News Center
Studying a link between sleep and Alzheimer¡¯s, dementia
The July 10, 2025, issue of Science, one of the world¡¯s top academic journals, features Dr. Samantha Keil ¡¯12 as lead author on an article that summarizes what research has revealed about how the brain¡¯s glymphatic system may play a role in Alzheimer¡¯s disease.
2026 MLK Day celebration schedule
Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø's annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy will take place Jan. 19-23. The theme of the event is "The Fierce Urgency of Now: Compassion in Action."
Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø ranked No. 4 in enrolling international students
Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø once again moved up the ranks in the federal 2025 Open Doors Report among baccalaureate colleges for the number of international students it enrolls. Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø's 2024-25 ranking is now #4 in the nation.
Celebrating 150 years in Rock Island
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s first classes in Rock Island, the college¡¯s unofficial historian Kai Swanson ¡¯86 reflects on its early rural beginnings.
Triceratops gets star treatment in Swenson lab
A historic discovery is taking shape in the basement of Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s Swenson Hall of Geosciences.
Q&A with Jacob Washington ¡¯21, awarded for broadcast excellence
Emmy-nominated Jacob Washington ¡¯21 was a producer for ¡°It¡¯s The Gateway to Baltimore: The Key Bridge Collapse,¡± which earned Baltimore¡¯s WJZ-TV a regional 2025 Murrow Award for breaking news coverage.
When multiple majors lead to singular careers
Making connections is the beating heart of many careers: connecting one idea with another idea, a community with a service or solution, a vision with an audience. A liberal arts education builds this ability.
Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble to tour Washington and Oregon in March
Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø's Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Michael Zemek, will embark on a performance tour March 20-23, 2026. The tour will kick off in Chicago, Ill., and then they will continue on to perform in Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Ore.
Class Notes
Alumni share their latest news and photos!
Listening to the natural world with Amy Martin ¡¯95
Fish, insects, elephants and the Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Choir all have their place in the natural world of sound, as explored by journalist Amy Martin ¡®95.
¡¯87 grad rocks with Mannheim Steamroller
Violinist Becky Kia ¡¯87 actually said no the first two times Mannheim Steamroller came calling. But by 1990, she was ready. Kia accepted the invitation to join the ensemble¡¯s backup orchestra for its Christmas concerts in Omaha, and today she is a touring conductor and solo violinist.
Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø presents holiday planetarium show Dec. 6-12
The college's annual holiday planetarium show, "Season of Light," uses images, video, animation and sound to tell the story of how holiday traditions are connected to the sky above. Admission is free, but reservations are required.
Insights from an Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø admissions counselor
Kassidy Belcher ¡¯21, senior admissions counselor at Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø, offers guidance shaped by her experience on both sides of the admissions process ¡ª first as an Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø applicant and now as a professional committed to helping high school students make informed decisions.
Game on! Student photographers get the good shots
The assignment? Capture the Å·ÖÞ±ÍøÍ¶_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Vikings in action ¡ª on the field, on the court, in the pool. And students in Dr. Carolyn Yaschur¡¯s MJMC 310: Visual Storytelling class delivered. Check out her students' photos of the action on campus this fall.
Football Vikings win big with team-first culture
The Vikings¡¯ season-defining moment came far earlier than anyone expected. By halftime of the first game, five key players were out with injuries. What happened next set the momentum rolling for a strong 7¨C3 regular-season run.

