News

Discover Simmons

Explore the latest news from Simmons as well as stories about leadership, science & technology, our faculty and more.

Or search all news stories for the topic of your choice.

The Latest News

An aerial view of Greenfield Community College

Simmons University Brings Graduate Program to Greenfield Community College

Simmons University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) has relocated the SLIS West program — a part-time master of science in Library and Information Science degree program in Western Massachusetts — from Mount Holyoke College to the campus of Greenfield Community College (GCC), as of Fall 2024.


Bridgett Johnson-Pride

The Extroverted Archivist: Engaging the Underrepresented in Archives

Bridgett Johnson-Pride '18MAMS was named Director of Public Services for Archives and Special Collections at Harvard University in October, 2023. We caught up with Johnson-Pride about her current role, and how she engages with patrons as an extroverted archivist.


The Simmons academic quad, with students walking on the sidewalks

Simmons Named Among The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges 2025

The Princeton Review recently revealed The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition. The overall list, which is unranked, is determined by student surveys that address campus life, academics, administration, personal experience, etc. Simmons University, as well as 25 other Massachusetts institutions, are recognized among the nation’s best colleges.


A selection of book covers for suggested reading during Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 2024 with Stories of Migration, Perseverance, and Homecoming

Since 1968, the United States has honored Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15) in celebration of the cultures, traditions, and diversity of Hispanic Americans with ancestral roots in Spain and numerous Latin American countries and territories. To commence the celebration at Simmons, we have compiled a Latinx reading list of novels, short stories, memoirs, historical fiction, graphic histories, scholarly monographs, and poetry collections.


Current and former members of the Simmons rowing program gathered together on the dock of the Riverside Boat Club with a new shell

Rowing Unveils New Eight-Person Boat in Dedication Ceremony

Current and former members of the Simmons rowing program gathered together on the dock of the Riverside Boat Club on the morning of Sunday, September 8 for the dedication of the program's newest eight-person racing shell.


A close up photo of a marijuana plant. Photo credit: Mohammad Faisal Pirzada, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Simmons Faculty Research Student Perception of Medical Marijuana

A research paper by School of Nursing faculty Clark Cassone and Patricia Rissmiller was highlighted in the HempGazette, “Survey Finds US Nurse Practitioner Students Support Medical Cannabis.”


A student taking notes in a notebook while reading from a laptop

Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning Weighs In On Mental Health “Crisis”

Sarah Cavanagh was interviewed for an article, “Fighting the Mental-Health Crisis Narrative” in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In the article, Cavanagh addresses the balanced approach to mental health issues offered in her book, Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health With Compassionate Challenge.


The logo for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Doctoral Candidate Named Acting Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services

Cyndee Landrum, a student in the Simmons University Library and Information Science PhD, was named Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) this March. In honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, we share this interview with Landrum about her studies at Simmons and goals at IMLS.


Leadership in the News

Bridgett Johnson-Pride

The Extroverted Archivist: Engaging the Underrepresented in Archives

Bridgett Johnson-Pride '18MAMS was named Director of Public Services for Archives and Special Collections at Harvard University in October, 2023. We caught up with Johnson-Pride about her current role, and how she engages with patrons as an extroverted archivist.


The logo for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Doctoral Candidate Named Acting Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services

Cyndee Landrum, a student in the Simmons University Library and Information Science PhD, was named Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) this March. In honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, we share this interview with Landrum about her studies at Simmons and goals at IMLS.


Chief Justice Amy L. Nechtem

Simmons Alumna and Chief Justice Advances System Improvements in Child Welfare in Massachusetts and Nationally

The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem ’76 is the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department, protecting the safety, health, and wellbeing of children residing in the state. Chief Justice Nechtem spoke with us about her her commitment to systems enhancement affecting vulnerable children and families, both influenced by the early impact of the Simmons sisterhood.


An aerial photo of the labyrinth on the Simmons University campus

Children’s Literature Alumna Named among Rising Star Women of Education

Janet Daniels ’10MFA, the Assistant Director of the Student Center at Harvard University’s Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, was recently recognized as one of the Rising Star Women of Education for 2024.


View of the cupola from the quad through trees

MBA Alumna Shares Success in Business and Government

Tammy Caputi  ’99MBA is the president and owner of Yale Electric West, Inc., a lighting and electrical supply distributing company, and a Councilwoman for the City of Scottsdale, Arizona.


Samantha Margolin '23

From the Muddy River to Community Farms: Research Possibilities for Simmons Students

We spoke to Samantha Margolin '23 about how her research projects at Simmons prepared her to expand her confidence, and her burgeoning career.


A seal for the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose 2024-2030

Simmons Awarded Prestigious Carnegie Designation for Leadership for Public Purpose

This designation recognizes our institutional commitment to the pursuit of leadership and the collective public good. Most exciting, this honor is a national recognition of the unique brand of leadership we have developed and advanced at Simmons – a group of everyday leaders committed to doing well and doing good.


Girls at Work logo posted on a wall.  An orange, diamond shaped sign with the words "Girls at Work" in the center.

In Non-Profit Leadership Role, Incoming Student Empowers Girls

Incoming student Kaylee Richard is the program director of Girls at Work, “a non-profit after-school program that uses power tools and the Socratic method to empower girls.”


STEM in the News

The periodic table of elements.

STEM Student Receives Research Scholarship from American Chemical Society

Biochemistry major and Literature and Writing minor Reagan Cleversey ’26 received the competitive James Flack Norris / Theodore William Richards Summer Research Scholarship from the American Chemical Society. She spoke with us about her passion for medicinal chemistry and the importance of mentorship.


Emily Orlando Cane at the 2024 Teaching Prevention Conference

Changes in Reproductive Health Laws Impact Perinatal Hospice Care

Emily (Orlando) Cane ’23MPH was interviewed by Hospice News about how changes in reproductive health laws have impacted perinatal hospice care.


Nanette and Raneem

Accelerated Degree Student Presents Poster on ChatGPT at Technical Symposium

Raneem Emad Amer Mousa ’25 is pursuing the Dual-Degree in Engineering Simmons offers in collaboration with Columbia University. Her research project, “Is ChatGPT the Academic Catalyst We’ve All Been Waiting For?” was accepted for inclusion in the SIGCSE Technical Symposium 2024.


A composite image of the Boston skyline above the New York City skyline

From Boston to New York: Simmons 3+2 Engineering Student Accepted to Columbia University

Sophia Moore ’24 is one of the first Simmons students to complete the initial portion of the accelerated 3+2 Engineering program. Having obtained her first bachelor’s degree from Simmons, this fall she will relocate to the New York metropolitan area to pursue her second bachelor’s degree at Columbia University.


Annabelle Hannah ’25 seated by a waterfall

Chemistry/Physics Student Accepted into Research Experience at UPenn

Annabelle Hannah ’25, a double-major in Chemistry and Physics, was accepted into the 2024 summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). The 10-week program is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).


Group of Simmons Students

Debora Edouard ’24 and Kadijah McClean ’24 Open Simmons Chapter of the National Society of Black Women in Medicine

Established in 2017, the National Society of Black Women in Medicine is committed to increasing the recruitment and retention of Black women pursuing careers in the medical field. This academic year, Neurobiology major Debora Edouard ’24 and Biochemistry and Public Health minor Kadijah McClean ’24 co-founded the Simmons chapter of the Society.


Abigail Bloom, Aria Cooper, and Adriana Lizeth Campuzano Martinez

Simmons Welcomes Passionate Leaders Project Scholars for Spring 2024

The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic and professional interests beyond the boundaries of a conventional classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester’s cohort comprises student-scholars producing original research on healthcare for seniors, fashion sustainability, and the intersection of the arts, social justice, and gender-expansive agency.


Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield

Professor Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield Selected as a 2024 Fellow of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield, Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Simmons, is among the 2024 cohort of Fellows within the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). She spoke with us about receiving this honor, advocating for women in STEM, and reimagining mentorship.


Faculty in the News

A close up photo of a marijuana plant. Photo credit: Mohammad Faisal Pirzada, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Simmons Faculty Research Student Perception of Medical Marijuana

A research paper by School of Nursing faculty Clark Cassone and Patricia Rissmiller was highlighted in the HempGazette, “Survey Finds US Nurse Practitioner Students Support Medical Cannabis.”


A student taking notes in a notebook while reading from a laptop

Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning Weighs In On Mental Health “Crisis”

Sarah Cavanagh was interviewed for an article, “Fighting the Mental-Health Crisis Narrative” in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In the article, Cavanagh addresses the balanced approach to mental health issues offered in her book, Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health With Compassionate Challenge.


A section of the Voynich Manuscript

SLIS Adjunct Interviewed in The Atlantic as a “prominent medievalist”

School of Library and Information Science Adjunct Lisa Fagin Davis was interviewed in The Atlantic for her work interpreting the 500-year-old Voynich Manuscript.


A person seated at a table with an open laptop and cup of coffee

School of Management Adjunct Faculty Member Interviewed About Team-Building Strategies

School of Management Adjunct Faculty and Institute Fellow Mary Shapiro was interviewed by the Harvard Business Review for an article, “17 Team Building Activities for In-Person, Remote, and Hybrid Teams.”


A mother holding her baby. Photo by Anna Keibalo on unsplash.com.

Nursing Instructor Helps Parents Support Parents

Simmons School of Nursing Adjunct Laura Behm is the co-founder and co-owner of Milky Moms, which offers lactation services and counseling services to mothers. We spoke to Behm about her approach to this work and what she loves about teaching Simmons students.


The logo for the Association for Library and Information Science Edcation

SLIS Professor Wins LIS Education Award

Professor and Associate Dean of SLIS Laura Saunders has been selected the 2024 Winner of the Award for Professional Contribution to Library and Information Science Education granted annually by the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE).


Photo of a sandwich wrapped with a tape measure.

Dietetics Director Weighs In On Latest TikTok Diet Trend

Professor, and Ruby Winslow Linn Endowed Professor, Nutrition Co-Chair, and Director of Didactic Program in Dietetics Teresa Fung was quoted in the NBC News article, "How much protein do you need to eat each day? On TikTok, the answer always seems to be more".


The Reading Room at McKim Building, Boston Public Library

SLIS Professor Shares How Public Libraries Support Community Discussion

Professor Laura Saunders was quoted in the Singapore edition of The Straits Times, sharing how public libraries in the U.S. are assisting in building community during politically polarizing times.


What stories will you tell?

Bridgett Johnson-Pride

The Extroverted Archivist: Engaging the Underrepresented in Archives

Bridgett Johnson-Pride '18MAMS was named Director of Public Services for Archives and Special Collections at Harvard University in October, 2023. We caught up with Johnson-Pride about her current role, and how she engages with patrons as an extroverted archivist.


The logo for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Doctoral Candidate Named Acting Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services

Cyndee Landrum, a student in the Simmons University Library and Information Science PhD, was named Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) this March. In honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, we share this interview with Landrum about her studies at Simmons and goals at IMLS.


The cover of the book "The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow" next to a logo for the Massachusetts Book Awards

Simmons Alum Receives Mass Book Award Honor

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2023) by Elaine Dimopoulos ’08MFA was selected as an Honors title for the Mass Book Awards.


Chief Justice Amy L. Nechtem

Simmons Alumna and Chief Justice Advances System Improvements in Child Welfare in Massachusetts and Nationally

The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem ’76 is the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department, protecting the safety, health, and wellbeing of children residing in the state. Chief Justice Nechtem spoke with us about her her commitment to systems enhancement affecting vulnerable children and families, both influenced by the early impact of the Simmons sisterhood.


An aerial photo of the labyrinth on the Simmons University campus

Children’s Literature Alumna Named among Rising Star Women of Education

Janet Daniels ’10MFA, the Assistant Director of the Student Center at Harvard University’s Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, was recently recognized as one of the Rising Star Women of Education for 2024.


A row of books in the Simmons University library

Simmons Students Receive American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship

Five students in Simmons School of Library and Information Science were selected among the American Library Association’s 2024-2025 Spectrum Scholars.


Josiane Martinez

Simmons MBA Alum Receives CEO Social Leadership Award

Josiane Martinez ’13MBA was named winner of the Boston Business Journal's 2024 Alan E. Lewis Alnoba CEO Social Leadership Award, in recognition of her work in support of the local community.


Heidi HyunJin Lee and GBH’s Morning Edition co-host Paris Alston

Simmons Masters in Social Work Student Interviewed for GBH's Wake Up Well

Heidi HyunJin Lee was interviewed by GBH’s Morning Edition co-host Paris Alston for Wake Up Well, a segment focused on mental health.



Connect with Simmons

Media Inquiries

Members of the press should feel free to reach out with questions regarding any aspect of the University, including commentary from faculty experts on the news of the day.

Contact Media Relations

One Simmons

As the University changes to meet the evolving needs of our students, we are ensuring that our physical space also meets those needs.

Get the latest updates on the One Simmons project

Submit Your News Story Idea

If a faculty member, student, or alum has published a paper, won an award, started a notable job or completed an important project, we want to know about it!

Share the details and we'll be in touch!

Simmons Magazine

Through news and feature stories, the Simmons Magazine highlights the inspiring ways members of our community are making a difference in their career fields, communities, and the wider world.

Check out the latest issue

Laura Wareck

Associate Vice President of University Communications