The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is excited to announce that two Wichita-area students are the recipients of the 2026 Professor Fran Jabara Endowed Scholarship. The winners are Adeline Lank from Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School and Gabriel Shaffer from Valley Center High School. Each will receive $36,400 spread over four years to attend WSU and major or double-major in entrepreneurship.

The Jabara Scholarship is one of the largest of its kind nationally for entrepreneurs. To qualify, students have to complete essay questions about the importance of education in entrepreneurship and ideas that they find intellectually interesting as well as score at least a 27 on their ACT, 1260 on their SAT or achieve a 3.5 high school GPA. The selection process culminated in the AGH Scholarship Competition held in late 2025 where they were interviewed by a panel of judges.

“During the scholarship interview process, applicants were presented with a startup scenario and asked to discuss how they would navigate challenges related to growth,” said Chris Broberg, Interim Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. “Adeline stood out for her mature business thinking and practical problem-solving approach. The judges appreciated her ability to think ahead about real operational challenges while maintaining a strong commitment to product quality. The judges were impressed by how Gabe connected his ideas to real action in his own life. He shared specific examples of motivating classmates to join leadership organizations, participate in drug awareness initiatives, and become more engaged in academic activities.”

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, the President’s Medal in 2002, and was inducted posthumously into the Barton School of Business “Beyond” Hall of Fame in 2024.

School: Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School
GPA: 3.88
Organizations: National Honor Society, Girls Cross Country, Handmaids of Mary, Blessed Sacrament Girls Mentorship Group, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

Why does entrepreneurship interest you?

Whether it was a lemonade stand, jewelry sale, or babysitting business, I have always loved having a business and coming up with ways to generate sales. Studying entrepreneurship interests me because I would like to become equipped with the tools to eventually start my own business. I want to start businesses that work for the people. Creating positive and healthy working environments for employees as well as enhancing customers' daily lives are two essential elements that I want to keep in focus throughout all of my endeavors. I have so many ideas and aspirations - studying entrepreneurship will help lay the groundwork to bring these goals to life.

Do you have any current entrepreneurial interests or goals?

I hope to start my own clean living line which will focus on creating affordable, non-toxic products that the consumer can purchase with confidence. I hope to have products ranging from skincare/makeup products to cleaning supplies, potentially even entering the fashion industry. I want my lines to guarantee customer satisfaction without the side effects of many toxic dyes, fragrances, and ingredients. I would also like to start my own party planning company, connected to a storefront with products available for purchase or for rent.

Why WSU? Why the Barton School?

Community was one of the key factors I considered when looking at various colleges, and Wichita State’s community always stood out to me. I am excited to join the community this fall. The Barton School interested me because of the student oriented focus. I look forward to the ways the school works with students to plug them into internships and build references that will help aid the transition between the business school and the workforce.

School: Valley Center High School
GPA: 3.94
Organizations: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Boys Tennis, Girls Tennis Manager, National Honor Society, Drumline, Madrigals Choir, Ping Pong Club, Drama, SAFE/SADD Club, Science Club, Riverlawn Christian Church Worship Team and Youth Group, Riverside Tennis Center, Pawsitive Impact Volunteer, Lord’s Diner Volunteer 

What does receiving the Jabara Scholarship mean to you?

It felt absolutely surreal and so very exciting when I was told I won the Jabara Scholarship. I was home alone, and I just wanted to be able to tell my family. They have encouraged me, prayed for me, and cheered me on through this entire process, and all I wanted to do was call my mom. I don’t think any of us were able to sleep that night! The reduced financial burden will allow me to clearly focus on my learning and involvement so I can join organizations, engage in leadership, and pursue applied learning opportunities. I won’t just have to “get through” college, but I can now experience it to the fullest! Graduating with less student debt will impact my life in ways that I cannot even fully comprehend right now, and it gives me the chance to dream, explore, and build the kind of future that I may not have been able to build otherwise.

Why does entrepreneurship interest you?

Entrepreneurship interests me because I feel like it gives me flexibility when it comes to my future and doesn’t box me into one specific thing. I’m a person who loves to try new things, so this feels like a great fit for me. My interest in entrepreneurship first sparked when I started shoveling driveways on snow days. It was just something that I decided to do one day, and it turned into me having a list of “regulars” who rely on me every winter. I also work on weekends catering events, and that experience has allowed me to watch and learn what it’s like to run a business while also allowing me to meet and interact with new people, which I love to do. Both of these jobs have taught me what it means to take initiative, provide excellent customer service, and value a strong work ethic. 

What do you hope to learn and experience during college?

I hope to sharpen my current skills and learn many new ones. One thing I am looking forward to most is gaining hands-on experience that will help build my resume and my professional networks before graduation. After meeting some wonderful people through the Barton School and doing my own research about the school, it was clear this was a place that valued its students, and blended strong academic programs with endless opportunities to gain real-world experience.