HILLSDALE, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2026--
Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn and the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir participated in the Rededicate 250 gathering on May 17 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Arnn spoke on President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, given during the Civil War, which he said can help the nation in its present perilous times.
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“We know that we live in serious times because the Declaration of Independence itself is controversial,” Dr. Arnn said. “Its meaning is contested or repudiated, and its authors are condemned. This very meeting is criticized as an attempt to turn America into a Christian nation. The Declaration says that under the laws of nature and nature’s God, no human being may rule another without his consent.”
Dr. Arnn said that through prayer and by remembering the principles behind Lincoln’s words, the nation can unite again in civil friendship.
“We will know that our divisions are healing when we remember our purpose and take responsibility together. The solution is not to shout at each other. It is to forget about ourselves and study again the things that can guide us,” Dr. Arnn said. “Let us pray about our divisions today. Let us remember our suffering, remember its meaning, and rekindle our friendship.”
The event anticipated the 250th anniversary of the United States with a national day of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. Thousands gathered on the National Mall to give thanks for God’s Providence, ask for his guidance, and rededicate America as one nation under God.
Following Dr. Arnn’s remarks, the chamber choir performed “God Be in My Head,” “America the Beautiful,” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
“It was exciting for our choir students to be a part of something this big and this historic,” said Professor of Music James A Holleman, director of orchestras and choirs. “It’s a memory they’ll share for the rest of their lives — as choir members, as Hillsdale students, and as Americans.”
The chamber choir also performed Moses Hogan’s “Hear My Prayer” following Dr. Ben Carson’s remarks and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” after remarks from Bishop Robert Barron.
Other speakers included Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary Marco Rubio, Secretary Pete Hegseth, Franklin Graham, and Eric Metaxas.
A recording of a poem from Matthew Mehan’s forthcoming book “The American Book of Fables” was played during the program. Mehan serves as associate dean and associate professor of government at Hillsdale’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C.
Hillsdale College also provided content and curricular materials for the Freedom Truck mobile museums touring the country as part of America250 and partnered with the White House and the Department of Education to create the Story of America video series. Matthew Spalding, Hillsdale’s vice president for Washington operations, serves as a senior academic advisor for America250 projects.
For more information about Rededicate 250, click here. For a recording of the whole Rededicate 250 gathering, click here. For a recording of Dr. Arnn’s remarks, click here. For a recording of the Hillsdale College Chamber Choir performance, click here. For the video featuring Mehan’s poem, click here. For photos from Rededicate 250, click here. For a headshot of Dr. Arnn, click here. For photos of Hillsdale College, click here. For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.
About Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College is an independent, nonsectarian, Christian liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 7.5 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.
Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn speaks at Rededicate 250.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2026--
Matternet, the world’s only FAA Type Certified drone delivery company, and Amprius Technologies, Inc., a leader in advanced lithium-ion batteries, today announced a strategic collaboration to advance the performance and economics of autonomous aerial delivery through high-energy density silicon anode cells. Amprius cells are now deployed in Matternet’s M2 aircraft, and the companies are extending their work to battery solutions optimized for Matternet's next-generation platform.
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As physical AI moves into the real world — with small, electric, autonomous aircraft transporting goods through cities — batteries are becoming a strategic driver of platform performance. In drone delivery, battery performance shapes not only aircraft capability, but also network design, asset utilization, and cost per delivery.
“As the world's leading urban drone delivery player, we partner with the best technology companies in the world to push what's possible,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet. “Amprius delivers best-in-class battery performance, and in drone delivery that translates directly into commercial advantage. Every additional mile of range expands our network coverage. Every minute saved in charging increases fleet utilization. And every gram saved can translate into greater payload capacity. With Amprius, we have the opportunity to engineer that technology around our aircraft, our network model, and our cost-per-delivery targets.”
High-Energy-Density Cells for Commercial Drone Delivery
Amprius’ silicon anode cells deliver up to twice the energy density of conventional graphite-based batteries, a critical advantage in aviation, where battery weight directly constrains range, payload, and economics.
For Matternet, this partnership is focused on translating battery performance into commercial operating advantage. Amprius and Matternet will work together to optimize cell selection, form factor, thermal performance, charge rate, and cycle life for Matternet’s next-generation aircraft.
The goal is to go beyond cell-level performance and tune the battery system around Matternet’s aircraft architecture and delivery network, improving aircraft availability, expanding service areas, and reducing cost per delivery as Matternet scales commercial operations.
“At Amprius, we are focused on partnering with category leaders in applications where battery performance changes what is possible,” said Tom Stepien, CEO of Amprius Technologies. “Matternet is exactly that kind of partner, a company with a proven certified platform, real commercial operations, and a clear path to scale. By working closely with Matternet’s engineering team, we can optimize our silicon anode technology for their aircraft, operating models, and cost-per-delivery objectives. That kind of alignment is how battery innovation translates into real-world commercial advantage.”
With Amprius cells already flying in Matternet’s M2 fleet, the companies are now focused on deeper integration for Matternet’s next-generation platform, with Amprius targeting volume production readiness aligned with Matternet’s fleet expansion plans beginning in early 2027.
About Matternet
Matternet is a leading commercial drone delivery platform for urban and suburban environments. The company builds the Matternet M2 drone, the Matternet Station, and the Matternet Software Platform and operates its technology directly for customers or in partnership with logistics organizations such as UPS. Matternet has achieved many industry firsts, including being the first company authorized for commercial Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery operations over cities in Switzerland, the first to launch routine revenue-generating drone delivery operations in the U.S., and the first to achieve standard Type Certification and Production Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Matternet is partnered with UPS and Ameriflight, which have received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate the Matternet M2 under Part 135. Matternet has operated commercially for more than a decade, beginning with humanitarian drone delivery missions in 2014, launching B2B healthcare operations in Europe in 2017 and the U.S. in 2019, and expanding into B2C drone delivery operations in Silicon Valley in 2024. To date, Matternet's technology has enabled more than 60,000 commercial flights across dense urban and suburban environments in the U.S. and Europe.
About Amprius Technologies, Inc.
Amprius Technologies, Inc. is a leader in advanced lithium-ion battery technology, delivering high-energy and high-power silicon-anode batteries with up to twice the energy density, range, and flight time of conventional graphite-based cells. Headquartered in Fremont, California, Amprius operates an R&D lab and pilot manufacturing facility for silicon anodes and cells. To support scalable production, the Company employs a contract manufacturing strategy, enabling rapid capacity expansion with minimal capital investment. Committed to driving innovation in energy storage, Amprius powers next-generation applications in aerospace, defense, and mobility. For additional information, please visit amprius.com and the Company's LinkedIn page.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “will” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the performance of Amprius’ products, the benefits of Amprius’ products to its customer and the industry, the prospects of the drone delivery market, the ability of Amprius to meet the demand of the drone delivery market , the collaboration between Amprius and Matternet, and the anticipated collaboration milestones of Amprius and Matternet. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Amprius’ management and are not predictions of actual performance. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including Amprius’ liquidity position; risks related to the rollout of Amprius’ business and the timing of expected business milestones; Amprius’ ability to commercially produce high-performing batteries through its contract manufacturers; the effects of competition on Amprius’ business; supply shortages in the materials necessary for the production of Amprius’ products; and changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions. More information on these risks and uncertainties can be found in the documents we filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), all of which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. There may be additional risks that Amprius does not presently know or that Amprius currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Amprius specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Matternet M2 in Mountain View, California.
