It’s a little later than originally planned, but we wanted to be sure you received the most recent news about some exciting developments at Abilene Christian University.
Although it’s in the mail, you don’t have to wait for the Spring-Summer 2014 issue of ACU Today magazine to arrive. You can sneak a peak now at its 130 pages (84 from the printed issue and another 46 of Bonus Coverage you can only read online). 

It’s been a busy spring and summer at ACU getting the Vision in Action (VIA) initiative started. It’s a massive project that will see three new science buildings and two stadiums built on the Hill – the most transformative growth in facilities since the Design for Development campaign built Moody Coliseum, Brown Library, McGlothlin Campus Center, Don H. Morris Center and other landmarks in the 1960s and 1970s. The $75 million initiative began with the announcement in February of $55 million in gifts, including an ACU-record $30 million from Mark (’86) and April (Bullock ’89) Anthony of Dallas.

VIA coverage in ACU Today includes a look at the latest architectural renderings for the Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center, Halbert-Walling Research Center and the two stadiums, which are in some cases a good bit different than those you may have seen back in February. Wildcat Stadium will allow home football games to be played on campus for the first time in decades. There also are profiles of major donors, details about the five building projects, and some fascinating history. Other major stories this issue:

• Profiles of ACU’s 2014 alumni award winners, led by minister Rick Atchley (’78), who preaches for the largest Church of Christ congregation in the U.S.
• “High Hopes for H2O,” a profile of Abilene mayor Dr. Norman Archibald (M.S. ’74) and his work to secure reliable, long-term water resources for ACU’s hometown;
• A Q&A with Rep. Janice Hahn (’74), a California congresswoman who loves representing her constituents and her alma mater, has a family legacy of public service, and fond memories of ACU;
• “Leading the Way,” a look at Dr. Gary McCaleb’s (’64) 50 years of leadership at ACU, an achievement the campus celebrated in April;
•  “For the Least of These,” stories and images of alumni dedicated to caring for orphans in Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda;
• Bonus Coverage: an expanded look back at Sing Song and Wildcats wrapping up their first year in NCAA Division I;
• “The Great Commission’s Greatest Friend,” a Second Glance essay reflecting on the amazing influence of the late Dr. Clyde N. Austin (’53); and
• Other ACU news, including the latest from your classmates in EXperiences, plus a profile of attorney Lori (Halstead ’01) Windham, who successfully argued Hobby Lobby’s case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Watch this blog in the days to come for backstories of some of these major articles in the new issue.
View the new online issue