The College of Aviation's maintenance director, Scott Austin, has been named a Regional Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year, putting him up for selection as 2013's top U.S. aviation maintenance technician. 

The Student Recreation Center will be the site of an open house sponsored by University Recreation for WMU employees and retirees from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27.

In a formal session Wednesday, Feb. 27, the WMU Board of Trustees will welcome new members Michelle Crumm and Ronald Hall and elect a chair and vice chair to lead the board during 2013.

The Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations will sponsor a fundraising dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, in the Bernhard Center Ballroom. Reservations are requested by Wednesday, March 6.

Dakaboom will bring its unique blend of musical comedy to Western Michigan University's campus at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the Bernhard Center's North Ballroom.

Students who would like to be a positive role model and mentor for a group of incoming first-year students are encouraged to apply to be a Fall Welcome ambassador. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, March 15.

WMU is offering a comprehensive preparation course for the GMAT in its regional facility at 2333 E. Beltline Ave. SE. The instructor-led course costs $450 and will be held Fridays and Saturdays from March 1 through March 22.

Twitter messages by Dr. Jeffrey Angles requesting Japanese books to support WMU's recently launched Japanese major resulted in thousands of book donations and many touching letters.

Teaching international graduate assistants presentation methods, protocols, and nuances of classroom instruction in the American university system is the mission of the International Graduate Assistant Training program that has been offered through Western Michigan University's Career English Language Center for International Students since the late 1980s.

Prescribed burns are planned through the end of February at Asylum Lake Preserve to dispose of piles of brush that have accumulated as a result of University efforts to remove invasive vegetation.

Members of WMU's Alpha Tau Omega fraternity will camp out for 48 consecutive hours Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 19-21, to raise funds for Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity.

The next Distinguished Speaker Series talk will be presented by William A. "Bud" Brian, founder and original owner of Budco. He will speak at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in 2000 Schneider Hall.

The Lawrence Lithography Workshop will exhibit prints in the Richmond Center for Visual Arts' Monroe-Brown Gallery Thursday, Feb. 21, through Friday, March 22.

WMU students Brendan Duffy, Shane Petersen and Alec Robbins will compete Thursday, Feb. 21, for the title of this year's funniest Bronco, followed with a set by Roy Wood Jr.

Dr. Hal B. Jenson, founding dean of the WMU School of Medicine, will speak at the Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series at 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22. Continental breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m.

Dr. Leroy R. Ray Jr., professor emeritus and former director of the Black Americana Program, died Feb. 12 at age 82. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, in Bloomingdale, Mich.

The contributions of Chinese women writers in China’s historiography will be outlined in a talk by visiting Chinese scholar Dr. Clara Wing-chung Ho at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in 2028 Brown Hall.

The conference and lecture Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 20-21, will feature Johns Hopkins Professor Brian K. Gibbs as well as a series of workshops to address the serious health disparities in American society.

A national non-profit organization has given WMU's career center gold-level certification for 2013 as a place where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students can find career resources.

School of Music students will perform the second act of "Die Fledermaus" as part of an opera workshop planned for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, and 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Genre-bending band the Red Sea Pedestrians will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. A discussion hosted by Dr. Dan Jacobson will precede the show.

Dr. Jocelyne Cesari, professor at the French National Center for Scientific Research, will present the talk "Islam and Democratization: Lessons Learned from the Arab Spring," at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in 2008 Richmond Center.

The weekly music show, which airs on WMUK-FM Saturday nights and Sunday mornings, is celebrating 35 years of bringing bluegrass and roots music to its listeners.

Serving refugees from all over the world as an intern at St. Vincent Catholic Charities Refugee Services in Lansing, Mich., was a key factor in Christie Gates’ decision to prepare for a career in international education.

The deadline for submitting applications or nominations for two awards, the University Assessment Excellence Award and University Individual Assessment Excellence Award, is Friday, Feb. 15.