Countdown to Fall Semester Begins

August 09, 2007 | Written By Shannon Linton ’07

With summer graduate and undergraduate classes coming to an end, APU has shifted its focus toward the new school year. From the whirring of lawn mowers, to the clicking of keyboards, to the shouts of sports players, the campus is filled with the sounds of preparation as students, faculty, and staff ready themselves for the fast-approaching fall semester.

Sports teams arrived back to campus August 5-6, eager to start the year strong. More than 100 players turned out for the opening practice of the 2007 football season Monday, August 6. The Cougars are looking to rebound this season, combining a strong recruiting class with key returnees. Cougar volleyball players are preparing for their season as well, which begins August 24.

Alpha Leaders return to campus August 14 to take part in training and Bridges, a weeklong leadership excursion in San Francisco. Started more than two decades ago, Bridges seeks to expand paradigms of authentic Christian living through the practice of “uncomfortable love.” Upon their return, Alpha leaders will prepare for New Student Orientation weekend, when they will meet and interact with incoming students to help them adjust to life at APU.

Other student leaders returning to campus early include Resident Advisors (RAs). Having embarked on their Walkabout adventure in the Ansel Adams Wilderness just outside Yosemite on August 6, the RAs are gearing up for a great year. Walkabout is a 10-day wilderness experience in the High Sierras designed to train RAs in the area of leadership for the upcoming year. The trip includes hiking, camping, rock climbing, and a chance for solitude.

Facilities Management is another of the many offices working diligently to ensure the campus is also prepared. Since the close of spring semester, employees of Facilities Management have thoroughly cleaned and readied APU’s campus. From living areas, to classrooms, to eating facilities, the university is primed for students’ return.

Professors are also hard at work preparing their syllabi and lesson plans for the upcoming semester of classes. Ray McCormick, Ph.D., professor of communication studies, has spent several days revising his lesson plans for the fall. “The fall is exciting because you get to enact the new plans and lecture material that you had the freedom to develop over the summer,” said McCormick.

All the recent activity around campus makes it official: the final countdown to September has begun!