Faculty, staff and returning students are on hand today to unload cars and vans as new students and families arrive on campus.  Across all academic units, Anderson University will welcome a total institutional population of approximately 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students when classes open on September 2.

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.

US News and World Report has again ranked Anderson University among the best universities in the Midwest offering master’s level degree programs. Institutions in this category offer a full range of both undergraduate and master’s level degree programs.  The magazine’s 2008 guide to “America’s Best Colleges” marks the fifth consecutive year that Anderson University has been listed among the best in its class.

For the first time, Anderson University is hosting a summer camp for teenagers considering careers in the music industry.

The camp, an offshoot of the university’s student-run recording label Orangehaus Music, offers campers early exposure to sound engineering, music marketing and other skills not usually covered outside of a recording label office or college class.

About 300 people at the Anderson University Heritage Dinner sang together in honor of David Coolidge and his wife, Shirley.

“God our maker, God most holy” rang through the L-shaped Shield Dining Room. The song was most appropriate since the verses were written by David Coolidge in 1962.

The School of Music at Anderson University is pleased to host distinguished guest faculty member Jean Ashworth Bartle, June 9-13, 2008, teaching the graduate course, The Child Voice: Developing Literacy in the Young Singer.

Ashworth Bartle is founder and director of the Toronto Children’s Chorus. Her contribution to the art of choral music for children has evolved over three decades into one of international distinction.

Anderson University is looking ahead to a full slate of classes offered this summer for interested students. AU will offer four, 4-week sessions that provide flexibility and variety. Sessions provide both introductory and advanced courses on campus for specific majors and enrichment purposes. Classes began May 12.

“Service and selflessness” was the message of the 90th commencement ceremony at Anderson University.

Thousands of people still hustled to find their seats in Ward Fieldhouse as the color guard presented the flags to begin the ceremony.

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Friends and family members of all ages, dressed in all kinds of attire, sat among each other for the joyous day—to celebrate the graduation of the university’s class of 2008.

AU announced the addition of several new majors with the release of the 2008-2010 Academic Catalog, including the addition of a Global Business major, an Entrepreneurship major and a Youth Ministry major. Other changes include the restructuring of the Department of Communication Arts and the option for dual licensing through the English as a New Language (ENL) program.

Anderson University recently announced that James T. Morris, Special Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer and President for Pacers Sports and Entertainment and former Executive Director for the United Nations World Food Programme, will address the graduating class of 2008 during commencement exercises, May 10. The 3 p.m. EDT program will be conducted in the Ward Fieldhouse of the Kardatzke Wellness Center. Speaking during Anderson University’s baccalaureate service will be Rev. Kimberly Majeski, campus pastor at Anderson University. Baccalaureate will take place earlier that day in Reardon Auditorium at 10 a.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Senior Xen Riggs from Beaverton, Mich. was the first recipient of the Rev. Billie Roy and Pearl Toon Smith Endowed Christian Education Scholarship Award Fund. The $5,400 scholarship was presented to Riggs outside of the Religious Studies Department on Wednesday, March 5 [photo: Xen Riggs accepts awards from Dr. Alan Overstreet as Rev. Billie Roy Smith (left) looks on].

The Pearl Toon Smith Endowed Memorial Christian Education Lecture Series was funded by Rev. Billie Roy Smith in memory of Pearl who passed away in January, 1995 after 54 years of marriage. Between 1997 and 2007 ten lectureships were conducted.