NORTHFIELD, Vt. —Norwich alum Rear Adm. John Gumbleton ’89 has spent more than three decades climbing the ranks in the Navy, and he has yet again reached another rung as President Joe Biden has nominated Gumbleton for a promotion to vice admiral and deputy commander of the United States Fleet Forces (USFF).

In his new role, Gumbleton would oversee the USFF’s many crucial operations, such as preparing and providing combat-ready Naval forces, planning and executing assigned service functions, providing operational planning and coordination support, and planning and executing joint missions.

He currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget and the director of the fiscal management division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Gumbleton has helmed several positions in the Navy before his recent nomination and has held many flag assignments: director of Maritime Headquarters for U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. Naval Forces Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, and…

Walsh University is transforming how we prepare students to enter the workforce confidently and to be ready for the jobs of tomorrow by launching the Office of Alumni and Career Connections. The newly established office leverages the power the alumni network, employer engagement, and community partners and connects these resources to students early in their matriculation so that they can begin to build their personal career network and foster pathways toward discovering their life purpose and launching a successful career.

Alumni and Career Connections is a cross-campus initiative that enlists faculty, staff and coaches, representing each school, division, and athletics to facilitate career conversations with students that nurture professional relationships and provides opportunities to activate their degree. In addition, the Office of Alumni and Career Connections will serve as the driver for students to develop job-ready career skills that not only make them attractive candidates…

Michelle Bombe of the Hope College theatre faculty has received the National Kennedy Center Gold Medallion — the most prestigious national award presented by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival — for her career-long dedication to teaching and producing theatre.

Bombe is a professor of theatre, resident costume designer and department chair at Hope, where she has taught since 1991, and across the past 17 years has held a variety of leadership roles with KCACTF at the state, regional and national levels, including a four-year term as KCACTF’s national chair that concludes August 2. She received the medallion during the KCACTF National Festival held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on April 17-23.

“I was completely surprised and honored to receive the gold medallion at the National KCACTF awards ceremony and I am so touched by this recognition of my service, but it has always been a labor of love and tied to my work as an educator,” she said. “Students…

York College of Pennsylvania’s Graham School of Business is on its way to Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accreditation, as its eligibility application has been accepted by the AACSB International.

AACSB accreditation is known worldwide as the longest-standing, most recognized form of specialized accreditation that an institution and its business programs can earn, according to its website. Accreditation is a voluntary, nongovernmental process that includes a rigorous external review of a school's mission, faculty qualifications, curricula, and ability to provide the highest-quality programs.

Achieving accreditation is a multi-year process of internal focus, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and peer-reviewed evaluation. Schools focus on developing and implementing a plan to align with AACSB’s accreditation standards, which require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty, and staff as active…

On April 18, students, faculty and staff gathered for the inaugural Research, Experiential, and Applied Learning (REAL) Symposium at Nichols College. The event, a celebration of learning, served as a showcase for unique and impactful projects by students and faculty in and out of the classroom.

Throughout the day, the campus buzzed with the many examples of real-world, applied learning that are a hallmark of a Nichols education, where students not only learn theory but also apply it. With over 21 sessions, nearly 130 presenters discussed their learning experiences, including innovative faculty and student research projects; real-world consulting projects in marketing, criminal justice and finance; study abroad presentations; honors thesis presentations and more.

“We are a learning environment that focuses on integrating our knowledge with real world application, offering each student multiple dynamic experiential opportunities throughout their academic journey. Today is a…

It makes sense for Hailee Schalwig ’23 to go to Taiwan as a Fulbright Student when she graduates from Florida Southern College in May.

When Schalwig, who is majoring in Environmental Studies and Marine Biology, was confirmed as a Fulbright award winner she was already prepared for her upcoming assignment.

“I took eight years of Chinese in middle and high school,” Schalwig said. “That helped influence me to choose Taiwan over other countries because I have that language background.”

The main language spoken in Taiwan is Mandarin (Chinese), and while Schalwig said she is not completely fluent in that dialect she will be more than comfortable in her new environment.

Schalwig definitely will not have any problems ordering food.

“My mom would make me practice my Chinese when I was in middle school if we were at a Chinese restaurant,” Schalwig laughed.

What She Knows
The language was not the only thing that drew Schalwig to Taiwan.

Her degree in environmental education…

Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics and Director of the Applied Data Center Sara Jamshidi attended a workshop in random algebraic geometry at the Banff International Research Station (BIRS) in Alberta, Canada, April 16–21.

BIRS is an important global hub for mathematical research equivalent to the Oberwolfach Research Institute for Mathematics in Europe. The event provided Jamshidi with the opportunity to network and foster more research collaborations with scholars from institutions across the globe. Collaborations like this are key to generating high-quality research projects for students at Lake Forest College, who often assist on professors’ research.

Much of Jamshidi’s research falls within the intersection of two topics: applied algebra and machine learning. Although distinct, these two research areas complement each other well. Techniques from applied algebra, especially algebraic geometry and tropical geometry, can describe how machine learning methods…

The idea to overhaul the academic advising experience for new WPI undergraduate students came to life last spring through a collaborative effort of student-focused professionals across campus. And that provenance seems fitting since the first year of college is, after all, largely about trying new things and connecting with others.

Paul Reilly, assistant dean of student success in the Office of Academic Advising (OAA), started thinking about different approaches to help new students after he learned that many incoming students were having difficulty navigating WPI’s systems, especially over the summer as they prepared to move to campus.

“That was their first direct experience with WPI’s processes, and it was overwhelming for students. I figured there had to be a different way to do this,” says Reilly.

Over the next few months, OAA staff partnered with the Admissions and Student Life offices to launch the new First-Year Welcome Experience—a revamped orientation program to…

Challenged in a global competition to design, build and test an uncrewed aerial vehicle to combat electronic warfare, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students ranked third place among more than 80 teams from around the world.

Students from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus also ranked highest among 28 U.S. teams in the 2023 Design/Build/Fly (DBF) competition organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

A second student team from Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, campus blazed to seventh place globally — a notch higher than their 2022 finish — despite technological adversity that required advanced engineering and problem-solving skills.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Most importantly, students from Arizona as well as Florida flexed their teamwork skills by working collaboratively to help each other succeed.

For example, when the Daytona Beach team needed to get 200 pounds of materials to Tucson, Arizona, they sent it to…

A total of four graduating seniors or recent graduates from Hope College have received recognition through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Graduating senior Claire Benedict has received an award to conduct research in chemistry in Switzerland during the forthcoming 2023-24 academic year. Recent graduate Justine Watson received recognition as an alternate for graduate study, recent graduate Molly Douma received recognition as a semi-finalist for a research grant and graduating senior Gabrielle Kosiba received recognition as a semi-finalist for an English teaching assistantship.

Benedict, who is from Ada, is double-majoring in chemistry, pursing the college’s American Chemical Society-certified Bachelor of Science degree, and Spanish. Through her Fulbright, she will conduct research with Dr. Martin Albrecht, who is a professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of Bern, optimizing and developing iridium-based dehydrogenation…

Senior Rebecca Dance’s education at Roanoke College is about to take her further than she ever imagined. Shortly after graduation, the Lunenburg, Massachusetts, native will be flying off to the coastal region of Galicia, Spain, as a Fulbright Scholar in one of the most competitive and prestigious programs in education.

“I’m terrified but, honestly, also so excited,” said Dance, who will be living abroad for the first time. “When I think about it sometimes, it’s just like, wow, I really get to go off and do that.”

Dance, an English education and literary studies double major, was tapped for an English Teaching Assistant Award with the international program. She’ll spend the next year teaching English in a Galician classroom — a remarkable start to the career in education that she had been building toward.

Her passion for teaching is something she discovered while at Roanoke after being encouraged by an advisor to try out a course in the program.

“I actually came to…

Duquesne University President Ken Gormley has reappointed April Barton as dean of the Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

Barton has served as dean of the Kline School of Law since 2019. Under her leadership, the school has increased enrollment while raising the academic profile of the entering class; continues to excel in bar passage and post-graduation employment rates; and operates under a new shared vision of the future focused on cross-disciplinary learning, leadership development and community well-being. Barton has launched various initiatives, including a business essentials micro-credential program with Duquesne’s Palumbo-Donahue School of Business and a one-of-a-kind Leadership Fellows Program. In addition, the law school received a $50 million commitment from law alumnus and nationally renowned lawyer Thomas R. Kline in 2022—the largest gift in both the school’s and the University’s history.

“It has been gratifying to work as dean with the Duquesne Kline School of Law…

Three years after the Covid-19 pandemic stalled most global travel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Office of Global Engagement has rebounded with more professors than ever leading international study programs in 2023.

“In 2019, we had 20 professors who were going to lead programs,” said Sue Macchiarella, director of the Office of Global Engagement. “In 2023, we have 33 professors leading programs.”

Additionally, there are three new study abroad programs launching this year: one focused on uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), to be hosted in Argentina; one focused on space, in Italy; and a third on business management, in Italy.

A recent report by the Institute of International Education echoed the trend seen locally at Embry-Riddle: 83% of institutions in the United States have reported an increase in study abroad numbers compared to last year.

At Embry-Riddle, faculty members who lead study abroad courses build the programs themselves, from coordinating lodging and…

York College of Pennsylvania’s Knowledge Park has acquired its first tenant, MRG Labs’ Tribology Research Center, which will house a research project funded through the Manufacturing Innovation PA Program.

The Knowledge Park is located on York College’s campus adjacent to the Codorus Creek and Rail Trail, and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to meet the needs of modern businesses. It offers partners the ability to innovate and collaborate with students and faculty, making it the ideal location for MRG to locate their newly created Tribology Research Center.

"We are delighted that MRG is creating their new Research Center at Knowledge Park. Their commitment to innovation and proven track record of meaningful student engagement aligns perfectly with our vision for the types of relationships suited for Knowledge Park," said Jeff Vermeulen, Assistant Vice for External Relations and Executive Director of York College’s Knowledge Park. “The DCED funded Manufacturing PA…

Student teams from Hope College earned a rare — if not one-of-a-kind — distinction by placing second, third, fifth and sixth in this year’s Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition, held on Saturday, April 15, at the University of Michigan-Flint.

“Putting four teams in the top six isn’t something that any college has done for several years, if ever,” said Dr. Aaron Cinzori, associate professor of mathematics, who served as the Hope teams’ faculty advisor. “It was a great day, and the students are looking forward to more success in competitions this fall.”

The event featured 16 teams, with two or three members each, from eight colleges and universities across lower Michigan. A total of 11 students from Hope participated in the college’s four teams.

The members of the college’s second-place team were Teddy Addison, Bryn Couturier and Stephen Price. The third-place team consisted of Miguel Castelan Hernandez, Eli Edwards-Parker and Matthew LaPorte. The fifth-place team…

DUDLEY, Mass. – James T. Brett, President and CEO of The New England Council and lifelong champion for people with disabilities, offered wisdom and advice during keynote remarks he delivered during the Nichols College Graduate School Commencement Ceremony on May 4, 2023. Under a large tent on the Shamie lawn on campus, 167 students from across the Graduate School programs (MBA, MSA, MSOL, and MSC) participated in the ceremony, with a reception that followed at Lombard Dining Hall. Brett also received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters as part of the ceremony.

A steadfast crusader for the intellectually disabled, and exemplary force for economic, civic and social change, Brett has led The New England Council, the nation’s oldest regional business association, since 1996. The Council is composed of a non-partisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England. Their mission is to promote economic growth and a…

Continuing a long and storied excellence among students in the Chestnut Hill College science programs, Gladyeliz Hernandez ‘21 and Anastasia Watson ‘21 were selected to present their research at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Crossroads of Chemistry conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in March 2023.

The annual conference brings together thousands of chemistry professionals to meet and share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Thanks to funding through the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) via the Clare Boothe Luce Foundation, Hernandez and Watson completed analytical chemistry research alongside CHC faculty members Rebecca Eikey, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, and Karen Wendling, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and chair of the Center for Natural & Behavioral Sciences. The Clare Boothe Luce Foundation prioritizes supporting women and minority students that are still underrepresented in the fields of…

Students from University of Detroit Mercy won first, second and third place in the ninth annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Cybersecurity Scholarship Case Competition on April 16.

Taking first place was the team comprised of Cybersecurity & Intelligence Studies students Preston Duller and JP Martin, and Business Administration student Mark Formosa.

The team of Cybersecurity & Intelligence Studies major Aaron Hewins and Business Administration student Alexander Kalaj was one of two second-place winners.

Harrison Haviland-Longo, a Cybersecurity & Intelligence Studies student, was one of three third-place winners and the only one-person team to do so.

Earlier this month one team of Detroit Mercy students placed third in the National Centers of Academic Excellence Cyber Games Competition and three students participated in the newly developed NICE Challenge Cybersecurity Competition.

“Collaborations with significant industry associations such as ISACA allow us to experience…

On April 13, the Suffolk community gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its Center for Community Engagement (CCE)—and a commitment to social impact that goes back to the University’s founding.

“As everyday citizens, we shape the communities we live in—it’s up to us,” Adam Westbrook, the center’s director since 2018, told the audience of more than 150 past and current CCE volunteers and staff members, including original founding members like Sherry (Mattson) Noud, MPA ’99, and Kelly Dolan, BA ’00. “Every day, we create the world we want to live in.”

Suffolk President Marisa Kelly said CCE’s focus on the greater good is “essential to Suffolk’s mission, and core to who we have always been as an institution.”

She credited the CCE and SOULS, as the center was originally known (short for Suffolk’s Organization for Uplifting Lives Through Service), with equipping a generation of student volunteers with “the leadership skills and an ethic of service” whose impact is felt not…

Anna Maria College was awarded $1,000,000 in community project funding secured by Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02) to upgrade its nursing and healthcare simulation lab and enrich the educational experience for future essential workers. Congressman announced the funds during a campus visit where he met with nursing students and faculty.

The simulation space at Anna Maria College prepares students in the nursing, paramedic, and EMT programs for real-world patient care and clinical situations. This funding will primarily cover the necessary construction and renovation costs to expand the space, allowing for the installation of a fundamental skill lab, obstetrics and gynecology skill lab, pediatric skill lab, paramedic skill lab, and ambulance box.

“Every person, no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they live deserves to get the medical attention they need, when they need it,” said Congressman James P. McGovern. “This federal funding will help teach students the…

What do you get when you put college students in a room full of high-tech equipment and let them call the shots?

If it happens in the Chatlos Communications Building at Florida Southern College, you get FSCTV, the College’s broadcast journalism channel. The on-campus television studio is completely student run, posting three unique student-produced shows on YouTube each week.

News, Sports, and Comedy
Students who write and produce The Weekly Report, The Snakebite, and The Cado Show are proud of their work and try to make the shows look as polished as possible. A “live to tape” filming method is used to create the feeling of live shows when they are shared.

“Whether you're an athlete, an average student looking for campus information, or a person on or off campus looking for some jokes that'll make you smile, we have something for you,” media strategies and production major and esports management minor Micah Liss ’26 said.

The FSCTV studio, that is always kept between 66-…

Michael Ford ’06 grew up surrounded by music. His childhood home was located above a church-sponsored activity center on a block where everyone knew each other’s names. The church would host everything from wedding receptions to kiddie disco nights, constantly filling the lower floor of the building with music.

Ford’s love for music and community became a vital part of his life and his culture and informed everything he did. And then he found architecture.

“The first person to cultivate my interest in architecture, Mrs. Baker, was a strong advocate for the program at University of Detroit Mercy,” said Ford, referring to his Cass Technical High School days. “She instilled a sense of confidence in us and made sure to connect us to additional resources.”

One of those resources was Dan Pitera, University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture & Community Development professor, now the dean of the school.

“As seniors at Cass Tech, Mrs. Baker brought our class to UDM to view…

Two graduating Hope College seniors and three recent graduates have received recognition through the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) this year.

Senior Claire Benedict of Ada and 2019 graduate Jessica Korte have received fellowships. Senior Sarah Grimes of Plainwell and 2021 graduates Erik Schoonover and Jacob VanderRoest have received honorable mention.

Hope students or graduates have received fellowships or honorable mention through the program every year for at least the past 30 years. The NSF awarded 2,552 of the fellowships nationwide this year, and recognized another 801 applicants with honorable mention. The awards are for graduate students pursuing a research-based master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field. The fellowships provide the recipient with a three-year annual stipend of $37,000, along with a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees.
…

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Tian Guo has been awarded a prestigious $657,776 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to develop novel software techniques that will improve the performance and privacy of mobile augmented reality (AR) systems, an increasingly popular technology that superimposes computer-generated images on a user's view of the real world.

Guo, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, will focus her five-year project on edge computing, which involves processing data close to its physical source. She will develop techniques to efficiently manage edge servers, that are close to AR users whose mobile devices are interacting with the servers. The proposed techniques will be prototyped with commercially available edge servers, and the resulting software and hardware bundles will be deployed to support indoor AR use cases.

“Augmented reality is an emerging interactive communication mechanism with the power to create…