News

• The RMU Ready Plan gives you all the information you need for a safe and healthy return to campus. And don't forget to continue to check out rmu.edu/coronavirus for updates about campus life in the midst of the pandemic. 
   
• RMU President Chris Howard was ranked among the Leading Black Educators at Top Universities 2020 by U.S. Black Engineer Magazine.
   
• On July 28 the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) conducted a remote compliance survey of all policies, procedures, and records associated with students receiving VA educational benefits. The Center for Veterans and Military Families (CVMF) is proud to report zero discrepancies were found. We would like to thank everyone who assisted in supplying the required information and assisting us in receiving a clean audit. We would also like to give special recognition to RMU's veterans benefits specialist & primary certifying official, Christie McFadden, for her diligent coordination of this significant undertaking.
   
• Danielle Wicklund, a cybersecurity and information assurance student and member of Top Secret Colonials, was awarded the DAAD RISE Professional 2020 Scholarship. She was offered a scholarship position to conduct research at Phytowelt Green Technologies GmbH in Nettetal, Germany for three months, but due to COVID it was cancelled. Although there was no way to reschedule the trip, she still acknowledged as a recipient of this prestigious award.
   
• The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations (PNGAS) unanimously-approved and announced that RMU has earned the designation of PNGAS Guard-Friendly School, along with 12 other colleges and universities. The PNGAS Guard-Friendly School standards were designed to recognize colleges, universities, and trade schools that meet or exceed 10 baseline criteria that create a supportive learning environment to assist members of the Pennsylvania Guard and their families in pursuing post-secondary degrees. PNGAS is a non-profit organization whose sole mission is supporting the men, women, and veterans of the National Guard, their spouses, and families.
   
• The RMU Library has received a $149,000 grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for Tim Schlak’s project titled “Establishing a Community of Practice for Small- and Mid-Sized Academic Libraries to Explore the Possibilities of Transformative Agreements beyond the Top-Tier Research Library Level. Schlak, assistant provost and library dean, will plan for and develop a national community of practice from select small and mid-sized academic libraries and academic library consortia that would enable them to collectively pursue transformative Open Access agreements. Over the next 18 months Schlak will collaborate with Alexis Macklin, associate dean of the libraries from Wayne State University in Detroit.
   
• Mike Sciulli, a sports communications major with a minor in sport management, has been nominated for a 2020 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards for his production of the RMU vs. Holy Cross men's ice hockey coverage. His work was nominated for the College/University Student Production-Sports-Live Event category.
   
• Robert Morris University, in conjunction with its cyber center partner at the University of Pittsburgh, hosted its first-ever Air Force Association Cyber Camp 2020 in late July. With the pandemic causing many summer programs to cancel, RMU worked closely with Pitt to transfer the traditional 5-day workshops to a virtual environment to simulate the labs and team competitions that are so integral to the camp. Nearly 100 students joined from around the country to hear from Anthony Moretti and Lawrence Tomei, were lead instructors for two of six cohorts. The RMU IT department, led by Jimmy Chiaramonte, provided valuable technical assistance to both campuses, instructors and students alike.
   
• RMU student Mike Campbell was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Esports and named to the NACE All-Star Team for Rocket League. These awards mark the first class of national award winners for the association in recognizing outstanding students and staff at member institutions.
   
• RMU in the News has been published for July.

Editor's Note  -- The Minuteman now on its summer schedule, publishing every other Friday. The next Minuteman will come out on Friday, August 28.