Featured Stories
VPCC Athletics Department Adds to Staff
HAMPTON, Virginia, Oct. 28 -- Virginia Peninsula Community College issued the following news:
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VPCC Athletics Department Adds to Staff
By: Bob Flynn | October 27, 2026
It's been a busy fall in the Virginia Peninsula Community College athletics department. The men's soccer season just ended, the women's volleyball team is preparing for the Region 10 postseason tournament, and a number of hires have been made.
First, Jason Ceraul is the new men's soccer coach. He moved into the role shortly before the season started. Noah Jacks-Waters is the new student-athlete support specialist, and Michael
... Show Full Article
HAMPTON, Virginia, Oct. 28 -- Virginia Peninsula Community College issued the following news:
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VPCC Athletics Department Adds to Staff
By: Bob Flynn | October 27, 2026
It's been a busy fall in the Virginia Peninsula Community College athletics department. The men's soccer season just ended, the women's volleyball team is preparing for the Region 10 postseason tournament, and a number of hires have been made.
First, Jason Ceraul is the new men's soccer coach. He moved into the role shortly before the season started. Noah Jacks-Waters is the new student-athlete support specialist, and MichaelMeese is the men's soccer operations and compliance assistant.
Here's a look at the additions to Gators athletics:
Jason Ceraul
Ceraul was attracted to the position because he wants to continue developing players and programs.
"My commitment is to build a competitive, sustainable (junior college) soccer program at VPCC that develops players and prepares them for the next level," he said. "With the wealth of soccer talent in Hampton Roads, VPCC can provide a valuable pathway for local players to continue their careers while building strong partnerships with area clubs and colleges to create opportunities for advancement."
A longtime youth and high school (Woodside boys) coach, Ceraul wants players to be aware of all their playing options beyond high school.
"Many kids are drawn into the big four-year schools as the only routes that they can go," he said. "So, when they look at a junior college program, what they don't realize is it is a good option. They still have an opportunity to play highly competitive soccer."
VPCC's program, which started in 2023, is in its infancy. That also drew Ceraul's interest. And he noted his players are taking pride in being cornerstones.
"Whatever gets built in the future is resting on their shoulders; that's exciting to the players," he said. "I think it's going to be interesting and exciting and some brand-new pages to turn on a program that's going forward."
He's not only looking to develop the program and the players, but himself, as well.
"I'm entering into some new stages where I'm getting to recruit at different levels. I'm getting to talk to more players at different levels," he said. "It's an opportunity to take an individual and work with them for a year or two and then help them get to a different level. That would be an amazing feat for them and me."
Ceraul also coaches for the Reign soccer club. He has a USSF E Coaching license and is working on his D license. He also is a physical education, health and drivers' education instructor at Menchville High School.
He earned a bachelor's in government and public administration from Christopher Newport University, a master's in education from Regent University and an Ed.S. in K-12 leadership from Regent.
Noah Jacks-Waters
He was born in Atlanta but attended Atlantic Shores Christian for his last three years of high school, where he played basketball, football and ran track. Football was his main sport and he earned a full scholarship to NCAA Division II Alderson Broaddus University (W.Va.). He transferred to Juniata College, a Division III school in Pennsylvania, for his senior year. He earned a master's in sports management from Old Dominion University in 2024.
Prior to joining the Gators, he was a graduate assistant in Student Athlete Support Services at ODU from August 2022-May 2024, and an athletic adviser at ODU from August 2024-May 2026. His main responsibility with the Gators is to make sure the athletes are aware of the student resources available to them. He also handles behind-the-scenes tasks.
"The most interesting aspect of the position was exploring more of the athletic realm," he said. "I can still help the students with the academics."
He likes the array of roles and not being confined to just one.
"I'm just enjoying being able to experience a lot more than I was privy too," he said. "I think it's a huge opportunity here in terms of growth on a personal level as well as at the College's level. I'm just excited for the opportunity and seeing where it leads."
He is the son of former NFL standout Andre Waters.
Michael Meese
Meese is from Williamsburg and graduated from Jamestown High School, where he was a standout soccer player. He was a Top Drawer Soccer first-team All-American in 2019 and the Virginia Gatorade player of the year in 2020. He spent one year at the College of William & Mary before transferring to Trinity University, where he earned a bachelor's in political science and government in May 2025. He has a master's in Sport Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Original text here: https://www.vpcc.edu/news/vpcc-athletics-department-adds-to-staff/
University of Pittsburgh Chancellor and Alumna Joan Gabel to Deliver Commencement Address
ATHENS, Georgia, Oct. 28 -- The University of Georgia issued the following news:
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University of Pittsburgh chancellor and alumna Joan Gabel to deliver Commencement address
Oct 27, 2026
By Halleigh Manibusan
Charles Davis, dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, to deliver graduate address
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Joan Gabel, University of Pittsburgh chancellor and graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, will deliver the fall undergraduate Commencement address at UGA on Dec. 11 in Stegeman Coliseum. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
Charles Davis, dean of the Grady College
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ATHENS, Georgia, Oct. 28 -- The University of Georgia issued the following news:
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University of Pittsburgh chancellor and alumna Joan Gabel to deliver Commencement address
Oct 27, 2026
By Halleigh Manibusan
Charles Davis, dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, to deliver graduate address
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Joan Gabel, University of Pittsburgh chancellor and graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, will deliver the fall undergraduate Commencement address at UGA on Dec. 11 in Stegeman Coliseum. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
Charles Davis, dean of the Grady Collegeof Journalism and Mass Communication, will deliver the address at the graduate ceremony on Dec. 11 in Stegeman Coliseum. The ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m.
After receiving her Juris Doctor from UGA in 1993, Gabel embarked on what would become a long and distinguished career in higher education. Before joining the University of Pittsburgh, Gabel served as president of the University of Minnesota System and Twin Cities campus. She previously served as provost at the University of South Carolina and dean of the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri. She also held the DeSantis Professorship of Legal Studies at Florida State University, where she served as a department chair.
Today, Gabel leads one of the nation's top-ranked public institutions, championing student success, impactful research and groundbreaking innovation. Under her leadership, the University of Pittsburgh has set records in research funding, student demand and enrollment, graduation rates, postgraduation placement and student belonging, alongside growth in patents filed and invention disclosures.
Gabel's influence in advancing the public mission of higher education extends well beyond the University of Pittsburgh. She holds several national leadership roles, including chair of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Fulbright Scholar Advisory Board, academic vice chair of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness and vice chair of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In recognition of her contributions to higher education, Gabel will be presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the undergraduate ceremony. The honorary degree acknowledges those whose accomplishments have had an enduring impact and is the university's highest recognition short of an earned doctorate.
Anna Wright, a student in the School of Public and International Affairs earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science, will deliver the student address. During her time at UGA, she earned the Public Affairs Professional Certificate in Applied Politics, interned in the Office of Governor Brian Kemp and participated in the Double Dawgs program, working toward a master's degree in public administration.
Graduate speaker Davis currently serves as dean of UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, following a successful career in journalism. He earned his master's in journalism from UGA and his doctorate in mass communication from the University of Florida.
Prior to his appointment as dean, Davis worked as a faculty member at Georgia Southern University, Southern Methodist University and the University of Missouri, where he taught for 14 years and served as department chair in the Missouri School of Journalism. He also served for five years as executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition.
For his demonstration of outstanding leadership and robust support for journalism and mass communication, Davis received the Distinguished Administrator Award from the American Journalism Historians Association and was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications in 2016. In 2022, he received the Golden Mic Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. In 2025, he was honored with the Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award from the Georgia First Amendment Foundation and the Faculty Blue Key Service Award from the UGA chapter.
For more information about Commencement, please visit commencement.uga.edu.
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Original text here: https://news.uga.edu/fall-2026-commencement-speakers/?_gl=1*6znlbc*_ga*NDYwMzI4OTUxLjE3NjE3MjkzODM.*_ga_6H213MG7X1*czE3OTMxNzcxNzckbzE4MCRnMCR0MTc5MzE3NzE3NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.
UK Headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh Discusses 'Strictly Education' at Pepperdine President's Speaker Series
MALIBU, California, Oct. 28 -- Pepperdine University issued the following news:
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UK Headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh Discusses "Strictly Education" at Pepperdine President's Speaker Series
October 26, 2026
Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress and cofounder of the London-based Michaela Community School, joined Pepperdine president Jim Gash (JD '93) for the second installment of this academic year's President's Speaker Series on October 23 to discuss the fundamental purpose of education. Deemed "Britain's strictest headmistress," Birbalsingh relayed the backstory behind this moniker, as
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MALIBU, California, Oct. 28 -- Pepperdine University issued the following news:
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UK Headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh Discusses "Strictly Education" at Pepperdine President's Speaker Series
October 26, 2026
Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress and cofounder of the London-based Michaela Community School, joined Pepperdine president Jim Gash (JD '93) for the second installment of this academic year's President's Speaker Series on October 23 to discuss the fundamental purpose of education. Deemed "Britain's strictest headmistress," Birbalsingh relayed the backstory behind this moniker, aswell as how high moral and academic standards help children to achieve their greatest potential.
"At Pepperdine we still believe that intellectual excellence and moral formation belong together--and are indeed inseparable," said Gash. "Today, we turn to questions that matter to every educator and student in this room and, indeed, at this University: What is true education? What is its end goal? What do we owe the young people entrusted to our care?"
Gash opened the event by sharing that he first met Birbalsingh at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Summit in London, where he was compelled by her vision for primary and secondary education, one that pairs rigorous academics with moral formation and self-discipline. Serving primarily inner-city children, Michaela was built in 2014 from scratch by Birbalsingh, with a founding premise that any child, no matter the background, is capable of excellence.
Birbalsingh shared that a misconception about love and discipline is widely held, clarifying that the two are not mutually exclusive. "Strict means that you love your students enough to keep your standards high."
This "strictness," Birbalsingh explains, often brushes up against what some consider the norms of the contemporary classroom. However, for Birbalsingh, holding children to low standards "is to undermine the resilience that they need to take personal responsibility, to take feedback, and to be, as I'm always saying to them, a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday."
"Kids want to be held accountable," she continued. "Our job as parents and as teachers is to hold the line. But we're always too interested in looking 'good' in the child's eyes. But we must do what's right, and often what's right doesn't necessarily make us feel good inside."
Following their first meeting at ARC, Gash shared that he and his wife, Joline Gash ('92), traveled to London to visit Michaela. Recounting a visit to the school's cafeteria, Gash shared that he was anticipating the usual lunchtime chaos, but was moved to find the schoolchildren joyfully engaged in thoughtful conversation.
"Appreciations" was the lunchtime tradition the Gashes had walked into, where children around the table engage in a time of gratitude, learning to communicate gratitude for both great successes and life's simple moments, such as one child's comment that he wanted "to thank my mom for waking me up this morning."
"You've got ordinary, inner-city children who are so keen to learn. Their hands are flying up in the air. They know so much. They're so polite, and they're so kind and so well behaved," Birbalsingh said. "Basically, we're doing what people say is impossible."
Birbalsingh insisted that the responsibility of inculcating proper, basic manners--such as listening quietly and engaging in informed conversation--and the practice of gratitude is upon educators. "If a child is not taught how to be grateful, they will not be grateful," Birbalsingh added. "They will just take everything they've got for granted."
According to Birbalsingh, in Michaela's 12 years of operation the school has had 7,000 visitors. Many of these visitors have been educators desperate to find solutions to behavior issues that plague modern classrooms, she added.
A unity of values, Birbalsingh said, is a driving force behind Michaela's success. Referencing her forthcoming book, Diversity Is Not Our Strength, Birbalsingh described "multicultural patriotism" as a practice that observes varying ethnic backgrounds while remaining unified under regard for one's current country and common moral compass.
Following Birbalsingh and Gash's conversation, he presented her with a token of his regard, a ceremonial coin detailing this year's annual presidential theme of Courage. "If I had to take one word to describe you, Katharine, it's courage," he said.
The event welcomed a full audience of the Pepperdine community including educators from other institutions. Many attested to being moved by Birbalsingh's bold vision for educational reform, which instills dignity into children through high standards.
Bob Bowne II (JD '95), a Pepperdine alumnus and parent, expressed appreciation for Birbalsingh's lived mission. "Katharine is empowering kids that have been told by everyone that they don't have a fair shake in life. She tells them, however, that they are completely able to excel and far surpass those that have more of the advantages existing educational frameworks say matter," Bowne said following the event. "The same individual values that teach your children for their success are the same values that she's teaching at her school."
Likewise, Myron McClure, director of intercultural affairs at the University, who has previously taught as an adjunct professor at local junior colleges said, "What was meaningful for me was the conviction that love and discipline should not be separated," says McClure. "Often to learn what is right requires correction. The teacher should have the ability, with love, to instill high standards upon their students to help shape the next generation."
Find a full broadcast of Birbalsingh's conversation here (https://vimeo.com/reviews/713f32cd-e03d-42e3-9d37-c13463d24b37/videos/1239287130).
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Original text here: https://www.pepperdine.edu/newsroom/articles/uk-headmistress-katharine-birbalsingh-discusses-strictly-education-at-pepperdine-presidents-speaker-series.htm
Pershing Fellowship Puts SLU Students on Path to Nonprofit Leadership
HILLSBORO, Missouri, Oct. 28 -- St. Louis University issued the following news:
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Pershing Fellowship Puts SLU Students on Path to Nonprofit Leadership
By Amy Garland
10/27/2026
Pershing Fellows are immersed in the St. Louis nonprofit community with paid internships and professional development.
The Pershing Fellowship in Nonprofit Leadership gives Saint Louis University students the chance to gain valuable on-the-job experience and start on a path to a meaningful, impactful career in the nonprofit sector.
Each summer, rising SLU juniors and seniors join a cohort of Pershing Fellows
... Show Full Article
HILLSBORO, Missouri, Oct. 28 -- St. Louis University issued the following news:
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Pershing Fellowship Puts SLU Students on Path to Nonprofit Leadership
By Amy Garland
10/27/2026
Pershing Fellows are immersed in the St. Louis nonprofit community with paid internships and professional development.
The Pershing Fellowship in Nonprofit Leadership gives Saint Louis University students the chance to gain valuable on-the-job experience and start on a path to a meaningful, impactful career in the nonprofit sector.
Each summer, rising SLU juniors and seniors join a cohort of Pershing Fellowsand spend 10 weeks embedded in local nonprofit organizations in education, healthcare, culture, fine and performing arts, and service to the community.
The goal of the fellowship is three-fold: learn about and experience nonprofit leadership; connect with and serve others in the nonprofit space; and gain an appreciation of the St. Louis community.
The fellowship is also open to students from Harris-Stowe State University, University of Missouri - St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis. It is very competitive; around 200 students apply each year for about 40 spots between the four universities.
Once selected, Pershing Fellows are placed in internships at nonprofits across the city, from Arch Grants to the St. Louis Zoo. They also dedicate time to building a network of fellows and members of the local nonprofit community.
Each week, the fellows work 35 hours for their nonprofit and spend five hours in cohort experiences such as lunch-and-learn sessions, site visits and professional development, including public speaking and storytelling. Each fellow receives a $10,000 stipend for the summer.
"The Pershing Fellowship is really an investment in the future of St. Louis," Kelly Weidenmiller, program coordinator, said. "The hope is that these students fall in love with this work and with the community, so much that they want to stay after graduation and be part of it."
Lear Rose (A&S '26) certainly did.
At SLU, Rose studied art history and marketing. When they heard about the Pershing Fellowship, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to enhance their academic experience and build a resume toward a career in arts administration.
As part of the 2024 cohort of Pershing Fellows, Rose interned at the Saint Louis Art Museum, a dream placement.
"I wanted to work at SLAM my whole life," said Rose, who is from Chesterfield, Missouri.
They helped design the museum's Art in Bloom event and developed accessibility resources for museum visitors who are neurodivergent or have sensory processing needs.
"I was given so many opportunities and responsibilities to grow and challenge myself, and I felt like my work was valued," Rose said. "I still rely on the connections, resources and experiences I had when I was Pershing Fellow."
Rose is the development associate at The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park -- a position they started just before graduating from SLU in May 2026.
"And now I'm in this broader community of people supporting these Pershing Fellows," they said. "It's fun to be able to provide a pathway for people to get into this kind of work."
The Pershing Fellowship is funded through the Pershing Charitable Trust, a St. Louis-based foundation that supports nonprofit organizations engaged in education, arts and culture and social services.
Applications Open for the 2027 Pershing Fellowship in Nonprofit Leadership
The Pershing Fellowship is open to students of any major who will be rising juniors and seniors in summer 2027.
To be eligible to participate, students must be available for the entirety of the summer program, June 1 through Aug. 6, 2027, and cannot take off time during the fellowship for travel, vacation, back-to-school commitments, etc.
Applications are open through Nov. 30, 2026. Interviews will take place in January. Students selected for the Pershing Fellowship will need to confirm their acceptance by 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, 2027.
Apply in Handshake.
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Original text here: https://www.slu.edu/news/2026/october/pershing-fellowship-students-path-to-nonprofit-leadership.php
Pepperdine Community Rallies to Raise Record-Breaking $3.1 Million During Pepperdine Gives 2026
MALIBU, California, Oct. 28 -- Pepperdine University issued the following news:
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Pepperdine Community Rallies to Raise Record-Breaking $3.1 Million During Pepperdine Gives 2026
October 26, 2026
On October 14, 2026, the Pepperdine community united for Pepperdine Gives, the University's annual 24-hour fundraising campaign supporting students across all six schools through more than 280 opportunities and initiatives. With contributions from 1,552 donors, the campaign raised more than $3 million, exceeding its original $1.75 million goal by 179 percent. Among the gifts was a $1 million anonymous
... Show Full Article
MALIBU, California, Oct. 28 -- Pepperdine University issued the following news:
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Pepperdine Community Rallies to Raise Record-Breaking $3.1 Million During Pepperdine Gives 2026
October 26, 2026
On October 14, 2026, the Pepperdine community united for Pepperdine Gives, the University's annual 24-hour fundraising campaign supporting students across all six schools through more than 280 opportunities and initiatives. With contributions from 1,552 donors, the campaign raised more than $3 million, exceeding its original $1.75 million goal by 179 percent. Among the gifts was a $1 million anonymousdonation from a Pepperdine parent to establish a new student scholarship at Seaver College.
The generosity demonstrated throughout this day of giving helps make a Pepperdine education more accessible while enriching the student experience inside and outside the classroom. Contributions support scholarships and academic innovation, as well as student wellness initiatives, emergency assistance, international study opportunities, and athletics.
"Each year at Pepperdine Gives we see our whole community embody what it means to invest in lives of greater purpose," said Jim Gash (JD '93), the University's president and CEO. "Every gift helps the next generation of Waves to be leaders of character and courage, empowered to realize their God-given talents. We are deeply grateful to all who make that future possible."
Likewise, the Pepperdine Gives team expressed deep gratitude to all participants, noting that every gift--regardless of size--helps cultivate an environment where students can flourish and fulfill their potential.
"Pepperdine Gives is powered by people," says Liam Iadicicco ('17), Pepperdine's senior director of annual giving. "Behind these results are volunteers who showed up, made phone calls, and texted their friends and family to share why Pepperdine matters to them. That personal outreach is what it takes to ensure everyone who is able to make a gift has the opportunity to do so, and we are deeply grateful to every volunteer who helped make this day possible."
Additionally, all funds raised through Pepperdine Gives contribute to the For Greater Purpose Campaign for Pepperdine, the University's $1 billion fundraising initiative focused on student success, purpose-driven leadership, and an enriched educational experience. The campaign's success reflects the collective impact of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the University who are investing in the next generation of Waves and advancing Pepperdine's mission of purpose, service, and leadership.
Generosity spanned every corner of the institution, providing vital funding across Pepperdine's schools, athletic programs, and central initiatives. Among the top funding recipients, Seaver College led with $1,200,570 raised, followed by Athletics with $492,922, the Graziadio Business School with $441,942, and University Initiatives with $341,419, such as The Mountain at Mullin Park, Waves of Flags, the Hub for Spiritual Life, Pepperdine Libraries, and much more.
"I love that Pepperdine Gives helps the University support opportunities for students to be encouraged, to make lasting memories, and to seek truth," said Seaver student Joel Kim. "Overall today generates awareness for so many great opportunities here on campus."
As another impactful season of giving comes to a close, look back at the people and programs touched by the Pepperdine community's generosity during this year's annual day of giving in the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtlB0rdsvMI).
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Original text here: https://www.pepperdine.edu/newsroom/articles/pepperdine-gives-record-breaking-year-2026.htm
Assistant Professor Lei Xu's Research Highlighted in London School of Economics and Political Science Business Review
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, Oct. 28 -- The University of Missouri St. Louis campus posted the following news:
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Assistant Professor Lei Xu's research highlighted in The London School of Economics and Political Science Business Review
By Steve Walentik | Oct 26, 2026
The research by Xu and his collaborators revealed that social unrest in China can lead to unexpected economic opportunities that spur entrepreneurship.
Street protests are typically unwelcome events for business owners. They might feel compelled to keep their shops closed as they and their customers keep their distance, looking to
... Show Full Article
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, Oct. 28 -- The University of Missouri St. Louis campus posted the following news:
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Assistant Professor Lei Xu's research highlighted in The London School of Economics and Political Science Business Review
By Steve Walentik | Oct 26, 2026
The research by Xu and his collaborators revealed that social unrest in China can lead to unexpected economic opportunities that spur entrepreneurship.
Street protests are typically unwelcome events for business owners. They might feel compelled to keep their shops closed as they and their customers keep their distance, looking toavoid getting dragged into the social unrest.
But new research from University of Missouri-St. Louis Assistant Professor Lei (Jeremy) Xu and his collaborators at the University of Alberta, the University of Southern California and the University of Texas at Dallas has shown that the government response to protests, particularly in developing countries, can bring unexpected economic effects that, while aimed at promoting stability, can also be a boon to entrepreneurship.
The London School of Economics and Political Science published an article by Xu and his colleagues last week in its LSE Business Review. In it, they describe their study, the results of which they published in the March-April issue of the journal Organization Science.
The study focused specifically on events that occurred in China between 2008 and 2019. In particular, they examined a longitudinal prefecture-level panel dataset of 2,607 observations from that period, focusing on street protests that concerned noneconomic issues, such as environmental protection and human rights. They explored what happened to new venture formation after protests.
"The results show that protests were associated with approximately 1,466 additional newly founded ventures on average," the article said. "More importantly, the evidence points to a mechanism: protests were followed by increases in business lending and regulatory reforms, and these changes were associated with subsequent venture formation."
Xu, a member of the faculty in the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship in UMSL's Ed G. Smith College of Business, and his research collaborators believe that local political leaders, particularly in China, are often motivated to defuse protests as part of a policy of "stability maintenance."
Authorities might rely on police, surveillance and censorship to try to keep protests from forming, and they can be quick to detain protest organizers. But they also want to maintain order and show economic growth in their jurisdictions, and they can do so by offering economic incentives.
They cited the response to environmental protests in Xiamen in 2007, Dalian in 2011, Ningbo in 2012 and Maoming in 2014 as instances when chemical projects were suspended or relocated in the face of protests.
"Our argument is that the concessions need not stop at the disputed project," Xu and his colleagues wrote. "Government officials seeking to restore public confidence may also expand access to credit or ease regulation. These responses are aimed at stability, not entrepreneurship, but they can inadvertently open up room for new businesses.
"This creates a chain of effects: street protest -> local government response -> resource allocation -> entrepreneurial opportunity. The protest may have nothing to do with entrepreneurship, yet its institutional consequences can make it easier for people to start businesses."
Read the full article in the LSE Business Review (https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2026/10/22/how-street-protests-in-china-can-spark-entrepreneurship/).
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Original text here: https://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2026/10/26/lei-xu-lse-business-review/
Accomplished business leader proves a CDU qualification can "take you to the very top"
DARWIN, Australia, Oct. 28 -- Charles Darwin University posted the following news:
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Accomplished business leader proves a CDU qualification can "take you to the very top"
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For more than four decades Connie Jape has been a respected force in Northern Territory commerce, and her commitment to business and the community was recognised with the highest honour at Charles Darwin University's (CDU) 2026 Alumni Awards Gala.
The Gala, held on October 23, acknowledged the achievements of outstanding alumni who have become trailblazers and leaders in their careers and communities since graduating
... Show Full Article
DARWIN, Australia, Oct. 28 -- Charles Darwin University posted the following news:
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Accomplished business leader proves a CDU qualification can "take you to the very top"
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For more than four decades Connie Jape has been a respected force in Northern Territory commerce, and her commitment to business and the community was recognised with the highest honour at Charles Darwin University's (CDU) 2026 Alumni Awards Gala.
The Gala, held on October 23, acknowledged the achievements of outstanding alumni who have become trailblazers and leaders in their careers and communities since graduatingfrom CDU.
Ms Jape, the executive director of the Jape Group of Companies, was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for her civic advocacy, entrepreneurship and business career of more than 45 years.
In 2004, Ms Jape graduated from CDU with a Diploma of Business (Marketing), and said her time with the University gave her valuable insight and connectivity to business in the NT.
"Attending CDU, a university deeply connected to the distinct economic and cultural landscape of the Territory has played a pivotal role in the work I do today," Ms Jape said.
"I've come a long way since graduation and I want to thank CDU for making sure these opportunities were open to me. I hope my story proves that a qualification from CDU can take you to the very top of your chosen field."
CDU Interim Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Fiona Coulson congratulated Ms Jape and her fellow winners and nominees.
"These alumni are exceptional representatives of this University, and we are immensely proud of their achievements," Professor Coulson said.
"When a student joins CDU, they trust us to educate, support them and build foundations that will help guide their lives and careers. It's a great privilege for us to be part of their journeys."
The First Nations Alumni Award went to Samantha Alexander, a Darug woman and Bachelor of Laws alumna who made history as Australia's first blind Aboriginal lawyer.
Special Commendation was given to Aboriginal advocate and educator Holly Supple-Gurruwiwi, who graduated with a Bachelor of Education in 2019.
Award-winning CDU apprentice Beckie Kernich received the Alumni Award for Industry Excellence and was named Alumni of the Year.
Special Commendation for Industry Excellence was given to Master of Nursing alumna Jenny Santhosh.
Senior Lecturer in Accounting Dr Raul David, who graduated with a PhD from CDU this year, was recognised with the International Alumni Award. Health researcher Archana Shapkota received Special Commendation.
The Alumni Award for Community Service was given to Dr Faisal Badar, who completed a PhD in Education Technology from CDU in 2025. Special Commendation was given to social entrepreneur Gary Strachan.
Dr Sarah Cassidy-Seyoum was recognised with the Alumni Award for Early Achievement, with Special Commendation given to Dr Mohammad Rajib Hasan. Both graduated from CDU with PhDs in 2025.
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Original text here: https://www.cdu.edu.au/news/accomplished-business-leader-proves-cdu-qualification-can-%E2%80%9Ctake-you-very-top%E2%80%9D
