Latest news with #MSUTexas
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Grad student embraces her learning stage at MSU Texas
For Sami Chaulagain, Midwestern State University was more than a college. She describes it as her 'learning stage.' Chaulagain is the latest recipient of the Arbor Creek Scholarship, which provides a graduate student with a one-bedroom apartment at Arbor Creek Apartments rent-free for one year. In her essay applying for the scholarship, Chaulagain said she 'often feels like the lead actress in a story of growth, discovery, and transformation. From day one, MSU has placed me in new situations that challenged me and helped me realize how capable I truly am. Now, I believe it's my time to give back to the university that has shaped me in so many meaningful ways.' Chaulagain moved from Nepal to Wichita Falls to pursue her MBA in Business Analytics at MSU Texas. She says it was a major life change with differences in language, culture, and weather, all while adapting to a new academic system and managing the realities of living alone in a new country. Her willingness to accept a challenge paid off. 'Over the past year, I've grown a lot both personally and professionally, and I'm proud of the progress I've made,' Chaulagain said. 'This scholarship represents more than just financial support. It is a message that says we see you, we believe in you, and you belong here. For international students like me, who are far from home, that message is incredibly meaningful.' She is thankful for this opportunity. 'That kind of support lasts far beyond one year, as a sense of encouragement, pride, and the motivation to keep moving forward. I am really thankful to the MSU Texas team and Arbor Creek for making opportunities like this available. It makes a big difference in helping students stay focused and feel supported.' Academically, Chaulagain successfully transitioned from a general business background to a technical field of analytics. She said it was a 'steep learning curve, requiring long hours and constant effort.' At the same time, she needed to manage rent and other living expenses. Admittedly, that was stressful. 'So when I found out I had received the Arbor Creek Scholarship, it was a huge moment of relief and encouragement,' Chaulagain said. 'Not having to worry about rent for an entire year gives me the space to truly focus on learning, growing, and preparing for what's next. It's not just about the financial help; it's the mental clarity it brings, and the feeling of being supported.' Chaulagain is also working as a student assistant at Moffett Library as she starts a graduate assistantship with the Dillard College of Business Administration. She also hopes to find an internship opportunity to gain more work experience. 'I don't have everything figured out just yet, but I'm focused on building experience and preparing myself for the opportunities ahead,' Chaulagain said. She's thankful her essay led to an Arbor Creek Scholarship, which should give her a bridge to her future. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Grad student embraces her learning stage at MSU Texas Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UPDATED: City to buy and bulldoze Sikes Senter. Here's what is planned to be built there
(This story was updated to add new information.) The city of Wichita Falls is poised to bulldoze Sikes Senter and build new structures that would include a stadium, retail shopping, a park and possibly residences. Ron Kitchens, president of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce, confirmed on Friday that leaseholders of the mall have been notified, and a public hearing is set for Aug. 14 that would include members of the City Council and the city's Economic Development Corporation and 4B Sales Tax Corporation. The purpose would be to start the ball rolling to purchase the mall and its 60 acres for $28 million from the present owner, then turn around and sell most of it to a Dallas developer. He said the intent would be to get 100% of the city's money back. That developer, who Kitchens did not name, would then develop everything but the stadium — which would be a project for MSU Texas. 'We can't let someone come in and put a bunch of Dollar Generals in there or flea market,' Kitchens said of the present mall. So far as a timeline, Kitchens said it would take about 60 days to get final approval from the City Council, which then would use money from the EDC, 4B and local banks to buy the property from Summit Properties USA of New York. He estimated it would be 18 months before bulldozers would be on site to begin demolition of the mall, which he said might be done incrementally because some retailers might have to remain in place for up to three years. Kitchens thinks it might take four years to complete all work, which he estimated to be a $175-$200 million project. He said the EDC would keep ownership of the land where the stadium would be built and lease it to the university. The university would have to raise the money to build the stadium, which he estimated would cost $35-$40 million. Kitchens said he believed the stadium would accommodate about 6,000 people, which is smaller than Memorial Stadium. Midwestern State University email MSU Texas President Stacia Haynie said in an email circulated on campus Friday, "For our university community, the redevelopment of this property is an important extension of MSU Texas as it is conveniently located near campus and will serve as many as 1,200 residential students and the thousands of students who commute throughout the week." Kitchens envisioned that the sports component of the project would include soccer and track facilities and attract football playoff games. Kitchens said retail areas would probably be in 'clusters' and possibly include residential housing. He said another street might run parallel to Midwestern Parkway with six or seven entrances into the new facilities. Wichita Falls residents could file petitions to call for an election to approve the project. Organizers would have 60 days from July 23, when a legal notice was posted in the Times Record News, to gather signatures from 10 percent of the city's registered voters. That percentage equates to about 5,900 voters based on the latest available numbers from the City Clerk's Office. More: Murder suspect who was released on technicality is back in jail More: Seymour man indicted in deadly crash This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: City plans to buy Sikes Senter, bulldoze it Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MSU Texas: Graduate school speaker excited at opportunity at Friday's commencement ceremony
Taylor Ullman put her focus on earning her master's degree at Midwestern State University in August 2023 when her husband was transferred to Sheppard Air Force Base. She realized she could earn her master's in English at MSU Texas while he was finishing his training and began classes at MSU in January 2024. So she's not surprised to be walking across the stage at D.L. Ligon Coliseum Friday night as part of the May 2025 Commencement, but Ullman never expected to be giving a speech before the graduates. 'It is a privilege I never considered,' Ullman said. 'I've always done well in school but was usually too quiet to be noticed by more than my English teachers. I still can't quite believe I was chosen for this speech. I see it as an opportunity to get more out of life than what I was given. I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak at commencement.' Ullman grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and met her husband, Reagan, at C.E. Byrd High School there. She earned a bachelor's in secondary English education and a minor in psychology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which made her the first person in her family to graduate from college. After graduation, she taught Honors English I and AP English IV for a year in Youngsville, Louisiana. She also taught a year in East Texas while living in Shreveport, but when Reagan transferred to SAFB, she decided it was a great time to pursue her master's degree. Her plan is to become an adjunct or assistant professor. This past semester, she was able to research her favorite genre, Romantasy. Her research project was accepted into two different conferences: the Contemporary Women in Writing Conference in Falmouth, United Kingdom, and the 36th Annual American Literature Association in Boston. More: Top MSU students recognized at honors banquet More: A historic success: Volunteers learn to restore Wichita County historical markers This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: MSU Texas: Graduate school speaker excited for Friday's commencement
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Nigerian student happy to find himself, excellent education at MSU Texas
When Samuel Olatunde first dreamed of coming to America to attend college, he thought basketball would be a part of it. Duke University came to mind. But Olatunde realized after some time that he was good in basketball in his area, but it wouldn't be his future occupation. He still wanted to come to the United States and found Midwestern State University and Wichita Falls. 'My dad's plan was always to send me abroad to study. He wanted me to go to the UK, but I wanted to go to the U.S.,' Olutunde said. 'I had heard of Texas but not Wichita Falls.' Starting college in 2020 as the world was experiencing COVID-19, it was the online presence of MSU Texas that gained his attention. But he was excited to come to campus to continue his educational journey, and he earned his bachelor of science from McCoy College of Science, Mathematics and Engineering in December 2024. And he stayed here for graduate school. He initially didn't want many friends and admitted he wasn't the best at socializing. 'That helped me academically. I became friends with my teachers, and they were supportive,' he said. He finished with a double major in computer science and mathematics and embraced his chances to do research. His message to others would be to try research. 'You never know until you do it, and you might enjoy it," he said. After grad school at MSU Texas, he hopes to land a job that involves research. 'It's amazing here at MSU,' Olatunde said. 'It was a beautiful journey. One of the best things for me was it was a smaller school and I had access to (faculty). The support you get here is great. I had a lot of ups and downs and went through a lot of growth. I continued to grow in school and socially.' His favorite professors included associate professors of computer science Eduard Colmenares-Diaz and Terry Griffin, who was Samuel's adviser and got him started in research, and Marcos Lopez, associate professor of mathematics. His first MSU experience was an online class from Tiffany Zeigler, and he learned much about the rules for writing papers. 'I slowly picked it up. I had a very terrible relationship with writing (as a youth), but I've understood I can be really good at it. It takes a lot mentally, and I tend to spend a whole lot of time writing," Olatunde said. Graduation in December was a milestone for him. His parents — dad Sayo and mother Bukola — came to celebrate with him. He said they always had high goals for him. It was quite a journey, but he showed that belief in him was not misplaced. He just wasn't destined to be an NBA star. 'They would always help and support me, and here my confidence has grown socially and academically. I'm more outspoken and not afraid. (MSU) has helped me grow holistically in every aspect of my life,' Olutunde said. More: MSU schedules health fair More: Wichita Falls restaurant inspections: How did they do Feb. 12-24? This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Nigerian student happy to find himself, excellent education at MSU Texas
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
MSU Texas team chosen to compete in NASA challenge
A team of students from Midwestern State University was one of 10 university groups chosen to compete in an elite competition hosted by NASA, according to an MSU Texas media release. The Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students — NASA SUITS — is a design challenge in which college students nationwide help design user interface solutions for future spaceflight needs. The MSU Texas team, Team Selene, submitted a project proposal to NASA to develop and test an interface for a space suit and an interface for the lunar rover. The announcement was made by NASA with a video. Students held a watch party and were excited to hear Team Selene announced along with teams from Columbia, Purdue, Indiana State, Brown and Rice universities, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas at Austin. Team Selene members include Zachary Barrentine, Rykir Evans, Zachary Lewis, Kerry Manolagas, Ryan Mathews, Mierhamza Sly Rahimi, Adrian Robledo and Jack Tsui. Robledo is the team leader. Kyle Garcia, Jarett Green, Victoria Heredia, Carlos Polanco and Ethan Saenz are alternates. 'It's truly surreal and an incredible honor to have been selected among so many universities,' Robledo said in the media release. 'Knowing that we're going up against such big schools is both exciting and intimidating, but it also fuels our determination. I feel proud to represent our institution on this stage, and I can't wait to rise to the challenge.' The MSU Texas team is paired with Team Space from the University of California, Irvine. Faculty adviser Tina Johnson, professor of computer science, said that UC Irvine will work on the spacesuit display, and Team Selene will work on the rover interface. 'The students will work on the project throughout the spring semester and then travel to Johnson Space Center in Houston May 18-22 for testing," Johnson said in the media release. Testing for the lunar mission will be at night at the Johnson Space Center rock yard to simulate the low lighting levels at the lunar south pole. The team received an intramural grant through the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research at MSU Texas to fund equipment purchases and the travel to NASA in May. 'The Department of Computer Science is proud to be represented by Team Selene in the NASA SUITS challenge. Given the importance of the project, it should be something to celebrate as these types of accomplishments set MSU Texas apart from other small colleges," Johnson said. "This remarkable achievement highlights not only the talent and hard work of our students but also the strength of our university's STEM programs," she said. "Despite being a smaller institution, our team's success in this competitive challenge emphasizes that size does not define impact — passion and dedication do.' NASA's Artemis missions seek to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon and build a sustained human presence on the moon and ultimately, Mars. This is the eighth year of the SUITS program. More: Former Wichita Falls city manager lands new job More: Wichita Falls fire chief among those leaving city's staff This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: MSU Texas team chosen to compete in NASA challenge
