ϱ

Shockers Up!

ϱ is more than a campus where students learn and study. It’s a place to solve problems, to do research, to forge a pathway to a better tomorrow. It is a community where the dreamers, doers and Shockers of the future are encouraged to push boundaries, think critically and pursue their passions.

Vision and Mission

VISION

To be one of the nation’s premier urban public research universities, known for providing impactful applied learning experiences and driving prosperity for the people and communities we serve.

MISSION

To be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good.


Strategic Goals

Click on an icon or header link to see WSU efforts and objectives in support of each strategic goal.

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Student Centeredness

Promote holistic student success through a supportive learning environment in which all of our students — past, present and future — continually thrive and grow.

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Research and Scholarship

Accelerate the discovery, creation and transfer of new knowledge.

campus culture iconCampus Culture

Empower students, faculty, staff and the greater Wichita community to create a culture and experience that meets their ever-changing needs.

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Inclusive Excellence

Be a campus that reflects and promotes – in all community members – the evolving diversity of society.

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Partnerships and Engagement

Advance industry and community partnerships to provide quality educational opportunities and collaborations to satisfy rapidly evolving community and workforce needs.


University Values

CORE VALUES

Values that have always underlined the culture at ϱ.

  • Integrity
  • Transparency
  • Personal responsibility
  • Collaboration
  • Access and equity

DISTINCTIVE VALUES

Values necessary to achieve the goals of the strategic plan.

  • Seizing opportunities
  • Adaptive approaches
  • Positive risk-taking
  • Innovation and creativity
  • Knowledge creation and dynamic educational opportunities

Major Initiatives

Students at Clash of the College

Inclusive Excellence and Engagement

It is essential to our mission to ensure that each member of the community has full opportunity to thrive. We believe diversity is key to individual flourishing, educational excellence and the advancement of knowledge.

Visit the IEE website
Fall commencement 2023

Student Success and Persistence

ϱ has embarked on an initiative that will use data and campuswide coordination to bring student supports to scale, increasing enrollment, retention and graduation rates for all students.

Visit the SSP website

Priorities


Helping families through access and affordability
  • Provide an accessible, affordable and impactful higher education for all Kansans with increased community connections and networks.
  • Implement plan to increase enrollment. Grow ϱ enrollment from 16K to 17K by 2025 and WSU Tech enrollment from 4,800 to 6,500 by 2025.
  • Equalize completion rates among underserved and non-underserved students.
  • Implement Shocker Promise statewide: Full tuition and fees for Pell-eligible families.
  • Increase need-based aid.
Supporting Kansas businesses with a talent pipeline that meets employer needs
  • Increase relevant applied learning experiences that match the needs of industry, agency and community partners.
  • Continue the development of the Innovation Campus by completing the Hub for Advanced Manufacturing (I)HAMR) facility and Partnership Building 11, which will house new Innovation Campus partners.
Increasing economic prosperity with higher education that benefits the Kansas economy
  • Elevate ϱ as a premier, urban public research university in the United States.
  • Seek and capitalize on opportunities for innovation and research for the Innovation Campus and beyond.
  • Increase faculty research and innovation infrastructure..
  • Continue to improve support of applied research efforts for industry and defense.
  • Open the Digital Research and Transformation Hub in 2024.
  • Enter into financially prudent public-private partnerships(p3s) on university-owned property that provide services.
  • Develop, enhance and maintain exceptional campus facilities.
  • Support Wichita downtown development via hospitality, culinary arts and health sciences.

ϱ by the Numbers


Infographic: Kansas' No. 1 transfer destination
Infographic: No. 2 in number of TRIO programs in the country
Infographic: 8.5 percent growth in first-generation freshman undergraduates
Infographic: 7.1 percent five-year enrollment growth rate
Infographic: No. 1 rated engineering school in Kansas
Infographic: 10.6 percent five-year increase in degrees conferred
Infographic: No. 1 in industry-funded aeronautical engineering R&D expenditures
Infographic: Top 20 in U.S. in engineering R&D

 

  • Founded in 1895
  • Student body from all 50 states, 111 countries, and six continents
  • 76.8% of our graduates are employed in Kansas
  • ϱ Students have 2nd highest earnings out of college for any research university in Kansas
  • Wichita ranks No. 1 of 100 largest US metro areas in manufacturing jobs as a percentage of all jobs.
  • Of 100 largest U.S. metro areas Wichita ranks No. 1 in percentage of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM occupations).
  • Wichita ranks No. 3 among metros for highest concentration of engineers per 1,000 employees.