The 2026 Fusion Fellows visited WQED and the Senator John Heinz History Center to gain professional insights, receive project-specific mentorship, and explore new ways to share their research with broader audiences.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s College of Osteopathic Medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose has been selected as a “Trailblazer in Healthcare 2026” by City & State Pennsylvania.
IUP’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance will present a faculty recital by violinist Kaleigh Acord on Tuesday, October 13, at 7:00 p.m. in Gorell Recital Hall, on the second floor of Sutton Hall. Admission is free, and the public is invited.
Four Indiana University of Pennsylvania students and Lei Hao, associate professor in the Department of Allied Health, traveled to Henan and Shanghai, China, in August as part of BRIDGE 2026: US-China Health Sciences and Culture Exchange Program (Building Relationships, Innovation, Development, Global Health, and Education).
IUP Vice President Tom Segar joined LaRoche Foundation Founder and Executive Director Gregory Turlington for a live Zoom event on September 25 as part of the LaRoche Foundation’s Professional Speakers Series, “Real People, Real Journeys, A Brighter Tomorrow.”
Five students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania have been selected for the 2026–27 IUP Fusion Fellowship Program, advancing interdisciplinary research in the humanities and the sciences with two unique, student-led projects.
For the third consecutive year, IUP’s Office of Social Equity and Title IX sponsored the attendance of IUP administrators and students at the annual Eradicate Hate Global Summit, held September 15 to 17 in Pittsburgh.
The director of IUP’s Center for Civic Dialogue, Stephan Schaffrath, was part of the IUP group of administrators and students that attended the annual Eradicate Hate Global Summit, held September 15 to 17 in Pittsburgh. The group’s attendance was sponsored by the IUP’s Office of Social Equity and Title IX.
John Wesley Lowery coauthored a chapter on campus folklore in a new book, titled “Myths, Mysteries, and the Macabre on American Campuses.”
Courtney Hughes, a student in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Composition and Applied Linguistics doctoral program, is part of a team at California State University, Fresno that won a $30,000 grant from Adobe.
The IUP Career and Professional Development Center is proud to recognize the dedication and support of faculty and staff members and organizations who demonstrate an exceptional level of partnership with our office. The fall 2026 awardees are Cyndy Strittmatter, Tracey Cekada, and Nicole Clevenger.
Long before her career in the nuclear industry, Mariah Sinan ’20 grew up on her family’s farm and gained firsthand experience with how equipment works and developed a curiosity about the science and mechanics behind it. IUP played an important role in helping her explore those interests and discover where they could take her.
Tia Harne, DO, a 2021 summa cum laude graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, has “come home” to Indiana as a resident at Indiana Regional Medical Center’s Family Medicine Residency Program.
IUP political science professor and Center for Civic Dialogue executive team leader Gwen Torges’ comments about the 9/11 attacks are featured in an article published in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper.
Current Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences students report to the department about summer field schools, field work, internships, and research opportunities.
Shilo Petrilla, a hospitality management major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from Boswell, Somerset County, has been selected for the Statler Foundation’s Scholarship of Excellence.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania will celebrate Constitution Day on September 14 with two events, free and open to the community.
Professor John Yu Branscum and former instructor Yi Izzy Yu served as literary editors and contributors to the fall 2026 simulation issue of “Black & Grey,” an international magazine exploring themes such as AI, virtual realities, and simulation theory through literature, photography, and cultural commentary.
On Saturday, September 12, the Carnegie Museum of Art Design Curator, Rachel Delphia, will join Professor Sean Derry at his solo exhibition, Thingum, on view at Concept Art Gallery in Pittsburgh, for a public conversation about Derry's new work.
Shijuan Liu presented and provided training as an expert trainer at the Second Advanced Summer School in International Chinese Language Teaching, held in conjunction with the Ninth Conference on Chinese Teaching in Scotland, at the University of Edinburgh, June 16–19, 2026.
The following was shared with students on September 3, 2026:
The Office of the Provost has announced the promotion of several faculty members to full professor, effective for the fall 2026 semester.
David Eastman will share his 10-week REU research experience at Cornell University, where he worked on automated polymer synthesis using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). He will discuss his research, what he learned from the experience, and how undergraduate students can get started in research and pursue exciting opportunities such as REU programs.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Safety is continuing its tradition of supporting IUP’s Food Pantry and Help Center with a donation of food and nonperishable food products and $100.
Five students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania were selected for the 2026 Career and Leadership Skills Academy, a strategic collaboration between the PA Bankers Association, IUP, Shippensburg University, Commonwealth University, and Kutztown University.
Center for Civic Dialogue graduate assistants Brooke Eisenhuth and Kai Ratleff and the Social Equity and Title IX Office's graduate assistant Sarah Logue are making the CCD satellite office in 114 Elkin Hall their new workspace until the permanent Center location is ready for us to move in.
Two students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Juliana Simon and Vincent Oddo, have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Dr. Eugene E. Lepley Memorial Scholarship.
Miko Rose, founding dean of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, is featured on “D.O. or Do Not: The Osteopathic Physician’s Journey for Premed & Medical Students.”
President Driscoll offers additional information about IUP’s Strategic Priorities for the 2026–27 academic year, including the leader for each of the priorities and the executive statement.
The 52 students selected for the 2026 Undergraduate Summer Opportunities for Applying Research (U-SOAR) will present their original research projects during the U-SOAR Research Symposium on August 19 from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Sutton Hall’s Blue Room.
Matthew Vetter (Department of Language, Literature, and Writing) has been awarded a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation (the nonprofit behind Wikipedia) to expand to strengthen global Wikimedia communities and facilitate collaboration in external grant-making.
The director of the IUP Symphony Orchestra, Rebekah O’Brien, was featured in a recent article by the Centre Daily Times for her work in starting the New Ground Orchestra Festival. The event, which takes place in State College, brings female orchestral musicians from across the world to Pennsylvania.
William Sugg, who has more than 15 years of experience in music education at the secondary and university levels with competitive and high-profile marching programs, has been named director of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Marching Band and associate director of Bands. Sugg has served as the interim director of the Marching Band since August 2025.
Ten students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania completed a unique service-learning project at the Navajo Nation in Arizona as part of an anthropology class taught by Abigail Adams and Amanda Poole.
Stephan Schaffrath’s selection as the inaugural director of IUP’s Center for Civic Dialogue was part of local and regional media coverage.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania joined area healthcare providers in hosting 43 students and seven teachers from six area high schools for the second annual Healthcare Education and Learning Pathways (HELP) Summer Experience, June 10 and 11.
Jamie Murphy, director of Admissions and Student Affairs for Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, was an invited presenter for the 2026 National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions annual meeting.
Professor Christina Huhn is a coauthor of a new peer‑reviewed research article in the NECTFL Review that sheds light on current trends, challenges, and instructional practices in post‑secondary world language classrooms across the United States.
More than 100 members of the IUP community participated in a stakeholder assessment session with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, designed as part of the development of IUP’s Center for Civic Dialogue.
IUP Dean of Students Adam Jones presented a program on IUP’s Center for Civic Dialogue at the spring Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Student Affairs Conference, “United in Purpose, Grounded in Community.”
IUP’s Chief Compliance Officer, Elise Glenn, IUP Dean of Students, Adam Jones, and IUP Associate Professor of Political Science, Gwen Torges, were honored with the “Institutional Transformation” Award at the 2026 Annual Research Awards Reception held during 2026 Research Appreciation Week.
Lynn Harding ’97 knew John Busovicki ’65 first as his high school geometry teacher and later as an IUP math professor. Read the poem Harding wrote that details the path of their friendship.
In July 2025, the IUP-based Keystone Wind Ensemble performed at the annual convention of the Texas Bandmasters Association in San Antonio. Find a report and photos from ensemble member Kevin Eisensmith, IUP professor emeritus of trumpet.
A six-member student team in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Division of University Advancement has been recognized with a national award for creativity and success in donor stewardship.
Amar Mmoud, Jeremy Risinger, Dawn Smith-Sherwood, and Michelle Tweardy presented on UNIV 101 First Learning Year (FLY) at the inaugural Bowling Green State University Life Design Convening.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans has been selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its Executive Leadership Academy.
IUP President Michael Driscoll welcomes Tammy Lucas as Senior Executive Assistant to the President, effective June 27.
Christina Koren, director of Strategic Partnerships at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, has been selected to serve on the board of directors of the Center for Population Health.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania and four healthcare providers in Cambria County, including a solo private family medicine practice, celebrated the signing of clinical training affiliation agreements for future students at IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine on June 15 and 16.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania professors of economics Jim Jozefowicz and Stephanie Jozefowicz, members of the IUP Department of Finance and Economics, hosted the fortieth annual Pennsylvania Economic Association Conference at IUP on May 28–30, featuring First Commonwealth executive and former state representative David Reed ’00.
Vice President for Student Affairs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania Thomas C. Segar has been selected for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its 2026 Millennium Leadership Initiative cohort.
The Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department congratulates our students for being named to the Dean’s List for spring 2026.
The American Ornithological Society has honored IUP Distinguished University Professor Jeff Larkin, a faculty member in IUP’s Department of Biology, with its Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award.
The documentary “Goalie,” directed by Indiana University of Pennsylvania Communications Media faculty member Jeremy Waltman, has earned a prestigious Telly Award in the Sports category.
Erin Conlin engaged with students at Purchase Line Junior/Senior High School during the school’s Celebrate America250! Fair.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s College of Osteopathic Medicine associate deans Luke H. Mortensen and Ryan Smith were invited participants for Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center’s 2026 Regional Research Symposium.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania will receive a $2 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and IUP’s College of Health Sciences healthcare education programs. This is the first time that IUP has been the recipient of an ARC POWER grant.
Mimi Benjamin, professor in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program, and Hunter Bash, 2026 graduate of the Student Affairs in Higher Education program both were honored at the 2026 NASPA Region II conference.
Dean’s List recipients for the spring 2026 semester at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans was an invited presenter for the PA Chamber of Business and Industry’s Healthcare Summit held May 20 in Harrisburg.
This spring, registered dietitian and food and nutrition professor Pao Ying Hsiao conducted a four-part cooking series for a group of 12 homeschooled students from Indiana County, mostly ages 10 to 12 years old, with one eight-year-old, for “Little Hands, Big Impact: A Pilot Study Exploring How Teaching Kids to Cook Influences Family Food Practices.”
The IUP Voice Area earned top awards at Susquehanna University for the Eastern Region National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference in March 2026. Of the six competing students from IUP, five advanced to the semifinals, and four competed in the final rounds and placed in the top three of their categories.
Indiana student Bailey Schoenfelt has been honored for successful completion of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s John J. and Char Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Indiana University of Pennsylvania has received $349,511 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education through Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s Dual Credit Innovation Grant Program, with a goal of addressing the Commonwealth’s teacher shortage.
Leah Stuck, a chemistry pre-pharmacy major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from Newport, Juniata County, has been selected for the IUP’s Rear Admiral CJ Jaynes Scholarship for Veterans in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Isabella Wolszczenski, an Indiana University of Pennsylvania safety, health, and environmental applied sciences major in the Cook Honors College from Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, was selected as the 2026 recipient of Dr. John J. and Char Kopchick Unique Undergraduate Student Fellowship.
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, more than a thousand May and August graduates were recognized during three commencement ceremonies in the Kovalchick Complex. See scenes of these students marking the start of the next phase of their lives.
IUP’s College of Osteopathic Medicine has earned “pre-accreditation status” from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Pre-accreditation status means that IUP can begin recruiting and admitting students to its College of Osteopathic Medicine and begin medical instruction within the approved osteopathic medical curriculum.
On Saturday, May 9, the Department of History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies held its annual departmental graduation. The ceremony honored 43 undergraduate students and two graduate students who earned degrees and certificates across the department’s eight degree programs.
The IUP Economics Club wishes to thank the alumni who met with students during the spring 2026 semester! Students learned valuable insights about career pathways, tips for greater academic success, and networking suggestions.
The Department of Finance and Economics is pleased to announce its departmental graduation award recipients. Eligible for consideration were IUP undergraduates who have a declared major in finance or economics and who will have graduated in December 2025, January 2026, May 2026, or August 2026.
Two emerging student leaders at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who have been selected to participate in a national leadership program by members of the IUP Division of Student Affairs leadership team were introduced to the IUP Council of Trustees at its meeting on May 7.
Several IUP students, faculty, and alumni attended the Society for American Archaeology Annual Conference last week in San Francisco, CA. Nine current faculty and students presented their research, and a team of graduate and undergraduate students competed in the Ethics Bowl.
The Student Affairs in Higher Education program honored graduating students and alumna Susan Storrick Timko during the 2026 SAHE Banquet, recognizing outstanding academic achievement, service, and professional contributions. The celebration also featured the annual student address delivered by Hunter Bash on behalf of the Class of 2026.
The long-awaited “Essentials of Geomorphology” textbook was released by Cambridge University Press in January 2026, with the “Landforms Developed on Folded Rocks” chapter written by IUP AGES Department geographer Kevin Patrick, in collaboration with West Virginia University geomorphologist Steven Kite and Michigan State University editor Randall Schaetzl.
Each academic year, the University Senate honors faculty members who make significant contributions to the university. The Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department was well represented at the IUP University Senate Awards celebration.
Todd Thompson, a long-time member of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania faculty, has been selected to serve as director of the IUP Cook Honors College.
Waleed Farag, Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor of computer science in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences and director of the IUP Institute for Cyber–Security, has been selected as IUP’s 2026–27 Distinguished University Professor.
The Student Managed Investment Portfolio organization navigated another successful academic year. During the spring 2026 semester, SMIP sponsored an alumni speaker series.
The IUP Women’s and Gender Leadership Awards Reception was a wonderful success on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Three administrators and two faculty members were honored with IUP Outstanding Leadership Awards for advancing women’s and gender academic inclusive excellence in 2025–26 AY.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania will honor 1,452 graduates during commencement ceremonies on May 9. IUP will hold three ceremonies, all at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania fraternity Sigma Chi (Eta Omicron chapter) raised more than $30,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation during its annual “Derby Days” philanthropy initiative.
IUP's Iota Mu chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Hispanic Honor Society, celebrated its fifty-third initiation ceremony on Friday, May 1, 2026.
The Department of Finance and Economics is very pleased that student research completed under the direction of several department faculty members was recognized at an awards brunch held in the Blue Room on April 22, 2026.
The Department of Finance and Economics is pleased to recognize two economics majors who shared the results of their research completed as part of the econometrics course sequence in economics at the 2026 Pennsylvania Sports Business Conference.
The Department of Finance and Economics wishes to recognize the upcoming May 2026 and August 2026 Economics/Honors concentration anticipated graduates.
Amar Mmoud, a graduate student in the Curriculum and Instruction DEd program, was presented the 2025–26 Liberal Studies/Crimson Core Teaching Excellence Award for effective classroom instruction of UNIV 101 – First Learning Year.
During the spring 2026 CFA Society Pittsburgh Collegiate Stock Picker Challenge, which ended on April 15, 140 students signed up as participants from Saint Vincent College, Duquesne University, Penn State Behrend, IUP, La Roche University, Penn State University, Penn State World Campus, PennWest–Edinboro, PennWest–Clarion, and PennWest–California.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s 2025–26 Justice Research Fellows—Lauren Connor, Reia Sanchez, Kelly Szolek, and Jackson White—presented their original research to Indiana County officials at the Indiana County Courthouse on April 29.
The Department of Finance and Economics is very pleased that numerous students participated in the twenty-first annual Scholars Forum held at the IUP KCAC on April 8, 2026. We wish to thank volunteer judges, faculty mentors, and the Scholars Forum planning committee who organized this event and gave of their own time and talent to afford our students this exceptional opportunity to participate in a professional conference atmosphere.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania has announced recipients of the University Senate Awards and the list of new faculty emeriti for 2026.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree program has been approved by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Chris Fiorentino.
Yaya Sissoko has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Garvin-Kort Faculty Award for Research in Economics. Generous donations from 1981 IUP Distinguished Alumni Award recipient John Kort ’74 and the late Alexander Garvin, economics faculty 1969–98, provide support for faculty research.
On Friday, April 24, the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics hosted the fifty-eighth annual Academic Achievement Awards ceremony in Kopchick Hall.
Josiah Townsend, professor in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Biology, has been selected for his second Fulbright US Scholar Award—this time to conduct research and teach in Costa Rica during the 2026–27 academic year.
As part of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s sesquicentennial, the IUP Office of International Education coordinated a four-day visit to IUP April 14 to 17 for 29 international representatives from IUP’s international partner institutions.
The 2026 Résumé Project has concluded, showcasing students’ professionalism and career readiness, with final submissions now available to be shared with alumni.
The Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department had 40 student presentations at the twenty-first annual IUP Scholars Forum on April 8, 2026. They gave both oral and poster presentations, and one applied archaeology graduate student participated in the Three-Minute Thesis Competition Finals.
Congratulations to the officers and faculty advisor for Ladies of Safety for winning the 2026 Virginia Dixon Student Organization Award.
Congratulations to Grace Rougeaux on winning the distinguished Patricia Hilliard Robertson Memorial Scholarship!
Student Affairs in Higher Education graduate students hosted IUP’s second annual National Student Employment Week Celebration, bringing together student employees to reflect on the positive aspects of their on-campus jobs, including supportive relationships and learning opportunities.
Outstanding IUP undergraduate and graduate student researchers were honored April 22 during the IUP Scholars Forum Awards Brunch held in Sutton Hall’s Blue Room. The awards event is sponsored by IUP Research and Innovation and the IUP Research Institute.
Christina Koren, director of Strategic Partnerships at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was selected to moderate a session for the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment (PHC4) Conference held April 16 in Harrisburg.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Alpha Sigma Tau sorority (Delta chapter) raised more than $3,125 and several needed items for regional and local nonprofit organizations during Philanthropy Week, held during the week of March 14.
Crystal Machado, faculty member in the Department of Professional Studies in Education, published an article with coauthor Cheryl Harris, a doctoral student in the Department. Their article, “Digital Support for Scholarly Writing: Tools that Don’t Break the Budget,” appears in Early Childhood Education Journal.
Members of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine leadership team and IUP faculty members Rick Adkins and John Benhart were invited presenters for the Appalachian Regional Commission “Network Appalachia” meeting, showcasing the region’s experts on transportation, robotics, economic development, and emerging technologies.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania alumni and friends were recognized during the university’s annual Celebration Weekend with the annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast and the Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala on April 11.
Lamia Dawood, a student in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Administration and Leadership doctoral program from Indiana; Abdul Jones, a student in the applied archaeology master’s program from Philadelphia; and Amar Mmoud, a student in the Curriculum and Instruction doctoral program from Indiana, were selected as finalists for IUP’s 2026 Three Minute Thesis competition.
Hundreds of students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania will provide service to seven Indiana County organizations and agencies through the spring Into the Streets event on April 18.
Crystal Machado and Emmanuella Musiime presented their peer-reviewed paper “Balancing Demands and Supports: Understanding Women Faculty Well‑Being Across Synchronous, Asynchronous, and Hybrid Modalities” at the 2026 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference in Philadelphia.
Crystal Machado collaborated with Yao Fu, Jiaxi Wang, and Ozgul Kartal from the University of Wisconsin to present their peer-reviewed paper, “Preservice Teachers’ AI Use and Responsible AI Self‑Efficacy: An Exploratory Study,” at the 2026 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference.
Kayla Kritschil, a senior hotel, restaurant, tourism, and event management major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from Birdsboro, has been selected for the Statler Foundation’s Scholarship of Excellence.
Cynthia Roldan, a Philadelphia native majoring in English and biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Theresa McDevitt Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Research Award.
John Wesley Lowery was recognized with the University College Outstanding Researcher Award at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for his nationally recognized scholarship and leadership in student affairs. His continued contributions to research, professional organizations, and the field—particularly in student conduct—highlight his lasting impact on higher education.
Grace Rougeaux, an Indiana County student attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was selected for the 2026 Patricia Hilliard Robertson Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Female Science Student.
Students, alumni, and faculty of IUP’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance participated in Penns Manor High School’s recent production of “Matilda.” The musical was performed on March 26–28, 2026.
IUP will celebrate innovation through student and faculty research and alumna success during Research Appreciation Week, April 6–10. Research Appreciation Week spotlights the spirit of innovation and collaboration in disciplines throughout the university and recognizes the contributions of IUP’s original research and scholarship
Smith-Sherwood and Witthöft present on UNIV 101 First Learning Year at the 57th Northeast Modern Language Association Convention in Pittsburgh.
IUP Anthropology faculty members Abigail Adams and Amanda Poole, along with students Shanya Coshey, Marisol Gonzalez Flores, Seth Koch, Samantha Langley, and Abigail Trimble, attended the eighty-sixth annual Society for Applied Anthropology meetings held March 17–21, 2026, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Abigail Adams attended the eighty-sixth annual meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and participated in a two-session memorial panel to honor the late visionary applied anthropologist Victor Garcia.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania celebrated 120 employees who reached milestone years of service in 2025, and IUP President Michael Driscoll presented the second “One IUP” Award to the Crimson Core Team during the annual Employee Service and Leadership Awards event on March 26.
IUP faculty member Mike Sell has received a two-year $255,000 grant from the Alliance for Decision Education to develop and assess an innovative English Language Arts curriculum to improve the decision-making skills of high-school students. Sell will be working with students and teachers at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville.
Two standout undergraduate student researchers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania were selected to participate in the 2026 Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol event held on March 24.
Meet the IUP Fusion Fellows, four students leading interdisciplinary research to solve complex, real-world problems. By pairing biology with media and archaeology with history, these innovative projects prove that collaboration creates results greater than the sum of their parts.
The following was shared with students on March 27, 2026:
Nineteen cadets from IUP’s Police Academy proudly participated in the Semper Gratus 5K (Shamrock Shuffle) on March 21, joining community members in a meaningful effort to raise funds for a local family whose daughter has been diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy.
Alumni and faculty of IUP’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance participated in Conemaugh Township High School’s recent production of “Matilda.” The musical was performed March 12–25, 2026.
Professors Mimi Benjamin and John Wesley Lowery represented IUP at the 2026 NASPA Conference in Kansas City, contributing to multiple sessions and leadership efforts at the major student affairs gathering. Benjamin focused on strengthening academic–student affairs partnerships, while Lowery presented on higher education law, NASPA’s history, and campus culture topics, including work tied to an upcoming book.
Three Applied Archaeology MA students presented their thesis research at the Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference, held in March. Abdul Jones won the student paper award.
The IUP Physics Club, an official chapter of the Society of Physics Students, has been recognized as a Distinguished SPS Chapter for the 2024–25 academic year by the SPS National Office.
Congratulations to MaKenzie Daniel for being selected as this year’s ARCO Scholarship recipient. This scholarship highlights MaKenzie’s commitment to excellence and her promising future.
Abdul Jones’ Applied Archaeology thesis research was featured in the 2025 Pennsylvania Archaeology Site Survey Report.
During Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Employee Service and Leadership Awards on March 26, 2026, in Sutton Hall’s Blue Room, the university will celebrate employees who completed milestone years of service in 2025.
IUP’s Council of Trustees heard an update about IUP’s Center for Civil Discourse and Civic Life from codirectors Gwen Torges, Adam Jones, and Elise Glenn and from students Dominick Ditoro, Elizabeth Fox, and Monserrat Lopez Villagomez.
Sharon Massey is participating in SCHMUCKmünchen, a juried exhibition of jewelry held in Munich, Germany.
Megan Labutka was recently awarded the Center for Teaching Excellence’s Temporary Faculty Award. Her proposal is titled “The Impact of Person-Centeredness and Authenticity in Teaching.”
Daniel Lee, professor in IUP’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, has been selected by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences for the 2026 Outstanding Mentors Award.
IUP Institute for Cyber Security Director Waleed Farag has published a new blog post emphasizing the critical role of collaboration in strengthening cybersecurity education and workforce development across Pennsylvania.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas C. Segar has been selected by City & State Pennsylvania as a 2026 Black Trailblazer.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose recently served as a member of the planning committee on healthcare training and affordability for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
John Wesley Lowery presented at the Association for Student Conduct Administration annual conference in Washington, DC, on Saturday, February 14, where his closing session highlighted recent legislative and policy developments shaping higher education and student conduct.
Jackie Heisler, program coordinator of the Respiratory Care program and associate professor in the Allied and Public Health Department, has been recognized as an exemplary partner to the IUP Career and Professional Development Center and was awarded an IUP CPDC Partner Hall of Fame Award.
Congratulations to Lei Hao, associate professor in the Department of Allied and Public Health, on receiving the 2025–26 Center for Teaching Excellence Mentoring Award!
Natalie Holt, a student in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Composition and Applied Linguistics doctoral program, has been selected for a faculty fellowship through the Appalachian College Association.
The IUP Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) student organization invites applications for the first annual Theresa McDevitt Women in STEAM Research Award. This award recognizes an outstanding woman whose research demonstrates excellence, innovation, and impact across the STEAM fields.
IUP anthropology faculty and students attended and presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA, in February.
The Physics and Pre-Engineering clubs will host the 2026 Physics Olympics on Friday, March 20, welcoming high school students from across the region to campus for a day of hands-on physics challenges, teamwork, and exploration of STEM pathways.
Students in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Cybersecurity Club took third place in a regional “Hackathon” competition sponsored by the National Center of Academic Excellence-Northeast Cyber Competition.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Dessy-Roffman Myth Collaborative will offer a spring lecture series starting February 18, all free and open to the community.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor of anthropology Abigail Adams presented a program on medical anthropology, disease theory systems, and the Appalachian region, of which Indiana is included, to the leadership team and steering committee of IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine.
NEW SMIP Student Leaders
During the fall 2025 CFA Society Pittsburgh Collegiate Stock Picker Challenge, IUP’s Brayden Landherr placed among the Top 10 for individual student returns.
Listen to IUP Safety Sciences senior Makenzie Daniel on the Building PA Podcast as she talks about “The Future of Safety from a College Student’s Perspective.”
The Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department congratulates our students for being named to the Dean’s List for fall 2025. Students receive this recognition for each semester in which they earn a GPA of 3.25 or higher while taking a minimum of 12 credits.
AGES faculty and students presented recent research at the Society for Historical Archaeology and the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology annual meetings in Detroit.
Undergraduate students receive recognition on the Dean’s List for each fall, spring, or summer term(s) in which they earn at least a 3.25 GPA based on at least 12 credits of graded (not P/F) undergraduate coursework, or a combination of graded graduate and undergraduate coursework.
Founding Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education Ryan Smith, a member of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine administrative team, has been honored by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.
Finance and Economics faculty who have published articles in fall 2025
The Finance and Economics Department recognizes the December 2025 Economics Honors students
Eberly hosts FBLA Regional Conference - FIEC Breakout Session
After 36 years of Liberal Studies, general education got an overhaul.
Nearly 460 new graduates were honored at Winter Commencement on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the Kovalchick Complex before heading into the next phase of their lives. Check out the moments that make this ceremony special.
Abigail Hancox, a 2024 graduate of IUP, is one of only two students in the PASSHE System and one of only three United States representatives for the latest cohort of Women Emerging, a global leadership platform.
John Wesley Lowery, professor in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program, delivered the keynote address at Mississippi State University’s Legal Issues Conference on Dec. 4, where he discussed the major challenges facing higher education amid recent federal policy changes. He also led sessions on FERPA and the Clery Act for administrators from across the Southeast.
On Saturday, December 13, Aretha Swift’s “incomplete” list will be one major item shorter. Swift, 65, of Abington, will receive her bachelor’s degree in general studies during IUP’s mid-year commencement ceremony—47 years after coming to IUP as a freshman.
On November 6, 2025, members of the Physics Club and Pre-Engineering Club visited the University of Pittsburgh for an immersive tour of its engineering facilities. The visit introduced students to Pitt’s academic environment, research opportunities, and transfer pathways.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania will hold a commencement ceremony on December 13 for 459 graduates who have completed academic requirements for their degrees in December and January 2026.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania students from WIUP-FM, IUP’s student-operated radio station, won top honors and national recognition for their broadcasting work at the fall National Student Media Convention.
IUP graduate Lt. Col. Barry Gasdek, the recipient of awards for heroism and military service, including the Distinguished Service Cross, was the keynote speaker for IUP’s 2025 Veterans Day dinner, which included the unveiling of a portrait commissioned in his honor on display at IUP. The annual event included the presentation of the Theta Chi Heroes Scholarship.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania celebrates alumnus Sky Semone for his recent publication in Physical Review B, a leading journal in condensed matter physics. His collaborative work with IUP professor Gregory Kenning advances the understanding of spin glasses and highlights the power of early research engagement and mentorship at IUP.
Students from IUP’s Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism, and Event Management program attended the MPI Pittsburgh Annual Awards Event, where their exceptional contributions to the chapter were celebrated.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania has received $1.34 million from the US Department of Education to develop the Crimson Hawks Bridge, a multi-year program to help individuals with intellectual disabilities gain skills, experience, and credentials to live independently and successfully transition to the workforce.
The Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences congratulates our students named as IUP Provost Scholars.
Twenty-five undergraduate and graduate students across multiple disciplines are recipients of fall 2025 student research grants.
Applied Archaeology graduate student, Emma Lashley won the 2025 Pennsylvania Historical Association Magruder-Newman Prize for Best Student Paper Presentation
Howard M. “Skip” Kingston ’73, M’75—an IUP distinguished alumnus and scholar in residence in the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics—has earned his fourth R&D 100 Award, one of the world’s most prestigious recognitions for technological innovation. The award honors Thor’s Hammer, a breakthrough technology that increases the sensitivity of any mass spectrometer by roughly 100-fold.
Andy Henry, a senior undergraduate student in the Health and Physical Education Teacher Education program, was recognized as the 2025 recipient of the Outstanding Future Professional Award.
IUP voice students of Joseph Baunoch, Erin Koolman, and Oliver Lo competed for the Tri-State National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Audition on November 8, 2025 at Duquesne University. There was a total of 160 contestants, and among the 40 finalists selected from the nine colleges, IUP voice students won a total of 12 awards in their categories.
Indiana native and Indiana University of Pennsylvania graduate Lisa Estrada, a nationally recognized healthcare executive, risk and compliance leader, attorney, and strategic advisor, has joined IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine team as an executive in residence.
At the annual SAHE Thanksgiving celebration, the program honored students with two major awards: the Get Involved! SAHE Student Leadership Award, presented to Nyekeya Hardy, and the Nancy J. Newkerk Scholarship, awarded to Abigail Hancox and Tristan Pfeiffer. These recognitions celebrate students’ outstanding contributions to the SAHE community and the broader field of student affairs.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Career and Professional Development Center has announced its fall 2025 Outstanding Organizational Partners, who join the CPDC’s Partner Hall of Fame.
Tuba and euphonium players from IUP and Slippery Rock University met at Butler High School on Sunday, November 16, to share an afternoon of music-making. Soloists from each school performed in a master class and received feedback from teachers Phil VanOuse (SRU) and Zach Collins (IUP).
Four students in the IUP Tuba and Euphonium studio visited three Indiana County schools on Friday, November 14. Alistair Horton (senior), Jessie Reed (junior), Hayden Cooper (sophomore), and Nate Vinson (sophomore), along with Zach Collins, professor of tuba and euphonium, visited Marion Center High School, Indiana Junior High School, and United High School.
A group of health and physical education students recently represented IUP at the Pennsylvania chapter of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE PA) Conference.
A research paper coauthored by two Indiana University of Pennsylvania students, Micaela Jebitsch and Emily Schumacher, with IUP economics faculty member James Jozefowicz has been selected for publication in an international economics journal.
Four IUP students in the Cook Honors College from the Department of School Psychology, Special Education, and Sociology and the Department of Finance and Economics have been selected from a pool of exemplary nominees to be the fourth cohort of the IUP Justice Research Fellows at the Administration and Leadership Studies Research and Training Center.
Matthew Vetter (Department of Language, Literature, and Writing) has been awarded a research grant from the Wikimedia Foundation (the nonprofit behind Wikipedia) as part of an international team of scholars and free knowledge advocates.
These students have been recognized as Provost Scholars for fall 2025.
Eric Crawford, an IUP psychology major and sociology minor who has completed two years of research through IUP’s Undergraduate Summer Opportunities for Applying Research (U-SOAR) program, was invited to present his U-SOAR research to an upper-level sociology class.
Students and faculty from the Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences participated in the annual meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology annual meeting in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
Todd Thompson (Language, Literature, and Writing) recently published a new article, “Mr. Seward’s Real Estate Transactions’: Comic Imperialism in the Reconstruction Era,” in a special issue of Studies in American Humor.
Undergraduate student Belinda Lin Xu presented her summer research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she investigated the role of the protein NONO in enhancing oncolytic virus therapies for glioblastoma.
Mimi Benjamin, SAHE professor, delivered the keynote at the National Learning Communities Association conference in Ames on Nov. 4, sharing how learning communities function as a “blueprint for home” at the intersection of belonging, engaged learning, and gathering.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s student alumni association, the IUP Ambassadors, is turning its winning streak into an opportunity to help IUP students facing food insecurity. For the third consecutive year, the IUP Ambassadors donated its Homecoming parade first-place float prize of $800 to the IUP Food Pantry and Help Center.
Associates for Student Development hosted “Finding Your SAHE Why” on November 3, bringing current SAHE students together with SAHE alumni for a purpose-focused conversation on career direction in student affairs.
Members of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine leadership team were invited presenters for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s 2025 Summit, “Together We Thrive, Building Inclusive Excellence Across the State System,” held virtually and at PennWest Clarion on October 29 and 30.
Brown's Farm was a racially integrated settlement near Johnstown that was inhabited from the early nineteenth through mid-twentieth centuries. Abdul Jones is presenting a series of talks on his thesis research at the site.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Assistant Professor of Organ and Keyboard and Director of IUP’s Organ Studio Christine Clewell and six IUP Organ Studio students were invited performers at First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, Connecticut, on October 20, followed by a Manhattan Pipe Organ Study and Crawl on October 21 and 22.
Jonathan Warnock, Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences, published with co-authors on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current during the last interglacial.