Wichita State Poised For Massive Growth

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KWCH - Commerce Dept. gives $1 million to WSU to boost medical workforce training

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced on Tuesday that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1 million grant to Wichita State to support medical workforce training in the region.

The grant will provide new audiology equipment for WSU’s new biomedical training facility. This EDA investment will be matched with $1 million in local funds and is expected to create 50 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“Wichita State University is equipping students with the skills they need to provide excellent medical care and excel in their careers,” senator Jerry Moran said. “This investment from the Economic Development Administration will deliver state-of-the-art technology to WSU to provide students with top-notch training in audiology medicine.”

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A small update

WSU - Wichita Biomedical Campus construction update - 9/18/24

The previous foundation from the Allis Hotel has been mostly removed from the location, and the hole has been partially filled back in with dirt. Next steps are to remove the side foundations around the perimeter the hole.

Electrical work will continue along English Street, and pile drilling on the site is scheduled to begin Sept. 23.

You can watch a live broadcast of the construction online at: bigview.ai/wichitabiomedicalcampusliveview.

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WBJ - WSU Tech completes $3M automotive center renovation, announces industry partnerships

As Wichita's automotive industry grows, WSU Tech plans to meet its demand.

The technical school's automotive center completed a $3-million renovation and remodeling effort in late August at the City Center Campus on 301 S. Grove St. with support from the state and industry partnerships with Minnesota-based Walser Automotive Group and heavy-duty truck company WKI Kenworth.

The space will include Walser Automotive Service Lab, Kenworth Heavy Truck Lab and a 72-person lecture hall. Jessi Lane, dean of WSU Tech's City Center Campus, said 20,000 of the 30,000 square-foot building was renovated and remodeled to meet the "uptick" in enrollment in their automotive and transportation programs.

"We started planning this a little over a year ago. We had a lot of interest in doing something in this space ... and we had enough demand in the program," he said. "There's enough students that are just wanting to be a part of the program that was identified and we decided to make some space for these students."

He said there are 325 enrolled students in the automotive programs available at the center. The renovation allows the program to host 48 more students.

They also have a lab for people to learn how to work on alternative fuel vehicles.

The Kenworth lab will give hands on experience for pretty much any diesel vehicle, including combines and bulldozers and such.

I really like that this facility will train technicians in pretty much every area imaginable and will serve a number of different industries in the metro and state.

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WSU - Wichita State announces Licensed Mental Health Technician pathway

Wichita State University’s School of Nursing has launched a new Licensed Mental Health Technician (LMHT) pathway. This pioneering program, the first of its kind in the state, will address the growing need for mental health care professions in Kansas.

Key features of the LMHT pathway:

• Coursework is completely online, making the curriculum accessible to individuals across the region.
• All credit hours earned through the pathway can be applied toward a health care degree program for students pursuing further education.
• The School of Nursing is establishing clinical partnerships in rural areas, with the goal of allowing rural students to complete their clinical requirements close to home.

Increasing need for mental health care


The need for patient mental health care has increased substantially, and there is a severe shortage of health care professionals trained in this area. Licensed Mental Health Technicians are trained to care for patients who are challenged with mental or behavioral health issues and will fill a vast health care need across Kansas.

Debra Pile, chair and associate dean for nursing practice of the WSU College of Health Professions, said this pathway will be very impactful.

“Mental health is becoming an increasingly vital part of the health care system, and our new program is focused on looking to the future of Kansas’ mental health care needs,” said Pile. “Importantly, the creation of the pathway curriculum and this training offers a foundation to LMHT students for the pursuit of future careers in health care.”

Claudio Ferraro, president of Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital, said the development of this pathway will enable them to hire more trained mental health technicians, which will enhance patient care.

"Ascension Via Christi is thrilled to be in partnership with Wichita State University; they have historically helped us meet the ever-changing needs of the community,” said Ferraro. “The new LMHT program will be a key component in helping us source and train talented individuals to serve the behavioral health needs of the thousands of patients we are privileged to serve annually."

Classes begin in spring 2025, and enrollment is currently open.

For more information or to enroll, visit wichita.edu/LMHT.

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[Kung Wu]

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WSU - Wichita State's record-breaking enrollment driven by access and affordability

Combined enrollment by headcount across all Wichita State University locations for fall 2024 is 23,806, according to the annual data released today by the Kansas Board of Regents. This is the largest number of students ever choosing to enroll at Wichita State.

The main WSU campus achieved historic enrollment last year with 17,548 students and exceeded this year with 17,700 students.

At WSU Tech, student headcount increased from 5,655 last year to 6,106 this year — also the highest headcount ever for WSU Tech.

“This record-breaking enrollment is a testament to our steadfast dedication to student success and achievement,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “It is a direct result of our relentless focus on access and affordability and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. By aligning our resources and efforts, we are equipping students with the skills and opportunities they need to lead in their careers and drive progress across Kansas and on the global stage.”

Wichita State’s enrollment success continues to be driven by the Kansas Legislature’s recent invest of more than $6 million to Wichita State in need-based aid. The priority of need-based aid has allowed the university to expand Shocker Promise gap scholarships for all eligible Kansas students and families and provide retention and degree completion funding for Shockers with the greatest financial need. This additional financial commitment has been vital for students to pursue their dreams, grow their education, and ultimately achieve their career goals. Wichita State enrollment highlights

• Highest headcount in Wichita State’s history with 17,700 students
• 1,651 students entering college for the first time – the fourth highest in WSU’s history
• 7% increase in student credit hours for undergraduate degree-seeking students
• 4% increase in fall-to-fall persistence among undergraduate full-time freshmen for the last two years
• New students from Shocker partnerships in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas are up by 7% — a direct result of WSU’s tuition discount program that offers in-state tuition to students in eight other states.
• Continuing students from Sedgwick County are up 5.5%
• 2% increase in undergraduate degree-seeking students
• Underrepresented minority students at the undergraduate level grew in the past year by 2.1%.
• Continued growth in first-generation undergraduate freshmen, bringing the overall first-generation percent to 47.5%
• 18.3% of undergraduate students identify as Hispanic, a 1.3% increase,which once again qualifies Wichita State as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution.
• 18.2% increase in headcount in the 10 years since the launch of the Innovation Campus demonstrating Wichita State’s commitment to applied learning and growing the talent pipeline.
• New, graduate students reflected an increase of 12.9%
• New, degree-bound undergraduate students have increased for the fourth year in a row.
• Transfer students have increased 2.2%, paving the way for Wichita State to be the No. 1 transfer destination in Kansas for the 13th year in a row.
• By Kansas Board of Regents’ full-time equivalency (FTE), Wichita State measured at 11,530 FTE compared to 11,728 fall 2023, a 1.7% decrease. This difference between FTE and headcount is not abnormal for an urban research university, and many of WSU’s students choose to work while earning a degree.

WSU Tech enrollment highlights

• WSU Tech’s fall 2024 enrollment is the highest total headcount and credit hours in the history of the college for any semester, with 6,106 students and 55,163 credit hours. Both high school and adult populations had their highest headcount, credit hours, and FTE for any semester in the history of the college.
• This fall marks the first time WSU Tech's total headcount has exceeded 6,000 students, with high school enrollment surpassing 3,000 for the first fall semester ever.
• In fall 2023, WSU Tech's full-time equivalent (FTE) was 3,225.27. For Fall 2024, WSU Tech reports an FTE of 3,677.53. This reflects a 14% increase in credit hours/FTE compared to the previous year.
• WSU Tech was recently designated as a Hispanic-serving institution by the U.S. Department of Education. Hispanic and Latino students make up 25% of its total enrollment, marking the highest number of Hispanic and Latino students ever enrolled in a single semester in the college’s history.
• First-generation students represent a significant portion of WSU Tech's adult population at 64%, showing a slight increase from the previous year's 63%.

“Our record-breaking enrollment this fall is a testament to the critical role WSU Tech plays in preparing a skilled workforce for our region,” said WSU Tech President Dr. Sheree Utash. “By offering high-demand programs aligned with industry needs, we are equipping students with the education and hands-on training necessary to succeed in today’s competitive job market. The growth in key sectors such as aviation, manufacturing, and healthcare highlights our strong partnerships with industry leaders to ensure our graduates are workforce-ready from day one. We remain committed to fostering opportunities for all students, especially first-generation and underserved populations, to build a brighter future through education and workforce development.”

Several key programs and initiatives contributed to the enrollment growth at both institutions. Wichita State University program successes

• Within the College of Applied Studies, the Organizational Leadership and Learning program saw a 26% enrollment growth. Additional program growth in the college includes graduates of Early Childhood Unified (14%), graduates of High Incidence Alternative Certification (9%), and undergraduates in the Teacher Apprentice Program (2.7%). The expansion across these three programs represents the College of Applied Studies’ dedication to tackling the teacher shortage and making a positive difference in PreK-12 education.
• In the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, humanities experienced a 9.5% growth, with increased enrollment in English, Applied Linguistics, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, as well as Philosophy.
• The W. Frank Barton School of Business experienced a 7.3% increase in overall enrollment. This growth is attributed to significant enrollment growth in accounting, economics, and management at the undergraduate level and economics and quantitative analysis at the graduate level.
• Highlights for the College of Engineering include 5.8% growth in aerospace engineering, as well as 3.7% growth in mechanical engineering and doubled enrollment in cybersecurity.
• In the College of Health Professions, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), physical therapy, audiology, communication sciences, and disorders programs contributed to a 5.6% growth.
• The College of Fine Arts continues to grow, with a 4.8% increase in enrollment, including strong growth in studio art and digital arts.
• Concurrent enrollment with high schools increased 271% in the past five years and 13.8% increase this year.

WSU Tech program successes

• WSU Tech continues to see significant growth in the use of the Kansas Promise Scholarship, a financial aid program established by the Kansas Legislature. In the first three months of the 2024-2025 school year, 464 students have already been awarded over $2.2 million in scholarship funds. This reflects a 17% increase in students utilizing the scholarship compared to last fall and an 84% increase in students compared to the entire 2022-2023 fiscal year.
• In partnership with Wichita Public Schools, WSU Tech's FutureReady Centers (FRC) have driven significant growth in high school enrollment, with 423 students enrolled as FRC students. The Manufacturing center has 158 students, an increase of 85.9% compared to last fall. The Healthcare center experienced growth with 265 students enrolled, an increase of 191.2%, highlighting the success of this collaboration in preparing students for high-demand careers.
• WSU Tech has seen significant headcount growth across several key programs, including Welding (up 33.1%), Professional Pilot (up 129.6%), Culinary (up 40.8%), Aviation Maintenance (up 10.3%), and Climate and Energy Control (up 13.6%). This surge reflects the growing demand for skilled workforce training in these high-demand fields.
• WSU Tech’s new programs have shown immediate impact, with Paraeducator enrolling 29 students and Mobile Equipment adding 23 students.

“Wichita State’s commitment to providing paid applied learning continues to grow with the recent support from the Kansas Legislature to expand on these experiences for our students,” said Dr. Shirley Lefever, WSU provost and executive vice president. “That investment and our continued development of new programs to meet student and industry needs are resulting in enrollment growth in nearly all colleges within the university. We remain dedicated to providing rich academic experiences for our students and growing the talent pipeline to spur our economy, thanks to the dedication of our faculty and staff.”

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https://www.kansasregents.org/resources/PDF/Press/Fall_2024_Preliminary_Census_Day_Tables.pdf

news release from KBOR

We’ll continue to see WSU increase especially with BioMed growth downtown.


Wish we could combine both WSU and WSU Tech for WSU totals