Change’s compliance infrastructure designed for professional fundraisers automates nonprofit onboarding, vetting, and payment flows for Charitybuzz.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Charitybuzz, the premier destination for charitable auctions and sweepstakes, today announced its partnership with Change, the leading compliance and donation infrastructure platform for charitable fundraising. Since 2005, Charitybuzz has raised more than $650 million for nonprofits worldwide. Through this collaboration, the company will unlock new capacity for growth by automating payment flows, gaining real-time visibility into donations sent, and accelerating nonprofit onboarding and vetting.

Through its online platform, Charitybuzz offers unforgettable experiences and prizes – like VIP tickets to Coachella or private ski lessons with U.S. Olympian Lindsey Vonn – to benefit causes. As Charitybuzz aims to continue to increase the amount raised for charities, they will need a technology partner that can keep them compliant and scale the business efficiently. By adopting Change’s technology, Charitybuzz replaces manual, time-intensive processes – like spending 80+ hours per month compiling spreadsheets of transaction data – with a fully automated platform that manages nonprofit vetting, onboarding, and the highly complex payment flows that professional fundraisers must manage.

“Change has best-in-class technology for professional fundraisers,” said Ben Erwin, Chief Executive Officer of Charitybuzz. “This partnership allows us to navigate complex compliance requirements with confidence and focus on growing our campaigns. With Change’s support, we’re excited to raise more money for charities and deepen our impact for incredible causes.”

The partnership also underscores Charitybuzz’s commitment to leading the way in responsible innovation. With Change’s compliance infrastructure, Charitybuzz can better navigate complex state-by-state fundraising regulations while reducing operational burden on its finance and legal teams. The collaboration represents a model for how technology can help professional fundraisers raise more money while maintaining transparency and trust in the philanthropic ecosystem.

“Charitybuzz has built one of the most innovative fundraising platforms in the world,” said Sonia Nigam, Co-Founder and CEO of Change. “Our partnership represents the future of charitable fundraising: one where technology and compliance work in tandem to bring greater trust and impact to the sector.”

Erwin also sat down with the Change team for a recent episode of the Give Smart video series, where he discussed the challenges professional fundraisers face and Charitybuzz’s vision for expanding access to philanthropy through creative pathways.

This partnership reflects a broader shift toward modernizing compliance in the charitable sector, ensuring professional fundraisers can operate with greater efficiency and confidence.

About Change

 Change is a technology platform that enables companies to launch compliant charitable giving programs at scale. Through its Donations API, compliance dashboard, and nonprofit verification tools, Change powers donation experiences such as round-ups, sweepstakes, and percentage-of-purchase campaigns. Change helps companies meet state compliance requirements, including commercial co-venture agreements, charitable fundraising platform regulations, and nonprofit registration renewals, ensuring that every donation is delivered with accuracy and transparency.

About Charitybuzz


Charitybuzz 

is the world’s leading impact marketplace, uniting once-in-a-lifetime experiences and exclusive access with charitable giving. Since 2005, Charitybuzz has raised over $650 million in unrestricted funding for thousands of nonprofits worldwide, helping organizations reach new donors and unlock incremental revenue. Through auctions, a buy now shop, sweepstakes, and private client services, Charitybuzz transforms cultural capital into meaningful impact, spanning luxury travel, rare collectibles, and VIP access across entertainment, business, sports, and culture. Charitybuzz has partnered with leading organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Make-A-Wish, MusiCares, ACLU, and Broadway Cares, connecting its global community with icons such as Paul McCartney, George Clooney, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Oprah Winfrey, and Tim Cook, among many others.

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SOURCE Change

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

Golf Galaxy, DICK’S House of Sport and Youth on Course are growing the game of golf, supporting youth development and breaking down financial barriers to the game with a partnership that gives youth members access to discounted simulator rental fees, a complementary lesson, special in-store events and more. This partnership spans all current and future Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport stores and comes off the heels of a successful 25 store pilot program at select Golf Galaxy locations, which saw over 2,000 hours in simulator rental time from Youth on Course members this summer.

This newly forged relationship marks the first time ever that members will have access to indoor simulator opportunities and professional golf instruction. With this, Golf Galaxy and House of Sport are offering members access to lessons and coaching, an essential next step in their golf development journey.

“The game of golf is experiencing such great momentum, with participation growing and more ways to enjoy the game than ever before,” said Ryan Bogosta, Vice President – Golf Galaxy. “At Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport, we are in a unique position to contribute to the growth of the game, especially with the next generation of golfers. We love the work Youth on Course is doing to make this amazing game more accessible to young athletes everywhere, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them. Through this relationship, we have the opportunity to impact tens of thousands of young golfers across the country and make the game even more inclusive.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport to launch a new pathway for our members to play, learn, and develop in the sport year-round,” said Michael Lowe, Head of Impact at Youth on Course. “By providing access to instruction and indoor facilities, we’re removing another barrier and ensuring that every young person, regardless of background, can continue building their skills and confidence in an environment built to support them.”

As of today, Youth on Course members can receive exclusive in-store benefits at any Golf Galaxy and DICK’S House of Sport store. Those include one free golf lesson from a PGA Teaching Professional, simulator rentals for only $5 per hour, and access to special in-store events. To redeem these benefits, Youth on Course members must:

There are currently over 110 Golf Galaxy stores and soon-to-be 35 DICK’S House of Sport locations across the U.S.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Mountain Lion Foundation (MLF) is excited to announce two key leadership appointments: Ellen C. O’Connell as Executive Director, effective November 1, 2025, and Byron Weckworth, Ph.D., as Chief Conservation and Advocacy Officer, effective November 10, 2025.

For nearly 40 years, MLF has been the nation’s leading voice for America’s lion, championing landmark victories like California’s Proposition 117, protecting habitat and wildlife corridors, and inspiring a national movement for coexistence between people and mountain lions. Under O’Connell’s leadership, MLF will build on this proud history to deepen partnerships, advance science-based advocacy, and ensure that the next generation inherits a landscape where people and mountain lions can thrive together.

O’Connell brings over three decades of nonprofit leadership experience.  She served as CEO of Farm Sanctuary, Executive Director of Tusk USA, and Vice President at the International Rescue Committee, and has worked in more than 90 countries across six continents. 

Her work, from protecting wildlife in Africa to advancing policy reform for food systems in the US, builds on 16 years in humanitarian aid, where she saw how the health of people, animals, and the planet are deeply connected. As Chair of the Wildlife Justice Commission Investigations, she helps expose and dismantle criminal networks driving the illegal wildlife trade, one of the most urgent threats to global biodiversity.

“Ellen’s record of turning vision into measurable impact makes her an ideal leader for this next chapter,” said John Ziegler, Chair of the Mountain Lion Foundation Board. “She will build on the Foundation’s remarkable 40-year legacy—strengthening partnerships, advancing advocacy, and expanding protections for America’s lion.”

Weckworth brings 25 years of experience in global carnivore conservation and strategic communications. At Panthera, he led their Snow Leopard Program, founded the Conservation Genetics Program, and championed international initiatives uniting science, policy, and community engagement to protect wild cats and their habitats. He will oversee MLF’s science and advocacy portfolio, guiding efforts to advance lasting protections for mountain lions and the wild landscapes they depend on.

Together, O’Connell and Weckworth will guide MLF’s next era, building on its proud legacy of advocacy, science, and storytelling to secure a future where mountain lions and people coexist across a connected, thriving landscape.

“I’m deeply honored to have been chosen to lead Mountain Lion Foundation, an organization whose legacy has defined how America thinks about cougars and coexistence,” said O’Connell. “MLF’s history is proof that advocacy, partnership, and science can change outcomes for wildlife. I’m excited to build on that foundation and to work alongside our supporters, partners, and communities to protect America’s lion and the wild places we share.”

About the Mountain Lion Foundation
Founded in 1986, MLF is the only organization dedicated exclusively to protecting mountain lions and the wild landscapes they depend on. Learn more at www.mountainlion.org.

Press Contact:
Mountain Lion Foundation
916-442-2666
press@mountainlion.org

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SOURCE Mountain Lion Foundation

PHOENIX, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Every year, millions of Americans share their lives with pets who are more like family than companions. That devotion has inspired one of the most successful and heartfelt fundraising campaigns in the pet industry—America’s Favorite Pet®, organized and powered by Colossal, a professional fundraising organization dedicated to connecting digital engagement with real-world impact.

 

Register now for  America’s Favorite Pet here.

Now entering its 6th year, America’s Favorite Pet is a Colossal competition that has raised more than $22 million to benefit PAWS, a Washington-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming domestic animals and wildlife alike. Registration for the 2026 competition is officially open through January 12, 2026, inviting cat and dog parents nationwide to enter their cherished companions for the opportunity to win a $10,000 cash prize and be featured on the cover of Modern Cat or Modern Dog magazine.

“From rescuing emaciated dogs in a hoarding situation to providing compassionate care for animals displaced by natural disasters, PAWS has been able to meet the urgent needs of countless cats, dogs, and over 150 species of wildlife with the incredible support of the America’s Favorite Pet competition,” said PAWS CEO Heidi Wills.

America’s Favorite Pet: Not a Local Contest — A National Competition

This annual campaign brings together pet lovers across the country in a spirited show of love and advocacy. America’s Favorite Pet is an online competition where participants enlist the help of their family, friends, and followers to cast online votes for their beloved furry (and some not-so-furry) friends in hopes of earning the grand prize—a feature on the cover of Modern Cat or Modern Dog and $10,000 each.

Participants upload a photo of their legally owned cat or dog (one entry per household), then rally support from their social and local communities. Each voter receives one free vote every 24 hours, with additional vote by donation available via $1/vote—funds that go toward PAWS’ mission of helping animals go home and thrive.

A Movement with Measurable Impact

The structure may be simple, but the outcome is extraordinary. In 2025 alone, America’s Favorite Pet generated over $8 million, fueling life-saving care for thousands of domestic pets and injured wildlife. Those funds also supported the completion of PAWS’ new 25-acre wildlife rehabilitation center in Washington State and expanded educational programs that reached over 4,000 students nationwide.

For pet lovers and brands alike, this initiative offers a chance to blend passion with purpose. It unites advocacy, engagement, and entertainment, proving that digital campaigns can generate tangible, life-changing impact.

Familiar Faces, Fresh Inspiration

Adding to the excitement, celebrity hosts Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy, both devoted animal advocates, will once again lend their voices to the campaign. Their enthusiasm and authenticity bring an added layer of warmth to the competition, inspiring participants and newcomers to rally for a cause that transcends species.

America’s Favorite Pet Sponsors

The competition is sponsored by Crown & Paw and Love, Nala.


Crown & Paw
: Turn your pet into royalty with a custom portrait from Crown & Paw! Each masterpiece captures your fur-baby’s unique charm and personality, creating a timeless keepsake you’ll treasure forever.


Love, Nala
: Inspired by Nala Cat, every bite of Love, Nala’s food, treats, and supplements is packed with a perfect blend of nutritious ingredients and love—because that’s what makes your kitty’s world go round.

Registration Now Open for America’s Favorite Pet


Registration for the 2026 America’s Favorite Pet competition
 is open now through January 12, 2026. Cat and dog owners are invited to enter their companions, share their stories, and join a nationwide celebration of love, loyalty, and the power of community.

Whether someone participates, donates, or simply votes, their involvement helps sustain a legacy of compassion that has already changed countless lives, both human and animal.

ABOUT COLOSSAL

Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like America’s Favorite Pet, participants have the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact. Colossal competitions serve as fundraising campaigns for DTCare, a United States 501(c)(3) public charity organization, which then grants donation funds to specified charities at the completion of the competitions. Learn more at colossal.org. Who’s Next?

Media Contact:

Anne-Marie Pritchett
pr@colossal.org

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SOURCE Colossal

Vendor and Supplier Partners Help Drive Record-Breaking Fundraising to Support Local Charities, Veterans, and First Responders

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Yesway, one of the nation’s fastest-growing convenience store chains, announced it raised more than $630,000 during its Fifth Annual Golf & Clays Classic Charitable Fundraising Tournament, held September 22–23, 2025, at The Golf Clubs at The Tribute and Elm Fork Shooting Sports in Dallas, Texas.

Since its inception, the event has generated nearly $3 million to support nonprofit organizations that make a meaningful difference in the communities where Yesway operates. This year’s proceeds will benefit Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit serving military families, as well as several local charities, civic organizations, and first responders across the company’s operating areas. These include police and fire departments in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, as well as local programs such as Ruidoso Strong, HELP Inc., the D.A.R.E. Program of Otero County, and the Christian Outdoor Alliance.

“The Golf & Clays Classic has become more than a fundraiser—it is a celebration of partnership, generosity, and shared purpose,” said Tom Trkla, Yesway’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We have raised nearly $3 million since launching the event in 2021, making a tangible difference for veterans, families, and communities across our footprint. On behalf of the Yesway and Allsup’s family, we thank our partners for their continued belief in our mission and their support.”

“Yesway is deeply committed to giving back to the communities we call home,” added Ray Harrison, Yesway’s Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer. “This event brings together our team, vendor partners, and industry friends to create lasting impact. Our vendor and supplier partners are the true champions behind its success—their generosity and enthusiasm make it all possible.”

Top-tier sponsors of Yesway’s 2025 Golf & Clays Classic include: 

Anheuser-Busch • BeatBox Beverages • BIC Consumer Products • Brightstar Lottery • Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages • D&H United Fueling Solutions • Delek • Dover Fueling Solutions • Freedom Electronics • GSP Retail • Heineken • Hensley Beverage Company • JTI Liggett • Juul Labs • Keurig Dr Pepper • L&F Distributors • Lone Star Tank Management • LSI Lighting / Rice Christ, Inc. • Mars Wrigley • Molson Coors • Monster Energy • Old Tapper • PSI Powered by Brinks • PepsiCo • Red Bull North America • Retail Power Services • Reynolds Marketing Services Co. • Smokey Mountain Chew Inc. • Swedish Match • TCM • The Magnum Ice Cream Company • Valero • White Tucker Company. 

More than 88 sponsors and donors also contributed to the event’s outstanding success.

“Yesway’s mission has always been to be more than just a convenience store operator,” Harrison said. “We strive to be a positive force—supporting local heroes, families, and organizations that make a real difference. Events like this exemplify the generosity and collaboration that define the Yesway family.”

To locate your nearest Yesway or Allsup’s store, visit Yesway.com/locations or Allsups.com/allsups-locations/.


Editor note:

 Contact Erin Vadala, Warner Communications; 617-669-1560;

erin@warnerpr.com

 to arrange interviews. High-resolution images and graphics are available upon request.


About Yesway:

Established in 2015 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Yesway is an award-winning convenience store operator with 447 stores across nine states in the Midwest and Southwest. Yesway is renowned for its iconic food service offerings, diverse grocery selections, and private-label products, including the famous Allsup’s deep-fried burrito. Through strategic acquisitions, the 85 new stores it has developed and opened in the past several years, and its steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction and community engagement, Yesway continues to cement its position as one of the leading convenience retailers in the United States. For more information, visit

Yesway.com

.

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SOURCE Yesway

Latest Series of Commitments Adds to Legacy of Giving at UMD

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Maryland has received $51.7 million in new philanthropic investments from its most generous benefactor, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, to dramatically expand scholarships for promising engineering students and deepen academic collaborations with a network of other top engineering schools.

The support, which also includes funds for a unique Philanthropy Challenge Fund and to expand students’ professional development opportunities, is the latest example of the Foundation’s transformational giving as it ceases operations in December. In total, with the new commitments, the Clark family, Clark Enterprises and Clark Foundation have contributed over $364 million to UMD.

“We know that our partners at Maryland will use the investments to take the university to new heights of scholarship, innovation, exploration and excellence,” said Courtney Clark Pastrick, chair of the Clark Foundation’s board and daughter of A. James and Alice B. Clark. “They’ve made our contributions truly transformative and played a unique role in honoring the legacy of my dad.”

The Foundation has given more than $125 million to Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless, an effort officially launched this week to raise a record $2.5 billion. Thanks in part to this investment, as well as landmark gifts from donors such as civil engineering alum Stanley R. Zupnik ’59, mathematics Professor Emeritus Michael and the late Eugenia Brin and the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, cell biology and molecular genetics Professor Anne Simon and sports marketing pioneer Steve Schanwald ’77, the campaign has brought in $943 million to date.

“It’s impossible to imagine the University of Maryland, or the landscape of this region, without the Clarks—both the generosity of the Clark family and the Clark Foundation, and the leadership and vision of A. James Clark himself, who was truly one of the great builders and philanthropists of our time,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “These latest investments further strengthen the foundation of educational excellence they have helped construct.”

Clark got his start as a civil engineering student at UMD, hitchhiking to class from his home in Bethesda, Md., and crediting a state scholarship with allowing him to afford his education. After graduating in 1950, he was hired as a field engineer by the George Hyman Construction Co., working his way up over the next several decades to grow it into Clark Construction, one of the largest firms of its kind in the nation. The company’s massive footprint across the DMV includes L’Enfant Plaza, Nationals Park and dozens of buildings on the UMD campus.

Remembering his roots, Clark made a $15 million donation to his alma mater in 1994 to support undergraduate engineering education through scholarships, career services and other programs. In recognition of this generosity, the A. James Clark School of Engineering was named in his honor.

Following his 2015 passing, the Clark Foundation committed a historic $219.5 million to UMD in 2017 through the Building Together investment, which funded a sweeping array of need-based scholarships, graduate fellowships, endowed faculty chairs in the Clark School and beyond, and capital projects, including the construction of the E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory and Stanley R. Zupnik Hall. The gift also established the A. James Clark Scholars Program, which combines training in engineering, business, leadership and community service, as well as the Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise Program, a campuswide matching program that has raised $100 million for new need-based scholarships to students across majors.

In 2023, a new $20.6 million investment established the Clark School as the permanent home of the Clark Scholars Program Network (CSPN), which supports talented students with financial need at 11 top engineering schools.

“A. James Clark never lost a connection to his local community: as he achieved success, he devoted himself to the success of others and invested his own resources to help them reach their dreams,” said Clark School Dean Samuel Graham. “His investments have transformed people’s lives, our school and university, and higher education broadly. His legacy is a timeless reminder to innovate and devote energy to the place we call home.”

This year’s series of commitments includes $25 million for Clark Legacy Endowed Scholarships, which provide merit- and need-based scholarships for Clark School undergraduates. The Clark Opportunity Transfer Scholars Program, supporting high-achieving engineering students who come to UMD from Maryland community colleges, also received supplementary funding for scholarships.

Additionally, the Foundation’s investment will bolster the endowed fund for the university’s Clark Scholars Program, supporting an additional staff member and covering the costs for its students to attend CSPN-sponsored networking events. One new fund will specifically support Clark Scholars’ professional development efforts and any Clark School student experiencing a financial emergency; another will launch the Clark Scholars Philanthropy Challenge, where program members will annually research local nonprofits and select one as an award recipient, with the goal of learning about philanthropy, cultivating a charitable spirit and strengthening connections with the community.

“The Foundation’s investments have a tremendous impact on our students,” said Damien J. Franze, associate director for the Clark Foundation Scholarship Programs and director of UMD’s Clark Scholars Program. “The scholarship and the program afford our Clark Scholars the opportunity to be able to focus on their education, graduate and continue to exemplify Mr. Clark’s legacy—particularly his values of integrity, leadership, hard work, engineering excellence and service.”

Further funding will support new and existing CSPN programming. Since the Foundation’s donation established the network, it has hosted multi-university summits, launched an alumni network with more than 400 members among partner institutions and developed an alternative spring break program, all of which will benefit from new gift funding.

“To know that the Foundation believed in us enough to do this work, it’s an honor,” said Joakina Stone, CSPN director. “We want to continue carrying that torch in the best possible way.”

The Clark Foundation has also entrusted UMD with maintaining its legacy website and a new, unique space on the ground floor of Zupnik Hall, the Clark Foundation Legacy Space; it will be the home of the CSPN team with meeting rooms, lounges and an interactive exhibit showcasing the Foundation’s lasting impact. The building will also house the department of civil and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering and Quantum Technology Center labs, as well as new spaces for engineering student organizations and interdisciplinary research that addresses the world’s grand challenges.

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SOURCE University of Maryland

In the October 24, 2025 episode of “The CMO Whisperer,” podcast host Steve Olenski reconnects with Alan Bethke, SVP of Marketing at Subaru of America, Inc., for a compelling “round two” interview which builds upon their previous talk about the “Love” advertising campaign—and welcomes Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) for a powerful conversation about authenticity in marketing and meaningful corporate partnerships.

Their discussion touches on subjects ranging from how to connect with the right partners, how Subaru’s values shape our corporate DNA, the importance of customer service and tracking the digital customer journey, and of course how to help support pet adoptions for the animals most in need.

The wide-ranging interview is sure to make listeners think and smile, and even offers a glimpse into the future of Subaru marketing.

The CMO Whisperer Podcast, hosted by former Forbes writer Steve Olenski, is dedicated to those who keep it real in and out of the world of marketing.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., November 4, 2025 /3BL/ – The Environmental Education Initiative today announced the five 2025-2026 recipients of The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) Greening STEM Grant. The Environmental Education Initiative by Discovery Education with NEEF and other partners is a first-of-its-kind program designed to engage students in environmental science, empower them to make informed decisions for healthy environments, and promote civic engagement. Discovery Education is the maker of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world.

The Greening STEM Grants support programs that infuse environmental science and resources into school curriculum focused on student-directed investigations of relevant topics of research, local environmental issues, or issues impacting local public lands.

“Through these grants, we seek to challenge formal and nonformal educators to design and deliver STEM programming that engages youth in place-based learning,” said Robert Sendrey, program director for environmental education at NEEF. “We also hope to empower educators to build a culture that values using the environment as a context for improving student learning and achievement.”

Projects that actively involved students in citizen/community science or environmental monitoring during the 2025–2026 school year were especially highlighted, reflecting the value of experiential, place-based STEM education. The following projects have been selected to receive up to $7,000 each in STEM grant funding:

Growing Green
Fairfield County School District in Winnsboro, South Carolina

The “Growing Green” project is a student-led greenhouse initiative in Winnsboro, South Carolina, focused on hands-on environmental STEM learning for Grades 5-6. The project involves 80 students and aims to enhance 21st-century skills through immersive learning of earth and life sciences. Instructional strategies integrate Greening STEM methods, including project-based and community-based approaches. Project partners include Fairfield Career and Technology Center, Sandhill Research and Education Center, and various other stakeholders.

Exploring Earth & Beyond: Connecting Local Learning to the Cosmos
Fairfield County School District in Winnsboro, South Carolina

During this interdisciplinary project for Grades 5-6, approximately 100 students will explore concepts related to Earth’s place in the universe, light and shadows, and gravitational force through place-based investigations, moon phase journals, digital and 3D scale model building, and interactive science labs using real data. The project will culminate with a field trip to the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium in Columbia, South Carolina, where students will participate in a full-dome immersive planetarium show and interact with museum exhibits that reinforce classroom learning. Partners include the South Carolina State Museum Planetarium, local STEM professionals, and community members.

School Garden
R.E. Davis College Preparatory Academy in Sumter, South Carolina

This project involves a school garden initiative that integrates STEM classes and an after-school gardening club. The anticipated impact includes teaching over 20 students gardening skills in small spaces. Instructional strategies involve student involvement, community support, and curriculum integration, including project-based learning and the use of a Garden STEM science curriculum. Local partners like the Clemson University Cooperative Extension and Sumter County Master Gardeners Association will support gardening projects and educational activities. Additionally, the project will task students with designing robots that could help improve classroom learning while enhancing productivity in the school garden.

Bengal Biodiesel
Blythewood High School, Richland School District Two in Blythewood, South Carolina

The Bengal Biodiesel program at Blythewood High School recycles cooking oil into biodiesel for school transport and produces hand soap from glycerin waste. Funding for this project will help expand the existing biodiesel program while partnering with organizations for student learning experiences and training students to become leaders in sustainability. Approximately 40 students will gain marketable skills and over 100 hours of hands-on experience through the program, which involves producing biodiesel for school buses. The program has partnered with organizations such as the Palmetto Clean Fuels Coalition, South Carolina Energy Office, and Green Energy Biofuel to provide internships, industry-standard procedures, and audits to enhance the student experience.

Free Home Green Team
Free Home Elementary School in Canton, Georgia

The “Free Home Green Team” project at Free Home Elementary School aims to implement a Greening STEM project involving school-wide recycling and STEM activities to reduce their carbon footprint, expand existing STEM programs, and engage 300 students in real-time environmental impact awareness. The project includes instructional strategies focusing on real-world conservation, data collection, and hands-on experiences with the school’s STEM Cart, which has developmentally appropriate STEM games and activity kits for each grade level. Project partners include Free Home Elementary’s Green School Coordinator—who is responsible for showing students which materials are acceptable to recycle at bins located around campus—and the local PTA, which will help achieve project goals of reducing plastic use, lowering energy costs, and increasing community engagement.

The funding recipients were selected from among the members of the Discovery Educator Network, or DEN. A global community of education professionals, the DEN connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. This year, the DEN is celebrating 20 years of connecting educators to their most valuable resource: each other.

Research shows that students thrive when classroom lessons are engaging and connected to the broader world. These real-world connections not only strengthen critical thinking but also boost academic achievement. We’re proud to celebrate each of the STEM Grant recipients for their innovative work in expanding the learning beyond the classroom,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “Together with NEEF, we’re excited to support these transformative projects and watch them come to life.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

To access Environmental Education Initiative resources, visit environmentaleducationinitiative.discoveryeducation.com. Users of Discovery Education Experience can find these resources on the Environmental Education Initiative channel.

###

About NEEF
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, creating opportunities for people to experience and learn about the environment in ways that improve their lives and the health of the planet. Congressionally chartered in 1990, NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization working to make the environment more accessible, relevant, and connected to people’s daily lives.

Learn more at NEEFusa.org—or follow NEEF on Facebook (Facebook.com/NEEFusa) and on Twitter at @NEEFusa.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12, digital solutions help educators engage all students and support higher academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education helps educators deliver powerful learning experiences. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential edtech solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts
Amy Skalmusky
National Environmental Education Foundation
Email: askalmusky@neefusa.org

Grace Maliska
Discovery Education
Email: gmaliska@discoveryed.com

Public policies are central factors in determining healthcare interventions and access to medicines and treatment. Viatris leverages our global experiences, scientific expertise and operations knowledge to support policymakers in identifying policies that advance access to quality medicines and build systems that sustain medicine availability while minimizing unintended consequences.

Below are some examples from the work in our global policy priorities: advance access to quality medicines; strengthen resilient, global supply chains; and build future access.

Providing Access to Generic Medicines

Viatris’ deep portfolio of generic medicines includes complex and branded generics. These products work in the same way
and provide the same clinical benefits as their brand-name counterparts and may cost less, providing patients and the healthcare system important savings and medicine options which we believe are essential to making healthcare accessible.

With healthcare budgets increasingly stretched thin, governments play a key role in establishing a well-functioning legal, regulatory and market system that enables generic and biosimilar competition to flourish for the benefit for patient access.

Healthy off-patent competition is also critical to patient access. For example, in the next five years, more than 250 medicine patents will expire in the U.K., generating prospective savings to the National Health Service (NHS) – based on current market level of competition in generics and biosimilars – of approximately £18 billion. This is on top of the annual savings of £15 billion from already expired patented products.

Advancing Access to Quality Medicines

In 2024, Viatris worked to advance access in many ways, including the following:

  • Engaged with U.S. policymakers to provide insights on generic drug market economics, the value of global supply chains and opportunities to enhance supply resiliency. Policies important to patients were ultimately included in Congressional drug shortage proposals, including provisions such as access-supporting changes to the Medicaid Generics Penalty.
  • Collaborated with Foreign Policy and partners at the 2024 World Health Assembly in Geneva to host the FP Health Forum, a panel emphasizing that individuals
    are more than their health conditions and highlighting the need for a holistic approach to prevention, access and care throughout their lives.
  • Supported the British Generic Manufacturers Association in collaborating with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), to devise a solution for a backlog of pending market authorization applications, which was delaying medicines from reaching the market. MHRA was then able to successfully clear the backlog of more than 1,000 pending applications, improving access for patients.
  • Led efforts to include language in the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations legislation to expand and incentivize regional manufacturing investment to support the PEPFAR program and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
  • Helped arrange multistakeholder discussions in Sweden to address policy challenges associated with access to antibiotics and promoted legislation and regulatory processes to foster sustainable market conditions conducive to access.
  • Collaborated with Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to advocate for changes in the 2024 revision of Korea’s tuberculosis treatment guidelines, resulting in improved access to key treatments for nearly all patients in Korea with drug-resistant TB.
  • Developed, in partnership with the Unified Procurement Authority (UPA) in Egypt, the Pharmaceutical Procurement and Resource Management Program to improve supply chain efficiencies. This program aims to increase the availability of cardiovascular and pain products in government hospitals and expand access for low-income patients.

    Strengthening Resilient Global Supply

    A global supply chain with facilities across continents is essential for maintaining access to medicine. As stated earlier, no country can make every medicine people need, and no medicine is made in every country. Inputs are sourced globally, produced at scale by experts and securely transported to hospitals and pharmacies worldwide.

    In 2024, Viatris worked to ensure the resiliency of this global supply chain by supporting the publication of a report from Charles River Associates and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to assess how localization policies are affecting equitable access to medicines. The report considered comprehensive solutions to address access barriers including strengthening healthcare systems, fostering regional collaboration, improving security of supply and aligning resources with policies that improve the resiliency of the global supply chain. “Driving Equitable Access to Health Products and Technologies” has been presented to healthcare system leaders around the globe.

Other examples of Viatris’ work in this area in 2024 included the following:

  • Viatris is a member of the EU Critical Medicines Alliance, a European Commission initiative to strengthen the security of medicine supply across the EU. With approximately half of the molecules on the Alliance’s critical medicines list in
    our portfolio – spanning anti-infectives, cardiovascular and metabolic, and CNS therapies – Viatris plays a pivotal role. We bring proven expertise to the table and are actively driving discussions on supply chain diversification, international cooperation and long-term resilience to safeguard patient access across Europe.
  • Contributed to two white papers published by AmCham and Medicines for Europe on the root causes of shortages and the importance of a resilient global supply chain. Together, these papers helped inform the positioning of the British Generic Manufacturers Association Manifesto for Building a Resilient UK Medicines Industry, which advocates for supportive market conditions that enable medicine affordability and healthcare sustainability.
  • As a Canadian Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA) member, Viatris actively engaged with a CGPA working group which has partnered with Health Canada, a federal department, to address and detect pharmaceutical shortages and supply chain challenges to increase medication availability for Canadians.
  • Working alongside the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), Viatris helped develop a benchmark standard for supply chain resiliency for injectable medicines. This partnership will establish metrics that encourage adoption of supply chain resiliency standards to mitigate drug shortages and create an evidence-based benchmark tool that allows purchasers of pharmaceuticals to incorporate manufacturer supply chain resiliency measurements into their decision making.
  • Led a U.S. Congressional advocacy campaign to educate and
    inform policymakers on the importance of a global pharmaceutical supply chain for supply resiliency. As a result, policy changes to support patients’ uninterrupted access to globally sourced essential medicines were included in key legislation, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Building Future Access

While Viatris’ policy efforts generally focus on advancing access to existing medicines, we also focus on how to build pathways for future access. As health needs continue to evolve, people need new options, whether improvements to existing medicines or novel therapeutics. This could include changes to how the medicine is administered, or to make the medicine last longer, or to combine multiple medicines in a single pill. The opportunities to leverage existing medicines to better address unmet needs are vast and are likely to accelerate as technology advances.

Proper regulatory pathways are needed to enable timely access for patients. Most countries do not currently have regulatory
and market pathways to recognize improved versions of existing medicines. And even if a regulatory pathway exists, market policies need to support the ability for these medicines to compete and demonstrate value – improved versions of medicines are unlikely to reach the market if procurement or dispensing policies treat them as straightforward generic versions of the original medicine.

Viatris in 2024 continued advocating for dedicated abbreviated regulatory pathways for improvements to existing medicines and regulatory frameworks that recognize improvements to existing medicines as a separate category of innovation with equivalent IP protection. In Canada, for example, Viatris engaged in Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) consultations to advocate for a balanced framework that fosters innovation while enabling access. Our comprehensive submissions and collaborations with stakeholders have led to policy changes that create a more predictable and sustainable environment for introducing innovative therapies in Canada.

As the world is changing, staying close to broader shifts at a global scale helps Viatris to consider how policy solutions may also need to adapt for continued access in the future. These shifts include the growing effects of climate change, trade tensions, ongoing conflicts and political shifts in power in the U.S. and elsewhere. Creating the policy environment for access to continue advancing in this shifting landscape is a focus area for Viatris’ policy efforts as we move into 2025 and beyond.

With fiscal space constrained and policymakers facing difficult choices, Viatris engages with policymakers to share learnings and highlight opportunities for a more value-based approach to healthcare financing. Examples of this work include:

  • With the Board of the Generic Association in Hungary, Viatris engaged in consultations with the Hungarian government to discuss the implications that unsustainable pricing policies can have on patient access. These efforts helped lead to the government reversing a claw-back obligation to its original rate amending their policy, helping to foster sustainable market conditions and maintain access to off-patent medicines.
  • Viatris sponsored a panel in Brazil during the B20 Event on Advancing Healthcare in Latin America. The event included high-level discussions on healthcare advancements in the region, with a focus on value-based healthcare and the socioeconomic burden of diseases.
  • In collaboration with the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies in Switzerland, Viatris played a key role in driving the “Yes to Medical Supply Security” initiative that advocates for access to the approximately 600 medicines unavailable to Swiss patients.
  • At the Labour Party Conference in the U.K., Viatris co-hosted a roundtable discussion with the Fabian Society about cost saving strategies for the National Health Service and future healthcare planning.

Collaborating with IGBA to Promote Access to Medicines

Viatris works closely with the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) at all levels to ensure targeted, consistent engagement and messaging on the need for resilient global supply chains, their criticality for sustainable access as well as the importance of high-quality generic medicines.

Viatris helped enable the renewal process with WHO for IGBA’s “non-state actor” status as well as IGBA’s regular contributions to ongoing WHO technical advisory groups. Viatris has worked with IGBA to contribute to the World Trade Organization – World Intellectual Property Organization capacity building executive training programs on trade, intellectual property and global public health for government officials from low- and middle-income countries – supporting the enhancement of their regulatory systems. Viatris is the founding chair of the IGBA International External Engagement Committee ensuring continued momentum on this important work.

In addition, Viatris supports IGBA’s participation in the Executive Program which was launched as part of the collaboration between the WIPO Academy and the WTO Institute of Training and Technical Cooperation in Geneva, Switzerland. This global training initiative provides valuable technical assistance to senior government officials with a focus on the participation of representatives from low- and middle-income countries.

Working for Regulatory Harmonization

Working to create access to medicine for people globally involves working closely with regulatory authorities around the world. Through our Global Regulatory Affairs team, Viatris works to achieve timely health authority approvals. The company helps ensure the compliance of our existing marketing authorizations, labeling and promotional materials and that they are optimized for value throughout a product’s lifecycle. In 2024, highlights of this work included the following:

  • Viatris provided technical support to the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC) in finalizing some of the IPC’s General Chapters, ARVs, COVID-19 related and hepatitis C product-related monographs, as well as toxicological-specific monographs. These contributions have helped ensure that quality product is continuously supplied to patients in India. IPC recognized Viatris’ contributions as a member of the Expert Working Group by publishing an Indian Pharmacopeia Addendum which went into effect in July 2024.
  • In Malaysia, we collaborated with the local health authority to file Xafariv (rivaroxaban) as the first generic under the Facilitated Review Pathway (FRP), leveraging the approval of another stringent regulatory authority (SRA). The collaborative approach led to a streamlined submission process, reduced review time, enhanced understanding of local regulations and a strong working relationship with the health authority.
  • As a member of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association’s (CGPA) Scientific Affairs Committee, Viatris is leveraging our expertise as the vice- chair of the Complex Molecules Working Group to develop new guidance to share with the regulator Health Canada for complex generics.

View the full Viatris 2024 Sustainability Report.

The Eighth Principle of the International Year of Quantum

This is the seventh and final installment in our series exploring the guiding principles of the 2025 International Year of Quantum.

As we reach the crescendo of our journey through the eight guiding principles of the International Year of Quantum (IYQ), we arrive at perhaps the most essential element of all: “Have fun! If quantum has brought joy to your life, share this joy with others.” This final principle serves not merely as an epilogue to our exploration, but as a vibrant reminder that at the heart of scientific discovery lies something profoundly human—wonder, delight, and the irrepressible urge to share those magical moments when the universe reveals its most extraordinary secrets.

The Quantum Spark: When Science Ignites Wonder

Every quantum scientist, educator, and enthusiast can recall that precise moment when quantum mechanics first captured their imagination. Perhaps it was the first time they truly grasped the concept of superposition—the realization that particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously until the very act of observation collapses them into definiteness. Maybe it was encountering Einstein’s famous description of quantum entanglement as “spooky action at a distance,” followed by the dawning comprehension that this wasn’t mysticism but mathematical reality. Or it might have been witnessing their first demonstration of quantum interference, watching probability waves dance and interfere in ways that defy classical intuition.

These moments of quantum revelation share a common thread—they are suffused with joy. Not the grim satisfaction of solving a difficult problem, but the pure, childlike delight of discovering that reality is far stranger, more beautiful, and more interconnected than we ever dared imagine. The eighth principle recognizes that this joy is not incidental to quantum science; it is quantum science’s most powerful ambassador.

When Richard Feynman declared, “I think I can safely say that no one understands quantum mechanics,” he wasn’t expressing frustration but celebrating the delicious mystery that continues to unfold before us. Even our greatest quantum minds approach this field with a sense of playful curiosity, recognizing that the universe has crafted rules so elegant and counterintuitive that they inspire awe in equal measure with understanding.

Beyond the Laboratory: Quantum Joy in Everyday Life

The eighth principle invites us to discover quantum wonder not only in research laboratories and university classrooms but woven throughout our daily existence. From GPS and smartphones to cybersecurity and precision instruments, quantum has made our technologies more accurate, more trustworthy, and more secure. Yet how often do we pause to marvel at the quantum foundations underlying our modern world?

Every time we use laser-based technology, from barcode scanners to fiber optic communications, we witness quantum mechanics in action. When we undergo an MRI scan, we’re experiencing the quantum properties of atomic nuclei being harnessed for medical imaging. The LED lights illuminating our homes represent quantum engineering made practical and beautiful. Even the simple act of taking a photograph relies on quantum mechanics governing how electrons behave in digital sensors.

The eighth principle encourages us to reclaim wonder in these everyday encounters with quantum technology. It suggests that quantum joy isn’t reserved for those who can manipulate Schrödinger equations but is accessible to anyone who takes a moment to contemplate the magnificent strangeness of the quantum realm that surrounds us constantly.

Building Bridges Through Shared Joy

As we commemorate the centennial of quantum mechanics in 2025, the eighth principle offers profound guidance for building bridges between the quantum community and the broader public. The IYQ recognizes that “those who have insights into the beauty, power, and importance of quantum science and technology should use IYQ as a moment to share these insights with people who are less familiar.”

But how do we share these insights most effectively? The eighth principle suggests that technical accuracy, while essential, is insufficient. We must also share our joy, our sense of wonder, our delight in quantum strangeness. When we communicate quantum concepts with genuine enthusiasm rather than dutiful explanation, we invite others not just to learn but to fall in love with the quantum world.

This approach proves particularly crucial as quantum technologies transition from laboratory curiosities to commercial realities. Public support for quantum research and development, informed decision-making about quantum policies, and ethical deployment of quantum technologies all depend upon a citizenry that understands not just what quantum mechanics can do, but why it matters. And people care most deeply about things that bring them joy.

A Legacy of Wonder

As our eight-part series on the IYQ’s guiding principles comes to a close, we’re reminded that these principles work in beautiful harmony. The first principle established that “no one owns quantum science”—it belongs to all humanity. The second principle declared that “everyone is invited” to participate in the quantum conversation. The third principle taught us to “recognize consensus, honor dissent, and admit ignorance” as we navigate quantum uncertainties. And the fifth principle called us to “model the ideals of scientific conduct.”

The eighth principle weaves these themes together with the golden thread of joy, recognizing that quantum science at its best is not merely an intellectual exercise but a celebration of existence itself. When we approach quantum mechanics with joy, we honor its democratic nature by making it more accessible. When we share our quantum wonder, we invite others into the conversation. When we celebrate both quantum consensus and quantum mysteries, we embrace the full spectrum of scientific exploration. And when we find joy in quantum discovery, we embody the highest ideals of scientific conduct—curiosity, openness, and generous sharing of knowledge.

The Quantum Future: Built on Joy

As we stand at “one of the great inflection points in human technological development,” with quantum technologies poised to reshape computing, communications, sensing, and our fundamental understanding of reality, the eighth principle offers essential guidance for the path ahead. The quantum future will be shaped not merely by the technologies we develop but by the spirit in which we develop them.

If we build quantum technologies from a foundation of joy and wonder, they will reflect those values—opening new frontiers for human flourishing rather than merely advancing narrow technical capabilities. If we share quantum knowledge with genuine enthusiasm rather than dutiful obligation, we create a quantum-literate society capable of wise stewardship of these powerful technologies. If we approach quantum education as celebration rather than mere instruction, we inspire the next generation of quantum pioneers to carry forward both technical excellence and humanistic values.

The eighth principle reminds us that the quantum revolution is ultimately a human revolution—an expansion of our capacity to understand, to wonder, and to create. In celebrating quantum joy and sharing it generously with others, we ensure that this revolution serves not just technological progress but human flourishing in its fullest sense.

As we conclude this exploration of the IYQ’s guiding principles, let us carry forward the spirit of the eighth principle in all our quantum endeavors. Whether we work in quantum laboratories or quantum boardrooms, whether we teach quantum concepts or simply encounter quantum technologies as citizens, we can choose to approach this miraculous field with joy, wonder, and generous enthusiasm for sharing these gifts with others.

The quantum universe has spent 13.8 billion years preparing surprises for us to discover. The least we can do is enjoy the show—and invite everyone to join us in the celebration. Join Keysight in uncovering everything quantum has to offer by exploring the rich library of quantum educational experiences available at Keysight Learn.

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