When Bekah Selby-Leach began her career teaching economics at Emporia State University in 2017, she said she quickly fell into the economic development world. 

Much of her involvement began with Wichita State’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research, a research entity that highlights economic, demographic and industry trends and data in Wichita and across Kansas. Now, Selby-Leach heads the center.

“I interacted with this center quite frequently through the economic outlook conferences that they hold up in Emporia every year,” Selby-Leach said. “So I was an invited speaker for that event to talk about the local area economy.”

The model of WSU’s center inspired Selby-Leach to create the Center for Decision Sciences at ESU. 

“That particular center that I developed was small but had a big impact,” Selby-Leach said. “And it really made me fall in love with doing this kind of work, where I could get out there and help our community grow more directly.”

Last month, Selby-Leach replaced Jeremy Hill, who had previously headed the center for 15 years. 

Now, after a few weeks on the job in Wichita, the new director said she has several hopes for the center, including updating its main website.

“We’re currently in the process of reenvisioning, remodeling, redoing our website, so that it can become a better and clearer, easier-to-navigate resource for all of Wichita and Kansas,” Selby-Leach said. “I think that’s going to be one of our biggest priorities is making that resource better and more easily accessible.” 

While at Emporia State, Selby-Leach held various roles, from assistant economics professor to director of data and program analysis. The educator mentioned using the center’s updated website to educate economics students. 

“In economics classes, they’re always wanting real-life data, and this could be an opportunity for us to give that to them,” she said.

Selby-Leach said her center also wants to reexamine its pricing model and collaborate with other entities in the Barton School of Business.

“I’m seeing much more clearly how important of a hub Wichita is to the economic development of all of Kansas, and how those connections are made throughout all of the counties as well,” she said. “It’s quite impressive just how connected we all are.”