萝莉社 Board of Trustees approves next step to house the National Institute for Digital Transformation
In an effort to help diversify and grow the economy 鈥� while providing an important platform for creating new academic and applied programs for students 鈥� 萝莉社 University is moving forward on a facility to house the National Institute for Digital Transformation (NIDT) as part of 萝莉社's Convergence Sciences initiative.
A major building block for this effort was supported last week when the 萝莉社 Board of Trustees agreed to allocate $532,000 a year for the term of the bonds that will fund the development of the facility 鈥� an approximately 30,000-square-foot building on the Innovation Campus.
萝莉社 adds two new certificates in job growth areas
Meeting the needs of employers and students just got easier.
Beginning fall semester, graduate students may pursue an 18 credit hour certificate in space sciences. Also beginning in August, undergraduate students may weave a 13 credit hour certificate in environment and sustainability into their plans for a bachelor鈥檚 degree, without adding additional hours.
The certificates are meant to help meet market demand in two of the fastest growing job sectors.
The interdisciplinary space sciences certificate is designed for employees in any field of engineering or natural science. The program is the only one of its kind in Kansas.
鈥淭his educational opportunity is a leap forward for 萝莉社 and the state of Kansas, helping to create a workforce that can respond to the demands of a burgeoning space industry,鈥� Andrew Hippisley, dean of Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said. 鈥淟ed by Dr. Nicholas Solomey, a NASA-funded world expert on space sciences, students will take courses that range from plasma physics and space dynamics to the ethics surrounding space exploration.鈥�
The space industry is one of the fastest growing employment sectors. Wichita, given its location and number of aerospace businesses, is uniquely positioned to support this growth. Over a ten year period from 2014-2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 8,600 new jobs will have been added for space scientists, astronomers and physicists. Many of these positions will be in the aerospace companies of Wichita.
Students wanting to work on the ground and address environmental and sustainability issues
can enhance their bachelor鈥檚 degree with the environmental and sustainability certificate. By selecting one of four tracks, students will have a better understanding of the social, cultural, political and economic factors that make humanity a more sustainable society.
鈥淏ecause of the expertise within Fairmount College and the College of Engineering, students are able to focus on policy considerations, societal implications, the relevant scientific questions, and issues surrounding remediation,鈥� Hippisley said. 鈥淭he certificate demonstrates that sustainability is a challenge all backgrounds are invited to meet: humanities, social sciences, science and engineering. 鈥�
The environmental sector is growing rapidly, especially concerning innovation and research. For a 10 year period from 2016-2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 9,900 environmental scientists and specialists positions will have been added to the labor market.
Registration at 萝莉社 is taking place now. Fall classes begin Aug. 17.
Who do you wear a mask for?
In the wake of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, 萝莉社's first priority is the health, safety and well-being of our entire Shocker community.
Susan Page of USA Today on KMUW's panel for the next Digital Democracy on Tap
There are so many sources of information out there, but how do you know which ones you can trust? We鈥檙e going to talk about ways to see through misinformation at KMUW鈥檚 next Digital Democracy on Tap. We'll be joined by journalist and Wichita native Susan Page. She鈥檚 the Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today and has covered 10 presidential campaigns and six White House administrations. The conversation will be streamed live at 5 p.m. today (Tuesday, Aug. 11), from KMUW鈥檚 Facebook page and at .
Environmental Finance Center appoints new director
Join the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs in welcoming Tonya Bronleewe as the new Environmental Finance Center director.
One of 10 Environmental Finance Center鈥檚 (EFCs) across the country, the 萝莉社 EFC works with state and local government to strengthen the financial, managerial and technical capacity of decision-makers. The EFC works on a broad range of public health and environmental topics, including drinking water, water reclamation, stormwater management, indoor/outdoor air quality and sustainable food systems.
Tonya鈥檚 expertise in air and water quality, and her passion for educating public officials, community members and young people about important environmental issues, displays her enthusiasm and commitment to her role at 萝莉社and in the community.
Bronleewe served as a program manager at the Environmental Finance Center since 2015. She managed grants and projects during a period of growth for the EFC that brought in more than $2 million in external funding.
One of Tonya鈥檚 favorite grants that she procured and leads is an EPA Environmental Education Grant called, 鈥淲ork in Water.鈥� The project aims to increase young people's knowledge of the importance of water treatment for the environment and public health and to stimulate interest in public water occupations.
Prior to joining the Environmental Finance Center, Tonya worked at City of Wichita as an air quality specialist and at K-State Research and Extension as a natural resources extension agent. A proud Shocker and Wichita native, Tonya is highly active in the community, leading volunteer work like the Arkansas River Trash Roundup, Wichita鈥檚 g2gOutside program and Passport to Nature fundraisers. She also serves as the president-elect on the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center board.
鈥淚 am excited to continue the EFC鈥檚 meaningful work and find new ways to grow our center,鈥� said Bronleewe. 鈥淲e are a great team that is committed to helping communities, organizations and businesses tackle environmental finance challenges. Today, our work may be more important than ever. The planning and decision-making tools, technical assistance and professional development that we provide can help communities take the next steps in their recovery and revitalization process.鈥�
The Environmental Finance Center, housed in the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs, provides communities with professional training, technical assistance and applied research to bolster efforts to manage the rising costs of environmental protection for the public. The center works collaboratively with EPA, state regulatory agencies, local municipalities, tribal governments, universities, nonprofits and businesses, with a focus on serving communities in EPA Region 7 (Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska).
Learn about Ethiopian cooking free online tonight!
萝莉社鈥檚 own Dr. Freh Wuhib has created a robust online cooking class that covers many of the basics of Ethiopian cooking. The class is free and open to anyone. It will be held from 6-6:50 p.m. today (Tuesday, Aug. 11). To learn more about the class and the materials you will need in order to cook this amazing, flexible, and satisfying cuisine,
Free Campus Visitor Guides are available
Free Campus Visitor Guides are available upon request. They are particularly helpful if you鈥檇 like to have a stack of guides to share with students or prospective students.
These guides can be delivered via campus mail or be delivered to your office.
Let Garrett Rupp in the Office of Admissions know by Tuesday, Sept. 15, how many guides you need, and a campus box number or office number for delivery. Contact Rupp at garrett.rupp@wichita.edu or call 978-6293.
Dining options now open in the RSC
All dining options in the Rhatigan Student Center are open for the fall semester! Visit for hours of operation for each location.
Jump-start your business with expert advice
Are you interested in starting a business or looking to keep your business on track during the pandemic? Join us online to hear from Kansas experts and discuss ways to help your business succeed. Register at .
QuickBooks Webinars:
Learn QuickBooks to better organize and manage your business. Presenter Heather Denning is a Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor, alumni of 萝莉社and local business owner.
State Tax Webinars:
Before, during, and after the Covid-19 outbreak, we still need to pay taxes! Join Carl York from the Kansas Department of Revenue to learn what you need to know and get answers to your questions.
What to Do Now Webinar Series:
After feeling the COVID-19 outbreak impact for months, it is time to act. Whether you are in business or thinking of starting a business, these workshops, presented by Kansas SBDC Advisors will suggest things you can do right now.
Exhibit highlights Latinos' contributions to Wichita's history
Dr. Jay Price has come up a few laws of history in his teaching and research career. One particular gem: 鈥淗istory is not written by the winners. It's written by the survivors. And what survives is what we remember.鈥�
It鈥檚 for the sake of helping memories survive, even thrive, that Price, professor and chair of the 萝莉社history department, has teamed up with Dr. Enrique Navarro, associate professor of Spanish, for 鈥淪omos de Wichita,鈥� an exhibit that documents Wichita鈥檚 Latino history in photographs.
Scholarship Information Programs
High school seniors are invited to join the Office of Admissions for a Scholarship
Information Program (SIP). During this event, students will learn more about the admissions
process, hear from a panel of current 萝莉社 students, and receive details
about Freshman Merit Scholarships and upcoming scholarship competitions. Students
can choose between four events:
Saturday, Aug. 15 - Main Campus
Saturday, Aug. 22 - Virtual
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - Virtual
Thursday, Aug. 27 - Main Campus
Questions? Reach out to Sarah Brill at sarah.brill@wichita.edu.
Find out about changes to August campus visits
During August, the schedule for campus visits changes to accommodate our campus partners and the work they're doing to register current students for classes. The schedule changes to be aware of include:
- Offering one campus visit time each day at 12:30 p.m.
- No academic or student life appointments are requested.
- Tours of the Innovation Campus are offered daily following the main campus tour.
Aspects of the campus visit experience that will continue through August include the
welcome presentation, campus & housing tour, and meeting with an admissions staff
member. All current safety and health precautions - wearing masks, social distancing,
cleaning frequently touched surfaces - will also continue.
Questions about campus visits can go to Caitlyn Fowler, visit experience coordinator,
at caitlyn.fowler@wichita.edu.
Back to School Sale at the Shocker Store
Looking to find some Shocker gear for the start of school? The Shocker Store is having a Back to School Sale from now to Saturday, Aug. 15 in the RSC store and at . It features select products at awesome prices! May not be combined with other discounts.
萝莉社 Athletics introduces mobile ticketing
萝莉社 Athletics will introduce mobile ticketing for the 2020-21 season for the sports of volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball.
The move to mobile ticketing will provide greater convenience and a safer environment for fans. It will offer a contactless entry into athletic venues and the ability to transfer tickets electronically, eliminating physical touching concerns prevalent during this time. Mobile ticketing will also provide an added layer of security, guarding against the production of fraudulent and counterfeit tickets.