Wichita State University is pleased to announce the naming of the Ascension Via Christi — Wichita State University School of Nursing, reflecting a decades-long partnership between the university and one of the state’s leading health care providers. 

The naming recognizes an investment from Via Christi in support of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a joint initiative of Wichita State University, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas, that will redefine health care education in Kansas by strengthening collaboration across disciplines and supporting interprofessional health care learning.

“Via Christi’s support of the Wichita Biomedical Campus highlights their commitment to improving health care across our city and state, and we are proud to recognize that support with this naming,” says Dr. Rick Muma, Wichita State University president. “This project requires significant partnership from our community, and we are proud to build on the longstanding relationship between WSU and Via Christi as we enter a new era of health care education.”

With more than 400 Wichita State University nursing alumni currently employed at Via Christi, the collaboration directly addresses the urgent need for a strong, sustainable nursing talent pipeline at all levels of education and practice. The naming elevates Wichita State’s national profile, positioning it alongside other leading universities, while reflecting Via Christi’s role as both a major employer and a key clinical training site in shaping the region’s health care workforce — providing a lasting connection to the next generation of talent.

“This partnership is about more than a name. It’s about building a future where academic excellence and compassionate care work hand in hand,” said Kevin Strecker, Via Christi CEO. “By strengthening connections between our classrooms and our clinical settings, we can better prepare the next generation of caregivers who will serve the health needs of our communities for decades to come.”    

Opening in 2027, Phase I of the state-of-the-art Wichita Biomedical Campus will anchor the south end of Wichita’s Biomedical Corridor and Via Christi St. Francis will anchor the north, creating a lasting pathway from classroom to patient room.

“The Wichita Biomedical Campus is truly the first project of its kind, and it stands to revolutionize health care education,” says Telly McGaha, president and CEO of the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement. “This facility will attract students, educators and researchers from across the country, and we are incredibly grateful for Via Christi’s support of this project.”

Project renderings and photos

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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 the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (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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