Janet (Short) Mora, a 1983 Anderson University grad and 26-year teaching veteran, was named Elementary Teacher of the Year in the McAllen (Texas) Independent School District, and Jonathan Kline, a 2007 AU grad, was named Teacher of the Year in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township in Indianapolis.

Mora began her teaching career in Rock Valley, Iowa, in 1983, where she taught sixth grade. In 1985, she began her tenure at the Weslaco (Texas) ISD, where she taught kindergarten and first grade, and later served as a reading strategist until her move to the McAllen ISD, where she has served since 1999 as a first grade teacher at Milam Elementary School.

Mora has also served as a state and district trainer and consultant and as a content specialist for the Teach for America Corporation. She co-authored Milam’s first grade International Baccalaureate curriculum and is active in mentoring beginning teachers throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

“I feel strongly that teachers serve not only their students, but also their fellow teachers,” she says. “I try to find ways to mentor in my school, my district, and my region as often as I can. While you might be a beginning teacher, a struggling teacher, or an experienced teacher, amazingly, the greatest benefactor is always yourself. I always come out of the experience a better teacher.”

Being nominated for and receiving the Teacher of the Year honor has provided Mora an opportunity to reflect on her years of experience in the classroom.

“It was rewarding to understand that after 20-plus years of teaching, the reasons why I became a teacher are still the same reasons why I remain in the classroom,” she says. “I think I was influenced by my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Johnson, who refused to call us ‘kids.’ She wanted us to understand that we would not always be children, but were destined for bigger things.”

Jonathan Kline does not have decades of experience behind him. Yet, just two years after graduating from AU as a social studies teaching major, he has earned the respect of his fellow teachers and the admiration of his students, receiving Teacher of the Year honors in his district.

Kline is currently teaching at the Lynhurst 7th and 8th Grade Center, one of two middle schools that feed into Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

“It is an honor to be selected to represent a great school,” Kline says. “There are many great teachers in Wayne Township, and I feel privileged to represent them, my school, and the district.”

Lynhurst Principal Dan Wilson notes that in his 15 years in the district, this is the first time the award has been given to a middle school teacher. “It’s a challenge for someone from a middle school to make that achievement,” he says, “but those of us who know Jon are not surprised by it. You can pick five minutes out of any day in his class, and you’ll walk away with something that makes you say, ‘Man, is that a great teacher!’”

Kline, a second-generation AU graduate, has long had a passion for working with youth, and he wanted to pursue a career where he could make a positive difference in the lives of young people, but it wasn’t until midway through his AU experience that he made the decision to pursue a career in the classroom.

“During my junior year of college, I re-evaluated what I wanted to do with my life,” he says. “Teaching was something I always loved to do. I know it sounds cliche, but I have always loved the moment when the lights come on in someone’s mind. At the same time, I discovered an interest in history and politics. I really enjoyed these subjects through my own education, and I was excited with the challenge of making these subjects come alive for students.”

Kline has high regard for his AU experience, both in the School of Education and in the Department of History and Political Science.

“The School of Education gave me very personal attention throughout my schooling,” he says. “I cannot even count the times I spoke to Dr. Diana Ross [dean of the SOE] and gained guidance from her in the direction I wanted to go.”

And of the history and political science faculty, Kline says, “They were fantastic in changing the way I think about and approach history and politics. These classes were some of the most memorable moments for me in college.”

Mora, too, carries fond memories of her years at Anderson University.

“I can never say enough about the education I received at Anderson,” she says. “I was gifted with so many great experiences while I was there: caring professors who would give of their time, a sense of community, a great on-campus life, Tri-S trips, CPS, etc.

“Dr. Barbara Jones [AU professor emerita of education] was a profound influence when it came to developing my teaching philosophy,” she continues. “I still hear her voice today telling us to find a new way, stretch the boundaries, do whatever is needed to help each child learn.”

The Teacher of the Year Award is a highly prestigious honor, according to Ross, particularly in larger districts such as Kline’s, which has 1,026 teachers and 15,696 students.

District-level Teacher of the Year recipients are interviewed for the state’s Teacher of the Year award, says Ross. And winners at the state level compete for the National Teacher of the Year.

Anna Shults, a 1996 AU grad, was named Indiana Teacher of the Year in 2007.

According to Ross, it is difficult to know how many AU grads have received Teacher of the Year honors. Typically, the School of Education learns about these accomplishments directly from the alumni. For that reason, Ross encourages AU education grads to keep in touch with the School of Education, letting the school know of their personal and professional accomplishments.

Education grads may contact the SOE at soeinfo@anderson.edu or call (765) 641-4402.

– Randy Dillinger serves as Web Content Editor and SEO Manager in the office of University Communications at Anderson University.

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.

Gamble formerly taught in the Honors Program at Palm Beach Atlantic University. His essays and reviews have appeared in The Journal of Southern History, Orbis, Humanitas, The Intercollegiate Review and The Independent Review.

Professor Gamble is the author of the highly-acclaimed The War for Righteousness: Progressive Christianity, the Great War, and the Rise of the Messianic Nation (ISI Books, 2003). He is also editor of the new anthology, The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What It Means to Be an Educated Human Being.

Most Americans know that July 4th is our nation’s birthday. Far fewer Americans know that September 17th is the birthday of our government, the date in 1787 on which delegates to the Philadelphia Convention completed and signed the U.S. Constitution. The ideas on which America was founded–commitments to the rule of law, limited government and the ideals of liberty, equality and justice–are embodied in the Constitution, the oldest written constitution of any nation on Earth. Constitution Day is intended to celebrate not only the birthday of our government, but the ideas that make us Americans. The United States Congress designated September 17 as Constitution Day.

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.

According to their Web site, NGA, “is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the national Intelligence Community (IC). NGA develops imagery and map-based intelligence solutions for U.S. national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation.”

Unis said, “The individuals I interned for set aside specific collections that could be completed during my time at the agency. NGA’s internship program strives for their interns to have a good understanding of the agency and how it runs in hopes that they will return upon graduation.”

Unis’ day included taking inventory of historical collections, cataloging items for the collection, filing archival materials, preparing finding aids for the collections and assisting with exhibit and display installations.

The internship was not an easy one to obtain. “After nine months of an extensive application and an extensive background check I was finally cleared and able to start my internship with NGA’s Historian… and it was worth it all,” said Unis.

Unis said that her classes at AU, “taught me a set of skills, skills that include reading, writing, and analyzing. In this internship, I was able to take the knowledge and skills and apply them towards a whole new set of skills and knowledge that I learned from my internship.”

Unis believes that her experiences gave her an advantage when finding employment. “Now that I have security clearance it will be easier for me to obtain a job within the intelligence community. I have also had shadowing experiences with the other groups within the agency, and been able to visit another agency within the Intelligence Community. These experiences have opened my eyes to other employment possibilities.”

—David Hynds is a freelance writer for Anderson University.

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.

“We are pleased to be listed among the top schools in our category,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University. “Universities that are achieving their mission especially in these very challenging times deserve this recognition and we are proud to be among them. When a student finds the right college of quality that is an excellent fit in terms of culture, programs and degrees, and overall mission, the future opens in such powerful ways, and for that student, the selected school is the best in the nation. We intend to be such a school for so many.”

The 2010 America’s Best Colleges package provides the most thorough examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the many factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance (National Universities and Liberal Art Colleges).

Over the past 26 years, the U.S. News college rankings, which groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities. The America’s Best Colleges ranking package, which includes extensive editorial content and multimedia resources, has helped families navigate the difficult decisions involved throughout the college process, from college admission and selection to financing options.

The exclusive rankings, which include more than 1,400 schools nationwide, are available today at www.usnews.com/colleges, will also be published in the September issue of the U.S.News & World Report magazine, on newsstands starting August 20.

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.

“We chose Anderson University and the other terrific schools we recommend as our ‘regional best’ colleges primarily for their excellent academic programs,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s Vice President of Publishing. “We also work to have our roster of ‘regional best’ colleges feature a range of institutions by size, selectivity, character and locale. We choose the schools based on institutional data we collect from several hundred schools in each region, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of independent and high school-based college advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what each school’s customers – their students – report to us about their campus experiences at them on our 80-question student survey.”

The 158 colleges The Princeton Review chose for this year’s “Best in the Midwest” designations are located in twelve states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The Princeton Review also designated 218 colleges in the Northeast, 123 in the West, and 141 in the Southeast as best in their locales on the company’s 2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its Web site. The 640 colleges named “regional best(s)” represent only about 25% (one out of four) of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in its 2010 Best Colleges Region by Region Web site section. The Princeton Review survey for this project asks students to rate their own schools on several issues — from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food — and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.

The Princeton Review is known for its tutoring and classroom test preparation courses, books, and college and graduate school admission services. Its corporate headquarters is in Framingham, MA, and editorial offices are in New York City. It is not affiliated with Princeton University and it is not a magazine.

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.

INvision AU partners with companies and organizations from government, health care, technology, social services, arts and culture, religious, service providing conglomerates, and other sectors in order to provide opportunities to AU students.

Joshua Cook: Miles Design

Joshua Cook, recent graduate with a degree in Visual Communication Design, is interning at Miles Design, a graphic design firm in Indianapolis. “In the two months I’ve been working here, I have observed an unbelievable amount about visual design and operating a business,” said Cook.

“The most valuable aspect to my internship has been the collaboration with the other designers. It has been such a privilege working beside some of Indianapolis’ finest visual designers. There is a reason that Miles Design consistently puts out excellent work and it’s because they are passionate about visual design and the role it plays in our daily lives. It has been really exciting to be a part of that passion.”

Josh Miles, Principal and Founder of Miles Design, said, “Joshua Cook has been an all around solid performer. We’ve just extended his internship beyond the INvision program to go the rest of this summer.” Cook has accepted a job at Miles Design and will begin working there full time when he finishes his internship in September.

Bryan Smith: Clarian Health

Bryan Smith, an AU senior majoring in Accounting, is interning in the Human Resources department of Clarian Health in Indianapolis. “I have spent weeks compiling and analyzing invoice data from the division’s accounts payable system and am currently researching the best practice to audit the data that we have accumulated,” said Smith. “My next responsibility will be the implementation of a new internal control to make Clarian’s A.P. department operate more efficiently.”

In addition to the practical experience of producing and presenting reports, Smith says that he has learned a lot about how to make a “solid business case” for projects needing executive approval. “I am learning a great deal from the main aspect of my project which is procurement, contract, and vendor management and I hope to learn more in the coming weeks about how to audit and control these functions.”

Josh Novak: Buchanan Counseling Center and Community Hospital

Josh Novak, a Psychology major and rising senior, is completing two internships this summer—one at Buchanan Counseling Center at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and one at Community Hospital in Anderson. “I am learning so much from these internships that will help me in my future,” said Novak.

Novak said that he hopes to learn more about what it looks like to run a counseling center and learn the behind-the-scenes aspects of counseling. “More importantly to my experience, however,” said Novak, “is that I get to sit in with the counselors and their clients in some counseling sessions. I also attend conferences, staff meetings, case studies, and continuing education classes.”

Todd Baden: OneAmerica

Todd Baden, a senior Accounting major, is completing an internship at OneAmerica in Indianapolis. He performs internal audits to improve OneAmerica as a whole. “I help plan audit objectives, but my main responsibilities are to gather the necessary information, analyze the data and then draw the appropriate conclusions and recommendations.”

Baden said that the most valuable aspect of his internship has been the hands on experience. “I don’t make copies or do donut runs. I am treated like a full time employee, which is the best way to learn,” said Todd.

–David Hynds is a freelance writer for Anderson University

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.

The workshop addresses recent legislation enacted by the Indiana General Assembly which mandates that the study of the Holocaust be included in the curricula of every high school social studies department in Indiana.

The event will help “equip East Central Indiana’s social studies educators with the tools they need to teach this effectively and to find the wealth of information that’s out there,” said Dr. David Murphy, professor of history at Anderson University. “There are scores of valuable resources out there. And that’s something I think we could help them utilize in the classroom.”

The initial proposal for the workshop came from Dr. Dan Jeran, former professor of education at Anderson University.

Presentations will be given by Murphy and Dr. David H. Lindquist, assistant professor in the School of Education at Indiana University - Purdue University at Fort Wayne.

Workshop details:

• Date: Thursday, June 11, 2009
• Time: 8:15 a.m. - 3 p.m. (registration begins at 7:45 a.m.)
• Location: Anderson University, Decker Hall (Room 133). Get directions.
• Cost: $35 (includes lunch, refreshments, and materials)
• Participants should bring their U.S. and/or world history textbooks to the workshop.

For more information, or to register for the event, contact Dr. David Murphy at dtmurphy@anderson.edu.

About the presenters:

Dr. David H. Lindquist is an assistant professor in the School of Education at Indiana University - Purdue University at Fort Wayne, where he teaches courses in elementary and secondary social studies methods, secondary English/language arts methods, curriculum, research methods, and Holocaust education. He is a Fellow of the Teacher Fellowship Program of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and a Museum Teacher Fellow and Regional Museum Educator for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. He has been named a Distinguished Teacher by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.

Dr. David Thomas Murphy is professor of history and chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Anderson University, where he also serves as co-director of the University Honors Program. He is the author of three books and has been a fellow of the Free University of Berlin’s Program for Advanced German and European Studies, of the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk, of Northwestern University’s Institute for the Study of Jewish Civilization and the Holocaust, and of the Holocaust Education Foundation’s East Europe Holocaust Study Seminar.

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.

–Randy Dillinger serves as Web Content Editor and SEO Manager in the office of University Communications at Anderson University.

“I’m looking, but …,” said 37-year-old Dawn Vetor, of Madison County, her voice trailing off. “I have some prospects, but nothing fluid.”

Angela Shelton, 30, Anderson, a former paraeducator at East Side Middle School, was a little more upbeat.

“I’m optimistic,” said Shelton, her silver braces shined as she flashed a bright grin. “I’m looking for a job.”

Both women, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in organizational leadership, were among the 700 students going through Anderson University’s 91st commencement.

Like Shelton, many graduates were hopeful of their future job prospects, despite not yet having offers.

“I’m trying to be optimistic,” said Jon Weber, 22, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. “It’s rough.”

Weber, who received a degree in marketing, said he’s had five interviews and applied at 15 to 20 companies. But he’s received no offers.

Emily Wasonga seemed nonplused at her job prospects. The 21-year-old native of Kenya earned degrees in international education and communications on Saturday. She said she had no concrete career plans, but emphasized the university’s aim of instilling a sense of Christian service in its students. She said she wants to work in a humanitarian field.

“If it’s a matter of making money,” Wasonga said, “there are a lot of ways to make money.”

Commencement speaker Carl H. Caldwell touched on the unsettling nature of the times.

“To say you graduate in an uncertain time is an understatement,” he said. “If you’re not worried about this, I guarantee your parents are.”

But Caldwell said there’s a lack of certainty at all times — including when he graduated from Anderson University in 1966 during the Cold War.

“Every graduating class has had to face problems,” he said.

Caldwell, the school’s vice president of academic affairs, retired at the end of the school year. He had been with Anderson University since 1996. He earned his master’s degree in history from Ohio University and his doctorate in history from Indiana University.

Next year, Caldwell and his wife, Carolyn, an accounting professor at AU, will move to the Middle East, where they will teach at American University of Iraq in Sulaimani.

But Caldwell’s speech offered a reassuring tone.

“Seeing you before me, I feel very proud of our future,” he said.

For a full gallery of photos, visit The Herald Bulletin site.

—Shawn McGrath is a reporter for The Herald Bulletin. Photo credits: Don Knight. Story republished with permission.

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.

Thomas, a Center for Public Service fellow, first gained cross-cultural experience by traveling with Tri-S to London in 2005. Since London, she has participated in five additional Tri-S trips and in May will travel to Australia. [Pictured left with students in Russia.]

“Carrie exemplifies the scholar/leader who is committed to academic excellence, international travel and education, public service, as well as campus and community leadership,” said Joel Shrock, Director of Center for Public Service. “Carrie’s record of accomplishments is beyond impressive, it is dazzling.”

Through each international experience, Thomas learned it was possible to pursue her career outside the traditional American public school system. Along with a strong interest in European culture, Thomas started her international teaching journey at Anderson University by serving on the licensing feasibility committee for adding the English as a New Language Program. She will be receiving a certification in English as a New Language.

“Dr. Nelson encouraged me to think about applying for the Fulbright Scholarship during an international politics class I took in the fall of my junior year,” said Thomas. Thomas started the application process after accepting a position at Dubravushka Boarding School in Obninsk, Russian Federation, as an English Language teacher for students ages 5-17.

Most recently, Thomas was a student teacher in Vienna, Austria, this past semester at the Danube International School. She student taught English A and English as a Second Language, in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for grades 6-10.

“Both Russia and Austria were different opportunities and experiences,” said Thomas. “In Russia, teaching was more difficult because I had few resources and little structure with which to work. In Vienna, I had more support and was paired with a great collaborating teacher as opposed to teaching on my own. I think teaching on my own first was a more backwards approach but one that served as a great opportunity.” [Pictured right in Vienna.]

Thomas’ award is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Her responsibilities will include teaching English as a foreign language at Gymnasium Jura Hronca (Grammar and Secondary High School) in Bratislava, Slovakia. She will also work on conducting some independent research on language teaching and the education system of Slovakia.

Thomas is graduating May 9 with a 4.0 GPA and is a Presidential Scholar, Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society) 2007-08 president, Kappa Delti Pi (Education Honors Society) 2007-08 secretary, AU International Education Committee member, AU English as a New Language Committee member and Athletic Committee member. Thomas also started her own Carrie Thomas Youth in Philanthropy Endowed Fund through the Hendricks Community Foundation which provides grants to youth organizations and is a member of AU’s Women’s Golf Team.

She is the only AU English major to have received the Recognition of Excellence for her PRAXIS II English Language, Literature, and Composition exam. This honor is earned by scoring in the top 15 percent of candidates nationwide who took the test in the past five years.

“Carrie is best described as an ambitious academician, intellectually courageous, highly admired by faculty and students, always considerate of the needs of others, and one who works well with people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Dean of the School of Education Diana Ross. “She has been an outstanding student leader at Anderson University.” [Pictured left in Slovakia.]

Thomas’ grant starts in the fall of 2009 and will last 10 months. She plans to start graduate work in the future on comparative and international education along with second language acquisition.

“It is amazing how God places people in your life at the right time and right place,” said Thomas. “ God has blessed me with opportunities like Tri-S, ENL and people like Dr. Nelson, Dr. Shrock, and Dr. Ross who have helped shape and guide my future plans.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” With this goal as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided almost 300,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

- Stefanie Leiter is the Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

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.

A national competitive process occurs where applicants write an essay on the topic of U.S.-Middle Eastern relations. The NCUSAR chooses around ten people to attend the intensive cultural immersion program. AU has had two previous Malone Fellows: Dr. Carl Caldwell, vice-president for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, and Dr. Doug Nelson, professor emeritus of history and political science and former chair of the Center for Public Service.

The goal of the program is for the Fellows to intensively study and experience the Arab culture of Oman. The group had a series of briefings from the U.S. State Department, Department of Commerce, Middle Eastern scholars, former Omani ambassadors, the Omani deputy foreign minister, U.S. embassy staff in Oman, and even retired four-star General Anthony Zinni in the airport lounge in Qatar.

“The bulk of our trip was spent in buses and three SUVs driving all around the country, visiting fishing villages, bedouins in the desert, and commercial cities in order to better understand the country and its people,” added Shrock on his experience.

“Omanis are an amazingly friendly people–I never went more than a few minutes without someone saying hello–usually in English–and asking where I was from. All were excited that Americans were visiting their country,” said Shrock.

At the end of the trip, the entire group produced a 25 page briefing document that we can use when giving presentations about Oman.

Shrock also serves as the Director of the Center for Public Service at AU and earned his Ph.D. from Miami University in 1996 with a major field in U.S. cultural history and a minor field in World History. He has published The Gilded Age which came out with Greenwood Press in 2004 and various articles on topics that include silent film and the Vietnam Antiwar Movement.

Since coming to AU in 2005, Shrock inherited the class Caldwell taught over the years, The History of the Middle East, an upper division history class.

Shrock gives a glimpse of the country of Oman in this brief synopsis:

Oman is a country of 3.4 million people located at the southeastern edge of the Arabian peninsula. It controls of the Straits of Hormuz, through which all of the oil from the Persian Gulf is shipped. The Sultan, who has been in power since 1970, has significantly modernized the nation’s infrastructure, and Oman has an enviable road system. It has some oil and natural gas but is not as rich as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. It is a ruggedly beautiful country of mountains and beaches. It is overwhelmingly Muslim, but has small numbers of Hindus and Christians.

“The trip has been an invaluable experience to me and will significantly help me to explain Arab culture to my students,” said Shrock.

—Stefanie Leiter is the Web Content Manager at Anderson University.

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.