The University of Evansville (UE) awarded 480 degrees to 465 graduates of the Class of 2026 during its 168th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at the Ford Center in downtown Evansville.

President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz presided over the ceremony, which recognized not only academic achievement, but also the personal and community impact of UE graduates.

The ceremony included remarks from President Pietruszkiewicz, Student Government Association President Vivian Slaton, and Senior Keynote Speaker Alison Gansman. Several prestigious awards were presented, along with the conferral of two honorary degrees.

2026 Mabel Dillingham Nenneker and Guthrie May Outstanding Senior Award

Antonio Cortes Roman was named the recipient of the Mabel Dillingham Nenneker and Guthrie May Outstanding Senior Service Award, the University's highest honor for a graduating senior. A member of the Honors Program, Cortes Roman earned a 3.89 GPA while serving as an Orientation Leader and Resident Assistant, directing theatrical productions, and contributing extensively to campus and community initiatives. His work spanned Student Media, international student support, and community-based theatre partnerships, leaving a lasting impact across campus.

inaugural Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teacher Award

Dr. William Miller, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, received the inaugural Lee and Ann Cooper Outstanding Teacher Award. Recognized for his student-centered teaching, hands-on learning approach, and commitment to mentorship, Miller creates dynamic classroom experiences and expands opportunities for students through real-world application and professional development.

Eykamp Prize

Dr. Julie Merkle, Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Director of the Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence, was awarded the 2026 Eykamp Prize. A dedicated educator and active researcher, Merkle engages students in discovery-based learning and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications while fostering meaningful undergraduate research experiences.

Honorary Degrees

The University conferred honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees upon two distinguished leaders:

Dr. R. Kenneth Spear Jr., a physician and public health leader, was recognized for decades of service to Southwestern Indiana, including his leadership as Vanderburgh County Health Officer and his steady guidance through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reverend Larry A. Rascoe Sr., pastor, educator, and longtime University trustee, was honored for his lifelong commitment to ministry, education, and community advancement, including founding educational institutions and championing equity and opportunity.

Join the SAA Book Club in reading, the Art Thief by Michael Finkel this month. The Art Theif is a true-crime book about Stephane Breitwieser, one of history's most prolific art thieves. He stole over 200 priceless artworks from multiple Eurpean museums between 1995 and 2005.

To accomodate for the Memorial Day holiday, the club will be meeting one week earlier on Wednesday May 20th. They will meet at Orange Leaf  from 12 -1pm (patio if weather permitting).  To RSVP or if you have any questions please contact Kathy Taylor at ks6@evansville.edu.

Join the University of Evansville community in supporting an inspiring student-led event created by Lillie Price, a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science Pre-Professional major. Run with the Zebras is a 5K fundraiser benefiting the The Ehlers-Danlos Society and raising awareness for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD).

This cause is deeply personal to Lillie, who has turned her own journey into a mission to educate others, support research, and build hope for those living with often unseen daily challenges such as chronic pain, fatigue, and joint instability.

Whether you choose to run, walk, volunteer, or simply attend, this event is a chance for the UE community to come together for a meaningful cause while enjoying a fun day on campus. The event will include youth races, a speaker presentation, the adult run/walk, prizes, music, and more.

Event Details
📍 University of Evansville
📅 Saturday, May 23
⏰ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
🚗 Free parking available

Support one of our own and help make a difference through awareness, advocacy, and community action.

Sign up for Run with the Zebras.

ChangeLab has a new offering for students interested in emerging technology - Augmented an Virtual Reality! In Fall 2026, students will work with professors from Student Media, Creative Tech, and Languages & Cultures to create immersive experiences in Meta Quest 3s Headsets.

Please reach out to Jon Robertson jr462@evansville.edu with any questions about this exciting class!

In Episode 7, Ainoah Cruz speaks with Irais Ibarra Kay, UE alumna and Marketing Coordinator, Evansville Promise Neighborhood at UE.

Celebrating Hispanic Voices – Spotify – Episode 7 – Season 3 – Irais Ibarra Kay

Celebrating Hispanic Voices – Apple Podcasts – Episode 7 – Season 3 – Irais Ibarra Kay

Thank you to our production team, Ale España and Tommy Housman!

The University of Evansville Student Media program has reached a new milestone in film production through Tommy J. Housman’s Video Production course. Designed as a first attempt at a repeatable academic model, the class set out to write, produce, and complete a narrative short film within a single 16-week semester—establishing a structure that can be implemented in future courses.

That initial project, Undergrad, was written and directed by University of Evansville students and completed in December of 2025. Following its completion, the film was submitted to festivals and has now been officially selected for the Indiana Youth Film Festival 2026, marking the program’s first festival selection under this production model.

The film was directed by UE student Rylan Robb. Tommy J. Housman, Clinical Assistant Professor of Communications and Student Media Advisor at the University of Evansville, served as Executive Producer. The project was produced by University of Evansville Student Media, which continues to expand its role as a hub for student-led media production, collaboration, and public-facing storytelling.

This selection establishes a foundation for continued semester-based film production and reflects the growing capacity of Student Media to support high-level creative work within an academic setting.

You can watch Undergrad here.

Read all about it-featuring major projects, milestones, employee recongitions, operations updates, shout-outs and more!

https://www.evansville.edu/offices/facilities/foundations-2026-05.cfm

In Episode 7, Ainoah Cruz speaks with Irais Ibarra Kay, UE alumna and Marketing Coordinator, Evansville Promise Neighborhood at UE.

Celebrating Hispanic Voices – Spotify – Episode 7 – Season 3 – Irais Ibarra Kay

Celebrating Hispanic Voices – Apple Podcasts – Episode 7 – Season 3 – Irais Ibarra Kay

Thank you to our production team, Ale España and Tommy Housman!

The campus bookstore will begin its Summer hours on Monday, May 11th:

• Monday-Thursday: 10am-3pm
• Friday: 10am-2pm
• Saturday-Sunday: CLOSED

You can now view and apply for Summer 2026 Work-Study positions through Self-Service.

How to Apply:

1. Log in to Self-Service
2. Complete the 2026 Summer Work-Study Application
3. Scroll down to find Student Employment Position Listing
4. Submit applications for positions of interest by emailing your application to the listed supervisor

What You Need to Know:

• Summer Work-Study is open to returning students.
• You may work in multiple positions but cannot exceed 37.5 hours per week across all jobs.
• The Summer Work-Study period runs May 11^th – August 21^st.

If you are hired for a summer position, you will receive a Summer 2026 Offer of Employment, which must be completed before you begin working. If you have not worked on campus before, you will also be required to fill out all necessary payroll paperwork. Turn in all documents to the Office of Student Financial Services.

On the night of a 21st birthday, a family gathers for dinner in a home where tension quietly lives beneath the surface. As the evening unfolds, small moments begin to reveal the pressures each person is carrying, turning a familiar celebration into something far more fragile.

The Switch is a character-driven short film that explores family, responsibility, and the unseen weight of everyday life. Set in a single location and unfolding in real time, the film focuses on performance, atmosphere, and emotional authenticity to capture a moment that feels both intimate and universal.

Written and directed by Tommy J Housman, the film was created as part of a 16-week student collaboration with his Video Production class and Jon Robertson’s Sound Reinforcement and Recording Class at the University of Evansville. Shot in one room over the course of a single day, produced in one semester The Switch uses a minimalist approach and guided improvisation to build a natural, lived-in dynamic between its characters.

Still looking for your community at UE?

If you are a first-gen student, income-eligible, or have a documented disability, you qualify for FREE academic coaching, tutoring, and career prep designed to help you soar. College is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. TRIO Student Support Services is here to make sure you never have to "figure it out" alone.

The Perks of Membership (All 100% FREE):

·       A Personal Coach: Someone in your corner for every academic hurdle.

·       The Inside Scoop: Graduate school prep and career networking.

·       VIP Access: Tutoring, enrichment experiences and trips, and a private study community.

Your future self will thank you. Apply today! www.evansville.edu/trio

Questions? triosss@evansville.edu

Don’t leave your success to chance. Join a community invested in you.

Office of Alumni and Engagement – Student Worker Position

Student workers in the Office of Alumni and Engagement are part of the Development and Alumni Relations team. They contribute fresh ideas, take responsibility for their work, and gain valuable real-world professional experience. The department is committed to supporting student growth and skill development.

Primary Duties Include:

• Typing, filing, copying, and organizing materials

• Preparing mailings and event materials

• Maintaining alumni database information, including email addresses, phone numbers, and event attendance

• Assisting with social media posts

• Answering phones and providing general office support

• Preparing name tags, labels, table tents, and event supplies

• Assisting at alumni events as needed

Skills Required:

• Strong attention to detail

• Professional manners and a good understanding of written and spoken English

• Basic typing skills

• Familiarity with social media posting

• Experience with Microsoft Excel and Word

• Dependability and initiative

• Interest in gaining more than a basic work experience

Please submit application for employment to Dina Willming dw285@evansville.edu.

The Office of Marketing has recently adopted two policies that are now available on the office's website: the Preferred Vendor Policy and the Preferred Photographer Policy. We ask all campus departments to please review these policies to be informed, especially if you ever print materials, order promotional items/swag, or request a photographer for your department.

Should you have any questions about the policies, please contact Julie Beer with the Office of Marketing at x2236 or jb855@evansville.edu.

PREFERRED VENDOR POLICY (for printing and promotional items)

If you are seeking approval to work with a vendor not listed above, please contact the Office of Marketing. If we determine your vendor meets print quality standards, they may be added to the preferred list.

Thank you for upholding this policy, which helps protect the brand standards and professional quality expected of the University.

PREFERRED PHOTOGRAPHER POLICY

The UE Office of Marketing strives to maintain a consistent, high-quality style across all photography representing the University. As such, Marketing has a Preferred Photographer Policy that includes vendors with trusted quality, style, professionalism, and familiarity with the University’s photography expectations. These vendors also agree to an hourly rate established by the Office of Marketing.

Any department in need of professional photos for an event should first contact the Office of Marketing to book a photographer. The office can help with coordination and communication, and an estimate of the total cost will be provided. If direct coordination is more appropriate, the office will provide contact information for the photographer once availability is confirmed.

After your event, the photographer typically uploads high-resolution images to the digital asset manager for the Office of Marketing. After photos are tagged and approved, a link will be provided to view and download your images.

As of April 2026, the University’s preferred vendor for photography is Kylie McFall Photography. In the event Kylie is unavailable, the Office of Marketing will find an approved replacement.

If you have a photographer you would like the Office of Marketing to consider as an approved photographer, please contact our department.

Beginning Friday, May 1st, all official transcript requests will be held until final grades for the spring term have been verified. Unofficial transcripts will still be available through Self-Service.

Spring graduates should select “Hold for Degree" when ordering a transcript. Once final grades are verified and degrees are conferred, official transcript orders will be processed.

Summer session due dates:

Summer Session 1: May 1, 2026

Summer Session 2: June 1, 2026

Summer Session 3: July 1, 2026

Summer Session 4: May 1, 2026

For more information, please contact Student Financial Services at 812-488-2565

If you are interested in building bridges instead of walls, register for CHNG-310-S02: Latino Community Outreach for the fall semester. We work collaboratively with businesses and nonprofits to promote diversity and multicultural  harmony and to meet the needs of the local Latino community. Examples of outreach include working with healthcare providers; presenting research; translating documents; teaching basic Spanish and promoting Latino culture in after-school programs; tutoring English language learners in local schools; and offering English classes for adults.  Students choose the project(s) they wish to pursue.
If you want to learn more about this award-winning ChangeLab, email Dr. Cindy Crowe: cc109@evansville.edu

SPAN-212- Intermediate Spanish (3 credit hours) will be offered asynchronously online during Summer Session 2 (June 15 – July 17, 2026).                                                                                                                  Please contact Dr. Cindy Crowe cc109@evansville.edu with any questions.

SPAN-112- Elementary Spanish (3 credit hours) will be offered asynchronously online during Summer Session 2  (June 15 – July 17, 2026).                                                                                                              This course fulfills Outcome 6. Please contact Dr. Cindy Crowe cc109@evansville.edu with any questions.

The Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence (ECTE) offers certificates to faculty members who meet the requirement of engagement and participation in ECTE sponsored events. Congratulations to the faculty who earned a certificate or award for the 2025-2026 academic year by demonstrating dedication to teaching and learning!

New Faculty Engagement Certificate:

·      Erika Navarrete Anderson (Art)

·      Yishu Bai (Electrical Engineering)

·      Josh Baty (Biology)

·      Andy Hammond (Theatre)

·      Amanda Hooper (FYS)

·      Ian Kim (Neuroscience | Psychology)

·      Jesús Osorio Fuenmayor (Civil Engineering)

·      Holly Skillman( Psychology)

·      Madison Stout (Clinical Psychology)

·      Megan Whitmore (Nursing)

Teaching Development Certificate:

·      Alexa Ferguson (Center for Inclusive Excellence)

·      Max Flowers (Libraries)

·      Lisa Hale (Education)

·      Kristina Hochwender (English & Creative Writing)

·      Ying Ying Seah (Computer Science)

·      Jessica Snow (Health Sciences)

·      Sara Petrosillo (English & Creative Writing)

Outstanding New Faculty of the Year Award:

Jesús Osorio Fuenmayor (Civil Engineering)

Leadership in Teaching Excellence Award:

Sara Petrosillo (English & Creative Writing)

Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award:

Meg Atwater-Singer

Photo – left to right: Yishu Bai, Holly Skillman, Madison Stout, and Jean Gómez

ECTE Team: Julie Merkle, Lorraine Jones, and Diana Rodríguez Quevedo

Dr. Bruce Mabis, Dr. Amy McBride, Dr. Ken Steinsultz, Dr. Brian Swenty, and Dr. Ed Bujak were honored this past Sunday at the Faculty Retirement Tree Planting Ceremony and Reception.  The Paper Birch tree that was planted in their honor is located by the Koch Center front lawn closest to Clifford Memorial.  They each will leave with a great legacy of successful careers and excellent service to our institution.

Please join us in congratulating the winner of The Guthrie May and Mabel Dillingham Nenneker Outstanding Senior Service Award- Antonio Cortes Roman! This award was presented at the University of Evansville's 168th Commencement on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

An additional congratulations goes to all of the finalists: Tapanga Buechlein, Matthew Cartwright, Alison Gansman, Grace Gleisner, Tosin Ishola, Ethan John, Austin Landis, Mia Melendez, and Alexis Stovall.

The Guthrie May and Mabel Dillingham Nenneker Outstanding Senior Service Award represents the highest award given by the University of Evansville to one deserving student.  Selection for this award is based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and community and campus engagement.

Students in this semester's Criminal Justice courses collected jars of peanut butter for the Tri-State Food Bank, "Peanut Butter Jam". The students collected over 70 jars for the local food bank. The efforts were initiated by Psychology major, Kiza Dillard (pictured).

If you would like to donate to the food bank, please go to: https://www.tristatefoodbank.org/

VALPARAISO, Ind. –  The University of Evansville baseball team secured their fifth MVC series win of the season on Sunday afternoon, shutting out the Valparaiso Beacons 11-0 at Emory G. Bauer Field.
 
Making his first start of the season, Chris McCormack (Naperville, Ill./Iowa Central CC) was dominant on the mound, firing seven scoreless innings while limiting the Beacons to just three hits.
 
Evansville banged out 13 hits on the day and scored nine runs in the final two innings to break the game open. Five Aces had multi-hit games, including 3-hit performances from Spike Magill (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) and Cooper Rhodes (Jackson, Mo./Jackson). Of Evansville's 11 RBIs, eight came from the six through nine spots in the lineup.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Evansville struck first in the top of the second, with Mason McCue (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bishop McNamara) taking a 3-0 pitch to the left center field gap for a double, driving in two. Valpo threatened in their half of the second, loading the bases, but McCormack came up with a big strikeout to keep the Aces in front 2-0.

For the next several innings, McCormack and Valpo starter Nick Baffa traded zeroes as the game remained 2-0. Valpo threatened again in the seventh inning, but Reid Haire (Hudson, N.C./Charlotte) delivered his second game-changing defensive play in as many games, catching a fly ball in center and throwing out a runner at home to complete an inning-ending double play.
 
Evansville took advantage of the momentum in their next at-bats, scoring six runs on five hits to break the game open. The six runs tied for the highest total by the Aces in an inning this season.
 
After Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) provided a zero in relief in the bottom of the eighth, the Evansville continued to pour it on in the top of the ninth, scoring three more times to extend the lead to 11.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Roberts closed the door on the win, inducing a double play to clinch the series victory.
 
UP NEXT
Evansville will host Murray State next weekend for the final series of the regular season. First pitch for Thursday's series opener is set for 6 p.m.

Professor of Public Health and Director of Public Health Programs Dr. Payal Patel-Dovlatabadi recently spoke with Courier & Press about hantavirus. Read article below.

https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/local/2026/05/13/will-hantavirus-spark-another-pandemic-evansville-expert-says-no/90044380007/

 In a surprise announcement made Thursday during Toyota Indiana's 30th anniversary celebration in Princeton, the company announced $330,000 in grants supporting local organizations and community initiatives. Among the recipients was the University of Evansville (UE), which received a $50,000 gift to support the purchase of a dedicated vehicle for its role as Coordinating Partner in the Driving Possibilities initiative.

This investment will help staff at the Center for Innovation & Change and the School of Education's Design & Innovation Training Studio travel to students participating in STEM-related programming throughout the region, including in Evansville, Gibson County, and the Princeton area. The vehicle will allow the program to transport more staff to hands-on learning experiences, educational events, and visits to Toyota facilities and other industry sites across the region.

Toyota Indiana recognized the growing transportation needs associated with the program as participation and regional outreach continued to expand. The initiative's team members regularly travel throughout Southwest Indiana and often visit Toyota plants and partner organizations to learn best practices in increasing student access to advanced manufacturing and STEM career pathways.

Driving Possibilities is designed to inspire students to explore future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through real-world experiences and community partnerships.

"This investment from Toyota Indiana is much more than a vehicle, it's an investment in the future workforce of Southwest Indiana," said Erin Lewis, Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Change. "Through Driving Possibilities, our team creates hands-on opportunities for young people to explore STEM careers and discover innovation in meaningful ways. This generous support once again shows that Toyota truly thinks in generations, and we are so grateful for their partnership."

The vehicle will support programming across the University's Driving Possibilities territory and strengthen partnerships between schools and industry leaders.

UE's Center for Innovation & Change and Toyota Indiana have maintained a longstanding partnership focused on educational access and preparing the next generation of leaders and Changemakers.

Toyota Indiana has sponsored UE's High School Changemaker Challenge since 2016, the Mobile Innovation Lab in 2019, the Toyota Trinity Stormwater Park in 2021, and in 2024, UE announced the new partnership with Toyota USA Foundation, Toyota Indiana, North Gibson School Corporation, and the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation to become the Coordinating Partner of the Indiana Driving Possibilities initiative. That initiative included a grant totaling approximately $2 million to the university.