August 2022 WMU News

Western staff honored for their commitment to student, University success

The four staff members are recipients of the annual Make a Difference Award, one of the highest accolades bestowed upon nonfaculty employees by Western, and chosen from the Make a Difference Award semiannual recipients selected in the fall and spring.

University recognizes electrical and computer engineering professor with scholar award

Western's Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award honors recipients such as Dr. Massood Atashbar on the basis of outstanding artistic, literary, philosophical, historical, technical or scientific achievement, bringing wide recognition from the academic community beyond the University’s campus.

Marketing professor honored by University for excellence in teaching

Dr. Ann Veeck received the theDistinguished Teaching Award, which recognizes faculty members for their teaching work.

Rising stars on Western's faculty honored with Emerging Scholar Awards

Each year, the University celebrates its rising stars in higher education with Emerging Scholar Awards. Drs. Wendy Beane, associate professor of biological sciences; Nicholas Hanson, associate professor of exercise science; and Charlie Kurth, professor of philosophy, are the 2022-23 award recipients.

Distinguished Service Awards to honor 2 passionate employees dedicated to student success

Kerrie Jo Harvey and Dr. Sarah Summy will receive Distinguished Service Awards during Western Michigan University's Fall Convocation on Friday, Sept. 16.

WMU Art Collection celebrates 100 years with major fall exhibition

The commemorative exhibition, "We've Only Just Begun: Celebrating a Century of Collecting Art at Western Michigan University," is free and open to the public.

Looking for success at WMU? The sky is not the limit!

Alumnus Tyler Wall, B.S.’15, M.S.’17, credits the hands-on, project-based education he experienced at WMU for his soaring career as a lead engineering at Williams International.

Small Business Development Center receives funding to boost technical training services

The grant provided by the Stryker Johnston Foundation will allow the Michigan SBDC, located within Western's Haworth College of Business, to expand access to one-on-one business consulting, market research and educational programs for individuals interested in starting or growing a small business through the Michigan SBDC’s Uplift Kalamazoo training series.

Occupational therapy program celebrates 100 years of improving quality of life

Marion R. Spear established what is today's Western OT program in 1922, just five years after the profession began. Located at the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital in those early days, the training program was one of the first of its kind in Michigan.

Why I give: Bill Thompson

For more than 50 years, Bill Thompson has been giving to Western, generously supporting WMU Athletics, College of Education and Human Development, School of Music and Haworth College of Business. He's a Bronco sports fanatic, remaining a season ticket holder for football, men's basketball and hockey for five decades and counting. He also served on WMU's Grand Rapids Alumni Golf Outing Committee for nearly 40 years. So, there's no doubt he bleeds brown and gold.

Learning about herself while honing civil engineering skills

In addition to exploring her field, one of senior Lila Rode’s priorities has been to be experience as much as possible while being a student.

Construction to refresh Waldo Library's lower level continues this fall

Waldo Library's lower level is getting a much-needed refresh this fall as crews install new carpet, ceiling tiles and energy-efficient lighting. Construction kicked off in June, closing the lower level through December. All other floors and collections in Waldo Library are open and operating as normal. 

Swain Library reopens for student study on Aug. 31

WMU students will have one more study spot on campus this fall. The University Libraries will reopen the Swain Library in Sangren Hall for open study and academic programming starting Aug. 31.

New cannabis marketing course puts students on forefront of burgeoning industry

It’s no secret recreational cannabis sales in Michigan are continuing to climb. With that growth, skilled marketers in the industry are now in high demand, and Western Michigan University students will soon be prepared to meet the need.

Balancing cybersecurity and business goals

Senior Jesse Blain is ready to take on a career in one of the most challenging fields—cybersecurity. A U.S.Navy veteran and experienced web professional, he says "the biggest challenge is being able to balance the need for security online with the need for companies to provide services that will generate profits."

Betting on an adventure: Bryan Cranston brings story of alumnus who beat the lottery to the big screen

Jerry Selbee won the lottery—literally and figuratively. A loophole landed him millions and actor Bryan Cranston's attention.

Preparing to prosper: Broncos get resume-worthy experience through internships

Forget fetching coffee—Broncos are gaining valuable industry experience and connections in their summer internships. From designing toys, furthering space explorations, influencing political policy, managing media for professional athletes, rewiring planes, crafting stories, creating new food packaging and equipment and even holding a birthing mother’s hand, students are learning in and out of the classroom.

Be aware of Stadium Drive construction ahead of fall move-in

A reconstruction project on Stadium Drive near campus could cause delays as traffic picks up during fall move-in, which runs Thursday through Tuesday, Aug. 25-30.

Safeguarding astronauts with a personal twist

For the senior design project, Marie Bridges and Alex Whipple worked with faculty advisor Dr. Massood Atashbar to define, develop and test a viable printed electronic estrogen sensor.

An abundance of dining options available on campus this fall

WMU’s main campus has a variety of options available for the campus community to find food during the fall 2022 semester. The Valley Dining Center, a large, dine-in facility with many customizable choices, is open continuously from breakfast through dinner. Campus Cafés can be found in the Valley Dining Center, Sangren Hall, College of Health and Human Services, Waldo Library, Sprau Tower, Schneider Hall and other locations. The Bernhard Center offers the Bernhard Café and Market on the main level and Subway on the lower level.

‘An exciting time’ for Western students to return, live on campus for 2022-23 academic year

New programs will join old favorites during student move in Aug. 25 to 30. Demand for on-campus housing is soaring along with excitement for a full slate of fun and memorable activities.

Bronco Bash is back—and so are the popcorn buckets

The swag, the performances, the unending line for Celebration! Cinema refillable popcorn buckets as Sangren Plaza bustles with activity—it's a sight we haven't seen since before COVID-19 was part of our vocabulary. Bronco Bash is charging back in person this year, for the first time since 2019, in celebration of its 40th anniversary.

Future nurse embraces nontraditional approach to education, opportunities to explore global perspective

Emma Simpson has wanted to be a nurse ever since helping her dad take out some stitches when she was in elementary school, so when it came to choosing a higher education institution, she knew exactly what she wanted. The holistic approach of Western's Bronson School of Nursing was the perfect fit.

From Broadway to Bronco: Incoming music theatre student hits stage in New York City

Named a rising star and selected to share the stage with some of Broadway's brightest in New York, Jack Austin is well on his way to his dream of a performing career. But the Great White Way can wait a few more years while he prepares for his next big role: college student.

College of Health and Human Services offers new, redesigned programs for fall

For the fall of 2022, the College of Health and Human Services is announcing new programs and redesigned certificates that show our commitment to growing and evolving to better support our students and the communities we serve.

Conference returns to Kalamazoo, grows offerings

At  the new  WMU Food Marketing and Supply Chain Conference in March, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy sessions in-person or online. The “live hybrid” format—and a new conference app—will encourage engagement and interaction. Participants in the hybrid environment will be able to ask questions of speakers in real-time, giving all conference attendees the opportunity to fully participate from anywhere in the world.

Oliver Street near campus closed Friday for Stadium Drive project

The road closure will allow for traffic signal work as part of the city of Kalamazoo's Stadium Drive Project.

College praises tenure of departing longtime dean

Dr Ming Li announced his departure in an email to the CEHD faculty earlier this spring, citing personal reasons. He will continue on as a CEHD faculty member in the Department of Human Performance and Health Education in the fall.

New SEO class pays off in job opportunities for marketing students

Western marketing students are learning the complexities behind online searches and how to influence these search results. A new digital marketing course in the Haworth College of Business is helping students learn how to generate website traffic and conversions through search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing, and it is already making an impact.