COVID-19 upended life as we know it and sent the global economy into a tailspin. Unprecedented business shutdowns halted production in many areas, led to layoffs in others and left supply chains in a lurch. Now five months in, there are signs of hope the U.S. economy is on its way to recovery.

Fall Welcome programs are now virtual or in smaller settings but are still seen as an essential and fun tool to introduce students to campus.

Safety is top of mind as Western Michigan University prepares to welcome students, faculty and staff back to campus for fall semester. From antimicrobial solutions and misters to electrostatic disinfecting equipment, a number of state-of-the-art cleaning processes are being employed to mitigate spread of COVID-19 on campus.

Dining Services is prioritizing student safety as we begin Fall Welcome by limiting dining center access to Fall Welcome participants only from Thursday, Aug. 27 through Saturday, Aug. 29. Enrolled students on campus at this time not participating in Fall Welcome may purchase meals from the Grab'n Go locations. Meal plans begin Sunday, Aug. 30 and dining centers will open up to all enrolled students. Grab'n Go locations will remain available for staff and enrolled students.

What started as an effort by a handful of faculty members to offer free groceries to students during the pandemic has grown exponentially. Now called Community Student Connection, the group has already given out thousands of bags of food and also raised enough money to pay rent for hundreds of students.

The SHRM student chapter merit award program encourages the development of more effective student chapters and recognizes outstanding activities and projects.

There are many changes ahead for the new semester, and students will soon be adapting to the new normal. The Counseling Services team is ready to help the campus community with the transition, offering a number of mental health resources as students move through the process.

Under the new system, students purchase an internet-based permit online where parking rights are assigned to the license plate of a registered vehicle.

Drs. Alvis Fong, Shameek Bhattacharjee, Steve Carr and Ajay Gupta received a nearly $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to create materials for teaching safe, secure and reliable artificial intelligence.

Dr. Christina Stamper, professor of management, earned the highly competitive Student Chapter Advisor Impact Award from the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation.

Established in 2017, the $1,000Rodney Weir Marching Band Scholarship is given through theBerrien Community Foundation to a Berrien County high school graduate who joins a college marching band. The goal is to offer support and encourage students to take their band experience to the next level.

Caroline Arana and Claire Beaman helped the community theatre in Whitehall, Michigan reimagine its summer season through livestreamed performances.

Dr. Tim Palmer, professor of management and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices, has earned a highly competitive Fulbright Specialist Award from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. His Fulbright project will center around developing service courses at a partner institution abroad.

"Do Black lives matter?” That’s the question local artists aim to answer with the upcoming three-part series “Black Lives, Black Words.” Hosted in partnership by Western Michigan University’s Department of Theatre and the Black Arts and Cultural Center’s Face Off Theatre Company, the series will feature an "art as activism" workshop, a panel discussion and a talent showcase.

Research is underway at Western Michigan University that could impact science, technology, engineering and mathematics—STEM—teaching and improve learning outcomes in multiple states. The National Science Foundation awarded Dr. Jessaca Spybrook, professor of evaluation, measurement and research, a $1,328,108 grant for her project entitled “Improving Evaluations of STEM Programs: An Empirical Investigation of Key Design Parameters.”

Dr. Ola Smith, chair, Department of Accountancy, has been elected chair of the Michigan State Board of Accountancy, one of the highest oversight posts in the field. The board is responsible for the certification, licensure and regulation of certified public accountants and public accounting firms.

When work involves playing with toys all day, it hardly feels like a job. Western Michigan University product design and innovation student Madison Dempster is living that dream.

Dr. Alessander Danna-dos-Santos is developing a spirometer to measure lung efficiency. His Western Michigan University COVID-19 grant-funded research seeks to sidestep more costly design and production methods to benefit underfunded Michigan healthcare clinics and the patients they serve.

Director of Vocal Jazz and Gold Company Greg Jasperse has set a goal of biking 1,000 miles to raise $10,000 for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. His fundraising journey has become a life-changing journey toward understanding that will have lasting effects both personally and professionally.

Western Michigan University alumna Angela Blood Starr, a regional school health coordinator for Calhoun Intermediate School District, served on the the Michigan Return to School Advisory Council. Find out what her main concerns for K-12 fall education are and how her expertise helped the council formulate reopening guidelines.

Spared from pandemic closures by greenhouse specialist Christopher Jackson, native plant seedlings are now being planted across campus. The effort is part of Landscape Services' larger goal of increasing naturalized areas on campus and enhancing learning opportunities for the WMU community.

The WMU integrated supply management program once again claims a spot on Gartner's list of top programs. A national leader in supply chain education, the program has been recognized by Gartner for its excellence for more than a decade.

Dr. Steven Butt and Dr. Christine Byrd-Jacobs are the new permanent deans for the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Graduate College, respectively.

WMU's Daria Orlowska is maintaining data sets on COVID-19 cases, demographics and statewide hospital occupancy and personal protective equipment.

Recent graduate Khadejah Al Muhaisin is now pursuing a master's degree in social work, drawing on her experiences growing up in Saudi Arabia to fuel her passion to create new educational and vocational opportunities for girls and women in need.

Dr. Tim Palmer, professor of management, speaks about how sustainability may be negatively impacted by COVID-19 as well as the importance of stakeholders communicating the value of sustainability, during pandemic and beyond, to companies and organizations.

Pursuing a bachelor's degree in freshwater science and sustainability at Western Michigan University allowed RJ Bolzman to channel his passion into purpose.

Determined to foster community and connections, Western Michigan University's Office of Student Engagement is reimagining Bronco Bash 2020. To ensure the health and safety of participants and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the event will be held virtually instead of in person.

No other buildings on campus are affected. In lieu of boiling water for the recommended two minutes, bottled water should be used for consumption. Water fountains in the building will not be accessible for use during the advisory period.

Jobs are out there. While the pandemic and ensuing financial crisis may sow seeds of worry in the minds of students, Western Michigan University’sCareer and Student Employment Services department is working overtime to connect them to employment opportunities.