The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has named its two recipients of the 2024 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship. This year’s winners are Annika Lindeman from Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kansas, and Abby Rexford from West Jessamine High School in Wilmore, Kentucky. They will each receive more than $32,700 spread over four years to attend WSU and major in entrepreneurship.

“The Barton School’s commitment to entrepreneurship goes beyond just lessons in the classroom,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “These scholarships are a testament to remaining one of the premier institutions for entrepreneurship in the country. I’m excited to welcome Annika and Abby to the Barton family.”

The Jabara Scholarship is one of the largest of its kind nationally for future entrepreneurs. To qualify, a student must write an essay and have achieved at least a 24 score on their ACT, a 3.5 high school GPA and declare entrepreneurship as their major. The scholarship is named after the late Fran Jabara, who was a WSU faculty member for 40 years and founded the Center for Entrepreneurship at WSU. Along with serving as the dean of the College of Business Administration, Jabara received the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the President’s Medal in 2002.

Lindeman is a senior at Eisenhower High School. She is an avid dancer and is involved in numerous dance related activities including assistant teaching, En Avant Youth Ballet, the Nutcracker and dance competitions. She wants to pursue entrepreneurship at the Barton School to gain the skills and knowledge to own a dance studio.

“I want to own a dance studio so that I can pursue passions, explore my creativity and spread the joy of dance to others,” Lindeman said. “Having this scholarship will relieve a lot of the financial stress associated with college, helping me have a much more enjoyable college experience and allowing me to save money for my studio.”

Rexford is a senior at West Jessamine High School. She is the team captain of her school’s track and field team and is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Her other interests include sewing, crocheting, cooking and photography.

“Wichita is an entrepreneurship town,” Rexford said. “The Barton School of Business offers an excellent foundation for the business world and applicable life experiences. I desire to open my own design company. Whether an interior or clothing design company, I love the hands-on aspect of design. Having a company would present a vessel to demonstrate my passion for inventiveness and allow me to bring my ideas to life.”

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including 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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The W. Frank Barton School of Business is the home of real and applied learning. A place where students apply knowledge gained from faculty and business leaders while developing professional and life skills. The Barton School is among the top 1% of business schools worldwide, with double AACSB accreditation in business and accounting. The school is housed in an award-winning building, Woolsey Hall, which serves as a cornerstone for challenging yet supportive educational opportunities. Woolsey Hall also features remarkable artwork, sculptures, gardens and The Promise Bridge, a 300-foot-long pedestrian bridge over the water in front of the building.