Members of Western Michigan University’s College of Health and Human Services came together Sunday morning at Kalamazoo Valley Community College to participate in NAMIWalks, supporting mental health awareness and the work of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

MidWest Enterprises for the Blind (MWEB), together with Western Michigan University’s College of Health and Human Services Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, invites individuals, families and community members of all ages and abilities to participate in the 2026 White Cane 5K.

New partnership expands opportunities for organizational change leadership students to connect with global scholars, practitioners and professional networks.

Western Michigan University students in the Broncos Lead Internship Program partnered with the city of Kalamazoo to advance local sustainability and zero-waste initiatives. Through hands-on behavioral science research, graduate interns are boosting recycling efforts at public spaces like downtown Kalamazoo and the local farmers market. This collaboration provides students with valuable career experience while helping the city achieve its long-term environmental goals.

Through her Broncos Lead internship with At Bat, Ja’Nya Dials gained valuable professional experience helping to elevate the profile of a nonprofit organization while also making a difference in her community.

Aiden Lambert, a multimedia arts technology student, beat out applicants from across the country to land an audio production internship at the epicenter of rock music: the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In his experience, he learned from professionals and had opportunities to work concerts for touring bands.

Alejandro Azofeifa, Ph.D., an alumnus of Western Michigan University’s Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Ph.D. Program, is the lead author of a new article in JAMA examining 25 years of lessons and public health impacts from the World Trade Center Health Program.

Other agenda items the trustees will consider include a donation of real estate to the city of Kalamazoo, a personnel report and two curriculum proposals.

WMU Study Abroad will take students to India this year on a new trip to mark the 30th anniversary of Western Michigan University’s strong and long-standing partnership with Christ University in Bangalore. To celebrate, the Haenicke Institute for Global Education will cover program fees and airfare.

Six Western Michigan University students received the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship in 2026, gaining new perspectives and building their confidence to learn and work abroad. 

Dr. Laura Dinehart, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, has been appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the Every Child Reads Champions Council, bringing her expertise in early learning, literacy and educator preparation to statewide efforts to improve reading outcomes for Michigan children.

Before Tim Twentyman, longtime senior writer and insider for the Detroit Lions, was a household name among die-hard Honolulu blue fans, he wrote about Bronco football for the Western Herald and interned at a local television station while getting his bachelor’s degree. He credits his ascent into his NFL dream job to all that Experience-Driven Learning: “Everything I have I can trace back to my time in 1998, walking onto that Western Michigan University campus in Kalamazoo. Western turned a young kid’s love of sports into a career path.”

Thousands of new Broncos moved onto campus for the first time, greeted by eager students, staff and community volunteers. Along with the excitement of a new year comes the opening of WMU’s newest residence hall, Valley Oaks, where first-year students are getting settled in and connected to resources to help them thrive in their college journey.