Investor Notes | A New Year at Anderson University

New Year’s greetings for 2018!

The new year brings renewed hope and promise of new opportunities for all of us. Here at AU, we too are anticipating new opportunities for 2018.

One of those new opportunities is a new Situation Room for our students who are pursuing studies within the area of National Security. The National Security studies program is an initiative designed to help prepare students for work in the National Security or cybersecurity areas in the federal government and the private businesses that support those efforts.

This idea was initiated by our National Security faculty who brought me the idea this past summer. Soon after, I was speaking with a friend of mine who I was in school with and who has been very successful in business. He expressed interest in financially supporting our national security initiatives. When I told him about the proposed “Sit Room,” he was so enthusiastic that he committed and then made a contribution that covered the entire cost of this project!

This situation room will enable our students to get a sense of what it's like to be in National Security Council meetings at the White House (where I spent many hours in my FBI/TSA days). They’ll use role-based scenarios provided at no cost to us by the Council on Foreign Relations, where I serve on a higher-education advisory group. There are many current students, parents, and prospective students who talk to me about career opportunities in the FBI, the CIA, the Department of Homeland Security, and related private businesses, most of which deal with classified materials and require security clearances. We’re blessed to be in the business of educating students for a life of faith and service in the church and society and to have friends like you who help make it happen. If you’re in the area, we’re tentatively planning to have a ribbon cutting ceremony for the “Sit Room” on or about Feb. 14.

The Situation Room is just one of the many opportunities we are looking forward to as we begin this new year at AU. If you or others are interested in supporting and encouraging students in this growing area, or wherever your passion lies, please contact Jen Hunt, our Vice President for Advancement, or Dr. Michael Frank, who oversees our National Security program; or, of course, feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your continued support of AU. We are anticipating great things in 2018!

President John Pistole

Anderson University has many wonderful, committed donors who support AU students wholeheartedly, but perhaps none are as committed as the Campus Champions. These are the dedicated faculty and staff members who not only work daily to further the mission of the university and to help create servant leaders but also give of their financial resources as well.

Leading the charge for giving back to the campus community is a special group known as the Campus Champions Ambassadors. This group of enthusiastic and loyal faculty and staff help promote and facilitate the campus giving program among their peers.

Joyce Wehneman, assistant professor and licensing advisor for the School of Education, and one of the ambassadors, says this about giving back to help provide resources for the students: "As an AU alum who has the great opportunity to be on campus daily interacting with faculty, staff, and students, I see the core values of Anderson University being carried out in mighty ways. This is why I give. Not only did Anderson (College) University prepare me for my life's work, it continues to uphold the preparation of students for a life of faith and service."

Another ambassador, Dr. Jim Scott, professor in the Department of Kinesiology and natatorium director, says, "I give back because I love this place and the students with whom I get to work and teach. I also give back because I believe that I am called to do so, and I am happy to answer that call."

Campus Champions believe in Anderson University and its mission, but mostly, they believe in the students. Because of these beliefs, the faithful faculty and staff who give back financially to Anderson University are true Campus Champions!

On Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, Anderson University will celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of service projects and opportunities for reflection and hands-on learning. Classes will be suspended for the day.

One of the new elements of this year’s celebration includes: "A Day in 1960: Then, and Now What.” Michael Thigpen, director of the Cultural Resource Center, says, “This simulation explores the challenges of the 1960s and the systemic effects on our current society. Participants will be given tools to identify microaggressions and combat them.”

On Tuesday, the chapel will host the Distinguished Gentlemen of Spoken Word, a group of African-American males ages 8-18 who study the art of performance poetry as an active tool to keep them focused in their schools and community. Their performances combine classic poetry, movement poetry, and spoken word. They have performed throughout the state of Ohio at churches and community events including half-time shows for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ basketball team.

Concluding the events on Tuesday will be the opening of the PACT lecture series at 7 p.m. The Peace and Conflict Transformation (PACT) program seeks to build bridges of understanding and compassion. This four-part series is an opportunity to hear from those who have devoted their lives to educating others on of forgiveness and reconciliation.

All students, faculty, staff, and the greater Anderson community are invited to come together to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to commit to the ongoing work for peace.

You can view the complete schedule of events at anderson.edu/mlk.

Deciding to attend Anderson University was easy for me. My older brother and sister both went to AU, and I had been visiting them since my freshman year of high school. As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew I wanted to go here and nowhere else. The campus community was what made me fall in love with AU. It didn’t matter if you knew a person or not, when you talked to someone on campus, they would be more than happy to carry on a conversation with you.

I am a business major with a focus in marketing, and I feel fortunate to be a part of the Falls School of Business. I am very blessed to have such caring and dedicated professors who will do anything and everything to help their students succeed. I am so appreciative of all of the connections I have been able to make through the opportunities they give us.

Because so many students I know are having a great experience at Anderson, I would definitely recommend AU to younger friends or relatives. AU is a great choice for those who are looking for a school where they can grow and learn within a caring community. Anderson University is an amazing place to not only grow intellectually but also experience personal growth through faith and in finding out who you are.

I am paying for college all out of pocket with no help except any scholarships or grants I receive. If it wasn’t for my financial aid I wouldn’t have been able to attend Anderson University. To be able to thank all of the donors who provide gifts for student aid or for other programs on campus in just a couple sentences would be impossible. You are the reason many of us are able to go to the university of our choice. I don’t even know if AU would be here without you: the donors.

Thank you. I’m here because of you!