"The seasons and all their changes are in me."

- Henry David Thoreau Journal 26 October 1857

The season of change is upon us! Autumn and its accompaniment of leaf and tree transformation is ahead of us, but already on our campus we are welcoming transformation as we welcome new students and current students home to Wichita State. 

President Muma's theme for our university this year is "The City is our Campus." Consider what this means to you as you pursue your ambitions and develop your talents in this community. 

Check your inbox each Friday for news & information from the Cohen Honors College. Stop by Shocker Hall Building A to tell us about your summer memories and your fall plans. Let us know how we can make you feel more welcome here!

Kimberly Engber, Dean

All new students are invited to the field, to represent your academic major college in the annual Clash of the Colleges. The Cohen Honors College forms an alliance with the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences for Clash. All new students and all faculty are welcome to the pre-party with LAS Friday, August 25th starting at 3:00pm on the lawn behind Lindquist Hall. Join the tradition! Join the alliance!

"The Silent Cries of Unborn Ghetto Children" explores trauma, tragedy, racial segregation, and healing centered around a tragic plane crash that occurred on January 16, 1965, just blocks from the campus. In fact, as the plane was losing altitude and jettisoning fuel, some spilled on the campus. Less than four hours later, with jet fuel still on the arena roof, Shocker fans packed onto campus to witness the Shockers defeating St. Louis to claim its first ever Missouri Valley championship. Directed and co-produced by Dr. Kevin Sylvester Harrison and Riccardo Harris, this film was funded through a grant from Humanities Kansas.

The screening event is co-sponsored by the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College, the Chief Diversity Officer, the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and the School of Digital Arts & Shocker Studios.

Honors Induction for new honors students will take place Saturday, September 23rd during Family Weekend, time still to be determined. No RSVP required.

Cohen Honors students have 24/7 access to the Honors student lounge and kitchen in Shocker Hall Building A!

• Staff are available during office hours Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm.
• Use your Shocker ID card to get into the lounge anytime outside of office hours. Scan your ID at the box with the red light. When the light turns green, the door is unlocked. 
• Free printing is now available to you! To access your free printing, you will need to login to one of the computers in the student lounge. Your login is your WSU ID and password.
• Lockers are currently not working properly. You can still use them to store your belongings, but you will not be able to lock it. It is your responsibility to make sure nothing is left behind.

If you have issues with door access or printing, please submit a form here.

Drop-in Hours

August 21st to 25th 

1:00pm to 4:00pm

• Drop by Shocker Hall, Building A anytime during these times. If the advisor is with another student, we'll ask if you can wait or want to return.
• Have a question outside of drop-in hours? Check our FAQs page at wichita.edu/honors.
• For an appointment after the first week of classes, schedule with Andrew Myers through the Navigate system appointment link.

The 2023-34 Honors Ambassadors spent their last summer Friday in a training session led by Michaela Roper (Honors Ambassador program coordinator and graduate assistant for diversity recruitment and marketing) and Andrew Myers (Honors academic advisor and director of scholarships & student services).

24 students will serve the college this year through recruitment and outreach activities including meeting prospective students and staffing the college information table at Undergraduate Admissions Discover WSU programs and on-campus events, Instagram takeovers, meeting new students at Induction,  greeting advisory board members, and other programs throughout the year.

We asked the new Ambassadors what meaningful work means to them and what goals they have as Ambassadors this year, and here's what they said: 

"Work that goes below the surface, builds connections, and isn't busy work. Work that will mean something to you or someone else in the future."

"Meaningful work means that you should strive for a beneficial change as a result in all of your actions. Work is not to keep you busy, work should be a means for a bettter world."

"My goal as an ambassador is to provide a friendly face to potential students and show that honors is about meaning not difficulty."

"To me more meaningful work means having passion for what you do and creating a positive difference in the world through the work that we do as people, students, and professionals."

"Doing research for or toward a cause."

"Being intentional about trying my best in the things I do and choosing to do things that are impactful even they scare me."