WSU’s newest pre-K-12 initiative aims for seamless transition from high school to college

‘Hillside High.’ It’s a not-always-favorable nickname for Wichita State that Alicia Thompson ’15 remembers hearing from students in Wichita Public Schools during her years as a teacher and superintendent. Now, she’s taking the lead on figuring out how to get those students to campus to experience the university for themselves.

Cue, Wichita State Connect, a university gathering place for pre-K-12 students and their families.

“I see us as the hub for all things pre-K through 12 on campus,” the alumna says. “We’re at the disposal of any academic college, department or program that wants to bring that audience to campus and experience what a vibrant, beautiful environment we’re cultivating.” During her three decades as a public school educator and administrator, WSU’s campus facilities have multiplied, community engagement has grown and enrollment has reached an all-time high. But Thompson won’t be satisfied until every student in the area gets acquainted with Wichita State. That’s why, despite not having had a grand opening, Wichita State Connect has been abuzz since May, when the center opened its doors to visitors during the Kansas State High School Activities Association State Track Meet held on campus at University Stadium.

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Alicia Thompson ’15, pictured here, brings pre-K-12 students across the threshold of the university via Wichita State Connect.

Shirley Lefever, WSU executive vice president and provost, advocated for a pre-K-12 resource long before the establishment of Wichita State Connect. “I’ve wanted a space like this on our campus for so long – because I believe in it,” Lefever says. “I want high school students, kindergarteners, every age of students on our campus. I want them to think, ‘I can go to a university. This is a place for me.’”

That sense of belonging, Thompson believes, starts by creating memories for students on campus. Her team of four has been hard at work to carry out that mission. True to Thompson’s vision, Wichita State Connect served as the pre-K-12 hub this summer, fielding traffic from athletic tournaments and summer camps and hosting financial literacy nights and informational sessions on federal student aid and college preparedness. “We’re giving students experiences on campus, and they’ll remember that when it’s time to decide on a college,” she says. “They’ll be so familiar with WSU that their transition will be seamless.”

She adds with a smile, “And when that time comes, they shouldn’t be thinking of any other school.”

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