Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower
Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower
Wichita State's independent, student-run news source

The Sunflower
Mia Hennen

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor

Mia Hennen is the managing editor for The Sunflower. Most recently, Hennen served as editor-in-chief for the 2023-2024 year. A senior English major, Hennen will graduate in May 2025 and hopes to pursue a career in journalism.

All content by Mia Hennen
Senior guard Xavier Bell attempts to make a layup on Kansas City during the Dec. 17 game. Bell scored 21 points during the game, but the Shockers ultimately lost, 74-64, to the Roos.

A child sitting on the sideline plays with a rubber band between action at the Wichita State men's basketball game on Dec. 17.

Fifth-year guard AJ McGinnis goes for a lay-up during the WSU game against Kansas City on Dec. 17. McGinnis played 15 minutes during the losing game to the Roos.

Head coach Paul Mills and senior guard Bijan Cortes talk after a timeout. The Shockers played the Kansas City Roos on Dec. 17, losing 74-64.

[Photo] Men’s basketball head coach Paul Mills says Wichita State played 'entitled basketball’ in Kansas City loss

December 20, 2024
Senior guard Xavier Bell attempts to make a layup on Kansas City during the Dec. 17 game. Bell scored 21 points during the game, but the Shockers ultimately lost 74-64 to the Roos.

Senior guard Xavier Bell drives the ball down the court during the game against Kansas City on Dec. 17. Bell scored 21 points during the game, but the Shockers ultimately lost, 74-64, to the Roos.

Senior guard Xavier Bell looks to the basket as players attempt to shoot the ball. Bell scored 21 points during the game, but the Shockers ultimately lost 74-64 to the Roos.

Junior forward Corey Washington listens to head coach Paul Mills during a timeout on Dec. 17. Washington occupied the court for nearly 30 minutes, scoring eight points.

Kansas City's Cameron Faas puts up for a two-point shot as Wichita State's Corey Washington attempts a block. Washington occupied the court for nearly 30 minutes, scoring eight points.

Fifth-year guard Justin Hill attempts to score after grabbing a rebound. Hill was one of the top scorers of the evening, tallying 12 points in the game.

Fifth-year guard Justin Hill drives down the court, attempting to score on Kansas City. The Shockers lost to the Roos, 74-64

[Photo] ‘Not the standard’: Men’s basketball falls to UMKC

December 17, 2024
Fifth-year guard Justin Hill drives down the court, attempting to score on Kansas City. The Shockers lost to the Roos, 74-64

Firefighter Tony Massaglia passes Fire Station 10 Lieutaunt John Hattrup as the men tease each other about their workouts. The two make up a fire crew that has been together for around five years.

Ever noticed fire trucks outside of the campus YMCA? Meet the fire crew from Station 10

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
December 17, 2024
Arantxa Cortez smiles after competing in the pole vault event for track and field.

Weston Hulse watches video of his pole vault performance, recorded by Aliyah Fertig, the pole vault coach for track and field.

Weston Hulse propels himself over the pole vault bar during the Black vs Yellow Intrasquad match on Dec. 6.

Kylie Scott releases her pole after vaulting over the bar. Scott was on the yellow team during the Black vs Yellow Intrasquad track and field competition on Dec. 6.

Arantxa Cortez propels herself over the pole vault bar during the Black vs Yellow Intrasquad meet on Dec. 6.

Alexis Phillips vaults up during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad competition on Dec. 6.

Bailey Hartley watches video of her pole vault performance, recorded by Aliyah Fertig, the pole vault coach for track and field.

Sonya Haylor jumps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6.

Chairo Ogbebor jumps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6. Ogbebor competes in sprint and jump events for track and field.

Anna Bundy jumps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6. Bundy competes in multiple track and field events.

Farrah Miller and Chidera Okoro bump playfully into each other after Miller competed in the high jump. The track and field team competed in the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad meet on Dec. 6.

Chidera Okoro claps for Farrah Miller after she competed in the high jump at the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6.

Amarrion Reese leaps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6. Reese competes in sprint and jump events for track and field.

Amarrion Reese leaps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6. Reese competes in sprint and jump events for track and field.

Darius Graham leaps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6.

Senior Chidera Okoro leaps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6.

Junior Beau Kerschen pivots around during the hammer throw event at the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad on Dec. 6.

Track and field players and staff mark the point a player reached in the high jump event.

Kennady Washington leaps forward during the Black vs. Yellow Intrasquad event on Dec. 6. Washington competes in both sprints and jumps for track and field.

Bekah Selby-Leach, director of Wichita State's Center for Economic Development and Business Research. (Photo courtesy of Wichita State University)

New director outlines goals for Wichita State’s economic development and business research center

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
December 3, 2024
Garima Thapa

Graduate student Taylor Jameson goes around a Northeastern State player during the exhibition game on Oct. 30. Last year, Jameson appeared in all 31 games as a senior at George Mason.

Women’s basketball’s Taylor Jameson comes ‘back home’ for final year of eligibility

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
November 6, 2024
(Illustration)

A WSU criminal justice professor was a theft victim. Now, she hopes her work will help others.

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
October 24, 2024
(Courtesy of Madison Lackey)

Why a Wichita State student chooses to work local polls

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
October 16, 2024
Wichita State University President Richard Muma at the Student Government Association Town Hall on Oct. 26.

Academic misconduct allegations against Wichita State president garner campus response

Allison Campbell, Mia Hennen, and Ainsley Smyth
October 10, 2024
University President Richard Muma listens to the State of the Student Body address on Sept. 11. Muma is facing allegations of plagiarism, prompted by an article by the Kansas Reflector.

Wichita State president denies plagiarism allegations

Allison Campbell and Mia Hennen
October 7, 2024
Wichita State University campus view from the third floor balcony of the Rhatigan Student Center on May 2.

Full-time enrollment declines as university officials report historic enrollment numbers

Maleah Evans and Mia Hennen
October 4, 2024
Cricket Club President Sai Karthik Garnepudi prepares to strike the ball during Cricket Club practice.

Kamran Hafeez prepares to throw the ball back to the bowler to put it into play at Cricket Club practice.

Samarth Joshi jumps into the air before bowling his ball toward the batter at Cricket Club practice. The team meets weekly.

Sai Charan Reddy laughs after a play during a Cricket Club practice.

Phani Teja Palakodety and Rohan Varma Dantuluri joke together during Cricket Club practice. The two are part of a more than 100-person league.

Satish Ankenapally bowls the ball toward a fellow teammate during practice on Sept. 27. The Cricket Club team played different tournaments throughout the month.

Kamran Hafeez prepares to hit the ball, delivered by a fellow teammate. Hafeez is one of more than 100 members on Wichita State's Cricket Club team.

Sai Charan Reddy and Kamran Hafeez hit their bats together and fistbump after switching positions in a game of cricket on Sept. 27. WSU's Cricket Club practices at Dr. Glen Dey Park weekly.

Sai Charan Reddy watches as the ball flies through the air. He is a member of WSU's Cricket Club team, which has operated in some form for more than 30 years.

Virasut prepares to bowl the ball to the batter. Virasut is a fresh member of the Cricket Club team, attending his first practice on Sept. 27.

Sai Charan Reddy prepares to hit the ball delivered by a fellow teammate. He is one of more than 100 members on Wichita State's Cricket Club team.

[Photo] ‘More than religion’: WSU Cricket Club provides home away from home for international students

October 2, 2024
Kamran Hafeez tosses the ball back to the bowler during practice on Friday, Sept. 27. WSU's Cricket Club has more than 100 members.

Cricket Club President Sai Karthik Garnepudi catches the ball after it goes out of play during practice. The Wichita State Cricket Club practices in Dr. Glen Dey Park on Fridays.

Sai Charan Reddy prepares to hit the ball, delivered by a fellow teammate. He is one of more than 100 members on Wichita State's Cricket Club team.

Grass being watered by a sprinkler across from Woolsey Hall. Due to the drought, campus is limited to how often it can water its outdoor areas.

How is Wichita State University responding to a historic city-wide drought?

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
September 24, 2024
Provost Shirley Lefever speaks to attendees of the 2024 Fall Address on Aug. 14. Lefever plans to retire at the end of 2024.

[Photo] GUEST COLUMN: Provost urges students to ‘embrace the unknown’ in her final year

Shirley Lefever, Provost
August 18, 2024
The pickleball courts on the east side of the Heskett Center are set to move between the lawn of Hubbard Hall and Heskett Center. Construction on the current courts are expected to start in September.

Wichita State’s pickleball courts are moving. Here’s how students are reacting to the unexpected change.

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 16, 2024
The Innovation Campus at Wichita State celebrated 10 years on Aug. 15, 2024. The campus is a university initiative to increase research and enrollment at the university.

Wichita State celebrates 10 years of Innovation Campus, looks to increase research and enrollment

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 15, 2024
President Richard Muma speaks at the 2024 Fall Address, which focused on celebrating the 10th anniversary of the announcement of Wichita State's Innovation Campus.

[Photo] GUEST COLUMN: President highlights new Shocker Success Center in welcoming students back to campus

August 18, 2024
John Tomblin, who serves as WSU NIAR's executive vice president for research, industry, and defense program, speaks to attendees of the 2024 Fall Address. Tomblin talked about efforts to increase research at the university.

Bobby Gandu speaks to attendees of the 2024 Fall Address on Aug. 14. Gandu serves as the assistant vice president for strategic enrollment management and undergraduate admissions.

Provost Shirley Lefever speaks to attendees of the 2024 Fall Address on Aug. 14. Lefever plans to retire at the end of 2024.

Ashlie Jack, associate vice president for institutional effectiveness, tells attendees Wichita State's goals to increase enrollment.

Faculty Senate President Mathew Muether opens up the 2024 Fall Address on Aug. 13 by discussing the 10th anniversary of the Innovation Campus.

[Photo] Group of WSU faculty examine policy surrounding inquiry into Muma plagiarism allegations

Allison Campbell, Editor-in-Chief
October 18, 2024
Staff Senate President Kennedy Rogers opens up the 2024 Fall Address on Aug. 13 by discussing the 10th anniversary of the Innovation Campus.

(Illustration)

Wichita State creates program to bring students back to finish their degree

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 14, 2024
Some parking lots available to students will be temporarily closing for basketball games. Signs will be placed in lots before they close to warn students to move their cars.

Shocker Hall residents lose access to nearest parking lots this year

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 9, 2024
Parking lots that students park in will soon be closing temporarily for basketball game days. Signs will be posted in the lots to notify people to move their cars.

[Photo] Game day parking to take effect soon

October 23, 2024
Shocker Hall residents will have to purchase a separate parking pass from other students starting Fall 2024. Parking Services staff made the change in hopes of reducing the amount of citations given during men's basketball season, when lots near Charles Koch Arena temporarily close for games.

(Illustration)

Changes are coming to myWSU this month. See when and what to expect.

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 2, 2024
Faculty and staff practice their javelin throwing skills with pool noodles and hula hoops. The inaugural Faculty/Staff Olympics featured other activities such as rowing, golf, bowling and more.

PHOTOS: Faculty/Staff Olympics

Mia Hennen, Managing Editor
August 2, 2024
Jian Wang, assistant chemistry professor at WSU, cheers after knocking down a set of bowling pins during the practice round.

A team made up of faculty and staff from the provost's office pose for a photo following the javelin throwing and poly spot relay race competitions.

Julisa Khan makes one final attempt to make her javelin toss. Khan is a human resources business partner at Wichita State.

Jaime Scherer high fives Lisa Bolin after hearing that her team won first in the poly spot relay race during the Faculty/Staff Olympics. Scherer and Bolin's team, Just Us League, placed more than once in different competitions.

Lisa Bolin cheers after hearing that her team placed first in the second round of the poly spot relay race. Bolin was on the "Just Us League" team, which placed in some competitions.

Provost Shirley Lefever cheers after her team makes it to the end of the poly spot relay race. Faculty and staff gathered in Ablah Library on Aug. 2 to compete in a makeshift Olympics.

Shirley Lefever and Ashlie Jack play poly spot relay, essentially a game of "the floor is lava." Lefever and Jack both work in the provost's office, Lefever as the provost and Jack as the senior associate vice president for institutional effectiveness and strategic enrollment management.

Leonidah Chepkoech falls on the floor laughing after watching one of her teammates get hit with a pool noodle below the stomach.

Faculty and staff practice their javelin throwing skills with pool noodles and hula hoops. The inaugural Faculty/Staff Olympics featured other activities such as rowing, golf, bowling and more.

Natanya Ordoñez advises Sofía Polanco Botteselle on how to throw her pool noodle into hula hoop goals. The "javelin" activity was one of the first hosted at Ablah Library for the inaugural Faculty/Staff Olympics on Aug. 1.

Richard Mai launches a pool noodle across the bottom floor of Ablah Library during the inaugural Faculty/Staff Olympics while teammate Matthew Screnock watches. Mai and Screnock are both advisers in the Barton School of Business.

A screenshot of the myWSU homepage on July 24. 2024. Screenshot courtesy of mywsu.wichita.edu.

myWSU portal to get facelift next month

Mia Hennen, Copy Editor
July 24, 2024
Senior Auryonna Webb will be the first of two students to graduate from Wichita State with a bachelor's degree in acting for digital arts.

‘Soul work’: One of first to graduate with acting for digital arts degree looks toward future

Mia Hennen, Editor in chief
May 9, 2024
Lucia Suniga, Brisa Perez, Abby DeHaven and Gus Denneler jump for a photo in front of the Ulrich Museum of Art. The four were interns during the 2023-2024 academic year. (Photo courtesy of Jo Reinert)

From the vault to the gallery: Students discuss interning for Ulrich Museum

Mia Hennen, Editor in chief
April 27, 2024
The Wichita State campus on April 25.

Following threat, bomb devices not found at WSU

Mia Hennen, Editor in Chief
April 25, 2024
Wichita Police Department vehicles near Fairmount Park on April 18, following a shooting around 7 a.m. that morning.

Wichita Police Department vehicles near Fairmount Park on April 18, following the death of a man that morning.

[Photo] Man at Fairmount Park dies of medical emergency

April 18, 2024
Nathalia Gallego, known as GLeo in the art world, speaks about her time collaborating on art projects in the Wichita community. GLeo is well-known for her work as a street artist; in 2018, she designed the mural on the Beachner Grain elevator in north Wichita, which set a Guinness World Record.

Record-breaking artist to paint mural at Wichita State

Mia Hennen, Editor in chief
April 15, 2024
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