Education, Research & Public Sector

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.

Boston – – September 22, 2026 -- NWEA has released an enhanced free online tool that lets students as young as sixth grade convert their MAP Growth assessment scores into projected ACT and SAT scores and matching college admissions data.

Tool converts middle-school test scores into projected SAT and ACT results

The NWEA College Explorer allows students to enter current MAP Growth scores and see estimated performance on the ACT and SAT, then generates a list of post-secondary institutions that have historically admitted students with similar scores. The organization cited one example: a seventh grader scoring 222 on the fall MAP Growth math assessment is projected to meet the SAT math benchmark expected at most colleges and universities, but fall short of the comparable ACT math benchmark.

San Francisco – September 21, 2026 -- INSEAD launched its Future Council and detailed a five-year, €15 million gift funding a new Human and Machine Intelligence Institute (HUMII) during its two-day AI Forum Americas 2026, held in San Francisco this week.

Jeffersonville – September 21, 2026 -- The American Water Charitable Foundation has awarded a $25,000 STEM Education Grant to Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, funding a three-part outdoor science program for girls in Southern Indiana.

Grant funds hands-on STEM series covering conservation and pollinator habitats

The award will underwrite a three-part outdoor education series giving Girl Scouts direct experience in scientific research, environmental conservation and pollinator habitat restoration. The grant was announced during a Free Family Fun event at Origin Park earlier this month, where Indiana American Water also deployed a mobile water trailer for attendees.

West Sussex, England – September 20, 2026 -- International leaders from government, policy, development, and sport bodies concluded a three-day dialogue at Wilton Park, hosted with Qatar Foundation (QF), agreeing to build a global coalition converting sport's development potential into concrete policy action.

Wilton Park and Qatar Foundation commit to joint roadmap on coaching and infrastructure

The two organizations will now jointly develop an actionable roadmap spanning policy, coaching, and infrastructure reform. The dialogue, themed 'Sport for Development in the Global South: Advancing Female Empowerment, Inclusion, and Accessibility', targeted structural barriers limiting sporting opportunity for women and girls.

Belfast – September 20, 2026 -- Ulster University's Senate and Council have conferred an honorary Doctor of the University degree on Susan Ann Davis, citing her role in building a $196 million (£144M/€170M) U.S.-Ireland R&D partnership and her sustained diplomatic engagement supporting the Good Friday Agreement.

Ulster University Vice-Chancellor Confers Honorary Degree on Transatlantic Business Leader

Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, presented the honor to Davis in recognition of her contributions to business, women's leadership, entrepreneurship, and her long-standing commitment to peace and economic development in Northern Ireland.

Conway, S.C. – September 20, 2026 -- The Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) Area Commission has selected Lori A. Heafner, Ph.D., as the college's next president, following a national search that concluded with a special-called meeting on Sept. 18. Heafner will take office Jan. 4, 2027.

Area Commission completes national search with finalist visits and public forums

The decision followed campus visits and public forums held on the Conway Campus, where three finalists met with faculty, staff, students and community members. The search was conducted with assistance from the Association of Community College Trustees.