Featured Stories
Westmont College: Colleges Launch National Christian Theater Network
SANTA BARBARA, California, Sept. 5 -- Westmont College issued the following news:
* * *
Colleges Launch National Christian Theater Network
By Scott Craig
Driven by the belief that collective collaboration far outweighs individual effort, nearly 20 theater professionals from across the country gathered at Westmont College on August 13-14 to launch the Association of Christian Theatre Schools (ACTS). Funded by a grant from the Lilly Network, the new initiative helps faith-based drama faculty grow spiritually, artistically and vocationally together.
The organization stems from a vision that first
... Show Full Article
SANTA BARBARA, California, Sept. 5 -- Westmont College issued the following news:
* * *
Colleges Launch National Christian Theater Network
By Scott Craig
Driven by the belief that collective collaboration far outweighs individual effort, nearly 20 theater professionals from across the country gathered at Westmont College on August 13-14 to launch the Association of Christian Theatre Schools (ACTS). Funded by a grant from the Lilly Network, the new initiative helps faith-based drama faculty grow spiritually, artistically and vocationally together.
The organization stems from a vision that firststruck Kris Dietrich, director of theater at Asbury College. Through God's providence, Dietrich connected with Jonathan Hicks, chair of the Westmont theater department, during a Southern California conference. Together, they recognized an unmet, vital need for a dedicated network to support Christian theater educators nationwide.
Inspired by the deep peer support of organizations like the former Christians in Theatre Arts, ACTS creates a space where theater artists share burdens, exchange insights, and find long-term professional encouragement.
Westmont provost Kim Denu began the conference by acknowledging the power of storytelling that each of the Christian artists pass on to students and audiences in their classrooms and theaters. "What an opportunity you have to shape the way people think, to open up their awareness to see things from another perspective, to tap into the superpower of empathy to humanize people instead of dehumanizing," she said. "You will go places and do great things because this group came together. We are stronger together than apart."
The group worked on and approved the founding charter with the mission of guiding and equipping Christian theater faculty to "grow spiritually, artistically and vocationally - creating spaces to teach better, lead stronger and dream bigger, together."
"I am here because I love the theater community, and I don't have a lot of Christian theater colleagues nearby that face the same challenges or concerns," Dietrich said. "It's great to see other artists and to be able to interact and share each other's burdens. We, as theater people, understand collaboration. What we can accomplish together is so much greater than any individual contribution."
* * *
Original text here: https://www.westmont.edu/westmont-news/colleges-launch-national-christian-theater-network
Washington and Lee University: Maya Lin is the Next Speaker in the Mudd Lecture Series
LEXINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Washington and Lee University issued the following news:
* * *
Maya Lin is the Next Speaker in the Mudd Lecture Series
The architect and artist, who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial when she was 21, will give a lecture on Sept. 17 in Keller Theatre.
-
Maya Lin, renowned architect and artist, will deliver a lecture at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Keller Theatre in the Lenfest Center for the Arts to kick off the Washington and Lee University Roger Mudd Center for Ethics' series, "Memory, Mind and Morality."
The lecture, which is free and open
... Show Full Article
LEXINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Washington and Lee University issued the following news:
* * *
Maya Lin is the Next Speaker in the Mudd Lecture Series
The architect and artist, who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial when she was 21, will give a lecture on Sept. 17 in Keller Theatre.
-
Maya Lin, renowned architect and artist, will deliver a lecture at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Keller Theatre in the Lenfest Center for the Arts to kick off the Washington and Lee University Roger Mudd Center for Ethics' series, "Memory, Mind and Morality."
The lecture, which is free and opento the public, is titled "Memory, Monument and the Natural World." The event is co-sponsored by the Lenfest Center, the Art Museum at W&L, the Department of Art History, the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Lin is a visionary artist who has created a remarkable and complex body of work, encompassing sculpture, architecture and memorials, that have explored our history and culture, our relationship with the natural environment and the passage of time.
In her talk, Lin will present several of her own works -- including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama -- and reflect on how her deep concern for the environment has shaped her aesthetic vision. She will conclude by discussing her final memory work, "What Is Missing?," a multi-sited memorial to the planet that confronts biodiversity loss and climate change.
Since she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as an undergraduate at Yale University, Lin has forged a unique and highly acclaimed path practicing in both architecture and art, while maintaining her memory works -- five memorials that focus on the critical issues of our time and have been groundbreaking in their design.
Lin's achievements have been widely recognized. Freida Lee Mock's 1996 documentary, "Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision," won the Academy Award for best documentary, and Lin has been profiled in TIME, The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker, among many other outlets. Lin was one of the youngest women to be inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame and has been elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2009, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor of artistic excellence, and in 2016, President Barack Obama awarded her the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and praised her for a celebrated career in art and architecture and for creating a sacred place of healing in Washington, D.C.
For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit the Mudd Center for Ethics' series webpage (https://www.wlu.edu/mudd-center/programs-and-events/2026-2027-memory-mind-and-morality).
* * *
The Mudd Center was established in 2010 through a gift to the university from award-winning journalist Roger Mudd, a 1950 graduate of W&L. By facilitating collaboration across traditional institutional boundaries, the center aims to encourage a multidisciplinary perspective on ethics informed by both theory and practice. Previous Mudd Center lecture series themes have included "Global Ethics in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities," "Race and Justice in America," "The Ethics of Citizenship," "Markets and Morals," "Equality and Difference," "The Ethics of Identity," "The Ethics of Technology," "Daily Ethics: How Individual Choices and Habits Express Our Values and Shape Our World, "Beneficence: Practicing and Ethics of Care," "The Ethics of Design," "How We Live and Die: Stories, Values and Communities" and "Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Ethics."
* * *
Original text here: https://columns.wlu.edu/maya-lin-is-the-next-speaker-in-the-mudd-lecture-series/
VCU: Wilder Symposium Examines Virginia's Ongoing Role in Shaping the Nation
RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news:
* * *
Wilder Symposium examines Virginia's ongoing role in shaping the nation
Former Governors Wilder and Gilmore join political scholars to assess 'Virginia at 250.'
-
For 250 years - and counting - Virginia has stood at the forefront of the American political landscape. As the nation marks a milestone year, the past, present and future of the commonwealth's role in American democracy came into focus at the 2026 Wilder Symposium, held this week at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Bringing together
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 5 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news:
* * *
Wilder Symposium examines Virginia's ongoing role in shaping the nation
Former Governors Wilder and Gilmore join political scholars to assess 'Virginia at 250.'
-
For 250 years - and counting - Virginia has stood at the forefront of the American political landscape. As the nation marks a milestone year, the past, present and future of the commonwealth's role in American democracy came into focus at the 2026 Wilder Symposium, held this week at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Bringing togethera panel of political leaders and scholars, the Sept. 1 forum, "Virginia at 250: Leadership, Democracy and the Future of Our Commonwealth," featured a wide-ranging conversation that touched on Virginia's historical and ongoing influence at the state and national levels.
"America is still in search of itself," said L. Douglas Wilder, 66th governor of Virginia, referring to the 1982 political history book written by Theodore H. White. "Which doesn't mean that it should ever stop. It means that when you get where you think you aim for, don't stop. Look around and see what else do we need to do."
He continued: "We need to do that in Richmond, we need to do that in Virginia. We need to do it to the extent of us being able to say we are providing an example."
The 2026 symposium was organized by VCU's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, in partnership with the College of Humanities and Sciences as part of its ongoing America at 250 series.
The two-hour discussion, held at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, covered topics ranging from the state of democracy and the role of higher education to data centers and the proposed merger of Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. The complete symposium is available to watch online.
In addition to Wilder, the panel featured Ambassador Jim Gilmore, 68th governor of Virginia and former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Larry Sabato, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics; and Robyn Diehl McDougle, Ph.D., interim dean of the Wilder School. Political analyst Bob Holsworth, Ph.D., moderated the discussion, while Catherine Ingrassia, Ph.D., dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences, provided opening remarks.
"Virginia is not simply a chapter in America's first 250 years; it is the ground on which so much of that story was written," Ingrassia said. "From Jamestown and the earliest experiments with self-governance, through the drafting of founding documents by Virginians who shaped the young republic's ideals, to the testing of whether those ideals could survive their own contradictions, to the ongoing conversations about race, justice and belonging that continue to unfold in this commonwealth today, Virginia has never simply witnessed history. It has been the location for much of that history and a testing ground for our country's ideals."
McDougle, director of the Commonwealth Poll, also emphasized Virginia's continued role in leading the way for the nation.
"Our citizens do have thoughts and views about policy issues, and they're quite vocal about them," McDougle said, pointing to findings from polls released in February and July of this year. "The question becomes, how do we tap into them, and how do our elected officials turn that from interest into action?"
* * *
Original text here: https://news.vcu.edu/article/wilder-symposium-examines-virginias-ongoing-role-in-shaping-the-nation
Mo. University of Science & Tech, Insper Establish Partnership to Expand International Opportunities
ROLLA, Missouri, Sept. 5 -- Missouri University of Science and Technology issued the following news:
* * *
Missouri S&T, Insper establish partnership to expand international opportunities
Author By Brothers, Kaitlin
Missouri S&T and Insper, a Brazilian business school, are expanding opportunities for students and faculty through a new partnership that could lead to academic collaborations and industry-connected projects.
The recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishes a foundation for the two institutions to explore ways to work together. One of the first examples is a Team
... Show Full Article
ROLLA, Missouri, Sept. 5 -- Missouri University of Science and Technology issued the following news:
* * *
Missouri S&T, Insper establish partnership to expand international opportunities
Author By Brothers, Kaitlin
Missouri S&T and Insper, a Brazilian business school, are expanding opportunities for students and faculty through a new partnership that could lead to academic collaborations and industry-connected projects.
The recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishes a foundation for the two institutions to explore ways to work together. One of the first examples is a TeamInnovation Project (TIP) through the Kummer College, which brings S&T and Insper students together to work with Everforth Apex Systems on challenges related to modernizing banking.
"This is a good starting point for us to potentially get to future opportunities," says James Slone, director of international student and scholar services at S&T.
Building opportunities for students
Student mobility is one of the areas the universities are exploring. Slone, who serves as a primary S&T contact for Insper's international team, says the universities could explore ways to allow Insper students to continue their education at S&T after completing their undergraduate degrees.
Potential models could include 3+2 or 4+1 programs, in which students complete part of their education at Insper before pursuing graduate degrees at S&T. The university's graduate offerings include programs in engineering as well as economics and innovation and business administration through the Jaggi School of Business.
"S&T is known for its graduate programs in engineering, which may be a great way for Insper to attract students into this pathway program to earning a degree at our university post-completion of their undergraduate program with Insper," Slone says.
The universities are also exploring student exchange opportunities.
"We look forward to working closely with the entire international experience team as we begin creating opportunities for student exchanges and future collaborations between our institutions," says Dr. Shou Wong, director of corporate partnerships.
Wong says international partnerships can benefit S&T by expanding opportunities for students and faculty while strengthening connections between institutions around the world.
"International partnerships and relationships are a great way for S&T to grow our enrollment, and also to grow our experiences and research capabilities," Slone says.
A partnership in action
The TIP project with Everforth Apex Systems provides an early example of how the partnership can connect students from both universities with industry.
The two-semester project brings together S&T students Dylan Fritz, Sean Chew and Samantha Chigwanda with Insper students Bruno Zaltberg, Leonardo Aragao and Julia Zanini. The team is examining challenges facing banks as they transition from legacy computer systems to newer technologies, including artificial intelligence.
During the first semester, students researched the banking industry and identified areas where existing solutions may not properly address the challenges of modernization.
Their work resulted in a white paper outlining industry challenges, existing solutions and potential opportunities. Everforth Apex Systems is using the findings as a roadmap for its work. During the second semester, the students are moving toward developing a working prototype that the company can use.
"The students are going to come out with actual running software that the company can talk to their clients about," Wong says.
For Fritz, the TIP project also led to an internship with Everforth Apex Systems. The company was impressed with his work.
"This opportunity would not have existed if it weren't for Team Innovation Projects," Fritz says. "It feels like a dream job."
Wong says Fritz's experience demonstrates the potential of connecting students with industry through TIP.
"Internships are fantastic, but employment is the goal," he says. "That's how good these students can be."
Looking beyond the first project
While the Everforth Apex Systems project is an early example of collaboration, university leaders see the MOU as a foundation for a broader relationship. S&T and Insper have already connected their international teams to begin discussing student mobility and other opportunities.
The universities could also explore additional academic collaborations and industry-connected projects that bring together students and faculty from both institutions. For Wong, the partnership's potential extends beyond a single project.
"The international office here at S&T would be happy to discuss potential joint efforts in the hopes for mutual benefit," Wong says.
Learn more about Team Innovation Projects at kummercollege.mst.edu/teaminnovationprojects.
* * *
About Missouri S&T
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation's top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.mst.edu/university-news/missouri-st-insper-establish-partnership-to-expand-international-opportunities/
Kutztown University: Justeson Receives 2026 Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching
KUTZTOWN, Pennsylvania, Sept. 5 -- Kutztown University issued the following news release:
* * *
Justeson Receives 2026 Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Jeremy Justeson, department chair of Music, received Kutztown University's 2026 Arthur and Isabel Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is presented annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated superlative teaching skills and service to the university.
Justeson has served at Kutztown University for 25 years, beginning in 2001, in a broad range of teaching and leadership roles. He was originally appointed
... Show Full Article
KUTZTOWN, Pennsylvania, Sept. 5 -- Kutztown University issued the following news release:
* * *
Justeson Receives 2026 Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Jeremy Justeson, department chair of Music, received Kutztown University's 2026 Arthur and Isabel Wiesenberger Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is presented annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated superlative teaching skills and service to the university.
Justeson has served at Kutztown University for 25 years, beginning in 2001, in a broad range of teaching and leadership roles. He was originally appointedas both saxophone and clarinet instructor, served as director of the KU Marching Unit and taught multiple sections of Introduction to Music for non-majors. He later became Director of Bands, conducting the University Wind Ensemble and additional ensembles.
Justeson served as the primary instrumental music education instructor during formative years of the music education program. Throughout his tenure, he has developed numerous new courses and led the creation of three undergraduate degrees, one graduate degree in music and four music minors that directly supported program growth. He has served two extended terms as chair of the Department of Music.
A proponent of new music, Justeson has premiered numerous pieces and worked with many of the day's leading composers. Justeson's two CDs, Juggernaut and Pimpin', feature the music of American composers. Justeson's primary saxophone teachers have included James Rotter, Harvey Pittel and Dr. Frederick L. Hemke. Justeson is a Selmer Performing Artist and Clinician.
Justeson held a prior appointment at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and taught in award-winning instrumental music programs for several years in the Texas public school system. Active regionally, nationally and internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician and conductor, Justeson has appeared in venues such as New York's Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium, Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Dallas' Meyerson Center, San Antonio Symphony Hall, Allentown Symphony Hall and San Diego's Copley Symphony Hall to name a few.
A native of San Diego, Justeson earned a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin; a Master of Music from Northwestern University; and a Bachelor of Music from California State University, Fullerton.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.kutztown.edu/news-and-media/news-releases/september-2026/justeson-receives-2026-wiesenberger-award-for-excellence-in-teaching.html
Eight Case Western Reserve Faculty and Staff Members Recognized in 18th Edition of Who's Who in Black Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept. 5 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news:
* * *
Eight CWRU faculty and staff members recognized in 18th edition of Who's Who in Black Cleveland
Eight Case Western Reserve University faculty and staff members have been recognized by Who's Who in Black Cleveland, an organization that celebrates outstanding African American achievement and leadership throughout the Cleveland community and across a variety of industries.
Those recognized in the 18th edition include:
* Robert Solomon, Esq., vice president in the Office for Campus Enrichment and Engagement;
*
... Show Full Article
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept. 5 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news:
* * *
Eight CWRU faculty and staff members recognized in 18th edition of Who's Who in Black Cleveland
Eight Case Western Reserve University faculty and staff members have been recognized by Who's Who in Black Cleveland, an organization that celebrates outstanding African American achievement and leadership throughout the Cleveland community and across a variety of industries.
Those recognized in the 18th edition include:
* Robert Solomon, Esq., vice president in the Office for Campus Enrichment and Engagement;
*Latina Brooks, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs at Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing;
* Aneesah Davis-Carothers, MBA, director of academic and organizational excellence at the National Cancer Institute-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center;
* Gregory Harris, dean of students at the Division of Student Affairs;
* Robert Richardson Jr, MD (MED '94), professor at the School of Medicine;
* Julian Rodgers, associate vice president in the Office for Government and Community Relations;
* Arlet Wright, associate vice president in the Division of Student Affairs; and
* Dexter Voisin, PhD, dean of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.
Being recognized by Who's Who in Black Cleveland is more than an honor, it is a reflection of the impact these individuals have made through their leadership, dedication, service and commitment to others.
* * *
Original text here: https://case.edu/news/eight-cwru-faculty-and-staff-members-recognized-18th-edition-whos-who-black-cleveland
Dalton State College Welcomes 20 New Faculty to Serve Growing Enrollment
DALTON, Georgia, Sept. 5 -- Dalton State College issued the following news:
* * *
Dalton State welcomes 20 new faculty to serve growing enrollment
Dalton State College has welcomed 20 new full-time faculty members for the fall semester, expanding instructional capacity across all four academic schools as the college prepares to serve its largest student body since transitioning away from its technical mission in 2012.
Classes began Aug. 11, and preliminary enrollment figures indicate Dalton State will serve more than 5,800 students this fall. The college's enrollment has grown about 30% over
... Show Full Article
DALTON, Georgia, Sept. 5 -- Dalton State College issued the following news:
* * *
Dalton State welcomes 20 new faculty to serve growing enrollment
Dalton State College has welcomed 20 new full-time faculty members for the fall semester, expanding instructional capacity across all four academic schools as the college prepares to serve its largest student body since transitioning away from its technical mission in 2012.
Classes began Aug. 11, and preliminary enrollment figures indicate Dalton State will serve more than 5,800 students this fall. The college's enrollment has grown about 30% overthe past four years, reflecting increasing demand for the college's academic programs and student-centered approach to higher education.
"At Dalton State, our faculty play a vital role in the student experience," Dalton State President John Fuchko, said. "As enrollment continues to grow, we remain committed to providing students with exceptional instruction, mentorship and support. These new faculty members bring valuable expertise and perspectives that will strengthen our academic programs and help our students achieve their goals."
New faculty members joining Dalton State this fall include:
School of Arts and Sciences
* Elisabeth Davis, assistant professor of history
* Miranda Guap, instructor of biology
* Cory Hawkins, assistant professor of information technology and engineering
* Cameron Mackey, assistant professor of psychology
* Danielle Merier, assistant professor of English
* Brandy Roger, assistant professor of biology
* Olivia Sadler, assistant professor of communication
* Yuni Shen, assistant professor of mathematics
* Asaf Varol, Shaw Industries Chair in STEM and assistant professor of engineering
School of Education
* Cristian Aquino-Sterling, Keith & Lynn Whitworth Distinguished Chair in Classical Education and associate professor of classical education and alternative educational philosophies
* Suzanna Roman-Oliver, assistant professor of science education
* Wesley Satterfield, assistant professor of special education
School of Health Professions
* Taylor Coker, assistant professor of nursing
* Lori Greer, assistant professor of nursing
* Shanna Guess, assistant professor of nursing
* Mary Katherine Martin, assistant professor of social work
* Mya Qureshi, lecturer of nursing
* Holli Wagner, lecturer of nursing
Wright School of Business
* Jackie Killings, lecturer of business administration
* Jingqan Li, associate professor of management information systems
All new faculty participate in Dalton State's New Faculty Academy, a year-long program designed to welcome, prepare and support faculty as they transition into the college community and develop engaging learning environments for students.
The academy includes a comprehensive orientation, departmental mentoring, monthly professional development sessions and peer teaching observations throughout the academic year.
* * *
Dalton State College is ranked one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work for program - one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. To learn more about employment opportunities at Dalton State, visit www.DaltonState.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.daltonstate.edu/news/dalton-state-welcomes-20-new-faculty-to-serve-growing-enrollment/
