Coming from a small town, Joss Bathke wanted to go to a university with the right campus size. Wichita State not only fit the mold but allowed Joss opportunities to be a leader.

Hometown

Baldwin City, KS

Degree received

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing

Why did you choose Wichita State?

I chose Wichita State because of its affordability and smaller campus size. I am from a small high school where everyone knows each other and that is something I really appreciated about my high school.

Which organizations were you involved in during your time at Wichita State?

The Student Ambassador Society, Shockapella, International Buddy Program, Study Abroad, CHAMPS, The FUSE, lifeguarding, intramurals, esports, and Student Health Services.

How did being involved with the Student Ambassador Society impact you?

I feel like it impacted me by really allowing me to grow in confidence about who I am and who I wanted to become. I appreciated every chance I got to interact with prospective and current students and it allowed me to see the world through their viewpoint.

Which Wichita State faculty or staff member impacted you the most during your time here?

Kayla Jasso has been there for me whenever I needed her throughout all my time at Wichita State.

 How do you feel about graduating?

I feel good! Excited to see what this next chapter of life has in store. It can be scary not knowing what is up next, but at the same time nobody likes movie spoilers, and I am going to apply that logic to life.

Which experience at Wichita State challenged you the most and what did you take away from that challenge?

Study abroad during your time at Wichita State for sure. As fun as it was and as much as I would not exchange that experience for anything, there were some challenges about moving across the world to a country I knew almost nothing about, far away from any friends or family. I learned that if I ever want anything done in life I need to do it myself. I also grew the most over my time there than I have in any other aspect of my life. It remains with me every day and I am reminded that whenever I go through a rough patch in life, I conquered my study abroad semester - I can conquer this too.

What are your post-grad plans?

I plan to be working in Wichita until my lease is finished in December, then I will be moving shortly after that.

What advice would you give to incoming Wichita State students?

You've survived everything in your life up to this point. This is just another step. Learn to enjoy where you are and stop comparing yourself to others.