Jon McLaughlin, 2005 AU alumnus, will return to his alma mater and Reardon Auditorium for a concert on Oct. 13 as a part of the 2007 homecoming festivities. His first album with Island Records, INDIANA, was released earlier this year. The album features songs such as “Beautiful Disaster” and “Industry.”

McLaughlin has toured with artists such as with O.A.R., Live, Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, and Sister Hazel.

She’s not only a legend but, thankfully for her, a living legend. Renowned gospel singer and Anderson resident Sandi Patty was honored Friday as an Indiana Living Legend by the Indiana Historical Society. “It’s a great honor to be included on that amazing list,” she said. “I’m just thankful they used the word living,” she laughed.

AU alums Bill and Gloria Gaither, who were honored in 2006, accompanied Patty, and Gloria Gaither gave Patty the award.

Anderson University was selected by the United States Department of Education Office of Language Acquisition to receive a four-year grant of nearly $800,000 to establish a Professional Development Academy (PDA) for Teachers of English as a New Language. The Professional Development Academy is the first center of its kind in Indiana. The goal of the center is to prepare teachers to teach English to persons who do not speak English as a primary language. The mission of the center will be to provide instruction that accelerates Limited English Proficient (LEP) students leading to school retention and post-secondary enrollment in universities.

Long-time Anderson University softball coach Larry Holloway passed away on July 8, 2007 at St. John’s Hospital in Anderson after a brief illness.

Covenant Productions just released four DVDs featuring the late AU President Emeritus Robert Reardon: “Holy Places,” “Robert H. Reardon Funeral,” “A River Deep and Wide” and “Stories I’ve Told.”