Brock Morrison is in the top ten in points, rebounds and assists in the HCAC. (Photo: Cristian Sandoval)

Here is a strange thought for any AU basketball fan: imagine the team next year with no Brock Morrison or Andrew Bowman on the court. It will seem strange when the Ravens take the court for the first time in 2012-13 and neither player’s name is called for starting lineups. For the past three seasons the two have played together, and fans have become accustomed to watching them pursue every rebound and score 15 points almost every night out. Every player who plays a sport will sometime reach the end, and then the questions always asked are, “How do we define their career?” and “How good were they?”

For both players, the word that can sum up their careers as AU basketball players is “winners.” Morrison played four years and Bowman played three. Every single year they played, they had a winning season. Looking back at the year-by-year results in AU basketball history, it is clear that not many players who played three or four seasons would have had the opportunity to be a part of something like that. Both Bowman (Center Grove) and Morrison (Winchester) were winners before they even stepped on AU’s campus, as they each played on highly successful high school teams. That success translated over to the college game, and as a result, these two will hold a spot in Raven basketball history forever.

Bowman is ninth in scoring and rebounding in the HCAC. (Photo: Sports Information)

“To be a player that can say they had a winning record every year of their career is an admirable achievement. They were part of teams that had success, and they were personally responsible for a lot of that success,” Head Coach Tom Slyder said.

Morrison has done things at AU that only one other player has accomplished. He has eclipsed 1,000-plus points, 500-plus rebounds and 200-plus assists and is just the second player to do so in Raven history. His career has been defined by winning but even more by consistency. He plays hard every game and is one of the most reliable players in the game. He is a leader who plays with energy and passion and is a complete player.

With a 6-foot-3-inch frame he is big enough to score in the post yet has a good enough stroke to step outside and knock down a three. He has the intangibles that not every player is gifted with, such as court awareness and court vision, and he has a knack for applying certain tricks of the trade to draw fouls. At 15.3 points per game, he is averaging his highest scoring numbers of his career. He is also averaging 8.8 rebounds, which leads the conference and is also the highest of his career. However, the most remarkable stat is that Morrison has been a part of 69 of Slyder’s 101 victories at Anderson.

“Playing here at AU has been one of the greater opportunities life has offered me. I have had the honor of working with and creating relationships with high quality people on a daily basis, competing at a high level every night, and the things that my teams and I have accomplished over the duration of my career have made it quite an exciting experience,” Morrison said.

Bowman took a much different path to get to AU, but after a few transfers found a home here in Anderson. If his freshman stats at Franklin College are combined with his numbers from AU, he has a chance to pass 1,000 points for his collegiate career by the end of this season, a feat not many college basketball players reach. A vocal leader on and off court, Bowman wears his heart on his sleeve during games, and like Morrison, is a gifted athlete who can do a little bit of everything on the court. At 6-foot-7-inches Bowman has a variety of solid post moves and rebounds well. This season he is ninth in the HCAC with 14.5 points per game and ninth in rebounding at 5.7 per game. He has been a part of 54 wins as a Raven. The lasting image of Bowman in an AU jersey will be of him putting a spin move on his defender as he goes through the lane for two points. It is a move he perfected and used frequently.

“My career has been an overall amazing experience because I was lucky enough to be blessed with great teammates and a coach whose effort and desire to win is unmatched,” Bowman commented.

As AU prepares to say goodbye to two of its brightest stars in the past few years, it is clear that the identity of the team will change next season. Morrison and Bowman are both special players, and they have one more chance to make some noise in the postseason and one more chance to put their names in AU’s history books.

Danielle Eng and three other seniors have played their last games. (Photo: Sports Information)

With a 55-43 defeat at Mount St. Joe’s on Saturday, the AU women’s basketball team saw their season come to an end. The team finished 8-17 and ninth place in the HCAC with a 5-13 conference record. They had a tough schedule at the end of the season and lost their last five games after picking up two huge wins at the start of the month. Four of their last five opponents were HCAC tournament qualifiers.

On Wednesday night, they had to play a tough Manchester squad, and the Spartans won the game 52-37. Hannah Wickard played well in her last home game, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds, but the Ravens were once again plagued by poor shooting and turnovers. The team shot 13-40 for 32.5 percent and turned the ball over 26 times compared to Manchester’s 15. Wickard was the only Raven in double figures for the game. Jenna Wittenberg added eight and Ashley Wuestefeld scored six. Nyomi Defiel had five points and nine rebounds, which were a game high.

On Saturday, the Ravens lost to Mount St. Joseph, which ended their season at 8-17. AU trailed by just one at halftime but was outscored by 11 in the second half. The Ravens shot 30 percent from the field and turned the ball over 21 times while the Lions turned it over just 12 times. Ashley Wuestefeld was responsible for almost 50 percent of AU’s points as she dropped 21 on 6-10 shooting. Melissa Stachovic chipped in seven points.

AU finished ninth in the HCAC after a short courtship  with the conference tournament in the middle of the season. However, a five game losing streak at the end of the season spelled their doom, and now they will have to look ahead to next year. Four seniors, Wickard, Danielle Eng, Brittany Stafford and Kate Barwick will depart the program. AU is losing a 10-point, five rebound post presence in Wickard. That will be a gap they must fill. Barwick was a reliable three-point shooter, and Eng and Stafford were steady players. If AU can fill in those holes and cut down on their turnovers, then next year could be a better year.

After splitting their final two games of the season, the team finished 14-11 overall with a 10-8 conference record.

The team won six of their last eight games to move up in the standings and overcame a five game losing streak in the middle of the season.

Now they are preparing to potentially play three games in three days in hopes of winning the HCAC tournament and an automatic bid to the national tournament.

The Ravens played arch-rival Manchester Wednesday night, and they had their work cut out for them.

The Spartans had to win to keep their conference tournament hopes alive, so they were desperate, and, on top of that, it was their Senior Night, so three players were being honored. The gym was packed and the game was intense and physical.

The Ravens fought but found themselves down 6 to 10 points most of the second half.

Brock Morrison kept AU close in the first half, shooting 4-4 from behind the arc, and he finished the game with his third straight double-double. Morrison’s 22 points and 10 rebounds were both Raven highs.

Phil Hogan had 17 points, seven rebounds and six steals, while Andrew Bowman scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Those three players combined for 75 percent of the Ravens’ points, and the AU bench tallied just eight points. AU took the loss, 81-71.

Saturday was the last regular season home game and the Ravens traveled to Mount St. Joseph to take on the lowly Lions.

AU struggled to put the Lions away yet won the game 63-59. Hogan led the Ravens with 21 points on 7-14 shooting, while Bowman scored 13 and hauled in seven boards. Morrison scored just eight points, but Jason Riley covered some of the slack, scoring 10 points, grabbing four rebounds, dishing out four assists and recording five steals.

Both teams shot 45 percent from the field, but the Ravens were poor from 3-point land, shooting just 2-11 on the night.

It’s tournament time now for AU, and Friday night they will travel down to Transylvania University in Lexington to play the Bluffton Beavers at 8 p.m.

The Ravens split their two games with Bluffton this season, winning the most recent contest 70-67 on Feb. 4.

If AU wins that first round game, they move on to play tournament host and regular season conference champion, Transylvania, this Saturday.

The championship will be held Sunday. Bluffton lost three of its last five games, and AU has played some of its best ball at the end of the season.

As the players and coaches have been saying all year long: Just get into the tournament and then anything can happen from there. It all starts Friday.

The team won its third Ethics/Sportsmanship Award, which was handed out at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention.

The Association gives this highly respected award to only eight teams.

The Ravens were one of three teams to win the Silver Award which recognizes teams with no red cards and no more than five yellow cards. AU finished the season with only four yellows.

The team also was one of 222 men’s teams that won the NSCAA Men’s Team Academic Award.

For the Ravens, it is their 14th in 15 seasons. The award recognizes teams that hold a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher. AU had a 3.06 team average GPA.

Salem sinks into vindictive witchhunts that quickly rage out of control. (Photo: Dale Pickett)

Based on the classic play by Arthur Miller, The Crucible: An Opera takes the tale of Puritan paranoia to artistic heights through affecting performances and supremely talented voices.

Directed by Professor Laurel Goetzinger, the show is an interesting blend of the tragic drama of Miller and the inspired music of composer Robert Ward.

In Salem, Mass., during the seventeenth century, Abigail Williams, the niece of Reverend Parris, has blamed the sickness of two local girls on an act of secret conjuring in the woods beneath the moonlight.

Suspicion grows with superstition as Abigail begins to accuse more innocent women of practicing witchcraft, which holds an unsettling sway over the courts of the town.

Political aims and personal motives taint the charges, but the veracity of these statements is never proven.

When John Proctor, an honest man, finds his wife, Elizabeth, taken to trial, he does all that he can to save her from the vindictive testimony of Abigail and the injustice of a village gone mad.

H. Frank Ebels plays John Proctor, the humble protagonist of The Crucible.

Ebels said of Proctor, “He’s such a relatable character. He’s a very upright man that everyone respects, but he’s made a mistake. It’s a challenge to play him, but you know this type of person.”

This is Ebel’s fifth and final opera with the Boze Lyric Theatre.

Ebels stated, “It’s been my favorite production that I’ve been in up to this point. I’ve been truly stretched. Our leadership and direction has been outstanding. You don’t get to work with people like that every day. With this being my last show, I’m really thankful for their commitment.”

Ebels gave a strong, commanding performance as Proctor and deftly communicated the role’s honesty and guilt.

Kayla Shoemaker, who portrays Abigail Williams, commented on her role, saying, “It was a challenge, but it has proven to be very fun because I get to channel my inner dark side.”

Shoemaker also said, “The hardest part of her character is the seduction scene. I really trust Frank [Ebels] as an actor. It’s definitely stretched me as an actress, and nightly, I have learned new things about the role.”

Shoemaker’s stunning soprano range made her a wise choice for the vocally demanding part of Abigail, and she gave the role a convincing shade of cunning amidst the madness.

Mary Warren, the morally conflicted servant of the Proctor household, is played to the hilt by Jennie Fights. Fights said, “[Mary’s] give and take is in everything she does. In real life, I would be set in my ways, but Mary is very ‘go with the flow,’ which has been fun getting to know.”

Fights did become close to her character saying, “I can relate to Mary. She’s like a high school girl looking for acceptance, comfort and love. Once I found that out, I could relate to her better. I can relate to always protecting my friends.”

Mary is enlisted by John Proctor to testify for the court in defense of his wife Elizabeth, played by Kelsi Johnson. Johnson stated, “It’s been hard committing mind, body and spirit because the content is so heavy, but so worth it.” Johnson as Elizabeth provides a somber, emotionally rigid performance that requires significant acting power.

Reflecting on her role, Johnson said, “Initially, I was excited because of the music she sings. It’s been interesting to me how just how exploring who she is and the places that we connect. I’ve learned a lot from her. There’s a lot more of her in me then I ever realized, and that’s been cool to discover.”

Tituba, the slave woman from Barbados accused of starting the witchcraft, is played by artist-in-residence, Dwandra Lampkin.

Lampkin has previously worked in television on shows including Law and Order, Third Watch, and Law and Order: SVU.

She has worked regionally all across America, and has recently written a one-woman show entitled The Conviction of Lady Lorraine.

The character of Tituba is difficult to pull off because of its cultural underpinnings, but Lampkin served the character with apparent ease.

Ebels said, “Dwandra is wonderful. She’s really a professional. That’s really neat, being a student in a school production. Having a professional, you’re blown away by the bold choices that they make on stage. She works very hard and is very, very focused. You take it for granted, but she takes her job very seriously. You can see that on stage.”

Lampkin is also an associate professor of theatre at Ball State University.

The Boze Lyric Theatre began auditions for The Crucible in October. By the end of the first semester the cast had learned the show musically, and they had it memorized by January.

Director Laurel Goetzinger stated that, “Colleagues in Indianapolis read the play to the cast to give the cast inspiration for their character development.

“Then they staged it with just the text, and then put the music in, which adds so much of its development. The music tells the story without the words, too.”

In finding an opera to stage, Goetzinger said, “Whenever [Dr. Fritz Robertson and I] choose shows for the coming year, we consider who the upperclassmen are, and what challenges are useful to help them grow. There are a lot of principal roles in The Crucible.”

Responding to the evidently high degree of difficulty of the opera, Goetzinger stated, “The music is challenging. It requires strong acting skills and commitment to a level greater than these students have been asked to do before. So the challenge has been learning new skills, taking personal risks by acting, and working on this so strongly with such life and death situations.”

Music director Robertson conducted the opera ensemble beneath the stage itself, which did not dampen the sound of the instruments.

On the contrary, the music was sufficiently loud and vibrant to match the high tension of many scenes.

The Crucible: An Opera works on many levels: as the Miller analogy to the 1950s era of McCarthyism, as a tragedy borne by irrationality and delusion and as a showcase of vocal prowess.

Ebels said, “It’s a good reminder, and I think you can still apply this even today. There are people that we exclude and mark. And we don’t realize that it’s wrong until something dramatic happens. Like the girls in Salem, these situations arise today.”

Goetzinger echoed his remarks, saying, “It’s as timely as when it was written, and unfortunately always will be. Greed and jealousy don’t go away. It’s timeless because it packs a punch in what it has to say.”

With surprising relevance and power, The Crucible: An Opera will not soon be forgotten.

With veteran Oscar performer Billy Crystal hosting this year’s Academy Awards and a black and white film among the frontrunners for Best Picture, the awards show promises a revival of high-quality film nominations and entertainment.

Roll out the red carpet and prepare those acceptance speeches because the Academy Awards are finally here on Feb. 26.

The races for best actor and best actress are heating up as the season culminates in this exciting production-filled showdown for a few little golden men.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has brought in producer Brian Grazer and perennial comedian Billy Crystal to host.

Since last year’s hosting duo of Anne Hathaway and James Franco came off as unbalanced and unfunny, I’m looking forward to the return of Crystal, a veteran with eight previous Oscar ceremonies under his belt.

Surprisingly, the best picture seems to be locked on a silent film. The Artist has won three Golden Globe awards, four Critic’s Choice awards and multiple acting awards.

If The Artist does win best picture, it will be the first time a silent film has won since Wings in the first ever Academy Award ceremony in 1929.

The Descendants, starring George Clooney, may be a possible spoiler, as Clooney and director Alexander Payne have been highly lauded by the press.

The other best picture nominees include Hugo, The Help, Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life, War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Of Hugo, Dr. Donald Boggs, chair of the department of communication and theatre arts, said “I thought it was beautifully lit and shot. It was a wonderful patina of the period. I can see why it was a Hollywood favorite.”

Hugo received the most Oscar nominations of the year with eleven nods, including one for directing contender Martin Scorsese.

The best actor category has become significantly harder to judge this year due to the praiseworthy performances of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Jean Dujardin.

Clooney was impressive as Matt King, a father struggling to hold his family up after his wife is involved in a terrible accident, in The Descendants.

Brad Pitt lent gravitas to Moneyball’s Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s manager who applies economic strategies to the world of baseball.

However, I predict that Jean Dujardin (The Artist) will win for his charming and emotional performance as George Valentin, a silent film star who crosses paths with a young starlet as the sound age passes him by.

Dujardin won both the coveted Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award and the Golden Globe for The Artist, and he has been riding that energy ever since.

Rounding out the category are Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) and Demián Bichir (A Better Life).

The best actress category is more of a two-horse race between Viola Davis and perpetual nominee Meryl Streep.

Davis’s role in The Help was deeply moving, and one could tell that she embodied the character of Abileen, a strong, loving maid living in the South during the 1960s.

Streep has managed to be nominated 16 times but has only won twice.

However, she has received critical plaudits regarding her portrayal of Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

The Academy has a history of rewarding actors and actresses for their oeuvre, particularly if the specific performance is a peak in a lengthy career.

Despite this, I predict that because of The Help’s positive reviews, its box office success and her powerful role, Viola Davis will edge out Streep.

The other nominees for best actress are also dramatic heavyweights but have failed to break into the fray: Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) and Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).

The Best Supporting Actor race is all but a lock for Beginners star Christopher Plummer.

At age 82, he would be the oldest actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar after comedian George Burn’s turn in The Sunshine Boys.

Plummer’s character, a widower who comes to terms with his sexuality as he realizes he is dying, has long been considered the frontrunner.

Nick Nolte (Warrior), Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn), Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) and Jonah Hill (Moneyball) complete the list of supporting actor nods.

The Best Supporting Actress category also has a long-established leader in Octavia Spencer for her portrayal of Minny Jackson, a feisty maid with a penchant for baking, in The Help.

Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) would be the only possible candidate to stand in Spencer’s way, though I think Spencer will ultimately win.

The other nominees for best supporting actress include performances from a wide variety of films: Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs), Jessica Chastain (The Help) and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids).

From what the trailers have shown, this is promising to be a revival of the Oscars of years ago, before the Academy became fearful that they were losing their younger audience.

Admittedly, the nominees this year are significantly more “high-brow” than the previous two years of blockbusters making the cut.

In my opinion, this is a welcome return because of the Oscars’ long-standing commitment to awarding only the highest quality.

Beginning with the red carpet interviews and features about the various nominees, coverage of the 84th Annual Academy Awards ceremony starts on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. on ABC.

you know what today is? It is Ash Wednesday, the day that starts Lent. Some of you will be giving up something for Lent, whether it be chocolate, meat on Fridays, some other food or an activity you like to do. We’ve heard of Facebook fasting before.

The season of Lent is a time of soul-searching, inner reflection and fasting, all leading up to Easter—the day of Christ’s resurrection. Predominately a Catholic tradition, the 40 days of Lent, according to catholic.com, “is based on the biblical 40 years of wilderness wandering by the Israelites and our Lord’s 40 days in the wilderness,” where Satan tempted Jesus.

Like Jesus, Lent is when we are tested. Catholic.com says, “The goal of every Christian is to leave Lent a stronger and more vital person of faith than when we entered.”

We understand that fasting is not a part of everyone’s faith tradition, but for some, it is an event that comes but once a year and can be a powerful spiritual journey for those who participate in it.

Giving up something for a month’s time can be hard. We actually challenge those who are planning to fast to choose something to give up that is a true sacrifice. Otherwise, giving up something that is easy to live without has little significance.

Perhaps an even greater part of the season of Lent is the reflection that can occur. How are you living your life? Are you living in accordance to your own plan or God’s plan? What is that one sin that is holding you back from your true potential with God the Father?

Maybe this one sin, or mulitple sins, can be the thing you give up this year. 40 days is a long time to give up something, but it can be for the better on Easter Sunday. Sometimes that one sin gnaws away at us and we cannot gain a stronghold elsewhere, away from the sin that straps us down and will not let go.

Maybe Lent this year can be your first step to fighting sin at the root. Give it up for 40 days. After 40 days, it might even become a habit of not commiting the sin.

But, we know that some will not quite reach the 40 days. And that is fine; just take baby steps. 40 days is a fairly large chunk of time right off the bat to quit a certain sin cold turkey.

Whether celebrating the season of Lent is a part of your own tradition or a new habit this year, make the best of it.

Dr. Linda Swindell retires after 18 years of serving AU’s psychology department. (Photo: Julia Smith)

Retirement is a word that could mean different things to different people, and those ideas can change over time.

As Dr. Linda Swindell, chair of the psychology department, retires this May after 18 years of service at AU, she intends to approach retirement with a Christian interpretation instead of a cultural one.

“It is dismal to think of it as the end,” said Swindell. “It is a closing on part of my life, but it is not the end. I should make it a beginning as well.”

Having graduated in 1989 from Arizona State University (ASU), Swindell describes herself as a “late bloomer.” Her family moved from California to Hawaii, where she did her undergraduate studies at the University of Hawaii before attaining her doctorate at ASU.

Currently residing in Fishers, Swindell has been working in the psychology department since 1993. She describes her departure from the department she has been with for almost two decades as “bittersweet.”

“My job allows me to continue to search for the Truth and truth,” said Swindell. “Not many have the luxury or privilege to engage in the pursuit of the Christian perspective.”

She values the importance of passing on traditions and legacies, and she emphasizes teaching “the unchanging truth.”

She also quotes President Edwards’ “this good place” when she speaks of the campus and of her years here.

“It’s a good time to leave,” she said. “I can spend more time with my grandchildren and finish my masters of theology.”

Enrolled at St. Meinrad in southern Indiana since summer 2011, she enjoys her role as a student again. It has helped her gain greater empathy for her students and is “refreshing and an eye-opener.”

On the subject of her students and classes, Swindell explains that every class is an entity on its own. According to her, the subject is static, but the students create their own atmosphere.

Currently teaching the General Psychology course to a class of 98 students, Swindell, an introvert by nature, conducts the class with gusto and has been an excellent role model for Ginny Tay, a senior majoring in psychology and youth leadership-development (YLD), in overcoming difficulties. Swindell encouraged introvert Tay to “master the art of presentation with practice” and also encouraged her by setting an example.

“She has been an excellent role model for me in overcoming difficulties in this area,” said Tay. “She has proven by example that things can be done if we are willing to face challenges and keep trying.”

Tay describes Dr. Swindell as a “motherly figure.” As her advisor for the YLD capstone class and the only female professor in the psychology department, Tay likens Swindell to a cheerleader, advisor and friend.

Swindell’s efforts can be seen through her willingness to bridge the gap and relate to students. She also has great rapport with her colleagues, who are supportive of her decision on a new phase in life.

The decision to retire at the age of 62 was not an easy one. The biggest hurdle she and her daughters, Kari and Sara, faced was that Swindell would not be able to lead “a life of leisure” as she discloses her financial worries.

But she confides that “God is calling me to continue the journey living a purposeful life.” She approaches retirement with the positive mindset that it is “not the end.”

Her philosophy in life is to encourage people and “celebrate life as much as you can, every day” instead of waiting until retirement or death. She calls her family every day and remains close to them.

Since her retirement announcement in 2011, Swindell has been working with the three other faculty members in the psychology department for a new hire. They have been trying to facilitate a smooth transition for the students as well as get the students involved with the candidate selection process.

It is a relatively short transition for the small department, but various steps have been taken to facilitate the process. Senior students are invited for the candidate faculty selection process and are asked for their feedback. The new hire would teach a class for the undergraduate program as well as assist the capstone research students.

Although a typical weekend at the beach or at golf does not seem to be the first few items to cross off her must-do list after retirement, it is on her agenda, along with travel plans and completing a marathon.

Every fall, Swindell and her daughters would head to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada. She plans to travel to London during the summer to help take care of her two grandchildren. She was in London two summers ago, but she expects things to be different with the Olympics being hosted there this year.

With a positive outlook for her life after retirement and a keenness to celebrate life and encourage people, AU will see another professor retire, but she will always be remembered for her encouragement and contributions to her students.

Tosha Ireland and co-president Matthew Bursley will change their club’s name to Keep AU Beautiful. (Photo Provided)

AU’s interest club Orange, Black & Green has been active for many years as the campus’ environmental club, but there could be drastic changes coming to the club in the near future, including a completely new name and rebranding. Long considered a “recycling club” by many students, the club pursues a broader scope of activities outside of simply recycling. However, Orange, Black & Green has seen sparse participation, and that has led them to reconsider how they go about their mission.

Bursley to rebrand club’s image. (Photo Provided)

“Orange, Black & Green right now has no members and only two co-presidents with a faculty adviser,” said co-president Tosha Ireland. “We just have too many clubs overshadowing us. One change we have been considering making is to be a support for other clubs. If we are unable to find members for our club then maybe we can just offer our assistance to other clubs, especially social clubs.”

Both Ireland and co-president Matthew Bursley cited lack of participation as the number one factor in the revamp of the club. The Orange, Black & Green name has been forgotten, and they now want to start a chapter of Keep America Beautiful here on campus called Keep AU Beautiful.

“We wish to focus more on improving the environment around us here at AU,” Bursley said. “Keep AU Beautiful will be working closely hand in hand with the physical plant, the city of Anderson and White River Watcher to implement better environment practices here on the campus, in Anderson, in Madison County, in Indiana and the world.”

The club currently has little participation, but that does not stop the members from having a bold vision. They would like to expand beyond the borders of campus and out into the community. Ireland stated that the club is not attached with the recycling that goes on around campus, and they are really here to serve and respect the Earth that God created. Ireland would like to see the school build hummingbird gardens around campus to create a better variety in contrast to the infamous squirrel population.

The revamp of the program will aim to increase membership and dispel the notion that the environmental club is all about recycling. Bursley and Ireland noted that Keep AU Beautiful is in full support of the upcoming chapel on March 20, which will feature Donna Harman speaking on restoration and sustainability. The club will also host various activities that week to educate AU students on how they can serve environmentally.

“I want students to feel proud of a beautiful campus—not that AU isn’t already beautiful—and the new revamped club will namely be about respecting the Earth as God created it,” Ireland said.

The New Image Gospel Choir will lead chapel worship on Tuesday, Feb. 28 during Heritage Week. (Photo: Cristian Sandoval)

Heritage Week is an annual campus-wide celebration of culture and heritage that starts the week of Feb. 27.  The Cultural Resource Center (CRC), in partnership with various other campus departments, hosts this week of cultural events, artwork, live entertainment, interactive learning, authentic meals and more.

Cindy Sprunger is the Chairman of the Heritage Week Committee. Having been involved with Heritage Week for four years, she knows how special the event can be.

She is surprised that many students may not know much about their heritage.

“The week is full of activities that help students get to know their own heritage and where they come from,” she said.

Sprunger is excited for this year’s events because of the positive track record of Heritage Week.

“Student feedback has been positive,” she said. She said there was a good turnout at many of the events last year and is hopeful for similar results this year.

Although the week offers many opportunities, students may be unaware of the events that are planned for them.

Senior Lacey Olsen has participated in Heritage Week in the past, including the international meals offered each evening.

“I’m really interested in my heritage. It means a lot to me,” said Olsen.

She said Heritage Week has been a positive thing for AU. But this year she has not heard much about what events are taking place.

“I don’t really know when it is, or what’s going on. I haven’t really seen any advertising for it this year,” she said.

The theme this year is “Remember, Reflect, Reconnect.” The theme is pertinent to each activity during Heritage Week.

“I think the focus this year is to think about your culture, reflect and maybe do some reconnecting with your roots,” said Sprunger.

This theme will be shared during Heritage Week Chapel, held on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Jose Torres, Joe Thomas and Todd Faulkner will be sharing a message, and the New Image Gospel Choir will be leading in worship.

One of the more popular events during Heritage Week is the international food that will be available at the Marketplace for both noon and evening meals.

Another event during Heritage Week is the Celebration of Dance, held in Reardon Lobby on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The purpose of this activity is to expose the campus to a variety of styles of cultural dance. Instructors will share about the history and origins of the dances, demonstrate each style of dance with a routine, and then teach the audience simple dance moves.

There will be a market fair in the Bottom of Decker Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market fair is designed to showcase various ethnic and regional art, jewelry, music and commerce styles.

Thursday offers two events at Mocha Joe’s. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the genealogist at Anderson Public Library will be available in Mocha Joe’s for anyone who would like help in tracing their ancestry.

Sprunger said that student turnout for the genealogist is usually very high.

“It’s a unique opportunity to sit down and learn about family history,” she said.

Then at 7 p.m., Poetry Beats at Mocha Joe’s will feature a time of poetry and personal expression.

The Image Fest Concert in Reardon Lobby will be held Friday, Mar. 2 at 7 p.m. Image Fest is a celebration of diverse styles of music sponsored by the New Image Gospel Choir of AU.

The mission of the choir is to knock down the barriers of race and bring about unity through worship. Because Image Fest is a celebration of heritage through song, it seemed ideal for the committee to offer this experience during Heritage Week.

A soccer tournament at Kardatzke Wellness Center will cap off the week. This event will provide an opportunity for students campus-wide to participate in a fun time of competition, hosted by CAB and Intramurals.

With all the events scheduled, Sprunger hopes students will take advantage of the opportunities. She also warns against the misconception that these events are only for international students.

“This isn’t just for multi-cultural students, it’s for everyone,” she said. “Everyone has a heritage, and we want them to celebrate it.”