Education, Research & Public Sector

Ventura County – September 23, 2026 -- Ventura County's nonprofit sector generated more than $3.6 billion in economic activity in 2024, roughly 5% of the county's GDP, yet 46% of operating nonprofits recorded an operating deficit that year, the highest rate in a six-year study period, according to a new report from the Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL) at California Lutheran University.

Nonprofit revenue per resident trails California by 63%

The 2026 Ventura County Nonprofit Sector Report found nonprofit revenue per resident stood at approximately $4,388 in 2024, about 37% of California's statewide level. Nonprofit assets per resident reached roughly $5,836, only 29% of the state figure, despite Ventura County having a comparable number of nonprofits per capita as California overall.

Lebanon, Ore. – September 22, 2026 -- Western University of Health Sciences Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine (WesternU HCOM) hosted its second annual A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship on Aug. 29-30, 2026, training physicians in the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) for musculoskeletal treatment.

Todd Capistrant, DO, led hands-on FDM training combining online modules with supervised clinical practice

Capistrant, a Medical Director at Foundation Health Partners since 2013 and a board-certified family medicine physician, taught participants to identify fascial distortion patterns and apply introductory osteopathic manipulative treatment techniques. He emphasized that patient activity levels remain a stronger predictor of long-term health outcomes than pharmaceutical interventions for reducing heart disease, stroke, dementia and cancer risk.

Brookville, N.Y. – September 22, 2026 -- New York Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky addressed hundreds of Long Island University students on Sept. 22, 2026, as part of a five-year strategic partnership linking the university, the Islanders and UBS Arena.

LIU deepens ties with NHL franchise through campus visit

The session, part of LIU's Centennial CEO Speaker Series, was moderated by LIU alumnus and ESPN personality Alan Hahn and covered leadership and the business of professional sports. LIU President Kimberly R. Cline said the partnership with the Islanders and UBS Arena is generating opportunities for students. Following the talk, LIU hockey captains named Ledecky Honorary Captain of LIU Hockey for the 2026–27 season and presented him with a personalized jersey.

Potsdam, N.Y. – September 22, 2026 -- Clarkson University has become one of only 14 institutions nationwide to earn the newly created Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, following its participation in the 2025 pilot program that shaped the classification's framework.

Fourteen institutions defined the pilot cohort nationwide

Clarkson helped design the review process used to evaluate the classification, which assesses sustainability integration across research, education, community engagement and campus operations. The 14 pilot institutions will form the inaugural classified cohort, to be formally announced in June 2027, with the designation valid through 2033.

San Francisco – September 22, 2026 -- Minerva University secured three No. 1 rankings in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list, marking its debut appearance in the annual survey.

Minerva tops 73 institutions in the Regional Colleges West category

The university ranked No. 1 overall, tied for No. 1 among private institutions, and No. 1 in Best Value Schools within the Regional Colleges West segment. U.S. News evaluated the category using up to 13 factors, including graduation rates, first-year retention, peer assessment, faculty resources and financial resources.

Academic metrics underpin the ranking outcome

Minerva reports a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, with 87% of classes enrolling fewer than 20 students. The university's four-year graduation rate stands at 79%.

Arlington, Va. – September 22, 2026 -- 2U has partnered with CodeSignal to bring more than 400 hands-on, practice-based courses to its edX online learning platform, marking CodeSignal's first appearance on edX. The initial courses are live now, with the full catalog set to roll out by year-end.

Survey data shows workforce AI skills gap widening

A 2U survey found 58% of workers report a lack of AI expertise in their industry, while nearly two-thirds of managers plan to upskill their teams to keep pace with demand.

San Antonio – September 22, 2026 -- Texas A&M University-San Antonio advanced nine spots to No. 31 in the U.S. News & World Report Top Performers on Social Mobility category, its largest single-year gain in the ranking.

University moves up in three separate U.S. News categories

A&M-San Antonio also rose one spot to No. 28 among Top Public Schools and held its position at No. 56 among Regional Universities West, a category spanning 14 states including Texas, Washington, Nevada and California.

Sixty percent of students qualify for Pell Grants

Approximately 60% of A&M-San Antonio students are Pell Grant-eligible. The University's Jaguar Promise program covers tuition and fees for eligible Texas students from families earning $70,000 or less annually.

Washington – September 22, 2026 -- 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF) has pledged to scale its MentorHER Initiative into a global, AI-driven mentorship platform reaching 300,000 young people worldwide by January 2030, under a three-year Commitment to Action unveiled at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2026 Annual Meeting.

1DF targets 300,000 young people through a 36-month, three-phase rollout

The commitment was announced during CGI's Leaders Stage session, "Steering AI Innovation towards Impact." The rollout begins with a pilot phase for matching and career-readiness resources, then moves to scaled recruitment through global university partnerships, corporate employee networks, and regional ambassadors. 1DF will report outcomes annually to CGI over the three-year period.

Pleasant Hill, Calif. – September 22, 2026 -- Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) has appointed five new members to its Board of Directors as the organization works to strengthen its financial base and expand inclusive sports programming across the region.

SONC recruits finance, law and pro-sports executives for board expansion

The new directors are Colleen Atkinson, Kevin Brown, Richard Rahm, Brian Wentzel, and athlete leader Devon Yoshimine. David Solo, President and CEO of SONC, said the group brings expertise spanning corporate finance, professional sports operations, grassroots coaching and lived athlete experience to support the organization's growth goals.

San Francisco – September 22, 2026 -- Owl Ventures, the world's largest venture capital firm focused on education and workforce innovation, has named NBA legend Chris Paul as Venture Partner, adding a high-profile figure to a firm managing more than $2.2 billion in committed capital.

Owl Ventures backs over 100 companies reaching 700 million users worldwide

The firm operates three global offices and has made over 100 investments in companies helping people learn, prepare for work, and build skills throughout their careers. Its portfolio companies collectively reach more than 700 million users globally.