Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
University of Lethbridge: Canadian Association Established to Examine Philosophic Principles of AI Growth
LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Dec. 23 -- The University of Lethbridge issued the following news:
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Canadian association established to examine philosophic principles of AI growth
As artificial intelligence and its influence on society continues to advance at breakneck speed, the call for regulatory action is intensifying. While the federal government continues to make headway on a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy focused on commercialization, standards, and talent, scholars from the University of Lethbridge and Trent University are poised to fulfill another knowledge gap.
Drs. Nicholas
... Show Full Article
LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Dec. 23 -- The University of Lethbridge issued the following news:
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Canadian association established to examine philosophic principles of AI growth
As artificial intelligence and its influence on society continues to advance at breakneck speed, the call for regulatory action is intensifying. While the federal government continues to make headway on a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy focused on commercialization, standards, and talent, scholars from the University of Lethbridge and Trent University are poised to fulfill another knowledge gap.
Drs. NicholasDunn (ULethbridge) and Martina Orlandi (Trent University) have launched the first and only Canadian Association for the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (CAPAI) to address a longstanding chasm in Canada's AI landscape: a coordinated, national forum for philosophers working on artificial intelligence.
"AI is accelerating faster than institutions and policies can keep up, and philosophers have an important role to play in helping articulate the values and principles that should guide how these technologies are designed and deployed. Without that clarity, we risk allowing innovation to outpace reflection," says Dunn, a co-founder of CAPAI and assistant professor of philosophy at ULethbridge.
"While Canada has strong communities of researchers working on AI from technical and policy perspectives, there was no dedicated space for philosophers of AI to connect," adds Orlandi, CAPAI co-founder and an assistant professor in the new AI degree programs at Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA). "Networking and collaboration that once happened in isolation can now take place in a more organized, systematic and efficient way."
CAPAI brings together scholars and their work examining both foundational questions, such as the nature of intelligence, cognition and decision-making, and urgent ethical and social concerns, including AI's impact on labour, health care, bias, surveillance and democracy.
While much of the interest in AI applications has been focused on efficiency and automation, both scholars emphasize that the increase in AI adoption and the ways platforms are being used are raising deeper questions about human identity and well-being. Researchers are increasingly focused more on how AI is implemented in the social sphere.
"Our jobs, our struggles, and our decision-making are deeply tied to how we understand ourselves. As AI systems begin to replace or reshape these activities, we're forced to ask whether a life made easier by technology is necessarily a more fulfilling one," says Orlandi. "When we see people using AI chats as therapists or entering into relationships with AI personas, what does that say about our well-being today and do we fully understand the consequences of those interactions?"
Since launching earlier this fall, CAPAI has 14 members and has introduced a national website and online speaker series, with plans for in-person meetings and public engagement. The association also aims to make Canadian research in the philosophy of AI more accessible to students, policymakers and the broader public through its website, ensuring philosophical insight becomes a foundational part of Canada's AI conversation rather than an afterthought.
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Original text here: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/canadian-association-established-examine-philosophic-principles-ai-growth
University of Cincinnati: Fusion Reactors May Be Key to Uncovering Dark Matter
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Dec. 23 (TNSjou) -- The University of Cincinnati issued the following news:
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Fusion reactors may be key to uncovering dark matter
Yahoo! News features work of UC theoretical physicist
By Michael Miller, 513-556-6757, michael.miller3@uc.edu
Yahoo! News featured a study by a University of Cincinnati theoretical physicist that explains how fusion reactors might be useful for creating subatomic particles that could allow scientists to study dark matter.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Jure Zupan his theoretical physicist co-authors at the Fermi National Laboratory,
... Show Full Article
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Dec. 23 (TNSjou) -- The University of Cincinnati issued the following news:
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Fusion reactors may be key to uncovering dark matter
Yahoo! News features work of UC theoretical physicist
By Michael Miller, 513-556-6757, michael.miller3@uc.edu
Yahoo! News featured a study by a University of Cincinnati theoretical physicist that explains how fusion reactors might be useful for creating subatomic particles that could allow scientists to study dark matter.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Jure Zupan his theoretical physicist co-authors at the Fermi National Laboratory,MIT and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology discussed this possibility in a paper published in the Journal of High Energy Physics.
Dark matter has never been observed directly, but physicists believe it represents a majority of the mass in the universe that is attributed to matter. Dark matter is called dark because unlike normal matter it does not absorb or reflect light. Nevertheless, physicists have identified its existence through its gravitational effects, modifying motion of galaxies in the universe and stars in the galaxies. One of the main theoretical possibilities for dark matter is that it is a very light particle, the so-called axion.
Yahoo! News shared a story that first appeared in the science outlet The Brighter Side of News.
In their paper, Zupan and his colleagues considered a fusion reactor powered by deuterium and tritium in a vessel lined by lithium that is being developed in a global collaboration in the south of France. Such a reactor would produce not only energy but potentially also dark sector particles due to a large flux of neutrons that will be created in a fusion reactor.
"Neutrons interact with material in the walls. The resulting nuclear reactions can then create new particles," he said.
Their theories would solve a problem addressed in three episodes of the hit CBS show "The Big Bang Theory," which ran from 2007 to 2019. In Season 5, the problem was presented on whiteboards in the apartment of fictional physicists Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter.
Read the Brighter Side of News story (https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/fusion-reactors-may-be-the-key-to-uncovering-dark-matter-particles/).
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/12/national-news-outlets-highlight-uc-physicists-work-on-dark-matter.html
University of Birmingham: Gut Bacteria Changes at the Earliest Stages of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
BIRMINGHAM, England, Dec. 23 (TNSjou) -- The University of Birmingham issued the following news:
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Gut bacteria changes at the earliest stages of inflammatory bowel disease
International study of microbiome data finds loss of beneficial bacteria and increase in bacteria from mouth lower in the gut.
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Patients experience significant changes in gut bacteria at the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a new international study has found - offering new hope for earlier diagnosis and future treatments.
Published today in Gastroenterology, the study was led by academics from the University
... Show Full Article
BIRMINGHAM, England, Dec. 23 (TNSjou) -- The University of Birmingham issued the following news:
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Gut bacteria changes at the earliest stages of inflammatory bowel disease
International study of microbiome data finds loss of beneficial bacteria and increase in bacteria from mouth lower in the gut.
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Patients experience significant changes in gut bacteria at the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a new international study has found - offering new hope for earlier diagnosis and future treatments.
Published today in Gastroenterology, the study was led by academics from the Universityof Birmingham and is the first to combine raw microbiome data from multiple studies. The team analysed data from more than 1,700 children and adults across 11 countries who have been recently diagnosed and before starting any treatment.
The findings reveal that people newly diagnosed with the most common IBD subtypes, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, lose beneficial anaerobic bacteria that help with digestion of complex carbohydrates. Patients instead experience a rise in oxygen-tolerant bacteria from the mouth that travel in the gut.
Dr Peter Rimmer from the University of Birmingham and Consultant Gastroenterologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, and joint lead author of the study said: "While previous research has suggested that a shift toward oxygen-tolerant bacteria and a loss of beneficial anaerobes may be involved in IBD, this is the first study to demonstrate these changes so clearly at the onset of disease - and across multiple international datasets.
"This research gives us a clearer picture of what's happening in the gut at the very start of IBD. Our findings suggest that changes in gut oxygen levels and the migration of bacteria from the mouth to the gut may play a key role in triggering inflammation - and these patterns could pave the way for earlier diagnosis and new treatments for IBD patients."
The study supports the 'oxygen hypothesis', the idea that increased oxygen in the gut lining may disrupt the delicate balance of the microbiome, contributing to disease. It also highlights the presence of oral bacteria such as Granulicatella and Haemophilus in the gut, which may offer new targets for treatment or prevention.
Key findings
* IBD patients have fewer anti-inflammatory bacteria,
* At IBD onset there is a rise in bacteria that thrive in oxygen, including species normally found in the mouth,
* Differences were observed between stool and biopsy samples, and between children and adults,
* Microbiome patterns varied by geographic region, underscoring the need for global data to support future studies and improve clinical outcomes, and
* There was marked variability in the analytical methods employed to study the microbiome across the data analysed, highlighting the need for standardisation in the field.
These findings could support the development of innovative diagnostic tools for earlier detection of IBD and point to promising new treatment strategies that target the microbiome or modify oxygen levels in the gut, particularly for newly diagnosed patients and those at high risk.
Professor Tariq Iqbal, joint senior author of the study, Director of the University of Birmingham's Microbiome Treatment Centre, and theme lead for the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre's Oral, Intestinal and Systemic Health research theme said: "This study demonstrates the value of collaborative research in the microbiome field. By combining global data and advanced bioinformatics, we're moving closer to personalised, non-drug therapies that could transform how we treat chronic gut conditions like IBD."
Professor Morris Gordon, Co-director of the Biomedical Evidence Synthesis and Translation to practice (BEST) unit and Professor of Evidence Synthesis and Systematic Review at the University of Lancashire said: "This unique study combined significant clinical, scientific and evidence synthesis expertise to identify the unique conditions in the gut at the time of diagnosing this condition. This opens up avenues to investigate regarding screening, diagnosis and therapies."
The project was delivered through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre and collaborators from the University of New South Wales (Australia), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the University of Lancashire, and the University of Dundee. The NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre is funded to improve outcomes for people with inflammatory conditions, and among the research themes is a focus on oral, intestinal and systematic health.
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Notes for editors
Full citation: Rimmer, S., et al, 2025, The Gut Microbiome at the Onset of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Unified Bioinformatic Synthesis, Gastroenterology, DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.09.014
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About the National Institute for Health and Care Research
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
* Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
* Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
* Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
* Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
* Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
* Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.
The NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is part of the NIHR and hosted by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT) in partnership with the University of Birmingham (UoB). The BRC's research programme focuses on inflammation and the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of its associated long-term illnesses.
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About the University of Lancashire
The University of Lancashire is one of the UK's leading modern universities, located in Preston, Lancashire, with additional UK campuses in Burnley and Westlakes. Established in 1828 as the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge, the University has grown into a vibrant, international institution with a strong commitment to academic excellence, student success, and impactful research.
The University plays a vital role in the regional economy, contributing over pound sterling300 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) to Lancashire annually. It is actively supporting the advancement of Lancashire's priority growth sectors, including Cyber and Digital Security, Health and Health Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing.
Home to a diverse staff and student community of around 32,000 people, including 1,600 degree apprentices, the University offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes across multiple disciplines. Nearly 40% of its graduates go on to live and work in Lancashire, demonstrating the University's strong commitment to the region's social and economic development.
The University is proud to be a leader in widening access to higher education for people from underrepresented groups, helping to create opportunities and transform lives. It is known for its emphasis on real-world learning, industry engagement, and career development, supported by world-class facilities and a global network of academic and business partnerships.
The University's research is recognised for its real-world relevance and global impact, particularly in areas such as health, digital technology, sustainability, and social policy.
For more information, visit the website (http://www.lancashire.ac.uk/).
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Original text here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/gut-bacteria-changes-at-the-earliest-stages-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease
London Business School: From Paperclips to AI Risk
LONDON, England, Dec. 23 -- London Business School issued the following news:
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From paperclips to AI risk
Dr Linda Yueh on ethics, cyber resilience and why old technology is suddenly useful again
Measured words, serious risks
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A light touch can still carry serious weight, and London Business School's Dr Linda Yueh demonstrated exactly that in a wide ranging conversation on SiriusXM's Business Briefing, where a relaxed exchange with host Janet Alvarez became an incisive tour of the real risks and responsibilities shaping artificial intelligence today.
Welcoming Yueh back to the programme
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Dec. 23 -- London Business School issued the following news:
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From paperclips to AI risk
Dr Linda Yueh on ethics, cyber resilience and why old technology is suddenly useful again
Measured words, serious risks
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A light touch can still carry serious weight, and London Business School's Dr Linda Yueh demonstrated exactly that in a wide ranging conversation on SiriusXM's Business Briefing, where a relaxed exchange with host Janet Alvarez became an incisive tour of the real risks and responsibilities shaping artificial intelligence today.
Welcoming Yueh back to the programmewith seasonal good cheer, Alvarez set a conversational tone, but what followed was not small talk. Yueh used the conversation to untangle some of the most pressing questions around AI governance, cybercrime and the growing gap between technological capability and institutional preparedness.
One of the central themes of the discussion was the absence of global standards for AI. While the technology itself moves seamlessly across borders, governance remains fragmented, national and often reactive. Yueh pointed out that the UK has taken an early lead in this area, establishing AI safety initiatives and convening international conversations that bring governments and private firms into the same room.
Yet safety, she argued, is only part of the story. Much public debate focuses on what AI produces, such as recommendations, predictions, automated decisions, while far less attention is paid to what goes into these systems in the first place. The ethics of how generative AI models are coded, trained and constrained is an area still lagging behind their rapid deployment.
From paperclips to systemic failure
That distinction matters. Popular culture is full of familiar cautionary tales, from superintelligent machines to runaway algorithms. Yueh referenced a recently published book bluntly titled If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, which revives the classic thought experiment of an AI instructed to make paper clips and optimising the task until the world itself becomes raw material - literally, a world full of paperclips! The example drew laughter on air, but the point was precise: poorly specified objectives can produce catastrophic outcomes, even without malicious intent.
The conversation then shifted from theory to practice. AI is not just a hypothetical future risk but a present day tool in cybercrime. Yueh noted how convincingly deepfakes can now replicate voices with only seconds of audio, making impersonation scams far harder to detect. The problem, she suggested, is not just technological sophistication but human trust.
Recent cyberattacks on major UK firms illustrated the scale of the challenge. In some cases, companies were forced to shut down entire IT systems for months. One supermarket chain reverted to paper invoices across its stores simply to calculate tax liabilities, a striking reminder that digital resilience still depends on analogue fallbacks.
Old tools for new threats
From these incidents, Yueh drew two practical lessons. First, businesses must build redundancy into their systems, planning not just for breaches but for how to continue operating once they occur. Second, verification protocols may need to become almost quaintly old fashioned. If a CEO appears on a call demanding an urgent transfer, it may soon be prudent to ask for a company "safe word". Not because it is foolproof, but because it reintroduces friction into processes that criminals increasingly exploit for their speed.
As Yueh put it with dry understatement, what looks like old technology may turn out to be the most reliable safeguard. In an age of cloud storage and synthetic voices, a handwritten check or a spoken password might once again have a role to play.
The full discussion can be listened to here: bit.ly/4p64G5Z
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Original text here: https://www.london.edu/news/paperclips-safe-words-and-the-real-risks-of-ai
Flinders University: Sip Smart This Festive Season
BEDFORD PARK, Australia, Dec. 23 -- Flinders University issued the following news:
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Sip smart this festive season
Almost half of Australian teenagers who drink alcohol say they get it from their parents, prompting fresh warnings from researchers as families prepare for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
A Flinders University study released late last year, showed parental supply remains the most common source of alcohol for adolescents, despite health guidelines recommending young people avoid drinking until at least 18.
The national survey of 1,197 parents found more than 40 per cent
... Show Full Article
BEDFORD PARK, Australia, Dec. 23 -- Flinders University issued the following news:
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Sip smart this festive season
Almost half of Australian teenagers who drink alcohol say they get it from their parents, prompting fresh warnings from researchers as families prepare for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
A Flinders University study released late last year, showed parental supply remains the most common source of alcohol for adolescents, despite health guidelines recommending young people avoid drinking until at least 18.
The national survey of 1,197 parents found more than 40 per centbelieve an acceptable drinking age is 17 or younger, and 11 per cent admitted giving alcohol for unsupervised use. Nearly half thought other parents were doing the same.
Professor Jacqueline Bowden, Director of the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, says the festive season is a critical time to rethink habits.
"The season is about connection, not consumption. Research shows that parental supply increases the chance of risky drinking and that the cues we model at home matter," says Professor Bowden from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
"Simple choices like offering truly alcohol-free options, setting clear expectations and talking openly about why waiting is safer can make a real difference."
Researchers also warn that zero-alcohol drinks may not be the safe alternative many assume. Experiments found teenagers exposed to zero-alcohol advertising reacted almost the same way as they did to ads for alcoholic beverages, with most images triggering alcohol-related associations.
Experts say this could reinforce drinking culture rather than reduce it, especially when these products look and taste like alcohol and are sold in places where traditional alcohol is restricted.
Alcohol remains a Group 1 carcinogen and is a major contributor to disease burden and death among Australians aged 15 to 24.
"The rise of zero-alcohol products adds complexity to efforts to delay and reduce adolescent exposure," says Professor Bowden.
Gendered risks are also in focus. National profiling shows more than 300,000 Australian women regularly drink at very high-risk levels -- defined as 11 or more standard drinks in a single sitting at least once a month.
While men are more likely overall to drink heavily, women face unique vulnerabilities, including greater susceptibility to severe alcohol-related health problems.
Professor Bowden says families don't need to avoid alcohol altogether to make celebrations safer.
"Families can enjoy celebrations without normalising alcohol. Practical steps include planning non-alcoholic rituals, keeping alcohol out of youth-focused activities and choosing drinks that don't mimic the branding of alcoholic products," she says.
"With many teens already choosing not to drink, we believe there is momentum to make gatherings safer and more inclusive without sacrificing joy or tradition."
Support and advice are available through the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Hotline.
These findings form part of a body of work led by Flinders University's National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), based on multiple peer-reviewed studies published between 2023 and 2025 in health and behavioural science journals.
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Original text here: https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2025/12/23/sip-smart-this-festive-season/
City St George's: Children Face Punishment Because of Unaffordable School Uniforms, Poll Reveals
LONDON, England, Dec. 23 -- City St George's, University of London issued the following news:
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Children face punishment because of unaffordable school uniforms, new poll reveals
Two in five parents still struggling to afford uniforms despite moves to limit branded items, finds research co-authored by Dr Matt Barnes.
By Eve Lacroix, Senior Communications Officer
Thousands of children are being unfairly punished and excluded from education activities because their families cannot afford expensive school uniforms, according to new research conducted by Dr Matt Barnes, Senior Lecturer in
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Dec. 23 -- City St George's, University of London issued the following news:
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Children face punishment because of unaffordable school uniforms, new poll reveals
Two in five parents still struggling to afford uniforms despite moves to limit branded items, finds research co-authored by Dr Matt Barnes.
By Eve Lacroix, Senior Communications Officer
Thousands of children are being unfairly punished and excluded from education activities because their families cannot afford expensive school uniforms, according to new research conducted by Dr Matt Barnes, Senior Lecturer inSociology at City St George's, University of London for The Children's Society.
In a poll conducted among 3,000 parents across the UK, the charity found that more than two in five children (44%) experienced negative consequences due to unaffordable school uniforms. Shockingly, punishments included detentions (12%), isolation (9%), and even exclusions (8%).
Secondary school children faced the harshest treatment, with one in eight (12%) being placed in isolation for uniform breaches out of their control.
Cost pressures remain severe for families, with two in five parents (38%) reporting ongoing difficulties affording mandatory uniforms and PE kits. Despite minor improvements, such as increased availability of second-hand uniforms, 42% of parents said uniform costs had not become more affordable in the last year.
The data shows widespread support among parents (78%) for the urgent introduction of a statutory limit. Parents on average chose three branded uniform items when asked if an item limit was introduced. Currently, schools require an average of five branded items for primary school children and six for secondary, well above what parents say is necessary or affordable.
Mark Russell, CEO at The Children's Society said:
"Punishing children for circumstances outside their control is deeply unjust. Every child should be able to attend school without fear of detention, isolation, or exclusion because of uniform costs their families cannot afford
"With school uniform costs still crippling family budgets, we welcome the proposed limit of three branded items as set out in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill urge the government to implement it, especially as parents overwhelmingly support this much needed change.
"At a time when many families are already struggling to afford the basics, we can't let the cost of school uniforms make life even harder for children."
Dr Barnes added:
"These findings show that despite recent progress, too many families are still under real pressure to afford school uniform. The strong support for limiting branded items makes clear that parents want practical, affordable solutions."
"I hope the Government moves quickly to implement the new limit on the number of branded uniform items school can have, and that schools review and amend their uniform policies accordingly."
"A small change in policy can make a big difference to families struggling with everyday living costs."
The poll highlights that school jumpers, cardigans, PE tops, and ties remain the most commonly required branded items, significantly inflating costs. The survey also reveals regional hotspots where parents struggle most, notably Northern Ireland (44%), Wales (42%), and major cities including Brighton (52%) and Norwich (48%).
Ahead of the summer break, when families traditionally face mounting uniform bills for September, The Children's Society is also promoting increased access to uniform banks and affordable second-hand uniform options, collaborating with charity shops and community initiatives across the UK.
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Original text here: https://www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2025/december/parents-struggle-to-afford-school-uniforms
2025 at Carthage: The year in review
KENOSHA, Wisconsin, Dec. 23 -- Carthage College issued the following news:
[Category: Education]
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2025 at Carthage: The year in review
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As the anticipation builds for another great year in 2026, let's recap some of Carthage College's most memorable moments from the past 12 months.
January
2030 VISION
President John Swallow outlined his bold vision for the next five years at Carthage with a Q&A in The Carthaginian magazine. That vision hinges on meeting four concrete goals by 2030: growing total enrollment to 3,000; raising the retention rate to 85 percent with no equity gaps;
... Show Full Article
KENOSHA, Wisconsin, Dec. 23 -- Carthage College issued the following news:
[Category: Education]
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2025 at Carthage: The year in review
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As the anticipation builds for another great year in 2026, let's recap some of Carthage College's most memorable moments from the past 12 months.
January
2030 VISION
President John Swallow outlined his bold vision for the next five years at Carthage with a Q&A in The Carthaginian magazine. That vision hinges on meeting four concrete goals by 2030: growing total enrollment to 3,000; raising the retention rate to 85 percent with no equity gaps;boosting fundraising to $10 million per year; and upgrading several programmatic buildings while beginning to modernize the legacy residence halls.
Magazine story | President's bio
STUDY ABROAD RANKING
As shown in the latest "Open Doors" report from the Institute of International Education, Carthage ranked No. 8 in its category for the number of students taking part in short-term study abroad. This recognition underscored the massive popularity of the College's faculty-led J-Term study tours.
Story | 2026 study tours
NSF GRANT
Chemistry professor Erin Weber received a National Science Foundation grant worth $498,000 to develop tools that detect a devastating potato virus. The grant funds summer research students, new high-end lab equipment, a research technician, and students' travel to professional conferences.
News release | Carthage research website
February
OVATION AWARD
The Kenosha Area Business Alliance presented a Forward Award to Carthage for driving progress and fostering growth throughout the county. President Swallow accepted the award during KABA's annual Ovation Awards ceremony on Feb. 6.
Story
CONFERENCE CHAMPS
For the first time since 2010, the men's basketball team won the outright conference championship and made the NCAA Division III tournament. The Firebirds finished 14-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and 21-7 overall to complete a four-year turnaround under Coach Steve Djurickovic.
Magazine story | Live streaming schedule
DRONE COMPETITION
Twenty teams of middle- and high-school students showcased their drone piloting skills in the inaugural Wisconsin Aerial Jam, which the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (based at Carthage) and NASA Langley Research Center co-hosted at the TARC. The event returns to campus Jan. 31, 2026.
2026 volunteer form
Ready to make your own memories?
March
PASTORAL ENDOWMENT
Donors established the Dudley Riggle Endowed Chair for Campus Ministry to strengthen the College's spiritual foundation, and Carthage formally installed the Rev. Adam Miller-Stubbendick as the first recipient. The endowment's namesake, a beloved retired pastor and professor, attended the installation ceremony and took part in a panel discussion.
Story | Pastor Adam bio
VERBATIM THEATRE AT 10
The sold-out premiere of "Terminal Exhale," an original play derived from interviews with healthcare workers who treat victims of gun violence, marked 10 years of Carthage's Verbatim Theatre Project. About 50 regional professionals attended a companion seminar, "Healing the Healers," on campus March 29.
Story | Theatre program website
April
COACHING MILESTONE
When the Firebirds won the nightcap of an April 8 doubleheader against Augustana, it gave head softball coach Amy Gillmore '94, M.Ed. '04, her 600th career win in her 28th season. Her leadoff hitter, Clare Rettler '26, hit.618 to repeat as the NCAA Division III batting champion.
Softball team website | Live streaming schedule
May
LARGEST GRADUATING CLASS
The Class of 2025 received a rousing sendoff during Commencement weekend, as activities moved to the higher-capacity TARC Field House. Including students who finished requirements over the summer, 650 students completed their studies during the 2024-25 year Carthage's largest-ever graduating class.
Hired Before Graduation feature | Commencement photo albums: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
CHAPEL RENOVATIONS
A.F. Siebert Chapel reopened after being offline for much of the spring while workers upgraded the sound system and replaced a pair of air handling units for heating and cooling. Kenosha philanthropist Grace Kolakowski funded the project with a $2 million commitment.
Faith and spirituality website
See the Carthage community up close!
June
Credit: Courtesy of Magic Dreams Productions
MISS WISCONSIN
Just weeks after graduating from Carthage, Willow Newell '25 made history as the first Black woman to be crowned Miss Wisconsin. After representing her state in the Miss America competition, she resumed her yearlong term, promoting inclusion in the arts as her service initiative.
Story | Miss America video
NURSING LAB
Renovations got underway on the lower level of Hedberg Library, where a new nursing lab is being added to supplement the Nursing Education Center in Lentz Hall. The addition will more than quadruple Carthage's total nursing space, and the campus community should get its first look in February.
Nursing program video
July
SCHOOL OF HEALTH LAUNCH
To meet the rising demand for healthcare workers, Carthage announced plans to open a School of Health, which brought thriving academic programs like nursing and neuroscience together under one umbrella and paved the way for new offerings in emerging fields. The new school's dean, Paul Martino, and other leaders met with 75+ community stakeholders to gauge workforce needs. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
Story | Program list
NEW BOARD CHAIR
The Carthage Board of Trustees elected community leader and retired businesswoman Gina Madrigrano Friebus '76 as chair for the next three years. Ms. Madrigrano Friebus joined the board in 2011, the same year she received the Distinguished Alumni Award. She succeeded Jeff Hamar '80 as chair.
Story
FIRST ENGINEERING CO-OPS
Halfway through their yearlong engineering co-ops, a feature story highlighted Savannah Reisner '27, Blake Norgaard '27, and Rodolfo Martinez '27 as the first students in the optional add-on program. During a co-op year, engineering students gain full-time, paid work experience with local companies while taking a pair of two-credit courses.
Story | Engineering video
BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
Carthage introduced a major and minor in biotechnology, one of the faster-growing areas in scientific research. Program coordinator Emily Wollmuth noted the proximity to industry-leading companies like Lilly, the developer of drugs like Zepbound, which plans a massive expansion just miles from campus.
Story | Biotechnology website
August
RECORD ENROLLMENT
While other schools in the region continued to report sharp enrollment declines, Carthage welcomed a record-setting first-year class in fall 2025. The official census count on Oct. 15 showed 926 freshmen and 101 transfer students. Total full-time undergraduate enrollment, which has risen 9% over the past six years, reached an all-time high with 2,873 students.
Move-in highlight video
MENTORING PROGRAM
The Aspire Center and Office of Advancement matched 60 alumni volunteers with students for the 2025-26 cohort in a growing mentorship program. The pairs meet virtually throughout the academic year, culminating with an in-person event that will be scheduled in spring.
Program website
NEW COALITION CHAIR
The Business and Professional Coalition welcomed a new chair, highly accomplished Kenosha Area Business Alliance president Nicole Ryf. Under the theme "Wisconsin Horizons," the coalition's 2025-26 programs have already explored labor economics and the healthcare industry's educational needs.
Recording: Labor economist Ron Hetrick | Recap: Healthcare panel
Hibernating for the winter?
September
HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP
In partnership with Froedtert South healthcare system, Carthage began offering both scholarships and assurances of employment to students in the monthlong Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program and the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. A financial commitment from retired hospital administrator Tom Duncan and his wife, Jan, made this possible.
Story | CNA program website
HOMECOMING EXPANSION
For the first time, Carthage held class reunions in five-year increments during Homecoming and Family Weekend, giving many more alumni a chance to reconnect. Volunteers from class years ending in 1 or 6 are already planning activities for the 2026 celebration.
Highlight video | FanFest photos
YOUTH SPORTS CLINICS
A new Carthage Athletics initiative, "Train Like a Firebird: Ember's Sports Clinics," kicked off with free 90-minute sessions at the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha for young athletes (grades 1-8) of all skill levels. More than 220 kids signed up for three fall clinics, and families can still register for several in spring.
Clinic schedule
October
NASA RESEARCH PRIZE
A research team led by Carthage professor Kevin Crosby won a NASA TechLeap Prize worth up to $500,000, funding development of potentially important technology for future space exploration. Their project, one of 10 selected in the Space Technology Payload Challenge, involves an innovative method designed to make in-space refueling more efficient.
Story | Space sciences website
AIDES TO TEACHERS
The Education Department launched an AA to BA plus licensure pilot program that creates a pipeline for school paraprofessionals to become full-time teachers. Taught by Carthage faculty, seven Milwaukee Academy of Science teaching assistants are working toward their bachelor's degrees.
Story | Education program video
November
CROSS COUNTRY STAR
On Nov. 1, Jacob Curulewski '26 won the individual conference title in men's cross country, breaking North Central runners' 15-year streak at the Nov. 1 CCIW meet. Three weeks later, he finished eighth at the NCAA Division III championships to become the program's first All-American since 1973.
Story | Student-athlete profiles
DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORS
Community members gathered Nov. 17 to honor Julius Crump, the first appointee to the Rev. Raymon L. Pedersen Distinguished Professorship in Social Change. Carthage trustee LeAnn Pedersen Pope '79 committed $1.5 million for the endowed position. A similar event was held earlier in the year for Joey Tenuta, the College's new Rogers Palmer Distinguished Professor in Business.
Prof. Crump radio interview | Prof. Tenuta event recap
FACULTY FULBRIGHT
Alongside Carthage's extensive track record of student fellowships, psychological science professor Melanie Nyhof was selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar. Since arriving in Indonesia in November, she's been researching children's beliefs about death and the afterlife in the distinctive Tana Toraja region.
Story | Student fellowship website
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December
WASSAIL WONDERLAND
The 151st annual Carthage Christmas Festival featured access to the new Wassail Wonderland before each performance. Attendees who selected that ticket package enjoyed a glowing forest of Christmas trees, festive food and drinks, creative activities, regional vendors, and holiday photo spots.
Photos: Concerts | Wassail Wonderland
To all of the Carthaginians who made 2025 so impactful, thank you and Happy New Year!
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Original text here: https://www.carthage.edu/live/news/2025-year-in-review
