Tekna, a global product development firm founded by a WMU alum, partnered with the University to pilot new technology that uses UVC light to disinfect personal items and equipment. It's an added layer of protection as Western works to mitigate spread of COVID-19.

Learn about WMU's closure policy and tips on staying safe in the cold.

Teagan Arndt not only fixes airplanes, she jumps out of them. A junior in the Western Michigan University College of Aviation majoring in aviation technical operations, she is involved with Skydive Broncos, the university's sky-diving team. One could say that she is aviation-ready from the ground floor up.

A recent Active Minds survey found 89% of college students are experiencing stress or anxiety as a result of COVID-19, and a quarter of students surveyed say their depression has significantly increased. But there is a silver lining: Two-thirds of students report an increase in supporting others with their mental wellness. It's a mission X-Hale, a Registered Student Organization established to help break down stigmas surrounding mental health among students and encourage healthy behaviors, is helping to move forward.

A week ahead of Election Day, WeVote is making one last push to get Western Michigan University students equipped and excited to vote. The nonpartisan group, which focuses on encouraging civic engagement on campus, will be joined by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist for a panel discussion among student leaders. The virtual event, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, will encourage students to make their voices heard by voting.

"When I enrolled at the Western Michigan University College of Aviation," he says about what amounts to an unusual switcheroo, "I majored in flight science. But when I decided it was not the lifestyle I wanted, I changed to the program in aviation technical operations. I have felt at home ever since. All of the programs offered here are amazing," says Freeland, who is a WMU junior enrolled in his second year of aviation-maintenance courses. "I just happened to find my calling a little later. I am more than happy with the fact that I decided to make the call that I did because I truly ended up where I felt I was meant to be."

Mental Health Week at WMU runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 23. It features a variety of events to highlight wellness resources the campus community can utilize. In addition to events, all week long the University will be sharing tips to help students take care of their mental well-being using the hashtag #BeWellBroncos on various social media platforms.

Drs. Matthew Mingus and Kevin Corder, along with graduate student Daria Blinova, compiled data to examine the factors that led governors of all 50 states to enact orders meant to restrict movement and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The new $1.5 million state appropriation will allow WMU's Unified Clinics  to add new services, like trauma assessments and treatment for parents and for those with substance use disorders, as well as resiliency-based interventions for families and sensory processing therapy for children.

The COVID-19 Student Coalition aims to keep the student population educated about proper mitigation strategies to reduce spread of the new coronavirus. The group is wielding their peer influence to encourage safe behaviors on campus and connect students to health and safety resources. 

The route reductions are necessary to provide safe and consistent service to the community, according to Metro.

Industrial and entrepreneurial engineering students Sean Fitzsimons, Paul Geyer and Sam Olmstead have reached the top 10 in the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers’ 2019-2020 Outstanding Capstone Senior Design Projects Award competition.

The city of Kalamazoo has opened an office in room 105 of the Bernhard Center where students and residents can register to vote and cast their ballots. It will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m through Election Day, with extended hours on select days.

Sam Stallman will have two of the three career bases covered when his days at the WMU College of Aviation are behind him. Western's aviation program became more than a blip on Stallman's radar "because of the warmth and welcoming nature I experienced when visiting the campus. I considered similar universities," he says, "but Western was the one that really felt like home. The college's program really impressed me and made the most sense."

The five-year grant will look to recruit, retain and support future chemists and biochemists who transfer into WMU's program through structured and targeted interventions such as workshops, community service, research and internship opportunities. The project will also include faculty programming to foster inclusive mentoring practices, incorporate evidence-based instructional practices into courses and support diverse students.

Bronco fall alumni celebrations will highlight campus with a car parade through several spirit zones and virtual components, and a Virtual Bash will help students connect with campus organizations and departments.

Bella Hounakey, who survived being trafficked and enslaved by a family member as a child, received Nomi Network's 2020 Abolitionist Award for the work she's done to prevent and eradicate trafficking as an advocate for survivors.

A new self-help application available to WMU students, faculty and staff offers a number of tools and resources aimed at managing mental health. Supporting the University’s wellness mission, WellTrack allows users to track their mood over time, identify stressors, intentionally schedule self-care activities and learn about strategies to manage feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.

Launched by WMU's College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with WMUx, the webinar series is funded through University research and innovation grants awarded to promote a range of fields of study surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

College of Aviation students always have amazing reasons for choosing their career path, but Jason Fink's might rate as No. 1. The Houston senior caught the aviation bug from the stories his grandfather told when he was a U.S. Navy radio operator on flights hunting for enemy submarines during the Cold War. That also prompted the major in aviation flight science in his pre-Western days to pursue a private-pilot certificate back in his home state of Texas.

Miranda Goodison is a living, breathing example that those field trips in eighth grade to check out potential careers really work. Now nearing sophomore status in the Western Michigan University College of Aviation, she has wanted to become a pilot since she turned 11. That horizon came into focus when, as a Girl Scout, she visited the college's main headquarters at W. K. Kellogg Airport (now Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field) in the famed Cereal City just east of Kalamazoo.

Starting Gate business  accelerator is open to all WMU sophomore and older undergraduate and all graduate students through a competitive application process where students must demonstrate a promising idea for a product or service, which can be launched within a short period of time

Mountaintop Initiatives is a new $2 million investment to advance the University's charge toward racial justice. In addition, the newly formed Racial Justice Advisory Committee will lead efforts to address systemic racism and racial inequities on campus and identify actions to build a campuswide culture of change.

WeVote is ramping up its efforts as Election Day nears, raising visibility and opportunities for students to register to vote and learn about candidates and issues. This year's message: Bronco's vote early.

WMU was one of 90 institutions from around the nation named an annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity—HEED—honoree by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine and recognized for its efforts supporting diversity in higher education.

Applications for the fall 2020 WMU Student Sustainability Grant allocations cycle are due on Thursday, Nov. 19, by 11:59 p.m. Collaborators expect to award up to $32,500 this fall semester. Awards will be announced by mid-December 2020.

Western Michigan University—in collaboration with Iowa State University, Michigan Technological University and North Dakota State University—is hosting a virtual film and panel discussion to enhance awareness of gender bias and continued lack of diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields.

A series of virtual book clubs hosted by Western Michigan University's Center for the Study of Ethics in Society begins Wednesday, Sept. 30, and runs through November.

Enrollment proved to be one of the better-than-expected elements in this year's budget picture. Predicted in May to be down as much as 15% in some national higher education models and similarly in the University's own forecast, WMU's fall enrollment is 20,490, down by 4.6%, which is less than a third of the predicted decrease.