Optimist
You are here: Home / Mark Smith

Budget plan to cut more jobs

by

About a year and a half ago, Dr. Phil Schubert stood before a packed Hart Auditorium, twice, to give details on a plan to cut $10 million from the university's budget. The two-year plan, effective in May 2012, called for elimination of about 35 university positions. A handful of those positions, most of them in Student Life, are about to be cut ... [Read More…]

Flemings raise about $12K in fundraiser

by

In one packed night at Chick-Fil-A, Lance and Jill Fleming raised about $12 thousand for their charity they created in honor of their son, Rex. Rex Fleming died in November from a two-year-long fight with cancer. He spent a lot of time in Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, undergoing chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. He enjoyed playing ... [Read More…]

Some final thoughts from our fearless leader

by

I graduate from college in a week. And it seems like only three years I was graduating from high school. The Nostalgia Effect I may have had a shorter stay at ACU than most, but that doesn't mean I'm not sad to be leaving my dear Christian College, nor does it mean I haven't acquired any outstanding memories along the way: Watching every episode ... [Read More…]

Baby faces, unite in youthfulness

by

I do not look like I'm 12 years old. I look 15. And I'm OK with this. As a freshman, I did look 12. But a couple years at the Optimist will put the age in your face real quick. At the beginning of my first Christmas break of college, I flew from Abilene to DFW and then on to Richmond, Va., my hometown. Three different flight attendants asked me ... [Read More…]

Class attendance policy is helpful

by

I respectfully disagree with the rest of the editorial board. Mandatory class attendance is a good thing. I quickly realized in our meeting that I was outnumbered, but I still wanted to share the opposing view. Yes, students (or their parents) pay to go to class, so the argument that they should be able to skip as much as they want holds ... [Read More…]

Feeding frenzy: Sharky’s continues to attract students

by

Emily Teel, sophomore art major from Abilene, sees her friends every time she's at work. Teel works at Sharky's Burrito Co., the popular build-your-own-burrito restaurant located near the Abilene Christian University campus. One of the few burrito places in Abilene, it is frequented by many students from ACU and Hardin-Simmons University, as well ... [Read More…]

Flapjack fundraising: Student event raises money for Parkinson’s research

by

Another "boys vs. girls" competition raised more than $1,500 for Parkinson's disease research with breakfast food. On Thursday evening, about 250 students came through the Gardner West lobby to enjoy pancakes, live music and socializing with other students at the Pancakes for Parkinson's fundraiser event, led by Addie Schmitz, sophomore youth and ... [Read More…]

Endurance runners fear Boston bombings will change sport

by

ACU endurance athletes believe the bombing in Monday's Boston Marathon has changed the sport forever. Two blasts exploded near the finish line a little more than four hours into the race, sending the crowd and exhausted runners into a panic. The explosions killed three people and injured dozens more and caused major cities around the nation to ... [Read More…]

You are here: Home / Mark Smith