College-exclusive social platform, ePEERS, empowers students to ask for advice, offer friendship and share support with peers 

High Point, N.C.– (November 29, 2017) – ePEERS, a new social media network exclusive to college students, has launched a website and app to foster meaningful connections between students. This social network brings students together by encouraging them to share interests, plus academic, career and personal advice with peers at their own university or with college students across the nation.

The new social media platform offers numerous features that other social media sites do not. Key differences include exclusivity and optional anonymity for students to discuss their questions and concerns and solicit advice without fear of exposure to their parents, faculty or professional contacts. The ability to remain anonymous and report offensive content allows students to feel safe expressing concerns, asking questions or responding to other students.

ePEERS offers three key benefits to college students:
1) Ask advice on personal, academic or professional topics.
2) Offer friendship through community connections such as friend groups, topic groups, school groups or affinity groups.
3) Share support by posting comments, providing helpful tips and giving emotional encouragement.

Many college students face the challenges of anxiety, stress and even depression every day. ePEERS is a safe, judgment-free environment for students to seek and provide mutual encouragement. ePEERS also provides students in need with access to information and resources through links to The Jed Foundation (JED).

“ePEERS is an uplifting social platform that inspires student success throughout their college careers with helpful tips, emotional support and encouragement about college life,” said Joe Purisky, President of ePEERS.

“I truly believe ePEERS will improve the mental well-being of students across the country and provide friendship and support in ways that have never been done before,” Purisky said.

To learn more about ePEERS, please visit www.epeers.com.

About ePEERS: 
Established in 2017, ePEERS is a social network created exclusively for college students to ask advice, offer friendship and share support. Unlike other social platforms, this exclusive network, initially funded by nonprofit organizations, offers features such as optional anonymity and community groups, which provide students with a safe, judgment-free atmosphere to ask questions, post comments and write blog posts. For more information visit www.epeers.com.

Media Contact:
Joe Purisky
(828) 406-5721
jpurisky@epeers.com

“Lorden + Gregor” to Publish SNOW FALLING, the Popular Heroine’s Stunning Historical Romance

NEW YORK—It has been a lifetime (and three seasons) in the making, but Jane Gloriana Villanueva is ready to make her literary debut! The title character of the critically acclaimed hit CW series Jane The Virgin will have her breathtaking first novel, a sweeping historical romance, published this fall by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Jane The Virgin, the AFI, and Peabody Award-winning dramedy, has followed Jane Villanueva’s (played by Golden Globe-winner Gina Rodriguez) telenovela-esque life for three seasons—from her accidental artificial insemination and virgin birth, through a tumultuous who-will-she-choose love triangle. Jane’s fervent ambition has been to become a romance novelist, and this past spring her burgeoning talent was discovered at Miami’s prestigious “Ones to Read” series by local publisher Lorden + Gregor. Now, Jane’s highly anticipated debut novel, SNOW FALLING (November 14, 2017; Trade Paperback; Imprint: Lorden + Gregor), is becoming a reality.

Fans of Jane The Virgin clamored on social media to read Jane’s novel from the moment her book deal was announced last season. Now, Adams Media will satisfy that desire when it publishes the novel under the banner of the fictional imprint, “Lorden + Gregor,” under license by CBS Consumer Products.

Jane The Virgin creator Jennie Snyder Urman said: “I’m so thrilled that Adams Media as Lorden + Gregor is bringing Jane’s first novel to life and I can’t wait for fans to get to read it! Prepare to get swept up in an epic love story.”

Karen Cooper, Vice President and Publisher at Adams Media adds, “We’re huge fans of the show and the way Jennie and her team tease ‘reality’ in such a fantastic and purposeful way. It just felt right that we should riff off that conceit and give Jane’s fans the HEA they have been waiting for.”

A truly epic saga that captures the hope, the heartbreak, and the humor that has made Jane The Virgin so beloved, SNOW FALLING is a sweeping historical romance set in 1902 Miami—a time of railroad tycoons, hotel booms, and exciting expansion for The Magic City. This is the book that Jane has always dreamed of writing and Jane The Virgin fans have always dreamed of reading. Now everyone can have their happily ever after!

SNOW FALLING
Jane Gloriana Villanueva
Lorden + Gregor (Adams Media/Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Trade Paperback: 9781507206621
eBook: 9781507206638
eAudio: 9781508253105

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About the Author
A lifelong fan of romance novels and telenovelas, Jane Gloriana Villanueva has worked as a publisher’s assistant at Silver Horizons and dating columnist for Cosmopolitan online. She is now thrilled to be publishing her first novel. Snow Falling is a sweeping historical romance based on Jane’s now-notorious true story of being accidentally artificially inseminated as a Catholic virgin, becoming the target of the nefarious crime lord Sin Rostro, and ultimately marrying her true love who died tragically young.

Jane’s life, loves, trials, and tribulations can be followed on The CW’s hit series Jane The Virgin.

About Jane The Virgin:
Jane The Virgin is produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, in association with Electus, with executive producers Jennie Snyder Urman (“Emily Owens, M.D.”), Ben Silverman (“The Biggest Loser”), Gary Pearl (“10.5: Apocalypse”) and Jorge Granier (“Que el Cielo Me Explique”). The fourth season of Jane The Virgin premieres Friday, October 13 on The CW.

About Simon & Schuster:
Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Touchstone, Adams Media, Threshold Editions, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com

About The CW:
THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK launched in 2006 as America’s fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, broadcasts a five-night, 10-hour primetime lineup, Monday through Friday. The CW’s primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW’s digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtvpr.com.

About CBS Television Studios:
CBS Television Studios is one of the industry’s leading suppliers of programming for broadcast, basic and premium cable, as well as streaming platforms. The Studio’s primetime programming includes the phenomenally successful NCIS franchise; the critically acclaimed series MADAM SECRETARY, JANE THE VIRGIN and CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND; the hit dramas ELEMENTARY, BLUE BLOODS, HAWAII FIVE-0, MACGYVER, BULL and SCORPION; the popular comedies KEVIN CAN WAIT, SUPERIOR DONUTS and MAN WITH A PLAN; and the summer series ZOO and SALVATION. The Studio’s new series for the 2017-2018 television season include the dramas SEAL TEAM, WISDOM OF THE CROWD and INSTINCT; comedy 9JKL; and dramas DYNASTY and VALOR for The CW. The Studio also produces the Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show THE TALK, as well as the Emmy nominated late night series, THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT and THE LATE LATE SHOW with JAMES CORDEN. For CBS All Access, CBS Television Network’s subscription video on-demand and live-streaming service, the Studio produces the highly anticipated STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, and the critically acclaimed THE GOOD FIGHT. The Studio also produces two new series based on popular, viral segments from THE LATE LATE SHOW – CARPOOL KARAOKE for Apple Music and DROP THE MIC for TBS – as well as comedies  AMERICAN VANDAL and INSATIABLE for Netflix, and the comedy anthology series, THE GUEST BOOK for TBS.

Media Contact:
Bethany Carland-Adams
508-205-1607
Bethany.carland-adams@simonandschuster.com

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, is currently accepting applications for its 2018 Dissertation Fellowship Program until November 30, 2017. Ten fellowships of $10,000 each will be awarded.

Introduced in 2014, the program is designed to support doctoral candidates who are writing their dissertations. To be eligible, applicants must be an active Phi Kappa Phi member in the dissertation writing stage of doctoral study. All pre-dissertation requirements should be met by the November 30 deadline including approval of the dissertation proposal.

“The Phi Kappa Phi Dissertation Fellowship is a prestigious award that I am honored to receive. This fellowship will expand and enrich my opportunities to complete my dissertation research,” said Matthew L. Bush, a 2017 Dissertation Fellow. “This investment into my research and scholarly activities will pay great dividends in my aspiration to improve the access to and quality of healthcare.”

The selection process for a dissertation fellowship examines how the fellowship will contribute to the completion of the dissertation, the significance of original research, and endorsement by the dissertation chair. Recipients will receive $10,000 to apply toward 12 months of dissertation writing.

In addition to dissertation fellowships, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1.4 million each biennium to qualifying students and members through study abroad grants, graduate fellowships, funding for post-baccalaureate development, member and chapter awards, and grants for local, national, and international literacy initiatives.

The deadline to submit an application is November 30, 2017, and recipients will be notified by March 1, 2018. For full eligibility requirements and application instructions, visit www.phikappaphi.org/dissertation.

About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. Since its founding, Phi Kappa Phi has recognized the academic excellence of more than 1.5 million members on its chapter campuses. For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

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CONTACT
Hannah Breaux
Communications Director
hbreaux@phikappaphi.org
225.923.7777

LoRaWAN Academy provides university campuses with a complete set of LoRaWAN tools and an IoT curriculum for cutting-edge LoRaWAN protocol-based programming skills and innovative research

CAMARILLO, Calif. – Nov. 15, 2017 – LoRaWAN Academy, a comprehensive and global university program connecting next-generation engineers with LoRaWAN™ standard-based low power wide area network (LPWAN) technology for applied learning and innovative research, was launched today by leading technology companies: Kerlink, LoRa Alliance™, Microchip Technology, myDevices, Semtech Corporation (Nasdaq: SMTC), and The Things Network. The LoRaWAN Academy program includes an online course library, as well as LoRaWAN network packages and an IoT network infrastructure for hands-on training and design.

The mission of the LoRaWAN Academy is to:

● Equip universities with out-of-the-box, state of the art LoRaWAN networks
● Educate the next generation of hardware and software engineers and computer scientists to imagine, develop and operate real-world IoT applications
● Advance LoRaWAN standard-based IoT research and involve top university scholars in real-world problem solving using cutting-edge technology

The program provides established university engineering programs with the coursework, network equipment, development kits, software, and other tools to effectively teach students/participants about LoRaWAN protocol-based LPWANs and applications. Coursework is developed in conjunction with support from Semtech Corporation, the developer of LoRa® devices and wireless RF technology (LoRa Technology), and other members of the LoRa Alliance that scaled the international adoption of the LoRaWAN protocol. The program includes 10 weeks of self-paced online classes that includes video lectures, supplemental reading materials, hands-on assignments, and access to peers in a global LoRaWAN forum. At the end of the program, students can use the LoRaWAN hardware kits and network infrastructure to build real-world IoT applications to apply their learnings.

Corporate Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors of the LoRaWAN Academy include companies within the LPWAN supply chain, each offering specific expertise regarding LoRa Technology and the LoRaWAN open specification, giving students a well-rounded and robust learning experience. For more information about each of the corporate sponsors, visit www.LoRaWANacademy.com/partners.

● Kerlink is contributing outdoor Wirnet™ iBTS Compact gateways and indoor Wirnet iFemtoCell gateways.
● LoRa Alliance offers universities complimentary membership and access to the global open LoRaWAN standard.
● Microchip Technology is supplying all development kits for students and researchers.
● myDevices is making available Cayenne, an IoT prototyping and solution builder platform enabling faster integration plus visualization of LoRaWAN connected devices.
● Semtech oversees the curriculum and coursework development and its technical experts are contributors to the in depth content about wireless RF technology (LoRa Technology). Additionally, the company is hosting the LoRaWAN Academy website and sponsoring associated learning portals.
● The Things Network gives the universities access to a highly secure, Cloud-based, private LoRaWAN network server and built the curriculum as well as created and curated the coursework.

Quotes

“Kerlink is excited to join this initiative to make LoRaWAN technology accessible to top universities worldwide. Students and future engineers will directly experience the ability to imagine concrete and innovative use cases, in various domains, leveraging IoT LoRaWAN-based LPWAN networks,” said Stephane Dejean, Corporate Marketing Officer of Kerlink. “As a specialist and global leader in network solutions dedicated to the IoT, Kerlink will provide its best-in-class, indoor and outdoor gateways to ensure high-performing, reliable and evolutionary lab networks that enable the best connectivity experience.”

“Giving the next generation of developers an understanding of LPWAN technology and the foundational skills for the real world offers them a solid start in their professional life,” said Charles Paumelle, Co-chair of the LoRa Alliance Marketing Committee. “The LoRaWAN Academy will deliver this, giving students and professors access to a vibrant and dynamic professional network. It will also offer participants the opportunity for mentoring from the 500+ members of the fastest-growing IoT standards alliance.”

“The LoRaWAN Academy fills a void for students and teachers that want to learn about IoT and LPWAN technology from the ground up,” said Kevin Bromber, Chief Executive Officer of myDevices. “The coursework and tools provided by the LoRaWAN Academy enable hands-on learning that is critical for preparing students for a career in IoT.”

“The global LoRaWAN open standard is regarded by many as the defacto standard for IoT applications, and by establishing LoRaWAN Academy with our co-sponsors, we are providing universities the tools to effectively prepare their campuses and their students for IoT,” said Jaap Groot, Vice President of System Business Development for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group, Board Member of the LoRa Alliance, and acting director of the LoRaWAN Academy. “The LoRaWAN Academy program will give way to a new generation of engineers prepared to tackle the world’s toughest challenges with IoT technology and equip universities with the infrastructure to conduct LPWAN research.”

“We’re in the advent of a global shift towards long range, low power networks of connected things. Strengthening the international developer ecosystem will be a major driver for innovation and broad adoption of technology,” said Wienke Giezeman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of The Things Network.

Resources

● Learn more about the LoRaWAN Academy.
● Apply for admission to the program (for authorized University delegates).
● Sign up for the LoRaWAN Academy e-newsletter to get quarterly updates.
● Follow the LoRaWAN Academy on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About LoRaWAN Academy

LoRaWAN Academy is a hands-on, comprehensive curriculum for universities to give future and current engineers the fundamental skills needed for the Internet of Things (IoT). The curriculum includes hardware starter kits and network infrastructure as well as a comprehensive learning program for universities to adopt. The curriculum includes 10 weeks of self-paced online classes that includes video lectures, supplemental reading materials, hands-on assignments, and access to peers in a global LoRaWAN forum. The corporate sponsors of the LoRaWAN Academy are Kerlink, LoRa Alliance, Microchip Technology, myDevices, Semtech Corporation and The Things Network. For more information, visit www.LoRaWANacademy.com.

** LoRa is a registered trademark or service mark, and LoRaWAN is a trademark or service mark, of Semtech Corporation or its affiliates.

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Media Contact

Sparkpr
LoRaWAN-Academy@sparkpr.com

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, is currently accepting applications for its 2018 Excellence in Innovation Award. The deadline for interested institutions to apply for the $100,000 award is December 12, 2017.

Awarded each biennium, the Excellence in Innovation Award recognizes one college or university for achievement in finding powerful substantive solutions to improve the lives of others and create systematic large-scale change. The recipient institution will receive $100,000 in tangible recognition of its best practice in response to the changes and challenges facing higher education in the 21st century.

“The Phi Kappa Phi Excellence in Innovation Award is a fitting extension of our mission to recognize and promote excellence in higher education by lifting up the transformative work being done on college and university campuses across the country,” said Dr. Mary Todd, the Society’s executive director.

Since 1932, Phi Kappa Phi has awarded fellowships and grants to members and students on its chapter campuses. Currently, more than $700,000 is awarded annually through programs that last year recognized over 285 individuals. The Excellence in Innovation Award, first awarded in 2016 to Tulane University, is the Society’s only award for institutions.

The application period for colleges and universities to apply for the Excellence in Innovation Award is open until December 12, 2017. For more information including award criteria, eligibility, and timeline details, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org/Innovation.

About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The Society has chapters on more than 300 select colleges and universities in North America and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. Since its founding, Phi Kappa Phi has recognized the academic excellence of more than 1.5 million members on its chapter campuses. For more information, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.

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Media Contact
Hannah Breaux
Communications Director
hbreaux@phikappaphi.org
225.923.7777

NATIONAL PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS INTEGRATES AWARD-WINNING PERSONAL SECURITY TECHNOLOGY WITH IP VIDEO CAPABILITY

Successful deployment at University of Bridgeport allows campus security to see real-time video of individuals in distress and pinpoints their location

EATONTOWN, NJ (Nov. 13, 2017) – National Protective Systems, a maker of personal security systems for academic, healthcare and other institutions, today announced it has integrated its Campus Shield platform with IP video systems to give on-site security teams the ability to instantly see and record the situation facing an individual in distress.

In a mock drill on November 9 at the University of Bridgeport, real-time video from nearby campus security cameras was displayed when a volunteer pressed the Campus Shield fob, allowing university police to see the assailant posing a threat, as well as the exact location and the identity of the individual in distress.

“To our knowledge, this is the first personal security device to achieve integration with closed-circuit video in an institutional setting,” said National Protective Systems CEO Douglas D’Agata. “This breakthrough gives security personnel the opportunity to immediately respond to incidents in real time, armed with all the information they need to decide how to deploy resources.”

The video integration feature can be installed with any institution’s existing closed-circuit IP security camera technology. The breakthrough is the first major upgrade for Campus Shield since the proprietary platform won Campus Safety magazine’s award for Intrusion and Panic Alarms in 2014.

“This is groundbreaking. I can now follow someone under duress in real time and see what is causing that duress,” said Joe Della Monica, Director of Campus Safety at University of Bridgeport. “This information allows me to deploy our resources with optimal efficiency. In addition, I now know what my officers are walking into so their safety during these events is improved as well.”

The system, which can be customized to serve indoor and outdoor settings at academic, healthcare and other campus environments, is activated by pressing of a small key fob (called a Personal Alarm Locator or PAL), which pinpoints the location of the emergency for security staff and displays the identity of the user, as well as the user’s medical (optional) and emergency contact information.

“A student or a staff member can discretely put their hand in their pocket, activate the fob, and campus police will know who they are, where they are, and see what is happening to them – all within one to two seconds.” D’Agata said.

“Many people feel safe with free phone apps that supposedly alert off-campus police. Who wants to fumble with a phone and try to find an app when they are being attacked or facing some other immediate threat to their health and safety? Would an attacker even allow that? GPS apps are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to locating an event indoors,” D’Agata added.

In its deployment at the University of Bridgeport, National Protective Systems personnel perfected the new system over the course of 27 months. The company is now in the process of making sure the live feeds from more than 250 cameras on campus are accurately linked to the Campus Shield platform.

The University of Bridgeport received the prestigious 2003 Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Award and has been recognized as an innovator for its adoption of the Campus Shield Personal Alarm Locator (PAL) system. More than 5,600 students, including 2,930 undergraduate students attend the private, 90-year-old university, which has a 50-acre campus and 462 faculty members.

Many Millennials view their personal devices, such as smart phones, as protection from physical harm, according to a recent survey led by ADT and published in Campus Safety magazine, but 75 percent said they are interested in purchasing an additional personal security device – indicating they are not satisfied with current choices.

Campus Shield systems also are deployed at Danbury Hospital, a 456-bed healthcare facility featuring 2,457 employees, including more than 900 physicians and health professionals in Danbury, CT; six campuses of the New York State Office of Mental Health, headquartered in Albany, NY., which serves more than 700,000 individuals each year across the state; and, two campus of the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, based in Albany and responsible for coordinating services for more than 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.

About National Protective Systems
National Protective Systems, a private company based in Eatontown, N.J., is a national leader in manufacturing, installing, and maintaining campus-wide security solutions based on radio frequency (RF) technology and the company’s proprietary software. The company serves colleges and universities, healthcare facilities, government agencies, and public and private schools. The company’s award-winning Campus Shield platform can be customized to meet any institution’s personal security needs. Learn more at www.nationalprotectivesystems.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Liz Gagnon, Tetra Public Affairs
Liz@tetrapublicaffairs.com

Douglas A. D’Agata, Jr., CEO
DDagata@nat-pro.com
978-998-4756 (o)
617-642-7787 (c)

Ten actionable strategies colleges can use to bridge mental health disparities facing students of color

NEW YORK, November 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — The Jed Foundation (JED), a nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults, and The Steve Fund, a nonprofit created to address the mental health needs of young people of color, today announced the Equity in Mental Health Framework (EMH Framework) to help colleges and universities support and enhance the mental health of students of color.

Research indicates that students of color at American colleges and universities are almost twice as likely not to seek care when they feel depressed or anxious compared to white students. Additionally, a recent online Harris Poll of 1,000 college students conducted by JED and the Steve Fund (with equal samples of African American, Latinx, white and Asian American students) found that students of color (in comparison to white students) are significantly less likely to describe their campus as inclusive (28% to 45%) and more likely to indicate that they often feel isolated on campus (46% to 30%). These statistics indicate a need for a more tailored approach to protecting the mental health of students of color.

The EMH Framework provides academic institutions with a set of ten actionable recommendations and key implementation strategies to help strengthen their activities and programs to address the mental health disparities facing students of color such as mentioned above. With expert input from the College Mental Health Program at McLean Hospital, the EMH Framework was developed using the national Harris Poll of 1,000 college students, a scientific literature review, a national convening of higher education leaders, and an electronic survey of higher education administrators.

“The Equity in Mental Health Framework fills an urgent gap at colleges and universities, and across our society” said Evan Rose, President of the Steve Fund. “Inequity in mental health is a dire national problem which impedes well-being of communities of color. Our young people face daunting challenges as they transition to adulthood, including those fortunate enough to pursue higher education. These expert recommendations build understanding of the challenges while equipping colleges and universities to better address our students’ needs. This effort is critical to the mental health, college completion, and life chances of the nation’s most rapidly growing demographic and the population which drives our work—young people of color.”

The investigative efforts behind the EMH Framework included a comprehensive examination of studies on the unique mental health challenges students of color face and a number of current interventions and programs aiming to meet their needs.

“We created the Equity in Mental Health Framework to provide colleges and universities across the country with accessible information, ideas and examples to inform and strengthen their mental health supports and programs for students of color,” said John MacPhee, JED Executive Director. “Our goal is to stimulate discussion and new research while helping more schools prioritize these efforts in order to ensure mental health equity for our nation’s college students.”
Videos on the EMH Framework site feature supportive statements by higher education leaders from Morehouse College, the University System of Maryland and Trinity Washington University.

“I favor increasing the level of support available to students of color at our national college and university campuses,” says John J. DeGioia, President of Georgetown University “This is a very special moment and we need to seize the opportunities present here to provide the best communities for all of our students. I think every college and university president must understand how urgent it is to tend to these dynamics.”
Please visit equityinmentalhealth.org to access the EMH Framework and other valuable resources.

About JED
JED is a nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. JED partners with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention programs and systems; equips teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other; and encourages community awareness, understanding and action for young adult mental health. Learn more at jedfoundation.org.

Check out JED’s programs including: JED Campus (jedcampus.org), Set to Go (settogo.org), ULifeline (ulifeline.org), Half of Us (halfofus.com) and Love is Louder (loveislouder.com).

Connect with JED: Email (https://www.jedfoundation.org/email/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/jedfoundation) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JedFoundation) | Instagram (https://instagram.com/jedfoundation/) | YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJedFoundation) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/427578?trk=prof-0-ovw-curr_pos)

About the Steve Fund
The Steve Fund (TSF) is the nation’s only organization focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color. The Steve Fund works with colleges and universities, non-profits, researchers, mental health experts, families, and young people to promote programs and strategies that build understanding and assistance for the mental and emotional health of the nation’s young people of color. The Fund holds an annual conference, Young, Gifted & @Risk, and offers a Knowledge Center with curated expert information. With multicultural mental health experts, it delivers on-campus and on-site programs and services for colleges and non-profits, and through tech partnerships it provides direct services to young people of color.
Learn more: Steve Fund Website (http://www.stevefund.org) | Young, Gifted & @Risk Conference (http://www.stevefund.org/ygar-2017/) | Programs and Services (http://www.stevefund.org/programs/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/The-Steve-Fund-1416226418672754/timeline/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/thestevefund)

About the Survey
The survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll between January 26 and February 21, 2017 among 1,056 students who were US residents, 17-27 years old, identified as Black/African American (n=260), Hispanic (n=283), Asian (n=255), or white (n=258), currently attends a 2-year or 4-year college in the U.S., and currently attends the majority of their college classes in-person. Data are weighted where necessary by age within gender, race/ethnicity, income, enrollment status, year in school and region to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

For More Information:
Andrea Morgan
917-213-5506
amorgan@makovsky.com

Ryan Daniels
202-466-8585
rdaniels@rabengroup.com

The Garden Club of America (GCA) is offering a new scholarship in native plant studies, with applications now being accepted.  The Montine M. Freeman Scholarship in Native Plant Studies supports the study of underutilized native plants at an accredited U.S. college or university or a major botanic garden or arboretum.  The GCA will fund one or more Freeman Scholarships annually at a minimum of $3,000.

The scholarship is open to undergraduates and graduate students, advanced degree candidates or non-degree-seeking applicants above the high school level.  U.S. citizens and permanent residents enrolled in a U.S.-based institution are eligible.  To apply, visit https://www.gcamerica.org/index.cfm/scholarships/details/id/35.  Deadline is February 1 preceding the period of study.

“The scholarship’s purpose is to encourage the understanding, development and use of underutilized native plants through research, documentation and teaching in the field of horticulture,” says Kathy Keller, GCA Scholarship Committee chairman.

The Freeman Scholarship was created in cooperation with the family of the late Montine McDaniel Freeman of New Orleans, Louisiana.  A member of the New Orleans Town Gardeners, a GCA club, Mrs. Freeman was an outstanding horticulturist particularly enamored of native plants.  Her 93-acre Beechwood Gardens in Covington, Louisiana, boasted more than 4,000 azaleas, camellias and magnolia grandifloras.

The GCA offers 28 merit-based scholarships and fellowships, awarding more than $330,000 in 2017.  GCA scholarships are available in medicinal and tropical botany, native bird habitat, conservation and ecological restoration, desert studies, landscape architecture, urban forestry, garden history and design, coastal wetlands and pollinator research.

More information about the Freeman and other GCA scholarships may be found at www.gcamerica.org/scholarships and at @gcascholarships on Twitter.

The GCA is a nonprofit national organization composed of 200 clubs with nearly 18,000 members who devote energy and expertise to projects in their communities and across the United States.  Founded in 1913, the GCA is a leader in horticulture, conservation and civic improvement.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Barnette
jennifer.barnette@gcamerica.org
212.753.8292

Latest publication recognizes 77 top-performing institutions overall and in 17 sustainability impact areas.

November 6, 2017 (Philadelphia, PA) – The 2017 Sustainable Campus Index (https://goo.gl/zkphnQ), a publication by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), recognizes top-performing colleges and universities overall and in 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The report also highlights innovative and high-impact initiatives from institutions that submitted STARS reports in the 12 months prior to July 1, 2017.

Institutions that achieved the top spot overall according to institution type include:
● Appalachian State University (Master’s institutions)
● Nova Scotia Community College (Associate colleges)
● Stanford University (Doctoral/research institutions)
● Sterling College(Baccalaureate institutions)

Institutions that achieved the top spot in each sustainability topic area are listed below:
● Berea College (Campus Engagement)
● Colorado State University (Public Engagement)
● Columbia University (Transportation)
● Green Mountain College (Curriculum)
● Lewis & Clark College (Investment & Finance)
● Macalester College (Purchasing)
● New Mexico State University (Waste)
● Nova Scotia Community College (Buildings)
● Stanford University (Diversity & Affordability)
● Sterling College (Food & Dining)
● Université Laval (Air & Climate)
● University of Vermont (Energy)

Multiple institutions tied for first in the areas of Coordination & Planning, Grounds, Research, Water and Wellbeing & Work. The full list of top performers is provided in the report.

“The institutions and initiatives featured in this year’s Sustainable Campus Index showcase the hard work that colleges and universities have done to advance sustainability on their respective campuses and throughout the world,” said AASHE’s Executive Director, Meghan Fay Zahniser. “I hope you find inspiration within this report that may further drive collaborative efforts focused on innovative solutions to ongoing sustainable challenges.”

STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance developed by AASHE. With nearly 800 participating institutions, STARS is the leading tool for measuring higher education sustainability performance. 129 reports were submitted in the most recent calendar year, resulting in an 4 percent increase over the previous year and a fourth consecutive year of growth. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website.

About the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org. Follow AASHE on Facebook and Twitter.

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Media Contact
Andrea Huggins
888.347.9997 ext. 123
andrea.huggins@aashe.org