BUILDING BUILDING Something Special Something Special

Investing in the Future

Emporia State University is evolving to address the challenges facing higher education, seizing the opportunities that will best meet the needs of today’s students. ESU is building on our strong foundation to move boldly into the future and is focused on educating and graduating students prepared for successful careers by investing in our unique strengths and delivering modern, best-in-class programs and experiences.

Education

With nearly 160 years of experience training the best teachers for K-12 classrooms, Emporia State University continues to build on its legacy through continued investment in The Teachers College education programs. In fact, 27% of ESU’s undergraduate and 45% of graduate students are pursuing education degrees. Emporia State University’s education programs for both the elementary and secondary levels focus on immersing students into in-classroom training and providing a thorough knowledge of their content areas. Kansas is currently experiencing a 1,600+ teacher shortage, and Emporia State is focused on producing the best teachers to serve the needs of the state.

Elementary Education (Grades K-6)

Certification Areas for Grades Pre-K-12

Art Health Music

Nursing

Investments in both faculty and infrastructure for Emporia State’s Department of Nursing will benefit current and future students as well as supply much-needed, highly trained nurses for the state of Kansas. Twenty-one percent of ESU undergraduate students are enrolled in nursing and health sciences majors.

Strategic Reinvestments Include:

■ Two additional programs: RN to BSN, an online program for those already working as registered nurses who want to add a bachelor’s degree in nursing; and an MSN, an online master’s of science in nursing program.

■ Three additional faculty positions.

■ Moving the Department of Nursing to a new state-of-the-art facility on campus.

Biology

Investments in the Department of Biological Sciences will enhance offerings for students seeking careers in healthcare, biochemistry/molecular biology and fisheries and wildlife. ESU will invest in faculty, space renovation and state-of-the art equipment that will ensure our graduates leave ESU with real-world experience.

Specifically, the Department of Biological Sciences Will:

■ Hire three faculty positions.

- A mammologist for fisheries and wildlife.

- A human physiologist for healthcare.

- A forensic chemist for biochemistry/ molecular biology and forensic science.

■ Support a major renovation to incorporate state-of-the-art human physiology equipment. These investments allow faculty in the department to design classes and research opportunities that provide our students engaging practical experiences both in the field and in the laboratories.

Business + Technology

Investments in the computer science program in Emporia State’s School of Business will prepare students for the fastest-growing career fields in the nation and answer student and employer needs. Twenty-four percent of ESU students are enrolled in programs that prepare students to work in a variety of positions in Kansas businesses including technology and cybersecurity.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, “Overall employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 15% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.” Likewise, cybersecurity jobs are projected to grow a whopping 39% from 2020 to 2030.

Thanks to generous donors and federal funding, Emporia State is opening a new Cybersecurity Research + Outreach Center in fall 2023. Leticia Rust, director of the new center, says the focus will be on three primary objectives:

1) prospective student outreach and recruitment;

Esports

Esports is a billion-dollar industry, projected to grow to $5.5B by 2029. Professional esports teams garner more than 380 million viewers creating revenue from streaming services, media rights, advertising, sponsorships and more.

In addition to professional teams, the number of collegiate teams is growing – the National Association of Collegiate Esports currently has 255 member schools with over 5,000 student-athletes participating in varsity esports programs. Emporia State has joined the ranks of collegiate teams.

This spring, ESU launched Hornet Esports, a competitive esports team that will compete in regional and national tournaments.

Physical Education

Spanish

Certification Areas for Middle Level Education (Grades 5-8)

English

Language Arts

Mathematics

Science

Social Sciences

Certification Areas for Secondary Education (Grades 6-12)

Biology

Business

Chemistry

Earth Science

English

Mathematics

Physics Psychology

Social Sciences

Speech + Theatre

2) cybersecurity microcredentials/certifications for ESU students; and 3) community outreach, education and cybersecurity certification.

ESU will also hire an additional computer science tenure track faculty member, which will allow ESU’s computer science program to seek prestigious accreditation from ABET, the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology.

The new team currently consists of varsity and junior varsity teams for the games Overwatch and Valorant with plans to expand to more games like League of Legends and Rocket League. Each team consists of 5-7 players. Varsity players will be eligible for scholarships. The team will also get to compete in a brand new esports arena scheduled to open in fall 2023 and will house 24 Alienware gaming stations, each equipped with 32GB of memory, 12 cores and an RTX 3060ti. For students who want to just play for fun, they can participate in ESU’s esports club, the largest Recognized Student Organization on campus.

In addition to esports gaming, ESU is also pleased to introduce an academic component, e-Ventures. Students will be able to take on projects and engage in curriculum that builds skills in technology, illustration, design and coding to prepare them for career options in the gaming industry.

These are just some of the programs Emporia State is elevating for our students. Read more about our investments in Communication, History + Political Science, Music, Art and Diversity, Equity + Inclusion at emporia.edu/future