Western Michigan University news and update highlights for December 19-25, 2014. This week’s campus photo features the Oliver Street and Stadium Drive entrance to campus. It’s almost a new year and to celebrate, we’ve compiled the top 10 MyWMU.com stories from 2014. Enjoy!
What do Tom Hanks, an Industrial Engineering student, and a Bronco defenseman-turned-chiropractor have in common? They were all topics from some of this year’s top stories on MyWMU.com.
A Dream Internship
Western Michigan University student Tyler Siems (sophomore, Theatre) planned for a pretty normal year on campus. He was enrolled full time and worked as a residence hall assistant in Britton-Hadley. But near the end of the fall semester, a phone call turned his normal year upside down. Read more.
A Dream Job
Cody Janczewski received his degree in April 2014, but he left campus weeks before that to pursue his career. Cody received a job offer from Broadway’s largest and most reputable marketing firm, Serino/Coyne, and left for NYC in early April. Read more.
Top Student
Kyle E. Croes (BS ’14, Industrial Engineering) is the 2014 first-place winner of the Institute of Industrial Engineers' James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence. The top award is made to just one undergraduate in the nation who has provided distinguished service to industrial engineering through excellence in scholarship and campus leadership. The award was presented at IIE's annual national conference in early June in Montreal. Read more.
Alumni Party Gets ‘Big’
In the 1988 hit movie 'Big,' main character Josh Baskin makes a wish and wakes up the next morning—big, the adult character played by Tom Hanks. A group of Bronco Alumni are currently experiencing an eerily similar situation, well, maybe not eerie, and maybe not all that similar—but they definitely experienced the feeling of getting 'big.' Read more.
Most Affordable, Eco-Friendly in Michigan
Western Michigan University has been named one of the nation's top 50 most affordable, eco-friendly colleges by BestChoiceSchools.com. Read more.
Lifelong Broncos
The Academy of Lifelong Learning was established at Western Michigan University in 2011 as part of an effort to provide support for academic activities for older adults. In April, the academy became the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The continued commitment of WMU Emeriti to provide lifelong education has made this effort possible. Read more.
Defenseman to Doctor
When alumnus Garrett Soldano (BA ’01, Criminal Justice) attended Western Michigan University, football was his passion. Soldano played defense for the Broncos for five years before getting signed to the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately, Soldano was released from the Bears, which left him with the decision of what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Read more.
Opportunities at Orientation
Thousands of new students will visit campus for orientation this summer and begin a new chapter in life as Broncos. Read more.
Spring Staycation
While many students are off enjoying warmer climates for Spring Break, a handful of dedicated students will be on campus, participating in a schedule of activities that combine learning and serving the community. Read more.
President Dunn Elected to ACE
President John M. Dunn has been elected to serve as a member of the board of directors for the American Council on Education, the major coordinating and advocacy body for all the nation's colleges and universities. Read more.