Wichita State University has been named the 2024-25 Academic Institution of the Year by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the nation’s largest association dedicated to fostering Hispanic leadership in the STEM field. 

The award is part of SHPE's Technical Achievement Recognition program, which recognizes impactful research, professional contributions and community engagement in the STEM community. It will be presented during the STAR Award Gala on Nov. 1 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. 

Wichita State has had a SHPE student chapter since 2008, when it started with five members. The chapter was named the Region Three Chapter of the Year in 2022-23 and 2023-24. During the 2023-24 academic year, there were more than 60 members, and membership for the 2024-25 academic year is expected to be similar or higher. Most of the past SHPE members have been students from the College of Engineering within the university. 

“I am profoundly touched that our students’ dedication and passion is being recognized at the highest level,” said Ana Lazarin, the chapter advisor, as well as the director of inclusive excellence for the College of Engineering. “I have witnessed the growth and impact of the group since its founding. By highlighting our chapter’s efforts with the extended community, we look forward to exploring more opportunities for support and collaboration to expand the chapter’s commitment to changing lives.”

The past two student chapter presidents, Diego Vargas-Ruiz (2023-24) and Josue Renteria (2022-23), have been credited with significantly increasing the chapter’s growth and success. Vargas-Ruiz was named by Wichita State the 2023-24 Student Organization President of the Year due to his strong leadership. Renteria’s innovative approach to student engagement included hosting chapter meetings with homemade flautas and rice, fostering a strong sense of community among students. He has since graduated from the college with a degree in cybersecurity, works at Accenture in Houston, and was recently named as the SHPE Professional Chapter Member of the Year for the Houston area.

“This accolade is not just a victory for our chapter but also for Wichita State’s engineering community, particularly the Latino engineering students who have found a sense of family within our organization,” said Alexis Escobedo, the current student chapter president.

In fall 2022, Wichita State’s enrollment numbers crossed the threshold to become what’s termed by the United States Department of Education as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution; by the end of the decade, which requires an enrollment of 25% or more students who identify as Hispanic. The goal of becoming an HSI includes increasing the number of Hispanic students and also ensuring there is support infrastructure in place to help guide such students to success through graduation and beyond. 

"Wichita State is truly honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. It reflects our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where Hispanic students can thrive, particularly in STEM fields,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma. “As we strive toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution, recognitions like this underscore the importance of our mission. We are dedicated to ensuring that all our students have the support and resources they need to succeed."

The SHPE student chapter has a subgroup, SHPEtinas, that focuses on empowering Latinas in STEM. In addition to the SHPE chapter, Wichita State has a variety of other Hispanic-focused organizations, such as the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority and Lambda Pi Upsilon Sorority, as well as programs like Latinos Lead. 

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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 College of Engineering at Wichita State University was established in 1928. Today, it includes seven departments, nearly 2,100 undergraduate students and about 600 graduate students. The college was recently ranked by Forbes in the top 20 for research and development (R&D) and ranked No. 1 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in industry-funded aeronautical R&D expenditures. To learn more, visit www.wichita.edu/engineering.