News

No doubt about it, Homecoming 2020 was different. But on the growing list of virtual events that turn out to be pretty enjoyable, it was a clear success.

Albion College is one of only two colleges in Michigan, public or private, that saw enrollment gains this fall. An October 31 story in the Detroit Free Press by higher education reporter David Jesse notes that Albion experienced a 15% increase in its fall first-year class and a 2% overall enrollment increase.

In the ubiquitous world of polling, the Siena College Research Institute is considered the gold standard. This election season, some 50 Albion College students have been given the opportunity to work for SCRI to see how the American people think and what’s important to them as a pivotal election looms.

The “Big Bang” may have started the universe but it’s likely that smaller bangs played a key role in life on Earth, say Albion College physics professor Nicolle Zellner and chemistry professor Vanessa McCaffrey.

Dr. Richard Youle, ’74, came to Albion College with the hope of teaching one day. But when the research bug bit him, he embarked on a career as an NIH researcher that has spanned more than four decades. This year, his research into Parkinson’s Disease has earned him the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

Albion College professor of piano David Abbott may not have the answers to the challenges, conflicts and uncertainties of today’s world. But in a unique performance October 8, he and adjunct music professor Anna Khalikova offered a place to start.

Albion College has been selected as one of five higher-ed institutions—and the only liberal arts college—to register students for All of Us, a medical project that aims for more inclusion, diversity and accuracy when it comes to treating patients.

Through the Dr. R. Bruce, ’67, and Jane Harper Earth Day 50th Anniversary Gift, music graduate Ryan Powell, ’19, was commissioned to compose an original piece to celebrate nature and recognize the current moment. Powell’s recently completed composition of nearly six minutes comes with a bonus: he created a video as well.

Beyond the challenging coursework, getting a job in actuarial science requires passing a series of some of the most difficult professional examinations in the country. Albion College’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, which supports students in the extensive and expensive process of passing these tests, recently celebrated with Claire Mitchell, ’21, after she passed the Society of Actuaries Probability Test.

Not only did chemistry professor Craig Streu, ’04, successfully direct his students in all-remote projects this summer, he also led them in researching how institutions across the country did the same. The results of this additional project were featured in a recent edition of ASBMB Today, the journal of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.