Wichita State University
Meet a Shocker: Jeffrey Blessant
May 2, 2025
Jeffrey Blessant returned to Wichita from the University of Kansas. He made friends
by joining Sigma Tau Delta and will continue his education at Wichita State by pursuing
a Master of Fine Arts in poetry.Courtesy photo
Jeffrey Blessant transferred to Wichita State because of its cost and to study in
the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is an avid reader who wants
access to books for more people. His favorite book is "The Little Prince" by Antoine
de Saint-Exupery, and he recently read "Martyr!" by Kaveh Akbar.
Jeffrey is one of more than 2,100 students eligible for spring 2025 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what's next for the grad.
What degree will you be earning in May?
Bachelor of Arts in psychology and English: creative writing
What is your hometown?
Wichita
What schools did you attend before coming to Wichita State?
Wichita East High School, University of Kansas
Why did you choose Wichita State University?
I chose Wichita State to be closer to family, and to hopefully lower the amount I needed to take out in loans.
What has been your biggest challenge as a student, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was meeting new people. I overcame this by joining Sigma Tau Delta so I could meet other English majors.
Did you have any applied learning experience as a student? If so, what was it?
I was lucky to get an internship with DZANC Books, which is a non-profit publisher.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation I will be stay at Wichita State to obtain my Master of Fine Arts in poetry. I’ll also get to teach two classes as part of my graduate teaching assistant duties.
What advice would you give other Wichita State students?
My biggest advice is to check in on those around you, and to be honest with both you and your friends. There are a lot of lonely people out there waiting for someone else to start a conversation.
Every once in a while, be the one to do it first.
If you were given the opportunity to do a TED Talk, what would your topic be?
If I gave a TED Talk, I would talk about how important it is to read. Specifically, I would talk about how books should be accessible to all people, physically and financially. Or I might talk about Yu-Gi-Oh!
About Wichita State University
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 National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.
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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