News Digest: August 19, 2025
News Digest collects news releases & feature stories from the St. Lawrence website. Visit stlawu.edu/news for up-to-date news and information. Submit Your News.
University News & Stories
Happiest Students. Best Science Labs. Most Accessible Professors. Princeton Review Names St. Lawrence a 2026 StandoutSt. Lawrence University has earned high marks across the board in The Princeton Review’s 2026 college rankings, securing its place once again among the “Best 391 Colleges” and appearing on Top-25 lists in 12 different categories. |
Ultramarathoner Jeff Mogavero ’16 Found His Stride While Running Trails at St. LawrenceSt. Lawrence alumnus Jeff Mogavero ’16 recorded the fastest debut in race history at the 52nd annual Western States Endurance Run held June 28-29—the oldest and most prestigious 100-mile ultramarathon in the United States—where he finished in fourth place with a time of 14 hours, 30 minutes, and 11 seconds. |
Spafford Family Gives $1 Million to Expand Access at St. Lawrence UniversitySt. Lawrence University has received a $1 million gift from alumnus Jeff Spafford ’88 and his wife, Amy, to establish the Spafford Family Endowed Scholarship Fund. The fund will provide financial support for students, ensuring access to the life-shaping experiences that define a St. Lawrence education. |
Douglas Foundation Makes $1 Million Gift to Support Kirk Douglas HallSt. Lawrence University has received a $1 million gift from the Douglas Foundation to support the long-term maintenance and care of Kirk Douglas Hall, the residence and community hub named for the legendary actor and philanthropist, Class of 1939. |
News from Around Campus
Ella Martel '27, McNair Scholar, wins oral presentation award at local conferenceElla Martel '27, a junior biomedical sciences major, recently participated in the Research and Posters Showcase at nearby Clarkson University and won best undergraduate oral presentation in the Biomedical and Health Sciences category. |
Religious Studies Department gains access to Gale Special CollectionsSt. Lawrence University faculty, students, and staff now have access to a special collection of six resources from Gale, a global provider of research and learning resources. The collection includes FBI files on political organizations, activism, and domestic surveillance in the 20th century. |
Events
A Culture Is Not a Costume- Richard F. Brush Art Gallery The last week to view this exhibit, "A Culture Is Not a Costume" is based on "Understanding the Differences Between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation," a traveling exhibition organized by the Akwesasne Cultural Center. |
Current States of Being: Exploring AI’s Influence on Memory, Identity, and Creativity- Richard F. Brush Art Gallery The last week to view this exhibit, "Current States of Being" brings together works by three artists: Danielle Ezzo, Ameera Kawash, and Eryk Salvaggio. Each artist critically engages with AI as both a tool and a subject, unraveling its biases, possibilities, and entanglements with history. |
Matriculation 2025- Newell Field House St. Lawrence University welcomes first-year and returning students to campus for the 2025-26 academic year. The event will take place in person and be available via livestream. |
Convocation 2025: Honoring Faculty Excellence at St. Lawrence University- Herring-Cole Grove St. Lawrence University will open the 2025-2026 academic year with its annual Convocation ceremony on Wednesday, August 27, at 4:30 p.m. in the Herring-Cole Grove. This formal academic tradition recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of faculty and staff. |
Social Media
Student Research Investigates Ways to Save LivesAlice Khalil ’27, a neuroscience major and chemistry minor from Baniyas, Syria, spent her summer working on a faster, more sensitive way to detect heart attacks in their earliest stages. In the lab with Professor of Chemistry Samantha Glazier, she conducted research aimed at detecting even the smallest traces of troponin more accurately and earlier than current methods allow. |
News Digest is a weekly compilation of news releases and web feature stories created in the past week. It is released, generally, every Tuesday. Please submit news items from your department or news regarding student events and achievements using the University Communications news form.