Students are used to seeing squirrels and rabbits scurrying throughout the Valley, but many were shocked to see that a groundhog has also taken up residence on campus. While many appreciate groundhogs for their ability to see their own shadow, AU students have grown to appreciate the Valley’s newest resident on a deeper level. According to Rachael Shaver, freshman flute performance major, the groundhog is well-known across campus. “He’s kind of like the new mascot around campus,” she … [Read more...]
Campus comes together for suicide prevention
By Gillian Lintz Phrases such as “You are not alone,” “You are hope,” and even the lyrics from Hannah Montana’s song, “Nobody’s Perfect” can be seen all across campus, covering the sidewalks in colorful chalk. In honor of National Suicide Prevention Month, AU’s campus organization “To Write Love on Her Arms” has been especially active. With weekly hangouts and discussions and a variety of uplifting activities, TWLOHA is continuing to bring light to difficult subjects while creating … [Read more...]
Q & A: Daniel Gaines
By John Hulstine Daniel Gaines is the current Student Body Senate Chair for AU’s Student Government Association. He is a junior majoring in national security, political science, history and mathematics, and he is involved with two honors societies. Where are you from and why did you decide to come to AU? I was actually born and raised in Anderson, and I knew I had two choices of colleges when I got out of high school. I was almost dead-set on Indiana Wesleyan University, but my mom … [Read more...]
Students create unique communities within their dorms
By Elisha Deluhery Dorms are a weird thing to think about. A bunch of people on the verge of adulthood, all cramming together for the sake of community. That being said, AU has a rich tradition of dormhood on its campus. Throughout the ages, the dorms here at AU have begun to emit characteristics of their own. From the jock-esque nature of Smith Hall to the proverbial chillness of Dunn Hall, every dorm has its own unique traits and quirks. At the heart of these dorms lies … [Read more...]
Where were you when the world stopped?
On September 11, 2001, an entire nation slowed to a somber halt as all eyes turned to its largest city. Eighteen years ago, every citizen stopped their routine and watched in utter disbelief; the United States of America was under attack. President John Pistole remembers the day in great detail. “I was with the FBI in the senior executive service on the inspection division,” he recalled. “I was in upstate New York, and I had just interviewed some people in the local TV and radio … [Read more...]
Danie Adams steps in as new Campus Activities Board director
By John Hulstine Danie Adams is the new director of the Campus Activities Board at AU. She is filling a position previously held by Trent Palmer, whom she greatly respects. “I met Trent through becoming the new director of CAB,” she said. “He’s been essential to helping me learn the role of director.” The CAB office is vital in planning and organizing a wide variety of recreational events for college students to enjoy throughout the year. These events encourage the student body … [Read more...]
Q & A: Tammy Stewart
Tammy Stewart is the administrative assistant at AU’s Kissinger Academic Center for Excellence, or KACE, where she has worked for 18 years. Stewart recently received her degree in May of 2019 after studying for five years as an adult undergraduate student. What first brought you to Anderson 18 years ago? I moved to this area because of my husband; I grew up in the Church of God and I came to the Anderson camp meeting every year. I honestly didn’t know AU itself. I was going around … [Read more...]
Chapel is not church: Find faith community off-campus
The church fair is a long-standing tradition of freshman orientation at AU. Churches around the community congregate in the lobby of Reardon Auditorium to offer the support of a church family to incoming students. This year, the church fair was hosted in the Valley. Andrew Lehr, the director of student success at AU, was one of the staff members in charge of organizing this year’s church fair. He believes it’s important for students to find a place to worship outside of chapel. “A lot of … [Read more...]
Campus-wide updates completed during summer
Rodney Raven is not the only thing that has experienced improvement at AU over the summer. Campus staff has been hard at work for the past few months to ensure a warm welcome for students as they return to campus. As Ravens return to their favorite campus coffee shop, they may find it unrecognizable. Last semester, SGA surveyed the student body about what changes they wanted to see the most on campus. Updates to Mocha Joe's won by a landslide. According to Whitney Jimenez, … [Read more...]
Q & A with Jack Lugar
John (Jack) Lugar is an associate professor of cinema and media arts. He holds a J.D. from Indiana University, and has been a writer and producer on numerous television sitcoms. In 2016, he joined AU’s Department of Communication and Design Arts as full-time faculty. He and his wife, Beth, run a successful real estate agency in their free time. You wrote and published a book this summer. Tell me a little bit about that process. Actually, I wrote the book mostly during November and … [Read more...]