11.24.21

Notable news at the WSU Foundation

New staff members

The WSU Foundation recently hired four new team members. Please welcome:

 

Nolan Berning

Nolan is a Wichita State graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. His position as a marketing specialist for the WSU Foundation will allow him to utilize his skills in managing marketing projects, coordinating social media and analyzing data for multiple marketing efforts. Nolan comes to the Foundation from Equity Bank, where his work as a loan documentation specialist included managing the bank’s internal website and project management system.

Nolan grew up in the nearby community of Colwich. He is married to Lili. In his free time, he enjoys disc golf, Ultimate frisbee and anything that allows him to hang out with friends and family. “I’m excited to join the Foundation because of the opportunities it provides, both for me and for the students who benefit from the work we do here,” Nolan says.

 

Ryan Corwin

As the Foundation’s videographer, Ryan helps conceptualize and create videos that illustrate the impact of philanthropy at Wichita State. He spent the past decade working in both nonprofit and education sectors and also owns his own marketing and digital media company. He grew up in Sterling, where he currently lives with his wife, two daughters and two dogs.

Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in communication from Sterling College and a master’s degree in strategic communication from Regent University. He describes his position at the Foundation as “the perfect combination of my interests in working with people, telling stories, using music and animation to enrich the production value of pieces.” In his free time, Ryan enjoys listening to podcasts and is a Dallas Cowboys fan. He’s also a big fan of the TV show “The Office” and has a tattoo of one of the show’s main characters, Dwight Schrute, to prove it.

 

Chris Hearn

Chris is filling a new role at the WSU Foundation, one in which he will collaborate with members of the development staff to identify individuals and organizations that may be interested in supporting WSU, then work to engage them. His title is assistant director of development. Chris comes to the WSU Foundation from the Emporia State University Foundation, where he was assistant director of annual giving. He is a Wichita State alumnus, graduating in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management.

“I have always had a special place in my heart for Wichita State, so the opportunity to come back home and work for the university that gave me so much was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Chris says. Born and raised in Derby, Chris is married to Makenzy. He likes to play golf and watch sports on TV in his spare time.

 

Brad Kohlman

As the Foundation’s new director of development for Kansas counties, Brad will work with Wichita State alumni and friends in counties across the state to create scholarships for students from those counties. He comes to the Foundation from Bethel College, where he was vice president for institutional advancement for two years. Before that, he worked as Bethel’s alumni relations director and a director of alumni development.

Brad earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bethel College and a master’s degree in sport management from Wichita State. He is married to Megan and has two sons, Lincoln, 8, and Lawrence, 4. Brad enjoys cooking, fishing and coaching youth sports. He’s excited about making an impact on WSU students. “I took this position because I truly believe in the transformative power that comes from rural communities that want to support the educational aspirations of their neighbors.”