April has been a busy month! From end-of-year celebrations to major career milestones to the announcement of new grants, our community showed up in a big way to kick off  spring.

In our Empowering Youth vertical, BridgeUP GiddyUP, hosted its Spring 2026 LevelUP Licensing Event. It is a celebration of the incredible  personal progression that is accessible and achievable at all levels of equestrian experience. LevelUP Licensing events are a testament to what becomes possible when education with horses is grounded in an equine ethics-first approach: riders at every level truly thrive. This year’s event was judged by a panel of esteemed equestrian professionals, including Linda Allen, Lydia Heywood, and Deonte Sewell. The students were incredibly impressive, each demonstrating meaningful growth in their skills. Congratulations to every rider who leveled up or participated this spring!

In our Empowering Women vertical, April was a month of well-earned celebration across the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network.

At Colby-Sawyer College, the month brought Scholars’ Day, an annual tradition where each senior presents the work and research they’ve conducted over the past academic year, and in some cases, two years. It’s a cumulative, reflective moment that speaks volumes about the growth these Scholars have experienced throughout their time in the program. The day truly underscored the depth of professional development that BOLD Scholars carry with them, and for everyone who got to witness it, it was a genuine highlight. In a meaningful capstone ritual, BOLD seniors were celebrated and finally got to add their names to the BOLD graduate wall next to the Career Closet. It was a small but significant moment of belonging and legacy.

We’re also thrilled to share that BOLD Fellow Mackenzie H. ’25 has been offered a full-time position as Assistant Athletic Director at Keene State University — awarded directly by her fellowship site. This role is typically reserved for those with significantly more experience, but through her fellowship, Mackenzie demonstrated exactly the kind of talent and readiness that earns opportunities like this. It’s a tremendous step toward her long-term goal of becoming an Athletic Director, and we couldn’t be more proud of her. Congratulations, Mackenzie!

Over at Ithaca College, April brought two major milestones. An impressive 80% of current BOLD Scholars presented at the 2026 Whalen Academic Symposium, showcasing the rigor and ambition that define this cohort. The month also wrapped up with an end-of-year celebration bringing together three cohorts (outgoing, rising, incoming), where BOLD seniors received their stoles from their campus sponsors — a proud and joyful moment for the entire Ithaca community. Congratulations to all!

Lastly, in our Empowering Innovation vertical, April delivered some exciting announcements.

The Brown Institute for Media Innovation announced this year’s Magic Grant recipients. Every year, the Brown Institute receives proposals from Columbia, Stanford, and Bicoastal teams representing ideas with the potential to shape the media and technology landscape. Magic Grant recipients receive up to $150,000 in funding — or $300,000 for Bicoastal teams — covering project needs for up to a year. Grantees also gain access to a mentoring network and an alumni community of nearly 400 people across more than 150 projects. Past recipients have launched companies, built new tools, grown their teams, and taken their work well beyond the grant itself. Congratulations to this year’s recipients, we look forward to sharing more soon!

What a month. We can’t wait to see what May brings.