Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
UCCS Students See Fungi Successfully Launched Into Space
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 9 -- The University of Colorado issued the following news release:
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UCCS students see fungi successfully launched into space
With a project over a year in the making, UCCS students and one Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) student were able to see their efforts realized when their microgravity experiment on fungi and its ability to dissolve metals was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station (ISS).
UCCS seniors Joseph Bate (Physics major and primary investigator for this project), Tristan Dwyer (Biology major),
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 9 -- The University of Colorado issued the following news release:
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UCCS students see fungi successfully launched into space
With a project over a year in the making, UCCS students and one Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) student were able to see their efforts realized when their microgravity experiment on fungi and its ability to dissolve metals was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station (ISS).
UCCS seniors Joseph Bate (Physics major and primary investigator for this project), Tristan Dwyer (Biology major),Evan Martin (Aerospace Engineering major), junior William Shimel (Chemistry major), and PPSC sophomore Cody Leeper (Aerospace Engineering major) worked together on their project "Fungal Bioleaching in Microgravity: Fungal Approaches to Metal Recovery," which was one of only twenty-one proposals chosen for the ISS opportunity, out of over 1,000 submitted.
While the original launch date was set for May 13, weather complications pushed the launch back a few days. This meant that a few of the team's students were unable to see the launch in person as expected, but they still accomplished an amazing feat that took hard work and effort to prepare and test.
The research itself explores the ability of filamentous fungi in "bioleaching," the process of extracting metals from electronic waste. The team is testing how the fungi performs in space compared to on Earth by studying metal concentration, acid production, fungal growth patterns, and metal adsorption onto fungal biomass once the specimen is returned to Earth. More specifically, the students will examine how microgravity influences the ability of filamentous fungi to dissolve nickel oxide into nickel ions.
Possible benefits from this research include better recycling of waste that is already present, potential for off-world mining of limited resources and a more sustainable way of resource gathering.
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Original text here: https://news.uccs.edu/2026/06/08/uccs-students-see-fungi-successfully-launched-into-space/
UC Irvine Study Finds Folic Acid Access Gaps That May Increase Birth Defects Risks
IRVINE, California, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
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UC Irvine study finds folic acid access gaps that may increase birth defects risks
Insurance coverage, healthcare access influence whether women get required amounts
* Women lacking adequate health insurance were significantly less likely to take recommended amounts of folic acid to help prevent serious birth defects, UC Irvine researchers found.
* The nationwide study analyzed health data from more than 85,000 women and found that healthcare access and other structural
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IRVINE, California, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
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UC Irvine study finds folic acid access gaps that may increase birth defects risks
Insurance coverage, healthcare access influence whether women get required amounts
* Women lacking adequate health insurance were significantly less likely to take recommended amounts of folic acid to help prevent serious birth defects, UC Irvine researchers found.
* The nationwide study analyzed health data from more than 85,000 women and found that healthcare access and other structuralbarriers may play a larger role in folic acid use than birthplace alone.
* Researchers say the findings can aid public health efforts focused on improving preventive care access, culturally responsive outreach and folic acid fortification initiatives.
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Access to healthcare and insurance coverage strongly influence whether women take recommended amounts of folic acid to help prevent serious birth defects, according to University of California, Irvine researchers using the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program data.
The study, published in the Journal of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, analyzed health data from more than 85,000 women ages 18 to 49 across the U.S. Researchers examined how race, ethnicity, insurance coverage, income and other social factors affect folic acid consumption.
The project brought together researchers across multiple UC Irvine disciplines, including the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Department of Chicano/Latino Studies and the Department of Psychology, highlighting the value of cross-divisional collaboration in addressing public health disparities.
Folic acid, a form of vitamin B, helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly, which develop early in pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. National guidelines recommend daily folic acid for women who could become pregnant, but researchers found overall use remains low.
Women without health insurance were significantly less likely to report taking folic acid supplements, according to the study. Older pregnant women, in particular, were more likely to use supplements, which researchers said may reflect greater access to healthcare providers and prenatal care.
The study also examined racial and ethnic differences in supplement use. Non-Hispanic Black women were more likely than non-Hispanic White women to report taking folic acid supplements. Among Hispanic participants, researchers found no significant difference between U.S.-born and foreign-born women. Instead, age, being pregnant, educational attainment and health insurance coverage were associated with supplementation within this group.
The findings suggest that structural barriers, particularly healthcare access, may play a larger role in folic acid use than birthplace alone.
"Preventing neural tube defects begins long before pregnancy, which is why access to healthcare and preventive education is so important for all women of reproductive age," said corresponding author Yael Marks, health sciences assistant clinical professor in the School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. "Our findings show that structural barriers like insurance coverage can strongly influence whether women receive this simple but lifesaving intervention."
Co-author Isabel Almeida with the Department of Chicano/Latino Studies and Department of Psychology said the research's interdisciplinary emphasis provided a broader understanding of how social and cultural factors influence preventive healthcare access.
"This collaboration allowed us to examine folic acid supplementation not only as a medical issue, but also through the lens of social inequities and healthcare access," Almeida said. "Bringing together researchers from different disciplines helps us better understand the barriers communities face and identify more effective public health solutions."
Researchers said the findings can help inform public health efforts to reduce preventable birth defects through improved healthcare access, education and culturally responsive outreach.
The findings come as a growing number of states consider policies to increase folic acid fortification in corn masa flour. In January 2026, California became the first state to require folic acid fortification of corn masa flour products, including tortillas, to help reduce neural tube defects among populations that consume masa-based foods as dietary staples.
The study also supports efforts elsewhere to expand folic acid fortification in corn masa flour and tortillas, foods commonly consumed in many Hispanic households.
The All of Us Research Program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is one of the nation's largest health research initiatives and aims to enroll at least 1 million participants from diverse backgrounds to advance personalized medicine and public health research.
UC Irvine is a host site for the All of Us Research Program and includes collaborations across the School of Medicine, the Genetic Epidemiology Research Institute and other campus partners.
Additional authors include Brian Vu and Tara Mostafazadeh of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at UC Irvine.
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About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
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Original text here: https://news.uci.edu/2026/06/08/uc-irvine-study-finds-folic-acid-access-gaps-that-may-increase-birth-defects-risks/
UAMS Receives $7 Million From Windgate Foundation to Fund Scholarships and Create Endowment
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, June 9 -- The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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UAMS Receives $7 Million from Windgate Foundation to Fund Scholarships and Create Endowment
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a $7 million grant from the Windgate Foundation, UAMS announced today.
The grant will provide $1 million in funding for 15 full tuition scholarships - three scholarships in each of UAMS' five colleges - for the class entering in fall 2027, and an additional $1 million for scholarships for the class entering
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, June 9 -- The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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UAMS Receives $7 Million from Windgate Foundation to Fund Scholarships and Create Endowment
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a $7 million grant from the Windgate Foundation, UAMS announced today.
The grant will provide $1 million in funding for 15 full tuition scholarships - three scholarships in each of UAMS' five colleges - for the class entering in fall 2027, and an additional $1 million for scholarships for the class enteringin fall 2028.
This grant also establishes a $5 million endowment to support the newly created Chancellor's Scholars Program, an initiative for UAMS students that will provide full tuition and fees in UAMS' five colleges.
"We are inspired by the Windgate Foundation's commitment to education and healthcare in Arkansas, and we are phenomenally grateful for their continued support of UAMS," said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. "It's beyond words how transformative this endowment is to UAMS, not only in supporting our students but also in uplifting the state's healthcare system by helping to create a well-educated workforce."
The Windgate Foundation, based in Little Rock, is a private foundation established in 1993, whose purpose is to advance contemporary craft and strengthen visual arts education in the United States. Education, health, and community initiatives are an additional area of focus in Arkansas.
"The Windgate Foundation is committed to advancing both education and healthcare in Arkansas, and partnering with UAMS is a meaningful way we can make that happen," said Patricia Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation. "The Chancellor's Scholarship Program Endowment is about ensuring that people across our state have access to skilled, compassionate healthcare professionals in their own communities, and we look forward to seeing the difference it will make for Arkansas families."
The Windgate Foundation has partnered with UAMS since 1996 and has made contributions to the College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, the Graduate School, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, the Cord Blood Bank of Arkansas, and endowed chairs in several UAMS departments.
"The need for scholarships in the health professions is greater than ever as the cost of becoming a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health professional continues to rise faster than most families can manage. The UAMS Chancellor's Scholars Program was created last year as a way to address those challenges," said Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., UAMS provost and chief strategy officer. "For an academic health system, scholarships are not simply financial aid -- they are a workforce development strategy, a health improvement strategy, and an investment in Arkansas' future."
Chancellor's Scholars will be selected based on academic merit. Applicants must be Arkansas residents and be admitted to an eligible UAMS academic program beginning in fall 2026. Students who have completed an undergraduate degree outside Arkansas are eligible for scholarships.
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UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,015 medical residents and fellows. It is the state's largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://news.uams.edu/2026/06/08/uams-receives-7-million-from-windgate-foundation-to-fund-scholarships-and-create-endowment/
Texas A&M Engineering: Workshop Tackles AI's Lab-to-industry Divide
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, June 9 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
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New workshop tackles AI's lab-to-industry divide
A Texas A&M Initiative for Connected Intelligence (TICI) workshop is helping close the gap between academia and industry by enabling cross-field collaboration and innovation.
By Amy Leifeste, Contributor
As connected intelligence advances in engineering, new challenges arise for academia and industry to stay informed about breakthroughs across different fields. As the technology continues to evolve, collaboration across fields
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, June 9 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
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New workshop tackles AI's lab-to-industry divide
A Texas A&M Initiative for Connected Intelligence (TICI) workshop is helping close the gap between academia and industry by enabling cross-field collaboration and innovation.
By Amy Leifeste, Contributor
As connected intelligence advances in engineering, new challenges arise for academia and industry to stay informed about breakthroughs across different fields. As the technology continues to evolve, collaboration across fieldshas become essential for progress.
This spring, a Texas A&M Initiative for Connected Intelligence (TICI) workshop provided an important meeting space for leaders across a variety of industries to come together and share recent developments in smart systems.
Organized by Dr. Krishna Narayanan, associate head for AI in Texas A&M University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Dr. Srinivas Shakkottai, electrical and computer engineering professor, the two-day workshop in March featured a distinguished group of speakers, including faculty members and representatives from Qualcomm, Northwestern University, Keysight Technologies, Ericsson, FieldAI, NVIDIA and AT&T.
Overview of the TICI workshop
The workshop covered a broad range of connected intelligence topics, with panelists sharing the latest technologies in their respective industries or areas of research.
The first day of the workshop opened with an introduction to TICI and its mission to foster collaboration and establish leadership in connected intelligent systems. Faculty followed with a presentation on new advances in AI systems, while industry leaders and experts shared insights on the future of intelligent connectivity. The day's sessions also included panels on emerging communication and sensing technologies and the growing use of digital twins in advanced communication networks.
On day two, panelists explored topics including robotics and autonomous systems, AI-driven decision-making and new approaches to how intelligent systems interact with real-world environments.
"This workshop created exactly the kind of exchange we hoped for: industry researchers, faculty and students coming together to discuss emerging trends in connected intelligence," Narayanan said. "These conversations help our community understand where the field is going and open the door to future collaborations."
Student involvement
During the first day, researchers and industry leaders also attended a poster event, where students had the opportunity to present their research projects directly to industry professionals and faculty experts.
The posters covered a range of projects across AI, robotics and networked systems, adding to the day's exchange of ideas.
The session also served as a space for feedback, collaboration and exploration of students' future research directions. The event fostered dialogue around technical challenges and real-world applications, giving students access to valuable feedback and industry collaboration.
TICI's mission and impact
As connected intelligence progresses, the technology becomes increasingly complex and spans a multitude of industries and academic disciplines. The mission of TICI is to bring together faculty, students and researchers to promote collaboration and innovation across engineering disciplines.
With over 70 members across the Texas A&M Engineering campus, the group works together to advance research in AI, robotics, networking and systems technologies. By pulling in industry professionals and leading academics from other colleges, the group continues to expand its reach.
According to event officials, hosting collaborative gatherings like the TICI workshop helps to ensure that experts can explore the newest findings, collaborate on new solutions and plan for the future. The group is helping to lay technological foundations for next-generation physical intelligence, enabling collaborative, networked agents to operate across domains.
Going forward, the group plans to continue bringing in more industry leaders for workshops and events to continue expanding the initiative.
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Original text here: https://news.engineering.tamu.edu/news/2026/06/08/new-workshop-tackles-ais-lab-to-industry-divide/
Ozempic, GLP-1s May Help Curb Substance Use Disorders, UTEP Study Finds
EL PASO, Texas, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The University of Texas El Paso campus issued the following news release:
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Ozempic, GLP-1s May Help Curb Substance Use Disorders, UTEP Study Finds
Significantly lower rates of alcohol, nicotine, opioid and cocaine use disorders found among patients taking GLP-1 medications
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A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso found that use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1s is associated with a lower risk of developing alcohol, opioid, nicotine and cocaine use disorders.
The study, led by UTEP School of Pharmacy researchers
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EL PASO, Texas, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The University of Texas El Paso campus issued the following news release:
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Ozempic, GLP-1s May Help Curb Substance Use Disorders, UTEP Study Finds
Significantly lower rates of alcohol, nicotine, opioid and cocaine use disorders found among patients taking GLP-1 medications
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A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso found that use of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1s is associated with a lower risk of developing alcohol, opioid, nicotine and cocaine use disorders.
The study, led by UTEP School of Pharmacy researchersTadesse Abegaz, Ph.D., and Gabriel Frietze, Ph.D., was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. It looked at more than 142,000 cases of patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity, of which around 20,000 were prescribed GLP-1 medications. They then examined whether GLP-1 users were more or less likely to develop substance use disorders than similar counterparts who were not on the medications.
GLP-1s are a class of medications that were originally developed for treating obesity and diabetes. But emerging evidence suggests these medications may influence dopamine signaling and other neural pathways that contribute to cravings - not only of food but other substances.
"Our findings add to growing evidence that GLP-1 medications may influence more than appetite and blood sugar regulation," said lead author Abegaz. "These medications appear to affect brain pathways involved in reward and craving, which could help explain the lower rates of substance use disorders observed in our study."
The study found that people taking GLP-1 medications had:
* 74% lower odds of alcohol use disorder
* 69% lower odds of opioid use disorder
* 68% lower odds of nicotine use disorder
* 75% lower odds of cocaine use disorder
The team emphasizes that their findings do not establish cause and effect -- GLP-1s do not specifically prevent patients from abusing substances.
"We do not support prescribing these medications for addiction treatment at this time, Frietze said. "Because this was an observational study in a specific clinical population, randomized clinical trials are needed before GLP-1 medications can be recommended for treating addiction."
However, the team believes their results are promising and plan to continue studying GLP-1s' effect on substance abuse.
"Our next goal is to conduct prospective research that follows individuals initiating GLP-1 therapy over time," Abegaz said. "We aim to evaluate whether changes in the substance use behaviors occur after treatment begins and whether these changes related to improvements in mental health and quality of life.
He added, "Ultimately, this work will help inform whether GLP-1 medications could become part of future treatment strategies for substance use disorders."
Patient data for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research program, one of the nation's largest and most diverse health databases.
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Original text here: https://www.utep.edu/newsfeed/2026/june/ozempic-glp-1s-may-help-curb-substance-use-disorders-utep-study-finds.html
Mississippi College: Former MC Law Dean Receives Fifth Circuit Professionalism Award
CLINTON, Mississippi, June 9 -- Mississippi College issued the following news:
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Former MC Law dean receives Fifth Circuit professionalism award
Patricia Bennett, dean emerita of the Mississippi Christian University School of Law, received the prestigious 2026 American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit during the Fifth Circuit Judicial Conference May 5-7 in Houston, Texas.
Bennett served as dean of MC Law from 2016 until her retirement in 2022. Judge Carl E. Stewart and American Inns of Court Executive Director LTG Joseph B. Berger III (Ret.)
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CLINTON, Mississippi, June 9 -- Mississippi College issued the following news:
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Former MC Law dean receives Fifth Circuit professionalism award
Patricia Bennett, dean emerita of the Mississippi Christian University School of Law, received the prestigious 2026 American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit during the Fifth Circuit Judicial Conference May 5-7 in Houston, Texas.
Bennett served as dean of MC Law from 2016 until her retirement in 2022. Judge Carl E. Stewart and American Inns of Court Executive Director LTG Joseph B. Berger III (Ret.)presented the award.
"I am elated that I was selected for this prestigious award," Bennett said. "It is a highlight of my legal career."
Current MC Law Dean John Anderson commended Bennett on the honor.
"After more than half a decade of her leadership, Dean Bennett turned the deanship over to me with MC Law in an excellent financial and academic position," said Anderson, who also serves as the Henry Vaughan Watkins and Selby Watkins McRae Professor of Law and treasurer of the Charles Clark American Inn of Court in Jackson. "Our recent record-setting admissions, bar pass and employment numbers at MC Law are due in large part to programs and practices first adopted and developed under Dean Bennett."
Bennett began what Anderson called her "legendary" academic career at MC Law in 1989. She served as a tenured professor and director of the school's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Center until 2016, when she became dean.
Bennett also has extensive judicial experience. The Mississippi Supreme Court appointed her to oversee Hurricane Katrina litigation from 2008 to 2014. She also oversaw appeals of claims related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2011 and 2012.
Earlier, she implemented a drug treatment and rehabilitation pretrial diversion program as a special circuit judge for Hinds County. Bennett served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps while a captain in the Mississippi Army National Guard Reserve and U.S. Army Reserve from 1984 to 1992.
Among other public service positions, Bennett has served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, a special assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, and assistant district attorney for the Seventh Circuit Court District.
Bennett served as president of the Mississippi Bar Association from 2018 to 2019 and president of the Fifth Circuit Federal Bar Association from 2006 to 2008. She served as president of the Charles Clark American Inn of Court from 2014 to 2016 and as the chapter's secretary/treasurer from 2016 to 2022.
Bennett earned her undergraduate degree from Tougaloo College in 1975 and her law degree from MC Law in 1979.
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Original text here: https://www.mc.edu/news/former-mc-law-dean-receives-fifth-circuit-professionalism-award
Davenport University Professor Michigan Chronicle's Men of Excellence Honoree
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, June 9 -- Davenport University issued the following news:
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Davenport University professor Michigan Chronicle's Men of Excellence honoree
Cindy Kamerad
Davenport University's Rashid Faisal, department chair and associate professor in the College of Urban Education, has been named a 2026 Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence honoree.
Faisal, whose commitment to improving education and advancing culturally responsive educational practices has been widely recognized, was chosen for his outstanding leadership and dedication to educational excellence. He is one of 50
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GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, June 9 -- Davenport University issued the following news:
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Davenport University professor Michigan Chronicle's Men of Excellence honoree
Cindy Kamerad
Davenport University's Rashid Faisal, department chair and associate professor in the College of Urban Education, has been named a 2026 Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence honoree.
Faisal, whose commitment to improving education and advancing culturally responsive educational practices has been widely recognized, was chosen for his outstanding leadership and dedication to educational excellence. He is one of 50exceptional honorees chosen this year for their leadership and commitment to service.
The awards will take place on June 18 in Detroit.
"I am incredibly proud of the work Davenport's College of Urban Education is performing to address the teacher shortage impacting urban schools and schools across the state of Michigan," Faisal said. "This award, in part, recognizes the college's strong commitment to community engagement and partnership development. In particular, it acknowledges our outreach efforts working collaboratively with Pre-K-12 schools, community colleges, museums, libraries, literacy advocacy organizations and other community-based institutions."
The Men of Excellence Awards is presented by the Michigan Chronicle and Real Times Media. It recognizes African American men in Southeast Michigan who inspire others through excellence, vision, leadership and community service. During its 18-year history, the program has honored more than 900 influential leaders in business, faith, education, politics and community service.
"We are immensely proud of Dr. Faisal for this well-deserved recognition," said Dr. Richard Pappas, Davenport University president. "His commitment to addressing Michigan's teacher shortage exemplifies the transformative impact that university faculty can have on our communities and our state. Through innovative research, meaningful partnerships and a deep dedication to preparing the next generation of educators, he has helped advance solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing our schools today."
For more information about the Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence Awards, visit MichiganChronicle.com.
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Original text here: https://post.davenport.edu/academics/davenport-university-professor-michigan-chronicles-men-of-excellence-honoree/
