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University of Missouri Kansas City Law Professor Recognized for Decades of Fighting Wrongful Convictions
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Aug. 18 -- The University of Missouri Kansas City campus issued the following news:
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UMKC Law Professor Recognized for Decades of Fighting Wrongful Convictions
Sean O'Brien honored by Innocence Project for landmark Missouri exoneration
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Throughout his career, O'Brien has defended clients on death row, helped free wrongfully convicted people through pro bono work and successfully argued two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
O'Brien estimates he is directly responsible for litigation that has helped 43 people in cases involving death sentences, wrongful convictions
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Aug. 18 -- The University of Missouri Kansas City campus issued the following news:
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UMKC Law Professor Recognized for Decades of Fighting Wrongful Convictions
Sean O'Brien honored by Innocence Project for landmark Missouri exoneration
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Throughout his career, O'Brien has defended clients on death row, helped free wrongfully convicted people through pro bono work and successfully argued two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
O'Brien estimates he is directly responsible for litigation that has helped 43 people in cases involving death sentences, wrongful convictionsand juvenile offenders sentenced to life without parole.
His relationship with the Innocence Project dates to its founding in 1992 and has continued ever since.
"I am typically the Innocence Project's go-to lawyer when they need local counsel in a Missouri case," O'Brien said. "The Schlup v. Delo case that I did in 1995 sets the standard for actual innocence in habeas corpus litigation in America, so I have been called in as a consultant or co-counsel on a lot of the Innocence Project's cases over the years."
The Innocence Project began in 1992 at the Cardozo School of Law in New York, New York. Over time, similar groups formed across the country; some based at law schools, others operating as independent nonprofits. They work separately but stay connected through the Innocence Network, a loose coalition that provides annual training, fundraising support and other programs.
In 2003, O'Brien joined the founding board of directors for the Midwest Innocence Project, serving until 2010. He has remained active in innocence work, including his work in the exoneration of Sandra Hemme.
Hemme was 20 years old when she falsely confessed to a 1980 murder she did not commit in St. Joseph, Missouri. She was exonerated in December 2024 after serving 43 years in prison. Upon release, she was 64 years old.
"What is unusual about this case is that the New York team hired my daughter Quinn to be Sandy's lead investigator, and when the investigation was substantially complete, they asked me to be local counsel," O'Brien said. "I was the only lawyer in the courtroom, including the judge, who was born before Sandy went to prison. In fact, I had been a lawyer for less than three months when Sandy went to prison, so she has been there for most of my legal career."
He remembers Hemme as a remarkable client.
"She demonstrated bravery and kindness throughout her ordeal. It was a privilege to represent her," O'Brien said.
The Innocence Project's recognition, he added, carries special meaning.
"This was truly a meaningful recognition, coming from lawyers I have known and admired for many years," O'Brien said. "It's a nice capstone for a meaningful career. I have received other awards, but this one comes from the seasoned advocates in the trenches, and I can't begin to say how much that means to me."
O'Brien's impact extends into the classroom. In 2023, the UMKC School of Law alumnus was named Alumnus of the Year by the UMKC Alumni Association. The following year, he received the University of Missouri System Board of Curators' Distinguished Teaching Professor designation, the university system's highest academic honor, recognizing his excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.
Professor O'Brien retires from UMKC on September 1 after nearly 22 years with the UMKC School of Law.
Alongside his daughter, Quinn, and several former students, O'Brien launched the nonprofit organization, the Investigation and Advocacy Service, to continue fighting wrongful convictions.
"My mother is a teacher, and it was a lifetime of her guidance that allowed me and my father to realize we also enjoyed teaching and guiding others," Quinn O'Brien said. "When we set up IAS, it was with the idea that we would help other attorneys and their teams advocate for wrongfully convicted people. Hollywood makes movies about our clients' stories, so it's not hard to understand why people are interested in this work and want to do this with us. IAS allows us to assist and train people motivated to do wrongful conviction work."
Working alongside her father has given Quinn O'Brien a firsthand view of the leadership style that has defined his career.
"My dad is the best boss I have ever worked for, and not because he's my father," she said. "He works harder than anyone on the team and leads by example. My dad creates a team environment where every person on the team is valued for both their unique professional skillset and who they are as a person. Having a team of people around you that you trust and respect is critical. It helps if one of those people is your father."
Quinn said her father's commitment to clients extends far beyond the courtroom.
"People my father defended as the Jackson County Public Defender in 1985, people who were convicted and sentenced to life in prison, are becoming eligible for parole now," she said. "It may be 40 years later, but those people are still my father's clients, and he will still advocate for them at this stop on their journey through the justice system. That's what client-centered advocacy is: never abandoning the people you promised to zealously defend."
In retirement, Sean O'Brien and his daughter will teach investigation courses at the UMKC School of Law and involve students directly in their work.
"The main thing is that nobody does this work alone," O'Brien said. "It takes a team of dedicated professionals. When you get someone out of prison, you feel like you've moved a mountain because the prosecution fights so hard to preserve their unjust conviction. It is way too easy to convict an innocent person, and way harder than it should be to free them."
For current UMKC law students, O'Brien's advice is simple and direct: "You can use your law degree to do legally, morally and spiritually significant work. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
-- Story by: Hunter Miesner, Strategic Marketing and Communications
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Original text here: https://www.umkc.edu/news/posts/2026/august/umkc-law-professor-recognized-for-decades-of-fighting-wrongful-convictions.html
Texas A&M Engineering: Building Real-time Control for Engineered Biological Systems
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Aug. 18 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
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Building real-time control for engineered biological systems
Dr. Chelsea Hu is developing new tools that combine real-time feedback, device engineering and mathematical modeling to help scientists better understand and control engineered biological systems.
By Raven Wuebker, Contributor
Scientists can engineer living cells to perform useful tasks, from producing medicines and sustainable chemicals to detecting disease. Unlike traditional engineered systems, living cells are
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Aug. 18 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
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Building real-time control for engineered biological systems
Dr. Chelsea Hu is developing new tools that combine real-time feedback, device engineering and mathematical modeling to help scientists better understand and control engineered biological systems.
By Raven Wuebker, Contributor
Scientists can engineer living cells to perform useful tasks, from producing medicines and sustainable chemicals to detecting disease. Unlike traditional engineered systems, living cells areconstantly changing as they grow, making their behavior difficult to predict and control.
Dr. Chelsea Hu, assistant professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, is developing new tools that help researchers better understand and control these dynamic biological systems.
When engineered cells -- cells that have gone through gene editing -- grow and divide, they naturally change how they function. Because of these changes, the same external signal can produce different biological responses over time, making it difficult for scientists to consistently direct cell behavior or optimize biological production processes.
Hu's research combines device engineering, real-time feedback control and mathematical modeling to address this challenge, giving researchers practical tools to study how engineered cells behave and design more reliable biological systems.
The approach applies optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control specific activities inside living cells. While researchers have developed optogenetic systems that allow cells to respond to light, continuously measuring those responses and automatically adjusting the light in real time -- a strategy known as closed-loop control -- has remained technically challenging and often requires specialized equipment.
In a recent study, Hu and her team developed LED-Embedded Microplate for Optogenetic Studies (LEMOS), a laboratory platform that makes real-time optogenetic feedback control more accessible to synthetic biology researchers.
The system combines programmable LED lights with continuous measurements of cell growth and gene expression -- the process by which cells use genetic information to produce proteins and carry out biological functions.
Rather than applying a fixed light pattern throughout an experiment, LEMOS continuously measures how cells respond and automatically adjusts the light in real time, allowing researchers to maintain more consistent control as cells grow.
"We can use light to regulate gene expression inside living cells," Hu said. "This could eventually help improve production yield, reduce stress on the cells and make biological manufacturing more reliable."
Hu's team also developed Gene Expression Across Growth Stages (GEAGS), a mathematical modeling framework that explains how changes in cell growth influence gene expression and, ultimately, the performance of feedback control systems.
"As cells grow, they naturally change how they express genes," Hu said. "That means the same light input can produce different cellular responses at different stages of growth. To design effective feedback control systems, we needed a model that accounts for those changes."
LEMOS and GEAGS provide complementary tools for studying engineered cells in dynamic environments. By combining real-time feedback with mathematical models that account for how cells change as they grow, the research addresses one of synthetic biology's central challenges: Living systems are constantly changing, so effective control strategies must adapt with them.
The work could improve the reliability and efficiency of biological manufacturing, where engineered cells are used to produce products such as medicines, fuels and specialty chemicals. The same control principles could also help researchers design therapeutic cells that respond dynamically to changes inside the human body.
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Original text here: https://news.engineering.tamu.edu/news/2026/08/17/building-real-time-control-for-engineered-biological-systems/
N.C. State: Study Finds Some Microbes Drastically Change Behavior Outside the Lab
RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 18 (TNSjou) -- North Carolina State University issued the following news release:
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Study Finds Some Microbes Drastically Change Behavior Outside the Lab
A new study is underscoring the importance of studying microbes in their natural setting, rather than relying solely on laboratory research. Researchers found that a set of corn root bacteria behaved completely differently when grown on the plant rather than in a lab, with thousands of proteins changing when placed in their natural habitat.
"Historically we've been reliant on in-vitro experiments and experiments
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RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 18 (TNSjou) -- North Carolina State University issued the following news release:
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Study Finds Some Microbes Drastically Change Behavior Outside the Lab
A new study is underscoring the importance of studying microbes in their natural setting, rather than relying solely on laboratory research. Researchers found that a set of corn root bacteria behaved completely differently when grown on the plant rather than in a lab, with thousands of proteins changing when placed in their natural habitat.
"Historically we've been reliant on in-vitro experiments and experimentsin the lab, and they're still very powerful," said Anna Garrell, first author of a paper on the work and a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University. "But I think this is a good reminder that what you find in the lab is not necessarily what's going to be happening in the real environment."
For the study, researchers grew seven corn root bacteria both in a lab setting (in vitro) and on the plant (in planta) to measure the differences in their behavior. While all the bacteria acted differently on the plant, the specifics varied from species to species.
"The biggest surprise we found was that all these bacteria interacted with the plant very differently," said Garrell. "Some, when they got to the root, became more motile and seemed to upregulate functions that would help them move and swim. Others did the exact opposite, where they would attach to the root and become much more stationary. Not all bacteria are made the same, nor do they interact with the plant the same."
Microbes on the plant showed a range of behaviors, from activating various secretion systems to solubilizing phosphate to consuming different sugars. The sheer magnitude of the behavior shift was notable, said principal investigator Manuel Kleiner, an associate professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State.
"Comparing the microbe growing on the plant to outside of the plant, the most mind-blowing thing was that these microbes completely changed their programming," Kleiner said. "It's not just ten or so genes, it's thousands that completely shift as soon as they start interacting with the plant."
The seven bacteria used in the study come from what is known as a defined community, a group of microbes with specific known parts that scientists can rely on as stable test subjects. These microbes were chosen because they colonize consistently, have known genomes and are known to come from corn roots, making them reliable for testing on the plant and in the lab.
"This research will help scientists improve our understanding of how those microbes react to their host plants," Garrell said. "Further research can build off this work by studying how multiple microbes interact and influence each other when on their host plant, and how they work together to colonize plants. This will be important for developing real products to use in sustainable agriculture"
The paper, "Differential proteomics of bacteria grown in vitro and in planta reveals functions used during growth on maize roots," is published in mSystems. This work was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under awards 2021-67013-34537 and 2022-67013-36672, the Novo Nordisk Foundation InROOT project (NNF19SA0059362) and the National Science Foundation (IOS-2120593 and IOS-2421771). Co-authors include John Cheadle, Nathan Crook and Gaurav Pal, NC State University; Alecia Septer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Maggie Wagner, University of Kansas; and Ashley Beck, Carroll College and NC State University.
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Note to Editors: The study abstract follows.
"Differential proteomics of bacteria grown in vitro and in planta reveals functions used during growth on maize roots"
Authors: Anna Garrell, Manuel Kleiner, John Cheadle, Nathan Crook and Gaurav Pal, NC State University; Alecia Septer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Maggie Wagner, University of Kansas; and Ashley Beck, Carroll College and NC State University.
Published: 8/7/2026, mSystem
DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00371-26
Abstract: Microbes are ubiquitous in the rhizosphere and play crucial roles in plant health; however, the metabolisms and physiologies of individual species in planta remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined microbial gene expression in response to the maize root environment for seven bacterial species originally isolated from maize roots. We grew each species individually, both in vitro in a minimal medium and in planta, and used differential proteomics to identify functions upregulated specifically when bacteria are grown on maize roots. We identified between 1,500 and 2,100 proteins from each species, with 20%-60% of these proteins being differentially abundant between the two conditions. While we found that transporter proteins were upregulated in all species in planta, all other differentially abundant functions varied greatly between species, suggesting niche specialization in root-associated microbes. Indeed, in vitro assays confirmed that Curtobacterium pusillum likely degrades plant hemicellulose, Enterobacter ludwigii may benefit the plant by phosphate solubilization, and Herbaspirillum robiniae colonizes maize roots more effectively when both of its type VI secretion systems are functional. Together, our findings highlight both conserved and species-specific bacterial strategies for growth in the root environment and lay a foundation for future work investigating the mechanisms underlying plant-microbiota interactions.
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Original text here: https://news.ncsu.edu/2026/08/study-finds-some-microbes-drastically-change-behavior-outside-the-lab/
N.C. State to Spearhead 10-Year, $480 Million Effort to Bolster Defense Textile Manufacturing
RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 18 -- North Carolina State University issued the following news release:
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NC State to Spearhead 10-Year, $480 Million Effort to Bolster Defense Textile Manufacturing
North Carolina State University has been chosen to lead a 10-year Department of War initiative aimed at modernizing textile manufacturing in the United States to support the defense industry. The FutureTEX award - which includes $36 million in its first year and has a ceiling of $480 million over a decade - brings together industry, government, university and nonprofit partners to advance manufacturing
... Show Full Article
RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 18 -- North Carolina State University issued the following news release:
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NC State to Spearhead 10-Year, $480 Million Effort to Bolster Defense Textile Manufacturing
North Carolina State University has been chosen to lead a 10-year Department of War initiative aimed at modernizing textile manufacturing in the United States to support the defense industry. The FutureTEX award - which includes $36 million in its first year and has a ceiling of $480 million over a decade - brings together industry, government, university and nonprofit partners to advance manufacturingtechnologies of textiles for military and domestic applications. FutureTEX will champion workforce development and modernization of facilities and equipment to increase U.S. competitiveness.
FutureTEX's goal is to work with American manufacturing to capitalize on digital infrastructure and other emerging technologies making the domestic supply network more robust for the defense industrial base. Core partners in establishing FutureTEX include Drexel University, Gaston College, Georgia Tech, ISAIC and UMass Lowell.
FutureTEX will empower American textile manufacturing by adopting advanced technologies and techniques to enable manufacturing of new materials and improve capability industry-wide. The initiative is actively recruiting industry partners to be part of the project, and has already received more than 100 letters of support from industry organizations.
"North Carolina and NC State University have an enduring legacy with both the military and textiles industry, with NC State having the only college in North America dedicated to textiles," says NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell. "We are honored to serve thousands of military affiliated students and participate in research partnerships that support our armed forces, like FutureTEX. I am proud our university will play a critical role in this national effort that will strengthen our economy and defense infrastructure."
One of NC State's first objectives under FutureTEX is to work with Gaston College to establish a nonprofit organization that will assume administrative oversight of the initiative. This new institute will be housed at the Gaston College's Kimbrell Campus in Belmont, N.C., with hubs in Raleigh, N.C., Philadelphia, Pa., Lowell, Mass., Atlanta, Ga.
"FutureTEX is focused on creating a cutting-edge national ecosystem for defense textiles that simply doesn't exist today," says David Hinks, chief strategic partnerships officer of FutureTEX and the Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean of NC State's Wilson College of Textiles. "This will involve commercializing applied research to help American textile manufacturing meet the needs of both the warfighter and the domestic textile industry.
"NC State is a leader in technology commercialization, and the Wilson College of Textiles is a leader in applied research and education, so we're spearheading this project," says Hinks. "Transferring administrative oversight to a new nonprofit organization will allow us to focus on our strengths - education, innovation, and commercialization."
"North Carolina and Gaston County have deep roots in the textile industry dating back to the late 19th century, making it only natural that our state is anchoring an initiative aimed at strengthening advanced textile manufacturing and supporting warfighters," says John Hauser, president of Gaston College.
"With Gaston College's deep-rooted commitment to workforce development and the textile industry, we are uniquely positioned to propel this manufacturing innovation institute forward with all of our partners."
"Drexel embraces new models of innovation that eliminate borders between traditional disciplines," says Genevieve Dion, director of Drexel's Center for Functional Fabrics. "FutureTEX brings together a collaborative group dedicated to securing the future of textiles across the US supply chain. We are excited to join this crucial effort."
"NC State is a national leader in technology transfer and industry collaboration," says Krista Walton, vice chancellor for research and innovation at NC State. "Our extensive expertise in applied research is evidenced by the many products and successful companies that started at NC State - and as a member of more Manufacturing USA institutes than almost any other university in the nation, our long track record of leadership brings unique advantages to this initiative to advance the future of manufacturing."
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Original text here: https://news.ncsu.edu/2026/08/futuretex-defense-manufacturing-industry/
Manchester University Names Elizabeth Marsch Executive Director of Online Education
NORTH MANCHESTER, Indiana, Aug. 18 -- Manchester University issued the following news:
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Manchester University names Elizabeth Marsch executive director of online education
Manchester University welcomed Elizabeth Marsch as its executive director of online education on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Marsch comes to Manchester from The Ohio State University, where she worked for nearly 25 years. She most recently held the position of director of distance education for their College of Arts and Sciences. She has participated in curriculum development and educational technology innovation groups at The
... Show Full Article
NORTH MANCHESTER, Indiana, Aug. 18 -- Manchester University issued the following news:
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Manchester University names Elizabeth Marsch executive director of online education
Manchester University welcomed Elizabeth Marsch as its executive director of online education on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Marsch comes to Manchester from The Ohio State University, where she worked for nearly 25 years. She most recently held the position of director of distance education for their College of Arts and Sciences. She has participated in curriculum development and educational technology innovation groups at TheOhio State University, Miami University and Franklin University.
For nearly 20 years she has taught courses, mostly online, in literature, culture, power and identity. These include Introduction to Humanities: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Love and World Literature, and Literature and the Self.
Marsch attended the University of Dayton and Shimer College for her undergraduate studies, and The Ohio State University for her graduate studies in English language and literature.
In her role at Manchester, Marsch will oversee all online learning, including both undergraduate and graduate programming.
"Manchester is at a pivotal moment in realizing its potential for delivering high-quality, values-driven online learning for all its students," said Marsch. "Drawing on the University's strengths and expanding access to include more learners, I hope to support the creation of a multi-faceted support system to deliver a distinctly Manchester experience to students who will be empowered to live lives of ability and conviction to improve the human condition."
Manchester University offers online accelerated undergraduate programs in marketing communication, criminal justice, accounting and business management. The University also offers its MBA, Master of Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Master of Pharmacogenomics, and Doctor of Pharmacy fully online. Learn more about online programs at Manchester here.
For the media
Manchester University, in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more at https://www.manchester.edu/about-manchester.
Our mission and values
Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.
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Original text here: https://www.manchester.edu/manchester-university-names-elizabeth-marsch-executive-director-of-online-education/
Iona University Welcomes Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA to Board of Trustees
NEW ROCHELLE, New York, Aug. 18 -- Iona University issued the following news:
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Iona University Welcomes Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA to Board of Trustees
Bronxville, N.Y. - Continuing to build on the momentum, Iona University today announced the appointment of Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA, chief executive officer of Paraco Gas, to its Board of Trustees.
"We are grateful for Joe's willingness to serve Iona in this important capacity," said Iona President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. "His professional experience and dedication to the Iona mission will provide important guidance as we continue to create
... Show Full Article
NEW ROCHELLE, New York, Aug. 18 -- Iona University issued the following news:
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Iona University Welcomes Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA to Board of Trustees
Bronxville, N.Y. - Continuing to build on the momentum, Iona University today announced the appointment of Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA, chief executive officer of Paraco Gas, to its Board of Trustees.
"We are grateful for Joe's willingness to serve Iona in this important capacity," said Iona President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. "His professional experience and dedication to the Iona mission will provide important guidance as we continue to createnew opportunities for students to thrive and lead with purpose."
Effective July 1, 2026, Armentano's appointment comes as Iona continues to thrive despite the headwinds facing many others in the industry.
A private, Catholic institution founded in 1940, Iona has grown new student enrollment, added academic programs in high demand; expanded its footprint with campuses in New Rochelle, Bronxville and Ireland; positioned itself at the forefront of teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence; and strengthened its standing in national rankings. Notably, Forbes recently awarded Iona an "A" rating in its 2026 Financial Report Card, placing the University among the nation's healthiest private colleges.
Iona also recently announced that Alfred F. Kelly Jr. '80, '81MBA, '19H, retired executive chairman and CEO of Visa, was elected to serve as board chair.
About Joseph A. Armentano '88MBA
CEO, Paraco Gas
Armentano is CEO of Paraco Gas, a privately held propane and energy company and the largest independent marketer in the United States. Headquartered in Rye Brook, N.Y., Paraco services six states in the Northeast region, with over 110,000 customers, 450 employees, 27 locations, and $200 million in sales revenue.
Paraco's story began in 1968 when Armentano's father, Pat, working from a garage in Mount Vernon, N.Y., founded the industrial gas company, Patsems, Inc. The company entered the propane business in 1979 with the purchase of a small propane and oil marketer called Paraco Fuel Corporation. Armentano has been with Paraco since his college graduation in 1976, serving as CEO since 1987. Under Armentano's leadership, Paraco Gas has acquired over 60 companies in its five decades of business.
Armentano has fostered a strong culture of community involvement in Paraco. He has served on many charitable boards, including the American Red Cross, Greyston Foundation, and the Italian Business Forum, and presently is a Board of Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon.
A respected business and industry leader, Armentano has served in various leadership roles, including on the executive committee of the Westchester County Association, and as national chairman of the Propane Education Research Council. He was recently inducted into the LPGas Hall of Fame - Class 2026.
Armentano attended Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, graduated from Fordham University in 1976 with a bachelor's in history, and went on to earn his MBA in finance from Iona in 1988. He lives in Rye Brook with his fiance, Paula. He recently published his first book, "A Helluva Ride," sharing the story of his father's legacy. He loves playing tennis and is an avid wine collector.
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ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of over 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2026, Iona has been named one of the nation's best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona's LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its "Best Business Schools for 2025," recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.
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Original text here: https://www.iona.edu/news/iona-university-welcomes-joseph-armentano-88mba-board-trustees
Alvernia University to Renovate Its Newly Secured Allentown Location
READING, Pennsylvania, Aug. 18 -- Alvernia University issued the following news:
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Alvernia University to renovate its newly secured Allentown location
In-person MBA classes to be offered in Lehigh Valley as a part of a new, hybrid format
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Alvernia University has expanded into the Lehigh Valley this summer.
The university purchased the 3,300-square-foot building located at 520 Hamilton St. in the City of Allentown. The latest addition to the Alvernia footprint will undergo renovations prior to opening to students later this year.
"Alvernia University has a long tradition of bringing
... Show Full Article
READING, Pennsylvania, Aug. 18 -- Alvernia University issued the following news:
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Alvernia University to renovate its newly secured Allentown location
In-person MBA classes to be offered in Lehigh Valley as a part of a new, hybrid format
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Alvernia University has expanded into the Lehigh Valley this summer.
The university purchased the 3,300-square-foot building located at 520 Hamilton St. in the City of Allentown. The latest addition to the Alvernia footprint will undergo renovations prior to opening to students later this year.
"Alvernia University has a long tradition of bringingour model of higher education directly where our students live and work. Thanks to the vision, collaboration and shared commitment of the Lehigh Valley's community leaders, public officials and industry partners," said Alvernia University President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. "This milestone reflects our commitment to the region and advances our mission to provide transformative, real-world learning experiences while serving as a catalyst for workforce development, innovation and economic vitality. For our MBA students, this new location creates meaningful opportunities to engage with regional employers, collaborate on real business challenges and develop the leadership skills needed to help shape the Lehigh Valley's future."
The 520 Hamilton St. location will be the home of expanded academic programming, including a $10,000 hybrid Master of Business Administration (MBA). Students will be able to meet for an hour and a half per week for each session, with the rest of the courses offered online.
"Our goal is to meet the needs of the communities that we serve and, in this case, we are committed to delivering the flexibility and affordability of quality, online programs with the in-person element that people are craving in higher education in a post-covid market," said Alvernia University Chief Enrollment and Strategic Communications Officer, Gaetan T. Giannini, Ed.D. "This is what allows Alvernia's culture of care and real-world learning to be sustained beyond traditional undergraduate student populations that live on campus for four years. Hybrid and affordable, does not have to mean less value to graduate and adult students."
Noncredit seminars and other community-based programming will be offered at the location in the future.
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Original text here: https://www.alvernia.edu/news/2026/08/alvernia-university-renovate-its-newly-secured-allentown-location
