Michigan firm TowerPinkster has been selected to transform East Hall into a new alumni center. The firm will soon begin work with campus planners to develop a schedule and launch the design process.

Seventeen Midwestern high school students have received an award for exemplary writing entered in WMU's inaugural Best Midwestern High School Writing competition.

The five candidates for dean of the College of Education and Human Development will visit campus June 7-13 and will make public presentations from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in 2020 Fetzer Center.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of a new WMU T-shirt will go toward a student scholarship fund. The Western Student Association is selling the shirts in the Campus Pointe Plaza and online.

The Mixer on the Mall concert series features live music, beverages and samples from featured restaurants from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 21 in downtown Kalamazoo. Admission is $1.

The sixth annual Kalamazoo Pride event, set for Friday and Saturday, June 14-15, will feature live music, food and activities at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo.

Heather Ricketts has taken on the role of director of community engagement, and Bethany Gauthier has begun working as the assistant director of marketing in a full-time capacity.

Students from WMU's School of Music took home six coveted awards in DownBeat magazine's annual student music competition, third most of any college or university worldwide.

Musicians from Kalamazoo and the surrounding area, many with ties to WMU, will perform for free at 4 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 18 in Bronson Park downtown. The rain location is First Baptist Church.

The Association of Operations Management has honored WMU as its Educational Partner of the Year. In addition, integrated supply management major Rian Caldwell was named the APICS student of the year.

The celebratory gathering is planned for 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 7, and is open to all. Reservations are required and can be made at mywmu.com/bigelowhoekje.

Demetria Jones worked in the in the School of Social Work's field education office from 2012 until her graduation in April. She is among 66 student employees nominated for the honor.

Five candidates for the position of dean of the College of Fine Arts will visit campus May 29 through June 6. Each will give a public presentation in 2020 Fetzer Center.

Except for essential and emergency services, University offices will be closed and all classes canceled Monday, May 27, in honor of U.S. Memorial Day. Classes and regular hours will resume Tuesday, May 28.

WMU is offering a series of presentations and a workshop for graduate students, faculty and staff on creating and using digital research. The series begins Thursday, May 30.

Zheng "Rachel" Wei, graduate student in paper and imaging science and engineering, and Dr. Margaret Joyce, professor of paper and chemical engineering, both earned awards at a recent industry conference.

New freshman and transfer students will be on campus this summer for orientation. Registration is already full for many freshman orientation sessions, which begin Monday, June 3, and run through Tuesday, July 2. 

WMU's precision flight team, the Sky Broncos, took fifth place in this year's National Intercollegiate Flying Association's championship competition, held May 6-11 at Ohio State University.

A suspect was taken into custody two and a half hours after a pair of assaults was reported this morning on WMU's West Campus, and stolen property was recovered.

The book selected for WMU's second Universitywide common read is "Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong" by the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Raymond Bonner.

The College of Aviation is staging a golf outing Saturday, June 15, in Battle Creek, Mich., to raise funds for its student organizations. Registrations are being accepted until June 1; sponsors and donations are needed.

Dr. Carla M. Koretsky, professor of geosciences and associate dean of WMU's Lee Honors College, has been named dean of the Lee Honors College, effective July 1.

"The Living Room" with host Allison Downey, associate professor of teaching, learning and educational studies, has won an Excellence in Broadcasting award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

Gov. Rick Snyder has appointed Dr. Michael Nassaney to fill a vacancy on the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission, which preserves and promotes the legacy of the Underground Railroad's Freedom Trail in Michigan.

Local people who dress the part of parodies, spoofs and characters will parade along the streets of downtown Kalamazoo at the annual Do Dah Parade Saturday, June 8.

U2 tribute band U2 Zoo and rock band Candlebox will be featured alongside traditional Greek fare at the 37th annual Kalamazoo Greek Festival Thursday through Saturday, June 6-8, at Arcadia Creek Festival Place.

Original works of arts and fine crafts will be sold along the downtown Kalamazoo Mall from Michigan Avenue to Lovell Street Friday and Saturday, June 7-8.

Five WMU staff members received awards from the Administrative Professional Association and the Professional Support Staff Organization during separate events this spring.

A family-friendly Bowling Extravaganza will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 2, at Eastland Lanes to raise funds for Kalamazoo's annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride celebration.

Willard "Bill" Rose will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, May 31, in the Dean's Conference Room of Schneider Hall. His talk will focus on the business paradigm shift for nature centers.