In the Spotlight: Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2025

Kudos to these faculty, staff and programs.

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  • Professor emeritus Matt Casado recently published his book “Por Su Propia Senda.” The book is a work of historical fiction that narrates dramatic events in Spain between 1898 and 1945. 
  • Steve Syrmopoulos—an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting—was featured as an expert in the WalletHub article “What Is a Budget?” The article covers the benefits and downsides of budgeting and offers guidance on how to budget efficiently.  
  • NAU earned multiple spots on the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges list, tying for No. 186 in undergraduate nursing programs, No. 194 in undergraduate business programs, No. 196 in undergraduate psychology programs and No. 245 in undergraduate computer science programs. This list evaluates more than 1,700 U.S. universities and colleges based on factors like graduation rates, peer assessments, financial resources and staff-student ratios.  
  • NAU’s student newspaper, The Lumberjack, earned eight of the Arizona Press Club’s 2024 journalism awards on Sept. 17. The winning categories and journalists are as follows: 
    • Taylor McCormick earned second place in the Photojournalism—Picture Story category for the piece “The highs and lows of Arizona’s election role.” 
    • The Lumberjack earned second and third place in the Print Page Design Portfolio category for the magazine spreads “Dish it!” and “Mapping the Southwest’s Fuel Chain,” designed by Brisa Karow, Jason Maggio, Sarah Marshall, Chloe Legay and Hannah Barrett 
    • The Lumberjack earned first, second and third place in the Student News category for Legay’s “Indigenous Resistance Against Uranium Mining;” the staff’s coverage of the Students for Justice for Palestine protests; and “Landing an international bird-tracking program in northern Arizona” by Karow, Austin Hagan and Marvin Sagisi, respectively.  
    • The Lumberjack earned first and second place in the Student Photojournalism category for Legay’s “Indigenous Resistance Against Uranium Mining” and McCormick’s “Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz visits Window Rock,” respectively.  
  • Chris Parish, NAU alumnus and president of The Peregrine Fund nonprofit, was featured in the new documentary “The American Southwest” for his work advocating for endangered birds of prey. The documentary explores the Colorado Plateau’s wildlife, cultural history and conservation projects.  
  • The Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program named NAU’s police program manager, Michael Navarro, as its 2025 Accreditation Manager of the Year. The annual award goes to accreditation managers who uphold the highest standards of professionalism, keep their agencies on track and inspire others through their dedication to the accreditation process. 
The NAU Review