Wichita State University Community Education

06/11/2026

Happy Summer Lifelong Learners. Our office is preparing for an amazing lineup of Fall classes, beginning mid-August.
I want to start sharing some upcoming classes with you. Be on the lookout for more highlights in the next few weeks. Registration will open early/mid July! An exact date will be announced in a few weeks.
Class Highlight - The History of American Serial Killers
Class Dates: Tuesdays - Aug 19, 26, Sept 2, 9, 2026
Instructor: Tim Relph
Class time: 1-3pm
Class Location: In person Hughes Metroplex 5015 E 29th St N, Wichita or Online
Course Description:
This course explores the history, psychology, and investigation of serial crimes, with a special focus on serial homicide cases that have shaped modern criminal investigations. Designed for adult learners and lifelong learning students, the class examines how investigators, psychologists, and forensic scientists work together to understand patterns of violent crime and identify offenders.
Students will learn about the evolution of serial killer investigations, including the development of criminal profiling, behavioral analysis, and advances in forensic science and technology. Through engaging case studies, documentaries, readings, and class discussion, participants will examine how multiple-murder cases are classified and how investigative methods have changed over time.
No prior background in criminal justice is required. The course is intended for curious learners interested in true crime, psychology, history, and forensic investigation in an informative and respectful academic setting.
What is Lifelong Learning at WSU: Lifelong Learning courses cater specifically to individuals aged 60 and above, offering both in-person and online options. The courses, taught by qualified university faculty, consist of four classes held once a week for four weeks, with each class lasting approximately two hours. These courses operate on an audit basis, allowing students to participate without paying tuition fees, and scholarships are available to cover application and course fees for those who enroll before a specified deadline. There are no textbooks to purchase as all required materials are provided by WSU, and there are no tests or grades. The coursework encourages cohort-based learning, offering seniors the opportunity to engage in genuine college-level learning experiences.
All course work will be offered in-person and online.
In person classes will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Wichita State University Metropolitan Complex located at 5015 E. 29th St. North.
Online classes will be available. Students who select this option will receive a link via email each week to view the class on their own device.

06/09/2026

Happy Summer Lifelong Learners. Our office is preparing for an amazing lineup of Fall classes, beginning mid-August.
I want to start sharing some upcoming classes with you. Be on the lookout for more highlights in the next few weeks. Registration will open early/mid July! An exact date will be announced in a few weeks.
Class Highlight - The 1970s and 1980s: Precursors of the Present
Class Dates: Tuesdays - September 1, 8, 15, 22, 2026
Instructor: Gretchen Eick
Class time: 1-3pm
Class Location: In person Hughes Metroplex 5015 E 29th St N, Wichita or Online
Course Description: The 1970s and 1980s are a time few adults have studied. They just lived through them. But they were the decades of older Americans’ child-raising, when life was happening and allowing little time for reflection.
This course will examine these important decades in the U.S. past, looking at the political and social/cultural developments they saw and the changes they made in Americans’ ways of seeing issues, political parties, and politics. In both decades international events profoundly shaped the U.S. political response and the message politicians put out re: how to regard protesters, wars of liberation, the U.S.S.R (Soviet Union), environmental change, and popular culture.
What is Lifelong Learning at WSU: Lifelong Learning courses cater specifically to individuals aged 60 and above, offering both in-person and online options. The courses, taught by qualified university faculty, consist of four classes held once a week for four weeks, with each class lasting approximately two hours. These courses operate on an audit basis, allowing students to participate without paying tuition fees, and scholarships are available to cover application and course fees for those who enroll before a specified deadline. There are no textbooks to purchase as all required materials are provided by WSU, and there are no tests or grades. The coursework encourages cohort-based learning, offering seniors the opportunity to engage in genuine college-level learning experiences.
All course work will be offered in-person and online.
In person classes will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Wichita State University Metropolitan Complex located at 5015 E. 29th St. North.
Online classes will be available. Students who select this option will receive a link via email each week to view the class on their own device.

05/27/2026

I know summer is quickly approaching, but Oh how I dream of Christmas in Europe.
We are planning a Christmas Markets of Europe trip through the Wichita State University Community Education Program.
December 5-12, 2026.

Our early bird rates end June 6, 2026. We have a few spots available if you are interested. The registration link is below with all the details, itinerary, prices and much more.

Come join us for this magical adventure. If you have any questions about the trip, please contact the office at 316-978-6493.

Join us at the Metropolitan Complex on Wednesday, October 29 at 6:00 pm for a special presentation and information session on this trip.

05/24/2026

Santa Fe trip travel log day 5- Homecoming.

We began our day early leaving Santa Fe. There is something in the cool morning air and blue sky that makes you want to stay. We traveled home via Route 66. Our first stop was Clines Corner, then Tucumcari, NM.
We had lunch in Amarillo at the Big Texan. What an experience. Home of the 72oz steak. If you can eat it and the sides in an hour it’s FREE. There were a couple of guys trying while we were there but they were not successful. The waiter told us a story of a 135 woman who ate the steak in under 5 minutes. Unbelievable!
With our tummy’s full we traveled on home and made it back to Wichita just before dark.
My deepest and heartfelt gratitude to everyone that joined us on the adventure.

05/23/2026

Santa Fe trip log day 4- Two words. Georgia O’Keeffe. This is a personal bucket list item for me. Iconic, amazing, touching, and all the adjectives. Even if you’re not an art expert or aficionado this museum has something for everyone. We were so grateful to have a docents give us tours before they opened to the public. We learned so much more about Mrs. O’Keeffe and her life, art, marriage, style, travels than we would have ever know by just walking through the exhibits. If you go pay the extra for a guided tour.
After lunch we took a 49 minute drive to Rancho de Chimayo for lunch. Some of the best food we’ve had since being here. After lunch we visited El Santuario de Chimayo.
El Santuario de Chimayo, a small shrine located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Chimayo, New Mexico, and near the path of the Old Spanish Trail, has been a place of worship since before its construction in 1813. For generations people of faith have traveled to the site of El Santuario to ask for healing for themselves and others, and to offer prayers of petition and of thanksgiving for favors received. Following a long tradition of miraculous shrines, El Santuario is now one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage centers in the United States and one of the most beautiful examples of Spanish Colonial architecture in New Mexico. Our docent told story’s of her family on the area from 8 generations ago. It felt Holy and inspiring.
As we ended our last day we all gathered for a last evening snack and drink. We were lucky enough to meet a local artist, Maggie Muchmore, and her husband, John (also an artist), who happen to be old family friends of Dr. Jay Price from when he lived in Santa Fe.

Incredible friends in an incredible place.
Tomorrow we head home so stay tuned for the last of our adventures.

05/23/2026

Santa Fe travel log Day 3- Thursday, May 21. Another fabulous day. We began our day at Museum Hill. I had researched the museums but was not prepared for the unbelievable exhibits. We starred at the Folk Art Museum. The Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, holds the world's largest collection of international folk art, with over 135,000 objects from more than 100 countries, founded by Florence Dibell Bartlett in 1953. It features four wings (Bartlett, Girard, Hispanic Heritage, and Neutrogena) showcasing diverse global traditions, including the popular "Multiple Visions: A Common Bond" exhibition in the Girard Wing. The tapestries, clay pots from a 1000 years ago. Our second stop was the Museum of Indian Arts. If you love Native American art, culture, and history this is the museum for you. Stunning and beautiful and so well designed. We spent 90 minutes touring each museum and could have spent hours more. There is a fabulous restaurant at Museum Hill called Weldon’s Cafe. We were treated with a beautiful afternoon, and a wonderful lunch.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel for a little break. Some went exploring, some rested and we all met in the hotel for an incredible happy hour and enough appetizers to have dinner. I ended the night in the rooftop for an amazing Santa Fe sunset.

05/23/2026

Santa Fe trip travel log day 2. Wednesday, May 20- WHAT A DAY. Breakfast at the Drury was wonderful. A full buffet. In the morning we walked to the Palace of the Governors. The Palace of the Governors, an iconic adobe building on the Santa Fe Plaza, is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the U.S. and the anchor of the New Mexico History Museum. Built in 1610, it served as the seat of government for Spain, Mexico, and the U.S. before becoming a museum, and now houses exhibits on New Mexico's history, including a famous portal where Native American artists sell their work daily.
Key features
Historic significance: It was the center of government for centuries and has witnessed major historical events, from the Pueblo Revolt to the arrival of U.S. troops.
Architecture: A prime example of Spanish-Pueblo Revival style, it features thick adobe walls, vigas (roof beams), and a long portal.
Museum exhibits: Inside, you'll find galleries exploring New Mexico's history, including period rooms and collections on Southwest art and jewelry.
Native American Vendors Program: A long-standing tradition, Native American artisans sell their handmade goods under the portal, continuing a cultural exchange.
Part of a larger campus: It connects to the New Mexico History Museum campus, which includes the Palace Press and the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library.
After the palace we had the most delicious fajita lunch at the famous La Fonda hotel and restaurant on the plaza.
After lunch we walked to the Loretta Chapel. The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a former Catholic church famous for its "Miraculous Staircase," an architectural marvel with no visible central support. The Gothic-Revival style chapel operates as a private museum and popular wedding venue. Breathtaking! Emotional!
A must see if you are in Santa Fe. Our last stop was the Museum of Fine Art also on the Plaza.
We ended the long day with dinner at the iconic Tomasita’s Restaurant. As our big WSU bus pulled up to the restaurant, everyone waiting in line to get in just shook their heads like they would never get dinner. 🥘 The night was time for some rest for another full day on Thursday. More to come….. stay tuned!

05/23/2026

Santa Fe trip travel log day 1- Wichita to Santa Fe. We left super early Tuesday morning. It was a little chilly but sunny skies. We stopped for lunch in Clayton NM at the Hotel Eklund. The Hotel Eklund is a historic, three-story sandstone boutique hotel located in Clayton, New Mexico. Built in 1892, it features 24 guest rooms, fine dining, and an iconic Wild West-era saloon. It is a registered historic property and serves as a popular, charming stopover for travelers. We had a fantastic lunch of red and green enchiladas, fajitas, rice, guacamole and all the fixings. As the afternoon passed we saw the mountains and gained elevation as we arrived into Santa Fe. We ended our long journey with a wonderful dinner at Plaza Cafe South. As we arrived at the Drury Hotel Santa Fe (a converted old hospital) we all rested the night away looking forward to what Wednesday will bring.

05/22/2026

Meet Hank. Our trip travel companion! He’s the best good boy ever!!!

05/22/2026

Oh that Santa Fe sunset !!! Stay tuned! More pics to come from our fabulous getaway.