HIGHER ED

Some murders go unsolved. Some people go missing indefinitely. But these cold cases are getting fresh eyes in Michigan, thanks to Western Michigan University students who are teaming up with state police detectives to crack them back open.

Launched in 2020, the Cold Case Program has given Western Michigan University (WMU) students hands-on experience with 88 homicide and missing-person cases. They’ve made a difference, helping Michigan State Police resolve seven cases and contributing to eight felony arrests.

The students also are learning about public service, victim advocacy, and the complexities of justice.

“This immersive experience of working side by side with detectives gives students firsthand insight into professional investigative practices and teaches them many things,” said Ashlyn Kuersten, a sociology professor at WMU who leads the program. “They see public service not as an abstract concept, but as a lived calling.” Kuersten is shown in the photo above, working with a student in the program.

Two students who participated are now state troopers. Another six are in training to become troopers.

State Trooper Shelby Wilmot said Kuersten “stands unmatched—not only for her expertise in the field, but for the lasting impact she has had on my life and future.” She credited Kuersten’s guidance with opening her eyes to a career in public service. “She consistently encouraged me to step far beyond my comfort zone, to engage meaningfully in the investigative process, and to consider how my skills and experiences could serve the public good,” Wilmot said.

Read more about the Cold Case Program and about an award Kuersten received.

WMU—with more than 16,000 students—is a public research university in Kalamazoo. It has been building Michigan and America since it was founded in 1903.

For public safety, for public service: Higher education builds America.

For two U.S. Navy commanders who happen to be twin sisters, East Carolina University has been central to their ambitions to serve the country.

Brenda and Linda Sharpe, from Pinetops, N.C., graduated in spring 2025 from ECU with doctorates in public health. Years ago, both of them had earned bachelor’s degrees from ECU in environmental health science.

Choosing that field was not random. When the sisters were growing up, their mother worked in a toy factory. They recalled that their mother was exposed to bits of plastic. Worried about such health threats, the sisters resolved to try to prevent them.

“I was tired of seeing my mom come home full of plastic and coughing,” Linda Sharpe says. “I remember I wanted to do something to change this.”

Eventually they became industrial hygienists in the Navy, with responsibility for monitoring safety aboard hospital ships and aircraft carriers. They were able to continue their naval duties while taking courses online from ECU, over a six-year period, to earn their doctorates. Their expertise and leadership are contributing to the safety of our armed forces.

East Carolina University, with about 27,000 students in the city of Greenville, has been building North Carolina and America since it was founded in 1907.

Read more about ECU and the Sharpe sisters at news.ecu.edu.

This is higher education building our national security.

What if doctors could prescribe away poverty? At Michigan State University, that bold question led to a breakthrough solution. 

Mona Hanna, a pediatrician and associate dean for public health at Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Human Medicine, spent years watching families struggle during pregnancy and infancy—the most financially challenging and developmentally critical period. Traditional support programs offered too little, too late, so she reimagined the approach entirely. 

The result is Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program. Instead of navigating complex bureaucracies, families receive unconditional cash support: $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly for their baby’s first six to 12 months. The innovation lies in its simplicity and timing—meeting families exactly when and how they need help most. 

The program’s impact has been transformative. Communities participating in Rx Kids have seen dramatic improvements: healthier birth outcomes, near-elimination of infant evictions, reduced food insecurity, and a 32 percent drop in child maltreatment allegations in Flint compared to control cities. Currently, 30 percent of participants report the funds helped them secure better employment or start businesses. 

For her visionary leadership, Hanna was named to Time’s 100 Most Influential People in Health of 2026—her second TIME100 recognition. Now expanding across Michigan with bipartisan support, Rx Kids is setting the national standard for evidence-based policy innovation. 

Michigan State, with about 52,000 students in East Lansing, has been building Michigan and America since it was founded in 1855.

Read more about Mona Hanna and Rx Kids.

This is higher education building opportunity for families.