I can’t deny it, I won’t deny it and you can’t change my mind: I love Christmas.

I’m a fan of holidays in general — most mean either presents, great food or knocking on strangers’ doors for candy — all good things in my book. But, wow, do I love Christmas!

From Christmas lights and decorations in the yard, to the stories of Santa, Rudolph and Frosty, to watching “The Christmas Story” repeatedly — I love it. And don’t forget crazy shopping at Wal-Mart on Dec. 23 — I love it all.

Throw in getting presents (admit it, it’s your favorite part, too), Christmas music, peppermint mochas from Starbucks (I’m addicted) and a nice snow blanketing the ground, and Christmas is hands down the best holiday ever. And this doesn’t even mention the real reason for the season, as we like to say.

Unfortunately, I’ll miss out on all these great things and more this year.

I and fellow members of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 221st Ordnance Co., based in Fort Wayne, will be spending Christmas in Afghanistan or Kuwait, serving America in her time of need. Like so many before us, we are making one of the most difficult sacrifices a soldier can make — being away from home during the holidays.

Season of gifts

Perhaps my family is one reason why I love Christmas. Every year, my mother decorates the house to an unbelievable extent. There is a Nativity scene, angel or elf covering every square inch. I can’t use the bathroom without seeing Christmas towels and being asked if I have been naughty or nice. And her Christmas village … oh, my … the elaborate scheme of buildings, roads, townspeople and fake snow is a thing of beauty.

Of course, she is also the master of gift giving — no matter what it is I wanted each year, she made sure I had it. From a bike, to GI Joes, to a Playstation 2, she delivered. My dad has also been awesome when it comes to buying presents for me and my siblings.

And then there is my aunt. Every year we still get a Christmas stocking at her house full of things like deodorant, soap, toothpaste, socks — you know, all the things you need, but don’t want to open on Christmas Day.

Hard on the families

A deployment wears on everyone involved — both the soldier and the families back home. And perhaps no time is harder than the time right now.

“It’s miserable,” said Sgt. Zane Unverzagt, a 221st Ordnance Co. member from Columbia City. Unverzagt was also deployed with the unit in 2004-2005, and he knows what it’s like to be away from home at the holidays.

“The holidays are important, and missing one is enough,” he said, “But missing two is even worse. It’s just miserable.”

Back home, Unverzagt has plenty of loved ones awaiting his return. Among them are four children, (two of his own and two soon-to-be stepchildren) ranging from ages 2 to 7, and also his fiancee, Jenna. After the deployment forced a serious look at their engagement, the two will wed in August.

“My children are supportive as children can be,” Unverzagt said. “They understand me being gone, and they know when I’m home we’ll have a real Christmas together.”

Dad in Afghanistan

Sgt. 1st Class Eric Smith also knows what it’s like to be away from home during the holidays. He spent time on active duty before joining the 221st and also served in Afghanistan during the unit’s last deployment. But for Smith, who is stationed in Salerno, Afghanistan, it’s hard no matter what time of year it is.

“I think the hardest part about being away from home is not seeing my four children grow up,” Smith said. “I missed my youngest’s first birthday, his first step and so on and so on. And it’s really hard on the kids. They really don’t know what to make of the deployment. All they want is for me to come home.”

It’s even more difficult when the holidays roll around.

“Being away from my loved ones is hard, but it’s even harder now … I can’t help but think of all the love and thankfulness that the holidays bring,” he said.

Wife is his ‘hero’

As difficult and painful as it is to be away from his wife and four children, the experience makes Smith realize how thankful he is for his loving family.

“I am most thankful for my family, especially my wife; she has been my biggest supporter!” Smith said. “I don’t know where I would be without her. She always makes me feel loved, and she’s always been there for me.

“I think she and many women like her have the hardest jobs there are!,” Smith added. “She has to be the mom and dad in my absence. She has to take care of everything until I am home. My job is somewhat easy compared to hers.”

He concluded with a statement few in uniform would argue with:

“She and women like her are my heroes — the families are the ones that make the ultimate sacrifice.”

Soldiers are family

While being away from home for the holidays isn’t fun, there is a bit of consolation for soldiers.

A deployment creates bonds rarely seen by those who have not experienced it. Soldiers live with each other day in and day out — they work, eat and sleep together, and see each other at their best and worst. It’s nearly impossible to not form a family-like bond.

“My soldiers are my family,” Smith said. “We argue and we laugh just like most families do, then we have a big group hug when it’s all said and done. It kind of lets you know that you are not alone in Afghanistan.”

Unverzagt agrees.

“I think we have it easy,” he said. “There are 30 other guys right here going through the same thing that I am, and having those people here who understand, it makes the holidays a lot easier.”

—Nick Pease wrote this column for the News-Sentinel in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Approximately 40 colleges in each of the six geographical regions in the U.S. were selected as meeting four key criteria that make a college truly exceptional: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes. These are the “hidden gems” of higher education institutions - as determined by a review board of academicians, guidance counselors, and parents.

“We are truly honored to have received the designation of ‘College of Distinction’ by Students Horizons,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “We believe that this distinction will provide a level of pride for our students and their families for this recognition, and confidence that we have been acknowledged by our peers for having high quality faculty, uncommonly good teaching, nationally recognized programs, and very engaged students.”

Anderson University was required to go through an application process to be considered, be nationally recognized by education professionals, employ outstanding teachers that provide innovative learning experiences, have an active campus and community that allows for personal development, and be highly valued by employers for its outstanding preparation. Colleges of Distinction also recognized an impressive nine other colleges in the state including: Goshen College, Butler University, Manchester College, St. Joseph’s College, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Saint Mary’s College, Taylor University, University of Evansville, and University of Southern Indiana.

College seekers can also visit the Colleges of Distinction website to learn more about featured schools, including Anderson University. Furthermore, visitors can read tips from high school guidance counselors and essays from college students, presidents, and other members of different campus communities.

Student Horizons, Inc. is a digital services company devoted to higher education. Founded in 2002 by concerned parents and admissions professionals, their mission is to enable students to find colleges and universities that appeal to and complement their unique personalities and aspirations. Student Horizons, Inc. is located in Bethesda, MD.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

“This is a very significant development for the station,” said Matt Rust, program director for WQME. “WQME is the only Christian station representing the Indianapolis market as we report to R&R for the national charts.”

Founded in 1973, Radio & Records offers a broad line of print, Internet, research, convention and seminar products providing radio- and record-industry executives with access to critical research information, including the most comprehensive music-airplay data in the industry. The company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, the Washington DC area and Nashville.

WQME 98.7 is owned and operated by Anderson University. For more information visit www.wqme.com.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Richard Roberts has done just that with William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” the latest production by Anderson University’s theater department. The director has given the play, which opens tonight, a retro makeover by shifting it to the 1970s and flooding the senses with vintage clothing, period music and pop art.

It is common these days to see the Bard’s characters travel through time, but what’s so enjoyable about this “Much Ado” is that all those vibrant stage elements create a visual energy that carries over into many strong performances.

The rumors and lies at the heart of “Much Ado” aren’t all meant to create disharmony. Having just returned from war, Claudio falls instantly in love with Hero. They plan a wedding that the jealous Don John hopes to blow apart by spreading a false rumor about Hero.

The lighter story line revolves around Benedick, a friend to Claudio, and Beatrice. The two are friendly rivals engaged in a “merry war” of insults.

Both have sworn off marriage, but everyone else thinks they’d make a perfect match so a few white lies get told to try and bring them together.

Roberts, resident dramaturg at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, last assisted Anderson University in 2005 when he directed “The Music Man.” His vision for “Much Ado” is a playful revamping of a classic that skillfully blends unique visuals with effectives staging, visual comedy and some surprising musical interludes.

In one scene, Roberts moves the action to a beach where Benedick must struggle to stay hidden while listening in on some gossip. In the following scene, which puts Beatrice in a similarly hilarious predicament, Hero and her girlfriends are clothes shopping and jabbering while Beatrice hides behind racks of dresses and under tables.

The hit songs played throughout the show add more variety and fun, but they sometimes seem rushed, too short and unnecessary. Overall, the music does compliment the clothing and works of art by Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein that decorate the stage.

An intensely animated performance of Benedick comes from Adam Tran, who while transitioning from cocky bachelor to love fool runs and rolls around the stage with sound authority.

As his female counterpart and eventual paramour, Lisa Ermel gives Beatrice a closed but caring personality. Ermel’s performance is also very strong, and she seems to approach Beatrice as having a slight advantage in her verbal jousting with Benedick. She may very well be right.

Other lead actors gave sound performances Monday during a very clean dress rehearsal. The main cast is very balanced in talent, something not so surprising coming from AU. But what is noteworthy about this particular production is the depth of skill seen in the cast going down to more minor roles.

Leah Brenner, a familiar face on the Byrum Hall stage, has a knack for delivering the comedic lines of constable Dogberry that cut through some of the play’s tenser scenes. And as Margaret, Charissa Huguegnard, demands attention, given to a somewhat dull but vitalsupporting role.

Roberts makes one major adaptation from most productions of “Much Ado” in that some major male roles are played by women. Along with Brenner’s Dogberry, a change that alters the play in no substantial way, Roberts takes Leonato, the role of Hero’s father as written by Shakespeare, and turns it into Leonata, Hero’s mother.

While the gender change requires some rewording of lines throughout the play, it also gives Brooke Lose, another strong senior in the school’s theater department, the opportunity to tackle the part and for Roberts to play around with staging, as when Lose’s Leonata is picking out decorations for her daughter’s wedding, something Leonato would have likely left to his wife anyway.

Overall, this “Much Ado” is a freshly altered reworking that allows a talented group of performers to shine.

———-

If you go…

“Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare, directed by Richard Roberts

Byrum Hall, Anderson University

Opens tonight and continues Friday and Saturday, and Nov. 20-22. All shows at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for military and seniors, $5 for students. For tickets, call the Byrum box office at (765) 641-4351.

—Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission. Photos by Richard Sitler.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Anderson University opens its newest theatrical season this weekend with a children’s show that should appeal to older generations as well.

After all, with source material as fun and timeless as the Dr. Seuss books, it would take a true Grinch to watch “Seussical” and not crack a smile.

The two-act musical directed by Laurel Goetzinger is an amalgamation of several Seuss books smashed together in the imagination of young boy played by Samuel McKanney. The plot centers around Horton the Elephant (Theodore Hicks), the do-gooder star of the books, “Horton Hears a Who” and “Horton Hatches the Egg.” The Cat in the Hat (Alvin J. Morrison) also plays prominently, acting as tour guide through the land of Seuss.

The Cat and the boy travel through water, jungle and towns encountering a swarm of dancing and singing Seussian characters. The story moves quickly at times, often with no sense of transition, which could befuddle younger audience members. But regardless of age, anyone familiar with theses stores should enjoy seeing them on stage.

As might be hoped for with a whimsical production like “Seussical,” the costumes are a knockout. Set and costume designer Brandon Kirkham and makeup designer Catherine Miller create a colorful batch of human and animal outfits that range from genteel formal wear for the Whos to wild ensembles with leather pants and heavy black boots for the mix of jungle creatures.

The cast and crew were still ironing out a few technical glitches during a dress rehearsal earlier this week, but the actors for the most part gave an impressive run through.

Strong performers play lead and as members of the ensemble. Leah Ashton Eger, a name people may know through her work with AU’s Orangehaus record label, belts out her numbers as Horton’s nemesis the Sour Kangaroo in homage to Aretha Franklin.

As Horton, AU junior Hicks portrays the gentle soul of that large, naïve creature. He also successfully performs some of the show’s few calm moments during songs that are personal mediations about his struggle to stick with his better judgment and not give into the peer pressure from others in the jungle.

Morrison as the Cat is also fun to watch. The part requires a lot of dexterity: humor, physicality and a decent singing voice. Luckily, it’s all there as the Cat beefs up the comedy in almost all of his scenes.

Another gem of the show is senior Debbie Fights as Gertrude, the slim-tailed bird who also pines for Horton. Maybe it’s easy to play the sweet lovefool, but Fights pretty much nails it. She’s doesn’t appear to hold anything back out of fear of being overly playful. If there’s a character that the kids will love, it’s hers.

But parents should not feel like the show has nothing to offer them. If reading Seuss before bed was ever a tradition in your house, whether you were the reader or the one being read to, you’ll leave “Seussical” with a fresh understanding of genius behind those stories.

———–
If you go…

“Seussical” at Anderson University’s Boze Lyric Theatre

Based on the works of Dr. Seuss. Directed by Laurel Goetzinger

Byrum Hall, Anderson University

Friday through Sunday and Oct. 18 and 19

Friday show at 7:30 p.m., Saturday shows at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for military and seniors, $5 for students

For tickets, call the Byrum box office at (765) 641-4351

-Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

On April 4, 1968, the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Robert Kennedy was in the midst of a presidential campaign that was attempting to bridge racial and economic divisions. As word of the assassination spread, riots and fires erupted in cities across the nation. Though urged to cancel a rally before a mixed crowd in the inner city of Indianapolis, Robert Kennedy refused. The threat of violence was very real. But the few, simple words he spoke that night are credited with creating a sense of calm that averted violence during chaotic days following Dr. King’s death.

A generation after his death, the words of Robert Kennedy continue to speak to our political and popular culture. The independent documentary A Ripple of Hope, produced by Covenant Productions, captures one poignant day in the life of RFK and explores a little known act of personal courage and responsibility.

The story is told in part through interviews with some of the most significant participants and eyewitnesses, including campaign aides, civil-rights leaders, politicians, journalists, members of the stunned crowd, scholars of rhetoric and people whose lives were impacted by the speech.

Robert Kennedy’s words that night are remarkably relevant today. From the inner city of Indianapolis to the Memphis hotel where Dr. King was shot, A Ripple of Hope explores the passion for justice and the personal courage that linked these two extraordinary figures in life as well as death.

The New Orleans Film Festival includes selected new films in every genre from local, national and international filmmakers. As an official selection, “A Ripple of Hope” will be considered for both the Documentary Feature Award and the Audience Choice Award. The viewing schedule for “A Ripple of Hope” will be published September 18th at the New Orleans Film Fesitval website: www.neworleansfilmfest.com.

The Heartland Film Festival, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life. Each October, Heartland screens Truly Moving Pictures from around the world and presents cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival’s top entries. ”A Ripple of Hope” is eligible for Heartland’s Audience Choice Award. The viewing schedule for the documentary will be published September 16th at the Heartland Film Festival website: www.heartlandfilmfestival.org.

“A Ripple of Hope” was produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Donald Boggs. For information visit www.rippleofhopemovie.com.

For more information about the 2008 Heartland Film Festival, visit: www.heartlandfilmfestival.org . For more information about the New Orleans Film Festival, visit: www.neworleansfilmfest.com .

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Dr. Dale Bales of the department of chemistry and physics was the eighth person at Anderson University to receive the John A. Morrison faculty award this past year. Bales first joined the faculty of AU in 1976, left for a brief time in the early 1980’s, but returned in 1987 to stay. He has served the institution for 28 years.

Chad Wallace, now chair of the department of chemistry and physics taking over the title from Bales, indicates the following: “I had the great opportunity to know Dale Bales at two different times in my life. The first was when I was a chemistry undergraduate student attending here. ‘Dr. Bales’, as I knew him then, was my teacher, adviser, and mentor. I saw a man of great knowledge, insight, wisdom, and humility. He epitomized to me the perfect blend of scientist and committed Christian.

In fact, for all of these years I have known him, he has almost always been a pastor of some local congregation while excelling in his duties at AU. He so inspired me, that I knew I wanted to attend graduate school so I might one day come back to my alma mater and hope to influence students’ lives a fraction of what he did.”

The recipient of the John A. Morrison staff award has served in various capacities in her lengthy tenure of 34 years with the university. She has been a student, taught classes, and is currently a staff member serving as Manager of Student Technology Services and Group Coordinator for Information Technology Services.

In her most recent assignment, Jan Schmidt, along with her colleagues in the ITS department, has been an integral part of equipping our campus with up-to-date technologies and training us in their use. Schmidt has also committed significant time to leading a number of Tri-S service trips around the world (including Calcutta, India, Grand Cayman and London) where she has developed powerful and meaningful relationships with students and those they served.

The Morrison award is designed to recognize faculty and staff who go beyond excellence in performance and have demonstrated a commitment to something larger than self. Each year, one staff and one faculty member will be selected from those nominated by the faculty and staff and announced at the annual Recognition Luncheon. Nominees for the Morrison Award should demonstrate a commitment to the university’s mission and core values.

—Stefanie Leiter is Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

As Dean Branson, director of student programming, pointed tightly-packed vehicles toward temporary parking spaces, returning students and some experienced parents waited for any chance they had to help another freshman into the dorms.

“They’re responsible for unpacking, but we get their stuff up to the room as quickly as we can,” Branson said.

Cars came loaded with all the comforts of home — lamps, rugs, television — downsized to fit into each of the single rooms that most students must share with an unfamiliar roommate.

“We have to know that the people coming here have never done this before,” Branson said. “So we have to make them feel at home.”

Hominess is what attracted Nathan Breneman to AU. The freshman from Dublin, Ohio, said the size of the campus made the school seem like a good fit. He was settling into Dunn Hall on Thursday, but said he wasn’t nervous about starting classes, although he was worried that living without his own car would take a lot of getting used to.

His parents were also wondering about how their lives would be different with their oldest son out of the house.

“I just know the home will be a lot quieter,” said Jenny, Nathan’s mother. “He’s the talker. He’s the one who always has something going on.”

Nathan is one of an estimated 600 new undergraduates enrolling at AU this fall, the school reported. The university expects the size of its full-time freshman class to increase between 12 and 15 percent this year, but exact figures will not be known until late September.

Approximately 80 percent of new undergraduate students are coming from Indiana or neighboring states, but 47 states and 30 countries are represented in the total undergraduate population of about 1,850 students, the university reported.

Callie Zelber and Kelly Thomas moved into Rice Hall on Thursday. Strangers less than a year ago, the two girls met though Anderson University’s new social networking site for accepted students, a Web site that lets people seriously considering AU to talk.

Admission’s counselor Christy Kihm said lots of students had found roommates using the site. “It was a big hit.”

Zelber, of Indianapolis, and Thomas, of Miamisburg, Ohio, said they connected over their shared love of the Disney princesses, and now their dorm room is festooned with images of Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.”

The girls said it was a challenge to decide which clothes to bring, and they both made a point to pack photographs and their beloved teddy bears.

With five days left before classes start, Kelly said she’d be using the time to relax, meet some new people, and if there’s time, find out where her classes are. dresser to herself, she joked that it was a good excuse to go buy more clothes.

VIEW FLICKR PHOTO ALBUM OF 2008 MOVE-IN DAY

—Barrett Newkirk is a reporter for the Herald Bulletin. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Although precise numbers are not available until the third full week of classes (week of September 22), the university is projecting an increase of 12-15 percent for first-time freshman over last year.  Within this year’s enrollment are approximately 600 new undergraduate students and a total undergraduate population of roughly 1,850 students.  The AU undergraduate student population includes persons from more than 30 international countries and 47 states.

“New students bring such promise and energy to the campus each year,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University.  “We are breaking trends in our region to show a strong growth in new student enrollment.  We are prepared for all they will bring to this good place.”

“Several contributing factors can be cited for the current enrollment level,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice-president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “Anderson University has a number of distinctive programs in business, education, communication, art, music and ministry.  The school also supports several efforts to provide internships and experiential opportunities for students leading to employment; as well as a longstanding effort to remain affordable despite a national economic downturn.”

Approximately 80 percent of new undergraduate students at Anderson University come from Indiana and contiguous states and represent nearly 60 religious denominations.  The average high school grade point average of new undergraduate AU students is 3.4 with 30 percent falling in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class.  The top five individual majors among new AU undergraduate students are Education, Business, Music, Communication and Nursing.

Students matriculating to Anderson University have indicated that the top five most important factors influencing their college choice were career preparation, job placement services, spiritual atmosphere, quality of faculty and the availability of scholarship and grants.

Graduate divisions of the university are also projecting strong enrollments for the academic year.  In addition, the School of Adult Learning at Anderson University will unveil a new online degree program this academic year and will be developing plans to expand their programming for all adult students during the next two years.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

To rank schools, US News first organizes colleges and universities by category, and then ranks them within each group. Rankings are based on a wide range of criteria, including academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, and financial resources to name a few.

“While the best college for a given student will always be measured by personal fit, we are truly honored to be listed among the best in our region,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University.  “These surveys give our students and their parents the confidence that we are highly regarded and worth considering as they make their important choices for the investment of their college years.  We consider this highly regarded listing a tribute to our faculty and staff who are deeply committed to excellence and to student success.”

“We are pleased to be recognized as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News and our peer institutions,” said Dr. Michael Collette, vice-president for Enrollment Management and Information Systems. “We are blessed with a strong faculty and we are encouraged by the financial resources provided by donors as well as the continued acknowledgment of our academic strength at an affordable value.”

The US News rankings will appear on the magazine’s web site on Friday, August 22. College-bound students can use the site to search for colleges according to their own interests, fill out interactive worksheets and search for scholarship and financial aid information. Excerpts of the college rankings will be published in the September 1 edition (on newsstands August 25) of the weekly news magazine. The full rankings will be published in the annual America’s Best Colleges guidebook, also available in libraries and bookstores on August 26.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.