The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 99, No. 49, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Page: 1 of 8
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acuoptimist.com
Optimist
Vol. 99, No. 49
STUDENTS
_
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
1 section. 8 pages
Some to further education post commencement
Christianna Lewis
Senior Reporter
Rachel Whittaker, senior
biochemistry major from
Cartersville, Ga., sent in
her acceptance letter to
the University of Texas at
Austin two weeks ago.
The idea of graduate
school still scares her, Whit-
taker said, but she is excited
to dig into the years of re-
search it will take to get her
Ph.D. in organic chemistry.
Whittaker is one of
many graduating students
who have, will or are cur-
rently applying to graduate
schools, medical schools
or law schools. Although
not all students are cer-
quick facts ' .
Several students will continue their studies after
completing undergraduate programs.
• 20-30 graduates have gone to law school annually
over past few years
• 15 students from departments of biology, chemistry and
physics plan to go to medical or dental schools
tain about their post-grad-
uation plans, a good num-
ber of ACU graduates are
expected to return to ACU
for graduate school said
Brandon Lemley, graduate
marketing manager.
Dr. Mel Hailey, profes-
sor of political science and
pre-law adviser, said that
approximately 33 seniors
have asked to receive in-
formation about going to
law school. About 20-30
graduates have gone to law
school annually over the
past few years, Hailey said,
and he expects that num-
ber to be similar this year.
The number of seniors
pursuing further studies
within the departments
of biology, chemistry and
physics are holding steady
as well, said Dr. Cynthia
Powell, assistant profes-
sor of chemistry and bio-
chemistry and adviser of
see SCHOOL page 4
Follow the Leader
JOZIE SANDS // Online Editor
Connor Best, junior political science major from Sacramento, Calif., sits on stage with the candidates for vice president and treasurer during Tuesday’s debate.
Students’ Association candidates compete for cabinet seats
Linda Bailey, Editor in Chief
from that without making mistakes but doing
some of the things that brought success in pre-
vious years,” Best said. “I feel like I really know
a lot of the student groups and I can relate to
different student groups at ACU, which will
help me le ad them b etter.”
Best said he is writing legislation to restruc-
ture senator seats into president, vice president
and treasurer positions. Best said the plan will
help develop more structure, giving student
Students’ Association executive officer'can-
didates will spend the week campaigning
and debating to show students they deserve a
chance at campus-wide leadership.
Candidates participated in SA debates
Tuesday evening and will speak publicly once
more during Chapel on Wednesday. Students
can vote Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30
a.m.-5 p.m in the Campus Center.
Connor Best, junior political science ma-
jor from Sacramento, Calif., is unopposed
for the office of executive president. Best has
served on SA since his freshman year and
said he has gained much insight into SA and
working with students.
“I think there comes a knowledge of how
things work and how administrations have
done things. I’ve seen both and can move on
see SA page 4
FACULTY
Beck
blog
inspires
book
Zane Goggans
Contributing Reporter
Dr. Richard Beck, professor
of psychology and chair
of the Department of Psy-
chology, has written a new
book re-
Beck
fleeting on
the idea of
hating sin,
loving sin-
ners and
missional
failure in
the church.
The book is titled, Un-
clean: Meditations on Pu-
rity, Hospitality, and Mor-
tality. Beck’s purpose for
writing the book was to
describe the effects of the
psychology of purity upon
the life and mission, of the
church, according to the
description of the book on
his blog, Experimental The-
ology. Beck describes the
effects of becoming “too
spiritual,” and the effect it
has on people outside the
church. The book suggests
that the longing for purity
and holiness tempts the
church into practices of so-
cial exclusion, which makes
some Christians flee from
the world and those in it.
“The church wants pu-
rity,” Beck said. “But it
comes at the expense of
people being excluded.”
see BECK page 4
ALUMNI
Performer named Young Alumnus
Samantha Sutherland
Contributing Reporter
Aaron Watson, country mu-
sic singer, will be honored
on April 26 as ACU’s Young
Alumnus of the Year.
Samantha Adkins, se-
nior alumni relations offi-
cer, said the Alumni Advi-
sory Board selected Watson
out of the group of finalists
because he showed that
people can succeed in their
career while still balancing
a hfealthy family life.
"He’s doing something
that’s pretty visible and he’s
doing it in a Christian way,”
Adkins said.
Watson travels quite a bit,
but Adkins said he is very
active in his Abilene con-
gregation and considers his
family’s needs when choos-
ing to go on the road.
Watson said his music ca-
reer started his junior year at
ACU. In the 10 years since his
graduation, he has released
10 records and played over
1,500 shows, including some
festivals with audiences of
over 40,000 people.
"I think ACU itself gives
students an edge on having
success,” Watson said. “Co-
lossians 3:23 says that what-
ever you do, work at it with all
your heart as if working for
the Lord. I think ACU is one of
the few places where you can
get that education and that’s
what makes it special.”
Determining factors in
Watson’s future
were an }
see WATSON page 4
PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON WATSON
Aaron Watson, ACU’s Young Alumnus of the Year,
performs a song on stage.
inside
■news
U.S. News and World Report
ranked COBA as the No. 1
business graduate school for
students attaining employment positions and read who
within months of graduating, we endorse and why.
page 3 page 6
opinion
Find, more information on
all the candidates in the
race for executive officer
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 99, No. 49, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 13, 2011, newspaper, April 13, 2011; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth896681/m1/1/: accessed June 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.