Economics student and Presidential Scholar Rowan Moxley of Homewood, Illinois got a glimpse of his future while interning for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago over the summer.

As a Quantitative Economics and Applied Econometrics student, this opportunity seemed almost too good to be true for Rowan–and turned out to be even better than he could have expected. 

At the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (FRBC), Rowan got to exercise his programming skills and apply his own studies in mathematics through assisting with daily research projects.   

Early on, Rowan was tasked with programming a data engineering module capable of importing, organizing, and computing macroeconomic data from multiple sources. This information would then be used to help answer further questions in economic research. 

Read the full EMU Today story.

The Three Minute Thesis competition is an event that invites master’s and doctoral students to present their thesis or dissertation in an engaging, organized way--in three minutes or less! 

The 2026 winner is Master of Music student Dave Howland, who presented his thesis From Analysis to Interpretation: Performing Franz Liszt’s “Vallée d'Obermann.” Howland will go on to compete in the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools’ 3MT. 

“Dave’s exploration of Liszt’s Vallée d’Obermann reflects a thoughtful integration of analysis and performance, demonstrating how scholarship can deepen interpretive freedom,” remarked Howland’s mentor, Professor Joel Schoenhals. “His Three Minute Thesis presentation showcased not only his mastery of the material, but also his ability to communicate complex musical ideas for a broad audience.”

Second and third place both went to Master’s students in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology. Drake Spina summarized his thesis, Pitcher This: Investigating the Relationship between Historic Glacial Retreat and Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) Distribution, and Claire Kozal presented Seasonal and Lunar Patterns of Peach Blossom Jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbii) in Michigan.

Read about all of the competitors, their research, and their mentors in EMU Today. 

by Joseph Ballard

Journalism student Lilly Kujawski, managing editor for news at The Eastern Echo, has received a 2026 Media Fellows Scholarship from the Washington Media Scholars Foundation.

The award, announced Jan. 5, provides scholarship support along with access to professional development opportunities, industry exposure, and mentorship through the Washington Media Scholars Foundation.

Media Fellows Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate strong academic achievement, leadership potential, and a commitment to careers in journalism, media, public policy, and communications.

Kujawski, a journalism major at Eastern Michigan University, serves as managing editor for news at The Eastern Echo, the university’s student-run news organization. In this role, she helps oversee news coverage and supports the publication’s editorial leadership.

“This scholarship will help me complete my degree in journalism and bring me closer to reaching my goal of becoming a political reporter,” Kujawski said.

EMU Student Media also announced a new date and venue for its annual Student Media Gala and Hall of Fame Banquet. The event will take place April 2, 2026, in the McKenny Hall Ballroom.

The gala celebrates student media excellence and includes the induction ceremony for The Eastern Echo Hall of Fame, which recognizes journalists and media professionals who began their careers with the student-operated publication.

MFA candidate Lydia Vollavanh has been selected as a National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 2026 Multicultural Fellow. This highly competitive national fellowship is awarded to students and graduate students attending NCECA for the first time and provides both financial support and access to dedicated community-building, networking receptions, and professional development events.

The Multicultural Fellowship is a significant distinction within NCECA, establishing recipients within a national network and positioning them for future juried opportunities and long-term professional growth. Each year, only 20 fellowships are awarded nationally to first-time conference participants whose cultural identities have been historically underrepresented within NCECA and the field at large.

This fellowship supports travel and related expenses for participation in the 2026 NCECA Annual Conference, Detroit Volumes, and offers a meaningful entry point into the broader ceramic community. 

A Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts major with a minor in Critical Disability Studies, Caroline wasn’t sure a single opportunity could bring those worlds together. One experience proved otherwise, offering a glimpse of what a future career could look like.

The Naples Players (TNP) is a nationally recognized, non-profit community theater in Naples, Florida. Aside from theatrical performances, they also offer various programs and classes for people of all ages, with a strong focus on accessibility. “Building community through exceptional access to the power of theater” is the main mission of TNP, and one that is fulfilled every day. 

Caroline managed the front desk of the theater as an access concierge on performance nights, during which they would provide and assist patrons with any services they required. Caroline was trained in using every device TNP offered, from listening assist systems to large print braille programs, and everything in between. 

Read the full EMU Today story.

Melissa Snyder has been selected to serve as the 2026 Graduate Student Art Consultant for the Adolescent Health Initiative (AHI) which is launching AMPLIFY, a youth-centered art exhibition.

The exhibition will be featured as part of the 2026 Conference on Adolescent Health (November 2026) and funded in part by the U-M Arts Initiative Project Support (AIPS) grant. Selected Michigan youth artists (ages 12-24) will create a piece of art that reflects their experiences with the health care system and their own health and well-being. The artwork will be presented at the Conference’s Awards & Reception, and artists will be invited to engage with the professional health care attendees by sharing their own perspectives as told through their artwork. 

Eastern Michigan University professor Brian Bruya has co-authored and co-translated a new book that could reshape the study of early Chinese philosophy. Published by Princeton University Press in 2026, Dialogues of Confucius: The Complete Text presents the first complete English translation of a long-neglected classical text attributed to Confucius.

Bruya and his collaborator, Wenwen Li, argue that the Dialogues is an authentic work of Confucius and offers readers a richer, more expansive view of the influential Chinese philosopher’s ideas.

“The Dialogues offers an expanded view of Confucius and his ideas,” said Bruya. “A common criticism of the Analects, our main source of Confucius’ thought, is that it is too terse, presenting the reader with only vague maxims. The Dialogues offers longer passages with more context so that readers can more easily get at the ideas.”

Read the full EMUToday story.

Dustin London’s work was recently featured in a two-person exhibition, titled Kokon Tōzai 古今東西, with painter Harumi Abe at Broward College’s Rosemary Duffy Larson Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The exhibition was accompanied by a lecture on London’s recent body of drawings and explored relationships between his work as an American artist influenced by his time at the gardens of Zen temples in Japan and her work as a Japanese artist making landscape paintings in America. The exhibition’s title directly translates as ‘old and new, east and west,’ but its meaning refers more metaphysically to an intersection of all ages and places regardless of country and era. The exhibition was a bridge between spatial (geographic and pictorial), temporal, and cultural distances, and became a contemplative meeting point for shared aesthetic, perceptual, and philosophical concerns. 

Reaction is pouring in after President Trump delivers his first State of the Union address of his second term. Eastern Michigan University Political Science Professor Joshua Koss discusses what he took away from the address, and looks ahead to the 2026 Midterm Elections.

Watch the Fox 2 segment.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of two new members to the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents: Kirk Profit and Chris Kaufman. Their terms will begin in January 2027, succeeding Regents Michael Hawks and Chad Newton, whose terms expire at the end of this year.

The appointments bring a blend of entrepreneurial innovation, public service, and institutional knowledge to EMU’s governing board -- leadership qualities that align with Eastern’s mission to expand access, elevate student success, and serve the public good.

Kirk Profit, of Ann Arbor, is a former state legislator and the former co-owner of Governmental Consulting Services, Inc. Profit holds a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Political Science from Eastern Michigan University and a Juris Doctor from University of Detroit Mercy. Kirk Profit will be appointed for a term commencing January 1, 2027, and expiring December 31, 2034. Profit will succeed Chad Newton, whose term will expire.   

Chris Kaufman, of Detroit, is the co-founder of StockX. Kaufman holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art, and a Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University. Chris Kaufman will be appointed for a term commencing January 1, 2027, and expiring December 31, 2034. Kaufman will succeed Mike Hawks, whose term will expire. 

Read the full EMUToday story. 

Alum and former Undergraduate Symposium participant Dr. Alexa Salsbury (BS 2016, Biochemistry and Psychology) will be the Dennis M. Beagen Keynote Speaker at the 2026 Undergraduate Symposium. A former Presidential Scholar and student-athlete, Dr. Salsbury is a Data Scientist and Outreach Lead at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Originally from Northwest Ohio, Dr. Salsbury began her academic journey at Eastern Michigan University in 2012 as a Presidential Scholar and Division I volleyball player. Her early work on feline leukemia virus genomics, with Dr. Heather Holmes of the Chemistry department, sparked a passion for scientific discovery and set her on the path toward advanced study, which led to two separate Undergraduate Symposium presentations in 2015 and 2016. Sansbury graduated with honors in 2016. 

Dr. Salsbury earned her PhD in Biochemistry at Virginia Tech University, where she applied advanced computational approaches to investigate nucleic acid structures and improve drug design for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Today, she combines her expertise in biochemistry, genomics, and data science to advance biomedical research at NCBI. In her role, she not only contributes to scientific innovation but also leads outreach and education efforts, helping researchers, educators, and students worldwide make the most of NIH’s vast data resources.

Dr. Salsbury’s experiences as a first-generation college student at EMU, where she found mentorship, support, and opportunities in research, athletics, and global study, continue to shape her commitment to advocacy and education. 

Mary Sheffield was sworn in as Detroit’s 76th mayor at the beginning of 2026, and to ensure a smooth transition into the Motor City’s top office, she put together an extensive transition team of more than 200 experts and professionals. The team, named Rise Higher Detroit, includes four CAS alumni. 

The CAS alumni who serve on the transition team are:

• Kenyetta M. Campbell (BS 1995, Criminal Justice), co-chair, Neighborhood Revitalization Committee

• Courtney E. Smith (BS 2014, Sociology and Communication), co-chair, Health, Human Services, Homelessness and Poverty Solutions Committee

• Kenneth E. Dobson (BS 2002, Political Science), member, Workforce, Economic Development & Small Business Committee

• David T. Palmer (BS 2008, Political Science; MPA 2014, Nonprofit Management), member, Housing Development and Planning Committee

Six more EMU alumni and Regent Nate Ford also serve on Rise Higher Detroit. Read about them and their roles in this EMU Today story. 

Eastern Michigan University welcomed award-winning director, producer, cinematographer, and alum Joshua Woodcock (BA 2007, Japanese) back to campus from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, for a one-night-only public event at the University Student Center Auditorium, 900 Oakwood St. in Ypsilanti. The event featured a screening of his film One Night in Tokyo, followed by a live interview, audience Q&A, and reception highlighting bilingual filmmaking, cross-cultural storytelling, and creative career pathways.

Hosted by the University’s Japanese Section and sponsored by the Faculty Development Center, the event was designed to connect students and community members with an accomplished EMU alum and to provide firsthand insight into how language study, cultural fluency, and interdisciplinary education can translate into global creative careers.

“Studying Japanese at Eastern opened so many doors for me professionally and creatively,” said Woodcock. “I’m excited to return to campus and share how those experiences influenced my journey so far.”

Read the full EMU Today story.

Eastern Michigan University will host this year’s American Association of Philosophy Teachers biannual conference and workshop.

The American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT) is the premier professional organization dedicated to cultivating excellent pedagogy in philosophy. Founded in 1976, the AAPT is dedicated to supporting instructors in becoming better teachers through facilitating professional development, mentoring new teachers, providing outlets for the dissemination of scholarly research in philosophical pedagogy. The AAPT hosts a biennial, family-friendly conference dedicated to supporting and advancing these goals. 

This year's conference will celebrate 50 years of the AAPT and they have partnered with the American Philosophical Association (APA) and the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) to make this year's conference especially impactful. Philosophy teachers from around the country will join us on campus this summer (July 23-26)! 

More information about the AAPT and the conference can be found on the conference website.

Eastern Michigan University hosted the 2026 MiCivics Coalition Summit on March 10 as part of Civic Learning Week, a statewide effort that brings students, educators, and communities together to promote the practice and teaching of democracy. The summit, organized by EMU’s Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur Institute for Civic Education, took place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Student Center, 900 Oakwood St., Ypsilanti.

The MiCivics Coalition works to advance awareness of democratic rights in Michigan and to provide meaningful opportunities to practice civic skills and dispositions. This year’s keynote speaker was Noreen Naseem Rodríguez, professor of elementary education and educational justice at Michigan State University.

“We aren't just teaching students how a bill becomes a law; we are empowering them to believe they have a stake in the outcome,” said Brigid Beaubien, EMU professor and director of the Upshur Institute for Civic Education. “By the end of this summit, participants will be ready to return to their communities not just as instructors, but as architects of a more engaged and informed Michigan.”

The theme "America 250: We The People” will focus on civic education resources and impact, providing attendees with opportunities, knowledge, and skills to contribute to civic efforts. 

Read the full EMUToday story.

by Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon

The phrase, “I am because we are” is ancient. It speaks to the fact that without those on whose shoulders we stand we would not be able to stand at all. As the new Interim Department Head of the Department of Africology and African American Studies, I was invited to write something about Black History Month during the actual month of February. While the ask was perfectly reasonable, doing so, especially as the month was just beginning, didn’t really feel like it honored what the time called for: deep reflection on those who have come before us and those who would come after. 

February 2026 was not just another Black History Month. It was a month in which we were called to remember the courageous work of Dr. Carter G. Woodson who one hundred years before in 1926 began with the simple desire to commemorate the many accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to this country with Negro History Week. As I suspect is the case for most Americans, I have, for much of my life, understood Black History Month as a given. Sometimes I took it for granted, as we as human beings are wont to do, with opportunities that “have always been”.  

This February also marks the 50th February that we’ve had Black Studies here at Eastern Michigan University. Through the tireless efforts of students and with the support of faculty and staff at EMU and across the nation we can say that since the 1975-76 academic year we have offered a rigorous and rich study of African and African Diasporic contributions to this country and the world. 

Read the full article on the Africology & African American Studies website.

Professor Emerita of Mathematics Nelly Szabo Ullman died peacefully at dawn on Friday, January 30, 2026 in Newport, Rhode Island at 100. Dr. Ullman taught at EMU for 39 years, from 1963 to 2002. 

Born into an observant Jewish family in Vienna, Austria on August 11, 1925, Nelly Szabo escaped Nazi persecution and fled to the United States in May 1939. Her mother and brother also managed to emigrate, but her father was killed by the Nazis in 1941. Ullman’s personal account of World War II and other family papers are in the collection of the United States Holocaust Museum.

In 1945 she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hunter College and she became a U.S. citizen the following year. She began her academic career at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, becoming the first woman in a full-time position there. 

In 1963 Ullman moved with her husband and children to Ann Arbor. She secured a position at Eastern Michigan University and began her doctoral studies at the University of Michigan. In 1969, she earned her PhD in biostatistics with a dissertation that examined the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.

At EMU, Professor Ullman taught courses in statistics and founded Eastern’s program in Actuarial Science. She is remembered by her former colleagues and students as a demanding and dedicated teacher. 

Read Dr. Ullman’s obituary on MLive.