Wichita State University
Wichita State celebrates more than 2,400 graduates at spring commencement
May 6, 2026
More than 2,400 students are eligible to participate in Wichita State University’s 128th spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 in Charles Koch Arena. There will be four ceremonies to celebrate the graduates:
Friday, May 15: Graduate ceremony
- All graduate degrees will be awarded at 7 p.m. Friday, May 15. The featured speaker will be Aishah Alhomsi, president of Wichita State’s Graduate Student Association.
All graduates will walk across the stage and be individually recognized. Doctoral candidates will be hooded at the ceremony.
Saturday, May 16: Undergraduate ceremonies
- 9 a.m. — Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts and the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College. The featured speaker will be Sarah Kephart, a leader in inclusive arts education and an accessibility advocate.
- 1 p.m. — The College of Applied Studies and the College of Health Professions with featured speaker Marc Farha, co-CEO of CAA ICON.
- 5 p.m. — The W. Frank Barton School of Business and the College of Engineering with featured speaker Richard Dinkel, executive vice president CFO of Koch Inc.
All graduation attendees will be required to be screened by security personnel and metal detectors as they enter the arena. Koch Arena will open one hour before each ceremony is scheduled to begin. It’s recommended that audience members arrive early to allow sufficient time to get through security. There will also be a clear-bag policy for all those in attendance.
Please note that guest seating will be on a first-come basis, and no tickets will be required for entrance.
For those who are not able to attend in person, the ceremony will be available via online livestream. To view the ceremony, go to wichita.edu/commencement, scroll down to “Watch the livestream,” and select the ceremony you’d like to watch.
For more information regarding commencement, consult the commencement FAQ.
About the commencement speakers
|
Aisha Alhomsi |
Sarah Kephart |
Marc Farha |
Richard Dinkel |
Aishah Alhomsi is president of WSU’s Graduate Student Association and a graduate student. She will be awarded a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology and has experience supporting children, adults and geriatric populations in educational, clinical and community settings.
Sarah Kephart is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and advocate who uses art as a powerful tool for inclusion and accessibility. As the founding director of the Envision Arts Program and Gallery, she has spent more than a decade expanding creative opportunities for individuals who are blind, visually impaired or have intellectual and developmental disabilities through programs and exhibitions nationwide. Kephart's leadership and advocacy have earned her appointments to the Arts Council Board of Wichita and Wichita State’s College of Fine Arts Advisory Board.
Marc Farha is co-CEO of CAA ICON, the world’s leading owner’s representative and strategic management consulting firm for sports and entertainment venues. With more than 30 years of experience, he has guided the development of some of the most prominent facilities in the industry, including New Nissan Stadium for the Tennessee Titans, Capital One Arena and Geodis Park, as well as leading seven major arena projects that opened on time and on budget. A WSU alumnus, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management.
Richard Dinkel is executive vice president CFO of Koch Inc. and a Wichita State alumnus. At Koch, he oversees the company’s global finance, investment and risk functions. He is deeply engaged in civic and educational leadership and is chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board for Wichita State’s Barton School of Business.
Tradition: The Toast
Wichita State graduates are also invited to celebrate their achievements at The Toast at 5 p.m. Friday, May 15 in the east courtyard of the Rhatigan Student Center.
Attending graduates will have an array of graduation cords to choose from to express their cultural and academic backgrounds, and they will also receive a commemorative WSU champagne flute after brief remarks from President Rick Muma.
Food and beverages are available as well as a cash bar. Graduates are encouraged to bring guests to join the celebration.
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 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- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 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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