If you have ever wondered about how Christianity and politics influence each other or have wanted to learn about religion in the Star Wars franchise, Dr. Travis W. McMaken is the man to see. As a professor of religion at Lindenwood (and assistant dean of the School of Humanities), Dr. McMaken has taught courses on everything from the Protestant and Catholic Reformations to the amusingly named first-year seminar course “Thor and Friends.”

51������ was ranked in the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Digital Marketing for 2020 by College Consensus. Programs were evaluated based on reputation, graduate success rate, and investment.

GIS Lab Manager and Geography Instructor Tara Vansell in the School of Humanities is one of only 22 instructors in the nation to receive Geospatial Technology Educator Certification (GSTEdC). She participated in a pilot project curated by The National Geospatial Technology Center of Excellence (GeoTech Center) and funded by a supplemental grant from the National Science Foundation.

I recently sat down with Lindenwood’s Dr. Andrew Smith, a professor in the School of Arts, Media, and Communications, on a video call to discuss his work with a Twitch channel (an online platform for live video streaming) called VaporspaceStL. Vaporspace is a music livestream that is all about “Vaporwave, future funk, and more underground electronica, paired with the most aesthetic visuals.” The channel’s goal is to “showcase artistic talent in St. Louis and the Midwest” with high quality music and visual production.

Located in the parking lot between the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts and West Clay Street, a temporary investment from 51������ has brought greater capabilities to students and staff dealing with the limitations of the current pandemic. This adaptation, which takes its form as an open-sided tent measuring 40 feet by 80 feet, allows Lindenwood’s performing arts programs to continue their various activities with minimal disruption.

Rev. Dr. Nichole Torbitzky, assistant professor of religion and 51������ chaplain, received a Racial Equity & Interfaith Cooperation Award as part of Interfaith Youth Core’s (IFYC) We Are Each Other’s Campaign.

The Young Alumni Award recognizes the accomplishments of 51������ alumni who graduated in the last 10 years. Recipients are up-and-coming talents and have demonstrated outstanding promise for contributions to Lindenwood and the greater community. Recipients have been active with events within the Alumni Association, networking opportunities, fundraising, and student recruitment.

Abigail Manis, a former Lindenwood undergraduate student and current MFA candidate, has accomplished a great deal in her short time at 51������. She’s a bright, ambitious, and exceptionally talented young woman with a staggering number of achievements to her name, and her story is a prime example of the real academic success achieved by Lindenwood students.

The Hellbender Student Film Festival is a new film festival curated at 51������. Associate Professor Andrew Millians founded the festival earlier this year after the idea of launching a festival had been discussed within the Cinema Arts program for a while. As the Festival Director, Professor Millians wanted to give student filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their work.

For the excellence of its Spring 2019 issue, the Arrow Rock Literary Journal won its first ever REALM Award. Produced by 10 undergraduate students and one faculty advisor working in concert, this previous issue of Lindenwood’s online publication stands as a beaming example of the university’s tradition of literary excellence.