By Samantha Huber AU repeatedly tells their students to get involved both on-campus and in the community, but students often have no idea where to start or feel unsure about taking the step to join an organization. Several students from AU have taken that leap of faith and joined “A Heart for Kids,” an organization that serves the Anderson community through faith-based mentoring and tutoring for children. Sophomore Jennifer Sanders explained what a great opportunity working with “A Heart … [Read more...]
Q&A: Dr. Vaughters
How did you end up at AU? I had a few friends that went here when I was in high school. I always enjoyed it, so I ended up doing my undergraduate here. My girlfriend at the time—now my wife—and I were trying to figure out where to go. Both of our parents weren’t in favor of us going here, but ultimately we knew this was where we were supposed to be. It has been a great experience since then, and we’ve met some of our lifelong friends here. My friends from college and I coach each other’s kids … [Read more...]
Professors juggle booked schedules
While students were resting, relaxing and recharging over Christmas break, Professor Jack Lugar of AU’s communication and design arts department was busy writing yet another novel. While somehow managing to teach chaotic classrooms of college students full-time, Lugar, along with several other professors at AU, writes books and novels spanning a wide range of genres in his spare time. “Writing books and teaching full-time is pretty challenging, but I have found that we choose to do with our … [Read more...]
Social media integrated into class curriculum
In the past decade, all forms of social media have grown significantly in popularity, pertinence and purpose. Although social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are often thought of in the context of personal lives, many professors have started integrating the use of these platforms into the classroom and homework assignments. Dr. Michael Frank, professor of political science, has taught at AU for nearly two decades. In his time teaching, Frank has watched several … [Read more...]
Q&A: Tommy
Tommy is the evening on-air personality for 99.5 WZPL, the leading Top 40 radio station in the Indianapolis market. He can be heard every weeknight from seven to midnight, and periodically throughout the weekend. He is releasing his debut book, Turbulence, in the summer of this year, which walks the reader through his rocky childhood, the many mistakes he made when he was young and the life lessons he gained from those experiences. Tommy is currently enrolled in the Falls School of Business at … [Read more...]
Q&A: Brian Dirck
Dr. Brian Dirck, professor of history, received his Bachelor’s in history at the University of Central Arkansas. From there, Dirck went on to receive a Master’s in history from Rice University, and later a PhD in history from the University of Kansas. Throughout his many years of teaching, Dirck has also written over half a dozen books focusing on various aspects of Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidency. Where are you from? I was originally born in Missouri, but I moved around quite a bit … [Read more...]
Spring semester brings new faculty to campus
Among the new faculty this spring semester is Professor Kris Rinas, who is the new operations director and instructor of cinema and video in the Department of Communications and Design Arts. He will be teaching Audio Concepts, Television Studio Production and the Cinema and Media Arts practicum this semester. Ever since high school, Rinas has wanted to follow his passion for video production and pursue it as a career. “When I turned 18, my parents encouraged me to begin thinking … [Read more...]
New scholarship to be offered to Madison County students
More than 79 percent of the students at AU received financial aid help last year, according to usnews.com. This aid came in many forms, such as grants, loans and scholarships. With the increasing need from students for some form of financial aid, colleges around the country are feeling the pressure to support their students. This year, AU is trying harder than ever to try to supply a few more fiscally-saving opportunities to its students. For instance, AU has recently announced it will begin to … [Read more...]
Senior recounts impactful internship in Bolivia
In the routine of life’s mundane activities, it is easy to lose sight of passion. Thus, when an individual openly discusses their passion for whatever field they may be in or activities in which they participate, it entices listeners. One such individual who is passionate about her field is senior Michaela McCurdy, who had the unique opportunity to complete an international internship over the summer. McCurdy is majoring in international relations, with a complementary major in Spanish and a … [Read more...]
AU E-Sports Club builds community through gaming
The clicking of mouses, strategic conversations and a myriad of emotions is what you can find at an E-Sports Club meeting. E-sports has taken the world by storm, and it is starting to be introduced to the AU community. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of e-sports is “a multiplayer game competitively played for spectators, typically by professional gamers.” However, at AU, the E-Sports Club takes a more relaxed approach. “We’re a bunch of nerds in a computer … [Read more...]