7.26.23
Shock Talk
Shockers everywhere, at events long ago to happenings just the other day, always have something interesting to say. Take this sampling as a Shock Talk example:
“Your hard work and determination have paid off, and
I can’t wait to see how well you’ll change the world.”
WSU President RICK MUMA,in congratulatory remarks to spring 2023 graduates. The university’s 125th spring graduation was May 13 in Koch Arena. Commencement speakers were Scott Stucky ’70, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces senior judge, Mark Finecune ’76, Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group managing director, and Maria Cardwell, Northrup Grumman national director of vehicle engineering.
“We can continue to create a movement for the next generation of female leaders.”
PERI WIDENER ’78,CEO of GLoBIL Consulting Group, on her $300,000 gift to WSU’s Widener Global Leaders Program, an interdisciplinary program that supports women majoring in business, communications, fine arts.
“From many of my friends and colleagues, I’ve been told that I would know when it’s time to retire — and that time has come. I will be retiring in six months. The time is right for many reasons, personal and professional, but ultimately the time is right because I have the utmost confidence in the future of Wichita State. Thank you, Shockers, for your commitment to our great university. I am truly grateful for each of you. And be assured, I will be fully engaged up until my very last hour!”
elizabeth king,president and CEO of the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement (WSUFAE), in a June 2 announcement of her intention to retire after a national search to fill her position is conducted. Dr. King began her tenure at WSU in 1991 as vice president of university advancement and executive director of both the WSU Foundation and the WSU Board of Trustees, as well as serving as administrative liaison with the WSU Alumni Association. She was appointed president and CEO of the WSU Foundation (now the WSUFAE) in 2007.
“It’s going to revolutionize our view of
the Great Plains societies, and it already has for me and my students.”
DON BLAKESLEE, WSU professor of anthropology and archaeologist, about accumulating findings from documentary and linguistic research and archaeological excavations into the Native American political, economic, sociocultural network called Quivira that once thrived on the Great Plains in settlements such as Etzanoa, which Blakeslee located in 2018 near Arkansas City, Kan. Etzanoa is the focus of one of WSU’s two archaeological field schools, which are in session this summer. Blakeslee, who came to Wichita State in 1976, retired at the close of the spring semester.
“If you did travel by air in 2022, chances are you saw busy airports, higher prices and performance issues. A decline in on-time performance, more denied boardings and a higher rate of mishandled baggage resulted in a higher number of complaints.”
DEAN HEADLEY ’82,emeritus associate professor of marketing at Wichita State, on the annual Airline Quality Rating (AQR) released June 1. Now in its 33rd year, the AQR, which Headley co-authors with Brent Bowen, ranks as the premier statistical study of major U.S. airline performance. This year’s AQR rankings for 2022 are 1. Delta, 2. Alaska, 3. Hawaiian, 4. United, 5. American, 6. Southwest, 7. Allegiant, 8. JetBlue, 9. Spirit, 10. Frontier.
“Having this money in the community will result in more services being available in certain regions of the state and increased capacity through expanded services.”
KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES SECRETARY OF HOSPITALS SCOTT BRUNNER,on the state of Kansas making $65.4 million available through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Executive Committee and State Finance Council to fund health and behavioral health services, including $15 million for the planned Wichita Biomedical Campus – a joint $300 million initiative by Wichita State, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas.
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