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Optimist the
Spring Swing, page 12
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Vol. 99, No. 56
1 section, 12 pages
GRADUATION
Graduates to celebrate spring commencement Mark Smith
Managing Editor
It’s that time of year again. The semester’s ending, students are packing up and moving back home, and the seniors finally reach the ultimate goal of this four-year long journey: graduation. The two commencement ceremonies will take place May 14 in Moody
Coliseum. This year, 470 undergraduate students will walk across the stage in Moody to accept their diplomas, a small decrease from the 517 undergrads last year. The first ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. for the graduates of the College of Biblical Studies, Business Administration, Education and Human Services, and Patty Hanks Shelton
School of Nursing. The second ceremony, for the College of Arts and Sciences graduates, will start at 3 p.m. “I’ve really been looking forward to going out and really living outside of college life,” said Doug Timmons, who will receive his degree on Saturday in Information Systems.
honor awards Honor Man Wesley Flach
Honor Woman Linda Bailey
Trustees Award Sarvagya Sharma Remington Tyler Thornton Laura Kay Acuff Angela Stornello
B. Sherrod Scholarship Samuel Palomares Brent Bailey Melanie Wheeler Sara Elise Bunch
Dean Adams Achievement Award Sebastian Karlsson Jessica Schell Stacy Bryan
see CEREMONY page 7
Facing the Future
HONORS
Honors college selects dean Laura Gasvoda
Contributing Reporter
DANIEL GOMEZ // Chief Photographer
Graduates of the 2010 December Commencement in Moody Coliseum wait to receive their diplomas from the newly-appointed president, Dr. Phil Schubert.
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
SA finalizes three chief officer positions The Students’ Association finalized its 201112 cabinet last week, with the selection of its chief financial officer, chief development officer and chief financial officer. Rebecca Dial will serve as CDO, Heath Bracken will serve as CFO and Helga Sierra will serve as CCO. SA Executive President Connor Best, junior political science major from Sacramento, Calif., said there were 16 total applicants for the three positions. Though there were not strict qualifications, Best and other officers interviewed applicants with questions regarding personality. “We wanted to see how they work in different settings,” Best said. “We want people we can trust, people that will do a good job.” Dial, junior political science major from
Hannah Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Lexington, S.C., said she looks forward to to help SA get its name out. working with the SA team. “This past year I’ve been working with the “I’m excited that I get to work with other Office for Multicultural Enrichment as a meofficers and help them get dia specialist,” Sierra said. “I was able to work involved with other student with different multicultural groups in the adgroups and help the student vertising and public relations area. This posibody,” Dial said. tion allows me to use the things I’ve learned Bracken, sophomore mar- as a job. It’s more fulfilling.” keting major from Salado, said Sierra said her perspective as an internahis prior experience in SA will tional student would be useful to SA. help him in his new position. “I think I bring a different perspective afBest “I really enjoy it; I’m a financ- ter working with multicultural groups,” Siing and marketing major, so it’s what I deal erra said. “Being an international student, it with,” Bracken said. “Through the classes I’ve comes naturally to me. It’s something that taken and being involved in SA financial com- could benefit SA.” mittee, I’ve seen this is something I enjoy.” Helga Sierra, junior management major contact Barnes at hab07a@acu.edu from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, said she is ready
Dr. Stephen Johnson, associate professor of preaching and Director of Contextual Education at ACU, will serve as the new dean of the Honors College, concluding a semester-long search. Faculty, staff and students participated in the search process and submitted their recommendation to the Office of the Provost on April 20. An undisclosed number of applications for the position were narrowed to four final candidates, including two candidates from ACU and two from outside the Abilene community. “Dr. Johnson is an experienced and highly successful professor,” Jeanine Varner, provost, said. “He is a remarkably creative individual who will provide inspirational leadership for the Honors College.” Dr. Wendell Willis, professor of Bible and Honors Studies, served as chair of the faculty search committee, and Charles Mattis, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of biology, served as the dean on the committee. Each of the four finalists spent a day on campus interviewing with both faculty and student search see HONORS page 10
CONSTRUCTION
Rec. Center construction to finish by fall Christina Burch Multimedia Editor
Come Aug. 29, the ACU community can expect a new campus focal point: the completed 75,000-square-foot Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center. With the help of up to
200 workers and 18 months of building and renovation, the center will wrap up construction just in time for the return of vacationing students. Zane Dennis, executive director of facilities and campus development, said he is excited for the opening of this
one-of-a-kind building. “It’s going to be phenomenal,” Dennis said. “It will be the new glue for the campus and have that adhesion factor that everyone will congregate to.” Dennis said he expects the city to grant the building a Certificate of Occu-
pancy, which verifies the safety and usability of the structure, by Aug. 15. Crews will have two weeks to move in furniture and install exercise equipment to prepare for the timely opening, Dennis said. see CENTER page 7
website
inside all 2011 graduate and undergraduate names are listed throughout the paper. Take a look inside to find the names of friends and family.
sports The ACU men’s track and field team took home their 18th consecutive Lone Star Conference championship Sunday.
pages 2-8
page 12
DANIEL GOMEZ // Chief Photographer
Work on the Royce and Pam Student Recreation Center will continue throughout the summer.
weather video ACU quarterback Mitchell Gale prepares for the 2011 football season by throwing trick shots around campus.
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