Wichita State University
WICHITA - A new book from Wichita State University President Rick Muma, “Student Centered, Innovation Driven,” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the forward-thinking strategies and innovative vision that helped transform a regional institution into a national model of applied learning, industry collaboration and student success.
Published by the University Press of Kansas, Muma’s warts-and-all narrative traces Wichita State’s decade-long evolution, capturing the challenges and pivotal decisions that shaped the university’s trajectory to become a nationwide leader in applied learning, student success, business and industry partnerships and research.
From launching major initiatives like the Innovation Campus and Wichita Biomedical Campus to rethinking how universities align with workforce demands, Muma shares the story of an institution unafraid to challenge convention in pursuit of meaningful impact.
“Wichita State’s transformation didn’t happen overnight,” Muma writes. “It happened because we listened to students, built trust with our community and refused to let outdated systems hold us back.”
In a time of increasing skepticism about the value of higher education, “Student Centered, Innovation Driven” makes a compelling case for what’s possible when universities prioritize access and collaboration.
The book is both a chronicle of Wichita State’s rise and a model for other institutions looking to reinvent themselves from the inside out.
"Student Centered, Innovation Driven" is available Tuesday, August 26 wherever books are sold.