As the library digitizes resources faculty and students warn of harm to research history and access
BY ALLISON CAMPBELL editor@thesunflower.com
Students and faculty at Wichita State are questioning the ethical and educational obligations of Ablah Library after thousands of literary materials were discarded without their consultation or notification.
“It baffles me that the policy in place does not provide room for conversation with faculty and subject librarians who can speak to this,” assistant English professor Katie Lanning said.
WHY THROW OUT BOOKS AND JOURNALS?
At a town hall meeting last week, University Libraries Dean Brent Mai addressed the “rumors and innuendos” surrounding the discarded materials.
Mai said the library is following standard procedures in disposing of outdated materials, particularly those available digitally. According to Mai, this aligns with standard library procedure and the needs of students.
“This is the world they’re growing up in,” Mai said. “It’s where they have access to half a million ebooks and 64,000 journal titles, and that’s how they’re learning to do their research.”
Mai said the deaccessioning — the process of permanently removing items in a collection — of materials is done to free up space and keep inventory relevant. The library began this process nearly a year and a half ago.
One motivator for discarding print journals and works, Mai said, is to make room for other groups to share the library space, like the Holmes Museum of Anthropology.
“We’re using the spaces that are also being vacated to create more spaces for students to engage with each other,” Mai said.
Another benefit, Mai said, is the withdrawal of outdated and duplicative print materials.
According to the “What’s Going On In The Libraries?” update on the
seven and a half miles of shelving.
FACULTY SEEKING INVOLVEMENT
But some students and faculty are concerned, not just because the library will have fewer physical resources, but because they think there’s been a lack of communication regarding the deaccessioning process.
Wichita State’s deaccessioning policy is not available online. Additionally, faculty and staff were not notified when the deaccessioning process began.
“We had no idea this was going on,” associate professor of English Fran Connor said at the town hall. “ … How can we participate if we don’t know that this is going on?”
Lanning was walking by a parking lot a few weeks ago when she noticed a student climbing out of a dumpster, library books in hand. Upset by what she saw, Lanning attended the town hall and asked if faculty or subject librarians had the chance to weigh in on what should be kept or tossed. Mai said they did not.
“It’s our job to make those decisions on your behalf,” Mai said. “It’s sort of our realm here.”
Connor and Lanning both felt that faculty and those engaging in research have a better idea of what print resources are valuable, whether it be for class curricula or personal study.
“I have a better sense of what my students might need to research,” Connor said. “… And I’d like to be able to help you shape your collection.”
Mai said the commentary of faculty and
What a sad image for research on our campus to have professors and students staking out a dumpster to get access to materials they want to survive.”
We had no idea this was going on ... How can we participate if we don’t know that this is going on?”
staff is welcome, but Connor and student Ripley Stone said it seems as though they’re only allowed to collaborate if they find out what’s going on.
“(There’s a) lack of transparency about this whole thing,” Stone said. “I think it says a lot that we’re having this conversation after materials have already gotten rid of.”
DONATION VERSUS DISPOSAL
Attendees also asked why the materials were discarded rather than donated. Mai said that when employed at Purdue University, “We couldn’t give them away.” When asked if the materials could be donated, Mai said he would need “to look at what the ramifications are for that from the university side.”
In an interview with The Sunflower, Lanning said she didn’t understand why the dumpster was the first choice and not the last.
“You can throw it away — boo, bad — you can donate it,” Lanning said. “ … You can transfer it … I don’t understand the harm in letting WSU community members who want these books have them.”
WHAT COMES NEXT?
During the town hall, attendees requested that Mai halt the further removal of library materials until a complete list of discarded materials and items slated for deaccession could be provided.
“I will check into that,” Mai said.
The next day, physics and math journals were found in the Ablah dumpster, according to Delaney Jones, an English graduate student.
Lanning said history and English department members and students have resorted to regularly checking Ablah’s dumpsters to potentially rescue discarded materials. Having to do that, Lanning said, is incredibly disheartening.
“What a sad image for research on our campus to have professors and students staking out a dumpster to get access to materials they want to survive,” Lanning said. “ … We shouldn’t have to be in a dumpster.”
Mai said he will meet with members of the English department on May 2 and history faculty on May 9. Further concerns, Mai said,
Rowing celebrates 50th anniversary
BY EVAN TONG evantong3@gmail.com
The current Shocker Rowing boathouse is located on the riverfront of McLean Boulevard. However, during its 50 years as a program, the team has called many places its home.
“The very first one when I was rowing was an abandoned laundry building that was at the corner of Murdock and Wichita Street,” former rower Don Wadsworth said. “So we had to walk across Waco and Murdock and carry down the boat to the little river by Murdock there.”
Wadsworth joined the program in 1976, the second year of its existence. One of his teammates was Fran Engelcke (then Fran King).
“You just saw women taking four oars at a time,” Engelcke said. “You wouldn’t be carrying four wooden oars at a time. Very heavy, very old equipment. It was hard, we were a club at the time. It was the first year for real Title IX, so they had to have a women’s boat to have a men’s team.” Engelcke said the boat the women rowed in was likely not up to competitive parameters, but they turned a blind eye because they wanted to row.
“The technology either helps keep you safe or helps you stay competitive,” said Calvin Cupp, WSU’s current head rowing coach. “But you know, rowing is still about the people in the boat, whether the boat is made out of carbon fiber or Kevlar or some combination.”
The technology has changed since Engelcke has rowed with newer, lighter materials. Because the team has resided at the current boathouse since 2018, they no longer have to transport their boats to the river.
The Wichita State rowing team celebrated its half-century anniversary over the weekend with an alumni rowing session, cocktail reception, dedication and the annual Plains Regional Regatta.
“I’m only 21, so I can’t even fathom 50 years,” junior Cassidy Barr said. “1975, when it started, and all these people who rowed before I was even born. It just goes to show that it’s a timeless sport that keeps upgrading and updating as time goes on.”
Cupp has been a mainstay for half of the program’s existence. Along with celebrating the program’s 50th anniversary, he celebrated his own milestone of 25 years, during which he oversaw the program’s expansion.
Cupp said the rowing team is an “institution” that also makes the local community better.
“Before we were just an intercollegiate program, and now we are a very dynamic program that impacts our community and our campus community, not just the students who are rowing,” Cupp said.
The team has launched environmental initiatives, including their partnerships with Wichita Clean Streams and the Arkansas River coalition. They also host clinics and lessons.
It’s our job to make those decisions on your behalf. It’s sort of our realm here.”
Cupp hopes to see the program remain alive for its 75th anniversary. Whether he’ll still be in the boathouse is to be determined, but he admitted he takes it “one day at a time.”
“I love what I do, and I feel lucky most days to get to do it,” Cupp said. “My whole goal is just to try to make sure, and it’s the same thing I said when I was hired, and I said, ‘I want the program to be better when I leave than it was when I got here.’”
Discarded books sit in a dumpster outside Ablah Library in April. | Photo courtsey of Josh Mallard
FRAN CONNORAssociate Professor, English
BRENT MAI University Libraries Dean
KATIE LANNING Assistant Professor, English
History or copyright infringement?
Wichita State’s dean of libraries sued for use of German genealogy work
BY ALLISON CAMPBELL editor@thesunflower.com
Wichita State’s Dean of University Libraries Brent Mai has been accused of copyright infringement, false endorsement and unfair competition for using the work of researcher Margreatha Hein, the proprietor of a company documenting the history of a group of German immigrants.
Both Mai and Hein have done research centered on the genealogy, culture and origins of Volga Germans, an ethnic group of German migrants who settled along Russia’s Volga River and who have since been scattered across the globe.
The lawsuit filed with the state of Kansas alleges that Mai has and continues to regularly publish research belonging to Hein and other researchers, “often verbatim, sometimes paraphrased, and always without proper attribution as to source.” This research includes, according to Hein’s attorneys, copyrighted photos and literary works including names, dates and city and settlement names.
Mai, who was named Wichita State’s dean of University Libraries in 2023, asserts that the information he used, often with credit to Hein, is discoverable information and not subject to copyright.
“Your name, your birthday, your birthplace … The name of the town you were born in — these are facts,” Mai said in an interview with The Sunflower. “ … And I’m sorry, that’s not copyrightable. It never has been.”
RESEARCH INTEREST
Mai said he’s been researching the history of Volga Germans his entire life. Since discovering his Volga German ancestry at a family reunion as a child, he’s devoted time and effort to tracking the socioeconomic movement patterns of the population.
Mai operated a different website to house Volga German research at each university where he was employed. The websites, with the exception of his current website volgagermaninstitute.org, were registered under an educational institution (.edu) domain name, affiliating it with the respective universities. In the counterclaim, Mai denies that any of his websites were published under the “auspices” of the universities where he was employed.
“So with the institution that I was at, every time I would change jobs, then I had to move the database to a new place,” Mai said.
“When I came here (to WSU), I set it up as a .org … If I retire, then I don’t worry that the university will decide to shut it off.”
According to the suit, Mai’s current website first appeared under the Wichita State logo, name and address. The lawsuit purports that WSU’s branding was removed after Hein, in December of 2023, sent a letter to WSU’s General Counsel Stacia Boden and thenProvost Shirley Lefever notifying them of examples of plagiarism and copyright infringement.
Hein’s letter requested that WSU “not host, promote or otherwise
MISSION
support” the Volga German Institute until Mai removed copied or plagiarism material, added proper citations and attributions, eliminate reference to Hein as a contributor where permission to use material wasn’t given, and to correct the name of a location that was misstated “when he copied my research.” A similar letter was sent to the University of North Florida, where Mai was previously employed as the dean of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.
Hein’s attorney, Todd Todesco, said Wichita State responded by asking Mai to remove mention of the university from the website.
“I think WSU’s response was, ‘Hey, that’s personal, that’s entirely his. We’re not involved in that,’” Todesco said. “But we’ve told them to remove WSU insignia from that page to show that there’s no affiliation.”
The Sunflower reached out to Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, the director of strategic communications, asking for WSU’s perspective and involvement in removing WSU branding from Mai’s website. The Sunflower did not receive a response.
In response to Hein’s letters to WSU and UNF, Mai has filed a counterclaim of defamation against Hein.
“That’s just because she’s trying to go after me and my job. And I’m like, ‘That’s not acceptable. You shouldn’t be able to get away with that sort of thing,’” Mai said.
THE LAWSUIT
According to Hein’s attorney, Catherine Simmons-Gill, Hein first became aware of the extent of Mai’s use of her research in November 2023, shortly after Mai was named dean of University Libraries at WSU.
“She was aware that there were a few things here and there, sure, but she, for the first time, looked up things on his website by her own name, and there were something like 385 references to her name,”
Simmons-Gill said.
She also became aware of copied photos, eight of which have since been registered for copyright.
Simmons-Gill said Mai published the photos in 2017, where they remained on his website until they were removed sometime in January or February 2024, shortly after Hein filed for copyright registration.
“(But) he has never done anything to change, give credit for, (or) cite the textual information,”
Simmons-Gill said.
In dozens of his website entries containing textual information from Hein, Mai lists her as a contributor. Hein’s lawyers said this insinuates that Hein works for Mai or gave him permission to use her work, both of which are untrue.
“He cites the sources that she cites on her website, and then he just lists her as a researcher or contributor,” Todesco said.
“Because what would happen if he linked to the actual source where he got the information? It would send people to her site, and he does not do anything to send people to her site. He — in our opinion — he makes it look like she works for him.”
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Simmons-Gill and Todesco said that through his representation, Mai appears to be “the apex of research in this field,” enabling Mai to financially benefit from the use of Hein’s information. Todesco also asserts that Mai’s website “was a huge basis for him obtaining employment at Wichita State.”
“People like (Hein) keep pushing him up, as he’s got it set up, which then allows him to capitalize on his expertise and generate income from his nonacademic pursuits,” Todesco said.
According to his cover letter for the dean of University Libraries position, Mai speaks internationally as an expert in Volga German history and has fundraised over $2 million for the Center for Volga German Studies. Additionally, he leads tours in Germany, visiting the villages of Volga Germans. According to the Volga German Tours website, Mai is scheduled for a tour this June.
The Sunflower asked MazzulloHart how significant Mai’s Volga German work was in his hiring. The Sunflower did not receive a response.
In the counterclaim, Mai denies that his website competes with any other websites. The information offered and available on both Mai’s and Hein’s websites is offered without cost and does not feature ads, according to the counterclaim, eliminating the possibility of competition between the websites.
According to Hein’s attorneys, there is a disagreement as to whether Hein gave Mai verbal permission to use her information.
“(Mai) has admitted that there is no written permission. He’s admitted that. So the issue is, did (Hein) ever give him oral permission? And she says, ‘No,’” Simmons-Gill said.
Simmons-Gill asserts that in 2020, Hein sent Mai a text, saying, “If you ever think you had permission to copy any of my textual materials, you don’t.”
But Mai said that regardless, the information in question is not copyrightable.
“Anyone could discover it; you, me. So therefore, it’s not copyrightable because it could be discoverable by all of us,” Mai said. “... I don’t deny that I copied her information. What I deny is that that’s illegal.”
Mai compared the relationship between Hein and the data on her website to that of a scientist who has discovered a new element.
“Scientists will work their entire careers, their entire lives, to discover a new element on the periodic table,” Mai said. “Maybe they get their name on it, but the element doesn’t belong to them because it was discoverable, no matter how difficult it is.”
But the considerable lengths Hein went to to obtain and verify the information used on Mai’s website and the conclusions she’s made as a result of that research, her attorneys said, also make it grounds for a proper subject matter of copyright.
“She goes to multiple different sources, and she has to use judgment to select the sources,” Simmons-Gill said. “... She translates from this kind of
unique old German. She goes to birth records, settlement records, baptismal records, marriage documents. These might all be in different places, and yet, she pulls a series of facts out of multiple different records, which she translates and puts them all together based on then probably confirming them from other records.”
Mai acknowledged that while the information was laborious to obtain and corroborate, that doesn’t make it Hein’s.
“She says, ‘I worked really hard to find this stuff.’ And I was like, ‘It’s your gift to humanity; it doesn’t belong to you,’” Mai said.
NEXT STEPS
The suit is ongoing, with the most recent activity occurring on March 3. Mai said he’s confident the suit against him has no merit.
“She has little or no understanding of how copyright really works,” Mai said. “ … The law is on my side. We’re (Mai and his
attorney) lost for what she thinks is going to happen here.”
Conversely, while Simmons-Gill and Todesco said they would love for Mai to settle, they’re certain the final decision will rule in Hein’s favor.
“He has built his website on a lot of other people’s work, and he thinks, for some reason, because nobody has put his feet to the fire, that this is okay,” Simmons-Gill said.
As of July 2024, a trial is designated to take place in Wichita, with no set date yet. Until then, Mai said he’ll continue to do the work that he does despite the lawsuit’s claims.
“I continue to work, continue to do the research that I do, speak, do all that sort of stuff. It’s what I do. I don’t think that somebody like this should be allowed to stifle that sort of work that goes on,” Mai said. “ … (But) I’d rather spend my time on that, on supporting student research, faculty research that’s going on here, putting my time and energy into other things.”
roots here’: Engineering dean prepares to leave Wichita State
“
BY MYA SCOTT
mds200624@gmail.com
Just short of four years ago, Anthony Muscat became the dean of engineering at Wichita State University. He had moved from the hot deserts of Arizona to the middle of tornado alley, and now, he will be leaving behind the shocks of wheat to live near the sandy beaches of California, where he’ll be the vice president and provost at California State University, East Bay.
“I was looking to really extend the interest that I have in helping students and faculty and this opportunity came up,” Muscat said.
One of Muscat’s passions is helping students and making connections. He said the students at Wichita State were his motivation to come to work.
“I think one really enjoyable aspect of being at Wichita State is getting to know some of the student stories, about (their) backgrounds, barriers they’ve overcome, their career aspirations,” Muscat said. “That’s been a lot of fun. I really love talking with students, and I’m not shy, so I don’t have any real issues if I meet a student and I want to have a conversation, I’ll just ask them a question, and usually that starts the process.”
Aerospace engineering department chair Suresh Keshavanarayana said he and Muscat worked closely on many projects within the college of engineering and got to know each other during that time.
“He is very easy to talk to,” Keshavanarayana said. “And he looks for the best in people.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Muscat said he intends to bring his love of making connections with him to the Golden State.
“The way I intend to be a provost is to, again, make connections not
I’m
a firm believer in whatever experiences you have, you find a way to use in whatever comes your way in terms of the career path. I’m sure I’ll find a way to use it.”
ANTHONY MUSCAT Dean of Wichita State’s College of Engineering
just between my college and the rest of the university, but really looking to do that within the university and between the university and the outside community,” Muscat said.
Muscat’s new position won’t just be spearheading the engineering college. He’ll now have many different colleges to look after, many of which are liberal arts and sciences.
“It’ll be an expanded connection role,” Muscat said.
While he is looking forward to his new role, Muscat said that leaving Wichita State is bittersweet.
“I’ve really established roots here, both at university, not just in the College of Engineering, but really across campus,” Muscat said.
“(I’ve had) really great colleagues to work with: my dean colleagues, provost, president, as well as a lot of committed staff. It’s really been great to work with them … It’s going to be very hard to leave.”
The choice to move wasn’t just difficult for Muscat. He said when he initially started thinking about a change in jobs, his wife told him she “wasn’t leaving Wichita.” Muscat said she, too, had planted roots in Wichita. And though she wasn’t surprised they were moving again, as they’ve lived in many different places, she was initially skeptical. However, one factor changed her mind in the end.
“Our kids are both in California,” Muscat said. “We have a son and his fiancée in San Francisco. They live in the city. And then there’s our daughter, who just had a baby, so we’re grandparents … I didn’t know that I would get an
Accreditation bodies face new regulations
BY KASS LEWIS lewkass05@gmail.com
A new Kansas bill and federal executive order target accreditation for colleges and universities amid concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.
Senate Bill 78 passed with a signature from Gov. Laura Kelly in March. The legislation says universities and colleges in Kansas have the right to sue accreditation bodies if any of the requirements for accreditation compel them to break state law.
A new executive order from President Donald Trump calls for an investigation into two accrediting bodies and may affect more. The executive order, signed by Trump on April 23, asks the U.S. secretary of education to temporarily or permanently revoke federal recognition from accreditation bodies if they break civil rights laws.
“The basic idea is to force accreditation to be focused on the merit and the actual results that these universities are providing, as opposed to how woke these universities have gotten,” White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf said in an Inside Higher Ed article.
Zach Gearhart, executive director of government relations at WSU, said the exact impact of the actions is unclear.
opportunity in California, so it’s sort of all dovetailed.”
Muscat said he is going to miss many things from living in Wichita: friends, the community, the ability to travel by car easily but also an annual event held at Wichita State that’s held a place in his heart since his first year.
“(I’m going to miss) Clash of the Colleges,” Muscat said. “The first one, I painted my hair green (since) College of Engineering is green. What little hair I have was green. And I got to drive this dune buggy into Cessna Stadium, so it was a lot of fun and just the passion of all the students … Even though it’s a competition, it’s done in the spirit of trying to bring people together.”
Muscat said he will also miss the applied learning at Wichita State, which is “the best I’ve ever seen.” But he aims to bring what he’s learned to California.
“I think that (is) one thing they (Cal State) are looking to expand,” Muscat said. “... I learned a lot here about not only how to structure it, but also really now to have those conversations with companies and community partners, as well as how to build the faculty and staff and student base to support all that work.”
Even though Muscat knows there will be challenges, he said he’ll find a way to use past experiences to further his new expeditions.
“I’m a firm believer in whatever experiences you have, you find a way to use in whatever comes your way in terms of the career path. I’m sure I’ll find a way to use it.”
In his time at Wichita State, the engineering program has achieved many milestones that have allowed him to gain experience for future opportunities. Muscat said when he first accepted the role as dean, Wichita State was last among colleges for freshman to sophomore retention and is, as of now, ranked first. Wichita State was ranked number one in aerospace research and eighth in engineering research and development in December 2024.
Muscat said he’s hoping whoever takes his place at WSU will be able to “build off some of the seeds I’ve planted” now that he is leaving.
“I think we have a lot of resources and a lot of advantages here at Wichita State that we’re not completely making use of and starting to look at things in a new light and break down some barriers and loot at people and things in a new way,” Muscat said. “I think that will help (them) achieve the really ambiguous goals.”
“It’s (SB 78) about diversity, equity and inclusion — absolutely,” Rife said. “It says that universities and institutions can sue the accrediting bodies for conflicting with state law. And that is — I don’t think the bill specifically says it — but … it is aimed at removing any vestiges of DEI.”
“If this bill were to pass, for us, I’m not sure exactly how this would go down,” Rife said. “... If state law says that we cannot have anything that includes diversity, equity or inclusion, and our national accrediting body says that we must have elements of diversity, equity and inclusion, then likely we’re going to lose the accreditation status. And then we’ll have fewer students.”
The executive order states it would be unlawful for accreditations to compel colleges and universities “to engage in unlawful discrimination in accreditation-related activity under the guise of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ initiatives.”
LICENSING
“As of now, we don’t perceive (the bill) is going to have a significant impact at the university,” Gearhart said. “Obviously that could change … there are new state and federal laws that get enacted all the time.”
But some people worry that the bill is a step toward more changes to come.
“I don’t know yet how this is going to play out, but it’s going to get interesting,” said Aaron Rife, a School of Education associate professor and department chair.
EFFECTS ON DEI
Gearhart said there are no current laws that would, in conjunction with Senate Bill 78, affect DEI initiatives. He also said a previous bill, House Bill 2105, which is related to DEI, seemed to have no effect on the university. He said he feels that it should give some comfort when it comes to Senate Bill 78’s potential effects.
Rife said Kansas schools of education losing accreditation would contribute to an ongoing shortage of teachers in the state. In order to get a teaching license, graduates must have a degree from an accredited school. Schools must also be accredited by a federally recognized accreditation body in order to receive federal student aid, according to Inside Higher Ed. Rife said he’s especially worried about special education teachers.
“That’s our largest need (in Kansas), and this would only hurt that because it’s awfully hard to get a license in special education without any diversity, equity and inclusion,” Rife said.
While Rife spoke mainly on his expertise in the School of Education, he said these actions could affect different schools as well. Students pursuing medical degrees also require a degree from an accredited college or university in order to obtain medical licenses.
The Sunflower attempted to reach out to faculty from the School of Health Professions about how these changes would affect its school. Despite several attempts, faculty either declined to speak or failed to follow up.
Sarah Beth Estes named new Fairmount College dean
BY ALLISON CAMPBELL editor@thesunflower.com
Wichita State University announced the appointment of Sarah Beth Estes as the new dean for the university’s largest school of study, the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on Monday morning. Estes previously served as the dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
During her camp us visit to WSU last month, Estes said she had the opportunity to work alongside two former WSU deans while at UALR — Zulma Toro-Ramos, a former College of Engineering dean, and Lawrence
Whitman, a former associate dean for Undergraduate Education.
“So for all of those years, I had heard a lot of lessons from Wichita State, a lot of adages from Wichita State …” Estes said during her campus visit.
During her time at UALR, Estes held several different titles — from associate dean to the coordinator for the Gender Studies program. Estes said she hopes to apply that wide range of experience at WSU to further R1 initiatives and ensure faculty success.
Estes will take over the role from interim dean David Eichhorn on July 6. Eichhorn served as interim dean after the departure of Andrew Hippisley last June.
Anthony Muscat, with his hair died green, for Clash of the Colleges 2024. | Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower
Anthony Muscat, the dean of the College of Engineering, talks to a student at the Clash of the Colleges pre-party on Aug. 23.
Muscat will leave WSU in June. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Sarah Beth Estes speaks to Fairmount College faculty and staff on March 31. |
Photo by Allison Campbell / The Sunflower
SOFTBALL HONORS SENIORS
Softball wins its fourth-straight series against Charlotte over the weekend
BY MACK SMITH mackred22@gmail.com
On its senior weekend, Wichita State’s softball team was able to win its fourth straight series against an American Athletic Conference opponent.
WSU took two of three games from Charlotte in Wilkins Stadium, its fifth time taking two of three games in its last six series. The Shockers have not swept a conference opponent all season.
With the series win, the Shockers’ record rose to 26-22-1 and 13-10-1 in AAC play, while the 49ers fell to 14-10.
The series had multiple highscoring games, which WSU head coach Kristi Bredbenner attributed to the strength of WSU and Charlotte’s offenses.
“Both good hitting teams, and I mean to be honest with you, it was just going to be whoever could continue to keep getting the big hits,” Bredbenner said.
The series win had postseason implications for WSU. The top four teams in the conference receive first and second-round byes in the AAC Championship. Charlotte currently controls the
four-seed, and the series win brought the Shockers to within a half-game of that spot with one series to go in the regular season.
Graduate student Lauren Lucas said the series win came against a tough opponent.
“(I) think we worked really hard to get those wins,” Lucas said.
“They are two very good team wins, and we didn’t let losing the game last night carry into today, and we (turned) it around.”
The first two games of the series were a doubleheader on Friday. Between games one and two, the senior weekend ceremony was held.
The Shockers honored five players: Krystin Nelson, Caroline Tallent, Camryn Compton, Ellee Eck and Lucas.
“They (the seniors) deserve all the recognition,” Bredbenner said. “They have been through the grind. Some have been here one year, and some have been here five years and everything in between.”
Wichita State’s players appreciated seeing friends and family at the game for the ceremony.
“It was awesome,” Eck said.
From Junior Olympics to WSU: Audrey Parson shows competitiveness as a Shocker
BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com
Audrey Parson has always been competitive. The senior Wichita State track and field athlete said it’s something that started young, with her dad encouraging her along the way.
Parson started running when she was 8. Her dad was already coaching her sister and encouraged Parson to give it a try.
“I remember going out to the track with my sister, and like, she was hurdling and then my dad was like, ‘How about you try?’”
Parson said. “And then every day after school, I started doing AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) track, and that’s when I started to fall in love with the sport.” She went on to qualify and compete in the Junior Olympics.
“Every summer, we went (on) trips and a lot of them,” she said.
“The Junior Olympics were in really cool places. That’s kind of where the high expectations kind of started, and that’s when I started to really love being competitive and competing against a lot of really good people.”
High expectations eventually led Parson to run at WSU. But when she arrived, Parson was dealing with an injury, the first of several that would challenge her along the way.
“I’ve had three stress fractures, a lot of just not being able to have consistent training,” she said. “So that’s been kind of a struggle to go through throughout the years. But this year, finally, everything’s kind of coming together. The hard work is paying off.”
Parson, a senior this year, plans to become an athletic trainer when she finishes her tenure on the team. In fact, she’s already gained experience for her future career through years of working through injuries and
helping her teammates through theirs.
Parson’s teammate and roommate, Chidera Okoro, said Parson’s academic path has been helpful for many on the team.
“I even come home with injuries — all our roommates come home and say, like, ‘Hey, Audrey, could you check what this is? Or, could you like, diagnose me?’” Okoro said. “And it’s really fun because she knows a lot. She’s a very smart girl who not only applies it to her school, but she also applies to the track.
“Whenever she’s dealing with some injuries, she can go through like, her textbook and pinpoint, ‘Okay, this has like, tendonitis, or this is blah, blah, blah, and she usually gets through it with whatever treatment the book says.’”
Okoro described Parson as a “dog” and a “stud.”
“She’s always a person who is dedicated to a routine,” Okoro said. “If it’s on her mind, she will figure out a way to solve it.”
Parson said her determination comes down to finding her “why” and focusing on her goals through hardships.
“You have to know that even if you have a bad day, like, the good days will come,” Parson said. “The results are going to be what they are, and just knowing that you’re working as hard as you can, and at the end of it, if you don’t get what you want, you at least know you gave it your all.” Parson said she’s not certain if she’ll compete for another year or simply focus on finishing her studies. She said coming to what might be the end of her athletic career is “bittersweet.”
“It’s definitely like a weird feeling,” she said. “I’ve worked so hard to get up to this point that I’ve almost given it all; to where, I only have a little bit more to give.”
Softball sends final home game this season to extra innings, loses to KU
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
“I’ve seen so many people I don’t really keep up with anymore; they still wanted to come out and see me.”
“It was a really special moment,” Lucas said. “You put a lot of time in, and you really appreciate that people appreciate you putting that time in.”
SERIES RESULTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 25 WIN, 7-3
Standout performance: Ryley Nihart: 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5H, 2 SO
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
LOSS, 10-8
Standout performance: Taylor Sedlacek: 2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI
In its final home game of the season, Wichita State’s softball team forced extra innings after trailing by two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Shockers (now 26-23-1) ultimately pushed the game to a ninth inning before falling to in-state rival, Kansas (22-24), on Wednesday evening, 5-3.
Senior Camryn Compton said after the game that ending her career at Wilkins Stadium brought a lot of emotions.
“It’s been a fun journey,” she said. “We showed our fight and that’s what Wichita is all about. And so it was fun to put up a fight, get some great softball in and have one last game with my team.”
WSU head coach Kristi Bredbenner said the Shockers were doing a great job of being selective with their swings during the seventh inning to force the game into extras.
“(We) really made her (KU’s pitcher) pound the zone for strikes and were able to get some walks and some hits in a key, opportune time,” Bredbenner said. “The bottom line is, we fought (and) we battled back.”
The Shockers came into the seventh inning trailing by two runs with the bottom of the order headed to the plate.
Freshman Brookelyn Livanec singled to second base. Later, senior Krystin Nelson reached first on an error. Then, three WSU batters coerced consecutive walks and eventually tied the game. Compton then stepped up with the bases loaded and a chance to win the game in regulation. With a 2-2 count, she took a hack at a ball that hit the end of the barrel of her bat and rolled to the second baseman, who sent the ball to second base for the out that sent the game to extras. The teams went runless in the eighth, and in the ninth, the Jayhawks scored the game’s final two runs on two separate RBI-doubles.
Lucas left the stadium she’s called home for the last five seasons with a couple of parting words:
“Thank you, Wilkins. It’s been real,” she said.
Wichita State will wrap up its regular season over the weekend with a three-game series at Memphis. The first pitch for game one is scheduled for Friday, May 2, at 6 p.m.
Wichita State softball’s seniors take a picture with their jerseys between games of a doubleheader on April 25. The Shockers
spilt their senior night doubleheader with a 7-3 win and a 10-8 loss. | Photos by Mack Smith / The Sunflower
Freshman Catelyn Beckerley and sophomore Mila Seaton dance in between innings on Friday. Wichita State and Charlotte played a doubleheader that day.
Graduate student Lauren Lucas hugs assistant coach Courtney OliverElkins during the senior day celebration on April 25.
Junior Jodie Epperson makes a catch at the warning track on April 25 against Charlotte. Epperson made three put outs in 7-3 win in game one of a doubleheader.
Graduate student Lauren Lucas hugs her teammates after she hit a home run in the first game of a doubleheader against Charlotte.
Junior Taylor Sedlacek slides into second base on a stolen base attempt against Charlotte. Sedlacek has stolen six bags this season.
Senior Audrey Parson rests after running the women’s 800-meters on April 11. Parson was WSU’s second fastest runner at the KT Woodman Classic. | Photo by Mack Smith / The Sunflower
Baseball drops weekend series against USF
BY EVAN TONG evantong3@gmail.com
Wichita State baseball’s home series against South Florida was marred by rain delays this weekend. The Shockers only managed to take Saturday’s game and lost the series but snapped a nine-game losing streak.
With the series loss, Wichita State has an American Athletic Conference record of 5-13. WSU is 13-30 on the season.
The Bulls improved to 12-6 in AAC games.
The top eight teams in the conference will play in the championship tournament in May. With three series left in the regular season, Wichita State is currently in ninth place of the conference standings.
FRIDAY
Wichita State dropped the series’ first game, 4-1. Senior Grant Adler had a rough time on the mound as he took the loss, leaving his record at 3-5 this season.
Adler only threw three innings with a pitch count of 86, ending a 100-pitch streak of starts dating back to a win at Tulane in March.
The Shockers struggled with run support despite sporting a batting average of .316. Wichita State left 13 batters on base. The team also struggled to generate free passes, striking out eight times to one walk.
SATURDAY
Sophomore Brady Hamilton took a soaked mound in a 7-5 victory that snapped WSU’s nine-game losing streak. It marked Hamilton’s first win since February, as he is now 2-5 on the season.
“I enjoyed it because hitters don’t like to hit in bad weather,” Hamilton said. “So it’s always a good day to pitch whenever the conditions aren’t favorable for the hitters.”
Hamilton pitched 7 2/3 innings, the most in his collegiate career and allowed only four hits.
SUNDAY
Sunday’s game was flip-flopped back to its originally scheduled slot of noon due to inclement weather.
Sophomore southpaw Tyler Dobbs toed the rubber for his third start of the season and took the loss for his fourth of the year.
USF put the game out of reach with a two-RBI double and a tworun homer in the seventh allowed by junior Aaron Arnold and junior Caleb Anderson, respectively.
The Shockers ended up losing, 13-4.
WSU’s midweek game against Oklahoma was cancelled. The Shockers will take on East Carolina in a series at Eck Stadium starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
‘SECOND IS GOOD, BUT WE GO TO WIN’
Men’s bowling not satisfied with second-place finish at Intercollegiate Championships
BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com
After competing as one of the best 16 teams in the country, Wichita State men’s bowling placed second at the Intercollegiate Team Championships from April 16 to 19.
While most programs would be ecstatic about taking home silver, that wasn’t the goal for the Shockers. They expect to win it all each year.
“We’re going to get there every year,” senior Spencer Robarge said. “It’s just a matter of whether or not we can bring it home at the end, or not. And obviously, second is good, but we go to win.”
The Shockers have set such a high standard for themselves at the ITC because of the decades of success they’ve built.
WSU’s men’s team currently holds the most ITC wins by any program, with 13 in the 50 years the tournament has been run.
The next closest school has won four.
Head coach Rick Steelsmith credited the people who started the program for its success.
Gordon Vadakin and Mark Lewis jump-started the program, and for more than two decades, they helped it rise to the prominence it now claims.
“That just gets carried over,” Steelsmith said. “We always try
We obviously know we can do it. We have a lot of good bowlers, (and) we have a lot of good bowlers coming back next year.”
BRADEN MALLASCH Sophomore bowler
to make the following year better than the one before … we build on what we have had in the past. And then we try to keep up and add new things that we feel, like with technology and all kinds of other things, that will help us to continue to get better and better each year.”
Sophomore Braden Mallasch said the team will use the result as motivation to bring home a national championship next season.
“We obviously know we can do it,” Mallasch said. “We have a lot of good bowlers, (and) we have a lot of good bowlers coming back next year. And I’m confident with the people that we can end up winning a national championship.”
Despite the disappointment of not winning a national championship this year, there were still some bright spots.
Steelsmith said that at a tournament of this level, the team played the most consistently they have all season.
“We had spots here and there during the season where we really clicked and really jelled and played at a really high level,” Steelsmith said. “But it wasn’t as consistent as this tournament. I think everything came together at a higher level than it did at any point during the season, and it stayed consistent all the way through the matches that we bowled there.”
Robarge was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“I feel like I bowled about the best that I possibly could have over the course of the week, both in singles and in team,” Robarge said. “... I don’t think it totally takes away from what would have been to actually win the whole thing.
“But it’s a nice little something to keep with me.”
Robarge and senior Brandon Bonta both bowled in their final tournaments as members of WSU’s team. Bonta said the experience of playing for such a historic program and participating in the ITC has been a dream come true.
“Being here has really just been an honor,” Bonta said. “And for all the young bowlers out there that want to go somewhere, where they know they can succeed as well as grow and develop — this is the number one spot for them.”
Rick Steelsmith, the men’s head bowling coach, talks about the team’s 2025 season, which concluded on April 19. |
Photo by Allison Campbell / The Sunflower
Long awaited pickleball courts, despite flaws, offer a good time
After months of anticipation and wondering if it would ever come to be, the pickleball courts finally opened, now sporting a new location. On April 11, the long awaited amenity opened back up at its new location after it was moved to help preserve trees and prevent disruptions. The new courts have now been open for a little over two weeks. Photographer Peyton Eck and I went out early Tuesday morning to play pickleball to test the quality of the court and see how well it replaces the old, beloved courts.
The court quality and material was pretty much the same. Enough give to be comfortable while not too soft. They were set up correctly, no lines were misplaced or crooked and the rule sheet next to each section was extremely helpful.
But there are only three courts instead of the original four that the old site had. The pickleball courts are nearly always in use, especially with the nice weather approaching. The students will be craving to play after their pickleball hiatus. It was already difficult in early September to snag a spot with the four court system and I can only imagine how much worse it will be with one fewer.
There are pickleball courts inside the Heskett Center that help delay the stampede of students, but even this only lasts until 8 p.m. Then it will be student versus student to see who can get there first.
We purposely woke up early to guarantee we could actually play. However, getting up at eight in the morning to play multiple rounds of pickleball is not ideal.
To make matters worse, the courts are so squished together compared to their predecessor. Multiple times, if another duo had played alongside us, our ball would infiltrate their game, causing disruption.
There are also now gaps between the fence separating the courts and the fence surrounding all of the courts which does allow easier travel between courts, but only amplifies the issue of rogue balls.
I miss the original set up of the courts from the old location: Four courts having big enough gaps between them that other games rarely interrupted you. They were secluded in their own fence area with a gate, preventing rebelling balls from entering other courts.
I understand these choices were made most likely in the interest of saving space and time, but it’s disappointing to wait months for new courts, only to end up with less than we had. The three courts, regardless of the problems I predict will arise, are not the new site’s biggest issue — it’s the location. Read the rest on thesunflower.com
Academic work isn’t a waste, unless you ignore its value
Piper Pinnetti opinion@thesunflower.com OPINION
University libraries are more than just a warehouse for books — they’re a symbol of scholarship, collaboration and care for intellectual legacy. That’s why it’s deeply unsettling that Ablah Library threw historical research, books and other published materials into a dumpster without consulting faculty or offering alternatives.
Yes, libraries have to adapt. Yes, space is limited. And yes, the shift toward digital access is important and here to stay. But, progress should never come at the expense of transparency or basic academic respect.
There is no defensible reason for a university to discard materials — especially research from past WSU faculty — without first offering them to the departments
that might value them, or notifying students and scholars who would have gladly taken them. Even donating them to another institution, archival project or community space would have been a better outcome than simply trashing them.
Yes, digital access is a permanent adaptation of society, but the library could dedicate some time to, at the very least, scan the works and publish them online instead of completely discarding them.
The university says these materials were unused or duplicated elsewhere. But no circulation statistics or storage cost justifies tossing out the intellectual work of past scholars without pause.
History doesn’t become less significant because it has been shelved for a while. And online access does not mean physical records are obsolete, especially for disciplines that value direct source engagement, like English and history.
This wasn’t just a mistake of disposal. It was a mistake of assumption — assuming that libraries alone should make final decisions on academic material without real dialogue with a majority of faculty or students. It’s not enough to say “We made this choice for you.” A university library is not a personal collection; it is a shared one. If WSU wants to remain a place that values research, innovation and interdisciplinary work, it must rethink its approach to physical materials. The library should never discard potentially valuable materials without first notifying and collaborating with the faculty about even considering a relocation. And if space or digitalization truly necessitate removal, then those plans should be communicated — clearly, respectfully and patiently, with ample time to respond.
Throwing knowledge in the dumpster — literally — should never be the first or only option.
End of the year worsens for students as finals and move-out dates are combined
One of the worst weeks of the semester is finals week. Whether it’s from copious amounts of late-night studying for exams that seem longer than the constitution or from last-minute editing for a project, it’s usually an overall terrible experience.
The second worst week is packing up your dorm as the year ends and it’s time to move back home or to your new apartment. The move is time-consuming and taxing.
Finals this year are held from May 12-16 and according to Housing and Residence, students must be fully out of the dorms by noon on May 16.
Instead of providing a buffer week where students can rest and catch their breath, Wichita State combined the two worst weeks of the year into one.
It’s outrageous that WSU is requiring students to balance moving out while preparing for the final push to achieve a good grade in their classes. This isn’t some discussion question — it could be the difference between passing or
having to retake the class again, therefore potentially causing more of a financial burden on the student.
If a student wishes to stay past the move-out deadline, not only do they run the risk of being denied based on their application, they will be charged a flat rate of $30 per night, and only up to four nights. I understand contracts are a thing, but immediately charging a student more — in addition to the thousands we students already pay — to live in their dorm for a few extra nights is absurd, especially if it’s for something university related, such as a final.
Final test days can also be whenever and not necessarily on the original day of the class. Math finals, from personal experience and from Shockers around me, are held on a Saturday, which is a prime packing day. It makes it hard to schedule when you plan to move, especially if you have other finals on different days of the week.
Finals may not take all day to complete, but the mental strain of studying, taking the test and then the anxiety make it hard to focus afterward.
Shockers who live out of state should also be taken into heavier consideration when picking a kick-out date. I’m lucky enough to
Before the era of digital photography, there was film photography. Photographs were taken by cameras, such as 35mm film cameras, and the film had to be developed using certain chemicals and techniques learned over time. This eventually paved the way for digital photography, where the need for film and developing equipment was no more. But film photography is not a forgotten art. People still practice it all the time with an up-to-date facility and proper equipment.
In the McKnight Art Center at Wichita State, there is a darkroom that supplies and holds all of the equipment and space necessary for film photography. However, the darkroom has not been regularly updated in a while. The plumbing is in need of improvement. Specifically, there are two developing rooms with a sink in each one. Only one of the sinks produces both hot and cold water. The other one just flows hot water. This can be difficult for students trying to develop at the same time. The student using the hot water sink needs to find cold water somewhere else in order to regulate the temperature for the developer chemical.
In the darkroom there are machines known as enlargers, which are essential for the printing process of film photography. They make the intended image bigger so the image prints correctly. Unfortunately, some of them are not functioning properly. Some have light bulbs that need to be replaced. Others just need to be replaced entirely. This can create issues in the printing process.
I have experienced all of these issues myself. While developing, I have had to use the water fountains outside the darkroom to retrieve some cold water to regulate temperatures. I have also had to use different enlargers while printing photographs. Both of these cost me time I did not have. All of these updates require the right amount of funding provided by the Fine Arts department and WSU.
live under an hour away, but many of my friends aren’t. It’s difficult to pack and move on your own, and even more difficult for parents to take off work to come help their children move.
My mom and I had to debate for 30 minutes when it would be optimal for her to come help due to our conflicting schedules.
Asking other friends is most likely off the table for most students as they’re fighting their own finals and moving battles.
It’s really bad timing all around.
I understand WSU wants to give its staff an easier time with less students, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of other people.
This whole fiasco could be easily avoided if the deadline to move out was pushed back. Even if it were backed up to the Monday after finals, it would be much easier on students if they had the weekend after finals to pack. It’s a simple solution that still allows the dorms to be vacated in a timely manner. Students shouldn’t have to pack their suitcases while also pouring over notes from the semester.
I encourage WSU to be more mindful to make this busy time less stressful for its students.
Jennifer Ray, one of the photography instructors for the College of Fine Arts and a current professor of mine, has been petitioning for funding for the darkroom. The department claims that they do not have it at the moment.
How can you not improve the student experience when it is needed, not wanted? The state of the darkroom is causing setbacks to students attempting to finish their photography projects in time. This can severely affect students’ grades and GPAs.
Students who are taking photography classes require up-to-date developing and printing equipment in order to successfully complete their photography projects to the best of their ability. Not only is it required for their grade in the class, but it’s also required for the development of the skills they are learning through the class.
Students could take action by writing up a petition for funding for the darkroom. This lack of funding reflects poorly on the fine arts department because they should be willing to try everything to help their students succeed to the best of their abilities. The needs of photography students are too great not to act on this matter.
Illustration by Preston Caylor / The Sunflower
Illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower
Illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower
THE FINAL EXHIBIT
Last student exhibition marks end of Holmes museum in Neff
BY MYA SCOTT mds.200624@gmail.com
Every year, the spring museum exhibition class creates an exhibit to be displayed within the Lowell D. Holmes Museum located in Neff Hall. This year is no different; the class produced its own unique exhibition. However, this tradition will be seeing its final year in Neff Hall as future demolition and re construction looms in the distance.
The class, taught by Rachelle Meinecke, was able to choose what artifacts and themes it wanted its final exhibit to include. The class chose to explore different symbols and expressions in different cultures with their exhibit titled, “Echoes of Expression: A Cultural Symbolism Collective.”
“(It’s about) kind of how symbolism maybe reflect the worldview of that particular culture or help shape that worldview of that particular culture,” Meinecke said.
Sierrsha McAllister, a senior majoring in anthropology, chose to do her section of the exhibit on clay across Asian cultures.
“My exhibit focuses on Asian pottery,” McAllister said. “Its very different forms, techniques and then the purposes of them and some symbolism that’s built into them as well.”
“
They’re kind of sad about it, but at the same time, they’re excited about the new space. We need a new space.”
RACHELLE MEINECKE Director, Lowell D. Holmes Museum
McAllister said she was inspired by the “striking pieces” she came across while sifting through the collection. With so many interesting visuals, she said she found a challenge in selecting the “right” pieces.
“I wanted it to be very Zen and calming, inviting,” McAllister said. “Visually striking, but not overwhelming … Things that are also evoking of Asian culture as well.”
Another student also chose to showcase pottery, but this time, from Mesoamerica. Antonio Ramirez, a senior studying art history, said he wanted to display items used in daily life, but also ones that connected with the spiritual aspect.
“I’m kind of examining how clay has been used as a technology,” Ramirez said. “Kind of tied in with daily life, but also ritual uses, and so not just the
physicality of reality, but also the spiritual.”
Ramirez said he wants people to leave the museum understanding that symbolism is not just prevalent in artworks, but also in life.
“There’s a lot of symbolism in life. A lot of these oral motifs stand out to me now,” Ramirez said.
Allison Waldt took a different route from pottery and showcased headdresses from New Hanover in her exhibit.
“When I saw these headdresses, I thought that they were very unique and I knew I wanted them to be the center of this exhibit, sort of the spotlight of my section,” Waldt said.
Waldt’s anthropological focus for her exhibit was “community vs. individualism.”
“(The people of Hanover are) a very community-over-theindividual culture,” Waldt said. “I go through a discussion of competing values with the U.S. being such an individualistic culture, to sort of foster through on how cross-cultural communication can affect people’s perspectives.”
However, the values the headdresses hold weren’t the only reason this exhibit was special for Waldt.
“(The headdresses) came from Dr. (Dorothy) Billings … These items were given to her as a gift from the people that she worked with and have been a part of the WSU collection ever since,” Waldt said. “Being able to work with objects that came from Dr. Billings was really exciting for me because she was one of the first women in anthropology to make a lot of really big strides as a woman … It feels really cool to be able to carry on that tradition of women in STEM.”
According to the Wichita State Master Plan, a document outlining
all of the changes being done to Wichita State for the next 10 years, Neff Hall is set to be demolished before the end of next year. The museum will eventually find a home on the second floor of Ablah Library.
Meinecke said when the students were initially choosing their exhibits, she didn’t even realize at first that this exhibit would be the last due to the uncertainty of the timeline.
“When I started to think about this will probably be our last exhibit opening in Neff Hall, for the students that have been a part of our department and part of our program, there’s a little nostalgia there,” Minecke said. “They’re kind of sad about it, but at the same time, they’re excited about the new space. We need a new space.”
Waldt said she’s looking forward to moving spaces because Neff Hall is so “outdated,” and being in a more accessible building is beneficial.
“In terms of access and getting student work like this out there to the student body more and also more physically accessible with things like the plank entrance … That’s very difficult for people with mobility issues, for older people, things of that nature,” Waldt said.
“Having a museum that’s more accessible to students would be great.”
Amidst the joys of being in a newer, more accessible space, there are some concerns over the move.
“I know there’s concerns about storage space and things of that nature,” Waldt said. “The museum has a pretty expansive collection, of which a very small percentage is actually on display. And so I definitely have concerns for the safety and stability of some of the objects during that move.”
Ramirez said he finds no issue with the move, as long as it’s an upgrade for the program.
“I think as long as it is an upgrade, there’s no issue,” Ramirez said. “I think if you’re taking money away, you’re taking away the response and feelings that people can get from visiting work.”
McAllister said she finds it “cool, in a sad way,” knowing this class will be the last to build an exhibit in Neff.
“(It’s) almost a nice feeling,” McAllister said. “We’re the last ones to be able to put exhibits here, but I’m excited to see what comes of the new anthropology building.”
Target practice: Asian Student Conference dunks cabinet members for end
Headdresses on display from the island of Lavongai, worn for ceremonial purposes. The display is part of a three-piece exhibit detailing the use of patterns across various cultures.
Lynn Tran and Cardin Nguyen brace themselves as they have a cooler of water dumped on their heads. The pair were the last
be dunked at the Asian Student Conference fundraising event. | Photos by Allison Campbell / The Sunflower
STEP UP
Shock the Yard Step Show showcases Shocker talents
SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL
SCIENCES CAREER FAIR
MONDAY, MAY 5
12:30 - 2 p.m.
Rhatigan Student Center, Sage Lounge (second floor) Students and employers in the fields of psychology, sociology, social work, non-profits, anthropology and similar fields are invited to attend this career fair to network with likeminded individuals. Register for this free event at shorturl.at/07Klb.
PAWS & RELAX: THERAPY DOGS AT THE LIBRARY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
10 a.m. - noon
Ablah Library
Hosted by Student Success and WSU Libraries, take a break and relax from preparing for finals with meet some friendly therapy dogs.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE SPRING 2025 VIRTUAL WORKSHOP SERIES: RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
11 a.m. - noon
The WSU Community Engagement Institute is holding the next interactive workshop centered on adjusting to change. All five workshops last an hour, with this installment being centered on “Managing Stress During Times of Change” held by Percy Turner. Register for this free online event at wichita.edu/rttc/spring2025. The next installment of the series, “Implementing Change” by Percy Turner, will take place on May 30.
LIBRARY RESEARCH AWARD CEREMONY AND RECEPTION
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
3 - 4 p.m.
Ablah Library, Digital Scholars Commons
Celebrate the awarded students for their use of library technology, staff and resources to support their success in research efforts.
WEDNESDAYS IN WEIDEMANN: ANNUAL POPS CONCERT
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
5:15 - 7 p.m.
Featuring award-winning organ professor Lynne Davis, the Annual Pops Concert combines popular times and beloved classics. Whether you’re an organ enthusiast or just looking for a fun and relaxing evening out, the Annual Pops Concert is a display of Davis’ mastery on organ.
DANCE INFORMAL SHOWING
THURSDAY, MAY 8
5 - 6 p.m.
Wilner Auditorium
This end of semester performance contains dancers from all dance courses within the School of Performing Arts.
END OF THE YEAR PICNIC WITH SPECTRUM: LGBTQ & ALLIES
THURSDAY, MAY 8
7 - 9 p.m.
Rhatigan Student Center, East Patio
Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies to celebrate accomplishments throughout the year with food, yard games, award and scholarship presentations as well as a keynote speaker. Everyone is welcome, whether they’re a member of Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies or not, are welcome. Contact Genesis Merriett at gtmerriett@shockers.wichita.edu for more information.
LAST DAY OF SPRING CLASSES THURSDAY, MAY 8
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?
CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com
CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com
The sisters of the Chi chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. lean at the end of their Shock the Yard Step Show performance. The lean is the sorority’s signature move. | Photos by Allison Campbell / The Sunflower
Aaron “AJ” Haynes stomps, steps and jumps during Alpha Phi Alpha’s Shock the Yard Step Show performance. The annual show took place at the CAC Theater on April 25.
Brothers of the Epsilon Psi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.. stomp, step and dance during their Shock the Yard Step Show performance. Their chapter was founded on Wichita State’s campus in 1968.
Brandon McClain, the former assistant director of Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership at WSU, shouts an Alpha Phi Alpha chant at the Shock the Yard Step Show.
Noah Douglas taps the ground with his Kappa Kane during Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.’s performance at the show.
Members of the Dream Team, a campus dance group, perform during the Shock the Yard Step Show on April 25.
National Pan-Hellenic Council members pose for a photos with Karee Brown-Jones, the fraternity and sorority life coordinator, at the Shock the Yard Step Show. “Without Karee, we really wouldn’t have gotten where we are today,” NPHC President Aubrey Russell said.
Members of the Golden Heat, Wichita State’s majorette dance team, perform during the Shock the Yard Step Show on April 25. The group aims to bring more diversity to the dance scene at WSU and empower women of color.
