Wichita State University’s BAASE Learning Lounge provides a place for 32 African American and Hispanic male students to participate in remote learning on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 BAASE (Better Academic and Social Excellence) is a college and career club in partnership with Wichita Public Schools. The BAASE Learning Lounge offers a welcoming place for students to participate in socially distanced learning and an opportunity to foster a culture of support and academic accountability for the participants.

The Mission of the BAASE Club is to identify males of color who have demonstrated positive academic identities and to engage them in meaningful/culturally relevant activities that will lead to further academic and social success, as well as increased participation in AP, Honors and IB programming.

Wichita State’s Division of Regional Engagement and Economic Development is partnering with several campus offices and efforts to create this experience.

• Partnering with Wichita Public Schools for staffing and program design.
• Partnering with Wichita GEAR UP for staffing support and tutoring.
• Partnering with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to provide mentoring and tutoring services.
• Partnering with Office of Admissions and the Shocker Card Center for communication and access to campus amenities.
• Partnering with Office of Campus Recreation (Heskett Center) for athlete support and physical education.
• Partnering with College of Fine Arts (School of Music) for use of private practice rooms for band and orchestra students.
• Partnering with University Libraries for use of study carrells and individual study time/space
• Partnering with College of Engineering for online tutoring support (available to any BAASE students, even those not participating in the Lounge)
• Partnering with Division of Student Affairs for meals Monday-Wednesday.
• Partnering with Academic Affairs for meals on Thursdays
• Partnering with Chartwell’s to support students in culinary arts programs
• Partnering with Shocker Grill and Lanes for after school, socially-distanced, recreation.

The Lounge plans to meet the needs of BAASE students until students are permitted to return in in-class instruction or November 19^th.

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Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 15,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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