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Check out this month's Alumni Newsletter!
April 2020  
Hello AU lovers!  

Uncharted. Unprecedented. Unknown. These descriptions are among so many others we seem to hear daily during the coronavirus pandemic. And yet, every day, Ravens are standing in the gap, filling in the cracks, and showing up to meet needs. I encourage you to check out our “Pride of Anderson” section below and to also tune in to a webcast we’re starting up called ECHOES (first 2 editions also below) where you can catch a glimpse of just a couple stories of our alumni doing remarkable things, making a difference, and living out their faith during these turbulent times. You can also find more alumni stories and news from the university in the spring, online-only, edition of Signatures magazine. You can check it out here.

And even with so many of you doing new and exciting things, we also recognize the immense hurt that so many are enduring as well. We sent out a prayer request form (included below in GBGR) out to you a couple of weeks ago and the requests just keep coming for our faculty and staff to lift up in prayer each Wednesday. I would also ask that you keep our campus community and student body in prayer. Though we have found and are continuing to find ways to still live out AU’s mission, it’s been a challenge and we want to get back to our normal. Thankfully and undoubtedly, through the ups and downs, we are ALL #StillAU.

For the ones who’ve gone before,
Trent 


God Bless, Go Ravens! (GBGR)
How can we be praying for you?
In this uncertain time, we want you to know that as a family of Ravens, we are #StillAU, and we want to lift all of you up in prayer. So how can we be praying for you?

Please share your prayer requests with us and ways that we can be praying for you, your family, and your circumstances. All requests will remain anonymous unless otherwise noted, as President Pistole and the AU community pray for these requests each Wednesday
at 11 a.m.
Alumni Award Nominations
It's that time of year again! We are accepting nominations for our annual AU Alumni Awards.

Do you know an AU alum who has distinguished themselves through service, personal, or professional achievement? Nominate them with our nomination form here.

For a full list of awards and the criteria, please visit our website. All nominations must be submitted by July 1. Each recipient of an AU Alumni Award will be recognized at Homecoming.

Evening of Excellence, April 26
Amid the numerous postponements and cancellations of concerts and events due to the coronavirus, Anderson University School of Music, Theatre, and Dance decided not to cancel their most important event of the year. Instead, they will host Evening of Excellence virtually on
YouTube Premier and Facebook Premier simultaneously on April 26th at 7:30 p.m. The special event will feature student performances and awards, including performances from two vocalists who were the winners of AU’s Concerto Aria Competition just one month before the pandemic was declared. Both vocalists will be accompanied by a virtual orchestra made up of music faculty performing the orchestra parts and conducted by Dr. Richard Sowers.
Anderson University’s fourth annual Black Bird Film Festival will be held via livestream at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.

Sponsored by the cinema program in AU’s Department of Communication and Design Arts, the festival showcases the work of student filmmakers. Viewers will be able to tune in at blackbirdmedialab.com.

A live afterparty will allow for discussion between students and viewers. Admission is free and this event is open to students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and film buffs.

For more information, contact Jack Lugar at jrlugar@anderson.edu or 765-641-4343.
AU Social Media Ambassadors
If you love AU and are willing to show it on your social media handles, we'd love to invite you to be a Social Media Ambassador. Having a robust network on Facebook, Twitter, even LinkedIn can really make a difference in knowing what's going on at AU and what's happening in the lives of our alumni!

Not on social media? We'd love your help too in promoting AU events through emails and phone calls/texts.

And, if you're willing to engage in this effort, we'll even send you some sweet AU swag! Interested? Fill out this interest form, and we'll send you information soon!
Anderson University and the Falls School of Business are excited to announce that our Master in Business Administration program is now officially an MBA for Life.

Rather than expect our students to take one set of classes and then be done, we have developed a process where anyone who has completed their MBA at Anderson can return at any time in the future to audit any course tuition-free. Additionally, if MBA graduates want to return and take courses for credit -- to obtain an additional concentration certificate, for example -- they are guaranteed to pay only half the regular tuition price.


Best of all: this offer starts today for all MBA alumni. Contact us at mba@anderson.edu or 888.MBA.GRAD to ask questions, see our upcoming course schedules, and begin to take your next steps!

The Pride of Anderson
Alum Danny Dodge creates 3D masks to keep others safe
AU alum Danny "DJ" Dodge '85 has turned his 3D printing business and hobby into a real-world solution in the midst of the COVID-19 global health crisis.

Danny started making masks with his 3D printers after he found a public design and instructions from a doctor in Montana.

“This is my small part in keeping other people safe and eliminating the spread,” Dodge said. “I had taken on 3D printing as a hobby that has turned to business. All that time I spent doing that development made this easy to figure out, and time is of the essence here.”

Read more about Danny and his 3D mask production here.
Alums join together to create and distribute masks locally and in New York City
Many Ravens across the US are also sewing fabric masks for those in need. Several art department alums collaborated in such efforts. These efforts range from the sewing of masks by Kim (Cart) Innis ‘97, Chris Ludden ‘99, Rachel Newcum ‘01, Cameron Bourquein ‘06, Leanne Miller-Knipping ‘10, Stephen Schaf ‘93, and former AU art professor Jason Knapp to the starting of FB groups which focus on managing the collection and the distribution of masks to the front-liners by Anya Aslanova '00 in Indianapolis and Rena Leinberger '98 in New York City.

"Through our official channels, our team has distributed 6,200 masks, and we have facilitated the mailing and distribution of about 4,000 more. My group started a drive a few days ago for non-handmade mask PPE. We sourced and donated 360 shoe covers, 800 gloves, 457 N95 masks, and 200 face shields. We also started making scrub caps," said Rena Leinberger.

She added, "Our team includes a chemist, who leads many aspects of research as we work with virologists, hospitalists, and materials specialists who understand particulate filtration and sterilization. Out of necessity, we are now in the process of designing our masks entirely differently, as many hospitals are out of supplies and the crisis is expected to continue into the fall. We need to design and fabricate masks that approach the efficacy of the N95. I’m confident through a lot of teamwork and crowdsourcing, we will be able to design an effective mask. I am also forming partnerships with NGOs who have small quantities of N95s, face shields, and sterilization equipment. We hope to be coordinating these shipments weekly.”


If you would like to help these efforts, please join the group where you can find more information on how to give financially or with supplies (specifically surgical drapes, Halcyon 600) in particular would be appreciated, 100% cotton fabric, and thread).

The Indianapolis facebook group, Indy Sewing Masks!, is led by Anya Aslanova ’00 with huge help from a fellow alum, Kathy (Stone) Wasson ’00, managing the group. Anya began connecting with people on FB on March 21 as a direct response to the needs of New York City, coordinating with Rena Leinberger’s efforts. After sending several hundred masks to NYC, the local need became increasingly urgent, and the group refocused their efforts in and around Indiana. With the help of nearly 1,000 members, the group has produced and donated more than 14,000 masks to local and regional front-liners, including Community Health Network (Indianapolis and Anderson),  St. Vincent Hospital, Eskenazi, IU Health/Methodist/Riley Hospitals, St. Francis Hospital, VA Hospital, Indiana National Guard, Wheeler Mission, Adult & Child services, Johnson County front-liners (police departments and healthcare professionals), local nursing homes, and many others.

Anya says, “Despite the very unfortunate circumstances, this group brought many people together and provided us all a positive purpose and an outlet. We have built a diverse community of wonderful individuals. The mid-west spirit shines!”

Anybody who wants to help, Anya invites you to join the group where you will find patterns and other resources for making masks as well as current mask needs.

Inspiring Viral Videos
During this tumultuous time, it seems as though social media has been flooded with sentiments of gratitude and encouragement to everyone on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three recent videos are not only heartwarming but feature many AU alumni! Check them out below!
AU Alumni: Brent Henderson '86, Layke Jones  ’16, Heather Lake, Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin ’01, Amy (Ransom) Rouse ’88, Shelley (Leach) Rusk ’01, Brock Thornsbrough ’97
AU Alumni: Chris Chavez '15 and Jen (Helvering) Crider '10

Performed by East Side Church of God Choir
AU Alumni: Ryan Kellam '12, Becki (Meyer) Robinson '80, Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin  ’01, Matt Ulrich '07

AU Staff and Faculty: Jackson Butler
Itinerary Premier
On Friday, April 17, the short film Itinerary (directed by Thom Newell '09, written by Sarah Brown Carter '10 and Trent Bruce '12), featuring a slew of AU alumni was premiered on Youtube.

"The main goal was to showcase what AU Alums are doing in their field, reconnect with old friends and hopefully inspire someone along the way," said Trent Bruce. "We were thrilled to get to come back to AU Homecoming to premiere the short film, reconnect with old friends, and share with current students. Although the Ravens that worked on this project came from different eras one thing is true, we are all Ravens. We hope you enjoy this film and thank you to everyone who made this possible." 

Other alumni credits include: produced by Andrew Stuart ‘12, edited by Chris Witt ‘03, score by David Naffie '15, featuring music from Joel Levi ‘09 and Joshua Powell ‘13.

Pictured below (left to right): Trent Bruce '12, Mark Sipka '12, Tye Edwards '95, Sarah Brown Carter '10
Echoes
Check out Echoes- our video webcast of AU Alumni interviews. In our first editions of Echoes, we spoke with Josh Smith '14 and LaNesha (Bolden) Tabb '06- two alumni who are in the thick of the healthcare and education systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to Josh, LaNesha, and all those who are making big differences in our ever-changing world.
Raven Spotlight Series- AU Athletics
Check out some of our spring athletes with the Raven Spotlight Series.
Alumni Events
Stay Connected
It’s important for you to continuously update your contact information with the AU Alumni Network to receive important information from us.

Please keep your alma mater up-to-date when you:
  • Get a new mailing address, email address, or phone number
  • Get married (if your last name changes and/or provide us with the name of your spouse so we can link you in our database) or have a baby
  • Get a new job, job title, or promotion at your current job

Let us know about these important life changes here.

Contact us
For questions, suggestions, and networking, contact the Alumni Office!

(765) 641-4100
OR
alumni@anderson.edu

 
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Anderson University, 1100 E. Fifth St, Anderson, IN 46012, United States

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