AU Updates

Evans P. Whitaker, Ph.D., president of Anderson University, has been appointed a trustee of the Washington, DC-based Committee for Economic Development (CED), a policy institute of the Conference Board. CED trustees work with researchers in the development of national policy analyses and recommendations.

Founded in 1942 to help the U.S. economy transition from
a wartime to a peacetime economy, CED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led public policy organization of the Conference Board. CED Trustees consist primarily of senior corporate executives from a range of U. S. industries and sectors. Its stated aims are to sustain and promote free enterprise, improve education and healthcare, reform campaign finance, enhance corporate governance, and improve the fiscal health of the United States. It produces objective, fact-based nonpartisan research and policy recommendations to promote policies its trustees will foster economic growth and development to benefit all Americans.

Two professors from the Anderson University College of Christian Studies will be part of a three-day conference devoted to one of the Apostle Paul's most well-known epistles—which is taking place in the very city to which he wrote.

In May 2022, Drs. Michael Duduit and Channing Crisler of the Anderson University College of Christian Studies and Clamp Divinity School will travel to Rome, where they'll join some of the most effective preachers and teachers in the English-speaking world to proclaim the truths of the book of Romans. Paul wrote the letter to Roman Christians around 57 A.D.

Dr. Duduit, who is dean of the college, and Dr. Crisler, associate professor of New Testament and Biblical Greek, are presenting at the three-day conference devoted to exploring the Pauline epistle.

Anderson University is among the nation’s best colleges or universities— regardless of size or location—in how it interacts with its students, according to The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2022 U.S. College Rankings.

Anderson University ranks 25 out of nearly 800 institutions in the United States for Best Student Engagement, the third year in a row AU has ranked in the top decile of all universities nationwide. The University ranked #27 in 2020 and #26 in 2021.

The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program awarded Dr. Kolawole Olaiya, professor of English at the Anderson University College of Arts and Sciences, a fellowship to travel to Nigeria to work with Wesley University in Ondo, Nigeria, to collaborate on research, develop curriculum, host workshops and conduct various activities related to mass communication during the summer of 2021. The Wesley University project is one of 74 that will pair African diaspora scholars with higher education institutions and collaborators in Africa to work on curriculum co-development, collaborative research, graduate training and mentoring activities in the coming months.

Anderson University is celebrating the generosity of Paragon Hotel Company for its gift of $25,000 to benefit the College of Health Professions

Pictured from left: AnMed Health CEO William Kenley and Senior Vice President for Development and Presidential Affairs Wayne Landrith accepted the gift from Mitesh Patel, president of Paragon Hotel Company at a grand opening celebration for Hotel2Suites by Hilton's new facility in downtown Anderson, the company's newest property and now the largest hotel in the city.

The South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University has new facilities across campus to accommodate unprecedented growth in its programs.

The Theatre and Dance program has moved dance classes from a rented space downtown to its own home on campus. This move comes as the number of majors has grown, particularly for the new B.A. in Dance degree, now in its third year. According to Terrie Poore, assistant professor of Dance, since the degree launched, enrollment has significantly increased, underscoring the need for a spacious facility on campus.

Programs in Commercial Music and Worship Leadership have doubled over the past five years, leading to installation of new technology, including full video integration and a Dante (Digital Audio Network Through Ethernet) network in the Music Media Studios at The South Carolina School of the Arts. Improvements to the Music Media Studios were possible through a combination of funding sources, including A Day funds, funds already raised or allocated through the Johnny Mann Center for Commercial Music, Friends of Music, Senior Follies fund and funds provided by the AU Facilities Department for classroom upgrades under the leadership of Charlie Dickerson, executive director of facilities and campus safety and David Carter, director of physical plant.

Anderson University wants students, faculty, staff and guests experiencing its campus dining options to feel they are in a fine restaurant, not a cafeteria. Chef Mike Ballas and the staff of AVI Foodsystems came to the University to ensure they get just that.

AVI Foodsystems, the nation's largest, family-owned and operated food and hospitality provider, operates the AU Culinary Center in the G. Ross Anderson Jr. Student Center, with food options ranging from homestyle to international, stone-fired pizza, burgers, salads and more. Upstairs in the Student Center is Chronicles Café, offering hand-crafted coffee and espresso beverages, bottled beverages, smoothies and baked goods which include authentic New York bagels as well as a variety sandwiches, salads and sides. Also in the Student Center is Chick-fil-A, offering everyone’s favorite sandwich and other popular menu items. In Thrift Library, Books & Beans proudly brews Starbucks espresso and gourmet coffee, and also serves teas, smoothies and a large selection of pastries, sandwiches, sushi and hearty, bowl-based meals.

Emily Prunty, a student at the Anderson University School of Public Service and Administration, was with North Carolina Baptist On Mission Disaster Relief assisting victims of Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Louisiana last September.

Prunty and her team spent a week in the heart of New Orleans putting tarps on roofs. They also removed water damaged interior building materials and took other measures to prevent mold from growing. New Orleans didn’t have the same mind-boggling devastation and loss of life as with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but there was still significant damage, according to Prunty.

Anderson University’s Clamp Divinity School has announced plans to launch a Doctor of Philosophy in Preaching degree program beginning in the Fall semester 2022.

The purpose of the Ph.D. in Preaching is to advance theoretical
and practical knowledge that will position students to lead, write and teach more effectively in the field of homiletics. The University received authorization for the degree from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-COC) in November and is now accepting applications for enrollment.

A team of students from the Anderson University Center for Cybersecurity is among the top 17 percent of teams across the country after placing in the NCL (National Cyber League) fall competition.

The root@au team was composed of Nathan Rackley, Annie Nastasi, Hyeokjin (David) Oh, Zachary Seiter, Franklin George, Nicholas Fowler, Sofia Deambrosi and alternate Sean St. Clair.