In 2017, the National MS Society funded a study that focused on documenting how many people in the United States were affected by Multiple Sclerosis, as the last study had not been conducted since 1975. The result provided a staggering number, one that doubled the amount the leading experts had initially estimated: nearly 1 million people in the United States of America were living with MS. Based on the intense prevalence of this disease, and the disastrous impact it has made on families—emotionally, physically, and economically—it is clear that now, more than ever, new ideas are necessary in order to make an impact in the MS landscape and bring greater relief to the affected community.

Lindenwood student Nadia Maddex was selected as this year's St. Louis Symphony In Unison Scholar. This program is open for undergraduate students who are participating in the arts such as musicians, composers and music educators. Maddex is a vocalist and sings 1st soprano. According to Maddex, this is a great honor and it not only comes with a scholarship. “In that program, I am provided with mentoring from St. Louis Symphony staff, as well as given special performance, conference, workshop and leadership opportunities.”

Gillian Parrish, an Assistant Professor of Writing at Lindenwood, recently published her article “Boosting Student Motivation Through Connected Reflection” in an online publication called Faculty Focus. This publication publishes work from professors and educators all over the U.S., and this is Professor Parrish’s fourth time being published on their website.

Inspired by wanting to better understand her oldest son, Michael, and his concentration “issue” that causes him anxiety, Dr. Krista Tucciarone, or Dr. “Tucc,” personally reached out to her own students at 51������ about their own “issues" and how these issues might be causing them anxiety, too. After an “overwhelming number” of students relaying that they experienced plights similar to Michael, Dr. Tucc knew she had to delve deeper into the problem to “determine the degree anxiety affects college students.”

Sydney Hembrough uses her Lindenwood classroom experience to help make a name for herself in the world of social media and content creation. Hembrough is an online student studying digital marketing with an emphasis in social media and digital content strategy, and she works on the web team for the Linden Gold.

Dr. Travis McMaken, professor of Philosophy and Religion and Assistant Dean of the School of Humanities, has recently been recognized as a person of positivity among Lindenwood’s faculty and staff. The “Person of Positivity” initiative was started by the faculty and staff at our university about a year ago.

On February 6 2021, associate English professor Dr. Justine Pas spoke at a virtual event titled “Personal Perspectives on Race, Privilege and Responsibility” that was part of Alpha Chi’s 2020-2021 Educational Initiative titled “... And Justice for All” Seeking Racial Equality. Dr. Pas was personally invited by Dr. Kathi Vosevich, the Vice President of Alpha Chi’s National Executive Council and dean of Lindenwood’s School of Humanities to speak about her personal experiences.

It is safe to say that when students began spring break last March that we did not expect to spend the next year separated from our friends and family, nor did we foresee having to adapt to an entirely new learning format online. This passing year has been a time of adjustment and has perhaps challenged our ideas of what it means for education and success to be accessible to all people. When faced with these challenges, students and faculty here at Lindenwood have showcased their resourcefulness and determination to build safe learning environments that still encourage students to pursue their passions.

In the classroom, Melissa Qualls is electric, lighting up the room with her joyful laughter, sharp wit, and deep philosophical and literary intellect. Her excitement about topics like Gender Studies and Existentialism is infectious, and students leave her classes feeling a little lighter and a lot smarter, their minds abuzz with the words of great thinkers like Albert Camus, Jean Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir. Qualls is not in the business of facilitating dull rote memorization; she constructs classes that center on something much more important: wisdom.

Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Senior Professor of History at Lindenwood, has had two recent successes in the publication world. His article “Death and Dying at the Founding of Missouri,” in which he explores the changes of burial services during the 1820s and 30s in the rapidly growing city of St. Louis, was published in the Saint Louis Genealogical Society Quarterly, an organization that was founded in 1968. The Quarterly reached out to Dr. Smith to put together a piece about the local history of burials which is how his article came to be published.