Top News of 2019

WMU, in collaboration with three other research institutions, has been awarded a three-year, $996,000 ADVANCE grant from the National Science Foundation to develop strategies to increase the number of female STEM faculty across the country.

Long-awaited program focuses on saving students time and money as well as enlarging the talent base for southwest Michigan.

A $1.35 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services will fund the MY-PROUD program. Created by an interdisciplinary team of professors, MY-PROUD aims to increase training and expand services in rural and medically underserved communities impacted by opioid and substance abuse.

Dr. Brandy Brown, who earned a doctoral degree from WMU, is tasked with developing Michigan's  response to climate change.

Comprised of nearly 250 students, Dr. Timothy Palmer's business ethics and sustainability class was able to make a huge impact on the local community.

WMU is one of a limited number of schools to offer stand-alone academic programs utilizing consumer drones and is about to become the second organization in the world to have a VLF electromagnetic sensor system outfitted on one.

WMU researchers are using federal grant funds to collect information about the geological resources in Michigan that have been deemed vital to the nation's security and economic prosperity.

Mazzie, a three-time Tony nominee, will be honored for her leadership and advocacy in the theatre industry.

Some 20% of all doctorates awarded to underrepresented minority scholars in economics can be attributed to the summer program now being hosted by WMU and Michigan State University.

Three submissions from WMU faculty and administrators were selected by the National Science Foundation as contenders for the grand prize in the NSF 2026 Idea Machine Competition

Dr. Terri Goss Kinzy and Carla Koretsky were lauded by Crain's Detroit Business for their records of success in their fields as well as contributions to their community and mentorship.

The 14-member WMU team competed against 28 other teams from colleges and universities across the nation. The Sky Broncos placed third in flight events, fifth for the judges trophy and seventh in ground events, placing sixth overall.

SafeSense Technologies LLC was named a 2019 SmartZone Best Small Business at the annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Awards.

After winning the MAC Sevens Championship, the WMU men's rugby club is headed to Arizona for a shot at the national title.

Western Michigan University's sales and business marketing program has been named a top national program by the Sales Education Foundation for the 13th consecutive year.

The award is presented annually by the National Air Transportation Association to individuals and organizations that demonstrate superior service to the aviation business community, particularly through their leadership skills and advancement of a safety-first culture.

Tamara Davis, regional director of WMU's Southwest Michigan Small Business Development Center, credits the efforts of team members Lincoln Crocker, Lori Puzevic and John Schmitt for continually elevating the center to greater heights.

Cara Lougheed, a teacher at Stoney Creek High School in Rochester Hills and a WMU graduate, is the 2019-20 Michigan Teacher of the Year.

Groundbreaking was May 10 for the new 67,000-square-foot instructional facility at the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek.

The latest Post-Graduation Activity Survey reveals 91% of recent WMU graduates are actively engaged in employment or service. Some students about to join their ranks are sharing their own success stories.

Facilities on the WMU Parkview Campus now house a one-of-a-kind in North America pilot-scale multi-ply paper manufacturing machine and a new fiber recycling plant used to test and certify products from around the world for repulpability and recyclability.

Joshua Turske and his student research assistants conducted a study for Newell Brands, digging through trash to research ways to reduce waste and contamination in recycling centers.

Abby Tongue, who is pursuing a dual master's degree in WMU's renowned Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, will perform live audio description for two upcoming performances at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre.

Awarded over five years, the grant extends and expands the center's work to support evaluation within the NSF's Advanced Technological Education program and may be the largest single grant the agency has made to support evaluation capacity development.

The renovation of WMU's Dunbar Hall is set to begin in spring 2020, and University officials expect it to be completed in time for fall classes in 2022.

WMU's K-9 Brax and K-9 Oso, both less than two-year-old male German shepherds, are Kalamazoo County's first and only explosion-detection canines.

The project addresses transportation gaps for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities and includes a vehicle that is driverless, disabilities accessible and produces zero emissions.

Worse winters over the next few decades and dramatic die-offs of iconic Michigan flora and fauna are all predicted if climate change continues at its current pace. A global change ecologist at WMU explains the science behind Earth's warming and what will have the biggest impact on slowing down warming.

Although not a perfect solution, implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change will be better for the Great Lakes region than practicing business as usual. Humans, birds, fish and trees will be among the main beneficiaries.

The 2017 Broncos brought home one of this year’s awards, making WMU the first institution in Mid-American Conference history to win the NCAA’s prestigious national sportsmanship award.

Except for essential and emergency services, WMU is closed Wednesday, Jan. 23, due to severe weather. All classes are canceled.

Campus and community members will be able tour the facility and learn more about its goals at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at WMU's Haworth College of Business.