WMU students seeking a low-cost, meaningful spring break experience are encouraged to participate in Spring Staycation, to be held March 9-13, in Kalamazoo.

Dr. Donald Kohn will speak at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in 2028 Brown Hall. His presentation is free and open to the public and is titled "Central Banking in the Great Recession."

Dr. Katherine Miller, professor at the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University, will speak from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in 1920 Sangren Hall.

 Dr. Jonathan Bush and Dr. Sherine Obare were appointed effective immediately, according to a message to faculty and staff in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Evan Clifton, a finalist in the Donald Yaxley Bass Trombone Competition, will travel to Valencia, Spain, in July to compete for a 2,000 euro gift certificate toward a new trombone.

Matching funds are available to help small businesses in West Michigan hire WMU student interns to work on STEM or STEM-related projects. Applications for this summer are due Monday, March 2.

The Mid-American Conference recognized 15 fall student athletes from WMU as distinguished scholars for excelling in athletics and academics during the 2014-15 season.

Third Coast Percussion will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The performance will be preceded by a 7 p.m. discussion hosted by Dr. Robert White.

WMU's Concert Band will present the performance at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

The $2 million gift will establish the Arthur E. and Martha S. Hearron College of Fine Arts Distinguished Professorship and endow a new Medallion Scholarship for students in the fine arts.

Nominations for the spring round of Make a Difference awards are due Saturday, Feb. 28. The campuswide peer-to-peer program recognizes staff for their accomplishments and exceptional service to the University.

Phoenix Park-Kim, professor of piano at Indiana Wesleyan University, will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert, which will feature electronica, techno beats, and lighting effects, will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in Miller Auditorium. Admission is free.

Two performances of "Gold Company: From Brazil With Love," featuring one of the most successful collegiate vocal groups in the world, are set for 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14.

The solo performance, written by and featuring Michael Fosberg, is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, in the York Arena Theatre at the Gilmore Theatre Complex.

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, co-hosts of the Emmy-nominated Discovery series, are coming to Miller Auditorium for one performance at 8 p.m. Friday, April 17.

The School of Music Concerto Competition finals will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Jim Lyon, managing director of Separation Solutions, will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, in 2150 Schneider Hall. The event was rescheduled from the previously announced date of Feb. 13.

Family Fun Night is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17. The Children's Place Learning Center is located at 2210 Wilbur Ave. on WMU's campus.

Faculty and staff members should submit materials by Friday, Feb. 13, to have them considered for the University Assessment Steering Committee's annual awards.

Thomas C. Hardie II, a former director of WMU's choirs, died Nov. 15, 2014, at age 93. An open house to celebrate his life will be hosted by the family from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at Hardie's home in Chicago.

A festive, traditional Chinese New Year celebration featuring food, musical and dance performances, games and more is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Wesley Foundation on WMU's main campus.

Staff Sergeant Cecilia Kozlowski, WMU alumna and member of "The President’s Own" United States Marine Band, is the guest artist at Horn Day 2015 Saturday, Feb. 14.

The Confucius Institute at WMU is accepting registrations for three different Chinese culture workshops. The one-day workshops will be held Feb. 18, March 18 and April 22.

Stephen Framil, cello; Carla Trynchuk, violin; and Chi Yong Yun, piano, will give a concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.

Student Employee Appreciation Week is Feb. 23-27. Nominations are due Feb. 13 for the Supervisor of the Year and Belleville Student Employee of the Year awards.

Google Apps for Education at WMU is now available to all members of the University community who have a wmich.edu email account. The next Cool Tools faculty workshops focusing on the suite take place Feb. 6 and 20.

Hearit's appointment to the post is effective immediately, while a national search is conducted to identify a new arts and sciences dean. He was previously associate dean of the college.

Ellen Page-Robin, professor emerita of community health services, died Jan. 3 in Kalamazoo. She was 82. A memorial service will be held on March 21 in the Kiva Room at Friendship Village, 1400 N. Drake, Kalamazoo.

WMU's Advanced Jazz Ensemble and artists from the Department of Dance will premier a work called "Metrics" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.