Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Education (Colleges & Universities)
Featured Stories
What's Under Construction at VCU?
RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news:
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What's under construction at VCU?
A roundup of major construction and renovation projects that are underway or currently being planned.
By Brian McNeill
A number of major construction projects - including a new student housing facility, a center for arts and innovation, and an off-campus Athletic Village - are currently underway at Virginia Commonwealth University.
VCU News recently checked in on these and a few other major projects, all of which are designed to enhance support of students, faculty, ... Show Full Article RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * What's under construction at VCU? A roundup of major construction and renovation projects that are underway or currently being planned. By Brian McNeill A number of major construction projects - including a new student housing facility, a center for arts and innovation, and an off-campus Athletic Village - are currently underway at Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU News recently checked in on these and a few other major projects, all of which are designed to enhance support of students, faculty,staff and the Richmond community in alignment with the One VCU Master Plan and VCU's strategic plan Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform.
"The buildings and spaces we create shape how people learn, discover, heal and connect," said Meredith Weiss, Ph.D., senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. "VCU's purposeful investments fuel innovation and discovery, attract world-class talent, expand opportunity, prepare tomorrow's leaders and create lasting impact by advancing education, research, healthcare and innovation for the benefit of communities locally, nationally and around the world."
While VCU is improving its real estate footprint, it currently owns less than 1% (0.93%) of land in the city of Richmond. VCU's economic impact was $15.8 billion in the Richmond metro area economy in fiscal year 2023-24, according to VCU's 2026 economic impact report. VCU supported 80,728 jobs, or 1 of every 12 jobs in the metropolitan region. Statewide, VCU's economic impact was $18.5 billion, with 95,707 jobs supported, according to the report.
What's being built?
CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation
Located at the southeast corner of Broad and Belvidere streets, across from the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation will bring together VCU's arts and innovation programs under one roof. It will consolidate several programs within VCU's nationally recognized School of the Arts, which tied for No. 1 public fine arts graduate program and No. 2 overall in U.S. News & World Report's ranking in 2026.
The facility will feature flexible classroom spaces, interdisciplinary performance venues and maker spaces for rapidly growing partnerships across arts, business, humanities and sciences, medicine and engineering.
The center will host performances and groundbreaking creative work for VCU's theatre, dance, music, cinema and kinetic imaging programs, as well serve as the new home of VCU's Center for the Creative Economy. These state-of-the-art facilities will include a proscenium theater, concert hall, innovation studio, screening room, soundstage, dance studios and maker spaces.
The center will be a crucible for creativity, experimentation, engagement and lifelong learning - a reflection of VCUarts identity as both a global leader in the arts and a deeply invested partner in Richmond's thriving arts scene and its future.
Beyond the campus, the center is designed to welcome the Richmond community. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a diagonal public passage at the Broad and Belvidere corner ensure that the building's creative activity is visible and inviting at street level, while a landscaped plaza and improved pedestrian infrastructure create a gathering space for students, neighbors and visitors.
Construction on the center is underway and on track to be completed by fall 2027. The center's opening is planned for spring 2028.
West Grace Street Housing Project
Currently under construction in the 700 block of West Grace Street, the 325,000-square-foot West Grace Street Housing Project will provide VCU students with approximately 985 single and double semi-suite beds, helping VCU to meet a growing need for additional student housing.
The crescent-shaped facility will have up to 13 floors on the Laurel Street side and eight floors on the Pine Street side. On the ground floor will be a secure residential lobby with space for housing operations, faculty offices, resident amenities and conferencing, as well as a 5,000-square-foot dining venue and a 3,700-square-foot retail space.
Construction is underway and is anticipated to be complete and ready to accommodate students for fall 2028.
Athletic Village
The off-campus VCU Athletic Village, located at the Diamond District near Hermitage Road and Robin Hood Road, will include new sports fields and facilities, including outdoor track facilities and practice fields, a tennis center, a soccer stadium and an indoor field house.
The project is being built in phases. The first phase was completed in January 2026, consisting of practice fields with a 400-meter outdoor track, two pole vaults, two long/triple jumps, two high jumps, discus/shotput/hammer circles, an infield NCAA natural turf (Cambridge) soccer field and two adjacent NCAA-sized artificial and natural turf (sand-based) practice fields. Those spaces are now in use, and planning is underway for the remaining phases of the project.
901 West Franklin Street
Built in the late 1800s as a private residence, 901 West Franklin Street was the city of Richmond's first public library from 1925 to 1930, and the Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU) purchased it in 1930 to serve as administrative offices. Today it is home to the Office of the Provost.
A renovation project began in October 2025 and is slated to be completed by late 2027. The renovations include tuckpointing (i.e., repairing the mortar joints between the bricks of the entire building), replacing the roof, adding a fall protection system to the roof and updating the ground water drainage system.
What's on the horizon?
East Marshall Street Well Project Memorial Burial Interment
In April, the VCU Board of Visitors approved a plan to construct a memorial and to inter the 19th-century human remains that were discovered in an abandoned well on the MCV Campus during construction of the Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building in 1994.
The memorial is based on recommendations made by the Family Representative Council, a dedicated body of community members who served as symbolic descendants of the unnamed human beings from the East Marshall Street Well. It is the culmination of the East Marshall Street Well Project at VCU, which was formed in partnership with the community to ensure that the ancestral remains, primarily of African descent, received appropriate study, memorialization and reburial, reflecting the dignity they were denied in life and death.
The memorial and interment site will cover approximately 2,700 square feet at the south end of the plaza between the Kontos Building and the Egyptian Building. The site will feature a "unity chamber" inspired by the Toguna structures of Dogon culture in West Africa. It will serve as a gathering spot and a symbol of unity, intended to create an atmosphere that encourages humility, equality and thoughtful discussion.
The memorial and interment site is currently in the design phase.
School of Dentistry
The state budget approved in June included funding for VCU to build a new five-story, 314,000-square-foot School of Dentistry building that will include classrooms, academic offices, cutting-edge academic laboratories and clinics for predoctoral, dental hygiene and specialty dentistry programs, aligning with modern practices in dental education. The facility will be constructed at the site of Larrick Student Center, which will be demolished in spring 2027.
The School of Dentistry currently accommodates more than 100,000 patient visits each year from across the commonwealth, and it is the state's primary dental safety-net clinic, serving as the largest provider of dental care to Virginians insured by Medicaid. As the only dental school in Virginia, the School of Dentistry is also the only facility in the state that offers complete multidisciplinary dental care.
The new building will allow the School of Dentistry to welcome more patients, expand its clinic for adults with special needs, support continued innovation in clinical care, tackle workforce challenges and compete with schools in other states for the highest-caliber students and faculty.
The facility will also feature contemporary support spaces for the school community, green spaces - including a student courtyard, community garden and a cafe on the main floor, open to the entire university community - along with four multipurpose classrooms available for university events and meetings.
The project is currently in the planning phase.
Altria Center for Research and Technology
The state budget also included funding for VCU to acquire the nine-story, 450,000-square-foot Altria Center for Research and Technology, located at 601 E. Jackson St.
The facility features state-of-the-art research space, including wet labs, for VCU's health sciences schools, notably including the School of Medicine, as well as academic space for VCU's new School of Public Health and the School of Pharmacy, which consistently ranks among the top 20 pharmacy schools in the United States.
The facility will also provide much-needed research space for the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center - space that is needed for Massey to remain competitive for maintaining its comprehensive designation from the National Cancer Institute. The status unlocks federal funding, information-sharing and resources, and it enables Massey to launch lifesaving clinical trials and attract the best doctors and researchers to Virginia.
James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives Expansion
The James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives Expansion will involve renovating the fourth floor and adding 18,800 square feet of space to the existing Special Collections and Archives in Cabell Library.
The renovation will enable the relocation of the existing Health Sciences Library Special Collections and Archive materials from the MCV Campus to Cabell Library. The Health Sciences Library is moving temporarily to Hunton Student Center to accommodate a proposed new VCU Health inpatient tower that is critically needed to significantly increase VCU Health's capacity to serve patients and improve the care environment.
For more on the current and upcoming changes on the MCV Campus, visit here.
The renovation of Cabell's fourth floor is currently in the planning phase. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027.
VCU Catering and Event Space
Formerly the location of a Chili's restaurant, Starbucks and AVO Kitchen, this space in the Cary & Belvidere Residential College will be converted into a new home for VCU Catering and will feature an approximately 7,550-square-foot catering kitchen and more than 10,000 square feet of event and conference spaces.
VCU Catering has outgrown its existing catering and event space in Shafer Court Dining Center, known as the Compass Room. Moving VCU Catering to a larger, dedicated facility will improve efficiency, enhance service capabilities and allow for better support of campus events. Additionally, the relocation of VCU Catering from Shafer Court Dining Center to this new facility aligns with the VCU Dining Master Plan by freeing up valuable space in Shafer Court Dining Center for expanded student-centered dining options.
The sizable event and conference space will accommodate VCU and non-VCU events and activities. The project is in the design phase.
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Original text here: https://news.vcu.edu/article/whats-under-construction-at-vcu
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What's under construction at VCU?
A roundup of major construction and renovation projects that are underway or currently being planned.
By Brian McNeill
A number of major construction projects - including a new student housing facility, a center for arts and innovation, and an off-campus Athletic Village - are currently underway at Virginia Commonwealth University.
VCU News recently checked in on these and a few other major projects, all of which are designed to enhance support of students, faculty, ... Show Full Article RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * What's under construction at VCU? A roundup of major construction and renovation projects that are underway or currently being planned. By Brian McNeill A number of major construction projects - including a new student housing facility, a center for arts and innovation, and an off-campus Athletic Village - are currently underway at Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU News recently checked in on these and a few other major projects, all of which are designed to enhance support of students, faculty,staff and the Richmond community in alignment with the One VCU Master Plan and VCU's strategic plan Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform.
"The buildings and spaces we create shape how people learn, discover, heal and connect," said Meredith Weiss, Ph.D., senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. "VCU's purposeful investments fuel innovation and discovery, attract world-class talent, expand opportunity, prepare tomorrow's leaders and create lasting impact by advancing education, research, healthcare and innovation for the benefit of communities locally, nationally and around the world."
While VCU is improving its real estate footprint, it currently owns less than 1% (0.93%) of land in the city of Richmond. VCU's economic impact was $15.8 billion in the Richmond metro area economy in fiscal year 2023-24, according to VCU's 2026 economic impact report. VCU supported 80,728 jobs, or 1 of every 12 jobs in the metropolitan region. Statewide, VCU's economic impact was $18.5 billion, with 95,707 jobs supported, according to the report.
What's being built?
CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation
Located at the southeast corner of Broad and Belvidere streets, across from the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, the CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation will bring together VCU's arts and innovation programs under one roof. It will consolidate several programs within VCU's nationally recognized School of the Arts, which tied for No. 1 public fine arts graduate program and No. 2 overall in U.S. News & World Report's ranking in 2026.
The facility will feature flexible classroom spaces, interdisciplinary performance venues and maker spaces for rapidly growing partnerships across arts, business, humanities and sciences, medicine and engineering.
The center will host performances and groundbreaking creative work for VCU's theatre, dance, music, cinema and kinetic imaging programs, as well serve as the new home of VCU's Center for the Creative Economy. These state-of-the-art facilities will include a proscenium theater, concert hall, innovation studio, screening room, soundstage, dance studios and maker spaces.
The center will be a crucible for creativity, experimentation, engagement and lifelong learning - a reflection of VCUarts identity as both a global leader in the arts and a deeply invested partner in Richmond's thriving arts scene and its future.
Beyond the campus, the center is designed to welcome the Richmond community. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a diagonal public passage at the Broad and Belvidere corner ensure that the building's creative activity is visible and inviting at street level, while a landscaped plaza and improved pedestrian infrastructure create a gathering space for students, neighbors and visitors.
Construction on the center is underway and on track to be completed by fall 2027. The center's opening is planned for spring 2028.
West Grace Street Housing Project
Currently under construction in the 700 block of West Grace Street, the 325,000-square-foot West Grace Street Housing Project will provide VCU students with approximately 985 single and double semi-suite beds, helping VCU to meet a growing need for additional student housing.
The crescent-shaped facility will have up to 13 floors on the Laurel Street side and eight floors on the Pine Street side. On the ground floor will be a secure residential lobby with space for housing operations, faculty offices, resident amenities and conferencing, as well as a 5,000-square-foot dining venue and a 3,700-square-foot retail space.
Construction is underway and is anticipated to be complete and ready to accommodate students for fall 2028.
Athletic Village
The off-campus VCU Athletic Village, located at the Diamond District near Hermitage Road and Robin Hood Road, will include new sports fields and facilities, including outdoor track facilities and practice fields, a tennis center, a soccer stadium and an indoor field house.
The project is being built in phases. The first phase was completed in January 2026, consisting of practice fields with a 400-meter outdoor track, two pole vaults, two long/triple jumps, two high jumps, discus/shotput/hammer circles, an infield NCAA natural turf (Cambridge) soccer field and two adjacent NCAA-sized artificial and natural turf (sand-based) practice fields. Those spaces are now in use, and planning is underway for the remaining phases of the project.
901 West Franklin Street
Built in the late 1800s as a private residence, 901 West Franklin Street was the city of Richmond's first public library from 1925 to 1930, and the Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU) purchased it in 1930 to serve as administrative offices. Today it is home to the Office of the Provost.
A renovation project began in October 2025 and is slated to be completed by late 2027. The renovations include tuckpointing (i.e., repairing the mortar joints between the bricks of the entire building), replacing the roof, adding a fall protection system to the roof and updating the ground water drainage system.
What's on the horizon?
East Marshall Street Well Project Memorial Burial Interment
In April, the VCU Board of Visitors approved a plan to construct a memorial and to inter the 19th-century human remains that were discovered in an abandoned well on the MCV Campus during construction of the Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building in 1994.
The memorial is based on recommendations made by the Family Representative Council, a dedicated body of community members who served as symbolic descendants of the unnamed human beings from the East Marshall Street Well. It is the culmination of the East Marshall Street Well Project at VCU, which was formed in partnership with the community to ensure that the ancestral remains, primarily of African descent, received appropriate study, memorialization and reburial, reflecting the dignity they were denied in life and death.
The memorial and interment site will cover approximately 2,700 square feet at the south end of the plaza between the Kontos Building and the Egyptian Building. The site will feature a "unity chamber" inspired by the Toguna structures of Dogon culture in West Africa. It will serve as a gathering spot and a symbol of unity, intended to create an atmosphere that encourages humility, equality and thoughtful discussion.
The memorial and interment site is currently in the design phase.
School of Dentistry
The state budget approved in June included funding for VCU to build a new five-story, 314,000-square-foot School of Dentistry building that will include classrooms, academic offices, cutting-edge academic laboratories and clinics for predoctoral, dental hygiene and specialty dentistry programs, aligning with modern practices in dental education. The facility will be constructed at the site of Larrick Student Center, which will be demolished in spring 2027.
The School of Dentistry currently accommodates more than 100,000 patient visits each year from across the commonwealth, and it is the state's primary dental safety-net clinic, serving as the largest provider of dental care to Virginians insured by Medicaid. As the only dental school in Virginia, the School of Dentistry is also the only facility in the state that offers complete multidisciplinary dental care.
The new building will allow the School of Dentistry to welcome more patients, expand its clinic for adults with special needs, support continued innovation in clinical care, tackle workforce challenges and compete with schools in other states for the highest-caliber students and faculty.
The facility will also feature contemporary support spaces for the school community, green spaces - including a student courtyard, community garden and a cafe on the main floor, open to the entire university community - along with four multipurpose classrooms available for university events and meetings.
The project is currently in the planning phase.
Altria Center for Research and Technology
The state budget also included funding for VCU to acquire the nine-story, 450,000-square-foot Altria Center for Research and Technology, located at 601 E. Jackson St.
The facility features state-of-the-art research space, including wet labs, for VCU's health sciences schools, notably including the School of Medicine, as well as academic space for VCU's new School of Public Health and the School of Pharmacy, which consistently ranks among the top 20 pharmacy schools in the United States.
The facility will also provide much-needed research space for the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center - space that is needed for Massey to remain competitive for maintaining its comprehensive designation from the National Cancer Institute. The status unlocks federal funding, information-sharing and resources, and it enables Massey to launch lifesaving clinical trials and attract the best doctors and researchers to Virginia.
James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives Expansion
The James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives Expansion will involve renovating the fourth floor and adding 18,800 square feet of space to the existing Special Collections and Archives in Cabell Library.
The renovation will enable the relocation of the existing Health Sciences Library Special Collections and Archive materials from the MCV Campus to Cabell Library. The Health Sciences Library is moving temporarily to Hunton Student Center to accommodate a proposed new VCU Health inpatient tower that is critically needed to significantly increase VCU Health's capacity to serve patients and improve the care environment.
For more on the current and upcoming changes on the MCV Campus, visit here.
The renovation of Cabell's fourth floor is currently in the planning phase. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027.
VCU Catering and Event Space
Formerly the location of a Chili's restaurant, Starbucks and AVO Kitchen, this space in the Cary & Belvidere Residential College will be converted into a new home for VCU Catering and will feature an approximately 7,550-square-foot catering kitchen and more than 10,000 square feet of event and conference spaces.
VCU Catering has outgrown its existing catering and event space in Shafer Court Dining Center, known as the Compass Room. Moving VCU Catering to a larger, dedicated facility will improve efficiency, enhance service capabilities and allow for better support of campus events. Additionally, the relocation of VCU Catering from Shafer Court Dining Center to this new facility aligns with the VCU Dining Master Plan by freeing up valuable space in Shafer Court Dining Center for expanded student-centered dining options.
The sizable event and conference space will accommodate VCU and non-VCU events and activities. The project is in the design phase.
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Original text here: https://news.vcu.edu/article/whats-under-construction-at-vcu
Washington and Lee University: Late Summer 2026 Update on Campus Construction Projects
LEXINGTON, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Washington and Lee University issued the following news:
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Late Summer 2026 Update on Campus Construction Projects
Construction on a variety of projects continues throughout campus and the Lexington community.
By Brian Laubscher
Washington and Lee University continues to make progress on construction projects that will shape the university's future as part of the campus master plan. Below is an update on the progress of ongoing projects.
Campus Utility Infrastructure
Work on the multiyear low-temperature hot water (LTHW) project launched in June 2025 with ... Show Full Article LEXINGTON, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Washington and Lee University issued the following news: * * * Late Summer 2026 Update on Campus Construction Projects Construction on a variety of projects continues throughout campus and the Lexington community. By Brian Laubscher Washington and Lee University continues to make progress on construction projects that will shape the university's future as part of the campus master plan. Below is an update on the progress of ongoing projects. Campus Utility Infrastructure Work on the multiyear low-temperature hot water (LTHW) project launched in June 2025 withPhase 1a, which was completed in April 2026. Phase 1b construction began the week of Aug. 10 and is expected to be completed by mid-April 2027. Excavation work has already begun behind Graham-Lees Residence Hall, concentrated in the northwest corner of the building nearest Elrod Commons. Fencing will be erected to enclose the area between the two wings of Graham-Lees and extending to Holekamp Hall, which will also be tied into the new system. The fencing includes gates that will remain open during first-year move-in.
A second fence will be erected along the west side of Huntley Hall, between Huntley and Elrod Commons, extending from the front of the building to the steps in the Stemmons Plaza area. The walkway between Huntley and the Commons will remain open to pedestrian traffic with occasional interruptions to support construction vehicles. Construction personnel will be in place to direct traffic when that occurs.
This portion of the work is expected to last from August through December. Additional work will involve laying pipe from Graham-Lees and Holekamp past Huntley and into the utility tunnel just behind Huntley's steps leading to Stemmons Plaza. Pedestrian walkways will remain open with occasional traffic disruptions. Aside from the transportation of construction equipment in the area, the most notable impact on campus will be construction noise.
Founders Hall
The Founders Hall project will bring together the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid and the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity in a new building at the corner of Washington Street and Lee Avenue. Recent work at the Early-Fielding Memorial Building has focused on interior demolition and removing asbestos-containing materials. The Lexington Fire Department used the building for training exercises in early August, and demolition of the structure began the week of Aug. 10. Campus and Lexington community members can expect vehicular and pedestrian impacts along Washington Street, Lee Avenue and Early-Fielding Way. Evans Hall will be closed during the construction period. Construction is expected to last 24 months, with the new structure opening in summer 2028.
Evans Hall and Cannan Green Structure
While the Founders Hall project is underway, Evans Hall will be refreshed with updated finishes, and a semi-permanent structure on Cannan Green will host special events while Evans is offline.
Materials for the structure, roughly 16 tons spread across three trucks, arrived the weekend of Aug. 8, and installation of the new tent began the week of Aug. 10. The materials were offloaded at the Boneyard Lot and university partner Skyline is erecting the structure in stages, beginning with the frame, followed by the membrane, flooring and finally, mechanical and electrical elements. Installation is expected to last two to three weeks.
The Cannan Green structure will not be available for booking until Oct. 1. Reservations can be made through 25Live. Temporary tents will be set up on the lawn between the Lindley Center for Student Wellness and the Law School and between Graham-Lees and Cannan Green to host events until the Cannan Green structure is operational. The Graham-Lees tent is available for faculty and staff reservations through 25Live. Major events held before Oct. 1 will be booked in the Lindley tent. Direct any questions about the Graham Lees or Lindley tents to Colleen Drake, senior program coordinator in the Division of Student Affairs.
University Chapel
University Chapel has completely reopened to the public. Scaffolding remains in front of the chapel while crews complete masonry repairs on the building's exterior and minor roofing work. This work is expected to be completed by the end of August.
Lee House
Exterior refurbishment at Lee House began the week of Aug. 3 and will be visible to passersby. Upgrades to interior finishes and trim work, along with improvements to the HVAC and electrical systems, will begin in several months. The interior work is expected to last until spring 2027.
Wilson Hall and Reid Hall
Wilson Hall and Reid Hall each received new sections of roofing. That work completed the first week of August.
Office of Public Safety
The Office of Public Safety will move from its current location along East Denny Circle to 200 Generals Lane. Minimal interior modification and new furniture will accommodate the move, which is expected to be completed by Aug. 31.
Wilson Field
The Department of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation will install a five-foot-tall black metal fence in the grass area behind the visiting stands at Wilson Field. The fence will serve to separate the tailgate area from seating for the visiting fans. Work to install the fence is scheduled to begin Aug. 14.
Campus Grounds
Projects at Sydney Lewis Hall over the last several years resulted in the removal of 10 aging and compromised trees in the building's vicinity. This fall, the university will plant 10 new trees to replace those that were removed during the construction work. Five additional trees will be planted on the Front Lawn to replace three removed this summer, one that fell during storms in August and one removed from the side of Lee House. The new trees for the front lawn are expected to arrive in September. The plantings represent a one-to-one replacement for trees removed as part of the university's tree management plan.
Off-Campus Projects
Rockbridge Building
Every department and office slated to relocate to the Rockbridge Building has officially moved in. The first floor houses the Copy Center, the University Registrar, the W&L Exchange, Mock Convention, visiting faculty members, and storage and lab space for the archaeology program. Advancement Operations occupies the second floor, and the Office of Lifelong Learning, the Office of Accreditation and Institutional Research, the Office of University Events and Auxiliary Services occupy the third floor. The official address for the building is 13 South Main St.
The Grand Building, located at 9 South Main St., includes five apartments that first-year W&L law students can lease directly from the building landlord.
Tribrook Club
W&L and the Tribrook Club (formerly Lexington Golf and Country Club) are partners in a joint venture that involves a complete renovation of the club's golf course, clubhouse and ancillary facilities to support W&L's golf teams and restore this important community and university asset. Construction began in August 2025, and the target date for the grand reopening is Memorial Day 2027.
Holes one through 11 are essentially complete, with shaping and sodding finished, greens seeded and bunkers filled. Sodding of the final seven holes will be completed by late September, allowing for the grass's root structure to fully take hold before play begins next year.
The pool's concrete deck has been poured and cured, and protective fencing is currently being erected. The pool itself has been filled while work continues on the pool house. Tile work in the vestibule, restrooms and grab-and-go kitchen is complete, and commercial kitchen equipment is being positioned on site. The kitchen will not be operational when the pool opens, so food service will be limited to a snack bar with prepackaged items and canned beverages. Landscaping and irrigation work around the facility begins the week of Aug. 17. The pool will hold a soft opening on Friday, Aug. 21, followed by opening day on Saturday, Aug. 22 and a party for members on Aug. 29. The pool will be open to members only, with no guests, and will remain open as long as weather allows this fall.
At the venue's performance center, drywall installation is complete across all three hitting bays, stone veneer and siding are finished, and exterior painting began the week of Aug. 10. Overhead garage doors for the hitting bays are scheduled for installation the week of Aug. 17. Interior work continues on the concrete floor, electrical and HVAC systems and a small indoor putting green, and planning for the facility's interior design is underway.
The comfort station on the front nine of the golf course has been framed, with roof decking and weather barriers in place and the surrounding concrete pad and cart path connections poured.
The clubhouse is the least developed portion of the project but remains on schedule for a Memorial Day 2027 opening. The elevator shaft core is rising, foundation walls have been poured, cured and stripped, waterproofing is being applied and underground utilities have been installed through the stone subgrade. The project manager is confident that, barring unforeseen issues, the clubhouse will open on schedule.
For updates on the university's capital projects, visit the Capital Projects update page (https://my.wlu.edu/university-facilities/capital-projects/projects/updates) on the University Facilities website.
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Original text here: https://columns.wlu.edu/late-summer-2026-update-on-campus-construction-projects/
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Late Summer 2026 Update on Campus Construction Projects
Construction on a variety of projects continues throughout campus and the Lexington community.
By Brian Laubscher
Washington and Lee University continues to make progress on construction projects that will shape the university's future as part of the campus master plan. Below is an update on the progress of ongoing projects.
Campus Utility Infrastructure
Work on the multiyear low-temperature hot water (LTHW) project launched in June 2025 with ... Show Full Article LEXINGTON, Virginia, Aug. 14 -- Washington and Lee University issued the following news: * * * Late Summer 2026 Update on Campus Construction Projects Construction on a variety of projects continues throughout campus and the Lexington community. By Brian Laubscher Washington and Lee University continues to make progress on construction projects that will shape the university's future as part of the campus master plan. Below is an update on the progress of ongoing projects. Campus Utility Infrastructure Work on the multiyear low-temperature hot water (LTHW) project launched in June 2025 withPhase 1a, which was completed in April 2026. Phase 1b construction began the week of Aug. 10 and is expected to be completed by mid-April 2027. Excavation work has already begun behind Graham-Lees Residence Hall, concentrated in the northwest corner of the building nearest Elrod Commons. Fencing will be erected to enclose the area between the two wings of Graham-Lees and extending to Holekamp Hall, which will also be tied into the new system. The fencing includes gates that will remain open during first-year move-in.
A second fence will be erected along the west side of Huntley Hall, between Huntley and Elrod Commons, extending from the front of the building to the steps in the Stemmons Plaza area. The walkway between Huntley and the Commons will remain open to pedestrian traffic with occasional interruptions to support construction vehicles. Construction personnel will be in place to direct traffic when that occurs.
This portion of the work is expected to last from August through December. Additional work will involve laying pipe from Graham-Lees and Holekamp past Huntley and into the utility tunnel just behind Huntley's steps leading to Stemmons Plaza. Pedestrian walkways will remain open with occasional traffic disruptions. Aside from the transportation of construction equipment in the area, the most notable impact on campus will be construction noise.
Founders Hall
The Founders Hall project will bring together the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid and the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity in a new building at the corner of Washington Street and Lee Avenue. Recent work at the Early-Fielding Memorial Building has focused on interior demolition and removing asbestos-containing materials. The Lexington Fire Department used the building for training exercises in early August, and demolition of the structure began the week of Aug. 10. Campus and Lexington community members can expect vehicular and pedestrian impacts along Washington Street, Lee Avenue and Early-Fielding Way. Evans Hall will be closed during the construction period. Construction is expected to last 24 months, with the new structure opening in summer 2028.
Evans Hall and Cannan Green Structure
While the Founders Hall project is underway, Evans Hall will be refreshed with updated finishes, and a semi-permanent structure on Cannan Green will host special events while Evans is offline.
Materials for the structure, roughly 16 tons spread across three trucks, arrived the weekend of Aug. 8, and installation of the new tent began the week of Aug. 10. The materials were offloaded at the Boneyard Lot and university partner Skyline is erecting the structure in stages, beginning with the frame, followed by the membrane, flooring and finally, mechanical and electrical elements. Installation is expected to last two to three weeks.
The Cannan Green structure will not be available for booking until Oct. 1. Reservations can be made through 25Live. Temporary tents will be set up on the lawn between the Lindley Center for Student Wellness and the Law School and between Graham-Lees and Cannan Green to host events until the Cannan Green structure is operational. The Graham-Lees tent is available for faculty and staff reservations through 25Live. Major events held before Oct. 1 will be booked in the Lindley tent. Direct any questions about the Graham Lees or Lindley tents to Colleen Drake, senior program coordinator in the Division of Student Affairs.
University Chapel
University Chapel has completely reopened to the public. Scaffolding remains in front of the chapel while crews complete masonry repairs on the building's exterior and minor roofing work. This work is expected to be completed by the end of August.
Lee House
Exterior refurbishment at Lee House began the week of Aug. 3 and will be visible to passersby. Upgrades to interior finishes and trim work, along with improvements to the HVAC and electrical systems, will begin in several months. The interior work is expected to last until spring 2027.
Wilson Hall and Reid Hall
Wilson Hall and Reid Hall each received new sections of roofing. That work completed the first week of August.
Office of Public Safety
The Office of Public Safety will move from its current location along East Denny Circle to 200 Generals Lane. Minimal interior modification and new furniture will accommodate the move, which is expected to be completed by Aug. 31.
Wilson Field
The Department of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation will install a five-foot-tall black metal fence in the grass area behind the visiting stands at Wilson Field. The fence will serve to separate the tailgate area from seating for the visiting fans. Work to install the fence is scheduled to begin Aug. 14.
Campus Grounds
Projects at Sydney Lewis Hall over the last several years resulted in the removal of 10 aging and compromised trees in the building's vicinity. This fall, the university will plant 10 new trees to replace those that were removed during the construction work. Five additional trees will be planted on the Front Lawn to replace three removed this summer, one that fell during storms in August and one removed from the side of Lee House. The new trees for the front lawn are expected to arrive in September. The plantings represent a one-to-one replacement for trees removed as part of the university's tree management plan.
Off-Campus Projects
Rockbridge Building
Every department and office slated to relocate to the Rockbridge Building has officially moved in. The first floor houses the Copy Center, the University Registrar, the W&L Exchange, Mock Convention, visiting faculty members, and storage and lab space for the archaeology program. Advancement Operations occupies the second floor, and the Office of Lifelong Learning, the Office of Accreditation and Institutional Research, the Office of University Events and Auxiliary Services occupy the third floor. The official address for the building is 13 South Main St.
The Grand Building, located at 9 South Main St., includes five apartments that first-year W&L law students can lease directly from the building landlord.
Tribrook Club
W&L and the Tribrook Club (formerly Lexington Golf and Country Club) are partners in a joint venture that involves a complete renovation of the club's golf course, clubhouse and ancillary facilities to support W&L's golf teams and restore this important community and university asset. Construction began in August 2025, and the target date for the grand reopening is Memorial Day 2027.
Holes one through 11 are essentially complete, with shaping and sodding finished, greens seeded and bunkers filled. Sodding of the final seven holes will be completed by late September, allowing for the grass's root structure to fully take hold before play begins next year.
The pool's concrete deck has been poured and cured, and protective fencing is currently being erected. The pool itself has been filled while work continues on the pool house. Tile work in the vestibule, restrooms and grab-and-go kitchen is complete, and commercial kitchen equipment is being positioned on site. The kitchen will not be operational when the pool opens, so food service will be limited to a snack bar with prepackaged items and canned beverages. Landscaping and irrigation work around the facility begins the week of Aug. 17. The pool will hold a soft opening on Friday, Aug. 21, followed by opening day on Saturday, Aug. 22 and a party for members on Aug. 29. The pool will be open to members only, with no guests, and will remain open as long as weather allows this fall.
At the venue's performance center, drywall installation is complete across all three hitting bays, stone veneer and siding are finished, and exterior painting began the week of Aug. 10. Overhead garage doors for the hitting bays are scheduled for installation the week of Aug. 17. Interior work continues on the concrete floor, electrical and HVAC systems and a small indoor putting green, and planning for the facility's interior design is underway.
The comfort station on the front nine of the golf course has been framed, with roof decking and weather barriers in place and the surrounding concrete pad and cart path connections poured.
The clubhouse is the least developed portion of the project but remains on schedule for a Memorial Day 2027 opening. The elevator shaft core is rising, foundation walls have been poured, cured and stripped, waterproofing is being applied and underground utilities have been installed through the stone subgrade. The project manager is confident that, barring unforeseen issues, the clubhouse will open on schedule.
For updates on the university's capital projects, visit the Capital Projects update page (https://my.wlu.edu/university-facilities/capital-projects/projects/updates) on the University Facilities website.
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Original text here: https://columns.wlu.edu/late-summer-2026-update-on-campus-construction-projects/
University of Texas Dallas: Engineer Devises Smarter Ways To Make AI More Reliable
RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 14 -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news:
* * *
Engineer Devises Smarter Ways To Make AI More Reliable
By Jeff Joiner
Software engineer Alexis Tudor PhD'26 uses her insights and knowledge to develop artificial intelligence systems for defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc. Much of her research focuses on making AI technologies more reliable and trustworthy, an interest that sparked her computer science doctoral studies at The University of Texas at Dallas.
"War isn't fair, and our adversaries aren't playing fair," she said. "The idea ... Show Full Article RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 14 -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news: * * * Engineer Devises Smarter Ways To Make AI More Reliable By Jeff Joiner Software engineer Alexis Tudor PhD'26 uses her insights and knowledge to develop artificial intelligence systems for defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc. Much of her research focuses on making AI technologies more reliable and trustworthy, an interest that sparked her computer science doctoral studies at The University of Texas at Dallas. "War isn't fair, and our adversaries aren't playing fair," she said. "The ideaof the unfair advantage is that we want to have the advantage over our adversaries so that we can accomplish our military goals on a world stage."
Now, Tudor is earning recognition for AI work that began as part of her dissertation at UT Dallas.
Tudor and a team of fellow software engineers at L3Harris' Rockwall, Texas, location won a company challenge for a technology that could be integrated into the military's Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess (F2T2EA) model. The model involves the steps military planners use to progress through the necessary stages of a military operation.
Currently, the process proceeds through a variety of military personnel working with existing computerized defense systems. But Tudor and her teammates -- Harley Heath, Donald May, Fatima Parada-Taboada BS'21, Brandon Parker PhD'14 and Christopher Taylor -- devised a way to use AI technology that mimics human decision-making to automate the actions of the F2T2EA model, potentially making it more trustworthy, faster and less prone to human error.
"The AI has to be correct every time. That's the goal," Tudor said. "We're talking about taking a high-level commander's intent or taking a mission plan and executing it. The system has to be as close to perfect every time as is physically possible. That's not possible with large language models like ChatGPT or Claude, which are known for hallucinating."
The team incorporated VECSR (Virtually Embodied Common Sense Reasoner), an AI system Tudor developed at UT Dallas, in combination with cutting-edge neural AI to parse human-readable battlefield management plans and translate them into actionable, machine-readable plans. For winning the challenge, the team earned $40,000 in prize money and an additional $50,000 to be used to fine-tune the system, known as Fulcrum.
Dr. Gopal Gupta, Tudor's PhD advisor, said what makes VECSR so novel is that it uses automated AI common-sense reasoning that can draw conclusions and take action. It also is as powerful as neural AI systems and many times more trustworthy and transparent.
"With automated common-sense reasoning, AI follows premises instead of relying on patterns and statistics like machine learning systems," said Gupta, professor of computer science and director of the Center for Applied AI and Machine Learning in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "What Alexis did with VECSR for her dissertation in a simulated environment was build a technology capable of automatically figuring out how to do tasks in real time using very sophisticated reasoning. This has always been a very hard problem for AI research."
Gupta said Tudor has been successful in her research because of her perseverance and determination. He said it typically takes students four to six years to complete a PhD, but Tudor finished hers in 3 1/2 years.
"Her ability to work as hard as she did and not be daunted by anything is really quite amazing," Gupta said. "When she told me she wanted to complete her doctorate as quickly as she did while working full time, I told her it was possible but would be difficult."
At L3Harris, Tudor recently was awarded the company's Golden Quill Award for her productivity in writing and publishing technical articles. She has moved into a product owner position at the company and hopes to continue climbing the leadership ladder, with a goal of becoming an L3Harris fellow.
"Fellows are highly technical but skilled in areas of business development, sales and leadership," Tudor said. "As a fellow you have to have the technical expertise and excel at soft skills."
Tudor said she plans to continue to work with Gupta and his graduate students at UT Dallas on further uses of VECSR in applications, including operating autonomous drones.
"The challenge is high-level mission planning to understand what is needed to accomplish an objective involving drones," Tudor said. "How do I navigate a drone autonomously including the orchestration of vision models and the different sensors on board? We will be putting together a paper soon on the project."
* * *
Original text here: https://news.utdallas.edu/alumni/alexis-tudor-profile-2026/
* * *
Engineer Devises Smarter Ways To Make AI More Reliable
By Jeff Joiner
Software engineer Alexis Tudor PhD'26 uses her insights and knowledge to develop artificial intelligence systems for defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc. Much of her research focuses on making AI technologies more reliable and trustworthy, an interest that sparked her computer science doctoral studies at The University of Texas at Dallas.
"War isn't fair, and our adversaries aren't playing fair," she said. "The idea ... Show Full Article RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 14 -- The University of Texas Dallas campus issued the following news: * * * Engineer Devises Smarter Ways To Make AI More Reliable By Jeff Joiner Software engineer Alexis Tudor PhD'26 uses her insights and knowledge to develop artificial intelligence systems for defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc. Much of her research focuses on making AI technologies more reliable and trustworthy, an interest that sparked her computer science doctoral studies at The University of Texas at Dallas. "War isn't fair, and our adversaries aren't playing fair," she said. "The ideaof the unfair advantage is that we want to have the advantage over our adversaries so that we can accomplish our military goals on a world stage."
Now, Tudor is earning recognition for AI work that began as part of her dissertation at UT Dallas.
Tudor and a team of fellow software engineers at L3Harris' Rockwall, Texas, location won a company challenge for a technology that could be integrated into the military's Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess (F2T2EA) model. The model involves the steps military planners use to progress through the necessary stages of a military operation.
Currently, the process proceeds through a variety of military personnel working with existing computerized defense systems. But Tudor and her teammates -- Harley Heath, Donald May, Fatima Parada-Taboada BS'21, Brandon Parker PhD'14 and Christopher Taylor -- devised a way to use AI technology that mimics human decision-making to automate the actions of the F2T2EA model, potentially making it more trustworthy, faster and less prone to human error.
"The AI has to be correct every time. That's the goal," Tudor said. "We're talking about taking a high-level commander's intent or taking a mission plan and executing it. The system has to be as close to perfect every time as is physically possible. That's not possible with large language models like ChatGPT or Claude, which are known for hallucinating."
The team incorporated VECSR (Virtually Embodied Common Sense Reasoner), an AI system Tudor developed at UT Dallas, in combination with cutting-edge neural AI to parse human-readable battlefield management plans and translate them into actionable, machine-readable plans. For winning the challenge, the team earned $40,000 in prize money and an additional $50,000 to be used to fine-tune the system, known as Fulcrum.
Dr. Gopal Gupta, Tudor's PhD advisor, said what makes VECSR so novel is that it uses automated AI common-sense reasoning that can draw conclusions and take action. It also is as powerful as neural AI systems and many times more trustworthy and transparent.
"With automated common-sense reasoning, AI follows premises instead of relying on patterns and statistics like machine learning systems," said Gupta, professor of computer science and director of the Center for Applied AI and Machine Learning in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "What Alexis did with VECSR for her dissertation in a simulated environment was build a technology capable of automatically figuring out how to do tasks in real time using very sophisticated reasoning. This has always been a very hard problem for AI research."
Gupta said Tudor has been successful in her research because of her perseverance and determination. He said it typically takes students four to six years to complete a PhD, but Tudor finished hers in 3 1/2 years.
"Her ability to work as hard as she did and not be daunted by anything is really quite amazing," Gupta said. "When she told me she wanted to complete her doctorate as quickly as she did while working full time, I told her it was possible but would be difficult."
At L3Harris, Tudor recently was awarded the company's Golden Quill Award for her productivity in writing and publishing technical articles. She has moved into a product owner position at the company and hopes to continue climbing the leadership ladder, with a goal of becoming an L3Harris fellow.
"Fellows are highly technical but skilled in areas of business development, sales and leadership," Tudor said. "As a fellow you have to have the technical expertise and excel at soft skills."
Tudor said she plans to continue to work with Gupta and his graduate students at UT Dallas on further uses of VECSR in applications, including operating autonomous drones.
"The challenge is high-level mission planning to understand what is needed to accomplish an objective involving drones," Tudor said. "How do I navigate a drone autonomously including the orchestration of vision models and the different sensors on board? We will be putting together a paper soon on the project."
* * *
Original text here: https://news.utdallas.edu/alumni/alexis-tudor-profile-2026/
Penn State-Berks: Parents Who Run With a Stroller Have Lower Risk of Overuse Injury
READING, Pennsylvania, Aug. 14 -- Pennsylvania State University Berks campus issued the following news:
* * *
Parents who run with a stroller have lower risk of overuse injury
By Christine Yu
Anyone who has run while pushing a stroller knows stroller running can feel cumbersome and hard on the body. But does it increase the risk of injury? According to a new study from researchers at Penn State Berks, the answer appears to be no.
The study, published today (Aug. 12) in the journal PLOS One, found that parents who ran with a stroller were less likely to sustain an overuse injury during the ... Show Full Article READING, Pennsylvania, Aug. 14 -- Pennsylvania State University Berks campus issued the following news: * * * Parents who run with a stroller have lower risk of overuse injury By Christine Yu Anyone who has run while pushing a stroller knows stroller running can feel cumbersome and hard on the body. But does it increase the risk of injury? According to a new study from researchers at Penn State Berks, the answer appears to be no. The study, published today (Aug. 12) in the journal PLOS One, found that parents who ran with a stroller were less likely to sustain an overuse injury during thefirst three years after becoming a parent compared to those who ran without a stroller. For every 1,000 miles run, parents who ran with a stroller saw a 55% lower injury rate compared to those who ran without a stroller.
"This study is among the first to look at injury patterns in parents who run," said senior author Allison Altman-Singles, associate professor of kinesiology and of mechanical engineering at Penn State Berks. "We saw that running with a stroller is safe and can help sustain physical activity during early parenthood."
According to the researchers, previous studies have shown that running with a stroller alters the way a person runs. Stroller runners tend to have shorter strides, lean forward more, twist less through the torso and run slower. In this study, the researchers explored if and how running with a stroller influenced running habits and injury risk compared to running without a stroller.
The researchers recruited participants who had been a parent to children aged 0 to 3 within the last 20 years, who ran more than five miles per week before becoming a parent and who ran when their child was between six months and three years of age. Using a web-based survey, participants reported their running mileage from the time their child was born until age 10 and any injuries suffered during the first three years after becoming a parent.
The parents were then separated into two groups -- those who ran regularly with a stroller and those who didn't. The two groups were similar in age, height, weight, age when they had their first child and number of children. Most participants were female, particularly among the stroller running group.
Among 196 stroller runners and 53 non-stroller runners included in the final data analysis, 30% of those who ran without a stroller reported an overuse injury, compared to 19% of those in the stroller running group. The rate of injury for every 1,000 miles run was lower among stroller runners, too. Non-stroller runners were also more likely to experience multiple injuries during the first three years after becoming a parent.
"When you run with a stroller, you unweight the body a little bit, taking away some of the downward force by pressing on the handlebar, so you experience lower vertical loading," Singles said. "This change in biomechanics may relieve some of the stress on weight-bearing joints, which may explain why we see fewer injuries among stroller runners, particularly knee injuries, which are common among runners."
Prior research, led by Singles, found that running with a stroller decreases the force and impact of each step. The researchers explained that running with a stroller may also encourage parents to regulate their pace and run with a consistent cadence, or steps per minute -- both of which are associated with lower injury risk, Singles said.
Both groups did report a high incidence of plantar fasciitis, a condition where the connective tissue along the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed, accounting for 15% of all reported injuries in the stroller-running group and 16% of all reported injuries in the non-stroller-running group. Given that most participants in both groups were women and were the birthing parent, Singles said that the incidence of plantar fasciitis may potentially be linked to physiological changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period, rather than the act of running with a stroller. For instance, factors like weight gain as well as hormonal shifts during pregnancy and the postpartum period, which can affect elasticity of connective tissues, could increase injury risk.
The study also tracked how running mileage changed based on a child's age. Between birth and six months, neither group ran much, but by one year, both groups were running similar mileage. Stroller use peaked when children were between six months and three years old before declining as the child got older.
"The stroller also allowed people to run more when their child was between 6 and 12 months old," Singles said, with stroller runners logging 34% more miles than non-stroller runners. "The stroller can help runners get out and exercise."
The research team noted several limitations to the study including the relatively small study population for an injury study. The survey didn't tease out factors that could potentially contribute to injury risk such as breastfeeding status and whether participants had additional children during the study period.
The research team plans to continue to investigate issues related to stroller running such as the motivational factors that influence whether or not someone chooses to run with a stroller. They will also continue to investigate the biomechanical changes associated with running with a stroller.
First author Houn "Grace" Kim was an undergraduate student at Penn State Berks during the time of the research and received her undergraduate degree in 2025. Andrew Friesen, associate professor of kinesiology at Penn State Berks, also contributed to this paper.
* * *
Original text here: https://berks.psu.edu/story/39051/2026/08/12/parents-who-run-stroller-have-lower-risk-overuse-injury
* * *
Parents who run with a stroller have lower risk of overuse injury
By Christine Yu
Anyone who has run while pushing a stroller knows stroller running can feel cumbersome and hard on the body. But does it increase the risk of injury? According to a new study from researchers at Penn State Berks, the answer appears to be no.
The study, published today (Aug. 12) in the journal PLOS One, found that parents who ran with a stroller were less likely to sustain an overuse injury during the ... Show Full Article READING, Pennsylvania, Aug. 14 -- Pennsylvania State University Berks campus issued the following news: * * * Parents who run with a stroller have lower risk of overuse injury By Christine Yu Anyone who has run while pushing a stroller knows stroller running can feel cumbersome and hard on the body. But does it increase the risk of injury? According to a new study from researchers at Penn State Berks, the answer appears to be no. The study, published today (Aug. 12) in the journal PLOS One, found that parents who ran with a stroller were less likely to sustain an overuse injury during thefirst three years after becoming a parent compared to those who ran without a stroller. For every 1,000 miles run, parents who ran with a stroller saw a 55% lower injury rate compared to those who ran without a stroller.
"This study is among the first to look at injury patterns in parents who run," said senior author Allison Altman-Singles, associate professor of kinesiology and of mechanical engineering at Penn State Berks. "We saw that running with a stroller is safe and can help sustain physical activity during early parenthood."
According to the researchers, previous studies have shown that running with a stroller alters the way a person runs. Stroller runners tend to have shorter strides, lean forward more, twist less through the torso and run slower. In this study, the researchers explored if and how running with a stroller influenced running habits and injury risk compared to running without a stroller.
The researchers recruited participants who had been a parent to children aged 0 to 3 within the last 20 years, who ran more than five miles per week before becoming a parent and who ran when their child was between six months and three years of age. Using a web-based survey, participants reported their running mileage from the time their child was born until age 10 and any injuries suffered during the first three years after becoming a parent.
The parents were then separated into two groups -- those who ran regularly with a stroller and those who didn't. The two groups were similar in age, height, weight, age when they had their first child and number of children. Most participants were female, particularly among the stroller running group.
Among 196 stroller runners and 53 non-stroller runners included in the final data analysis, 30% of those who ran without a stroller reported an overuse injury, compared to 19% of those in the stroller running group. The rate of injury for every 1,000 miles run was lower among stroller runners, too. Non-stroller runners were also more likely to experience multiple injuries during the first three years after becoming a parent.
"When you run with a stroller, you unweight the body a little bit, taking away some of the downward force by pressing on the handlebar, so you experience lower vertical loading," Singles said. "This change in biomechanics may relieve some of the stress on weight-bearing joints, which may explain why we see fewer injuries among stroller runners, particularly knee injuries, which are common among runners."
Prior research, led by Singles, found that running with a stroller decreases the force and impact of each step. The researchers explained that running with a stroller may also encourage parents to regulate their pace and run with a consistent cadence, or steps per minute -- both of which are associated with lower injury risk, Singles said.
Both groups did report a high incidence of plantar fasciitis, a condition where the connective tissue along the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed, accounting for 15% of all reported injuries in the stroller-running group and 16% of all reported injuries in the non-stroller-running group. Given that most participants in both groups were women and were the birthing parent, Singles said that the incidence of plantar fasciitis may potentially be linked to physiological changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period, rather than the act of running with a stroller. For instance, factors like weight gain as well as hormonal shifts during pregnancy and the postpartum period, which can affect elasticity of connective tissues, could increase injury risk.
The study also tracked how running mileage changed based on a child's age. Between birth and six months, neither group ran much, but by one year, both groups were running similar mileage. Stroller use peaked when children were between six months and three years old before declining as the child got older.
"The stroller also allowed people to run more when their child was between 6 and 12 months old," Singles said, with stroller runners logging 34% more miles than non-stroller runners. "The stroller can help runners get out and exercise."
The research team noted several limitations to the study including the relatively small study population for an injury study. The survey didn't tease out factors that could potentially contribute to injury risk such as breastfeeding status and whether participants had additional children during the study period.
The research team plans to continue to investigate issues related to stroller running such as the motivational factors that influence whether or not someone chooses to run with a stroller. They will also continue to investigate the biomechanical changes associated with running with a stroller.
First author Houn "Grace" Kim was an undergraduate student at Penn State Berks during the time of the research and received her undergraduate degree in 2025. Andrew Friesen, associate professor of kinesiology at Penn State Berks, also contributed to this paper.
* * *
Original text here: https://berks.psu.edu/story/39051/2026/08/12/parents-who-run-stroller-have-lower-risk-overuse-injury
Michigan Medicine: Medical Students Develop Novel Technological Solutions for Unmet Patient Needs
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Aug. 14 -- Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, issued the following news release:
* * *
Medical students develop novel technological solutions for unmet patient needs
Students were given hands-on training in innovation and entrepreneurship through the Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence program
-
The Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence at the University of Michigan Medical School gives medical students insight into the culture of innovation in biomedical research and medicine.
It's one of the seven co-curricular Path ... Show Full Article ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Aug. 14 -- Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, issued the following news release: * * * Medical students develop novel technological solutions for unmet patient needs Students were given hands-on training in innovation and entrepreneurship through the Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence program - The Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence at the University of Michigan Medical School gives medical students insight into the culture of innovation in biomedical research and medicine. It's one of the seven co-curricular Pathof Excellence that MS 1 students can select during their first year, under the direction of Catherine Kim, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
As part of the sessions for Paths, the students engage in patient interviews and develop innovative projects that can improve patient lives.
For the first time, M1 students presented their projects during the Healthcare Innovation Symposium, which is organized by M4 students as a conclusion to the Path program.
The three team projects focused on harnessing AI and technology to address challenges patients face during their healthcare journey.
They were mentored by mentored by the co-directors of Healthcare Innovation which include Sonal Owens, M.D., Clinical Professor of Pediatric Cardiology; Amy Zhang, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Candice Stegink, M.S., Associate Director of Innovation.
"All the faculty members were impressed by the scope of these projects," Zhang said.
"Their skillful use of AI and coding techniques was inspiring."
The first project focused on using ChatGPT to develop support services and resources for patients who have received a melanoma diagnosis.
The team included Ananyaa Asthana, Brian Lee, Mia Diaz, Evan Monge and Izzy Chiu.
The students interviewed a young mother who mentioned that she would've liked to be given resources at a pace that was comfortable for her. Instead, she was overwhelmed by all the information.
The team developed a ChatGPT workflow where patients could decide what type of information they were looking for, such as background about their diagnosis, finding financial support or reaching out to the care team.
"Although there would be several regulatory hurdles if we tried to use this system, we loved the creativity of a patient-centered design," Zhang said.
In the second project, the students Marlene Rahman, Omar Fehmi, Zane Kashlan, Jack Xin and Zoe Chen were inspired by a patient who underwent transplant surgery.
Although the patient had sufficient resources and support, the team realized that not all patients recovered as easily.
"There are a lot of factors that doctors may not think to explicitly warn the patient about, including rugs and tall furniture that could pose a threat to mobility," Zhang said.
The team focused on helping patients evaluate their home environment for safety hazards, infection risks and barriers before surgery.
Inspired by mobile applications that focus on interior design, they developed an app that combines artificial intelligence with a smartphone camera to guide transplant candidates through a room-by-room assessment of their home.
The app can generate personalized, evidence-based modification recommendations before patients undergo surgery.
In the final project, Connor Bovia, Annie Beckman, Matt Harrigan, Jen Ayres, David Diebold and Victor Di Rita created a digital application for finding primary care physicians who were available and were a good fit for the patient.
They were inspired by the interview of a patient with a complicated medical history who found it challenging to find a primary care physician who could help coordinate various specialty care needs.
Patients often do not have information about upcoming availabilities or they may have to wait months for an appointment only to end up with someone they are not completely comfortable with.
The team developed a workflow where patients filter for both availability as well as traits that they were looking for in a primary care physician.
"Medical school can be isolating, so it is important to work together as a team with different experts," Zhang said.
"We talk about discovery and innovation, and these projects are proof that our students are actively working towards those ideals."
SEE ALSO: Gaining a Global Perspective: Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Michigan Medicine and Beyond (https://medschool.umich.edu/dose-reality/gaining-global-perspective-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-michigan-medicine-and-beyond?pk_vid=cb368e3c4edfdab617867119477fda46)
SEE ALSO: Finding Your Inner Innovator in the Paths of Excellence (https://medschool.umich.edu/dose-reality/finding-your-inner-innovator-paths-excellence?pk_vid=cb368e3c4edfdab617867119407fda46)
* * *
Original text here: https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-lab/medical-students-develop-novel-technological-solutions-unmet-patient-needs
* * *
Medical students develop novel technological solutions for unmet patient needs
Students were given hands-on training in innovation and entrepreneurship through the Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence program
-
The Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence at the University of Michigan Medical School gives medical students insight into the culture of innovation in biomedical research and medicine.
It's one of the seven co-curricular Path ... Show Full Article ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Aug. 14 -- Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, issued the following news release: * * * Medical students develop novel technological solutions for unmet patient needs Students were given hands-on training in innovation and entrepreneurship through the Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence program - The Healthcare Innovation Path of Excellence at the University of Michigan Medical School gives medical students insight into the culture of innovation in biomedical research and medicine. It's one of the seven co-curricular Pathof Excellence that MS 1 students can select during their first year, under the direction of Catherine Kim, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
As part of the sessions for Paths, the students engage in patient interviews and develop innovative projects that can improve patient lives.
For the first time, M1 students presented their projects during the Healthcare Innovation Symposium, which is organized by M4 students as a conclusion to the Path program.
The three team projects focused on harnessing AI and technology to address challenges patients face during their healthcare journey.
They were mentored by mentored by the co-directors of Healthcare Innovation which include Sonal Owens, M.D., Clinical Professor of Pediatric Cardiology; Amy Zhang, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Candice Stegink, M.S., Associate Director of Innovation.
"All the faculty members were impressed by the scope of these projects," Zhang said.
"Their skillful use of AI and coding techniques was inspiring."
The first project focused on using ChatGPT to develop support services and resources for patients who have received a melanoma diagnosis.
The team included Ananyaa Asthana, Brian Lee, Mia Diaz, Evan Monge and Izzy Chiu.
The students interviewed a young mother who mentioned that she would've liked to be given resources at a pace that was comfortable for her. Instead, she was overwhelmed by all the information.
The team developed a ChatGPT workflow where patients could decide what type of information they were looking for, such as background about their diagnosis, finding financial support or reaching out to the care team.
"Although there would be several regulatory hurdles if we tried to use this system, we loved the creativity of a patient-centered design," Zhang said.
In the second project, the students Marlene Rahman, Omar Fehmi, Zane Kashlan, Jack Xin and Zoe Chen were inspired by a patient who underwent transplant surgery.
Although the patient had sufficient resources and support, the team realized that not all patients recovered as easily.
"There are a lot of factors that doctors may not think to explicitly warn the patient about, including rugs and tall furniture that could pose a threat to mobility," Zhang said.
The team focused on helping patients evaluate their home environment for safety hazards, infection risks and barriers before surgery.
Inspired by mobile applications that focus on interior design, they developed an app that combines artificial intelligence with a smartphone camera to guide transplant candidates through a room-by-room assessment of their home.
The app can generate personalized, evidence-based modification recommendations before patients undergo surgery.
In the final project, Connor Bovia, Annie Beckman, Matt Harrigan, Jen Ayres, David Diebold and Victor Di Rita created a digital application for finding primary care physicians who were available and were a good fit for the patient.
They were inspired by the interview of a patient with a complicated medical history who found it challenging to find a primary care physician who could help coordinate various specialty care needs.
Patients often do not have information about upcoming availabilities or they may have to wait months for an appointment only to end up with someone they are not completely comfortable with.
The team developed a workflow where patients filter for both availability as well as traits that they were looking for in a primary care physician.
"Medical school can be isolating, so it is important to work together as a team with different experts," Zhang said.
"We talk about discovery and innovation, and these projects are proof that our students are actively working towards those ideals."
SEE ALSO: Gaining a Global Perspective: Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Michigan Medicine and Beyond (https://medschool.umich.edu/dose-reality/gaining-global-perspective-innovation-and-entrepreneurship-michigan-medicine-and-beyond?pk_vid=cb368e3c4edfdab617867119477fda46)
SEE ALSO: Finding Your Inner Innovator in the Paths of Excellence (https://medschool.umich.edu/dose-reality/finding-your-inner-innovator-paths-excellence?pk_vid=cb368e3c4edfdab617867119407fda46)
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Original text here: https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-lab/medical-students-develop-novel-technological-solutions-unmet-patient-needs
George Washington Law Announces 2026-27 Richey Fellows
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The George Washington University Law School issued the following news:
* * *
GW Law Announces 2026-27 Richey Fellows
GW Law will welcome six Richey Fellows throughout the 2026-27 academic year to provide resources and guidance to students considering non-profit and public sector careers.
Named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Richey Fellows Program brings highly accomplished mid-career public interest lawyers to the GW Law campus for a three-day on campus residency. The fellows, each of whom is ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The George Washington University Law School issued the following news: * * * GW Law Announces 2026-27 Richey Fellows GW Law will welcome six Richey Fellows throughout the 2026-27 academic year to provide resources and guidance to students considering non-profit and public sector careers. Named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Richey Fellows Program brings highly accomplished mid-career public interest lawyers to the GW Law campus for a three-day on campus residency. The fellows, each of whom isa leader in their field of public interest practice, meet one-on-one with students and host insightful events about non-profit and public sector careers.
The program provides students with diverse perspectives about public interest careers in a wide variety of practice areas. This year's Richey Fellows will bring the benefit of their exceptional expertise and experience in legal aid impact litigation; advancing educational equity; civil, women's and human rights; defending democracy, protecting federal workers; and police accountability.
2026-27 Richey Fellows
* Phylicia H. Hill
Visiting Dates: September 14-16
Phylicia H. Hill is the Director of Impact Litigation at Legal Aid DC, where she spearheads the organization's Impact Litigation, using affirmative litigation to challenge systemic inequities affecting low-income District residents. Before joining Legal Aid DC, she served as Counsel in the Criminal Justice and Economic Justice Projects at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, litigating cases involving employment discrimination, racially biased policing, and conditions of confinement. She also established the Records Assistance Program, providing pro bono legal services to help individuals seal, expunge, or correct criminal records, and coordinated amicus briefs in three landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases. Previously, Phylicia was a Senior Trial Attorney and Gideon's Promise Fellow at the Office of the Public Defender in Montgomery, Alabama, where she practiced holistic, client-centered defense. She holds degrees from The George Washington Law School, Auburn University, and Florida A&M University.
* Bradley Girard
Visiting Dates: October 20-22
Bradley Girard (Senior Counsel, Democracy Forward) is a public-interest impact litigator who practices in all levels of state and federal courts, with a focus on the federal courts of appeals and Supreme Court.
After graduating from Georgetown Law, Bradley clerked for the Honorable Neal Kravitz on the D.C. Superior Court and on the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey. Bradley also served for two years as the clinical-teaching fellow at Georgetown's Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, teaching students public-interest appellate litigation. Bradley was a constitutional-litigation fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and later returned to litigate cutting-edge First Amendment cases. During law school, Bradley worked at Gupta Wessler, Public Justice, Mehri & Skalet, and the D.C. District Court.
Bradley served as a 2023-24 Georgetown Law Blume Public Interest Leader in Residence and a 2024-25 Harvard Law School Wasserstein Fellow. He is on the Advisory Board of the People's Parity Project.
* Joanne Lin
Visiting Dates: November 2-4
Joanne Lin has served as Executive Director of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs since April 2023. She brings over 25 years of experience in public interest law, national policy advocacy, and nonprofit organizational leadership.
Joanne has deep expertise in immigrant justice, civil rights, women's rights and human rights. A battle-tested crisis manager, Joanne has successfully led litigators and advocates fighting for economic and racial justice at the local, regional, national and international levels.
Joanne previously directed the Advocacy and Government Affairs program at Amnesty International USA, focusing on refugee protection and human rights. She also spent a decade at the American Civil Liberties Union leading national policy advocacy on immigration and civil rights. Earlier in her career, Joanne specialized in representing survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault -- first at legal aid and then at a national women's rights organization.
Joanne has been consistently recognized for her significant achievements in public interest law. She received a 2025 NYU Law School distinguished alumni award from the Law Alumni of Color Association. In 2021 Joanne received the Women's Leadership Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She was also named a top grassroots association lobbyist by The Hill for four consecutive years.
Joanne is a graduate of NYU School of Law (JD), Stanford School of Education (MA), and Stanford University (BA).
* Antonio Ingram
Visiting Dates: February 9-11
Antonio Lavalle Ingram II serves as Senior Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund where he works on educational equity cases in the south. He is a graduate of Yale College and UC Berkeley School of Law. He worked as a litigation associate at Morrison & Foerster and Boies Schiller Flexner and previously served as a federal judicial law clerk for the honorable Ivan L. Lemelle in the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana and for Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. He also completed a Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship in Malawi where he worked for the Malawian government and served in their Anti-Corruption Bureau. He has previously served as a Blume Public Interest Leader in Residence and Visiting Lecturer at the Georgetown Law Center and a Racial Justice Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.
* Suzanne Summerlin
Visiting Dates: February 22-24
Suzanne Summerlin is a labor attorney who represents unions in litigation, at the bargaining table, and in internal governance matters including elections, ethics, and compliance. In 2023, President Biden nominated her to serve as General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Since 2025, she has also served as General Counsel of Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network, founded on the recognition that there are not enough expert attorneys available to help federal workers facing unprecedented attacks on the civil service. At Rise Up, she helped develop and launch a training program for a corps of 100 volunteer attorneys to provide free legal help to federal workers.
She maintains a solo law practice, Summerlin Labor Strategies. A 2013 graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, she is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
* William Most
Visiting Dates: March 29-31
Attorney William Most graduated from Harvard College in 2005, began law school at GW Law in 2009, and then transferred and obtained a law degree from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law in 2011.
He practiced at the California law firm of Briscoe Ivester & Bazel LLP before moving to New Orleans in 2014. His firm, Most & Associates, is the largest for-profit civil rights organization in Louisiana, and his practice consists primarily of plaintiff-side police misconduct, employment discrimination, First Amendment, prisoners' rights, whistleblower, voting rights, environmental, class action, and other litigation.
Mr. Most has testified before the state legislature, made hundreds of media appearances, and frequently presents on a range of civil rights and litigation topics.
Prior to a career in law, Mr. Most was a fisheries biologist.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.law.gwu.edu/gw-law-announces-2026-27-richey-fellows
* * *
GW Law Announces 2026-27 Richey Fellows
GW Law will welcome six Richey Fellows throughout the 2026-27 academic year to provide resources and guidance to students considering non-profit and public sector careers.
Named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Richey Fellows Program brings highly accomplished mid-career public interest lawyers to the GW Law campus for a three-day on campus residency. The fellows, each of whom is ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The George Washington University Law School issued the following news: * * * GW Law Announces 2026-27 Richey Fellows GW Law will welcome six Richey Fellows throughout the 2026-27 academic year to provide resources and guidance to students considering non-profit and public sector careers. Named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Richey Fellows Program brings highly accomplished mid-career public interest lawyers to the GW Law campus for a three-day on campus residency. The fellows, each of whom isa leader in their field of public interest practice, meet one-on-one with students and host insightful events about non-profit and public sector careers.
The program provides students with diverse perspectives about public interest careers in a wide variety of practice areas. This year's Richey Fellows will bring the benefit of their exceptional expertise and experience in legal aid impact litigation; advancing educational equity; civil, women's and human rights; defending democracy, protecting federal workers; and police accountability.
2026-27 Richey Fellows
* Phylicia H. Hill
Visiting Dates: September 14-16
Phylicia H. Hill is the Director of Impact Litigation at Legal Aid DC, where she spearheads the organization's Impact Litigation, using affirmative litigation to challenge systemic inequities affecting low-income District residents. Before joining Legal Aid DC, she served as Counsel in the Criminal Justice and Economic Justice Projects at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, litigating cases involving employment discrimination, racially biased policing, and conditions of confinement. She also established the Records Assistance Program, providing pro bono legal services to help individuals seal, expunge, or correct criminal records, and coordinated amicus briefs in three landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases. Previously, Phylicia was a Senior Trial Attorney and Gideon's Promise Fellow at the Office of the Public Defender in Montgomery, Alabama, where she practiced holistic, client-centered defense. She holds degrees from The George Washington Law School, Auburn University, and Florida A&M University.
* Bradley Girard
Visiting Dates: October 20-22
Bradley Girard (Senior Counsel, Democracy Forward) is a public-interest impact litigator who practices in all levels of state and federal courts, with a focus on the federal courts of appeals and Supreme Court.
After graduating from Georgetown Law, Bradley clerked for the Honorable Neal Kravitz on the D.C. Superior Court and on the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Martha Craig Daughtrey. Bradley also served for two years as the clinical-teaching fellow at Georgetown's Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, teaching students public-interest appellate litigation. Bradley was a constitutional-litigation fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and later returned to litigate cutting-edge First Amendment cases. During law school, Bradley worked at Gupta Wessler, Public Justice, Mehri & Skalet, and the D.C. District Court.
Bradley served as a 2023-24 Georgetown Law Blume Public Interest Leader in Residence and a 2024-25 Harvard Law School Wasserstein Fellow. He is on the Advisory Board of the People's Parity Project.
* Joanne Lin
Visiting Dates: November 2-4
Joanne Lin has served as Executive Director of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs since April 2023. She brings over 25 years of experience in public interest law, national policy advocacy, and nonprofit organizational leadership.
Joanne has deep expertise in immigrant justice, civil rights, women's rights and human rights. A battle-tested crisis manager, Joanne has successfully led litigators and advocates fighting for economic and racial justice at the local, regional, national and international levels.
Joanne previously directed the Advocacy and Government Affairs program at Amnesty International USA, focusing on refugee protection and human rights. She also spent a decade at the American Civil Liberties Union leading national policy advocacy on immigration and civil rights. Earlier in her career, Joanne specialized in representing survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault -- first at legal aid and then at a national women's rights organization.
Joanne has been consistently recognized for her significant achievements in public interest law. She received a 2025 NYU Law School distinguished alumni award from the Law Alumni of Color Association. In 2021 Joanne received the Women's Leadership Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She was also named a top grassroots association lobbyist by The Hill for four consecutive years.
Joanne is a graduate of NYU School of Law (JD), Stanford School of Education (MA), and Stanford University (BA).
* Antonio Ingram
Visiting Dates: February 9-11
Antonio Lavalle Ingram II serves as Senior Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund where he works on educational equity cases in the south. He is a graduate of Yale College and UC Berkeley School of Law. He worked as a litigation associate at Morrison & Foerster and Boies Schiller Flexner and previously served as a federal judicial law clerk for the honorable Ivan L. Lemelle in the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana and for Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. He also completed a Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship in Malawi where he worked for the Malawian government and served in their Anti-Corruption Bureau. He has previously served as a Blume Public Interest Leader in Residence and Visiting Lecturer at the Georgetown Law Center and a Racial Justice Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.
* Suzanne Summerlin
Visiting Dates: February 22-24
Suzanne Summerlin is a labor attorney who represents unions in litigation, at the bargaining table, and in internal governance matters including elections, ethics, and compliance. In 2023, President Biden nominated her to serve as General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Since 2025, she has also served as General Counsel of Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network, founded on the recognition that there are not enough expert attorneys available to help federal workers facing unprecedented attacks on the civil service. At Rise Up, she helped develop and launch a training program for a corps of 100 volunteer attorneys to provide free legal help to federal workers.
She maintains a solo law practice, Summerlin Labor Strategies. A 2013 graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, she is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
* William Most
Visiting Dates: March 29-31
Attorney William Most graduated from Harvard College in 2005, began law school at GW Law in 2009, and then transferred and obtained a law degree from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law in 2011.
He practiced at the California law firm of Briscoe Ivester & Bazel LLP before moving to New Orleans in 2014. His firm, Most & Associates, is the largest for-profit civil rights organization in Louisiana, and his practice consists primarily of plaintiff-side police misconduct, employment discrimination, First Amendment, prisoners' rights, whistleblower, voting rights, environmental, class action, and other litigation.
Mr. Most has testified before the state legislature, made hundreds of media appearances, and frequently presents on a range of civil rights and litigation topics.
Prior to a career in law, Mr. Most was a fisheries biologist.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.law.gwu.edu/gw-law-announces-2026-27-richey-fellows
California State University: Maddy Institute Prepares Next Generation of Policy Leaders
LONG BEACH, California, Aug. 14 -- California State University issued the following news:
* * *
The Maddy Institute Prepares Next Generation of Policy Leaders
Through partnerships with three CSUs, The Maddy Institute provides students with real-world experience in public service.
By Alex Beall
Founded in 1999 in honor of Senator Ken Maddy, a Fresno State alumnus, The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy institute based at Fresno State aiming to drive civic engagement and raise up the next generation of policy leaders.
With a specific focus on the San Joaquin ... Show Full Article LONG BEACH, California, Aug. 14 -- California State University issued the following news: * * * The Maddy Institute Prepares Next Generation of Policy Leaders Through partnerships with three CSUs, The Maddy Institute provides students with real-world experience in public service. By Alex Beall Founded in 1999 in honor of Senator Ken Maddy, a Fresno State alumnus, The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy institute based at Fresno State aiming to drive civic engagement and raise up the next generation of policy leaders. With a specific focus on the San JoaquinValley, The Maddy Institute is partnered with four regional universities--Fresno State, CSU Bakersfield, Stanislaus State and UC Merced--to provide students with internships and hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for a career in public service.
"Senator Ken Maddy believed the Central Valley produced one-of-a-kind legislators, and his vision was for The Maddy Institute to give young people a real opportunity to engage in public service," said Blake Zante, the institute's executive director. "Today, the institute not only has trained nearly 600 leaders, but also provides a platform for informed, nonpartisan discussions on how state and federal policies impact the Valley."
The institute offers four paid internship programs that place students in Valley district offices, legislative offices or the governor's office in Sacramento, congressional offices in Washington, D.C., and California government agencies.
In addition to these opportunities, the institute hosts events and provides resources to ensure the communities of the San Joaquin Valley stay informed on policy issues and can fully participate in the democratic process. Recently, the institute worked with the California Water Institute at Fresno State to launch a legislative bill summary series on water and natural resource policy. In addition, it hosted a California gubernatorial candidate forum in April 2026 at Fresno State featuring five candidates.
Meet three CSU alumni of The Maddy Institute internship programs to learn how their experience prepared them for life after graduation.
* Tracey Chow | Fresno State
B.A. Political Science (2011)
While studying political science at Fresno State, Tracey Chow wasn't certain where she wanted her degree and career to take her. After a conversation with a family member who was a Fresno State alumnus, Chow began looking into the internship options at The Maddy Institute as a way to bolster her resume.
In summer 2011 after she graduated, The Maddy Institute placed her through the Jim Costa Legislative Internship Program with the Washington, D.C., office of then-U.S. Representative Jeff Denham.
"The experience showed me what my career was going to be," Chow said. "The internship program and my time there was very much the reason why I've now stayed there, why I've built the life and the career that I have now that I really enjoy. I realized I wanted to be involved in D.C. and federal politics far more than I expected that I would."
Following the internship, Chow spent more than five years working in different roles for Rep. Denham before beginning her career at Western Growers, a trade association representing farmers. Now the organization's federal government affairs director based in Washington, D.C., Chow advocates for farming stakeholders in the western United States by communicating industry needs between farmers, Congress, federal agencies and other agricultural organizations.
"I don't know what I would be doing in an alternate universe where I didn't do this internship," Chow said. "It really has been the thing that has put me on the path that I'm on now."
* Steven Kemp | CSU Bakersfield
B.A. Public Administration (2020)
While studying public administration at CSU Bakersfield, Steven Kemp augmented his learning by working in the local office of Kern County Supervisor David Couch as a district representative. After finishing his bachelor's degree in December 2020, he applied to The Maddy Institute's Valley Legislative Internship Program to further his work experience and was placed with then-Assemblymember Vince Fong's Kern County office for the spring 2021 semester--holding both positions simultaneously.
"I had a general interest in public policy and good governance, and so I thought it would be great to get partnered up with the local office here and build my career journey," Kemp said. "Some of the most valuable things that I took from that internship are how to work in an elected official's office--the different protocols that you have to meet, how to deal with constituent inquiries, how to meet deadlines and how to properly communicate a message over social media or in person."
Despite the internship being remote because of COVID-19 policies, the experience directly prepared Kemp for his current position as a field representative in U.S. Representative David Valadao's district office in Bakersfield--which requires him to maintain communications with constituents; local stakeholders, leaders and agencies; and legislative teams and officials in Washington, D.C. Stepping into that role in January 2022 has now allowed Kemp to gain public policy experience at the local, state and federal level.
* Sara Azevedo | Stanislaus State
B.A. Political Science (2007), M.A. Public Administration (2009)
Sara Azevedo earned both a bachelor's degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration from Stanislaus State. Graduating with her master's during a period of economic uncertainty following the 2008 recession, Azevedo remained focused on finding opportunities that aligned with her interest in public service. That path led her to The Maddy Institute.
In the summer of 2009, Azevedo interned in the Modesto district office of then-U.S. Representative Dennis Cardoza. Her responsibilities included updating the district director on local issues and serving as the liaison between constituents and federal, district and local agencies.
"Being a 2008 Maddy Institute scholarship recipient and interning in the office of U.S. House Representative Dennis Cardoza provided me with invaluable insight into public service and strengthened my passion for making a difference in my community," she said. "The Maddy Institute was instrumental in guiding me toward a Presidential Management Fellowship with the General Services Administration, which then launched my career in corporate regulatory affairs."
Today, Azevedo is the director of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at E. & J. Gallo Winery, where she has held various roles since 2011. She and her team help ensure the company meets production and reporting regulatory requirements for producing alcoholic beverages. In addition, she has stayed connected with the CSU as a lecturer at Fresno State, where she teaches Enology 140 Regulations: Wine and Brandy--covering rules and regulations governing wine and brandy, including licensing, production, labelling and exportation.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/The-Maddy-Institute-Prepares-Next-Generation-of-Policy-Leaders.aspx
* * *
The Maddy Institute Prepares Next Generation of Policy Leaders
Through partnerships with three CSUs, The Maddy Institute provides students with real-world experience in public service.
By Alex Beall
Founded in 1999 in honor of Senator Ken Maddy, a Fresno State alumnus, The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy institute based at Fresno State aiming to drive civic engagement and raise up the next generation of policy leaders.
With a specific focus on the San Joaquin ... Show Full Article LONG BEACH, California, Aug. 14 -- California State University issued the following news: * * * The Maddy Institute Prepares Next Generation of Policy Leaders Through partnerships with three CSUs, The Maddy Institute provides students with real-world experience in public service. By Alex Beall Founded in 1999 in honor of Senator Ken Maddy, a Fresno State alumnus, The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy institute based at Fresno State aiming to drive civic engagement and raise up the next generation of policy leaders. With a specific focus on the San JoaquinValley, The Maddy Institute is partnered with four regional universities--Fresno State, CSU Bakersfield, Stanislaus State and UC Merced--to provide students with internships and hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for a career in public service.
"Senator Ken Maddy believed the Central Valley produced one-of-a-kind legislators, and his vision was for The Maddy Institute to give young people a real opportunity to engage in public service," said Blake Zante, the institute's executive director. "Today, the institute not only has trained nearly 600 leaders, but also provides a platform for informed, nonpartisan discussions on how state and federal policies impact the Valley."
The institute offers four paid internship programs that place students in Valley district offices, legislative offices or the governor's office in Sacramento, congressional offices in Washington, D.C., and California government agencies.
In addition to these opportunities, the institute hosts events and provides resources to ensure the communities of the San Joaquin Valley stay informed on policy issues and can fully participate in the democratic process. Recently, the institute worked with the California Water Institute at Fresno State to launch a legislative bill summary series on water and natural resource policy. In addition, it hosted a California gubernatorial candidate forum in April 2026 at Fresno State featuring five candidates.
Meet three CSU alumni of The Maddy Institute internship programs to learn how their experience prepared them for life after graduation.
* Tracey Chow | Fresno State
B.A. Political Science (2011)
While studying political science at Fresno State, Tracey Chow wasn't certain where she wanted her degree and career to take her. After a conversation with a family member who was a Fresno State alumnus, Chow began looking into the internship options at The Maddy Institute as a way to bolster her resume.
In summer 2011 after she graduated, The Maddy Institute placed her through the Jim Costa Legislative Internship Program with the Washington, D.C., office of then-U.S. Representative Jeff Denham.
"The experience showed me what my career was going to be," Chow said. "The internship program and my time there was very much the reason why I've now stayed there, why I've built the life and the career that I have now that I really enjoy. I realized I wanted to be involved in D.C. and federal politics far more than I expected that I would."
Following the internship, Chow spent more than five years working in different roles for Rep. Denham before beginning her career at Western Growers, a trade association representing farmers. Now the organization's federal government affairs director based in Washington, D.C., Chow advocates for farming stakeholders in the western United States by communicating industry needs between farmers, Congress, federal agencies and other agricultural organizations.
"I don't know what I would be doing in an alternate universe where I didn't do this internship," Chow said. "It really has been the thing that has put me on the path that I'm on now."
* Steven Kemp | CSU Bakersfield
B.A. Public Administration (2020)
While studying public administration at CSU Bakersfield, Steven Kemp augmented his learning by working in the local office of Kern County Supervisor David Couch as a district representative. After finishing his bachelor's degree in December 2020, he applied to The Maddy Institute's Valley Legislative Internship Program to further his work experience and was placed with then-Assemblymember Vince Fong's Kern County office for the spring 2021 semester--holding both positions simultaneously.
"I had a general interest in public policy and good governance, and so I thought it would be great to get partnered up with the local office here and build my career journey," Kemp said. "Some of the most valuable things that I took from that internship are how to work in an elected official's office--the different protocols that you have to meet, how to deal with constituent inquiries, how to meet deadlines and how to properly communicate a message over social media or in person."
Despite the internship being remote because of COVID-19 policies, the experience directly prepared Kemp for his current position as a field representative in U.S. Representative David Valadao's district office in Bakersfield--which requires him to maintain communications with constituents; local stakeholders, leaders and agencies; and legislative teams and officials in Washington, D.C. Stepping into that role in January 2022 has now allowed Kemp to gain public policy experience at the local, state and federal level.
* Sara Azevedo | Stanislaus State
B.A. Political Science (2007), M.A. Public Administration (2009)
Sara Azevedo earned both a bachelor's degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration from Stanislaus State. Graduating with her master's during a period of economic uncertainty following the 2008 recession, Azevedo remained focused on finding opportunities that aligned with her interest in public service. That path led her to The Maddy Institute.
In the summer of 2009, Azevedo interned in the Modesto district office of then-U.S. Representative Dennis Cardoza. Her responsibilities included updating the district director on local issues and serving as the liaison between constituents and federal, district and local agencies.
"Being a 2008 Maddy Institute scholarship recipient and interning in the office of U.S. House Representative Dennis Cardoza provided me with invaluable insight into public service and strengthened my passion for making a difference in my community," she said. "The Maddy Institute was instrumental in guiding me toward a Presidential Management Fellowship with the General Services Administration, which then launched my career in corporate regulatory affairs."
Today, Azevedo is the director of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at E. & J. Gallo Winery, where she has held various roles since 2011. She and her team help ensure the company meets production and reporting regulatory requirements for producing alcoholic beverages. In addition, she has stayed connected with the CSU as a lecturer at Fresno State, where she teaches Enology 140 Regulations: Wine and Brandy--covering rules and regulations governing wine and brandy, including licensing, production, labelling and exportation.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/The-Maddy-Institute-Prepares-Next-Generation-of-Policy-Leaders.aspx