Wichita State University’s numerous scholarships helped Wichitan Edna Flores Cisneros earn a degree by minimizing financial stress. 

Edna is one of more than 2,400 students eligible for spring 2026 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what's next for the grad. 

Bachelor of Science for criminal justice and psychology 

Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico 

• Wichita North High School 

It was a tough decision. I had scholarship opportunities at Wichita State and Friends University. I decided on Wichita State because most, if not all, my tuition would be paid for.  

I was fortunate to receive multiple scholarships, including from the Kansas Hispanic Education & Development Foundation, Passage Scholarship, Wallace Endowed Scholarship, H. Dene Heskett Scholarship, HALA Scholarship for Community Service, Ron and Pearl Kopita Student Success Scholarship, Educational Opportunity Fund First Generation Scholarship.  

These opportunities benefited me so much because I do not come from a wealthy household. Because of these scholarships I did not worry about paying tuition. Furthermore, I have made impactful connections with the donors. 

I would tell students at Wichita State to live their best college life. Have fun, study hard and meet new friends. 

As a commuter student, it was hard getting involved, but as Dr. Bobby Berry once said, “You have to be uncomfortable to become comfortable.”  

Get into uncomfortable situations (to an extent) and live your best life! Sometimes we need to put ourselves out there to be seen. 

I plan to work with Cultivate Real Estate Group. Once I have settled in and made some money, I want to go back to what I studied. I want to attend a police academy, where I hope to become a detective in homicide or missing children units. 

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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