Western Michigan University is taking the wheel as one of only 20 universities nationwide selected for the highly competitive EcoCAR Innovation Challenge. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory, this multi-year competition tasks students with engineering the next generation of automated electric vehicles.  

In addition to the conferment of degrees and the presentation of graduates, there will be vignettes on graduate success and a tribute to the degree earners.

Graduating dance and exercise science student Shaniya Tate credits Western Michigan University’s Experience‑Driven Learning opportunities with helping her build professional‑level skills, confidence and versatility as a performer. From earning coveted roles in WMU’s Winter Gala to leading student organizations and completing career‑shaping internships, Tate has choreographed a path toward future success in both dance and physical therapy.

Western Michigan University alumna Dr. Viloshinee Murugan has authored a young adult fiction series titled “Quiet Defiance.” The series reimagines her mother’s challenging early life into an empowering story of resilience, responsibility and aspiration.

Western Michigan University students Sean Knowles and Laney Roberts completed a dream internship with FilmFestivals.com at the Cannes Film Festival. As press interns, they filed stories, captured photos and video of celebrities, attended press screenings, networked with film industry insiders and even walked the red carpet at movie premieres.

Western Michigan University faculty are advancing impactful scholarship across disciplines, from Dr. Brett A. Geier’s analysis of Supreme Court rulings on religious expression in schools, to Shonda Buchanan’s poetry exploring Nina Simone’s life and legacy, to Melinda Holohan’s research‑based guidance for early childhood educators navigating children’s development in a digital world.

 In 2010, a $1 million gift from Dr. Timothy Light’s family established the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, a lasting cornerstone of WMU’s engagement with China that continues to advance research, teaching and international dialogue.

Robert Beam managed the University’s financial operations and campus infrastructure development for 22 years, directing long-term planning and modernization initiatives until his retirement in 2007.

The following are Western alumni and emeriti who passed away and were reported through spring 2026.

Western Michigan University recognizes alumni achievements and announcements submitted through spring 2026.

Western Michigan University’s Cold Case Program is a force multiplier for agencies struggling with a backlog of unsolved homicide and missing persons investigations as well as a pipeline to law enforcement, producing a number of qualified criminal justice professionals, including current Michigan State Police Troopers Sean Montroy, Rachel Moore and Shelby Wilmot.

Students in Western Michigan University’s Cold Case Program were recognized at the International Homicide Investigators Association’s most recent training for the impact they’ve had helping Michigan State Police and other law enforcement agencies resolve cold case investigations. The program has been involved in eight cold case solves so far and has collaborated with detectives to add manpower and an extra set of eyes to dozens more investigations.

Dr. Laiyin Zhu, alongside researchers from Stanford and MIT, found climate change could make historically rare tropical cyclones more common in Southern California, significantly expanding landslide risk across the region by 2050.

Jeannine Shafer, administrative assistant II in the Department of Finance and Commercial Law, has spent 15 years at WMU supporting faculty members and students—and her efforts have added up in big ways. Retiring in June, Shafer’s career has been marked by both effectiveness and significant impact.

Dr. Kristina M. Lemmer, a leading researcher in plasma and electric propulsion for spacecraft, has been named a John O. Hallquist Endowed Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Western Michigan University. 

Western Michigan University heads into the 2026-2027 school year with new leadership in its international office. The two will focus on international student support and recruitment.

A thoughtful transformation is underway at Western Michigan University’s historic Oaklands Residence.

Western Michigan University's Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies will host the second annual Southwest Michigan Vision Resource Fair on Saturday, July 18, bringing together organizations, service providers and technology vendors dedicated to supporting individuals who are blind or have low vision.

Each semester, undergraduate students in WMU Haworth’s Business Ethics and Sustainability course skip the theoretical and get to work—for real organizations with real problems. In spring 2026, 204 students at Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business divided into 41 teams and delivered strategic plans, financial models, marketing campaigns and feasibility studies to 11 Kalamazoo organizations. Projects ranged from sustainable city operations to affordable housing to driver education access for underserved youth. Students log a minimum of 15 hours of community-based work and present final deliverables to the organizations that commissioned them. The course is part of Project Impact, a Haworth College of Business initiative integrating societal impact into business education, and fulfills a core requirement for all WMU Haworth undergraduates.

Playwright, English professor and lifelong rock fan Dr. Steve Feffer has used music to teach history in the immersive course “The Vietnam War in Rock and Soul” for nine years. It inspired him to pursue his current research project, a book following the Vietnam War through a 25-song Bruce Springsteen playlist.

Western Michigan University’s sales and business marketing program has been recognized on the list of Top Universities and Colleges by the Sales Education Foundation. This marks the 19th time that Western’s sales program has made the list.

This article is about a community event to learn about aphasia

Researchers at Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business have developed a new framework mapping how artificial intelligence is quietly rewriting the rules of food marketing and supply chain strategy.

The new partnership between Western Michigan University and WMAA creates a guaranteed admission opportunity for Grand Rapids-area flight science students to the College of Aviation—one of the largest and most respected aviation programs in the country.

Dr. Jennifer P. Bott has been named chair of the Department of Marketing at Western Michigan University. She will head WMU’s largest academic department and plans to collaborate with faculty, students and companies to grow programs and partnerships.

 This year, soloists and ensembles representing WMU won eight awards.

Make-A-Wish Michigan, in partnership with Western Michigan University, granted high school senior Adalae’s wish for tuition assistance as she pursues a degree in nursing, helping launch her next chapter as a college student and future advocate for children facing critical illnesses.