Wichita State University invites high school graduates in the class of 2027 to participate
in its annual scholarship competitions. A variety of scholarships are awarded to competition
participants of all majors, including some of the largest scholarships in Kansas.
Beginning with the class of 2027, more students will see a Wichita State University
education as a possibility thanks to $218,000 in new scholarship opportunities available
through the university's annual scholarship competitions.
Distinguished Scholarship Invitational
Open to all incoming majors, Wichita State's Distinguished Scholarship Invitational (DSI) awards some of the largest annual undergraduate scholarships in the region.
Harry Gore Memorial Scholarship: This award has recently been increased and includes three $80,000 scholarships over
four years.
In addition to the above awards, thousands of dollars in additional scholarships will
be awarded to DSI finalists and semifinalists.
Allen, Gibbs & Houlik Scholarship Competition
Along with DSI, Wichita State also hosts prominent competitions for students pursuing
business degrees. Two new scholarships have been added to the Allen, Gibbs & Houlik (AGH) Scholarship Competition through the Barton School of Business.
Fran Jabara Scholarship: Two $36,400 Fran Jabara Scholarships over four years (open to entrepreneurship majors)
Wallace Invitational for Scholarships in Engineering
The Wallace Invitational Scholarships in Engineering (WISE) competition is held each fall for eligible high school seniors interested
in studying engineering or computing at Wichita State. Ten $30,500 Wallace Scholarships
will be awarded to the winners of the 2026 Wallace Invitational.
More about Wichita State's scholarship competitions
For a prospective student, scholarship competitions can become a sliding-doors moment:
the point when Wichita State shifts from being one option among many to a future they
can envision and afford.
Prospective students who participate in the competitions will have the opportunity
to meet faculty, alumni, donors and former scholarship recipients. The philanthropic
support behind scholarships helps remove financial barriers, giving students the freedom
to focus on their academic goals and participate in clubs or student organizations.
“Wichita State University was so high on my list when considering colleges because
of the incredible scholarship opportunities it provides for students,” Chloe Strecker,
2024 Gore Scholar, said. “Going into the Distinguished Scholarship Invitational, I
didn’t think I would make it very far, much less be named a Gore Scholar. Through
DSI, I was blessed with a large scholarship to cover my tuition, plus it allowed me
to meet so many like-minded students who are not only involved and driven, but who
are also now scholars across campus.”
This year, DSI will award $850,000 to incoming freshmen, providing hundreds of opportunities
for talented students to imagine themselves at Wichita State and reflecting a growing
commitment from donors who believe financial circumstances should not determine the
limits of a student’s potential.
“One of the most rewarding parts of this work is hearing stories about how Wichita
State shaped someone’s life, and now they want to pay it forward,” Telly McGaha, CEO
and president of Wichita State Foundation and Alumni Engagement. “That gives me tremendous
confidence in the value people see in Wichita State.”
This year’s DSI is Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Rhatigan Student Center. The AGH and WISE
competitions will take place Friday, Nov. 20. Eligible students are encouraged to
participate in multiple competitions to maximize their award opportunities.
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling
more than 24,000 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.
