Casino donates $25K for suicide prevention
In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana recently donated $25,000 to the American Foundation
for Suicide Prevention, according to a release.
The funds will support its Out of the Darkness Northwest Indiana Walk on Oct. 3 in Wicker Park in Highland. The donation was presented to
the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on Sept. 10 at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary.
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For more information about the Out of the Darkness Northwest Indiana Walk, visit https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/NWIndiana.
VU awarded Institutional Impact grant
Valparaiso University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology have received a joint Institutional Impact grant from the Educating Character Initiative, a project of The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University.
The grant, totaling $492,703, will support Building Lives for Good: Character Formation through Story, an initiative that will benefit individual students by helping them to form a consistent, internal narrative that helps them grow and develop through the implementation of narrative pedagogy, a release said. Narrative pedagogy uses storytelling and the shared experience as tools to help students make connections in their lives and communities.
After piloting each stage of the program, VU and Rose-Hulman will incorporate what was learned and begin piloting a revised version of the practice in their own programs, the release said.
Women’s Fund announces $65K in new grants
The Women’s Fund of Porter County is awarding $65,000 in grants to three local organizations whose programs address critical needs facing
women and children in our community, a release said.
The Northwest Indiana Food Council and Parents as Teachers of Porter County will each receive $25,000 and the Society of St. Vincent de
Paul will receive $15,000 for high-impact programs.
Since its inception, the Women’s Fund of Porter County has granted more than $1 million to local organizations to fund essential programs
that support women and children throughout Porter County. To learn more, visit pccf.gives/womensfund.
CLH promotes trio to new roles
CLH, CPAs & Consultants of Michigan City recently promoted Allison Leffert, Seth Bedwell and Ashley Boyan to managerial positions with
the firm, according to a release.
Leffert, a LaPorte native, has been promoted to senior manager. She started her career with CLH with internships in 2014 and 2015 before
she joined the firm full-time in 2016, the release said.
Bedwell, also from LaPorte, built his career with CLH beginning with internships in 2020 and 2021. He joined CLH full-time as a staff
accountant after graduating from Trine University. He was promoted to senior accountant before stepping into the manager role in July.
Boyan’s promotion to client service team assistant manager represents a new role within CLH and allows her to help shape its direction, the
release said. The LaPorte High School graduate began her career with the firm in 2018.
Free car seat safety events planned
Franciscan Health Trauma Services is hosting free car seat safety events for Indiana residents during National Child Passenger Safety
Month.
The first event is scheduled to take place from 3-6 p.m. Sept. 23 at Franciscan Health Michigan City’s Legacy Campus at 301 Homer St. in
Michigan City. The event moves to Lake County from 3-6 p.m. Sept. 25 at Munster Fire Station No. 2, 550 Fisher St., Munster.
A car seat safety check typically takes around 30 minutes per child to complete a full assessment and provide education to the caregiver, a
release said.
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The car seat safety check is free, but reservations are required. For more information, call 219-488-1380.
Franciscan Health hosting SHE conferences
Registration for Franciscan Health’s Strong, Healthy, Empowered (SHE) Women’s Health Conferences is now open.
The first event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 26 at Purdue University Northwest, 1401 U.S. 421N. in Westville with the theme, “The Evolution of the Empowered Woman.”
The event will celebrate women’s health, wellness and personal growth through every stage of life, a release said. Attendees will have the
opportunity to engage in expert-led panel discussions on reproductive health, infant and maternal health, perimenopause and menopause.
The second event is scheduled from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 23 at Purdue University Northwest in the Alumni Hall, 2200 169th St. in Hammond
with the theme, “Take Charge of Your Health through Every Transition.” To purchase tickets or learn more about the events, visit
https://www.franciscanhealthfoundation.org/events/.
PNW: Nearly 80% students are Indiana residents
When the 2026-27 academic year started recently, Purdue University Northwest welcomed 1,653 new undergraduate students while recording a new record 70.8% retention rate for returning second-year students.
According to a release, the university’s enrollment figures for 2026-27 mark a second consecutive record year of retention for returning second-year students. The 70.8% retention rate reported for fall 2026 represents a nearly 5% uptick from two years ago, the release said.
Meanwhile, PNW saw its highest numbers of incoming first-year students matriculating from high schools in the Crown Point, Gary, Hammond,
Lake Central, Munster and Valparaiso service areas, the release said.
In-state students make up approximately 80% of total combined PNW undergraduate and graduate students. The total undergraduate, graduate and online total is 6,103 this fall, the release said.