Author: Sara Ornelas

Hello, fellow Shocker family! 

Earlier this fall, I announced that all benefits-eligible employees were being provided with two personal days to use during the upcoming campus shutdown. 

I’m pleased to now announce that — in alignment with the other Regents universities — WSU is providing benefits-eligible employees with two more personal days away from work, for a total of four. 

The two new days — as well as the two previously announced days — can be used any time between now and Jan. 31, 2023.  

Please note this is a change from the previous announcement, meaning you have four personal days now to use for either the campus shutdown or another time in the month of January. 

The days will be listed as “Additional Personal Days-2022” when you complete your payroll. 

See these frequently asked questions for more information on your leave days. 

I hope you enjoy this extra time, which is no doubt well-deserved! 

Thank every one of you for all you do. 

Go Shockers! 

Campus Connection is a weekly newsletter to share Wichita State University news with our Innovation Campus partners. It’s also an opportunity for our innovation partners to share news with each other — including events, employee profiles, research projects or awards. 

Click here to submit an item for Campus Connection. If you don’t have a myWSU ID, click on the black box that reads “No myWSU ID,” and register as a user. 

If you have any questions about how to submit an item, contact strategic.comm@wichita.edu.

Almost 1,300 students are eligible to participate in Wichita State University’s 125th fall commencement ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18 in Charles Koch Arena.

All graduates will walk across the stage and be individually recognized. Doctoral candidates will be hooded at this ceremony.

Dr. Mona Nemer will receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. An honorary degree is an exceptional honor bestowed upon a person without fulfillment of the usual requirements. It is conferred only upon persons of notable intellectual, scholarly, professional, creative achievement or service to humanity consistent with the endeavors of WSU.

Just in time for the surge of respiratory illnesses flooding the state, Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab has announced it will extend free RSV, influenza and COVID (RIC) testing through March 31, 2023.

The MDL has been providing public testing for COVID since October 2020, and the triple-virus RIC test was added to the MDL’s capabilities in December 2021. All MDL testing costs have been covered through CARES funding from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Wichita State University earned status as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution when fall 2022 enrollment numbers show that 16% of students identify as Hispanic.

That is an important milestone on the way to the university’s goal of reaching the 25% necessary to earn the federal government’s designation as an HSI by the end of this decade.

The journey to that goal, however, is about much more than numbers. As Wichita State attracts and retains Hispanic students, its ability to help all students will improve.

“We are putting a lot of emphasis on the word ‘serving,’” said Executive Vice President and Provost Shirley Lefever. “It’s not simply about increasing the number of Hispanic students here. It’s really about what are we doing to make sure our students are successful here at WSU.”

Wichitans voted, and Wichita State won several top honors for The Wichita Eagle’s Best of Wichita awards.

• Best college or university
• Best audiology and hearing center for the WSU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.
• Best childcare for the WSU Child Development Center

To read the full list of results, visit www.BestofWichitaKS.com.

Zhi Wei Won used her time at Wichita State to work on skills in and out of the classroom. She met new people and expanded her social circle through school activities.

Won is one of more than 1,300 students eligible for fall 2022 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what is next for this grad.

Wichita State University’s efforts to encourage student voter turnout and engagement continue to grow.

In November, WSU earned “Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting” recognition from ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. It is one of 394 colleges and universities recognized for making intentional, nonpartisan efforts to increase student voter participation.

“This is in line with work we’ve been doing for a while,” said Gabriel Fonseca, director of Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership. “It feels like we’re doing the right work and good work and being recognized among other institutions.”

People in Mulvane who knew Delane Vaughn as a youngster did not expect her to become a doctor. She understands their view of her future.

“I was pretty wild and undirected,” she said.

Vaughn loved science and her biology teacher at Mulvane High School, Joe Johnson, started her on a path to Wichita State University as the first person in her family to attend college. She worked, raised a family and attended WSU and the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

In June, she started as clinic physician at Wichita State’s Student Health Services.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sociology, Daniel Baird plans to attend graduate school, where he will integrate clinical work with the handpan — a sort of convex steel drum that emits calming, hypnotic sounds — which he believes is a powerful therapeutic instrument.

Daniel is one of more than 1,300 students eligible for fall 2022 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what’s next for the grad.