News
Manchester University News
Feature Story
Manchester University Spring 2026 Dean’s List
Congratulations to nearly 340 Manchester University students who have earned a place on the Spring 2026 Dean’s List for their academic achievements. At the end of each semester, the Office of Academic Affairs publishes the list. Undergraduate students earning a...
Ready. Set. Move In!
Getting ready for move-in? Use our residence hall move-in checklist to pack the essentials for college and start your semester at Manchester University with confidence. Moving into your college residence hall is an exciting milestone, but it can also feel overwhelming when you’re trying to remember everything you need. Whether you’re a first-year student or a returning student getting ready for another year at Manchester University, having a checklist can make the process much less stressful. From bedroom essentials to bathroom items and healthy snacks, use thisresidence hall move-in checklist to help you pack with confidence and start the semester prepared.
Manchester University Announces Fall 2026 VIA Lineup
Manchester University offers more than a dozen presentations in its Values, Ideas and the Arts (VIA) series for Fall 2026. Presentations are at 11 a.m. on Mondays in Wine Recital Hall at the North Manchester campus unless otherwise noted. They are free and open to the...
Researchers including Manchester University’s Dr. Sabrina Brown reconstruct environmental history of Yellowstone’s geyser basins
A study including work from a Manchester University professor reveals how climate and hydrothermal activity have shaped the vegetation, wildfire and aquatic ecosystem history of the Yellowstone Plateau over the past 15,000 years. The results of the National Science...
Manchester University hosts more than 100 youth for NxtGen Leadership Camp
Manchester University hosted 105 campers from 26 Indiana high schools for its third-annual NxtGen Leadership Camp from July 6-10. The NxtGen Program on Campus is a Lilly Endowment-funded initiative designed to help Indiana colleges and universities in their efforts to...
All News
Manchester University celebrates the Class of 2026
Manchester University graduated 269 students at this year’s commencement ceremonies. In total, 286 degrees were awarded, including 186 undergraduate degrees and 100 graduate and professional degrees. Twenty-eight students earned honors distinction. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the graduation of Manchester’s inaugural pharmacy class in 2016. The program launched in 2012 alongside the opening of Manchester University Fort Wayne. David Haist, a 1973 Manchester graduate, was this year’s commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient. He served as a member of the MU Board of Trustees...
Read More 
Vice President Van Vlerah named President of Notre Dame of Maryland University
Manchester University is delighted to share that Vice President for Student Life Abby Van Vlerah has been selected to serve as president of Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, Md. She will start there on July 6. Her last day at Manchester is June 25. Van Vlerah redefined the role of vice president for student life at Manchester, elevating student success, enrollment, and institutional strategy in both North Manchester and Fort Wayne. She came to Manchester with more than a decade of leadership experience in higher education, including...
Read More 
Journal Gazette publishes op-ed from Dean W. Thomas Smith
Manchester University’s Dean of the School of Pharmacy, W. Thomas Smith, was recently published in the Journal Gazette. His op-ed, which can be read below, discusses the growing need for pharmacists in the industry. The full Journal Gazette article can be found here. Need for pharmacists grows more complicated As Indiana’s population ages and chronic disease becomes more common, pharmacists play an increasingly important role in patient care in community pharmacy and hospital settings. Trained in medication management, drug interactions,...
Read More 
Manchester University offers youth esports summer camps
Manchester University will host its third-annual esports summer camp this June, open to community youth. Two camps, focused on Super Smash Bros., will be offered: a day camp for rising 3rd through 6th graders on June 27, and an overnight camp for rising 7th through 12th graders on June 26-28. Beginners are expected to join the day camp, while the overnight camp is targeted toward moderate to advanced players. The camps will include individualized Super Smash Bros. instruction from MU Esports coaching staff, head-to-head tournaments, and on-campus dining. All campers are required to bring...
Read More 
Manchester University names Rick Espeset Staff Member of the Year
Rick Espeset, director of athletics and head baseball coach, has been named the 2026 Christopher W. Garber Staff Member of the Year at Manchester University. The award is named in honor of Chris Garber, who was Manchester’s assistant vice president for operations at the time of his death in 2015, and recognizes an employee who demonstrates steadfast commitment to Manchester University and is a leader and collaborator who keeps the best interests of the University at heart. In the 30 years...
Read More 
MU, CFWC hold groundbreaking for phase one of Manchester Mile
Representatives from Manchester University, the Community Foundation of Wabash County, JPR, and the Manchester Mile committee held a groundbreaking for the first phase of the Manchester Mile on Wednesday, May 6. The Manchester Mile will stretch from the corner of Wayne Street and College Avenue down to Market Street, then to Main Street, directly connecting campus to downtown North Manchester. Phase one of the project will begin in June and is expected to be completed by August. New sidewalks, lighting, seating, trash receptacles, and other facilities will be added. Phase two will follow in 2028. This project is funded by Lilly Endowment...
Read More 
Manchester University’s nutrition program earns full accreditation
Manchester University’s cutting-edge master’s program in nutrition and dietetics has earned full accreditation through 2033 from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. Earning full accreditation allows the program to expand enrollment from 15 students per cohort to 30 students per cohort—making it the largest graduate nutrition program in Indiana. It is also the only nutrigenomics-focused program in the United States. Nutrigenomics is the study of the effects of food and nutrients on gene expression. Manchester University launched its program in 2023. An undergraduate major in nutrition...
Read More 
MU Esports to add Mario Kart World to lineup in Fall 2026
Manchester Esports will add Mario Kart World to their list of supported titles for Fall 2026. Mario Kart World is one of the largest games in the Indiana High School Esports League (IEN) and will be supported by the Great Lakes Esports Conference (GLEC) in Spring 2027. Manchester University established its esports team in 2019 and has won nine GLEC Championship titles. The team competes in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, League of Legends, Rocket League, Overwatch, Valorant, and Fortnite. MU Esports is currently looking to recruit new Mario Kart World players with scholarships for their debut roster...
Read More