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Pioneering Seattle-Based University Names Seasoned Higher Education Leader and Grantmaker as New President

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2 years ago

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City University of Seattle announces Suzanne E. Walsh as its next president; transformational leader in higher education innovation, philanthropy and student success will drive CityU’s next phase of student success and community impact

SEATTLE, Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — City University of Seattle (CityU)—a private, nonprofit leader in serving nontraditional, working, military students and offering diverse global study opportunities—today announced the appointment of Suzanne Elise Walsh as its new president, effective July 1, 2025. Walsh most recently served as the president of Bennett College, an all-women’s historically Black college in North Carolina, and brings extensive experience in higher education innovation, philanthropy, and community-focused leadership through previous roles at the Gates Foundation. She is the first woman and first person of color to hold the role in the university’s fifty-year history.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Suzanne Walsh as the next leader of CityU,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University and chair of CityU’s Board of Trustees. “Throughout her remarkable career, Suzanne has been a powerful catalyst for student success—working across HBCUs, public universities, and community colleges to expand access, enhance learning, and help students learn well and finish strong. Her deep commitment to student success, combined with her track record of innovation, makes her an ideal leader to guide CityU into its next chapter.”

Selected after a comprehensive national search, Walsh assumes the presidency during a period of continued growth and innovation at CityU, well-known for its distinctive focus on working adults and creative partnerships with employers. For more than 50 years, CityU has been a trailblazer in expanding access to high-quality, career-aligned pathways for nontraditional learners in the Pacific Northwest.

With a mission rooted in serving working professionals, international students, and lifelong learners, CityU specializes in flexible, workforce-aligned degrees and credentials that reflect the evolving needs of today’s workforce. More than 75% of its students take online or hybrid courses, and the vast majority study part-time, balancing their education with family, career or military service. Through global partnerships and a faculty of industry practitioners, CityU works in concert with regional employers—such as Boeing and Amazon—as well as partner institutions, community organizations, K-12 schools, and the military to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the workforce.

With more than 20 years of experience in education leadership, Walsh has pioneered policies and initiatives at the intersection of innovation, technology, data, and effective learning for nontraditional and underrepresented learners. Her expertise in transforming educational institutions and building impactful partnerships will be crucial in advancing CityU’s mission to provide career-relevant, flexible, and accessible education to lifelong learners.

“I’ve been fortunate to call Seattle and the Puget Sound region home for many years, and the opportunity to give back to this vibrant community by leading CityU is truly meaningful,” Walsh said. “What drew me to CityU is its student-centered mission of empowering students from all backgrounds—whether it’s adult learners balancing education with career and family, international students earning a U.S. degree, or professionals upskilling for the next phase of their career. At CityU, we will build on our strong foundation of student-centered success to foster career and economic mobility and empower students to lead in their professions and communities.”

Through a remarkable career spanning her time as president of Bennett College and in leadership roles at the Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation and the Heinz Endowments, Walsh has led national initiatives that have reshaped the landscape of higher education. As deputy director of postsecondary success at the Gates Foundation, she spearheaded national initiatives aimed at increasing degree completion rates for underserved students.
A sought-after speaker at conferences like SXSW EDU, the Black Futures Summit, and ASU+GSV, Walsh is widely known for her focus on utilizing data-driven research, design thinking, and technology to solve complex challenges in higher education and society. She has also served on several nonprofit boards, including the Trellis Foundation, Achieving the Dream, and the Women’s College Coalition.

A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, Walsh holds both a juris doctorate and a master’s degree in social work. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an associate degree in applied science from Hudson Valley Community College. Walsh has been awarded honorary doctorates from both Case Western Reserve University and Johnson C. Smith University. She is a past member of the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council, having been appointed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

For more on Walsh and City University of Seattle, visit CityU.edu.

About City University of Seattle: Since 1973, City University of Seattle has been relentlessly reimagining higher education in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. As an accredited, nonprofit university with over 20 years in online education, our mission is to provide career-relevant education to busy professionals and promote their educational and career success. Today, CityU of Seattle is recognized as a Top 10 educator of adults nationwide, offering over 65 degrees and certificate programs in business, education, health and social sciences, and technology and computing. Whether students study online or on-site, they gain marketable skills from practitioner faculty, and network with students and alumni employed at top companies such as Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Google.

Media Contact

Ashleigh Webb, City University of Seattle, 760-889-3494, awebb@nu.edu, https://www.cityu.edu/ 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/pioneering-seattle-based-university-names-seasoned-higher-education-leader-and-grantmaker-as-new-president-302387040.html

SOURCE City University of Seattle

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BIT Asset Management Receives FINMA Approval for Switzerland’s First and Europe’s Only Spot Bitcoin ETF

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9 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG

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BIT Asset Management Receives FINMA Approval for Switzerland’s First and Europe’s Only Spot Bitcoin ETF

Published

9 minutes ago

on

October 22, 2026

By

The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG

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ISHCMC expands academic pathways, giving students more ways to shape their futures

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9 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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New Personalized Diploma Program builds on ISHCMC’s academic legacy, offering greater choice for Grades 11 and 12 while retaining the full IB Diploma Programme.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) will introduce a new Personalized Diploma Program (PDP) from August 2027, expanding academic choices for students in Grades 11 and 12 alongside its established International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Building on a learning community shaped by generations of students, educators and families since 1993, the expanded model gives students more ways to shape their senior studies around their strengths, interests and future ambitions. Through a combination of academic choice and educator guidance, ISHCMC aims to help each student make informed decisions about their next steps while contributing to a community that continues to grow with every generation.

Different pathways. A future shaped over generations.

The full IBDP will remain an important part of ISHCMC’s academic offering. The PDP provides an alternative for students seeking a different combination of subjects, bringing together individual IB Diploma courses, Advanced Placement (AP) courses and ISHCMC courses within a personalized program.

Both pathways lead to the ISHCMC High School Diploma, with additional qualifications available depending on the courses taken and assessments completed. Students completing the full IBDP may also earn the IB Diploma by meeting the International Baccalaureate’s requirements. Students following the PDP may earn individual IB course and AP certificates, depending on their course choices and assessment results.

The expanded model recognizes that students may have different interests, strengths and intended university destinations. Rather than expecting every student to follow the same route, ISHCMC will support students in exploring the options available and building an academic program suited to their goals.

“At ISHCMC, every generation benefits from what those before them have built, while adding something of their own. Expanding our academic pathways is about giving students more ways to build on their strengths, pursue their ambitions and shape their futures, supported by the experience and community that have grown here over generations.” Mr. Marco Longmore, Head of School.

Guidance that carries learning forward

Choosing a senior academic pathway is an important decision for students and their families. University requirements vary by country, institution and degree program, making informed subject selection an essential part of planning for life after school.

ISHCMC’s High School and Future Pathways teams will work with students and families to explore course options, understand relevant university entry requirements and make considered decisions about their academic direction. Both pathways can support university applications, with eligibility depending on the qualifications completed and the requirements of each university and program.

The PDP is not intended to be a less demanding alternative to the full IBDP. It offers a different way to structure senior studies around individual goals and course choices, with the expectations and requirements of each course remaining central to the student’s academic experience.

“Every student’s next steps will look different, and our role is to help them understand what those steps require. By working closely with students and families, we can connect individual interests with informed academic choices, helping students approach their future plans with greater clarity and purpose.” Mr. Kohulan Jeganathan, High School Principal.

The new model will begin in August 2027. Ahead of entry into Grades 11 and 12, ISHCMC will work with students and families to explain the available pathways, explore course options and support planning for the transition into senior school. Families can contact the ISHCMC High School and Future Pathways teams to discuss the options and relevant academic requirements.

About the International School Ho Chi Minh City

Established in 1993, the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) is a full-continuum IB international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, offering education from Early Years through Grade 12. Its community brings together families from more than 60 nationalities.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ishcmc-expands-academic-pathways-giving-students-more-ways-to-shape-their-futures-302916587.html

SOURCE International School Ho Chi Minh City

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