Dillon Lockwood is the RD for the on-campus apartments: Fair Commons, South Campus, Tara East and University Terrace. Lockwood earned his bachelor’s in youth ministry from AU and is currently completing the second year of his master’s in theological studies through the School of Theology.  Why did you decide to become an RD? I was an RA for two years, and I really enjoyed doing that. I had a fleeting thought at one point when I was an RA that I might be an RD once I graduated. I … [Read more...]

The Cultural Resource Center added to their staff this school year with the hiring of K’Mia Clarett as the student success coordinator.  Clarett, who worked with AU last year as an Americorps member, was offered the position because she was a valuable member of the CRC team last year.  “The university felt that, though she was working for an external agency [last year], she would still continue to add value,” said CRC Director Mike Thigpen.  Clarett worked as an event coordinator at the … [Read more...]

Senior Mak Holland was driving home last Monday when she decided to stop by the Salvation Army, where the campus ministry Juvenile Justice will be meeting regularly this school year.  As she parked by the building in downtown Anderson, she blasted the song “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong. She sat in her car worshipping and praying for this upcoming year and for the campus ministry she has served in for three years now.  Two years ago, Juvenile Justice worked with Pendleton Juvenile … [Read more...]

Maggie Platt attended AU as an undergraduate student and completed her bachelor’s in 2007. Since then, she has worked in youth and camp ministry before returning to AU as a resident director in 2013. She served as RD of Rice and Martin Halls and is now the director of residence life and student conduct. Platt earned her Master of Science in Management and Leadership in 2016. Tell me a little bit about how you initially came to AU. I was planning on going to Indiana University. My mom told … [Read more...]

Last Tuesday marked the beginning of the first Nursing Bootcamp to take place at AU. Students and faculty from the School of Nursing and Kinesiology gathered in Hartung Hall on the morning of Aug. 21 to kick off four days of experiential learning, networking and community building. Students were able to practice performing nursing duties such as testing for vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse and temperature. There were also sessions in time and stress management as well as a handy … [Read more...]

Every year before classes begin at AU, there is a week of training for student leaders.  The student leadership training consists of between one and two weeks of preparation for the succeeding academic year. Everything from academic coursework to interactive training and spiritual development prepares student leaders to serve in their diverse roles at AU. The staff of residential halls, CAB, IM Leagues, admissions, first year experience and peer mentors fall into the category of student … [Read more...]

The ninth annual Scholar’s Day showcased 51 undergraduate students’ research from various departments yesterday. Dr. Chad Wallace, dean of the School of Science and Engineering, does a lot to make this event happen. Wallace said that Scholar’s Day is important because it gives students who do their own research and scholarly work the opportunity to share it with the AU community and public. “It gives them a chance to share their excitement and the things that they’ve learned,” Wallace … [Read more...]

From a young age, Boris Sitnikoff was exposed to faith in a very distinct manner. As a toddler, he and his family moved to Tennessee from Indianapolis, where his first memories are filled with fear and spiritual attack. “I had a lot of nightmares of these shadow things that were chasing me and throwing me around,” Boris said. “I was struck with fear endlessly, and I couldn’t stay in a room alone for more than 10 seconds.”  These nightmares were more than just dreams for Boris, and the … [Read more...]

Professor Liz Ranfeld has taught in the English Department at AU since 2011. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Taylor University and a master’s in creative nonfiction from the University of New Hampshire. She, her husband and their two children live in Albany; in her free time, Ranfeld enjoys traveling, gardening and reading. When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer? In kindergarten, even before then, I was stapling together construction paper into a book. And I … [Read more...]

Now coworkers, Trent Palmer, director of student engagement, and Dr. Jason Varner, assistant profesor of the history of Christianity, were once just two friends with a mutual passion for Americana and bluegrass music. The two guitar players met regularly for “jam sessions,” and after being asked to perform at a few AU campus events, they formed the Rock Bottom Boys band. Fast forward nearly a decade—the duo has become a trio and together, Palmer, Varner and Mike Snyder make up the Rock … [Read more...]