As schools and businesses everywhere closed down for a few months this year, students found themselves with lots of free time. For some, creative juices started to flow. Creatives everywhere had some time to hone their craft and create some magic in the midst of the pandemic. Student band “New Colors” planned to release a full album this summer, a project that was postponed when the band left campus in March. They were able to release their single, “Safe” on June 15. “Luckily, we actually … [Read more...]
Q&A: Sarah Neal
AU alumna Dr. Sarah Neal serves as a professor in the nursing department. This year, she has taken on a special role with the university as the lead of the “COVID-19 Task Force.” She has degrees in social work, nursing and public health. What is your role with our university? “As Lead of the COVID task course, I handle all kinds of COVID scenarios. That's coming up with policies and procedures and consulting with all the different campus constituents so that I can help every area on … [Read more...]
New kind of theatre creates opportunities
While the pandemic has created numerous obstacles for the musical theatre department, it has not prevented socially-distanced and masked rehearsals and performances. Although performances this semester will not have live audiences, they still provide unique and innovative opportunities for students. Among the fall productions is one unlike any show performed in AU’s history. Titled “Spoon River Anthology and Beyond,” students from the School of Music, Theatre and Dance are working with … [Read more...]
CAB focuses sights on student engagement
Amidst newly-introduced guidelines and mask mandates, CAB is anticipating another successful year of events on campus. CAB is led by Danie Adams and Kelsi Allen. Adams and Allen have been tasked with planning new events and reorganizing old events to comply with the regulations on campus. Adams, who is also the assistant director of student engagement on campus, explained how CAB went about planning events for campus this year given the circumstances. “This year, we … [Read more...]
Dance majors remain optimistic for coming year
Last school year ended in disappointment for many of the dance majors on campus. The cancellation of Spring into Dance, a professor-choreographed show put on by the dance department, stopped the senior dance majors from having their last chance to showcase their talents on the Reardon stage. For dance majors who did not graduate last year, the optimism of another school year remained. Meredith Haskell, a senior dance major, shared her enthusiasm for returning to campus after … [Read more...]
Basketball star helps save lives
AU senior Maurice Knight has always been known on campus as a hero on the court, but he recently became much more than that. On Aug. 4, Knight and his friend Jake Richwine were the first on the scene of a serious two-car accident in Elwood. On their way home from doing yard work, Knight and Richwine noticed two cars in a field just off of County Roads 900 North and 750 West. “We saw two cars in a field that looked like they had wrecked,” Knight said. “I told Jake to pull over so we could … [Read more...]
Food Services implement new dining procedures for fall semester
The topic of food services has been tossed around for months now as students have wondered how they will be receiving meals, what the culture of the Haven and Mocha Joe’s will be like or if they will be encouraged to stay in their dorms for meals. While it will still be encouraged for students and faculty to hang out in dining locations, there will be guidelines that everyone will be instructed to follow. “Our mission within [AU Food Services] is to always promote and support … [Read more...]
What to expect when you are exposed to COVID-19
With fall semester riddled with new coronavirus restrictions and guidelines, there is one question that is on the mind of every student: “What will happen if I get COVID-19?” Professor of Nursing Sarah Neal, the leader of the COVID-19 task force, has helped develop a detailed plan for when AU students are exposed to COVID-19 or test positive for the virus. “If a person has been exposed, then they are going to contact me,” said Neal. “I will ask them to quarantine for 14 days, and we have … [Read more...]
Enrollment numbers hold steady
In the face of a deadly pandemic and the worst economic crash since the Great Depression, many colleges and universities have suffered a series of unprecedented challenges in a range of matters, several of which hinge on student enrollment. While plenty of colleges are struggling with enrollment this fall, AU is expected to hold steady. Calculating from limited estimates and hopeful projections, AU has experienced an approximate 3% to 4% drop in enrollment this fall, compared to fall 2019. … [Read more...]
Q&A: 2020 graduates
Although they were not able to finish out their senior year as expected, AU’s class of 2020 did not leave campus without leaving a legacy. A handful of these 2020 graduates were asked to give their best advice for current college students. Their responses are below. Brice Thompson “There’s a cliché that says ‘college goes by fast, enjoy it while you can,’ and it's true. Make sure to take time to appreciate all the amazing moments because you never know when it might be cut … [Read more...]