Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
Upstate President Mantosh Dewan, MD, Named to 2025 Upstate Power 100
SYRACUSE, New York, Jan. 3 -- The State University of New York Upstate Medical University campus issued the following news:
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Upstate President Mantosh Dewan, MD, named to 2025 Upstate Power 100
Upstate Medical University President Mantosh Dewan, MD, has been named to the 2025 Upstate Power 100 list compiled by City and State New York, a leading political news organization covering state and local government and public affairs.
The organization said its Upstate New York Power 100 list focuses on key New York leaders making an impact north of Westchester. The list features "powerful upstate
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SYRACUSE, New York, Jan. 3 -- The State University of New York Upstate Medical University campus issued the following news:
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Upstate President Mantosh Dewan, MD, named to 2025 Upstate Power 100
Upstate Medical University President Mantosh Dewan, MD, has been named to the 2025 Upstate Power 100 list compiled by City and State New York, a leading political news organization covering state and local government and public affairs.
The organization said its Upstate New York Power 100 list focuses on key New York leaders making an impact north of Westchester. The list features "powerful upstatepublic officials, business executives and industry advocates as well as key leaders in health care, organized labor, academia, philanthropy, social services and other important fields selected for their influence, their accomplishments and their reach in the region."
In its listing of Dewan, City and State New York focused on the medical center's growing impact as an economic engine, highlighting investments that support research, new therapies, treatments, and services. Upstate's economic impact now stands at $3.2 billion, nearly doubling its impact from $1.7 billion in 2008. This growth, driven by Upstate's healthcare services, educational programs, and research initiatives, demonstrates the vital role the institution plays in advancing the economy and healthcare infrastructure.
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Original text here: https://www.upstate.edu/news/articles/2025/2026-01-01-dewan.php
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology: Who's Taking Out the Trash - And Where To?
HAIFA, Israel, Jan. 3 (TNSjou) -- The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology issued the following news:
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Who's Taking Out the Trash - And Where To?
Researchers at the Technion Faculty of Biology have discovered that a mechanism responsible for breaking down toxic proteins, and known to be involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease, may actually spread these proteins to neighboring cells, thereby promoting the progression of the disease in the brain
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A research group led by Professor Michael Glickman, dean of the Technion's Faculty of Biology, has uncovered a key mechanism
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HAIFA, Israel, Jan. 3 (TNSjou) -- The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology issued the following news:
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Who's Taking Out the Trash - And Where To?
Researchers at the Technion Faculty of Biology have discovered that a mechanism responsible for breaking down toxic proteins, and known to be involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease, may actually spread these proteins to neighboring cells, thereby promoting the progression of the disease in the brain
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A research group led by Professor Michael Glickman, dean of the Technion's Faculty of Biology, has uncovered a key mechanismin the development of Alzheimer's. The mechanism in question identifies toxic proteins and disposes of them. In most cases, harmful proteins are degraded inside the cell. However, the researchers found that in certain situations, the very system meant to eliminate these proteins simply transfers them outside the cell. This discovery may explain how a disease that begins randomly in individual neurons can spread to large regions of the brain.
The study, published in PNAS, was led by Prof. Glickman and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Ajay Wagh. In their article, they describe how brain cells deal with UBB+1, a defective and toxic variant of the protein ubiquitin.
The ubiquitin system is essential for breaking down damaged and dangerous proteins. Ubiquitin helps the body eliminate such proteins. The problem arises when ubiquitin mutates into UBB+1. Instead of protecting the cell, UBB+1 harms it, forming protein aggregates associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. In brain cells, this damage is particularly severe because neurons do not divide or regenerate - once a neuron dies, it cannot be replaced.
One of the "gatekeepers" that prevents UBB+1 from poisoning brain cells is the protein p62, which is involved in the cellular self-cleaning process known as autophagy. Acting as a smart receptor, p62 recognizes UBB+1 and encloses it in a vesicle that prevents it from causing harm.
Next, one of two things happens: p62 either directs the vesicle to the lysosome, which is the cell's recycling center, or secretes it out of the cell into the intercellular brain fluid. The Technion researchers show that the second option may endanger brain tissue. Once the vesicle is expelled into the brain's extracellular fluid, fragments of the toxic UBB+1 protein may leak into neighboring neurons, thereby accelerating the spread of Alzheimer's pathology.
According to Prof. Glickman, "We all want someone to take out the trash, but in this case, the cells are dumping their trash on their neighbors. Although this solves an acute problem for the individual cell, it may cause long-term damage to the entire tissue. We believe that uncovering this mechanism will enable, first, early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on analyses of cerebrospinal and other body fluids, and second, the development of precise, personalized treatments."
The study was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) and the European Research Council (ERC).
Read the full article - here (https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504528122)
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Original text here: https://www.technion.ac.il/en/blog/article/whos-taking-out-the-trash-and-where-to/
Stockton 2026: Look Ahead
GALLOWAY, New Jersey, Jan. 3 -- Stockton University issued the following news:
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Stockton 2026: Look Ahead
The upcoming year promises growth, celebrations and new beginnings. Take a look at what's ahead for Stockton University in 2026:
Soaring Forward: Strengthening Community, Advancing Excellence
The plan's strategic priorities include:
* Cultivate a Community of Care: Belonging and Pride
* Inspire Minds: Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
* Empower Student Success
* Anchor in Purpose: Serving the Region and Beyond
* Sustain Tomorrow: Stewardship and Innovation
Following the introduction
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GALLOWAY, New Jersey, Jan. 3 -- Stockton University issued the following news:
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Stockton 2026: Look Ahead
The upcoming year promises growth, celebrations and new beginnings. Take a look at what's ahead for Stockton University in 2026:
Soaring Forward: Strengthening Community, Advancing Excellence
The plan's strategic priorities include:
* Cultivate a Community of Care: Belonging and Pride
* Inspire Minds: Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
* Empower Student Success
* Anchor in Purpose: Serving the Region and Beyond
* Sustain Tomorrow: Stewardship and Innovation
Following the introductionof Stockton's new Strategic Plan last fall, the university will continue implementing the plan's objectives, which reflect what the university wants to achieve over the next three years.
This month, the Implementation Team will begin prioritizing actions, aligning resources and preparing the first reporting cycle. Strategies will be put into action with regular monitoring, evaluation and refinement beginning with the spring semester.
These priorities will guide how the university sets goals, invests resources and measures progress through 2028.
Gaining a New Library Learning Commons
The $19.5 million Bjork Library renovation project will continue in 2026 and is on track to be completed by the start of the fall semester.
The project will transform the three-story, 100,000-square-foot space in the middle of the Galloway campus into a library learning commons where students can gather for meetings, participate in experiential learning opportunities and work with archival materials and primary sources.
Some of the upgrades include 34 additional study rooms, a new roof and heating and air conditioning system, and more charging stations for computers and mobile devices.
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Stockton's Performing Arts Center Celebrating 50 Years
For five decades, Stockton's Performing Arts Center has been a space that housed impressive musical acts, cutting-edge dance, soul-stirring theatrical performances and more.
Founded in 1976, the Stockton PAC has grown into a venue for on-campus, local and global talent, while also becoming a hub for educational programming that will inspire the next generation of learners and lovers of the arts.
As the 2025-26 season begins to wind down, the PAC plans to reflect on and honor the past while asking audiences what they envision for the next 50 years. The 2026-27 season and further 50th-anniversary plans will be announced in late August or early September.
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Lending a Hand and Being of Service to the Community
The Stockton community will come together for a day of honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy during the 22nd annual Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 19.
The day, beginning with breakfast and an awards ceremony at 9 a.m., will feature projects at the Galloway, Atlantic City and Hammonton locations. Last year, nearly 900 volunteers worked across all three campuses.
The 5th annual Community Day Clean Up and Party in the Park is slated to return on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Volunteers will help beautify Atlantic City by picking up trash and litter in neighborhoods and on beaches. Following the cleanup, volunteers will enjoy a day of family-friendly activities, supporting small local businesses and more in O'Donnell Park.
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Supporting Student Scholarships
The Stockton University Foundation's annual Scholarship Benefit Gala will be back at the Campus Center in Galloway on Saturday, April 18.
In 2025, the Gala returned to the Galloway campus for the first time in 20 years. Nearly 500 alumni, donors, faculty, staff, parents and friends raised more than $333,000 toward scholarships.
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Celebrating the Class of 2026
Ospreys will celebrate their achievements at a trio of commencement ceremonies in May.
Graduate students earning master's and doctoral degrees will participate in a ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, in the Sports Center on the Galloway campus. Baccalaureate candidates will walk in ceremonies on Friday, May 15, at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
The morning ceremony, beginning at 9:30 a.m., will recognize students in the Schools of Business and Social & Behavioral Sciences. The afternoon ceremony, beginning at 2:30 p.m., will include graduates of the Schools of Arts & Humanities, Education, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences & Mathematics, and the William T. Daly School of General Studies.
-- Stacey Clapp, Mark Melhorn and Loukaia Taylor
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Original text here: https://stockton.edu/news/2026/look-ahead-2026.html
S.D. State University: Future Innovator Spotlight / O'Connell Finds Research Opportunities Right Under His Nose
BROOKINGS, South Dakota, Jan. 3 -- South Dakota State University issued the following news:
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Future Innovator spotlight / O'Connell finds research opportunities right under his nose
By Dave Graves, Dave.Graves@sdstate.edu
Fueled by a love for Legos and a fascination for how the body works, Edina, Minnesota, fifth-grader William O'Connell started writing research papers on how the eye functions and what causes an appendicitis.
That was 2015. Ten years later, O'Connell is still writing research papers, though the words have gotten bigger and the topic more complex. The South Dakota State
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BROOKINGS, South Dakota, Jan. 3 -- South Dakota State University issued the following news:
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Future Innovator spotlight / O'Connell finds research opportunities right under his nose
By Dave Graves, Dave.Graves@sdstate.edu
Fueled by a love for Legos and a fascination for how the body works, Edina, Minnesota, fifth-grader William O'Connell started writing research papers on how the eye functions and what causes an appendicitis.
That was 2015. Ten years later, O'Connell is still writing research papers, though the words have gotten bigger and the topic more complex. The South Dakota StateUniversity junior has a double major in human biology and mechanical engineering with a biomedical engineering minor with plans to graduate in May 2027.
He also is a member of the fourth class of Future Innovators of America, which are chosen by the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.
Recipients are awarded $5,000 with $4,500 as a stipend and $500 to cover the cost of lab supplies or travel to disseminate the results of their project.
The fellowships were created to provide unique research opportunities for undergraduate students in the college. Any student is eligible to apply as long as they are attending full time and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Application deadline was Nov. 5.
Each student worked with a potential project mentor, who must be a faculty or research staff member, to develop and submit a research plan that entails learning by doing. There are eight students tackling projects this school year.
Selected for Basu's research team
O'Connell's project is "Experimental Measurements of Liquid Media Penetration within 3D-Printed Anatomical Respiratory Cavities." To put it more simply, he is trying to find the optimum effectiveness for nasal sprays to kill bacteria. The work is done in conjunction with Saikat Basu, an associate professor in mechanical engineering.
Basu, an expert in this field of computational fluid dynamics, has a team of graduate students who works with him.
As an undergraduate, O'Connell said he is "really fortunate" to have this opportunity. In October, Basu submitted a research paper to the journal "Frontiers in Drug Delivery." Listed among the authors with Basu, his graduate students and colleagues at Cornell University is O'Connell. The paper has been accepted for publication.
He has been working with Basu since responding in fall 2023 to the faculty member's post asking for a lab assistant.
Creates models for experiments
O'Connell's responsibilities progressed. In late spring of his sophomore year, O'Connell was asked to work on what is formally known as "Mechanics-Guided Parametric Modeling of Intranasal Spray Devices and Formulations for Targeted Drug Delivery to the Nasopharynx."
O'Connell's job was to set up the experiment. A graduate student handled the computational side of things -- using computer projections to estimate what would be the coverage area and disposition based on spray angle and particle size. It was O'Connell's job to create an experiment that would seek to validate the computational work.
Using clear resin for 3D printing, he created a model of the human respiratory tract from the nostrils to just below where the mouth meets the throat. A vacuum pump was used to simulate breathing on the life-sized model. Distilled water and dye were added to the nasal spray to track coverage, O'Connell explains.
The target was the nasopharynx, the upper part of the pharynx, located behind the nasal cavity and above the soft palate. It is a common hangout for germs associated with the common cold, sore throats, laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinus issues and ear infections.
To provide for accurate comparisons, O'Connell had to standardize the height and zoom percentages in which photos were taken.
Preparation for the experiment began in the summer with the actual experiments performed in August and September. The team found the computational projections almost always fell in the range with the experimental data, O'Connell said.
Research continues in emerging field
While this study is complete, there is more work to do. The next study will involve a fuller representation of the respiratory system. The model will be cast to go from the nostrils to the primary bronchi at the base of the trachea. Basu's team held a preliminary meeting with the Cornell researchers Dec. 3.
While nasal sprays certainly aren't new, their use in drug delivery is an emerging field. O'Connell said their benefits include their ability to permeate across the blood/brain barrier, a lowering of the risk of introducing a blood-born pathogen, being less expensive and easier to manufacture than a shot, and no biohazards such as a discarded needle.
The challenge is to get the spray to the optimum location.
Speaks to American Physics Society
While consumers have no say in the size of the spray droplet, the angle of spray into the nostril and the depth into the nostril are within the user's control. "You have to insert it and have it at a more horizontal angle. Vertically is less effective," said O'Connell, who gave a 10-minute talk on the project at the gathering of the American Physics Society Division of Fluid Dynamics.
He was joined at the Nov. 23-25 gathering in Houston by Basu and two graduate students from the team.
"Initially I was nervous (about speaking), but I was happy with the presentation I gave," said O'Connell, who also thanked Basu for giving him the opportunity to speak. O'Connell also will speak at the Global Summit of the American Physics Society in Denver during spring break in March. That will address work just now underway.
Looking ahead, O'Connell said he is applying for summer internships in the field of medicine. However, he added, "I wouldn't mind coming back to do research for Dr. Basu. I enjoy learning and believe this research is very helpful."
It could also be helpful in getting O'Connell into medical school, as will his 3.9 GPA. The Honors College student's current career goal is to be an emergency room doctor.
When not balancing his dizzying load of academics, O'Connell can be found sleeping, playing video games and serving as a community assistant in Mathews Hall, the living and learning center for engineering underclassmen.
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Original text here: https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2026/01/future-innovator-spotlight-oconnell-finds-research-opportunities-right-under-his-nose
Monmouth University: Prof. Williams Author Talk on Black Women & the Civil Rights Movement in NJ on Feb. 3
WEST LONG BRANCH, New Jersey, Jan. 3 -- Monmouth University issued the following news on Jan. 1, 2025:
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Prof. Williams Author Talk on Black Women & the Civil Rights Movement in NJ on Feb. 3
Hettie V. Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of African American History, will discuss her book, "The Georgia of the North: Black Women and the Civil Rights Movement in New Jersey," on Feb. 3 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The virual event is hosted by the Morris County Library.
Throughout her historical narrative spanning from the Great Migration to 1954, Williams centers her research around the critical role
... Show Full Article
WEST LONG BRANCH, New Jersey, Jan. 3 -- Monmouth University issued the following news on Jan. 1, 2025:
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Prof. Williams Author Talk on Black Women & the Civil Rights Movement in NJ on Feb. 3
Hettie V. Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of African American History, will discuss her book, "The Georgia of the North: Black Women and the Civil Rights Movement in New Jersey," on Feb. 3 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The virual event is hosted by the Morris County Library.
Throughout her historical narrative spanning from the Great Migration to 1954, Williams centers her research around the critical roleplayed by Black women in forging interracial, cross-class, and cross-gender alliances at the local and national level and their role in securing the passage of progressive civil right legislation in the Garden State.
The virtual event is free, but advanced registration is requrired.
Williams is a historian of 20th century American history, former director of the William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture at UMass Boston, and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Women's History. She is the recipient of the Eugene Simko Faculty Leadership Award, the PGIS Award in Social Justice, co-founder of the Monmouth University Interdisciplinary Conference on Race, founder of the Works in Progress Seminar series, and past president of the African American Intellectual History Society.
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Original text here: https://www.monmouth.edu/news/prof-williams-presents-author-talk-on-black-women-the-civil-rights-movement-in-nj-on-feb-3/
MU Veterans Patch Board Brings Stories and Service to Military Community
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina, Jan. 3 -- Methodist University issued the following news:
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MU Veterans Patch Board Brings Stories and Service to Military Community
The Military & Veteran Center at Methodist University recently unveiled its newest addition to the center's decor this past semester. A long awaited Velcro patch board, handcrafted and designed to honor the service, stories, and unit pride to MU's military-affiliated students and families.
Funded through the generosity of the H.M. and Pearl Kyle Foundation, whose ongoing support has helped transform the center into a hub of community
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FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina, Jan. 3 -- Methodist University issued the following news:
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MU Veterans Patch Board Brings Stories and Service to Military Community
The Military & Veteran Center at Methodist University recently unveiled its newest addition to the center's decor this past semester. A long awaited Velcro patch board, handcrafted and designed to honor the service, stories, and unit pride to MU's military-affiliated students and families.
Funded through the generosity of the H.M. and Pearl Kyle Foundation, whose ongoing support has helped transform the center into a hub of communityand connection for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The foundation has previously funded the center's upkeep including its furnishings.
Last spring, the foundation asked what else it could do to be of service, and MU's coordinator of Military & Veteran Services Rocio Serna, knew the answer immediately.
"It's been a project... the most wanted and requested for a long time," Serna said. "Students never even had to describe it. When they asked for a patch board, I immediately knew what they meant. It's an understood request in the veteran community."
Serna met an artist, Dyami Evans, at a vendor booth and described the project to him. Serna said he understood the assignment immediately.
"He was a veteran, which made a difference," she said. "The same way our students didn't have to explain the idea to me, I didn't have to explain it to him."
A few mockups later, the board design was finalized.
Threads of History
The patches themselves represent duty stations, deployments, history, and parts of identity. The opportunity to have a place to display their patches brought instant camaraderie.
"Germany, Italy, Alaska... you name it," Serna said. "As soon as students started placing their patches, the stories came with them. All the bantering, the memories. One unifying piece brought people from different branches and backgrounds together. That's exactly what we wanted to capture."
Director of Military & Veteran Services, Randy Smith said the board's importance reflects pride and the history threaded into each patch.
"There's a story behind each one," Smith said. Pointing to examples like the All-American patch and the Pineapple Brigade patch "Every patch has meaning."
Serna also welcomes the contribution of military families.
"We serve veterans, active-duty, and their family members," she said. "I would love to see a spouse or child come place a loved one's patch. That would be beautiful."
Home Is Where the Patch Is
Boldly displayed inside the Military & Veteran Services Center, the board serves as a visual record of where MU's military-affiliated students have served and the paths that brought them here.
The students that the center serves say it's always had the USO feel, now it feels like home. As Serna best puts it, "It connects people immediately. And it reminds them that no matter where they've served, they belong here."
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Original text here: https://www.methodist.edu/news/mu-veterans-patch-board-brings-stories-and-service-to-military-community/
Indonesian Ambassador Returns to His Roots During Visit to the University of Iowa
IOWA CITY, Iowa, Jan. 3 -- The University of Iowa's International issued the following news:
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Indonesian ambassador returns to his roots during visit to the University of Iowa
By Katie Ron
On December 5, 2025, the University of Iowa welcomed home one of its most distinguished alumni: H.E. Mr. Indroyono Soesilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States. The visit was more than a diplomatic engagement, it was an emotional return to the place that shaped his academic journey, his family life, and ultimately his career.
Ambassador Soesilo (PhD geologic remote sensing '87)
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IOWA CITY, Iowa, Jan. 3 -- The University of Iowa's International issued the following news:
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Indonesian ambassador returns to his roots during visit to the University of Iowa
By Katie Ron
On December 5, 2025, the University of Iowa welcomed home one of its most distinguished alumni: H.E. Mr. Indroyono Soesilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States. The visit was more than a diplomatic engagement, it was an emotional return to the place that shaped his academic journey, his family life, and ultimately his career.
Ambassador Soesilo (PhD geologic remote sensing '87)spoke about how his time in Iowa City set him on the trajectory that led to a career steeped in science, government leadership, and international diplomacy.
"Getting my PhD at Iowa set me on the path that got me where I am today," Soesilo reflected during his visit.
During the visit, Ambassador Soesilo, accompanied by the Indonesian Consul General in Chicago, Mrs. Trisari Dyah Paramita, met with university representatives from the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability and the Stanley Museum of Art. He also joined Indonesian students, scholars, and alumni for a lunch hosted by International Programs. The ambassador and his wife Nining Sri Astuti (MA geography '86) then took a nostalgic tour around town. They revisited the places they once lived, including an apartment above a bakery on Washington Street. His wife fondly recalled that the ambassador treated himself to a cinnamon roll from that bakery every day. Their eldest son was born at Mercy Hospital.
One of the highlights of his visit was being able to see his dissertation again, a reminder of the research he conducted--work connected to the Columbia space shuttle program and efforts related to Mars exploration.
Before studying at Iowa, Ambassador Soesilo completed an MSc in remote sensing for natural resources at the University of Michigan and later became a Fulbright Scholar in 2012.
While the visit was rich with memories, it also opened doors for future collaboration. Ambassador Soesilo expressed interest in developing partnerships between Indonesia and the University of Iowa. He mentioned opportunities to bring more Indonesian students to the University of Iowa and to support research collaborations, particularly in STEM fields, where Iowa and Indonesian faculty could jointly submit proposals for funding. He also proposed connections related to the arts.
For the ambassador and his wife, the visit was a return to a place that shaped their early careers and family life. For the University of Iowa, it was a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with an alumnus whose global leadership reflects the university's values and impact.
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International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.
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Original text here: https://international.uiowa.edu/news/2026/01/indonesian-ambassador-returns-his-roots-during-visit-university-iowa
