By day, Katelyn (McLarty ’14) Cole is an elementary school teacher, wrangling third-graders for the Northwest ISD in Fort Worth, Texas. But in her off time, the ACU alumna has become a popular Instagram influencer with more than 90,000 followers who share her passion for books. An avid reader – she made her way through … Continued
In a country where more than 50 percent of the population lives in poverty and an estimated 150,000 children are orphans, hope is a precious commodity. A group of nursing and engineering students from ACU traveled to Honduras in May to work with Living Hope, a nonprofit ministry focusing on families, children and abandoned or … Continued
Grace Russell (’21) stepped out of her comfort zone to travel to Nicaragua last summer on a combination study abroad and mission trip. “I had always been too nervous or shy to go on mission trips or lacked the resources,” she said. But ACU’s Wildcat Academics on Mission (WAM) program put both of those concerns … Continued
You all know Willie the Wildcat, but did you know ACU’s first mascot was an actual, live cat? In 1923, Sam Cox of Ozona, Texas, donated a young bobcat that had been captured on his ranch near the banks of the Devil’s River to become the university’s first Wildcat mascot. Bob Thomas made his debut … Continued
Cindi (Patterson ’86) Nellis had a full-circle moment when she received her COVID-19 vaccine in December. The inoculation represented her work since April as senior director of marketing and recruitment at Clinical Trials of Texas (CTT), one of the many groups conducting patient trials for the much-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine. “It was really a moving moment,” … Continued
Brenda McAdoo has spent the last 24 years on a mission: to protect the American people from criminals here and terrorists abroad. As a special agent and crisis negotiator with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, she investigated and brought justice to crimes against children, violent crime, organized crime, and international kidnapping. So after retiring from … Continued
While many high school students spend their free time with friends, Destanie Crist found a greater calling – pouring herself into girls her age who were victims of human trafficking, sexual assault, cyberbullying and abuse. Now a financial management major at Abilene Christian University, Destanie has brought her compassion and leadership skills to ACU’s College … Continued
It may be quieter inside the residence halls and classrooms now that the calendar has flipped to summer, but out on the grounds of the ACU campus, life doesn’t slow down for Scott Warren and the landscaping and grounds crew. Summer is a prime opportunity for Warren, ACU’s director of grounds and landscaping, and his … Continued
The COVID-19 pandemic might feel like déjà vu for Kent Brantly, M.D. (’03), who contracted the deadly Ebola virus in 2014 while serving as a medical missionary in Liberia. He became the first Ebola patient to receive the experimental drug ZMapp and the first to be flown back to the U.S. for treatment. Six years … Continued