A WMU team earned second place and the Judge's Most Innovative Process award at the 2022 American Foundry Society Wisconsin Regional Conference. The team earned $2,600 for the WMU student chapter of the American Foundry Society.

The second annual WMU Student Sustainability Summit will provide an opportunity for students across Western Michigan University to share specific concerns on the broad theme of climate change justice. The hybrid in-person and virtual summit, planned for Friday, March 4, from noon to 3 p.m., is supported by the Western Student Association, the Graduate Student Association, the Office for Sustainability, the Climate Change Working Group, the 2020 Medallion Scholars and the Strategic Planning Sustainability Working Group.

The future looks bright for Western Michigan University students. A recent report shows 93% of alumni who graduated between August 2020 and June 2021 have jobs or are continuing their education. And of those employed full time, 88% are in jobs they love related to their degree.

Farhang Motallebi, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering, and Johan Fanas, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering will share details about their research.

As a journalist, author and mentor, Sonya Bernard-Hollins has chronicled and channeled the spirit of trailblazer Dr. Merze Tate while becoming a role model for youth in her own right.

Western, through a partnership with its exclusive trademark licensing agency, CLC, and fashion leader IMG, delivered a one-of-a-kind educational experience for Samantha Morehead at UofNYFW. This unique academic enrichment program provides future fashion leaders a behind-the-scenes look at the industry, including entry into select runway shows, panel discussions and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

On Friday, Feb. 18,  2022, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Kalamazoo resident and former Michigan representative Jon Hoadley to fill a vacant seat on the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees. Hoadley will fill out the remainder of Ron Kitchens' term, which expires on Dec. 31, 2024.

Western Michigan University has developed a Master of Science in Finance degree, which is expected to begin in fall 2022. The program will prepare graduates for roles in finance, asset management, investment banking and computational finance.

A new exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum puts perceptions of the media in the limelight. Created by Professor Sue Ellen Christian, the exhibit called “Wonder Media: Ask the Questions!” invites people to critically evaluate media, and to develop skills to identify misleading and unverified news and information.

"Woman," choreographed by National Choreography Competition winner Tsai Hsi Hung, will be the culminating performance of the Winter Gala Dance Concert, which also showcases works by guest artists Penny Saunders and Marisa Bianan as well as faculty and students. There are four performances scheduled from Friday, Feb. 18, through Sunday, Feb. 20, in Western's Shaw Theatre.

As medical breakthroughs continue to improve the human condition, data scientists in the specialized field of network neuroscience are striving to isolate even more information and close the gap between their discoveries and clinical applications in an effort to advance diagnoses and personalized treatments. Among those elite researchers is WMU engineering alumnus Duy Duong-Tran, who moved into the academic-research field after a pivotal conversation with College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Steve Butt.

Western Michigan University’s food and consumer package goods marketing program is planning to offer new coursework as part of the WMU MBA. Flexible course formats will enable professionals to maintain progress on their food marketing-focused MBA from anywhere in the world.

Alumnus and entrepreneur Jamauri Bogan makes time to mentor young people about financial literacy.

Custer Speaker Series is hosting a special presentation about perseverance, leadership and success with Greg Dobson, chief operating officer and principal at AVB Inc., a regional leading development company. Students, faculty professionals and community members will learn what it takes to address the challenges in making a project come to life in any professional role or industry. The talk is titled "Bringing Costco to Kalamazoo: AVB’s Perseverance and Success."

Supported by the $550 million Empowering Futures Gift, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Housing and Residence Life and Merze Tate College have collaborated to develop the Empowering Futures Living Learning Community, which will provide a space for recipients of the Empowering Futures Housing Scholarship to find belonging, explore their personal and academic interests, and engage with campus programs and resources.

A program aimed at improving primary care and increasing diversity in health care professions is expanding. Building on the success of its inaugural year in 2021, the West Michigan Health Careers Pipeline Program will double its capacity, introducing dozens of West Michigan high school students from underrepresented and minority populations to a variety of careers in health care fields.

Commercials have become as big a draw to the Super Bowl as the competition on the field and advertisers are going all in to score points with consumers this year. Prices for those ads are higher than they've ever been. Greg Gerfen has the play-by-play on four major trends you can expect when you saddle up to the TV for the Big Game.

The Solution Squad, once a pandemic help desk of sorts, has evolved to better serve students, taking a more proactive approach to identify those who are struggling and help them get back on track to achieving their goals.

Supporting students. Launching a company. Lifelong friends. Engineering alumni Mike Bevins and Dennis McKenzie's divergent paths crossed over the years until they were tapped to help launch Tight Line Composites in 2012, leading teams in the relatively new field of carbon fiber pultrusion

The new dining experience will not only feature fresh and healthy distinctive cuisines but picturesque views of campus activity outdoors and inside the new Student Center.

In honor of his achievements, Dr. Chansheng He has been named a 2022 Fellow of the American Association of Geographers.

Chianté Lymon, who graduated from Western in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, is the executive director of the Society for History and Racial Equity in Kalamazoo.

Except for essential services, all Western Michigan University campuses will close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2, due to worsening winter weather. All classes scheduled for 1 p.m. or later are canceled.

Traffic shifts and lane closures are expected along Stadium Drive beginning Monday, Feb. 14, through the end of April to replace an aging culvert located just south of Oliver Street near the campus of Western Michigan University.