“Sometimes the most important door in your life opens because you had the courage to knock.”
May 15, 2026
Western New England University celebrates the Class of 2026 at Commencement ceremonies.
Western New England University is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1919, located on a 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts. Western New England serves 3,955 students, including 2,575 full-time undergraduate students. With the academic options of a university, and a focus on individualized attention, Western New England inspires students to achieve more than they ever imagined possible.
University News Archives can be found here.
Western New England University celebrates the Class of 2026 at Commencement ceremonies.
Marty Walsh and Sheryl McQuade, two accomplished leaders in public service and business, will serve as keynote speakers for its 2026 Commencement ceremonies.
Associate professor of chemistry Nuwan De Silva, Ph.D., , is the recipient of the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award. The award recognizes his commitment to student learning, innovative instruction, and mentorship across the University.
WNE's Civil Engineering Surveying Team earned top honors, capturing First Place at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Regional Competition for the second consecutive year. With the victory, the team advances to the 2026 ASCE UESI Surveying Society-wide Finals Competition, scheduled for June 25–27 in Fairmont, West Virginia.
WNE law alumna Sarah Morgan has been named Chief Human Resources Officer. She will lead HR strategy and workforce culture and development initiatives. She previously served as Vice President of Human Resources at Health New England.
The School of Law’s Center for Social Justice expands access to legal support for underserved communities—while giving students hands-on experience tackling real-world financial and legal challenges. The Center is delivering measurable community impact and preparing practice-ready attorneys committed to advancing economic justice.
Business students gain career insights from alumna Jennifer Arling '22 and talent acquisition leader Tricia Arling for a professional development session designed to help students better navigate internships, job searches, and early career decisions.
The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation awarded two WNE students $5,000 each to fund their summer training and research efforts in high-impact areas of pediatric cancer.
April is Occupational Therapy Month. WNE's Department of Occupational Therapy is using the month to highlight both the profession’s impact and its innovative educational pathways preparing future practitioners.
WNE College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' faculty and students are earning recognition across disciplines for research that advances both student success and healthcare innovation.
WNE welcomed nearly 1,300 high school students, mentors, and coaches to campus for a high-energy weekend of innovation, competition, and hands-on engineering as part of the internationally recognized FIRST Robotics Competition.
Promising young scientists and engineers participated in the annual Region 1 Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair at WNE. High school students from across western Massachusetts presented original, student-led research and competed in a wide range of STEM disciplines.
Mexican artist Mónica Albarrán, whose son is a current Western New England student, donated four paintings now on permanent display in the Student Hub, adding a striking artistic presence to one of campus’s most active gathering spaces.
David M. DiSabito Jr., MBA, Professional Educator of Business Analytics and Information Management and AI Liaison for the College of Business, has been selected as a Member of the Generative AI in Assessment Community of Practice, a national initiative convened through the 2026 Assessment Institute in Indianapolis.
“AI Bootcamp for Bank Leaders” is a two-day virtual program scheduled for April 7 and April 14, 2026, to provide senior banking professionals and emerging leaders with hands-on training in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its practical applications in the financial services industry.
Six finalists are announced for the Teaching Excellence Award. The award honors a full-time faculty member in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, or Engineering who exemplifies outstanding teaching and has made a distinct difference in the academic environment through innovative instruction, mentorship, or campus leadership.
Six faculty and staff members in the College of Engineering have earned “Golden Tickets” to a national engineering education initiative. The highly sought-after opportunity supports educators in developing innovative teaching strategies that combine engineering fundamentals with entrepreneurial thinking and real-world applications.
Competing against law students from across the country, students Sierra Sellers and Tiffany Thibodau earned high praise from judges for their composure, organization, and command of complex legal issues at 2026 National Environmental Law Moot Court competition.
College of Business Associate Professor Murat Aydogdu has been recognized as a 2026 North American SAS Educator Award recipient—an international distinction honoring faculty who are advancing analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence education in higher education.
Students from WNE's College of Business has earned top honors at the CFA Society Boston Investment Research Challenge, winning the Local Finals on February 11 and advancing to regionals. This annual global equity research competition provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis.
WNE has been awarded a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to provide scholarship support for academically talented, low-income students pursuing degrees across all engineering disciplines in the College of Engineering.
WNE Law hosted a sold-out forum uniting legal, medical, and public health leaders to discuss racial disparities in health care.
Intensive, hands-on, day-based master’s program delivers industry-ready skills and accelerated pathways to biomanufacturing and bioprocessing roles.
WNE Honors Students Publish in National Honors Journal Highlighting Campus Meditation Garden
WNE senior Alexis “Lexi” Torres was named the 2025 recipient of the Breana Giordano Memorial Award. Torres has distinguished herself through scholarship, engagement, and professional drive, embodying many of the same qualities that defined Giordano during her time at WNE.