Further extending its community outreach, Wichita State partnered with Wichita Habitat for Humanity to build a house near campus for a Wichita family with three children.

The first step was a wall raising Dec. 1 at Wichita Habitat's Rock the Block. WSU President Rick Muma and First Gentleman Rick Case were in attendance and helped with the wall raising. 

“We saw this as a tangible example of WSU’s commitment to the neighborhood and as a way to demonstrate that it’s more than just words,” said Dr. Teri Hall, vice president for Wichita State’s Student Affairs.

Though the idea began in Student Affairs, Hall says the build is a WSU project, and the construction of the house will involve multiple WSU organizations including the following: the WSU Office of Administration and Finance, the WSU Foundation, the WSU Shocker Neighborhood Scholars, the Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, WSU Graduate Operations, the Office of Diversity, and Inclusion the Cohen Honors College, the WSU Community Service Board and the WSU Engineers without Borders.

According to Danielle Johnson, executive director for Wichita Habitat for Humanity, the build will take place at the Rock the Block. The area was developed in 2014 to focus on infill development in the A. Price Woodard Neighborhood with the goal of creating large areas of sustainable change. Since its launch, more than 60 families have built and purchased Habitat homes in the area bounded by ninth and 13th streets and Hillside and Grove streets

Johnson said she is looking forward to their future partnership with WSU and what it means for future projects to benefit other families.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for community collaboration and team building,” Johnson said. “The mission at Wichita Habitat for Humanity is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Like Hall, Johnson says the partnership allows Wichita State to further strengthen its role in the Wichita community, as well as its role as an urban serving research institution.

“Wichita State University’s strategic plan includes advancing ‘industry and community partnerships to provide quality educational opportunities and collaboration to satisfy rapidly evolving community workforce needs,” Johnson said. “The WSU Build is a wonderful partnership that will achieve both missions as volunteers will serve alongside the family as they build their safe, affordable home near the WSU campus.”

After this initial build, Hall says WSU plans to continue its work with Wichita Habitat for Humanity, and there are already projects lined up for January and February 2022.

“I see long a long-term partnership between WSU and Habitat for Humanity that goes beyond just this build, and I see it growing to where we will have student-led organizations that work with Habitat for Humanity like other college campuses.”