
Category: Student Experience

ACU achieves elite academic recognition with Carnegie Research 2 status
Abilene Christian University has earned Research 2 (R2) status in the latest update from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education – a milestone that reflects ACU’s intentional commitment to research growth and academic excellence. The prestigious R2 designation places Abilene Christian among top research universities in the nation, recognizing high spending and doctorate … Continued
AI Research at ACU, funded by Google: Transforming Computer Science Education
As a high school student, Gweneth Barbre was intrigued by psychology, design and computer science and she knew she wanted to explore the interaction between people and computers. So she looked for a university with a similar research focus and opportunity. Less than a year later, as a freshman computer science major at Abilene Christian … Continued
Senior Capstone is crowning experience for ACU undergraduates
From filmmaking in Cambodia to studying Native American pictographs with multispectral imaging, ACU students are putting their knowledge into practice every day. Experiential learning – or learning by doing – is an important part of an ACU education and is built into the curriculum for all undergraduate majors from their freshman through senior years. Their … Continued
First-year experience brings national accolades and praise from students
As a freshman, Nataly Zuniga quickly found her place in the ACU community, joining in time-honored traditions like Freshman Follies and kicking off new traditions like tailgating and football at Wildcat Stadium. She joined other freshmen in Cornerstone, a first-year seminar class that sets the foundation for their education at ACU. “I especially enjoyed … Continued
Student Reflection: ‘This is my ACU’ | Going Home for Christmas
Once a month, we’ve asked ACU junior, Karissa Idoko, to reflect on her time as an ACU student. Her monthly insights on LinkedIn, which can be found here, are a way of documenting her life and saying, “This is my ACU!” As an international student from Nigeria, Idoko has a unique perspective that brings peace … Continued
ACU faculty-in-residence program brings professors into unique communities with students
Three faculty members are making their homes among students in ACU’s newest freshman residence halls as part of the university’s faculty-in-residence program. Dr. Ken and Karen Cukrowski are residing in Wessel Hall, where they are part of the living-learning community for students from the Honors College. Ken is dean of the College of Biblical Studies and Karen … Continued
A 2025 nationally recognized leader in student success
ACU alumni, faculty, staff and students are regularly featured in local and national media reports. Here is a digest of recent mentions.
Student reflection: ‘This is my ACU’
We’ve asked ACU junior Karissa Idoko to periodically reflect on her time as an ACU student. Her insights on LinkedIn, which can be found here, are a way of documenting her life and saying, “This is my ACU!” As an international student from Nigeria, Idoko has a unique perspective that brings peace and positivity. We … Continued
U.S. Department of Education grants $3.6 million to ACU
Abilene Christian University’s Department of Psychology has been awarded $3.6 million in research funding from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the recently announced Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Grant. The award is the largest federal grant ACU has received in the last 15 years. Under the leadership of Dr. Rachel Team, associate … Continued