January 2020 WMU News

WMU-related travel to China prohibited

The health and safety of the WMU campus community is always the top priority. With that goal in mind, all Western Michigan University travel to China is prohibited, effective immediately and until further notice.

Employers to vie for job, intern candidates at spring career fairs

The WMU-organized events are free and open to the public, although tailored to college students and recent college graduates. They begin Thursday, Jan. 30, and conclude Wednesday, April 22. All but one takes place in Kalamazoo on the University's Main Campus.

Social work student finds passion, home at WMU

Johnny Anderson III, an alumnus who is now pursuing his master's degree in social work, overcame homelessness and secured a job at the Family Health Center in Kalamazoo.

Check out WMU’s latest Human Library event Feb. 12

Western Michigan University will host its second Human Library event for the campus community on Feb. 12. Participants will be able to check out human "books" about widely diverse identities.

Graduate success reaches all-time high at WMU

The latest WMU Post-Graduation Activity Survey finds 94% of 2018-19 graduates have a job, are engaged in volunteer or military service, or are enrolled in graduate school—the highest engagement rate in the survey's ten-year history.

Students present research at international conference

Undergraduate students Blake Tindol and Brandon Buxton had the rare experience of presenting research at the Conference on Health IT and Analytics, an annual research summit that gathers prominent scholars from more than 40 research institutes. Tindol and Buxton presented research they collaborated on with Dr. Utkarsh Shrivastava, assistant professor of business information systems.

From heartbreak to hope

From young political refugee to successful businessman,  alumnus Samath Him Sprung overcame adversity to influence the education of thousands of students in Cambodia.

Experiences at WMU serve HR executive well in professional life

WMU business alumna Karen Feller Baldwin's efforts have helped Greenleaf Trust grow by more than double digits every year for 10 years to more than 130 employees today. Besides actively seeking diverse talent and creating a culture of inclusion, she’s organized cutting-edge training for team members and new channels for employee feedback that resulted in increasing maternity and paternity leave to 12 paid weeks.

LBGT office celebrates 30 years of inclusion, diversity on campus

Just after the WMU Office of LBGT Student Services celebrates 30 years on campus, the nation’s largest conference for LBGTQ+ college students is coming to WMU. The Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference is expected to draw more than 2,000 people to Kalamazoo in February, and will focus on empowerment and education within the community.

WMUK announces new programming, classical FM service launch

Tune in to Western Michigan University's regional NPR station, WMUK 102.1 FM, which will expand its schedule and introduce a new channel dedicated to classical music and the arts. The changes will take place Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.

Bronco footballer scores accolades for impact off the field

Broncos quarterback Jon Wassink was honored with the Wuerffel Trophy, college football's premier community service award. Named for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel, it's given to one college football player every year who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

Think Big initiative shifts from thought to action

Western Michigan University is not a place to go, it's a place to become. That's the mantra emerging from the Think Big initiative, which is reimagining the University's brand and its promise to students.

Throughout the process, participants have distilled more than 300 ideas to create a shared vision that encompasses four core values: a WMU student journey will focus on purpose, career and well-being, all rooted in the foundation of flexibility.