Higher Education

Ypsilanti – October 19, 2026 -- Eastern Michigan University is offering eligible students a $4,000 scholarship to join its Marching Band, and students do not need to major in music to qualify.

The scholarship pays $1,000 a year for four years

The award is open to all students who meet the marching band requirements, whatever their academic major. Only about 40% of band members are music majors. Students from disciplines across the university make up the rest.

J. Nick Smith, associate director of bands and director of Athletic Bands, said the scholarship helps attract more students and rewards them for the countless hours they put into the activity. EMU President Brendan Kelly, a two-time alum, said the college experience is about "finding and building community."

Grand Rapids – – October 16, 2026 -- Students who earn an associate degree at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) will be guaranteed admission to Western Michigan University (WMU) and an annual scholarship of $1,000 to $4,500 if they are eligible, under a new partnership called the Bronco Bound Guarantee.

Leaders from both schools will formalize the agreement at a signing ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at GRCC's Applied Technology Center, Secchia Piazza, on the main campus in Grand Rapids.

Admission, fee waiver and scholarship money are built in

Qualifying GRCC students will have their WMU application fee waived and will be considered for scholarships automatically. Eligible students are guaranteed the annual award of $1,000 to $4,500.

Erie, Pa. – October 06, 2026 -- The Institute of Medical and Business Careers (IMBC) is enrolling students in a 12-month Welding Technology diploma program at its Erie, Pennsylvania campus, offering a shorter path into a skilled trade than a traditional college schedule.

The program trains students across 35 welding bays on multiple techniques.

Located at 5739 West 26th Street in Erie, the campus provides hands-on instruction in MIG, TIG, pipe, and structural metal welding. Students also learn destructive and non-destructive testing, quality control, and safety procedures. The program does not require an internship.

Berlin – October 05, 2026 -- Four U.S. college students arrived in Berlin last week as the first recipients of the Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship, a program funded through a $55,000 gift from Karen Collias, Ph.D., founder of Knowledge Without Borders (KWB).

The scholarship, administered by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), covers four first-generation, Pell-eligible undergraduates participating in CIEE's Berlin Open Campus program for the semester.

Students will study Germany's reckoning with Nazi history

Through coursework, site visits, and conversations with historians and civic leaders, the Fellows will examine Germany's history, including the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust, and how the country has shaped its collective memory since 1945.

Glendora, Calif. – October 01, 2026 -- Los Angeles Pacific University (LAPU) has officially changed its name to Azusa Pacific University Global (APU Global), aligning its fully online degree programs with the Azusa Pacific University (APU) brand.

APU Global continues to offer 100% online, asynchronous associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs built for working adults. APU, the traditional campus-based institution, keeps its focus on on-campus and hybrid education.

Current students see no disruption to coursework or support

For students already enrolled under the former LAPU name, the switch to APU Global changes only the branding. Course schedules, faculty support, and degree progress continue as planned.

Portland, Maine – September 30, 2026 -- The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has opened applications for three fellowship programs aimed at first-generation and Pell-eligible college students seeking to study or intern abroad in 2027. CIEE awards more than $13 million annually in grants and scholarships for international study and internships.

Thirteen students head to Dublin for an eight-week paid internship

The Douglass-O'Connell Global Internship Program, established in 2015 and sponsored by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs, the African American Irish Diaspora Network, and The John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, sends 13 Pell-eligible students to Dublin each year. The program covers full funding, airfare, and a living stipend, and includes lectures and excursions tied to the historical friendship between Frederick Douglass and Daniel O'Connell. Applications close January 8, 2027.

Englewood – September 29, 2026 -- Undergraduate students across the United States pursuing medicine can now apply for the newly launched Dr. Jihad Mustapha Medical Student Scholarship, a one-time award designed to offset the costs of pre-medical and early medical studies.

The fund targets financial barriers facing pre-med students

Dr. Jihad A. Mustapha, an interventional cardiologist and educator, established the scholarship to help talented students focus on academic excellence and clinical preparation rather than financial strain. His career spans decades of clinical practice, research, and teaching, with a focus on cardiovascular and vascular medicine.

Applications open through the scholarship's official website

Students can apply through the program's dedicated site, where guidelines, required documentation, and submission deadlines are listed.

Henderson, Tenn. – September 24, 2026 -- Freed-Hardeman University has secured three rankings in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list, including No. 4 for Best Value Regional University in the South.

The university also placed No. 18 among Top Private Schools in the South and tied for No. 35 among Regional Universities in the South.

The Best Value ranking weighs academic quality against cost

U.S. News determines Best Value standings by combining a school's overall academic quality with the net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student receiving average need-based financial aid.

FHU's retention and graduation rates hit new highs

The university reported an 89% fall-to-fall retention rate, meaning nearly nine in ten students return for a second year. Its five-year graduation rate reached an all-time high of 71%.

Tulsa, Okla. – September 22, 2026 -- The University of Tulsa has landed a spot among the Top 75 private research universities in the country, according to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday. The publication also named UTulsa the No. 1 best value for higher education in Oklahoma.

The school jumped 10 places in the overall national university rankings this year. Its undergraduate computer science program leaped 57 spots, while undergraduate engineering rose 16 places and undergraduate business climbed 26 spots. UTulsa also moved up eight positions among the best colleges for veterans.

Petroleum engineering holds steady at No. 3 nationally

UTulsa's undergraduate petroleum engineering program kept its No. 3 ranking among all national universities and remains No. 1 in Oklahoma.

Washington – September 22, 2026 -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology has claimed the No. 1 spot among National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, ending Princeton University's 15-year run at the top since the 2012 edition. Princeton now sits at No. 2, with Harvard University at No. 3. Williams College retained its top ranking among National Liberal Arts Colleges in the 42nd edition, which evaluated nearly 1,700 institutions.