.” The Retention Faculty Fellows share best practices and create opportunities for other faculty members to be in dialogue about quality instructional design and student engagement.

Fellows should be endorsed by the dean or their representative. For questions, contact Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for Student Success and Persistence, at brett.bruner@wichita.edu.

Eiran Saucedo-Rodarte, assistant director of first-year programs in the Office of Student Success, has received the Outstanding New Professionals Award from the NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community. This award is presented to an outstanding new professional who was worked one to four years in higher education and has contributed in various ways to supporting student success and the student culture on their campus.

As the assistant director of first year programs, he works with the logistics, execution and evaluation of the new student orientation and transition programs, the First Year Seminar peer coaches and the Common Read Program. He serves as the publicity chair for the WSU Latine Faculty & Staff Association and an active member of the First-Generation Coordinating Council.

Join the Office of Student Success, First-Generation Coordinating Council and Tri-Alpha Honor Society as they celebrate National First-Generation Celebration Day at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 in 142 Rhatigan Student Center, Harvest Room at the second annual First-Generation Celebration Breakfast followed by the induction ceremony for Tri-Alpha Honor Society for first-gen students.

Both events are open to all WSU students, staff and faculty members that identify as first-generation students as well as their supporters.

A breakfast buffet will begin at 9 a.m. with remarks by Provost Shirley Lefever and Magaly Castillo-Benitez, president of the WSU First-Generation Student Organization. Following the remarks, Tri-Alpha Honor Society will induct its newest members into the first-generation student honor society. All are welcome to stay to congratulate the newest members on their accomplishments.