Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
University of Warwick Business School: Can AI Help to Create Sustainability Solutions?
COVENTRY, England, Nov. 22 (TNSjou) -- The University of Warwick Business School issued the following news:
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Can AI help to create sustainability solutions?
Author: Isabel Fischer
How artificial intelligence is developed and deployed will determine whether it advances or undermines sustainability.
On the one hand, the global race for AI capacity will require the construction of large energy-intensive data centres that draw heavily on electricity, water and other finite resources to sustain their continuous operations.
On the other, there are high hopes that one day AI will help us make
... Show Full Article
COVENTRY, England, Nov. 22 (TNSjou) -- The University of Warwick Business School issued the following news:
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Can AI help to create sustainability solutions?
Author: Isabel Fischer
How artificial intelligence is developed and deployed will determine whether it advances or undermines sustainability.
On the one hand, the global race for AI capacity will require the construction of large energy-intensive data centres that draw heavily on electricity, water and other finite resources to sustain their continuous operations.
On the other, there are high hopes that one day AI will help us makethe right calculations to defeat climate change.
But what does AI itself think about sustainability? We like to imagine a world where AI sits alongside us, grappling with the challenges of sustainability and helping to identify solutions.
For all the hype, a key question remains. Can AI 'grasp' the complexities of sustainability, and be trusted to make suggestions that truly reflect human values and perspectives?
Unfortunately, the answer is: no, not yet. But that is not entirely AI's fault.
Humans are partly to blame, as I discovered during my research with Lutz Preuss, of Kedge Business School in France, Priyanka Chaparia at the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) in Noida in India, and Bimal Arora, Director of the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB).
What does sustainability include?
The problem is the diverging perspectives on sustainability held by different groups of people.
Most people agree that it is the 'grand challenge' of our age. However, no-one can quite agree on what sustainability actually is.
Drawing on our research, we compared the sustainability priorities among stakeholders in India with those expressed by generative AI. Our findings were published in the IT Now magazine of the Chartered Institute for IT.
Stakeholders from the private and public sectors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and education participated in the survey to rank 23 sustainability concepts. These ranged from the interconnection of environmental, economic, and social issues to sustainability indicators.
We then used the same questions as prompts for four prominent generative AI (GenAI) chatbots: ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Claude.
Among the 'human participants' in the business sector, we found that climate change, gender equality, and education were top priorities. However, concerns in the public sector were mainly about water and healthy ecosystems, though climate change was also seen as an important consideration.
By highlighting climate change as the most pressing issue, there was a degree of alignment between business stakeholders and the rankings by Copilot and Claude, as well as between the public sector and Gemini.
But there were also divergent perspectives with ChatGPT, for example, identifying the interconnection of environmental, economic and social issues as a concern for the private sector; and none of the chatbots, except for Gemini, seeing climate change as an important matter for the public sector.
Can AI reason like a person?
In contrast, people working for NGOs, expressed very distinct priorities, focusing on healthy ecosystems, environmental interconnection, gender equality, and consumption. While each of the chatbots, excluding Gemini, identified one of these priorities, their rankings were inconsistent.
These discrepancies underscore the necessity for further refinement when training AI.
But fully replicating human reasoning on sustainability may remain elusive while human perspectives on the problem continue to differ.
In another paper, published in the Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, my colleagues and I reviewed the framing of sustainability by different stakeholders in India.
What we found was a clear distinction between the interpretation of sustainability compared with that of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
It became apparent in our study that Indian stakeholders believe that the corporate sector should focus on environmental issues as their sustainability agenda, while CSR activities, framed as synonymous with social welfare programmes, should be the responsibility of the Government.
Due to Indian legislation, the way CSR encroaches on the corporate sector in India is still largely confined to philanthropy. This is different to the Western concept of CSR, which includes stakeholder pressure, environmental concerns and integration into the core business.
In follow-up research, we observed that most operators on the Indian scene tended to 'stick to their own lane': businesses focused on environmental issues, while governments and NGOs addressed social issues.
Only a few stakeholders, predominantly NGOs, emphasised the interconnections between CSR and sustainability, arguing for more systemic and integrated approaches to sustainability challenges.
Perhaps this might justify a shift away from a globally dominant understanding of the term 'sustainability' - driven by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals - to more culturally relevant ones.
All in all, our research shows that the cognitive maps with which different stakeholder groups approach the concept of sustainability tend to be linear and self-contained rather than interconnected.
Can AI and humans work together?
My own view is that we need to take a more holistic, integrated approach, holding the bias where sustainability is predominantly associated with environmental concerns in check, and encouraging businesses to integrate social inclusivity and belonging into their sustainability strategies, promoting goals such as educational opportunities for all and workplace equality.
After all, companies that integrate environmental and social sustainability are likely to experience enhanced brand reputation, customer loyalty and operational efficiencies.
Whether AI can capture this nuance remains to be seen. While GenAI tools are good at replicating patterns to generate text, fully replicating human reasoning is a different ball game.
But, going forward, AI might be further refined to align more closely with diverse human values and priorities. In research at Warwick Business School, we have found that the use of an AI-driven essay feedback tool can have a levelling effect for disadvantaged students who do not have the same support network as more privileged students.
As AI collaborates further with human wisdom, it does have the potential to steer us towards a more sustainable future.
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Further reading:
How will AI affect equality and inclusion? (https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/how-will-ai-affect-equality/)
COP30: Can business save the planet again? (https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/core-business-save-planet-again/)
Regulating AI use could combat its rampant demand (https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/regulating-ai-use-could-stop-its-rampant-energy-demand/)
Working on the jagged frontier: How companies should use generative AI (https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/how-companies-should-use-generative-ai/)
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Isabel Fischer is Associate Professor (Reader) Responsible Digital Innovation and Educations at Warwick Business School. She teaches Digital Innovation Project on the Undergraduate portfolio, Introduction to Consulting on the MSc Business with Consulting, and International Management on the MSc Management.
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Original text here: https://www.wbs.ac.uk/news/core-can-ai-create-sustainability-solutions/
UAMS Invests Sanjaya Viswamitra, M.D., in Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Nov. 22 -- The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences issued the following news release:
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UAMS Invests Sanjaya Viswamitra, M.D., in Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine invested Sanjaya Viswamitra, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Radiology in the College of Medicine, in the Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology during a Nov. 6 ceremony.
"I want to extend my gratitude to the people everyone responsible for me being up here, especially everyone
... Show Full Article
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Nov. 22 -- The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences issued the following news release:
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UAMS Invests Sanjaya Viswamitra, M.D., in Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine invested Sanjaya Viswamitra, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Radiology in the College of Medicine, in the Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology during a Nov. 6 ceremony.
"I want to extend my gratitude to the people everyone responsible for me being up here, especially everyonein the Department of Radiology and of course my family," said Viswamitra. "In our life's journey, all of us find different paths, and I think it is a funny thing that having followed my road, I returned back to UAMS, back where I started."
A recognized leader in cardiac, body and musculoskeletal imaging, Viswamitra has played a pivotal role in shaping both clinical services and academic programs at UAMS.
"At UAMS, our most highly regarded doctors, professors and scientists hold these chairs to the benefits of the people of Arkansas," said C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., UAMS interim chancellor and professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. "I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Viswamitra -- it is evident by the number of people here, many your esteemed colleagues, that you are fully worthy of this great honor."
Endowed chairs are the highest honors of academic excellence that a university can bestow upon its faculty. A professorship is established with gifts of at least $500,000, which are invested and the interest proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair or professorship are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields.
The chair is named in honor of Ferris, who chaired the Department of Radiology for 31 years, helping bring comprehensive subspecialty training and highly specialized radiological care to Arkansas. He trained more than 350 fellows and residents at UAMS, six of whom have gone on to become department chairs at various medical schools. Ferris ultimately expanded the department to include 50 radiologists with diverse subspecialties before he stepped down as chair in 2008.
Viswamitra received his medical degree from the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in Pondicherry, India. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City. He also completed fellowships in nuclear medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and in body imaging at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He is board certified by both the American Board of Radiology and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine.
Joining UAMS in 2001 as an assistant professor in the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Body Imaging, Viswamitra quickly became a driving force in the department's development. From 2002 to 2007, he served as the inaugural chief of the newly established subspecialty division, laying the foundation for growth in body, musculoskeletal and cardiac imaging at UAMS. In 2012, he was promoted to associate professor and to full professor in 2020. In 2023, he became the inaugural chief of emergency radiology, further expanding the department's clinical footprint. He was appointed interim chair of the Department of Radiology in August 2024 and assumed the permanent role in April.
Viswamitra also spent several years in India, where he served as head of radiology and senior consultant at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bengaluru. Viswamitra is passionate about teaching and mentorship, having guided numerous fellows and colleagues in both India and the United States. At Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, he founded and directed the fellowship in MRI and cardiac imaging. He led several continuing medical education programs that included advanced MRI physics and musculoskeletal medicine workshops and initiated a highly regarded annual cardiac MRI course in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, endorsed by the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. He continues to serve as a visiting faculty member at the Centre for Brain Research at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, India, where he contributes to interdisciplinary imaging initiatives and the governance of MRI research.
Deeply engaged in the global radiology community, Viswamitra is active in professional societies such as the Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Asian Society of Cardiovascular Imaging and the Indian Association of Cardiac Imaging, where he served as its president. He also received a presidential recognition for transformative academic leadership from the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin -- Arkansas Chapter. He has served as the secretary, president and currently as executive chair in the Indian Association of Cardiac Imaging. He has authored more than 60 publications and book chapters and serves as a peer reviewer for leading journals including Radiology and the American Journal of Roentgenology.
"Sanjaya's skill, dedication and friendship have been very important to me professionally and personally -- to say that we are fortunate to have him on our faculty is an understatement," said James E. McDonald, M.D., professor emeritus and past recipient of Ernest J. Ferris, M.D., Chair in Diagnostic Radiology. "He is more than qualified to serve as the chair of the Department of Radiology, and we are all excited to see how he continues his legacy."
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UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 902 medical residents and fellows. It is the state's largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://news.uams.edu/2025/11/21/uams-invests-sanjaya-viswamitra-m-d-in-ernest-j-ferris-m-d-chair-in-diagnostic-radiology/
Purdue Teacher Certification Program Dovetails With STEM Degrees
WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, Nov. 22 -- Purdue University issued the following news release:
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New Purdue teacher certification program dovetails with STEM degrees
Purdue responds to Indiana need for more STEM teachers by enabling over 32,000 of its undergraduates to add a teaching credential to their degree
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Through Purdue's new SPRINT Program -- STEM Pedagogy Resulting in New Teachers -- undergraduates and eligible alumni will now be able to add a teaching credential to their degree with the simple addition of nine credits of study. Upon completion of SPRINT, graduates will be eligible
... Show Full Article
WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, Nov. 22 -- Purdue University issued the following news release:
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New Purdue teacher certification program dovetails with STEM degrees
Purdue responds to Indiana need for more STEM teachers by enabling over 32,000 of its undergraduates to add a teaching credential to their degree
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Through Purdue's new SPRINT Program -- STEM Pedagogy Resulting in New Teachers -- undergraduates and eligible alumni will now be able to add a teaching credential to their degree with the simple addition of nine credits of study. Upon completion of SPRINT, graduates will be eligibleto take a licensure exam and then to teach STEM subjects from grades 5-12 anywhere in Indiana.
Announced by Purdue's Board of Trustees in August, SPRINT is now live and all 32,000-plus eligible current students are being given enrollment information by their advisors. Interested students, parents and alumni are invited to contact Purdue's College of Science directly for information at scienceadvising@purdue.edu.
"Recognizing that Purdue is a primary source of workforce-ready STEM graduates for our state, it's imperative that we do our part to help address ongoing teacher shortages in rural and urban areas alike," said Purdue Provost Patrick Wolfe. "A decade ago, just over half of our students graduated with a STEM degree. That proportion is now up to nearly three-quarters, and so the opportunity for us to supply Indiana with high-quality, classroom-ready teachers has never been greater."
The first program of its kind in the state, SPRINT is made possible by Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 255, which streamlines the licensing requirements for middle- and high-school teachers in STEM, focusing on high-impact teaching practices and job shadowing with seasoned teachers in response to the long-standing and acute shortage of STEM teachers across the state.
"Along with our education colleagues across campus, we're excited to build this new Purdue STEM teaching certificate to give so many students a pathway to pursue meaningful careers in education," said Lucy Flesch, Purdue's Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College Science. "By aligning closely with new Indiana teacher licensure legislation, this certificate helps prepare our students to share their STEM expertise in Indiana classrooms while still engaging in research and other opportunities and graduating on time."
The first step toward earning the SPRINT teaching credential is to take SCI 30100 (STEM Teaching Exploration), a new one-credit-hour course offered every semester from Spring 2026 onward. This course is then the first of nine credits students needed to obtain a STEM teaching certificate. Students can expect to learn how to:
* Practice effective teaching using proven, research-based models
* Elicit students' ideas in STEM through purposeful questioning, writing and discussion
* Design and deliver microlessons that require active learning
* Evaluate teaching methodologies and when they work best
* Integrate technology to support inquiry-based, student-centered learning
* Explore STEM education careers across industry training, formal classrooms and informal learning settings
Later in the nine-credit certificate sequence, a variety of teaching experiences are possible, including experience as a teaching assistant at Purdue; substitute teaching during semester breaks or summers; and a host of other possibilities.
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About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue's main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap -- including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative -- at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
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Original text here: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/2025/Q4/new-purdue-teacher-certification-program-dovetails-with-stem-degrees/
MTSU Professor Lands $18K Research Grant for Actuarial, Insurance Study
MURFREESBORO, Tennessee, Nov. 22 -- Middle Tennessee State University issued the following news:
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MTSU professor lands $18K research grant for actuarial, insurance study
By Randy Weiler
A nearly $18,000 grant from the Casualty Actuarial Society will support Middle Tennessee State University's Lu Xiong in his research related to the actuarial and insurance industry.
Xiong and David Koegel, a New York-based senior actuary at a major consulting firm and co-principal investigator with the grant submission, received the $17,980 award earlier this year. The agreement allows up to five years,
... Show Full Article
MURFREESBORO, Tennessee, Nov. 22 -- Middle Tennessee State University issued the following news:
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MTSU professor lands $18K research grant for actuarial, insurance study
By Randy Weiler
A nearly $18,000 grant from the Casualty Actuarial Society will support Middle Tennessee State University's Lu Xiong in his research related to the actuarial and insurance industry.
Xiong and David Koegel, a New York-based senior actuary at a major consulting firm and co-principal investigator with the grant submission, received the $17,980 award earlier this year. The agreement allows up to five years,but "we expect to complete the work within two years," Xiong said.
An associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Xiong is associate director of the MTSU Actuarial Science program -- one of only 12 worldwide, recognized at the highest levels by both the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries.
This proposal was one of only nine awarded globally, highlighting the continued excellence of MTSU's program in research, Xiong said. Casualty Actuarial Society Vice President Morgan Bugbee said that "these projects underscore the importance of actuarial science in our ever-changing world."
Actuarial Science is a special discipline using mathematics, statistics and techniques from computer science and data science to measure the risks that especially apply to the insurance industry and financial investment.
MTSU's program has another distinction: The Society of Actuaries named it a Center of Actuarial Excellence -- the only one in Tennessee.
"The grant supports my research on developing a secure data collaboration platform for the actuarial and insurance industry," Xiong said. "In the insurance field, companies often have valuable data that could improve risk prediction and pricing models, but privacy concerns and regulations make it difficult to share raw data."
"Our project addresses this by creating a system that allows multiple organizations to work together on building predictive models without exchanging their original data," he added. "Instead, each organization runs the analysis locally and securely sends only processed results (model updates) to a central server, which combines them into a more accurate overall model."
Xiong said this approach uses advanced privacy-preserving technologies, including federated learning and encryption methods, to ensure that sensitive information never leaves its original location.
"The system will serve as a proof-of-concept for how secure, collaborative modeling can improve accuracy while meeting strict privacy and compliance requirements in actuarial science," he continued.
Xiong said receiving this grant is "a significant recognition of our research strength in the actuarial science program. It places MTSU alongside top global programs such as the University of Waterloo, Michigan State University and University of Liverpool."
After being invited to submit a proposal, Xiong said the process "was competitive and involved substantial effort. I spent much of the December (2024) and January (2025) winter break drafting and revising the proposal, and the proposal was selected for funding in March 2025."
Xiong, who performs research in his office, said this marks the second time "our program has received this prestigious award, and my first time leading it as principal investigator. The project aligns closely with my research interest in combining technology and AI (artificial intelligence) with actuarial applications, and I plan to build on this work with further grants and student involvement."
To recruit students into actuarial science, Xiong said he and his colleagues "actively promote the program through math classes, the actuarial and risk management clubs, guest speaker events and outreach to local high schools, including math competitions. We also engage in international recruitment efforts in collaboration with MTSU's Office of International Affairs."
Xiong said their "strong faculty," including new member Sooie-Hoe Loke, computational finance expert Abdul Khaliq, program director Vajira Manathunga and close connections with employers, such as advisory board member Sydney McIndoo, now teaching one of the courses, ensure students gain both academic and valuable industry insight.
New Orleans presentation
Along with Loke, Xiong presented at the AMS 2025 Fall Southeastern Sectional Meeting at Tulane University in New Orleans on Oct. 5. It was a special session on "Actuarial Mathematics and Actuarial Education."
Xiong's topic was titled "Secure Actuarial Data Collaboration Engine using Federated Learning, Zero Knowledge Proofs, and Encryption Techniques."
Hundreds of math educators presented during that weekend at the large conference.
- Randy Weiler, Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
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Original text here: https://mtsunews.com/mtsu-professor-lands-18k-research-grant-2025/
Hampton University LEAD Initiative Sets a New Standard for Developing Diverse, Research-Driven Leaders in Higher Education
HAMPTON, Virginia, Nov. 22 -- Hampton University issued the following news:
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Hampton University LEAD Initiative Sets a New Standard for Developing Diverse, Research-Driven Leaders in Higher Education
A powerful new chapter in leadership development is emerging at Hampton University with the launch of the Leadership Excellence Advancement and Development (LEAD) Initiative, a bold, research-focused effort designed to reshape how leaders are prepared, supported, and elevated across academia.
Funded by the Kenan Charitable Trust, Inc., this initiative represents a major investment in strengthening
... Show Full Article
HAMPTON, Virginia, Nov. 22 -- Hampton University issued the following news:
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Hampton University LEAD Initiative Sets a New Standard for Developing Diverse, Research-Driven Leaders in Higher Education
A powerful new chapter in leadership development is emerging at Hampton University with the launch of the Leadership Excellence Advancement and Development (LEAD) Initiative, a bold, research-focused effort designed to reshape how leaders are prepared, supported, and elevated across academia.
Funded by the Kenan Charitable Trust, Inc., this initiative represents a major investment in strengtheningevidence-based leadership pathways at one of the nation's most respected HBCUs.
Advancing Leadership in Higher Education
Built on evidence-based practices and informed by national data, the LEAD Initiative tackles a critical gap in higher education: the persistent underrepresentation of diverse voices in influential roles. Hampton, recognized as Virginia's top-ranked HBCU for economic impact, is leveraging its strength to build a leadership model that reflects cultural relevance, academic rigor, and the lived experiences of the communities HBCUs were built to serve.
"Strong leadership grows from environments that recognize and nurture every voice," said Hampton University Vice President for Research Dr. Neelam Azad. "LEAD strengthens our commitment to developing leaders who can influence change across institutions, industries, and communities."
The initiative is guided by a collaborative leadership team led by Dr. Neelam Azad (PI), Vice President for Research, and Dr. Jessica Sullivan (Co-PI), Chair, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, who oversee program design, research integration, assessment, reporting, and implementation. They are supported by Dr. Denise Charbonnet, Chair, Department of Education; Dr. Katina Ward-James, Director, HU Global; and Program Manager Dr. Robyn Ayscue.
Together, this team advances the initiative's signature components, from professional development and mentorship structures to student-centered leadership pathways and cross-generational networks, ensuring a unified, research-informed approach to cultivating strong leaders across the higher education landscape.
"The LEAD Initiative builds on Hampton's legacy of cultivating leaders who reshape their fields," said Azad. "Our approach grounds leadership development in culturally informed research while opening doors for meaningful growth."
Through its emphasis on equity-driven leadership, the LEAD Initiative positions Hampton University as a national resource for institutions striving to build inclusive cultures. The program's influence will extend across communities and industries, strengthening economic mobility, advancing innovation, and inspiring future generations.
Through its emphasis on research-driven leadership preparation and institutional collaboration, the LEAD Initiative positions Hampton University as a national resource for strengthening leadership capacity across colleges, universities, and related sectors. Its impact will extend beyond campus--shaping communities, advancing innovation, and inspiring future generations of leaders.
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ABOUT HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
Hampton University is a prestigious Carnegie R2-designated research institution, nationally acclaimed for pioneering work in atmospheric science, cancer treatment, and cybersecurity. With an annual economic impact of $530 million across the region and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Hampton stands as a powerful engine of innovation, workforce development, and inclusive economic growth.
Consistently recognized for academic excellence and transformative outcomes, Hampton was recently named one of the "Best Colleges in America" by Money Magazine and honored as the "Best Private College" by Coastal Virginia Magazine.
Founded in 1868, Hampton University is a proud, close-knit community of scholars, representing 44 states and 32 territories. With a legacy rooted in empowerment and education, the university is committed to nurturing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and global citizenship -- preparing students to lead with purpose and integrity in an ever-changing world. Learn more at: www.hamptonu.edu
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Original text here: https://home.hamptonu.edu/blog/2025/11/21/hampton-university-lead-initiative-sets-a-new-standard-for-developing-diverse-research-driven-leaders-in-higher-education/
Easing Transitions: Our Amazing TLU Peer Mentors
SEGUIN, Texas, Nov. 22 -- Texas Lutheran University issued the following news:
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Easing Transitions: Our Amazing TLU Peer Mentors
By Karina Garner
Transitioning into college life can be fun and exciting, but it comes with plenty of challenges too. At TLU, Peer Mentors can help ease the way for first-year students by offering support and guidance, helping to facilitate and plan orientation activities, and attending all FREX (Freshman Experience) classes with first-year students.
This year's group of Peer Mentors arrived on campus in the heat of summer, ahead of incoming students, in order
... Show Full Article
SEGUIN, Texas, Nov. 22 -- Texas Lutheran University issued the following news:
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Easing Transitions: Our Amazing TLU Peer Mentors
By Karina Garner
Transitioning into college life can be fun and exciting, but it comes with plenty of challenges too. At TLU, Peer Mentors can help ease the way for first-year students by offering support and guidance, helping to facilitate and plan orientation activities, and attending all FREX (Freshman Experience) classes with first-year students.
This year's group of Peer Mentors arrived on campus in the heat of summer, ahead of incoming students, in orderto train and build a sense of teamwork. Led by Sierra Smith, TLU's Director of First Year Experience and Student Transitions, Peer Mentors have been hard at work all semester.
"As a FREX Peer Mentor, I help guide first-year students through the transition into college life, academically, socially, and personally," said Michelle Lopez, a junior majoring in business administration and a second-year Peer Mentor. "I'm there to answer questions, offer support, and be someone they can rely on. During my first year as a mentor, our professor emphasized public speaking, which I love, so I was able to help students build confidence and skills in that area. Beyond the classroom, I've built lasting connections. Many of my former FREX students still reach out to catch up or ask for advice, which means a lot to me."
One of Lopez's former FREX students is Conner Petty, now a junior, majoring in computer science and applied physics. "My peer mentor was especially helpful, not only with adjustment into college life, but also with learning the skills that I needed to be successful," Petty said. "Before I met my peer mentor, I didn't know how to do even the most basic of actions on the TLU portal, but now I know how to navigate it like a fourth-year student."
Petty added that Lopez was also helpful in connecting him with others. "I was introduced to friends and peers who have stayed with me throughout my time at TLU. Without a doubt, my peer mentor has been pivotal in helping me become the TLU student I am today and I'm sure that I wouldn't be that student without her."
Alaina Fugate, a first-year student majoring in business administration, agrees. "This year i would be so incredibly lost without my peer mentor Michelle. She has helped me navigate through Brightspace, informed me about upcoming events, given me guidance through projects, helped me start planning for my next semesters, and the best part is, she has given me and many other freshmen a safe place to go to in case we are ever in need of assistance!"
"The Peer Mentors are a valuable resource for incoming students throughout their first year," said Dr. Brian Coulombe, associate professor, Athletic Training program director, and FREX director. "Freshman students have access to their own mentor who helps connect them to the Bulldog community and identify the resources and opportunities available to TLU students."
Lopez said the Peer Mentor program is incredibly valuable--both to first-year students and to the Peer Mentors themselves. "It's not just about mentoring--it's about growing alongside your students," she said. "What surprised me most was how much they taught me. I learned to be more patient, to listen deeply, and to understand that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up, being present, and supporting someone else's journey with empathy and encouragement."
To become a Peer Mentor, TLU students must have strong academic and discipline standings, have demonstrated their commitment to TLU through leadership and involvement, and come highly recommended by faculty and staff.
FREX 134: Exploring the Arts and Sciences is a three-hour credit course designed to usher first-year students into TLU's multigenerational community of learning.
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Original text here: https://www.tlu.edu/news/easing-transitions-our-amazing-tlu-peer-mentors
DPRIT Passage Set to Accelerate University's Dementia Research
HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 22 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston issued the following news:
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DPRIT passage set to accelerate university's dementia research
By Lisa Raynor-Keck
Earlier this month, voters took a huge step toward improving the lives of more than 460,000 Texans living with Alzheimer's and other dementias with the passage of Proposition 14, which created a constitutional amendment to fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT).
"Once again, Texas voters have chosen to make a transformative investment in translational and public health
... Show Full Article
HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 22 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston issued the following news:
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DPRIT passage set to accelerate university's dementia research
By Lisa Raynor-Keck
Earlier this month, voters took a huge step toward improving the lives of more than 460,000 Texans living with Alzheimer's and other dementias with the passage of Proposition 14, which created a constitutional amendment to fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT).
"Once again, Texas voters have chosen to make a transformative investment in translational and public healthresearch," said Kevin Morano, PhD, senior vice president of Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Roger J. Bulger, MD, Distinguished Professor at UTHealth Houston. "What CPRIT has done for prominence in cancer research and prevention for Texans and the nation, DPRIT will do for neurodegenerative disease."
In May, the 89th Texas Legislature established DPRIT with Senate Bill 5 to accelerate innovation in dementia research. However, to fund the initiative, it needed approval by Texas voters.
The bipartisan-approved bill was one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's top legislative priorities. It was authored in the Senate by Sen. Joan Huffman, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, and sponsored in the House by Rep. Tom Craddick, the former speaker. Co-sponsoring the bill were Rep. Senfronia Thompson, who had championed for a brain research institute in previous sessions; Rep. Greg Bonnen, MD, the House Appropriations Committee chair and a practicing neurosurgeon; and others.
"After hearing countless stories of Texans whose lives were shattered by this silent killer, I felt it was time to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to bring world-class dementia researchers to our state," Patrick said. "Texas, with our vast resources, has an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions. DPRIT is structured like the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, which has been a resounding success in bringing the best cancer researchers and doctors to Texas."
The new constitutional amendment, which passed by a margin of 2-to-1, will authorize DPRIT to distribute $3 billion in allocated funds over 10 years to improve dementia-related research, prevention, treatment, and care. The money will come from existing state resources, not new taxes or bonds.
"After many hard-fought sessions, I'm delighted that the legislation has finally passed, and more importantly, that Texans overwhelmingly passed Prop 14 to fund DPRIT," Rep. Thompson said. "Texas ranks second in the number of Alzheimer's deaths in the country, and our aging population is growing faster than the national average. DPRIT gives us a coordinated strategy to tackle this dreaded disease head-on. It also ensures Texas attracts and retains the best researchers to unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer's and dementia. But most of all -- it gives those who are impacted with the disease a better quality of life and hope for the future."
About DPRIT* * * *
DPRIT will put Texas at the forefront of Alzheimer's and dementia prevention and prepare the state to lead the nation in Alzheimer's research. Modeled after CPRIT, DPRIT -- which performed better at the polls than CPRIT -- will fund high-impact dementia research, similar to how CPRIT supports cancer studies.
"This is an exciting time for researchers that are now obtaining new tools like AI, advanced genomics, and imagining breakthroughs that will allow them, with DPRIT's investment, to make discoveries to unlock the causes, prevention, and treatments for dementia-related diseases," Bonnen said. "DPRIT will have the opportunity to invest in research into the root causes of dementia, including MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) issues with the food supply and nutrition, impact of the gut microbiome, the role of inflammation, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, which is an abnormal protein that is present in 80% of Alzheimer's disease patients."
DPRIT's goals
* Accelerate innovation in dementia and related disorder research.
* Drive medical and scientific breakthroughs by attracting top investigators, expanding institutional research capacity, and advancing discoveries from bench to bedside.
* Support studies focused on the causes, treatments, and prevention of dementia.
"These diseases touch nearly every family in our state, leaving lasting impacts on loved ones and communities alike," Craddick said. "Much like the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas, DPRIT will invest in groundbreaking research unlike any other state in the nation."
Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, dean of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, M. David Low Chair in Public Health, and Kozmetsky Family Chair in Human Genetics, echoed Craddick's sentiments, emphasizing the transformative potential of DPRIT to advance the fight against dementia.
"The creation of DPRIT will undoubtedly accelerate groundbreaking dementia research, contributing to the discovery of new interventions, expanding our understanding of the disease, and creating pathways toward a future without dementia,"
How UTHealth Houston may benefit from DPRIT
UTHealth Houston is in a strong position to compete for major research grants from the new institute.
"With DPRIT funding, we will not only expand our current research but also recruit the talented team needed to pioneer tomorrow's breakthroughs in dementia prevention and treatment," said Louise McCullough, MD, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Neurology and the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Distinguished Chair at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. "Preventive strategies are vital because early intervention can significantly alter the trajectory of neurodegenerative diseases, reducing long-term disability and associated health care costs."
UTHealth Houston dementia-related research
Research across UTHealth Houston stands to benefit from the passage of Proposition 14, including the following initiatives.
BRAINS Lab
At McGovern Medical School, the Brain Research in Alzheimer's, Inflammation, Neurodegeneration, and Stroke (BRAINS) Lab explores how vascular injury, inflammation, and metabolic disorders contribute to Alzheimer's and dementia. Research that could benefit from the passage of DPRIT includes:
* Disease mechanisms: Teams are uncovering how inflammation, stroke, and traumatic brain injury accelerate Alzheimer's pathology, with special attention to vascular risks such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.
* Cerebral amyloid angiopathy: Aki Urayama, PhD, professor of neurology at the medical school, leads research on how amyloid buildup in brain vessels causes hemorrhagic stroke and how Alzheimer's antibody drugs like lecanemab, which can reduce amyloid buildup, may also lead to brain swelling and microhemorrhages. The team is developing mouse models improve drug safety.
* Sex differences: With women comprising two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients, these studies explore hormonal, genetic, and molecular differences driving disease progression and treatment response, emphasizing the need for personalized therapies.
* Social isolation: Research links loneliness to inflammation, brain dysfunction, and higher Alzheimer's risk, using both animal models and tools such as the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure biological impact.
* Stroke and breathing: Juneyoung Lee, PhD, professor of neurology at the medical school, is revealing how stroke disrupts respiratory function, triggering brainstem scarring and accelerating dementia. Ongoing grants support investigation into the intersection of stroke, inflammation, and breathing in Alzheimer's progression.
National Alzheimer's data infrastructure
McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston is building a comprehensive national Alzheimer's data infrastructure initiative that could benefit all dementia-related research. The initiative could see additional financial support thanks to DPRIT.
The $27 million national Alzheimer's data harmonization initiative is called ReCARDO, short for "Using Real-World Data to Derive Common Data Elements for Alzheimer's Disease and AD-Related Dementias Research Through Ontological Innovation." It will integrate large-scale clinical, genomic, imaging, and behavioral data on Alzheimer's and related dementias.
By establishing a centralized data core lab at UTHealth Houston, the project aims to accelerate discovery, improve clinical translation, and foster nationwide collaboration. It will enable investigators to identify early markers, test interventions, and better understand the complex mechanisms driving Alzheimer's.
"As the contact PI for the $27 million national Alzheimer's data harmonization initiative ReCARDO, I am extremely excited for the passage of Proposition 14 to establish DPRIT. There are fundamental synergistic interplays between DPRIT and the ReCARDO national Alzheimer's data harmonization initiative," said GQ Zhang, PhD, vice president and chief data scientist at UTHealth Houston and a professor and Distinguished Chair in Digital Innovation at McGovern Medical School. "The data science and AI resources generated from ReCARDO will be immediately made available for DPRIT-funded projects. In return, DPRIT-generated data can be included in the ReCARDO data ecosystem, further enriching its scope and depth for dementia research."
Principal investigators of the grant are Zhang; Hongfang Liu, PhD, vice president of learning health systems at UTHealth Houston and a professor and D. Bradley McWilliams Chair at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics; and Licong Cui, PhD, associate professor at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics.
"The passage of Proposition 14 to fund DPRIT presents a bold and forward-looking commitment by the state of Texas to accelerate research to improve the brain health of all Texans," Liu said. "As we work to build a unified national Alzheimer's data ecosystem through ReCARDO, Texas' investment positions our state as a critical partner providing advanced infrastructure, innovative analytic capabilities, and real-world evidence that will drive breakthroughs in understanding, treating, and ultimately preventing dementia.
"DPRIT will not only strengthen research capacity across Texas but also amplify our contributions to national efforts aimed at improving outcomes for patients, families, and communities through advanced data science, informatics, and AI innovations."
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Lisa Raynor-Keck, Manager, University Communications, Office of Public Affairs, 713-500-3009, Lisa.RaynorKeck@uth.tmc.edu
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Original text here: https://www.uth.edu/news/story/dprit-passage-set-to-accelerate-universitys-dementia-research
