Dr. Jason Parks is an English professor at AU. He lives in Anderson with his wife of 12 years, Kendra, and three sons, Amaziah, Ezra and Elijah, and his daughter, Ellianna, who was born last week. Q: How did you end up at AU? A: My senior year of high school, I started thinking more concretely about where I was going to go to[college]. No one in my family had ever gone to college—I was the first generation college student—so I didn’t have any kind of precedent, or anybody’s footsteps I … [Read more...]
1952 Andersonian celebrated fall homecoming
On Nov. 5, 1952, the Andersonian published a homecoming-recap-themed issue. As the 2016 Ravens prepare for homecoming and the official kick-off of centennial celebrations, the Andersonian looks back to nearly 64 years ago, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected President, and Rowenna Dodge was crowned homecoming queen. At the time, the Andersonian was published “semi-monthly,” and it cost $1.50 to purchase a subscription for the year. The editor-in-chief was Iona Bevins, and the student … [Read more...]
Q & A with Dr. David Murphy
Dr. David Murphy is a Professor of History at AU, and co-director of the Honors program. He studied at Southern Illinois University for his undergraduate years, and the University of Illinois for his graduate and PhD education. He is from Rockford, Illinois, and he met his wife in high school. They have been married for nearly 30 years and have seven children. Q: What drew you to AU? A: When I finished my grad studies, I looked in the history professors’ hiring journal, it’s called … [Read more...]
Social clubs unite for inclusive night of worship
This year, social clubs approached recruitment slightly differently by banding together for an all-club worship event. The worship night occurred on Sept. 14 in Fair Commons lobby and was open to all social club members and potential recruits on campus. The idea for an all-club worship event came to Ashley Whiteside, chaplain of the social club Alacritas, last year. After observing tensions between the clubs on campus, Whiteside decided that proposing the idea to unite for an event would help … [Read more...]
Library to host seventh children’s literature fest
This Saturday, the Nicholson Library at AU will host the Elizabeth York Children’s Literature Festival for the seventh time. The festival began with a gift given to the Nicholson Library by Elizabeth and James York. According to the festival’s website, “It was Elizabeth’s dream to share these books with Anderson University, so in 2008, she and James contributed funds to build a rare-collections facility and a reading room in the Anderson University Nicholson Library. In 2009, the University … [Read more...]
Q & A with Dean MaryAnn Hawkins
MaryAnn Hawkins grew up in the Church of God and has been serving as an intercultural studies professor at AU for the last 10 years. In July, she stepped into the position of Dean of the School of Theology. Q: Tell me a little about yourself. A: I was born and raised in the Church of God. My grandmother was the first cousin of John A. Morrison [AU’s first president]. I did my first two and a half years of college at Gulf Coast Bible College and ultimately graduated from Bartlesville … [Read more...]
“Andersonian” celebrates centennial by looking back
As AU celebrates its centennial year, many campus organizations and departments are looking back on their history on campus. The Andersonian, started by a group of students nearly 70 years ago, has a long history of involvement on campus. A look back to the first issue ever published, on Feb. 18, 1947, reveals a culture in many ways different than the AU of today. When the first issue of the Andersonian was published, the school was still known as Anderson College. The paper was four pages in … [Read more...]
Student gains experience with CMC program
Alaina Ellenburg, a junior entertainment and music business major at AU, knew that in order to be successful in the ever-changing entertainment business, she would need hands-on experience. That’s when she decided that she wanted to attend the Contemporary Music Center in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. “I knew that if I didn’t start intentionally learning more about the business now, I would never be ready for what future jobs require in this field,” Ellenburg said. While at the CMC this … [Read more...]
Student experiences Kenyan culture through internship
Junior biochemistry major Ryann Hartzell had the experience of a lifetime this past summer, interning with Spread the Word Ministries, a division of Church of God Ministries, at the Kima Mission Station near Kisumu, Kenya. During her time at the mission station, Hartzell had the opportunity to attend classes with diploma and certificate students at the Kima International School of Theology, assist in a clinic, and observe at the mission hospital. The mission statement of KIST is that it … [Read more...]
Q & A with Rev. Tamara Shelton, new campus pastor
Tamara Shelton has been involved at AU for years, as a former student, resident director, assistant dean of students and director of residence life. Now, she will serve as the campus pastor. Q: What is your vision for your new role as campus pastor at AU? A: Of course there are the job description pieces of my role, which includes planning the chapel convocation program, and I’m working with a team of people to do that. But also, I think about it in the terms of being aware of the needs on … [Read more...]