Anderson University Parent Connection

Bittersweet Reflections   

As I reflect on this past school year, I am utterly amazed that it is already ending.  I feel like we just moved our son, Levi, into his dorm room . . . like maybe a month ago.  How am I so off in my internal calendar?  He's moving back home this week, for which I'm very excited, but somehow it just doesn't feel real to me yet.  Will Levi's four (or maybe five) college years all go by this quickly?  I would imagine so.

If you're wondering how to navigate the waters surrounding your student's return to your home (for the first or fifth time), be sure to read the article in the Parent Resources section.  There are some great tips that promote good communication and, of course, compromise.

Those of us who work at AU have very mixed feelings about this time of year.  For those who have the summer off or a much-reduced schedule, there's the anticipation of slowing down and enjoying the summer before ramping up for a crazy, busy year again.  For those of us who work year-round, we still look forward to a different kind of pace, where we have some time to enjoy the quieter campus and "catch up" a bit.  For all of us, though, it's hard to say good-bye to the graduates we've come to know through these years.  We've watched these students mature and grow, and now look forward to seeing how they'll choose to live out their lives "of faith and service in the church and society."  

The weekend before spring finals, the Alumni Office and the Student Alumni Association hold our annual "Senior Send Off" in the Valley.  This event, to which our whole campus community is invited, is a celebration of our seniors. It's a time to recognize their accomplishments and wish them well as they leave this place in which they've invested so much of themselves over their time on campus.  It's always a very special evening on our campus, with live music from campus bands, free food, a special presentation for the seniors, and a final walk to Pioneer Rock, where they receive a gift and well wishes from our Alumni Director, Ben Davis, and members of our Alumni Council.  Be sure to check out the short video at the bottom of this newsletter to see a glimpse of this year's event held this past Friday evening.

   

Blessings to all parents who love their children.

 
Elyse
Associate Director
of Alumni & Parent Programming 

Social Clubs at AU

 

DativusService and social clubs have been in existence at AU for many years, and currently, six clubs exist on AU's campus. These clubs are focused on building bonds between members and growing together in fellowship and faith, and each one has its own unique character and personality. The different clubs focus on a centralized purpose of service and pursue their mission in a number of ways. Many clubs provide service to the local community by organizing annual events on campus to raise money for charities and other organizations.  

 

In a past Parent Connection issue we featured the "Cheap Thrills" and "Encore" events organized and performed four times a year by Dativus and Avanti Boosters, two men's social clubs on the AU campus. Last week was Interest Week at AU, so we thought we would highlight the other social clubs on campus as well, and the events they host every year to raise money for worthy charities. 

The third men's social club on campus, Novus Dux, organizes an annual event each spring called "Teetering for Tots." The event also traditionally includes a Battle of the Bands to raise awareness and hype for the event on campus. The event is a way to raise money for different local charities reaching out to young children. Novus Dux members ask people to pledge money toward 100 hours of teetering as members spend time on a giant teeter-totter. The proceeds raised this year benefited the Miriam Project in Anderson, which provides Christ-centered adoption services for the local Anderson community.

The three women's social clubs at AU are L'amifidel, Camarada, and Alacritas. Every year L'amifidel partners with Novus Dux and organizes the AU version of the famous "Price is Right" game show. The event includes a raffle and other projects to raise money for various organizations. This year the "Price is Right" proceeds were also donated to the Miriam Project. 

 

Camarada is another women's social club which has roughly 100 members. They do various service projects throughout the year. This year Camarada has participated in Operation Weatherization and Operation Foundation, and raised money for different charities through events such as "Donate for a Date" and a "Dance-a-thon." Members also volunteer at the Park Place Community Center with the After School Fun program.

Alacritas is a relatively new social club at AU, formed in 2003. Their most notable event on the campus is their "Rent-A-Puppy," where students can pay money to play with a puppy in the valley. This fundraiser raises money for the Madison County Animal Shelter. They also serve the campus with hot chocolate in the valley and other events like these to make AU's campus a bright, thriving environment.

Each social club has their own traditions and events that make them who they are. If your student is even slightly interested in joining a social club, he or she should be sure to attend the interest meetings in the fall. Talking with the girls or guys in the club they are interested in helps students get a feel for the personality and traditions of that club. Members of each AU social club are always excited to receive new members and would love to talk to any interested students. Social clubs may not be for everyone, but those that do join usually say it was one of the best experiences they had during their college years at AU. Social clubs provide great opportunity to grow in service and faith, and foster a strong brother or sisterhood with fellow members.

 

 Parent Resources

Okay . . . it's that time of year for many of us when we'll be welcoming our students back into our homes for the summer. Unfortunately, expectations often differ as to the role our child will play while we're all living under one roof again. Discussing expectations with our child, while asking for their input, will help immensely. And . . . I'm sure a willingness to compromise will go a long way in these "negotiations" with our returning student. Hopefully, this article will help, too. Good Luck!

Senior Send Off 2012
Senior Send Off 2012

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Upcoming Events!


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