Featured Stories
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford: NSF-funded Workshop Offered for Educators
BRADFORD, Pennsylvania, Nov. 14 -- The University of Pittsburgh Bradford campus issued the following news:
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NSF-funded workshop offered for educators
STEM teachers can learn first-hand in engineering lab
November 13, 2026
Science teachers in grades 6-12 can learn how microwaves interact with metals and other materials and get firsthand experience testing how materials hold up under stress, at a free National Science Foundation-funded workshop at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in December.
The three-day hybrid workshop is led by Dr. Hadi Noori, assistant professor of engineering.
... Show Full Article
BRADFORD, Pennsylvania, Nov. 14 -- The University of Pittsburgh Bradford campus issued the following news:
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NSF-funded workshop offered for educators
STEM teachers can learn first-hand in engineering lab
November 13, 2026
Science teachers in grades 6-12 can learn how microwaves interact with metals and other materials and get firsthand experience testing how materials hold up under stress, at a free National Science Foundation-funded workshop at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in December.
The three-day hybrid workshop is led by Dr. Hadi Noori, assistant professor of engineering.The National Science Foundation is also providing a $250 stipend to help offset participation costs, including travel and lodging for the in-person session. The deadline to register is Friday, Nov. 20.
Participants will build their understanding of how electromagnetic waves, particularly microwaves, interact with different materials. They will also gain theoretical knowledge and direct experience measuring mechanical properties, including tension, compression and creep testing. The goal is to help teachers bring innovative materials science concepts into their classrooms and to strengthen students' engagement with STEM fields, particularly advanced manufacturing.
"This is a unique opportunity for secondary science teachers to learn cutting-edge science firsthand," Noori said. "They'll leave with hands-on experience they can turn into classroom activities that show students what advanced manufacturing looks like."
The workshop includes two online sessions via Zoom from 5:45 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Wednesday, Dec. 16. The in-person session is from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at Pitt-Bradford.
Noori's research is supported by a three-year, $400,000 NSF grant to develop a new manufacturing process that uses microwaves to bond various kinds of metal. The method is possibly up to 100 times faster than traditional welding and far more energy-efficient, and it could have applications in extreme environments such as space.
Registration is first come, first served, and space is limited. To register, visit pitt-bradford.org/microwaves.
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Original text here: https://www.upb.pitt.edu/posts/news/nsf-funded-workshop-offered-educators
University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy: Law, Policy, and Foreign Affairs Experts Discuss the Future of U.S.- Africa Relations at Weiser Diplomacy Center's Inaugural Michigan Global Policy Summit
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Nov. 14 -- The University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy issued the following news:
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Law, policy, and foreign affairs experts discuss the future of U.S.- Africa relations at Weiser Diplomacy Center's inaugural Michigan Global Policy Summit
November 13, 2026
As global power dynamics shift and competition for influence intensifies, African nations' role in the international system is becoming increasingly consequential. In collaboration with University of Michigan Law School and the African Studies Center, the Ford School's Weiser Diplomacy Center's (WDC),
... Show Full Article
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Nov. 14 -- The University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy issued the following news:
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Law, policy, and foreign affairs experts discuss the future of U.S.- Africa relations at Weiser Diplomacy Center's inaugural Michigan Global Policy Summit
November 13, 2026
As global power dynamics shift and competition for influence intensifies, African nations' role in the international system is becoming increasingly consequential. In collaboration with University of Michigan Law School and the African Studies Center, the Ford School's Weiser Diplomacy Center's (WDC),recent conference, "Shifting Tides: The U.S.-Africa Relationship Amid Global Competition," brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss how African priorities, interests, and leadership are shaping evolving partnerships--and what this means for the future of U.S.-Africa relations.
Chidi Blyden, executive director of the Harvard Center for African Studies and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, opened the conference with a keynote address centered on Africa's ever-growing influence in the global order.
"Consider the forces reshaping the twenty-first century...demographic growth, artificial intelligence, energy transitions, supply chains, critical minerals, digital innovation, climate adaptation," said Blyden. "These are not the discussions that we were having previously when talking about Africa. Africa sits at the center of every one of these conversations."
Reflecting on her time as a U.S. government official, Blyden said that even with extensive planning and preparation dedicated to developing U.S.-African policy, African perspectives and input were often left out of the policymaking process.
"Too often, we approached Africa through frameworks developed without input from Africans themselves, and assumed that they would naturally fit into different African contexts," she said.
"Too often, I think we viewed Africa through the lens of our interests rather than through an understanding of Africans' own aspirations. And too often, we underestimated how rapidly the continent was changing, and we didn't have strong foundations on which to change with it."
From global governance to regional security and migration trends, students and U-M community members spent the next two days engaged in panel discussions across all areas of African policy and U.S.-African partnerships.
Ambassador Susan D. Page, WDC director and professor of practice at both the Ford School and Law School, said African nations have been making waves in global governance organizations. Led by African states and the African Union, two significant United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions recently passed with nearly unanimous support. Aimed at more accurately reflecting the enormous size of the entirety of the African continent, the "Correct the Map" Resolution in September highlighted the negative impact of the continued use of the Mercator map, long used to inaccurately depict the size of the world's continents. Another African-initiated UNGA resolution declared the transatlantic slave trade and racialized chattel enslavement as "the gravest crime against humanity." While resolutions are non-binding, they send a strong message to world leaders that Africa and Africans' voices matter.
"We have all witnessed dramatic changes in the past several years with numerous global actors challenging the very nature and structure of international institutions--such as the United Nations Security Council, the World Bank and IMF, the World Trade Organization, regional intergovernmental organizations and blocs such as the overlapping membership of African states in both the African Union and the League of Arab States," Page said.
Despite the growing role of African states in global institutions, Page noted the lack of strategic focus on the continent reflected in the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy.
"It is a 29-page national security strategy, and the African continent is on page 29... it's in fact a short three paragraphs, focusing on [the] opening up of African markets to U.S. goods and supplies," Page said. "That's what the U.S. seems to think about Africa."
Ambassador Kamissa Camara, Ford School professor of practice and former foreign minister of the Republic of Mali--alongside Michigan Law professor Laura Beny, U-M School for the Environment and Sustainability professor Bilal Butt, and director of the U-M African Studies Center Omolade Adunbi--accompanied Page in moderating panels throughout the conference. Yousif Hassan, assistant professor at the Ford School and the U-M School of Information, participated as a panelist in a discussion on African environmental and climate governance, natural resource policy, and human capital development.
Celeste Watkins-Hayes, the Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy at the Ford School, said the conference was a reflection of the Ford School's broader efforts to prepare students for contemporary policy challenges.
"At a moment of intensifying competition, African governments and institutions are defining their priorities and choosing their partnerships. Meaningful U.S. engagement requires credibility, consistency, and respect for African sovereignty," said Watkins-Hayes. "The trust built today will shape our ability to address shared challenges for years to come."
Camara closed the conference with a reflection on how policymakers should be approaching questions about U.S.-Africa relations.
"[F]or too long, conversations about this relationship have revolved around what the U.S. wants from Africa, what it can offer Africa, or how Africa fits into the broader American strategic priorities," she said.
"Perhaps it is time to devote equal attention to what African countries want from the U.S.--how they define their own interests and what kind of partnerships they are prepared to pursue."
The Ford School's Weiser Diplomacy Center, the U-M Law School, and the U-M African Studies Center co-organized the two-day conference, and the Office of the Provost, Global Engagement, and the Center for Democracy & Civic Empowerment co-sponsored it.
Panels included:
* African Voices on Global Governance, International Law, and Institutional Reform
* Climate, Innovation, and Human Capital: Navigating Africa's Green Transitions
* Migration, Peace and Security in an Age of Uncertainty
* Africa's Economic Future: Trade Integration, Investment, and Growth Pathways
* Geopolitics and Great Power Competition: Africa's Strategic Positioning
Watch the conference recordings here:
* Day 1 recording (https://www.youtube.com/live/K2UOzfp_GJo)
* Day 2 recording (https://www.youtube.com/live/c6VXozjMZUc)
See the full list of panel speakers here (https://diplomacy.umich.edu/shifting-tides-us-africa-relationship-amid-global-competition).
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Original text here: https://fordschool.umich.edu/news/2026/law-policy-and-foreign-affairs-experts-discuss-future-us-africa-relations-weiser
UAPB, Arkansas State Partnership Prepares Future Agricultural Educators to Address Teacher Shortage in Arkansas Delta
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas, Nov. 14 -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff posted the following news:
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UAPB, Arkansas State Partnership Prepares Future Agricultural Educators to Address Teacher Shortage in Arkansas Delta
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is partnering with Arkansas State University (A-State) to prepare a new generation of agricultural educators, addressing a shortage of qualified teachers and the underrepresentation of African American educators in agricultural education programs across the Arkansas Delta.
Supported by a U.S. Department of Agriculture National
... Show Full Article
PINE BLUFF, Arkansas, Nov. 14 -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff posted the following news:
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UAPB, Arkansas State Partnership Prepares Future Agricultural Educators to Address Teacher Shortage in Arkansas Delta
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is partnering with Arkansas State University (A-State) to prepare a new generation of agricultural educators, addressing a shortage of qualified teachers and the underrepresentation of African American educators in agricultural education programs across the Arkansas Delta.
Supported by a U.S. Department of Agriculture NationalInstitute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Capacity Building Grant, the initiative brings together faculty expertise from both universities to help five UAPB Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students pursue careers in agricultural education.
The students - Timothy Wallace, Khylah Cross, Milton Cowan, Christie Wilson and Michael Bean Jr. - are currently completing coursework and are scheduled to begin student teaching in spring 2027.
The initiative also represents an effort to reestablish a pathway for preparing agricultural education teachers at UAPB, where the agricultural teacher education program has been inactive for more than a decade.
Dr. Nina Lyon-Bennett, professor and assistant dean for academics in UAPB's School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, said the project seeks to address both the broader shortage of agricultural educators and the need for greater diversity in the profession.
Dr. Bennett pointed to research documenting declining enrollment in agricultural education programs at 1890 land-grant institutions, contributing to program closures and fewer teacher education graduates. She said these trends have limited opportunities to prepare educators who can introduce students from diverse backgrounds to careers in agriculture.
According to the project's grant proposal, a 2022 national agricultural education supply-and-demand study found no African American school-based agricultural education teachers in Arkansas. The proposal also cited eight unfilled agricultural education teaching positions in Arkansas during the 2021-22 academic year.
Dr. Bennett said the shortage has also contributed to the closure of numerous high school agricultural education programs in the Delta region over the past three decades.
The partnership seeks to address these challenges by combining UAPB's teacher preparation curriculum with A-State's specialized expertise in agricultural education. Dr. Bennett said the collaboration creates an opportunity for both universities to strengthen their capacity to prepare future agricultural educators.
Dr. Nina Crutchfield, assistant professor of agricultural education in A-State's College of Agriculture, said the collaboration provides students with resources and professional preparation from both institutions.
"The USDA-NIFA Capacity Building Grant has given the faculty at UAPB and A-State the opportunity to do more together than we could ever do apart," Dr. Crutchfield said. "The students in the program are getting to take advantage of faculty expertise at two universities, rather than having to choose between them."
Through UAPB's MAT program, participants receive preparation in classroom instruction, while A-State provides agriculture-specific curriculum training, opportunities to engage with agricultural education professionals and additional support as students enter the profession.
Dr. Bennett said the grant also provides scholarships covering tuition and fees, tutoring to help students prepare for the Praxis examination and financial assistance with examination costs.
She said these resources are intended to reduce financial barriers that might otherwise prevent students from completing the program and obtaining teaching licensure.
For Cross, the path to becoming an agricultural educator began with an unexpected discovery during her undergraduate studies at UAPB.
Initially interested in pursuing a career in nursing or orthopedic medicine, Cross changed direction after a conversation with a UAPB professor introduced her to the range of opportunities available in agriculture. She subsequently switched her major to agricultural business.
As she continued her studies, Cross developed an interest in sharing what she had learned with younger students.
"Students hear a lot about careers in medicine, criminal justice and other fields, but agriculture does not always receive the same attention," Cross said. "I want to help change that by introducing students to agriculture at an early age and showing them that it offers so many opportunities beyond farming."
Cross hopes to introduce students to careers involving agricultural science, business, technology and food production while encouraging them to explore opportunities they may not have previously considered.
For fellow MAT student Christie Wilson, agricultural education represents an opportunity to return to a field she studied nearly three decades ago while beginning a new professional chapter.
Wilson graduated from UAPB in spring 1997 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics. She subsequently built a career in retail management, spending more than 25 years in the rent-to-own industry before leaving her final management position in August 2025.
Encouraged by a relative who had pursued a career change into education, Wilson began exploring opportunities to become a teacher. Through contacts at UAPB, she learned about the MAT program and saw a way to combine her agricultural background with a new career.
Wilson hopes to draw on her management experience to create a classroom environment that encourages creativity and independent thinking.
She said the MAT program is providing the instructional tools and classroom management preparation she needs to develop an engaging curriculum for future students.
While Cross and Wilson have taken different paths toward agricultural education, both hope to help students recognize the opportunities available in an industry central to Arkansas' economy.
Dr. Crutchfield emphasized that qualified agricultural educators can play an important role in introducing young people to careers that allow them to contribute to their home communities.
"Secondary agricultural educators are the key to showing youth in the Arkansas Delta that the agriculture industry is a viable career option," she said.
She noted that agriculture offers opportunities in fields ranging from plant breeding and machinery design to biology, entrepreneurship and natural resource management.
As the five MAT students prepare for student teaching in spring 2027, the partnership aims to strengthen the pipeline of qualified agricultural educators while introducing future generations of Arkansas students to the possibilities of careers in agriculture.
"My journey has shown me that sometimes you discover your purpose in something you never originally planned to do, and I hope to help my future students discover their own passions and opportunities through agricultural education," Cross said.
Pursuant to 7 CFR Section 15.3, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, 1890 Research and Extension Programs, offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Original text here: https://uapbnews.wpcomstaging.com/2026/11/13/uapb-arkansas-state-partnership-prepares-future-agricultural-educators-to-address-teacher-shortage-in-arkansas-delta/
HMEI to Open Environmental Exhibition by Artist Maya Lin
PRINCETON, New Jersey, Nov. 14 -- The High Meadows Environmental Institute at Princeton University posted the following news:
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HMEI to Open Environmental Exhibition by Artist Maya Lin
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This month, High Meadows Environmental Institute will open the inaugural exhibition in our new Environmental Gallery in Briger Hall with an installation of artist Maya Lin's What Is Missing?
Lin's memorial to the planet uses immersive, science-based artworks to raise awareness about the present sixth mass extinction, emphasizing that, through conservation and habitat restoration, we can both reduce carbon
... Show Full Article
PRINCETON, New Jersey, Nov. 14 -- The High Meadows Environmental Institute at Princeton University posted the following news:
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HMEI to Open Environmental Exhibition by Artist Maya Lin
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This month, High Meadows Environmental Institute will open the inaugural exhibition in our new Environmental Gallery in Briger Hall with an installation of artist Maya Lin's What Is Missing?
Lin's memorial to the planet uses immersive, science-based artworks to raise awareness about the present sixth mass extinction, emphasizing that, through conservation and habitat restoration, we can both reduce carbonemissions and protect biodiversity. The exhibition examines abundance, loss, extinction, recovery and how resilient the natural world can be - if we choose to protect it.
Lin interprets nature through science and culture, creating works that have had a profound impact on how we relate to the natural world. From her first work, the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, she has gone on to a highly acclaimed career in art and architecture, while remaining committed to 'memory works' that focus on critical issues of our time. Lin calls What Is Missing? the fifth and final of her memorials, one that examines biodiversity loss and climate change, but also hope and action.
"Nature is incredibly resilient," says Lin, "and it will come back if we give it a chance."
Co-sponsored by the Princeton Humanities Initiative, the exhibition What Is Missing? What If? will consist of three parts: life-sized video of endangered species in the Briger Hall atrium; posters, recently installed at the United Nations, that pose thought-provoking questions; and an interactive display and learning lab that will evolve over the year in collaboration with faculty, researchers, students and community members. The exhibition will engage people across campus and beyond through research, coursework, internships, and public outreach.
HMEI will launch the exhibition on Tuesday, September 22 with an opening event and artist talk. The program will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Briger Hall Auditorium with Lin on stage and in conversation with David Wilcove, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, public affairs and HMEI, moderated by Rachael DeLue, professor of art history and Director of the Princeton Humanities Initiative - followed by an exhibition opening and reception. This event will be free and open to the public; we invite guests to register here.
What Is Missing? What If? is presented in partnership with the Princeton Humanities Initiative, with additional support from partners across campus, including the School of Architecture, the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Department of Geosciences.
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Original text here: https://environment.princeton.edu/news/hmei-to-open-environmental-exhibition-by-artist-maya-lin/
Eastern Connecticut State University Biologists Discover Microbial Life in Scorpion Venom
WILLIMANTIC, Connecticut, Nov. 14 -- Eastern Connecticut State University issued the following news:
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Eastern biologists discover microbial life in scorpion venom
Findings could advance search for new antibiotics
By Michael Rouleau
Willimantic, CT (11/13/2026) -- In recognition of Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (Nov. 18-24), Eastern Connecticut State University is highlighting a research discovery that could offer new clues in the fight against one of the world's growing public health threats: antibiotic resistance.
A trio of biologists has identified previously unknown microbial
... Show Full Article
WILLIMANTIC, Connecticut, Nov. 14 -- Eastern Connecticut State University issued the following news:
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Eastern biologists discover microbial life in scorpion venom
Findings could advance search for new antibiotics
By Michael Rouleau
Willimantic, CT (11/13/2026) -- In recognition of Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (Nov. 18-24), Eastern Connecticut State University is highlighting a research discovery that could offer new clues in the fight against one of the world's growing public health threats: antibiotic resistance.
A trio of biologists has identified previously unknown microbialcommunities living in scorpion venom - a substance long believed to be sterile. The discovery by Professors Barbara Murdoch and Matthew Graham, along with recent graduate Abby Heidorn '26, opens new avenues for research and potential antibiotic development.
The World Health Organization recognizes antimicrobial resistance as one of the top global threats facing humanity. The phenomenon happens when bacteria change over time and no longer respond to medicines like antibiotics.
Murdoch and Graham's study, "Microbiota Discovered in Scorpion Venom," was published in the research journal "PLOS One" in January 2026 and is the first assessment of microbial diversity conducted in scorpion venom secretions. The study was co-authored by University of Dubuque biology Professor Adam Kleinschmit and Western Connecticut State University Professor Carlos E. Santibanez-Lopez
The researchers found that the venom not only contained bacterial communities, but these microbiomes also showed diversity between individuals and species, including Paruroctonus becki (Beck's Desert scorpion) and Anuroctonus phaiodactylus (California swollen-stinger scorpion).
Heidorn took it a step further this past July as first author of a paper published in "Frontiers in Arachnid Science." She and her mentors, Murdoch and Graham, used a novel sequencing technique to uncover a distinctive group of bacteria (Scorpion Group 1) previously found in only one other scorpion family.
While the bacteria's role is not well understood, Heidorn said, "Our research has helped to expand the evolutionary history of SG1 and sets the foundation for future research to likely reveal additional microbial diversity in scorpion venom."
Of the two studies, Murdoch added, "Our research refutes the idea that scorpion venom is a sterile environment lacking bacteria. ... They corroborate the discovery of microorganisms in the venom of other organisms, like spiders and snakes."
"What fascinates me most is the realization that every scorpion, of the nearly 3,000 species worldwide, carries a tiny globe of life in its tail," said Graham. "These findings completely change how we think about scorpion venom. It's not a sterile substance, but a living, dynamic system shaped by ecology, geography, and evolutionary processes."
The researchers noted that scorpion stings pose a significant global health concern and are often complicated by infection. The discovery of bacteria thriving in the harsh environment of scorpion venom could open the door to new antibiotic discoveries.
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 15 public liberal arts universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026-27 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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Original text here: https://easternct.meritpages.com/news/eastern-biologists-discover-microbial-life-in-scorpion-venom/63343
DeShon Foxx Returns As Shenandoah University's Director Of Athletics
WINCHESTER, Virginia, Nov. 14 -- Shenandoah University issued the following news:
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DeShon Foxx Returns As Shenandoah University's Director Of Athletics
Shenandoah's former AD resumes post after brief departure
November 12, 2026
DeShon Foxx, Ph.D., is returning to lead Shenandoah University's Athletics Department, President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., announced Thursday, Nov. 12.
Dr. Foxx, who previously spent five years at SU, including two years as Shenandoah's athletics director before departing for an NCAA Division I opportunity in August, will assume the role of vice president and
... Show Full Article
WINCHESTER, Virginia, Nov. 14 -- Shenandoah University issued the following news:
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DeShon Foxx Returns As Shenandoah University's Director Of Athletics
Shenandoah's former AD resumes post after brief departure
November 12, 2026
DeShon Foxx, Ph.D., is returning to lead Shenandoah University's Athletics Department, President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., announced Thursday, Nov. 12.
Dr. Foxx, who previously spent five years at SU, including two years as Shenandoah's athletics director before departing for an NCAA Division I opportunity in August, will assume the role of vice president anddirector of athletics at Shenandoah University by Dec. 14. He takes over for Bill Stewart, who has served as the Hornets' interim AD since Foxx's departure.
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"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to return to Shenandoah University as vice president and director of athletics. Throughout my career at Shenandoah, I've been fortunate to build some amazing relationships and work alongside many incredible coaches, staff and student-athletes. Shenandoah is truly a family, and I couldn't be more excited to come home and continue building on the momentum of Shenandoah Athletics."
-DeShon Foxx, Ph.D.
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"I'm thrilled to welcome DeShon back to Shenandoah University," said Dr. Fitzsimmons. "DeShon proved to be an exceptionally talented leader, mentor and fundraiser during his years at Shenandoah, and helped guide the remarkable success of our student-athletes and our entire Athletics Department on and off the playing fields and courts. DeShon truly loves this university and knows what it takes to help Shenandoah, and in particular SU Athletics, rise to the next level.
"I also want to express my deepest gratitude to Bill Stewart for his tireless efforts and commitment as interim athletic director, and I commend him for stepping up to fill such a vital role for us in our time of need. Bill and Dr. Yolanda Barbier Gibson, our vice president for student affairs, worked together these last months to keep SU Athletics moving forward, and we are all grateful to them," Fitzsimmons said. "Bill remains a dear friend of the university and will continue his close ties with Shenandoah Athletics, and Yolanda will continue in her critical role as VP for student affairs."
Foxx, who also served as Shenandoah's assistant vice president for student affairs at the time of his departure, had spent five years at Shenandoah in various administrative roles.
In 2021, Foxx was hired as the Shenandoah's first-ever assistant athletic director for student success and compliance director. He transitioned to the university's Office of Advancement in 2022, serving as assistant vice president for advancement while overseeing major gifts, before rejoining Shenandoah Athletics as the AD in 2024. Foxx also previously served as an adjunct professor of sport law in Shenandoah's School of Business.
In his first two years as AD, Foxx oversaw the addition of men's volleyball as Shenandoah's 23rd sport and founded the university's 1875 Club, the official fundraising and sponsorship arm of Shenandoah Athletics. In April, he helped the university announce a significant financial gift from Jimmy and Roni Wilkins, Richie and Cara Wilkins, and the James R. Wilkins Charitable Trust to fund an expansion of the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center.
In the two years prior to the Fall 2026 season, Shenandoah's student-athletes combined to earn 116 All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors. Between Fall 2024 and Spring 2026, Shenandoah's student-athletes and coaches won a total of 14 major conference awards and two ODAC championships, and made four NCAA tournament appearances. In the classroom, Shenandoah's Athletics Department posted a collective 3.35 GPA during the 2025-26 academic year, with 269 student-athletes earning a GPA of 3.50 or higher, including 71 with a 4.0 GPA.
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"It's been an honor to serve Shenandoah University as its interim athletics director, and I'm very appreciative of President Fitzsimmons and Dr. Gibson for giving me this opportunity. It's been a pleasure working with the coaches, staff and student-athletes who make this university such a remarkable place, and I look forward to continuing to support DeShon and the rest of Shenandoah Athletics in any way that I can."
-Bill Stewart
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Original text here: https://www.su.edu/blog/2026/11/12/deshon-foxx-returns-as-shenandoah-universitys-director-of-athletics/
Board of Governors Approves Financing Plan Supporting New College's USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Acquisition
SARASOTA, Florida, Nov. 14 -- The New College of Florida, a component of the Florida state university system, issued the following news:
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Board of Governors Approves Financing Plan Supporting New College's USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Acquisition
November 12, 2026
Approval advances completion of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus transition and supports New College's long-term growth and expansion.
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Sarasota, Fla.--New College of Florida today announced that the Florida Board of Governors has unanimously approved the college's financing plan to address outstanding debt obligations associated
... Show Full Article
SARASOTA, Florida, Nov. 14 -- The New College of Florida, a component of the Florida state university system, issued the following news:
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Board of Governors Approves Financing Plan Supporting New College's USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Acquisition
November 12, 2026
Approval advances completion of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus transition and supports New College's long-term growth and expansion.
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Sarasota, Fla.--New College of Florida today announced that the Florida Board of Governors has unanimously approved the college's financing plan to address outstanding debt obligations associatedwith its acquisition of the University of South Florida's (USF) Sarasota-Manatee campus, marking an important milestone in the institution's continued growth and expansion.
The financing package, up to $47.5 million, consolidates existing debt associated with New College's residential facilities and the acquisition of Atala Hall, the student center and dormitory located on the former USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. The approval provides New College with a financing structure to meet its obligations associated with the campus acquisition while positioning the institution to make strategic use of its expanded campus footprint.
"We are building an institution with a bold vision for the future, and today's approval brings us another step closer to realizing that vision," said New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran. "Bringing the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus into New College creates tremendous opportunities to expand our academic offerings, enhance the student experience and build on New College's standing as Florida's premier public honors college. We appreciate the Board of Governors' consideration and support as we move forward with this important investment in the college's future."
The acquisition of the neighboring USF Sarasota-Manatee campus adds approximately 32 acres to New College's existing campus, representing a significant opportunity for New College to grow its academic programs, expand its residential capacity, enhance campus life and create additional opportunities for students, faculty and the broader Sarasota-Manatee community.
With the Board of Governors' approval, New College will continue implementing the financing arrangements and advancing the campus transition in coordination with USF and the appropriate state university system partners.
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About New College of Florida
Founded in 1960, New College of Florida is the state's designated public honors college. Recognized nationally for its academic excellence, rigorous inquiry, and commitment to free expression, New College offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, graduate programs in Applied Data Science, Marine Mammal Science, and a new Master's program in Educational Leadership, and a growing NAIA athletics program on a 151-acre campus on Sarasota Bay.
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Original text here: https://www.ncf.edu/news/board-of-governors-approves-financing-plan-supporting-new-colleges-usf-sarasota-manatee-campus-acquisition/
