Nathan Norton Western Herald Last Saturday, nearly a hundred Malay, Chinese, and Indian students gathered at Western Michigan University in the Wesley Foundation dining room to celebrate both the 52nd anniversary of Malaysia’s independence and the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival. Although Malaysian Independence Day was August 31, the Malaysian Student Association (MASA) wanted to make [...]
MASA celebrates Malaysia’s 52nd Independence Day and Hari Raya
University opens lines of communication about Swine Flu
Sebastian Fryer Western Herald As a new academic year begins, the threat of a pandemic hangs over Western Michigan University. On Aug. 31, 2009, WMU administrators sent out an e-mail to students and families regarding the prevention of an outbreak of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as “swine flu.” The e-mail included information on flu [...]
Campus Community Reacts to Obama’s Speech in Cairo
Daing S. Nasir Western Herald President Barack Obama gave a speech at Cairo University in Egypt on June 4, where he addressed American-Muslim relations. The speech, making good on a long awaited campaign promise, was highly anticipated across the Arab world. President Obama acknowledged the fact that the United States had failed in its ideals [...]
Earth Hour gains steam around world
Journey through terror
WMU alumnus to represent the U.S. in Jewish Olympics
By Brianna Clabin Western Herald Western Michigan Alumnus, Chad Mahakian, will be representing the U.S. in the 2009 Maccabiah Games (Jewish Olympics). Mahakian graduated in August from WMU, where he majored in exercise science. “Running played a part in my decision to major in exercise, but I think the majority of my decision came from [...]
Dunn celebrates study abroad progress in Spain
By Melissa Nichols Western Herald President John Dunn traveled to Spain recently to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Western Michigan University’s study abroad program in Burgos. Dunn’s wife, Linda Dunn, Mercedes Tasende, Chair of the Department of Spanish, and Brett Berquist, executive director of International Programs, accompanied Dunn on his visit from Nov. 23 to [...]
Foreign policy lecture series begins with discussion of Arctic issues
By Russell Buero Western Herald The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan played host to speaker Mead Treadwell, chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission on Tuesday. The presentation, titled “Who Owns the Northwest Passage? Arctic Issues,” focused heavily on the need for international monitoring of crisis issues in the Arctic region. The presentation started [...]
Class sends students to Egypt
Multidisciplinary program gives entire university chance to travel By Ali Pavlicek Western Herald Western Michigan University has offered study abroad opportunities in Egypt for many years. However, this spring, students had the opportunity for a new offering, where geology and Egyptian culture merged into one course and one trip worth three credits. The course titled [...]
Japan Festival kicks off International Education Week
By Daing S. Nasir Western Herald In conjunction with International Education Week, the Japan Club at Western Michigan University will be hosting Japan Festival at the Wesley Foundation on campus Nov. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. Japan Festival will be highlighting the best of Japanese Culture with an assortment of booths set up for [...]
In Bloom: WMU professor travels world studying endangered plant
Studying abroad is more affordable than most think
By Nichole Allen Western Herald For the students who enrolled in one of Western Michigan University’s 60 study abroad programs in one of 35 countries last year, discovered that studying abroad can be affordable. In 2007, WMU study abroad students received more than $400,000 from WMU funds and scholarships, in addition to outside fellowships. “I [...]
Advocate of human rights questions Isreali/Palestine Conflict
By Daing S. Nasir Western Herald In conjunction with the 25th annual celebration of Peace Week at Western Michigan University, the Peace Center invited renowned anthropologist and professor, Jeff Halper, author of “An Israeli in Palestine,” to give a speech. Halper has been living in Israel since 1973 and is associated with The Israeli Committee [...]
Iranian Rapper speaks of Peace at film screening
By Katherine Peach Western Herald Out of the 70 million people that populate Iran, 70 percent are under the age of 30. Despite facing economic difficulties, conflict with the U.S. and strict government rule, the youth have created a vast underground music scene. Rap, or hip hop, is quickly becoming main stream within the conservative [...]
Cooking show stint derails Thai prime minister
BANGKOK, Thailand — A Thai court removed the prime minister Tuesday for taking pay to host a TV cooking show, setting off wild celebrations by protesters occupying his office compound. But rejoicing could be short-lived — the ruling party vowed to put him back in power. The Constitutional Court’s ruling took Samak Sundaravej at least [...]
Costa Rican police join KDPS for hostage training
By Josh Holderbaum Western Herald Successfully making it through a simulated hostage situation can be difficult for police officers. When a local unit is required to work with an entirely Spanish-speaking unit, it requires more forethought on both sides. Last week, Costa Rican officers trained alongside Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers in hostage rescue [...]
17 feared dead in crash of aid plane in Congo
By Eddy Isango Associated Press KINSHASA, Congo — A humanitarian aid flight carrying 17 people crashed while trying to land during a storm in remote eastern Congo and all aboard were feared dead Tuesday, officials said. U.N. helicopters found the crash site — about nine miles from the plane’s destination near the Rwanda border — [...]
China quake kills 27, destroys 180,000 homes
From the Associated Press. BEIJING — Chinese rescue teams carrying tents, quilts and sacks of rice rushed Sunday to reach survivors of an earthquake that killed at least 27 people, turned tens of thousands of homes into rubble and cracked reservoirs. The 6.1-magnitude quake struck Sichuan province on Saturday along the same fault line as [...]
Journey through terror
In Bloom