News Roundup

October 15, 2026

A biweekly update of recent Academic Affairs wins

No updates at this time.

The 24 Hours Animation Contest for Students just turned 24! - For the 24th year in a row, teams of student animators from all over the world banded together to make a 30-second animated film in just 24 hours – that’s one day to go from concept to finished film! Since its inception, teams from more than 35 countries have participated. This year, the prompt and rules for the day-long contest were provided at 4 p.m. on Friday, October 2 and all films had to be submitted by 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 3. 715 teams registered, and more than 650 films were completed and submitted using the theme "Everybody Calm Down."

Industry judges watched and scored each completed film and winners will be announced on Friday, October 16 at 12:30 p.m. Multiple prizes and awards totaling nearly $100K have been assembled by Competition Founder and Producer Aubry Mintz, a professor in the School of Art, and the team of 24 Hours production assistants and industry friends supporting this 24-year tradition.

Learn more at the .

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Professor Michelle Barrack's sabbatical research sheds light on athlete nutrition - When 91��Ƭ�� Nutrition and Dietetics Professor Dr. Michelle Barrack took her sabbatical last spring, she didn't slow down — she dove deeper. A faculty member in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Professor Barrack used her time away from the classroom to pursue two compelling research projects at the intersection of sports nutrition, health and well-being, and equity. Most of Dr. Barrack’s research is focused on adolescent runners and bone health.

Classics Professor Debby Sneed wins national award for outstanding scholarship - Debby Sneed, an assistant professor of classics, recently received the national Barbara McManus Award for Outstanding Scholarship. The annual award is presented by the Women’s Classical Caucus, a national organization that, since 1971, has advocated for the representation of feminist and gender-informed perspectives in the study and teaching of women in classical antiquity.

With co-author Erin Lawrence-Roseman, Sneed published “A Dwarf Maiden on the Athenian Acropolis: Disability and Dedication in the Archaic Polis” in The Art Bulletin, one of the most prestigious journals for art and archaeology in the field.

Deepali Bhandari, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, hosted local industry CEOs for a student and faculty networking opportunity – On October 9, , for a day of panels, a fireside chat with our students, a seminar, and more! Students and faculty had the opportunity to meaningfully engage and connect with Tim and Dan and learned so much from their experiences.

Thank you to Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Deepali Bhandari, for organizing this opportunity.

No updates at this time.

Beach EDGE programs continue to grow, garnering interest and making the master’s degree accessible and affordable - Beach Expedited Degrees in Graduate Education (EDGE) merge existing baccalaureate and master's degree programs in similar disciplines into a single pathway. 91��Ƭ�� has 30 EDGE programs with 87 students enrolled. 36 of those are master’s students who have already earned their bachelor’s degree at 91��Ƭ�� and are now in their grad program.
Celebrating awardees and mentors at the Sally Casanova/CDIP/PREPP Reception - On October 12, Graduate Studies was joined by 91��Ƭ�� President Dr. Loren J. Blanchard to celebrate the Sally Casanova Scholars, CDIP and PREPP Fellows, and their 91��Ƭ�� Faculty Mentors at the ! The reception hosted 12 Sally Casanova Scholars, 3 CDIP Fellows, 3 PREPP Fellows, and 14 91��Ƭ�� Faculty Mentors. During the reception, Dr. Blanchard, Graduate Studies Dean Dr. Dina Perrone, and Drs. Joanna Barreras, Melawhy Garcia, Angela Locks, and Arturo Zavala highlighted the value of these programs in building supportive pathways to the professoriate.

No updates at this time.