Category: Features
Financial management major finds her calling as advocate for victims
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
Deep-rooted mission: Warren works to keep campus beautiful, help students thrive
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
10 Questions with Kent Brantly, M.D.
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
Ghana native inspired to use business, ministry degrees to advance family’s nonprofit
During his seven years at Abilene Christian University, Jack Oduro found a place to call home – a community, he says, that has offered “parent figures, mentors, friends of a lifetime and opportunities for growth that have shaped the person I am today.” But a piece of his heart remains with the people of his … Continued
ACU students take on front-line roles in fighting the pandemic
They aren’t history majors, but they may be history makers. Whether studying nursing, biology, athletic training, or other similar fields, many Abilene Christian University students took historic steps to mitigate the effects of a pandemic – administering COVID-19 tests, processing specimens in a lab and even vaccinating their peers and the community to protect against … Continued
ACU grad brings Miranda Lambert’s ‘Marfa Tapes’ to life in new film
Award-winning country music artist Miranda Lambert’s new collaborative album featuring fellow Texas singer-songwriters Jack Ingram and Jon Randall is anything but typical. But then neither is Austin photographer and video editor Spencer Peeples (’99), who was invited to document the creative process behind the making of The Marfa Tapes. Peeples, who graduated from Abilene Christian … Continued
Graduating senior turns life challenges into confidence, compassion for others
Senior social work major Milka Weldemichile came to Abilene Christian University through ACU’s Bridge Program – designed to fill in the gaps between high school and college – but she’s already been crossing bridges in challenging transitions throughout her life. Now as she graduates with a degree in social work, she hopes to help build … Continued
ACU alumnus is featured on cover of George W. Bush’s new book
A face familiar to the Abilene Christian University community is featured on the cover of President George W. Bush’s #1 New York Times bestseller, Out of Many, One. Former ACU track star Gilbert Tuhabonye (’01), co-founder of Gazelle Foundation, is one of 43 immigrants whose portraits and inspirational stories are featured in the former president’s … Continued
NEXT Lab student researcher awarded National Science Foundation fellowship
When Keaton Brewster graduates in May with a degree in physics and mathematics, he’ll be taking with him more than a diploma. A research proposal stemming from his work in ACU’s NEXT Lab has earned him a prestigious fellowship from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowships Program. With his annual … Continued