Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Rawlins ’67MSEd, ’03HD (1927–2024) was a beloved mentor and impactful leader to generations of Simmons students. To celebrate Black History Month (February), we are spotlighting the Elizabeth B. Rawlins Papers housed within the Simmons University Archives.

• Mentorship

The Colleges of the Fenway (COF) recently celebrated the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at Simmons University. City of Boston Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu served as this year’s keynote speaker.

• Community Engagement
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Traditions & Annual Events

The Simmons Center for Information Literacy recently presented “Information is Power: The First Amendment, Public Records, and the Press,” a mini-conference designed to address how we can all exercise our First Amendment rights. Justin Silverman, Attorney and Executive Director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, offered an overview of the First Amendment — what it really protects and what issues arise, especially for journalists.

• Social Justice & Advocacy

Generative AI, rapid information exchange, and political polarization have reshaped the way we interact with information. A few faculty weigh in on the risks involved in using and the importance of detecting AI in the information we consume.

Elaine Church Hubbard, Ed.D., Ed.M., R.N., ANP-C, who served as a professor and Dean of Simmons College's Department of Nursing from 1962 to 1975, died on December 9, 2025, at the age of 98.

• In Memoriam

The Office of Research and Fellowships has announced the recipients of the 2025–2026 Graduate Student Research Award. This competitive, cross-disciplinary award provides up to $1,500 to five doctoral and master’s degree candidates to conduct research in the fields of mental health, social work, children’s literature, and archival preservation.

• Awards and Honors
• Research

Online information literacy expert Mike Caulfield visited the Simmons Center for Information Literacy (SCIL) to offer a keynote presentation, “Critical Oversight: How AI Enhances Thinking, How It Hinders It, and How Education Can Respond.”

Dr. Karen E. Fisher, professor at the University of Washington Information School, visited Simmons as a recipient of the 2025 Allen Smith Visiting Scholars Fellowship. Her keynote presentation, “Countering Domicide: Preserving Indigenous Knowledge using Large-Scale Ethnography and Participatory Design,” focused on her work with Syrian refugees.

• Community Engagement

The Simmons School of Social Work (SSW), distinguished guests, and members of the Simmons community recently gathered for the second annual Veterans Day program. This year’s keynote speaker was Lieutenant General Leslie C. Smith, US Army (Ret).

• Traditions & Annual Events
• Veteran Student

In recognition of November as National Career Development Month, we spoke to Associate Director Employer Relations Jenn Walker Wall ’05 about her plans to strengthen relationships with area employers, and between Simmons students and alumnae/i.

• Careers and Internships