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The Echo
Taylor University, Upland, IN
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024
The Echo

News

Exit.

Exit Church to Purchase Walnut Creek Outdoors Building

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Exit Church has been making arrangements to close on the purchase of the Walnut Creek Outdoors building in the next two months after its largest attendance this year held 540 people and reached into the rented building’s lobby. Once they possess the vacant store building, they will begin renovating it and officially make the transition from their current location by fall of 2025, Tyler Shirley, co-pastor of Exit Church, said.



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Braun wins

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Braun will take over for Eric Holcomb, who served two terms as governor. Braun received 55.3% of the votes, McCormick 40.1% and Rainwater 4.6%, according to Ballotpedia. Stried received zero votes. 


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Hagen resigns in November, works for Moderna

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Will Hagen, vice president for strategy and chief of staff, will resign from his position in November to serve at Moderna in Boston. He will work in Human Resources Leadership as director, leadership and culture. 


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'Biggest election year in history' comes to an end

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Various news outlets such as NPR, Vox, Forbes and more have dubbed 2024 as “the biggest election year in history.” Once the United States’ election takes place, Nov. 5, and Ghana’s on Dec. 7, at least 70 countries and territories will have selected new leaders or solidified incumbents.


Jeff Sparks...

IndyStar journalist interviews founder of Heartland Film Festival

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Vocation, prayer and life transitions: Russell Pulliam publicly interviewed Jeff Sparks Thursday, Oct. 24, discussing these three themes and many others. Held in Taylor University’s Cornwall Auditorium, the interview centered around Sparks’ many endeavors, including the founding of the Heartland Film Festival. 


The Echo

Grants fund academic programs, research opportunities at TU

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Grant writing is a key part of funding academic programs and allows for diverse funding opportunities for various academic desires and needs in the university, Kris Johnson, director of grants and sponsored programs, said. If a department or faculty member at Taylor wants to conduct research, develop a program or requires additional funding outside of their budget, they can apply for a grant.


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Strike impacts students

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On October 1, 2024, ports up and down the Eastern and Gulf coasts saw thousands of dockworkers begin a long-anticipated strike. Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the union representing the dockworkers, rallied together in an effort to raise wages and ban automation in ports. 



The Echo

University Advancement continues to fundraise for institution

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Fundraising is how Taylor University supports and affords various projects and initiatives to grow its institution. The University Advancement Department focuses on these fundraising efforts, working separately from the school’s operational budget and grant processes. The process of giving to the university is multifaceted. Typically, the university has pre-existing connections with individuals it believes would be interested in giving to specific projects due to personal connection or general subject interest, Mike Falder, vice president for University Advancement, said.


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Students team up to lead new comic class

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A love of comic books is something senior Contessa Hussong, professional writing major and junior Caleb Joshua Heffron, multimedia journalism major, share in common. The two teamed up to teach a class called "comics unlocked." Heffron said in this course, he and Hussong explore the history of comics and guide students through creating a comic script. They will earn credit for an independent study by teaching the course. 


The Echo

Fire pit ignites

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A gas-powered fireplace ignited, resulting in the injury of three students, outside the Hodson Dining Commons on Wednesday around noon. People on the scene immediately called emergency services. Taylor University’s staff, campus police and several emergency management people responded quickly to see what had occurred, Skip Trudeau, vice president for Student Development and Intercollegiate Athletics, said. Facilities came over and shut the gas and power electricity off to the fire pit.


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Hurricanes Helene, Milton hit southern states

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Hurricane Helene hit the Big Bend area of Florida on Sept. 26 and snaked its way 400 miles up to North Carolina where the majority of the damage occurred. The hurricane claimed more than 200 lives across the Southeast through flash flooding and associated damage. Strong wind gusts damaged property and blew trees and power lines down in a swath from the Gulf Coast to the North Carolina mountains, the National Weather Service reported. 



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New student portrait show highlights diversity of Taylor campus

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Senior Chloe Gard, film and media arts major and photography minor, is the photographer of “You,” the new photo gallery hanging up on the second floor of the LaRita Boren Campus Center. The gallery was installed in August and will remain for the 2024-25 academic year. 


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Taylor students build new housing in Upland

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Upland will be welcoming new housing options on Second Street called the Haven on 2nd Street. The new housing is 28 apartments half a mile from campus. New hires at Taylor University are unable to find houses in Upland and end up living in surrounding communities, Drew Moser, a local real estate agent, and a former dean and professor at Taylor, said. 


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Sept. 17 report on Upland City Council Meeting

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City Council passed ordinance 12-2024 which reestablishes Upland’s Department of Redevelopment; they reviewed city annexation and utility water main breaks on Sept. 17. The primary use of a Department of Redevelopment (or redevelopment commission) is to identify and find property within a town (or city) that is abandoned or “blighted,” Michael Harbin, professor emeritus of biblical studies and town council member, said.


Romanesque

J-term documentary receives first place through BEA

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Junior Greg Compton, senior Callia Stichter, graduates Emily Crosier (‘24) and Claire Tiemens (‘24) won first place for their film “Route of the Romanesque” in the Broadcast Education Association’s (BEA) 2024 On-Location documentary competition. “The Route of the Romanesque” was created and produced by director Crosier, producer and writer Tiemens, co-cinematographer and co-producer Stichter and editor and cinematographer Compton.


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Prominence through Princeton

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“I love Taylor intramurals more than a million dollars, a box of chocolates and a lover serenading me day and night,” freshman student Aden Duell said. Taylor is ranked as No. 8 in the nation for intramural sports by The Princeton Review.


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Taylor University updates science seminar, increasing accessibility

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Benjamin Lawson, associate professor of physics, will speak at the university’s next science seminar on Oct. 1. He will talk about searching for new phases of matter. This is research into the strange way certain materials, like magnets, work differently than individual atoms by themselves, he said.