The Western Michigan University Wind Symphony, led by Director of Bands Scott Boerma, has been invited to perform at the prestigious American Bandmasters Association Convention on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.. This high-profile event features a program of works by composers such as John Williams and Peter Mennin, with a special preview performance scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. at WMU’s Miller Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public, featuring soloist Lin Foulk Baird and a lineup of distinguished guest conductors from across the country. The WMU Wind Symphony’s performance will be followed by the Wheaton Municipal Band, under the direction of Bruce Moss. A newly commissioned composition by Scott Boerma, will be premiered during their performance.
Heidi Weiss, instructor of foundation art and painting in the Gwen Frostic School of Art, has been named the 2026 WMU/KLC Community Literacy Fellow, a partnership between Western and the Kalamazoo Literacy Council. Weiss’ fellowship project supports the Edison Mural & Public Art Academy via the development of instructional materials and workshops that serve the Edison community. The curriculum focuses on mural-making foundations, longevity and maintenance—the planning, care and protection required for public art to endure. Building on WMU’s special topics mural course in the painting area, this work extends course-based curriculum into a community setting.
CERPS Panel “How Do I Get Your Job”
Monday, March 2 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Online and On Campus
Join us and professionals across the public service industry for honest conversations about building your career. Learn what it really takes to break in, move up, and sustain a meaningful career in public and no profit service. Panel discussion followed by Q&A and networking.
RSVP for the event here: https://forms.gle/qCwL8ye39AxM4c649
Dr. Suban Nur Cooley is an Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University. Her work examines the intersections of cultural rhetorics, Black feminist theory, and migration and displacement studies. Her scholarship has been recognized with the 2021 CCCC James Berlin Outstanding Dissertation Award and the 2023 Charles Kneupper Award for best article published in the Rhetoric Society Quarterly. As a Black African woman scholar who understands Black displacement firsthand, she brings an insider’s perspective to Somali diasporic life, connecting embodied research and narrative analysis with deep community engagement across Black diaspora communities.
Q&A session and reception with free food to follow.
The Professional Support Staff Organization, the organization that advocates for the hourly, non-bargaining staff, is rebooting our Annual Spring Luncheon! The event will take place on Friday, May 15 at Heritage Hall from 11:30-1 p.m. All campus employees are welcome to attend. This year's theme is "80s Party", so start thinking about your rad costumes! We hope you can join us for an afternoon of chillin' with colleagues, a sweet lunch, totally awesome prizes, and big time fun with a special guest speaker! Get stoked, and stay tuned for RSVP information.
www.wmich.edu/psso
As WMU prepares for the upcoming ADA 2026 accessibility requirements, faculty are encouraged to begin reviewing and updating their Elearning course materials. To help you get started, the Instructional Technology Center (ITC) has created a Quick Guide outlining the key steps for building accessible courses. They are also hosting several training sessions over the coming months to support faculty through these changes. If you have questions, reach out to the ITC for assistance.
Please join President Russ Kavalhuna Wednesday, Feb. 11, for the spring session of the President's Leadership Series. President Kavalhuna will interview featured guest Alan Turfe, vice chair of the WMU Board of Trustees, who will share insights on servant leadership and cross-industry innovation.
The event will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Lee Honors College lounge.
The President’s Leadership Series provides a platform for distinguished leaders to share their perspectives and personal experiences with the campus community.
The Make A Difference Award committee would like to remind all WMU shareholders that nominations for the spring 2026 Make A Difference Semiannual Awards are due no later than February 28, 2026. The Make A Difference Award is a campuswide peer-to-peer program that recognizes Western Michigan University staff members for their outstanding accomplishments, daily investment of energy and creativity and for going above and beyond in their daily endeavors to make WMU a better place for all.
If you know of a coworker or staff member who deserves to be honored for outstanding service to WMU, please nominate them using the following link: https://wmich.edu/makeadifference/nominations.
The WMU Board of Trustees will convene at noon on Thursday, Feb. 12, in the WMU Student Center ballroom to consider the election of its officers, revisions to board bylaws and a proposal to transition stewardship of the Asylum Lake Preserve to Kalamazoo County. A raft of curriculum proposals and a personnel report are among items that round out the agenda. The meeting will be accessible by livestream.
Individuals wishing to address the board during the meeting’s public comment sections must email Dr. Kahler Schuemann by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Access agenda items and the livestream link.
We Talk, Western Michigan University's civil discourse and open inquiry initiative, will host a two‑panel conversation with national and campus experts on the benefits and risks of international education at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in WMU Student Center ballroom A. International students strengthen STEM fields, fuel the U.S. talent pipeline and enrich research, yet immigration barriers and security concerns create new challenges. We hope you can join us for this timely discussion on balancing openness, innovation, and national security. Learn more: wmich.edu/wetalk/upcoming-events