University High School opens
University High School closed its temporary home of the past 10 years at Fresno State and made the move to its new facility on campus at 2611 E. Matoian Way. The first day of classes in the new school was Nov. 18 and the formal dedication ceremony was Nov. 30.

Wrapped in stainless steel, the new school has a futuristic look and provides room for growth in student accomplishments. Its offerings include music facilities, a complete gym and three science labs.

"I think from an administrative team and a teacher perspective what we really like is that the building really lets us actualize our program the way we envisioned," says James Bushman, UHS head of school. "We’ll have three music rooms, several practice rooms, and a recording studio, none of which existed before. So the possibilities for the teachers and students have multiplied exponentially." See the full story with video here.

The Academy becomes an eCollection
The Madden Library has announced the availability of a new eCollection — The Academy papers. This collection offers archives from The Academy, a Fresno group that met for the first time on October 17, 1935, at the Hotel Californian in Fresno. Businessman Thomas Risley was the founder of The Academy. He and university president Frank Thomas selected fourteen men who were the first members. The name "The Academy" was suggested by Rev. James Dowling, a charter member. The Academy's purpose is "to discuss intelligently the problems of the time."

There have been many prominent Fresnans among the academy's members. Most were associated with Fresno State College (now California State University, Fresno). There were several presidents: Arnold Joyal, Frederic Ness, Frank Thomas, and Norman Baxter. There were also several distinguished professors: William Beatty, Jr., Mitchell Briggs, Jose Canales, Karl Falk, Emory Ratcliffe, Edward Tenney, Jose Elgorriaga, and Clair Nelsen, to name a few. Other members were well known in the city of Fresno, for example, Reverend James Dowling, Rabbi David Greenberg, businessman and benefactor Leon Peters, justice Philip Conley, financier Thomas Risley and journalist Roger Tatarian.

Rising to new heights: The Red Balloon Project
by Scott Sailor (Kinesiology) and Ida Jones (Finance and Business Law)
Educational institutions face a number of challenges as faculty work with students to improve learning. Students may lack preparation for some of the rigors of college while at the same time some faculty apply nineteenth century teaching methodologies to 21st century students and learning environments. In addition, shrinking budgets for education spur educational institutions to re-configure the learning environment. Those concerns, and others, led Fresno State to join the national Red Balloon Project. See the full story here.

Fall paints campus in a wash of color
Autumn colors abound on campus as leaves turn a profusion of colors. From the crisp reds to the brilliant oranges, fall is displayed in a splendor to be enjoyed by all. See the fall photo gallery here. Photos by Madison Artist.

Recipes for a happy new year
Feeding a big crowd for New Year's? Try some of these recipes from France, where the holiday is taken very seriously. See the full story here.

Traditions of Christmas and Hanukkah
As the world celebrates the season with gift-giving and festive songs, it is important to remember that the light of the season comes from traditions that date back thousands of years. The special warmth of the season is lit by the fires of rich traditions that have an import far beyond everyday celebrations. For more, click here.