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...]
Rock Bottom Boys of Madison County working on first album
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...]
Testimonies speak: Chasing hope through recovery, healing
Natalie Esarey did not grow up in a Christian home. Her dad believed in a world full of light and darkness but no Jesus, and her mom was raised in a very passionately Catholic family. “I grew up in a very loving family,” she said. “It’s just that Jesus wasn’t the center of the love—it was very human love.” However, Natalie did not have a good relationship with her father. “I had this longing for a father, and there was this hole in my heart that I tried to fill with a lot of things,” … [Read more...]
Q &A with Zina Teague
Zina Teague earned her bachelor’s in sociology and psychology from Houghton College, where she worked for five years in the Office of Admissions. Teague came to AU in the fall of 2017 as the new Morrison Hall RD. What led you to become an RD at AU? When I graduated from college—I went to a small, Christian private school similar to AU up in western New York called Houghton college—I ended up staying at Houghton and working in the admissions office for five years. I really enjoyed that job; … [Read more...]
Senior nursing students immersed in clinical and cultural practice
During their senior years, AU nursing students are not confined to studying in the library on campus; rather, they are encouraged to gain hands-on experience across the U.S. and even overseas. Nursing capstones take place during the second semester of senior year and incorporate three components. “Students are put through quite a grind,” said Professor Patricia Kline, who coordinates the clinical experiences. “They complete the highest level of complex patient care. They also complete a … [Read more...]
Testimonies speak: An identity of hope amidst shame and fear
Sometimes those who seem the most joyful are hiding their fear and shame behind their smiles and laughs. Breaking down the walls of insecurity is impossible for one to do on their own, but with God, the chains can be broken and the burdens can be lifted. Mitchell Stacy has come to believe that wholeheartedly. Born and raised as an only child in Cloverdale, Indiana, a small rural town, Mitchell grew up in a Methodist church. With influential Christian parents constantly talking about faith and … [Read more...]
Q & A with Jennifer Hunt
Jennifer Hunt is an AU alumna with a bachelor’s in social work from AU and a law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. Hunt worked for more than 10 years as the director of development and communications at the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention before returning to AU. What is your job as the vice president of advancement? I’m over the areas of alumni engagement and annual giving, so those are people who make annual gifts. We also have events … [Read more...]
Premarital workshop loads schedule with wisdom for couples
Marriage is a goal that many students have for their futures, and some students are even in the process of planning weddings on top of their schoolwork right now. However, one thing that tends to get lost in the search for a soulmate is what happens after the wedding. Senior psychology major Kaylee McDonald understands that marriage is a completely different story, and that is why she is hosting a premarital workshop later this month. Psychology professors Dr. Priest and Dr. Blunt will … [Read more...]
AU senior releases chapbook called “The Midwest is a Place”
“Welcome to Indiana: Crossroads of America,” reads the big blue road sign all drivers pass when they cross the state line. Indiana is the heart of the Midwest, and for senior English major Abby Johnson, the Hoosier state is home to more than corn and soybeans. Indiana is spirited, with millions of stories to tell. As a poet, her work is to tell them. “We need to talk about the Midwest as somewhere alive and multifaceted, full of people who are full of passion, because that’s who we are,” … [Read more...]
Q &A with Allie Kolb
Allie Kolb is from Placentia, California. She enjoys running, going to the beach and trying new foods. Her first big adventure came when she traveled to Indiana to attend AU, and she is currently in the midst of a semester-long journey abroad in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she is studying at the University of Canterbury. She is blogging about her adventures at www.alliegoesabroad.weebly.com. What inspired you to want to study abroad? Studying abroad was always a secret dream of mine. … [Read more...]