The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Mark Smith

Budget plan to cut more jobs

May 3, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Budget

Flemings raise about $12K in fundraiser

May 3, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Fundraising, Rex Fleming

Some final thoughts from our fearless leader

May 3, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Optimist, Senior Column

The tale of a simple sports reporter turned Chief

May 1, 2013 by Mark Smith

I have a confession to make. During my first semester at ACU, I rarely read the Optimist. I didn't find it interesting. I didn't care about administration changes, campus events or what the editorial board thought about iPads in the classroom. I was happy to be an ignorant, happy, social freshman journalism major with visions of ESPN employment ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Optimist, Senior Column

Baby faces, unite in youthfulness

April 26, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: Columns

Class attendance policy is helpful

April 24, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Attendance

Fertilizer plant explodes in West, students from area worry about home town

April 19, 2013 by Mark Smith

A fertilizer plant exploded Wednesday evening in West, about 20 miles north of Waco, reportedly killing several people and injuring many more. While national and local newspapers and news stations are reporting conflicting numbers of those killed and injured by the explosion, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported Thursday that an estimated five to 15 ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: News

Feeding frenzy: Sharky’s continues to attract students

April 19, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: Around Abilene

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

April 17, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: News, Showcase Tagged With: Gardner Hall

Endurance runners fear Boston bombings will change sport

April 17, 2013 by Mark Smith

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…]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Terrorism

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 17
  • Next Page »
You are here: Home / Mark Smith

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
1 Nov

BREAKING NEWS: The winners of the 2025 Homecoming Parade are: Sanctify in the student organization division, Ko Jo Kai in the sorority division and Gamma Sigma Phi in the fraternity division.

Reply on Twitter 1984744359288344797 Retweet on Twitter 1984744359288344797 Like on Twitter 1984744359288344797 3 Twitter 1984744359288344797
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
1 Nov

BREAKING NEWS: Makeda Marquardt, president of Ko Jo Kai, is the 2025 Homecoming queen.

Reply on Twitter 1984739786242785498 Retweet on Twitter 1984739786242785498 Like on Twitter 1984739786242785498 2 Twitter 1984739786242785498

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

4 days ago

The Optimist
Every 74 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. Optimist Editor in Chief Ashley Henderson shared how her eyes were opened to this tragic reality and the importance of speaking up. 📝: Ashley Henderson#acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #opinion #sexualassaultawarenesson ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

6 days ago

The Optimist
The Optimist staff was busy at work last week! Our team produced a 12-page newspaper and a newscast show all while keeping up with the daily coverage of Homecoming events. Members of our staff also attended the annual Gutenberg event and the Sports Hall of Fame dinner to support alumni from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications.To view our Homecoming coverage, visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #acuhomecoming #studentmedia ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved