WMU Department of Public Safety is one of just 34 departments out of almost 600 police agencies in the state to achieve Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation. This "raises the bar" of the department's practices, says Deputy Chief Carol Dedow, evaluating standards for high-risk liability actions, including use of force, vehicle pursuit and search and seizure, to internal operations, such as officer and workplace training, command structure and recruitment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the pandemic has pushed youth mental health concerns to crisis levels, yet a Western Michigan University study finds significant racial disparities in access to care. Led by clinical psychology doctoral student Kalani Gates, an audit of mental health providers in southwest Michigan found Black and Arab American mothers who sought services from mental health therapists for their adolescent children were more than 70% less likely to get a call back from a provider than their white peers.

Open textbooks are high-quality educational resources licensed to allow instructors to use and adapt the content; students access that content for free online. With support from the grant, faculty and instructors replace higher-cost, traditional textbooks with these open textbooks.

Information sessions are underway for Western's summer travel and virtual study abroad programs.

After producer Berry Gordy's nephew saw The Velvelettes perform at a fraternity's talent show, the group found their ticket to fame at Hitsville USA.

Alumnus and former instructor John Kollig is helping Western inventory more than 200 of his paintings and sketches that date back decades.

Western's Challenge Scholars will not only receive full-tuition scholarships but have tutoring and writing coaching, career and employment advising and resources for first-generation college students and student financial aid, among other services, to help them thrive.

The pandemic thrust the world into a new era of digital connection, from remote work and virtual learning to family gatherings via computer screen. The evolution of communication in the pandemic inspired assistant professor Kelsey Paschich's piece "Recode," which she choreographed for Western students to perform at the annual Winter Gala Dance Concert.

Flexibility fueled success this school year for Western Michigan University's student-run radio station, 89.1 WIDR-FM. The group picked up multiple nominations in the 2020-21 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Awards.

A virtual Student Sustainability Summit will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27, from noon to 2 p.m. The summit will provide an opportunity for students across the University to share specific concerns on the broad theme of climate change.

Dr. Loretta Long, who educated millions as Susan Robinson on Sesame Street, earned an education degree from Western in 1960.

WMU's Office of Precollege Programming offers drop-in virtual tutoring sessions for middle and high school students in Kalamazoo Public Schools, provided by Western students.

WMU alumni Doug and Emily Wheelright met in 2013 at Lawson Ice Arena. Now, 8 years later they have welcomed their first child—a baby boy named Lawson.

Scott Jacobs landed a spot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a second assistant editor on the franchise's hit Disney+ series. He says it's the highlight of his career so far.

The annual Innovation Expo included 80 multidisciplinary WMU students who presented their unique products or services virtually, showing proof of concept or working prototypes.

"Loving husband, father, Tuskegee Airman." The words inscribed on Dr. Hackley Woodford's grave cover just a fraction of the immense impact the Western Michigan University alumnus had on thousands of lives in Southwest Michigan and beyond as a doctor, mentor and advocate for social justice.

Students are preparing themselves for the virtual job-hunting experience with the help of resources from Career and Student Employment Services and the Zhang Career Center.

Dr. Betty Dennis and the new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will  work within the college and with leaders across the University to move WMU toward inclusivity and antiracism, to benefit students and the greater WMU community.

Western Michigan University's online master's in education program is among the top in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report. Second in Michigan only to Michigan State University, the report cites Western's use of "contemporary instructional design practices and instructional technologies combined with the subject matter expertise of faculty to provide students with an effective and engaging learning experience."

Professor. World traveler. Journalist. Inventor. This 20th century renaissance woman may not have made it to the moon, but Dr. Merze Tate's resolve to boldly blaze her own path puts her among Western Michigan University's brightest stars. Fueled by a thirst for knowledge and boundless ambition, she became the first Black student to receive a bachelor's degree from Western State Teachers College—which would later become WMU—in 1927. But the road to get there was not easy.