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The Eastern Echo Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | Print Archive
The Eastern Echo

Josh Coudret

	President Jelani McGadney and Vice President Jeffrey Chicoine were sworn into office for the next full academic year.
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New student leaders sworn into office

Last year’s Eastern Michigan University Student Body President Antonio Cosme summed up the feeling of many outgoing Student Government members at the Senate transition meeting on Tuesday night.

The Eastern Echo
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Julea Ward supported in appeal

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office issued a statement Friday saying he filed an amicus brief supporting Julea Ward as she appeals the summary judgment awarded to Eastern Michigan University in a U.S. District Court case from last July.

The Eastern Echo
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Student Senate keeps president position open

The Eastern Michigan Student Senate narrowly voted against a resolution that would make students who are not in Student Government ineligible to run for the position of student body president or student body vice president.

The Eastern Echo
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Firing upheld by appeals committee

Former Director of Political Action Sabrina Ford’s firing from the Student Government Executive Board was upheld at a Judicial Committee of Appeals Tuesday night following a Student Senate meeting.

EMU student Nathaniel Winston, a political science major, studies at Halle Library. A recent study has shown that high school seniors have better critical reasoning skills than college sophomores. However, most EMU students and faculty disagree.
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EMU campus disagrees with national study

A study that was the basis for the book “Academically Adrift” says students in undergraduate universities are not learning what they should be, but many at Eastern Michigan University feel that is not the case in their programs.

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Chelsea Wilson, an Eastern Michigan University undergraduate student, attending the Women in Faith discussion Tuesday in the Student Center. Her Introduction to Women's Studies instructor, Jessica Kilbourn, was one of the speakers.

Chelsea Wilson, an Eastern Michigan University undergraduate student, attending the Women in Faith discussion Tuesday in the Student Center. Her Introduction to Women's Studies instructor, Jessica Kilbourn, was one of the speakers.

	Brandon Bowdry, above, and the Eagles lost 67-53 in the first round of the MAC. The game was Bowdry’s last.

Brandon Bowdry, above, and the Eagles lost 67-53 in the first round of the MAC. The game was Bowdry’s last.

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Eastern Michigan University’s “Enlighten U” has been ranked the top mental health podcast in Michigan by FeedSpot, a platform that compiles blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, newsletters and other sites in one location.

“Enlighten U” is a podcast geared toward students who are experiencing mental health challenges. Melissa Thrasher, EMU's executive director of media relations and social media, and Lolita Cummings, an EMU public relations professor, serve as the co-hosts. Each episode is released around the 15th of every month and features a student or alum and a subject-matter professional.

Lolita Cummings in an interview with The Echo said that this is not the first time the No. 1 mental health podcast in Michigan has been awarded to "Enlighten U."

"We've been the No. 1 mental health podcast in Michigan from the very beginning," Cummings said. "I think it's an indicator of the fact that what we are trying to do, we are doing well, and that is important."

At the start of each "Enlighten U" episode, Cummings and Thrasher state that the "Enlighten U" podcast is an award-winning show.

"A couple of years ago, I won the best in PR for good campaign from Public Relations Society of America for the marketing and promotions program, because it's important that we get this, the word, out to everyone and about the podcast," Cummings said.

Thrasher and Cummings are both extremely proud of their podcast, but these awards and recognitions are not why they continue with it.

It is important to Cummings that she serves all of her students' needs. She noticed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of many of her students was declining. When the students came back after the pandemic, Cummings noticed that her students' mental health was even worse. Due to this, she began brainstorming with one of her students about how she could help.

"She [the student] said to me, 'We watched a lot of podcasts while we were off.' So I said, 'Okay, I don't know anything about podcasts, but I will meet you all where you are.' So that's where the idea came from," Cummings said. "I am able to not just serve their academic needs, but I'm also able to serve their mental health needs. And to get the feedback from them, that is really helping, and is everything to me because the students are the ones who tell us what issues are impacting the most. Those are the issues that we bring to the table at 'Enlighten U.'"

Cummings encourages students to not only watch and listen to "Enlighten U" but to also spread the word about the podcast.

"One of the things we want to do is get the word out about this podcast to as many people as possible, across the nation, across the world," she said. "The need is not limited to our campus — the need is universal; it is worldwide. My goal at this point is obviously to continue to produce quality shows that reflect the mental health challenges that students are facing, but also get it out to wider audiences so we can help more people."

For those who are interested in engaging with "Enlighten U," the podcast can be found on YouTube and Spotify.