Central Michigan University Alumni Association

08/21/2026

From the CMU sidelines to The Savannah Bananas!🍌⚾ We're FIRED UP to see where Kristina Fusco's journey takes her next. 🔥⬆

An impulsive career application made one recent Central Michigan University alumna “go bananas” for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

08/21/2026

We’re proud to honor Lydia Sankey as a recipient of the 2026 10 Within 10 Recognition! 🔥⬆

From the Chippewa Marching Band to global naval service, Lydia, ’17, has never stopped showing up for others. As a supply officer aboard the USS Bulkeley — currently based in Spain — she manages multimillion-dollar budgets and logistics chains across the globe and recently led her crew to earn the Navy’s top food service award. She deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Baltic for real-world ballistic missile defense operations and leads with the same authenticity she developed at CMU.

A two-time study abroad participant, Lydia carries the CMU Chippewa character with her around the world.

Lydia earned a dual bachelor’s in international business and Spanish from CMU.

Congrats, Lydia! FIRE UP FOREVER!

Find out more about the 10 Within 10 recipients here: https://go.cmualum.com/10within10recognition

08/20/2026

🚨 Big news for a Central Michigan University alumnus! 🔥⬆

Congratulations to Steven McAndrews, MBA '13, for being named the new chief information officer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The Central Michigan University Online and Central Michigan University - College of Business Administration graduate brings extensive experience in cybersecurity, technology and federal leadership to the role.

McAndrews, a military veteran, has served as deputy CIO at the National Nuclear Security Administration since 2022, with previous roles at the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Army. 🇺🇸

We're proud to see a CMU Chippewa taking on a leadership role that will help shape the future of technology and emergency management across the nation.

For more on McAndrews' appointment: https://go.cmualum.com/mcandrewscmu26

08/19/2026

We’re proud to honor Cristina Pizzimenti as a recipient of the 2026 10 Within 10 Recognition! 🔥⬆

After graduating from CMU, Cristina, '20, became the first in her immediate family to leave Michigan since her grandparents immigrated from Italy in the 1960s — relocating to Dallas, where she knew no one, to build a career at Gartner, a global research and advisory firm. In 2024, her first year as a manager, her team closed more than $2 million in business. She also closed a record-setting deal for the region. Now she recruits CMU graduates to join her and mentors current Delta Zeta members back on campus.

Cristina holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in health administration from CMU.

Congrats, Cristina! FIRE UP FOREVER!

Find out more about the 10 Within 10 recipients here: https://go.cmualum.com/10within10recognition

08/18/2026

We’re proud to honor Dyese Matthews as a recipient of the 2026 10 Within 10 Recognition! 🔥⬆

Dyese, ’18, teaches fashion as a lens for justice. As an assistant professor at Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York, she brings scholarship, creativity and purpose to one of the world’s leading design institutions — and traces it all back to her time at CMU. She is the founder of Noire Narratives (), a digital oral history project preserving fashion stories across the African Diaspora. Her 2025 Richard Martin Exhibition Award from the Costume Society of America reflects the reach of her curatorial and scholarly work.

From resident assistant to CMU Black Fashion Future Exhibition participant to Parsons faculty, her path reflects all that a CMU Chippewa can become.

Congrats, Dyese! FIRE UP FOREVER!

Find out more about the 10 Within 10 recipients here: https://go.cmualum.com/10within10recognition

08/17/2026

🚨Attention, New England-area alumni and friends. 🚨 Join us Wednesday evening for a fun and flavorful evening at Russell House Tavern in Cambridge, MA! 🍻

Reconnect with fellow CMU Chippewas while enjoying a relaxed social atmosphere, great conversation and a craft cocktail lounge. Guests will be treated to light appetizers and will have the opportunity to purchase their own beverages throughout the night.

For more info and to register: https://go.cmualum.com/russellhouse

08/17/2026

Just five years after graduating from Central Michigan University, Zach Newhouse, ’21, is an Emmy winner! 🔥⬆

The CMU College of the Arts & Media alumnus recently earned a Sports Emmy for his work on the groundbreaking NBA on Prime studio show. 🏀

Read Zach’s story and see how his CMU experience helped launch his award-winning career:

Central Michigan University alumnus, Zach Newhouse, '21, has reached one of the crowning achievements in the television industry, earning a Sports Emmy Award as part of the production team behind the groundbreaking “NBA on Prime” studio show.

08/14/2026

We’re proud to honor Sam Jenkins as a recipient of the 2026 10 Within 10 Recognition! 🔥⬆

Sam, ’16, is on a mission to create workplaces where people feel genuinely valued. As the DEI coordinator for Oakland County and founder of Empowering Communities with Sam Jenkins, she leads training, workshops and employee engagement initiatives that help organizations build cultures of belonging.

A four-year member, senior-year captain and 2015 Zoe Harris Division II Player of the Year for CMU’s Women’s Club Hockey team, Sam has carried that same leadership into her professional career. While with the City of Southfield, she helped develop Black History Month programming that received the 2025 MParks Innovative Programming Award. She is also an associate producer of “The Ber-Henda Williams Talk Show,” a media platform dedicated to amplifying BIPOC voices and community-centered leadership, and a member of the board of directors of the Michigan Diversity Education Center, where she chairs the Workforce Engagement Committee.

Congrats, Sam! FIRE UP FOREVER!

Find out more about the 10 Within 10 recipients here: https://go.cmualum.com/10within10recognition

08/13/2026

We're FIRED UP to see you tomorrow for CMU Night at Comerica Park! Just a reminder, our pre-game social starts at 5pm when gates open, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40pm. ⚾

For more information on the event: https://go.cmualum.com/comericapark2026

Let's be loud and proud when we cheer on our CMU alumnus and Tigers utilityman, Zach McKinstry! ❤💛 Eat 'em up, Tigers! 🔥⬆

08/13/2026

The Office of Residence Life is looking for volunteers to help welcome students during Fall Move-In. This year, they will once again use a centralized check-in process at the Student Activity Center, and they'd love your help creating a warm, welcoming first impression for our newest CMU Chippewas and their families. 🔥⬆

Volunteer Dates: August 22, 24, 27, 28, and 29
Time Commitment: Approximately 2-hour shifts

Volunteers will serve in one of two roles:
1) Central Check-In: Welcome students and families, assist with check-in, answer questions, and help guide traffic through the Student Activity Center.

2) Parking Lot Support: Help direct traffic, verify students have checked in, and assist with move-in parking operations.

Res Life will send a recording of a brief virtual training and will also provide on-site guidance at the start of each shift.

Sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0E44AEAB22A5F58-64782745-cmumovein

Thank you for considering helping Res Life welcome our students home. Your support plays an important role in creating a positive first experience at CMU. FIRE UP FOREVER!

Thank you for helping us welcome students during August move-in. We could not do this without you! Our volunteers will be assisting with two primary roles: our central check-in location in the Student Activity Center and residential parking lots. The time your shift begins is your arrival time, this...