BOG Notebook: Presentations highlight dynamic campus life, strong student leadership, and faculty success

Representatives from the Dean of Students office attended the Board meeting to support the student presenters.

DETROIT - Five students took center stage during Friday's Wayne State University Board of Governors meetings, offering a look at how campus involvement and community outreach are shaping student life.

The first presentations, held in the Student Center Building, tied into the broader Student Success 2.0: Every Warrior Rises effort to boost belonging and student engagement.

Dean of Students Dr. David Strauss stands with students (L-R) Angela Najor, Micah Grant and Renata Carlesimo during the Board of Governors meeting on Friday, December 12.

Before introducing the speakers at the Academic and Student Affairs Committee session, Dean of Students Dr. David Strauss outlined how large and active student life has become on WSU's Midtown campus and beyond. Wayne State now has 418 registered student organizations, 17 fraternities and sororities, 19 intercollegiate sports, 21 club sports, and nine intramural leagues.

He said these opportunities increase the university's retention and graduation attainment, helping students feel connected and engaged. Weekly engagement activities continue to draw strong turnout at the Student Center and beyond, while providing avenues for students to find their place on campus.

Seniors Micah Grant, Renata Carlesimo, and Angela Najor shared how such opportunities shaped their own experiences.

Grant told the board she wanted "more than just academic success" when she arrived at Wayne State. Getting involved gave her "a sense of community, leadership development, and connection to Wayne State," especially through her work with the National Panhellenic Council.

Carlesimo said she started college "too shy to get out there," but attending FestiFall opened her eyes. "I was shocked by the number of organizations and how passionate the students were," she said. Joining a sorority helped her find "that sense of belonging and purpose" she'd been missing.

Najor, who leads the Campus Activities Team, said involvement made her more confident and willing to take on challenges she once avoided.

Also at the Dec. 12 Board of Governor meeting, Adanna Nwamba and Andrew Robinson (R), a pre-med and engineering student and medical student, respectively, described their work on the Detroit Youth Health Expo.

Later, during the Health Affairs, Research, and Economic Development Committee meeting, pre-med and engineering student Adanna Nwamba and medical student Andrew Robinson described their work on the Detroit Youth Health Expo, an event designed to inspire Detroit area high school students to explore careers across health care professions.

"We had 97 percent of the attendees report an increased interest in healthcare careers," Nwamba said. Robinson added that he hopes to keep supporting the event, calling the experience "something I loved being part of."

Wayne Law facility plan
The board approved spending to design, solicit bids, and award contracts for the development of a Comprehensive Facility Plan for the Wayne Law School and Law Library with a design cost not to exceed $390,000. Funding for this project will be provided by Law School philanthropic funds.

In 2023, the state legislature approved planning authorization through the capital outlay process to replace the existing single-story Law Classroom Building. As part of that process, it was evident that Wayne Law needed a more holistic Phase 2 plan for the spaces and functions in its other buildings, the Law Library and the Law School Building. This Phase 2 design plan will create schematic designs for future remodeling of the existing facilities to determine cost estimates necessary for setting fundraising goals and will create renderings for use in donor solicitation. The design plan will include a thorough review of existing spaces and will identify opportunities to improve efficiency in classrooms, study areas and administrative offices.

Interim President Richard Bierschbach reacts to the Student Success 2.0: Every Warrior Rises presentation at the Dec. 12 Board of Governors meeting.

President's Report
During his report, Interim President Richard A. Bierschbach highlighted a multitude of recent university and faculty accomplishments, including:

• Dr. Yinlun Huang, professor of chemical engineering and materials science, was selected to receive the AIChE Professional Achievement Award for Innovations in Green Process Engineering, one of the highest honors in his field.

• Dr. Amanda Miller, associate professor, special education, will lead a $3.75 million initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education that prepares leaders to provide support to students with special needs.

• WSU artists and alumni were featured on the world's stage during Art Basel Paris in France. The inaugural Detroit Salon highlighted Detroit artists, designers, and cultural innovators. Curated by WSU alumna and CFPCA Arts Achievement Award recipient Juana Williams, the exhibitions featured works by Lauren Kalman, Elaine L. Jacob Endowed Chair, and Allana Clarke, assistant professor and multimedia artist, exploring identity and material transformation.

• Dr. Michelle Jacobs, associate professor, sociology, was awarded $220,000 by the Michigan Department of Corrections for her project, "Baccalaureate Prisoner Education Programs."

• Katrina Rouan was appointed director of the Walter P. Reuther Library and Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs. Rouan has served as interim director of the Reuther Library since 2024 and brings extensive experience from within WSU Libraries.

• Dr. Ana Daugherty has been appointed as director of the Institute of Gerontology, succeeding Dr. Peter Lichtenberg after his 25-year tenure. A cognitive neuroscientist specializing in aging and Alzheimer's disease, Daugherty is an associate professor jointly appointed in psychology and the Institute of Gerontology and has longstanding ties to the institute, including earning her Ph.D. at Wayne State and serving as an NIA T32 pre-doctoral trainee.
  
• Dr. Arash Javanbakht, associate professor, psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, and founding director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, received the AIXR Healthcare Solution of the Year award for ExpandXRm, an AI-enhanced augmented reality technology for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders.
  
• Professor of Surgery Dr. Anna Marie Ledgerwood, Res. '72, FACS, is the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The annual award recognizes an individual's contributions to the advancement of women in the field of surgery.