A scholar of modern German culture and political studies, Dr. David T. Murphy is a history professor at AU where he has served for 29 years. He is also the co-director of the Honors Program, and the director of the Jeeninga Museum of Bible and Near Eastern Studies. Currently writing a scholarly article and preparing a manuscript, Murphy has published three books, 21 scholarly articles and roughly 20 book reviews. He is happily married to Marcia, with seven kids and three grandchildren. What … [Read more...]
Campus jobs provide unique opportunities for students
Working a campus job provides students with more than a little extra cash––it offers a sense of accomplishment, purpose and belonging in the community. Student employment is mainly administered by the Office of Work Life Engagement, which is where students can find job openings and connect with office staffers to answer employment-related concerns. “The Work Life Engagement staff is eager to assist you with questions or concerns about employment, benefits, payroll, student health … [Read more...]
“A Heart for Kids” assists Anderson community
By Samantha Huber AU repeatedly tells their students to get involved both on-campus and in the community, but students often have no idea where to start or feel unsure about taking the step to join an organization. Several students from AU have taken that leap of faith and joined “A Heart for Kids,” an organization that serves the Anderson community through faith-based mentoring and tutoring for children. Sophomore Jennifer Sanders explained what a great opportunity working with “A Heart … [Read more...]
Q&A: Dr. Vaughters
How did you end up at AU? I had a few friends that went here when I was in high school. I always enjoyed it, so I ended up doing my undergraduate here. My girlfriend at the time—now my wife—and I were trying to figure out where to go. Both of our parents weren’t in favor of us going here, but ultimately we knew this was where we were supposed to be. It has been a great experience since then, and we’ve met some of our lifelong friends here. My friends from college and I coach each other’s kids … [Read more...]
Professors juggle booked schedules
While students were resting, relaxing and recharging over Christmas break, Professor Jack Lugar of AU’s communication and design arts department was busy writing yet another novel. While somehow managing to teach chaotic classrooms of college students full-time, Lugar, along with several other professors at AU, writes books and novels spanning a wide range of genres in his spare time. “Writing books and teaching full-time is pretty challenging, but I have found that we choose to do with our … [Read more...]
Social media integrated into class curriculum
In the past decade, all forms of social media have grown significantly in popularity, pertinence and purpose. Although social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are often thought of in the context of personal lives, many professors have started integrating the use of these platforms into the classroom and homework assignments. Dr. Michael Frank, professor of political science, has taught at AU for nearly two decades. In his time teaching, Frank has watched several … [Read more...]
Q&A: Tommy
Tommy is the evening on-air personality for 99.5 WZPL, the leading Top 40 radio station in the Indianapolis market. He can be heard every weeknight from seven to midnight, and periodically throughout the weekend. He is releasing his debut book, Turbulence, in the summer of this year, which walks the reader through his rocky childhood, the many mistakes he made when he was young and the life lessons he gained from those experiences. Tommy is currently enrolled in the Falls School of Business at … [Read more...]
Q&A: Brian Dirck
Dr. Brian Dirck, professor of history, received his Bachelor’s in history at the University of Central Arkansas. From there, Dirck went on to receive a Master’s in history from Rice University, and later a PhD in history from the University of Kansas. Throughout his many years of teaching, Dirck has also written over half a dozen books focusing on various aspects of Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidency. Where are you from? I was originally born in Missouri, but I moved around quite a bit … [Read more...]
Spring semester brings new faculty to campus
Among the new faculty this spring semester is Professor Kris Rinas, who is the new operations director and instructor of cinema and video in the Department of Communications and Design Arts. He will be teaching Audio Concepts, Television Studio Production and the Cinema and Media Arts practicum this semester. Ever since high school, Rinas has wanted to follow his passion for video production and pursue it as a career. “When I turned 18, my parents encouraged me to begin thinking … [Read more...]
New scholarship to be offered to Madison County students
More than 79 percent of the students at AU received financial aid help last year, according to usnews.com. This aid came in many forms, such as grants, loans and scholarships. With the increasing need from students for some form of financial aid, colleges around the country are feeling the pressure to support their students. This year, AU is trying harder than ever to try to supply a few more fiscally-saving opportunities to its students. For instance, AU has recently announced it will begin to … [Read more...]