College athlete by day, Kalamazoo business leader by night
Dear friends and colleagues,
Within this issue of the W Magazine you’ll find stories that reveal the heart and purpose of our Western community—an extraordinary blend of passion, innovation and perseverance that drives us toward our North Star—holistic, experience-driven education. Each story featured here is a testament to the transformative power of our education, illustrating how Broncos continue to push boundaries and embrace new possibilities.
I am honored to share just a few of the stories that showcase the creativity that defines Western’s students, faculty, staff and alumni. Each underscores our approach to experiential education and is united by a shared Bronco spirit: commitment to excellence, the drive to pioneer and the desire to make an impact.
Layla Wallace embodies the very essence of passion and purpose. She didn’t just discover her love for baking in grade school a decade ago; she built a business—Layla’s Cool Pops! Now that she is a food marketing student, Western is empowering Layla to advance her entrepreneurial vision, with a mission to address homelessness. We applaud her for taking steps to find her passion early in life and for boldly demonstrating leadership and social responsibility, ambitions we aim to instill in every Bronco.
We are also excited to celebrate the University’s nearly $60 million record-breaking year in total awards for research, spotlighting unprecedented work at Western. Our commitment to research and innovation is woven into the University’s fabric as we actively seek solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. It’s rewarding to see our faculty and students at the forefront of this essential work, translating research into real-world impact. Building on this spirit of innovation, advancements in unmanned technologies are opening new opportunities for students interested in aviation-related fields. We’re extremely proud of the College of Aviation’s creation of a certificate program focused on drone technology. Western provides an impressive launching pad for cutting-edge careers in the field of flight and beyond.
We are proud to highlight the accomplishments of alumni who exemplify the Bronco spirit in their professional arenas, including Trey Conner, BS ’11. He’s the chief operating officer of the Grand Rapids Gold NBA G League and attributes much of his career success to the foundation he built here at Western. His degree in physical education and health, mixed with a passion for sports, strong leadership skills and a love for the community has propelled his career to new heights in West Michigan. We’re excited to see how high his future will continue to soar.
As we celebrate the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff and alumni, I am both grateful and inspired by the knowledge that Western has played an important role in their journeys to success. It is our honor to support all Broncos as they push boundaries of knowledge, gain relevant experiences and live the meaningful life of their choosing. ■
Sincerely,
Edward Montgomery, PhD
President
EDL is in our DNA
Western's Experience-Driven Learning (EDL) Venture Grants empower students with hands-on learning experiences to ensure career-readiness after graduation.
From solving decades-old cold cases to revitalizing a historic African American community, these nearly two dozen faculty-led projects have further bolstered our University's commitment to experiential learning.
Kinetic imaging
Students engaged in the experiential technologies for the kinetic imaging program provide active demonstrations of their virtual reality and motion capture projects.
Lights, camera, respect
Students enrolled in the "Non-extractive and Non-obtrusive Community-engaged Learning for Media Production" course shoot video and practice their interview techniques at the Ecumenical Senior Center in Kalamazoo.
DigitalWMU Career Fair
The inaugural digital marketing and advertising career fair allows students to forge meaningful connections with prospective employers from Chicago to Detroit.
Solving cold cases
Students participating in Western’s pioneering Cold Case Program with Michigan State Police meet with detectives to discuss their current cases. To date, students have helped solve two cold cases and have collaborated on more than two dozen others.
Advancing student scholarship
The Undergraduate Research, Innovation and Creative Scholarship Summer Scholars Program pairs faculty and students for a mentored summer research experience, culminating in an event where students share their research with the greater campus community.
Igniting innovation
University news
Top of the MAC
After a year in which the Broncos won 13 conference championships and six teams made NCAA appearances, Western finished first in the MAC in the 2023-24 Learfield Directors' Cup standings.
Bronco birdie!
Golf head coach Kim Moore racked up a second place finish once again at the U.S. Adaptive Open, securing her spot among the world's best golfers.
Broncos Will Reign
As name, image and likeness (NIL) rules enter a new era in collegiate sports, WMU football alumni are partnering with Bronco Athletics to set students up for success on and off the field.
A giant leap forward
A season to remember
Buster busts a move with the Homecoming Court.
International students prepare for the annual Parade of Flags.
Encouraging a "Gold Rush" at Waldo Stadium, the Broncos sported gold uniforms.
