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George Washington is probably rolling in his grave

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I’m not going to pretend like I know everything about politics. I’m not going to pretend like I have all the answers. I’m not going to pretend like this election isn’t a messy one, because honestly, this is the messiest election this nation has ever seen. In full disclosure, I hate politics and the divisive nature of politics and would rather do ... [Read More…]

And sew it goes: Psychology grad designs and produces products for her Etsy store

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If you want a new, unique place to shop, look no further than alumna Maci Smith's ('16) online clothing shop. She decided to start up the Etsy shop as a way to use her love of fashion to make money part-time while she traveled over the summer, but now she intends to keep the shop around as long as possible. "I have always wanted to do something ... [Read More…]

From One Mom to Another: How Rogers created the ‘World’s Okayest’ nonprofit

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Jenn Rogers, instructor in the teacher's education department, was inspired to start the nonprofit World's Okayest Mom after experiencing some complications while pregnant with her third child three years ago. At her 20 week ultrasound, doctors discovered she had a complication called placenta previa, and at 25 weeks, she had a major bleed while ... [Read More…]

A Transformational Chief: Over 15 years, Ellison has turned ACUPD into a professional police force

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ACU Police Chief Jimmy Ellison's career as a police officer started out normal: as a patrolman straight out of the police academy in the mid '80s. At the Beaumont Police Department, he eventually worked his way up the ranks to sergeant and then transferred to the narcotics department before finally making the move to ACU, where's he's now in his ... [Read More…]

Carroll balances cancer and career

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After being diagnosed with breast cancer in March, Dr. Laura Carroll has kept up with both her job as an associate professor of English and her position in the Adams Center as the director of faculty development – all while driving back and forth to Dallas for chemotherapy. Though it's been hard to manage and find a good balance between her ... [Read More…]

Sign language instructor teaches about 9/11

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It's been fifteen years since the most tragic terrorist attack on American soil, and there's now a whole generation of students who weren't even alive on 9/11. How does one go about teaching that day to children who don't know what it felt like? Cassandra Knutson, American Sign Language instructor at ACU and in the Abilene Independent School ... [Read More…]

From Abilene to Africa: alumnus creates unique fundraiser for mission trip

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Erika Scott ('16) grew up as a missionary kid in Chang Mai, Thailand, over 8,000 miles away from the small town of Abilene. Several generations of her father’s family attended ACU, so she decided to follow in their footsteps and attend as well – she graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in communication, and now plans to become a missionary ... [Read More…]

The Elephant in the Newsroom

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It’s time to talk about the elephant in the newsroom. Specifically, the ESPN or the Sports Illustrated newsrooms, or any newsroom where men dominate – which is basically every newsroom, but sports media in particular tends to fall victim to a lack of diversity. The Women's Media Center conducted research and found that females make up 36% of all ... [Read More…]

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