Tag: Northern Arizona University

The NAU Review — Learn about the force, take a survey and see how NAU is increasing diversity in STEM

by Community Contributor • June 9, 2022 • Comments Off

pplied physics doctoral student Jorge Muñoz came to NAU almost a decade ago for a master’s degree. After life took him in different directions, he found his way back to Flagstaff, in a new department, working on a Ph.D. and researching the potential uses of force microscopy for investigating advanced functional materials. This work led him to be selected for the Department of Defense’s SMART Scholarship, which pays for the rest of his education and ensures him a job continuing his research after graduation.
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The NAU Review — Celebrating Pride Month, studying blood sugar and new conservation scholars

by Community Contributor • June 1, 2022 • Comments Off

What does Pride Month really mean?

Celebrating LGBTQIA+ didn’t always mean rainbows and parades. Prior to the 1969 Stonewall Riots, where this community took a stand and fought back against prolonged harassment and oppressive laws, there wasn’t much celebrating at all. Even now, despite June being declared Pride Month, people in this community suffer—2021 was the worst year on record for transgender deaths. So, Assistant Director for LGBTQIA+ Student Services M. Lee Griffin poses the question: How can we make pride a reality for the LGBTQIA+ community? Read more in this Views from NAU.

The NAU Review — One of the greatest in NAU history

by Community Contributor • May 26, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU’s track & field teams swept the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championship for the second consecutive season, claiming their all-time 24th men’s title and 13th women’s title. The Lumberjacks have now swept the Big Sky cross country, indoor and outdoor team team championship titles in the same calendar year for the third time in program history. Coach Mike Smith called the weekend one that he will not forget.

NAU News — Developing future Diné public health leaders starts with early, culturally significant exposure

by Community Contributor • May 19, 2022 • Comments Off

Successfully guiding Diné youth toward health and public health professions begins with two important ideas––start students in a program in high school and cultivate in them a love and understanding of their own cultural, strength-based assets.

Researchers from Diné College and Northern Arizona University explored these findings and other lessons in their recently released publication, “Engaging Native American High School Students in Public Health Career Preparation Through the Indigenous Summer Enhancement Program.”

The publication examines the Indigenous Summer Enhancement Program (ISEP), a one-week summer training program that exposes Native American high school students to public health careers and mentorship in Tsaile, Arizona.

The NAU Review — Special commencement, Notes from the President, and NAU Review news

by Community Contributor • May 12, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU is welcoming back 900 alumni this weekend to get their long-awaited, long-delayed opportunity to put on their cap and gown and walk across the stage. The spring and fall classes of 2020 and the spring class of 2021, who had virtual commencement ceremonies during the pandemic, are returning to NAU this weekend for a special celebration.

The NAU Review — A record-breaking run, a new view of CO2, Flagstaff 🚲 Month and an NAU Online grad heads to law school

by Community Contributor • May 10, 2022 • Comments Off

Nur sets NCAA record in 5,000-meter run

Competing with some of the world’s fastest 5,000-meter runners, the stage was set for Abdihamid Nur and Nico Young to make history at Friday night’s Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, California. And make history they did—the pair of Lumberjacks quickly moved into the top five and held their spaces, eventually finishing in first and second. Nur finished with an NCAA record-breaking time of 13:06.32, and Young finished at 13:11.30, the third-fastest collegiate time in history.

NAU — Convenient and unique summer courses for students and community members

by Community Contributor • May 6, 2022 • Comments Off

Explore a topic that interests you and learn something new this summer. Northern Arizona University offers summer courses for the whole family—in Flagstaff, Phoenix, and online.

Summer is a great time for NAU students to catch up or get ahead on degree requirements, or supplement their studies with courses that interest them. There’s still time to register for summer sessions that begin May 30 and July 4.

Community members can explore non-credit courses on topics for personal enrichment or professional development. Start dates vary from May through July. From the Young Author’s Day Camp to Developing a Dynamic Strategic Plan for Your Small Business and Intro to Brewing Science, it’s easy to learn something new at NAU this summer.

The NAU Review — Celebrating the Class of 2022, a DOE fellowship and President Cruz Rivera’s top 10(ish) moments of the semester

by Community Contributor • May 5, 2022 • Comments Off

Almost 5,600 students are graduating this weekend, and four leaders, including an NAU alum and the National Teacher of the Year, will speak at the ceremonies and receive honorary doctorates.

The NAU Review — ‘A transformative public health leader’, understanding asteroids, a third straight for women’s tennis and so much more

by Community Contributor • May 3, 2022 • Comments Off

When you’re undocumented, you don’t always feel like you have a voice. Alexandra Samarron Longorio wanted to make sure undocumented students did. The first-generation college student took on an undergraduate project that shared stories of Arizona’s undocumented students, and as a master’s of public health student and a senior research coordinator for CHER, she studied how hotel practices and policies affect the health of Latina immigrant housekeepers. She also helped establish Aqui Entre Nos—Just Between Us, a CHER initiative focused on wellness and health for hospitality workers, in collaboration with hotel housekeepers, CHER researchers and other MPH students.

The NAU Review — Introducing Access2Excellence, a new cybersecurity partnership and a career in wildlife ecology for Nicaraguan grad

by Community Contributor • April 28, 2022 • Comments Off

President José Luis Cruz Rivera announced today that, starting in Fall 2023, NAU will provide tuition-free college education for Arizona residents with household incomes at or below $65,000. This new Access2Excellence initiative reflects the urgent need to broaden participation and increase educational attainment in Arizona, helping students gain the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the state’s booming economy.

Discover Flagstaff — The NAU 2022 Film Festival on April 29 and more events

by Community Contributor • April 27, 2022 • Comments Off

The Orpheum Theater.NAU’s student-led UTV Studios presents the NAU 2022 Film Festival LIVE at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Flagstaff. 5 p.m.

The NAU Review — Another for NAU Golf, what to know about inflation and a future Yuma social worker

by Community Contributor • April 26, 2022 • Comments Off

It’s been seven years since NAU Golf’s last Big Sky Conference championship, but the team put that history behind them last week at Talking Stick Golf Club with a decisive win against Sacramento State, taking the championship and advancing to the NCAA Regionals. The Lumberjacks captured their conference-leading ninth all-time Big Sky title after what coach Brad Bedortha called “a very good year and good semester.” The NCAA Regional will be held May 9-11, and the Lumberjacks will learn their fate at 1 p.m. April 27 on the NCAA Women’s Golf Selection Show on the Golf Channel.

The NAU Review — Who wants to be a park ranger? What’s weird about quantum computing? Who appreciates bats?

by Community Contributor • April 19, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU’s soon-to-be Ranger James

James Jensen received a bachelor’s in political science, then quickly got a sales job that left him feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. After spending a week last summer backpacking through Glacier National Park, he decided it was time for a change; he wanted to pursue something he truly enjoyed—the outdoors. Northern Arizona University’s accelerated Park Ranger Training Program is one of only six in the country. In just 16 short weeks, students earn a certificate that opens the metaphorical door to working in state and national parks throughout the U.S. This week, Jensen and his cohort will graduate. Thanks to this program, he will soon get to work his dream job in his favorite place on Earth.

The NAU Review — Honoring the Gold Axe, President’s Prize and Distinguished Seniors, a statewide attack on Valley fever and how NAU promotes volunteerism

by Community Contributor • April 14, 2022 • Comments Off

President Cruz Rivera honored 48 Gold Axe winners, five President’s Prize recipients and nine Distinguished Seniors for their hard work and commitment to their educations and their careers at NAU. “These students have shown incredible resilience and determination to arrive at this point in their academic and personal journeys, and they all have achieved a tremendous amount to excel in their studies and give back in such meaningful ways,” he told the crowd on Tuesday night. The recipients of the President’s Prize, which is the highest award for undergraduates at NAU, are Maylee Acosta, Matthew Billings, Clarreese Greene, Ariana Kelley and Rachell Krell.

The NAU Review — Giving Day, volunteers needed to minimize food waste and the Undergraduate Expo

by Community Contributor • April 12, 2022 • Comments Off

Support what you love on NAU Giving Day

Give, show your pride and share your love for NAU alongside Lumberjacks throughout the world on Giving Day, our annual celebration of everything that makes NAU great. On Wednesday, wherever you are, don your True Blue and Gold, break out your LJs and donate to your favorite fund. Unsure of where to give? Take the NAU Giving Day online quiz and find the perfect fund to make an impact.

The NAU Review — Strokes, Alzheimer’s disease and NAU’s student service day

by Community Contributor • April 7, 2022 • Comments Off

A new study, co-authored by Pamela Bosch, Indrakshi Roy and Amit Kumar, found that people with lower socioeconomic status and people from ethnic minority populations have a greater likelihood of severe stroke than white Americans or those of a higher socioeconomic status. But it’s not just that—those groups also are more likely to have a more severe stroke incident at the time they are admitted to the hospital.

The NAU Review — Celebrating AAPI month, increasing cybersecurity preparedness and graduate research in three minutes

by Community Contributor • April 5, 2022 • Comments Off

This April, join the NAU community in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. IMQ and other organizations will host a variety of events to celebrate and recognize these cultures on campus. With the increase in violence toward Asian and Pacific Islander people, it is especially important to honor and celebrate these countries and cultures.

The NAU Review — 10 ways NAU attacks wildfires, the next phase of quantum computing and HAPA’s annual lu’au

by Community Contributor • March 31, 2022 • Comments Off

In 2020, federal fire agencies spent a whopping $2.2 billion—that’s billion with a “B”—fighting fires. That number has increased tenfold in the last few decades. For Southwest Wildfire Awareness Week, take a look at NAU’s diverse efforts to increase forest health, improve firefighting capabilities, help communities become more resilient and rebuild after a fire and better understand fire behavior.

The NAU Review — The future of stroke treatment, NAUPD in a minute and how you can watch the 3MRP finals

by Community Contributor • March 30, 2022 • Comments Off

Advances in stroke treatment aren’t just coming from medicine—they’re coming from engineering too. Mechanical engineering student Josette Vigil is spending her career at NAU working on stroke research, including material testing of 3D printed polymers and tissues and algorithm development to define the volume and dimensions of an aneurysm. For stroke patients, this work could be life-changing—or even life-saving. Vigil, who works in associate professor Tim Becker’s Bioengineering Devices Lab, is sharing her work publicly this semester at NAU’s Undergraduate Symposium on April 22.

The NAU Review — Doctoral student honored, National Cocktail Day and Oscar predictions

by Community Contributor • March 25, 2022 • Comments Off

Throughout her education and career, Melissa Wheeler was used to being the sole Indigenous person in a room, or one of a few. She’d never had a Native American professor. That’s no longer the case for Wheeler, a doctoral student in the counseling/school psychology education program, as she has helped open doors to others by bringing her work to them. In recognition of her commitment to culturally centered work, Wheeler was named to the second cohort of Rising Graduate Scholars from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. She was one of only 10 students nationwide to receive this honor.

The NAU Review — Podium finishes, period poverty and passion funding

by Community Contributor • March 22, 2022 • Comments Off

Three NAU athletes—Abdihamid Nur, Nico Young and Drew Bosley—scored enough points to earn NAU a fourth-place spot in the championship. With his first-place victory, Nur became the first national double event champion in NAU’s history.

NAU — Reducing racial disparities in STEM

by Community Contributor • March 22, 2022 • Comments Off

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 10 percent of all master’s degrees are awarded to Latinx students, and only 1 percent to Indigenous students. The situation for Ph.D. students is even more dire. To address these inequities on an institutional level, a multidisciplinary team of researchers will partner with Diné College and NAU-Yuma to launch two related projects, supported by nearly $1.3 million in funding. Their ultimate goal is to recruit, train and place students from historically excluded groups into STEM careers.

The NAU Review — An award-winning educator, practicing self-care and studying abroad as an Indigenous student

by Community Contributor • March 10, 2022 • Comments Off

Presidential pedagogy

Education is a second career for three-time Lumberjack Robyn Yewell. But it didn’t stop her from jumping in when she made the move to teaching elementary school science. After a decade of teaching in Tucson schools, two master’s degrees from NAU (and working on a third!), in February she was announced as a winner of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, K-6, for 2020. She is one of only two

The NAU Review — International Women’s Day, how community health workers improve their communities, mental health support and helicopters

by Community Contributor • March 8, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies has crowd-sourced a list of outstanding historical and contemporary figures who advocated for women’s rights and human rights across all conceivable fields of intellectual, political, medical and artistic endeavors from different geographical locations. From artists to authors to protestors, these women are recognized for their contribution to human history.

The NAU Review — In congressional testimony, President Cruz Rivera shares critical need for increased access to students from historically underserved communities

by Community Contributor • March 3, 2022 • Comments Off

In congressional testimony, President Cruz Rivera shares critical need for increased access to students from historically underserved communities

In addition to laying out the attainment gaps throughout the U.S.—only 40 out of every 100 white kindergartners are expected to get a bachelor’s degree and that number drops by half for Black children and one-third for Latino and Native American children—Cruz Rivera, himself a product of Hispanic Serving Institutions, offered policy recommendations to increase economic mobility and equitable postsecondary educational value. These include doubling the maximum amount of Pell grants; investing equitably by increasing per-student investments among all Minority Serving Institutions; improving data transparency and investing in P-12 education.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Women’s History Month, what is happening in Ukraine, why you should travel solo and Lumberjack Champs (x2!)

by Community Contributor • March 1, 2022 • Comments Off

Examining the past and changing the future: Celebrating Women’s History Month

Our community is celebrating the vital role of women in American history and present for Women’s History Month in March. In addition to the Martha Portree CSW Scholarship, NAU is hosting events throughout March to celebrate Women’s History Month with the whole community.

The NAU Review — What is happening to Earth’s forests?, Straw wars and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • February 24, 2022 • Comments Off

The boreal forest is a belt of cold-tolerant conifer trees that stretches nearly 9,000 miles across northern North America and Eurasia; it makes up almost a quarter of the Earth’s forest area. It’s also the coldest—and most rapidly warming—forest biome on the planet, and its shifting characteristics amid climate change are raising concerns about increased fire activity, decreased biodiversity and other long-term adverse effects for human and natural ecosystems.

The NAU Review — Pets of NAU, how to win an argument and the Faculty Senate president

by Community Contributor • February 22, 2022 • Comments Off

LumberSNAPS: Pets of NAU

Question: Who is a Lumberjack’s best friend? Answer: Shaun, Binx, Rupert, Winston, Volt, Banjo, Nucky, Hazel, Missy, Huckleberry and Worm, to name a few. In America, 70 percent of households own at least one pet. Or do they own us? 🤔 In honor of National Love Your Pet Day on Sunday, The NAU Review collected photos of the Lumberjack community’s furry (and slimy!) companions.

The NAU Review — What’s killing our aspens, the importance of being kind and our favorite dwarf planet

by Community Contributor • February 17, 2022 • Comments Off

What happens when an invasive insect starts killing Flagstaff’s fall staple and, more importantly, how can we stop it? These are questions a team of School of Forestry professors and graduate students are asking alongside the U.S. Forest Service as a plague of sap-sucking insects threatens northern Arizona’s aspens.

The NAU Review — How NAU is increasing access to higher ed, Mighty Max and his donated heart

by Community Contributor • February 15, 2022 • Comments Off

Last week, NAU announced an admissions pilot program that will broaden access for higher education in Arizona. By aligning with current high school course offerings, this program will eliminate barriers that undermine the college-going aspirations of highly talented, diverse students throughout the state, giving them a clear pathway to attainment and supporting the state’s prosperity.

The NAU Review — Surviving a near-fatal accident, the importance of BSU and Lumberjacks at Fashion Week

by Community Contributor • February 10, 2022 • Comments Off

If your life were to suddenly come to an end, how would you feel looking back? Ira Allen, an associate professor of rhetoric in NAU’s Department of English, was faced with this daunting question when he found himself lying in the snow, paralyzed and in excruciating pain, unsure he would survive. That snowboarding accident at Snowbowl should have killed him, but life had other plans. Through his recovery—which included a reconstructive spinal surgery, neurorehab and relearning how to walk—he not only learned how to live with a disability and appreciate the small victories but also how to be a more compassionate professor and human being.

The NAU Review — Educating Indigenous health care providers, a love letter to the periodic table and who is Julie Mueller?

by Community Contributor • February 8, 2022 • Comments Off

How NAU is reducing health inequities among Indigenous populations

One of the most effective ways to address health disparities among Indigenous people is by ensuring the health care providers serving a community are offering culturally informed services and programs. For a long time, however, that need was ignored. A few years ago, after being regularly confronted with this deficit, professors in the Center for Health Equity Research created a track in the master’s of public health program that focused on Indigenous health.

NAU, FUSD experts collaborate to develop innovative computer science curriculum for Native American elementary students

by Community Contributor • February 7, 2022 • Comments Off

Native Americans are one of the least represented populations in the field of computer science. Moreover, Native American participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM fields) at the college level continues to be severely limited, resulting in a fraction of Native Americans earning bachelor’s degrees in STEM and computer science. Education researchers have found that a lack of rigorous preparation in mathematics and computational thinking, beginning as early as elementary and middle school, are major factors in this underrepresentation.

Assistant professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes of NAU’s School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems was awarded $275,944 by the National Science Foundation for a two-year project entitled “Towards Culturally Responsive and Computationally Rich Problem Based Learning for K-5 Students.” The project’s goal is to develop solutions to this problem, beginning right here in the Flagstaff community.

The NAU Review — Rebuilding after wildfires, predicting infectious diseases, Humans of Flagstaff and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • February 3, 2022 • Comments Off

The West sees destructive wildfires every year—yet it hadn’t seen anything like California’s Camp Fire. Three months after the most destructive wildfire in recent history, wildfire sociologist Catrin Edgeley went to the devastated town of Paradise to learn how residents and town leaders were recovering. What she found was that, even with the frequency of fires, many cities and towns found themselves navigating unfamiliar territory as they attempted to rebuild. In her research, Edgeley didn’t just want to know how people and towns recovered; she wanted to know how lessons learned in one disaster could be individualized and applied to other fires—lessons that are increasingly important in Arizona as climate change leads to longer, more severe fire seasons.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Black History Month, recognizing CEIAS diversity efforts and Team Rubicon

by Community Contributor • February 1, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU is hosting a variety of events to celebrate Black history this month. These are opportunities for all of the NAU community to learn about diverse cultural traditions and honor and celebrate the contributions African Americans have made to society while raising awareness of their struggles of the past and present.
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The NAU Review — ‘For the love of STEM’ and more news

by Community Contributor • January 27, 2022 • Comments Off

Is kindergarten too young for students to get excited about STEM? No way, says assistant professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes, who is partnering with FUSD to develop a curriculum to get K-5 Native American students doing fun learning activities that focus on math and computational thinking.

The NAU Review — How to intern on Easter Island, how trees survive drought and what is beautyism?

by Community Contributor • January 25, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU is offering a new study abroad program starting this summer—one that will take students out of the classroom and challenge them to interact with the world in new ways. South America NAU will allow students of all majors to do community outreach, interact with different cultures and do hands-on work in climate change, sustainable tourism, anthropology and other big questions of our day.

Students—interested in studying abroad? Find the program that meets your personal, educational and financial needs at Education Abroad.

NAU News — Planetary astronomer Cristina Thomas named 2022 Emerging Scholar for trailblazing research and mentorship

by Community Contributor • January 21, 2022 • Comments Off

Assistant professor Cristina Thomas of Northern Arizona University has been named an Emerging Scholar by the leading education magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education in its Jan. 20 issue. The publication annually recognizes an interdisciplinary group of early-career minority scholars who represent the best of U.S. academia.

“An accomplished planetary astronomer, Latina scientist and mentor, Dr. Thomas serves as a shining role model for our community. She is blazing the trail for our diverse student population to embrace research and explore the boundless universe,” said NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera.

The NAU Review — Recognizing Cristina Thomas’ leadership, GSG president Rebecca Seeger and a program to find students’ talents

by Community Contributor • January 21, 2022 • Comments Off

President Cruz Rivera gives a video update on the United Way of Northern Arizona campaign and discusses his week, which included meetings with students and council members, MLK Day celebrations and reflections and his work with the Arizona Senate.

The NAU Review — Top 10 moments of Fall 2021, MLK Day and Investing in Indigenous Youth

by Community Contributor • January 18, 2022 • Comments Off

The fall semester was exciting—it was President Cruz Rivera’s first at NAU and the first in-person semester for our Class of 2025 and Class of 2026, our researchers made groundbreaking discoveries, we expanded our world-class faculty, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Native American Cultural Center, cheered as NAU Cross Country won its fifth title and NAU Football beat the Arizona Wildcats, and so much more. Phew! President Cruz Rivera talks about his favorite memories of the fall—including the best moment so far at NAU. Can he do it in less than four minutes?

The NAU Review — ‘A call to action: ‘Awakening from the Dream’ and more news

by Community Contributor • January 14, 2022 • Comments Off

On Monday, NAU will honor the life and mission of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who dedicated his life to the nonviolent but unending march for civil rights. The day’s events include a celebration, a march and a day of service to support the Flagstaff community. Volunteers can participate in a day “on” with opportunities at the Flagstaff Family Food Center, Hope Cottage, the Sunshine Rescue Mission and the Murdoch Center.

United Way of Northern Arizona — (Video) A message from NAU President Cruz Rivera

by Community Contributor • January 14, 2022 • Comments Off

There’s no doubt that Northern Arizona University plays a huge role in our community. In addition to being Flagstaff’s largest employer, it is the home of thousands of students who live, work and study here.

NAU is also a major player in local philanthropic efforts, including its annual workplace campaign to support United Way of Northern Arizona.

This year, NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera successfully challenged the university’s community to boost its contributions to UWNA, increasing their campaign goal from $25,000 to $35,000.

“NAU stepped up for community and for that I’m grateful,” he said.

Because NAU met the new goal, President Cruz Rivera authorized another $10,000 donation from the Office of the President, making NAU’s total contribution this year $45,000.

The NAU Review — The 10 most read stories of Fall 2021

by Community Contributor • January 11, 2022 • Comments Off

The Fall 2021 semester was a big one for NAU—it brought new leadership, a return to fully in-person activities, another national championship and a new look to the university newsletter. Reread some of our most popular stories from the semester and share your news with us to help us start the new year strong.

The NAU Review — New year, new telescope, elephant neighbors and mapping redwood genomes

by Community Contributor • January 7, 2022 • Comments Off

On Christmas Day, astronomers and planetary scientists around the world watched as a telescope 20 years in the making was launched into space. NASA called the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope one of the most exciting developments in astronomy in the 21st century. For the astronomers, planetary scientists and students at NAU, the launch of this massive observatory, and the information it will transmit back to Earth, is an important step in advancing our understanding of the solar system.

Sept. 7 — Community Welcome event connects NAU student residents with their Flagstaff neighbors

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2022 • Comments Off

Northern Arizona University and the City of Flagstaff are teaming up for the 5th Annual Community Welcome walk. On Wednesday, September 7, between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a small team of volunteers will be visiting homes in neighborhoods near the NAU campus. During the door-to-door “knock and talks” volunteers meet with local and student residents, share tips for safe and respectful living, and encourage neighbors to get to know one another. Community Welcome aims to improve relations between local and student residents renting rooms and homes in the historic La Plaza Vieja and Southside Neighborhoods.

The NAU Review — Getting to know grads, Notes from the President, School of Music gets the Kitts’ name and Diné educators

by Community Contributor • December 16, 2021 • Comments Off

For the last two years, Laurel Malm, the first graduate of a joint program between nursing and ROTC, was on the front lines of health care, working in the COVID ward at Flagstaff Medical Center. Now she’ll take that experience with her into the Army, applying the leadership lessons she learned from ROTC and the need for flexibility, collaboration and focus she’s learned in nursing school.

‘It’s Our Turn’ COVID-19 art contest invites community members to vote for 12 youth and young adults to win a $250 prize

by Community Contributor • December 15, 2021 • Comments Off

First, youth and young adults were invited to craft creative COVID-19 public health messages. Now, it’s the community’s turn to choose their favorites.

The Arizona Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities set out to inspire Arizona youth and young adults to showcase their artistic talents through the “It’s Our Turn” contest, asking them to add their unique spin on public service COVID-19 messages, especially around masks and vaccines.

The NAU Review — Getting to know grads, smart bikes and redirecting asteroids

by Community Contributor • December 14, 2021 • Comments Off

Jamie Begay, who earned a master’s in public health, has spent her educational career doing outreach and research on public health in Indigenous communities; finding a program that allowed her to specialize in Indigenous health brought her back to her alma mater for a second degree. At no time did this come together more than when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the Navajo Nation particularly hard; she kept busy delivering food, medicine and other necessities to Indigenous communities and checking in with people. The love of community drives Begay. “The value of that experience stems from my appreciation and responsibility I feel for my community. Through that experience, resilience was the foundation of our efforts.”

Graduate Alondra Angelica Alvarez Ortiz: Uprooted, student finds passion for helping others through teaching

by Community Contributor • December 10, 2021 • Comments Off

When Alondra Angelica Alvarez Ortiz was seven years old, her family moved from Mexico to the U.S. She spent every night thereafter crying herself to sleep—she missed her little hometown of Gomez Palacio, visiting her tia’s snack cart after school and dressing up in a long traditional skirt and bright red lipstick to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day. She didn’t understand America, with lines down the middle of the roads and lack of people in the back of pickups. She also didn’t understand the “better life” her mother insisted she would have here, for which she sacrificed so much. How could a society so fixated on working and money be better than her simple and carefree Gomez?

The NAU Review — Getting to know grads, celebrating in-person commencement, water on Mars and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • December 9, 2021 • Comments Off

For the first time in two years, NAU will celebrate commencement in the Skydome, with almost 2,800 students completing their degrees and President Cruz Rivera officiating his first commencement as president of NAU. With snow in the forecast, people traveling for commencement are encouraged to sign up for text alerts (by texting “NAU” to 237233) and leave extra travel time.

The NAU Review — Getting to know grads, Arizona Lottery scholarship winner and an NAU professor on Jeopardy!

by Community Contributor • December 7, 2021 • Comments Off

Graduate Eduardo Moreno’s experience in NAU-Yuma’s nursing program encompassed a breadth of experiences—working in the COVID-19 unit during clinicals, educating the community about the stigma behind mental illness and substance abuse and spending a little time in the hospital as a patient. He did it all with the goal of increasing access to affordable and effective health care.

The NAU Review — Getting to know grads, normalizing asking, Notes from the President and a holiday craft

by Community Contributor • December 2, 2021 • Comments Off

Medical anthropologist Lisa Hardy says we all need to get comfortable with questions this season: Are you vaccinated? Do you mask appropriately? Will you wear a mask in my house? This kind of communication prioritizes safety and socializing.

The NAU Review — XC national championship, your Thanksgiving traditions and Humans of Flagstaff

by Community Contributor • November 23, 2021 • Comments Off

One of our favorite NAU Thanksgiving traditions is winning a national cross-country championship … but we’ll get to that in a minute. 😉 For the rest of us, it means cutting down a Christmas tree, spending days putting together a puzzle, drinking at a local dive bar, crafting with kids, creating a tablecloth full of memories, celebrating Native American heritage and more. Here’s how our Lumberjacks spend the holiday.

The NAU Review — Celebrating standout seniors, Louie volunteers, supply chain worries and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • November 19, 2021 • Comments Off

NAU and President Cruz Rivera honored the Class of 2021 President’s Prize recipients, Maree Mahkewa and Angel Marshall, 29 Gold Axe Award winners and nine Distinguished Seniors at a formal ceremony on Nov. 16 at the High Country Conference Center.

The NAU Review — Creating a home away from home, the Regents’ Cup and a ‘fun’ fact about Oak Creek

by Community Contributor • November 16, 2021 • Comments Off

Ora Marek-Martinez understands the need for Indigenous students to find community in order for them to reach their full potential in college. Marek-Martinez, who is of the Diné, Nez Perce and Hopi tribes, felt lost more than once while a student at NAU. As executive director of the Native American Cultural Center, her role is to create a place where the students who come after her will find the support, academic resources and familial and spiritual services needed to be successful at NAU and beyond.

The NAU Review — On Veterans Day, honoring sacrifice without glorifying it

by Community Contributor • November 9, 2021 • Comments Off

Zach Hamilton enlisted in the Marine Corps, “caught up in the romantic dream of dress blues and honor.” During his service, which included a stint in Afghanistan, and since leaving the Marines in 2013, he has reflected often on words his father, a veteran of Desert Storm, told him: The military provides experience he wouldn’t get anywhere else, but someday, he might look back at that experience through a different lens. In honor of Veterans Day, he reflects on that counsel in this Views from NAU.

The NAU Review — The secret of young volcanoes, body positivity and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • November 4, 2021 • Comments Off

A cancelled flight didn’t slow down President Cruz Rivera’s week, which included meetings with leaders from campus, local government, the Navajo Nation and higher education; a meaningful conversation about diversity, inclusion and justice with Black/African American faculty and staff; and attending the naming ceremony for the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum.

The NAU Review — Native American Heritage Month, the XC teams bring home the gold and a new institute focuses on ethics

by Community Contributor • November 2, 2021 • Comments Off

Every November, the NACC joins with the Office of Indigenous Student Success to celebrate Native American Heritage Month alongside Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nation and Aboriginal students who have found a new home at NAU. Located near the Navajo and Hopi reservations, NAU offers a variety of events to help students, staff and faculty celebrate and foster awareness of Indigenous cultures and contributions during the month of November and throughout the year.

The NAU Review — Día de los Muertos, vegan recipes, DOE grants, Halloween and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • October 28, 2021 • Comments Off

In this Views from NAU, Karen Schairer, associate professor in the Department of Global Languages and Culture, writes about how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is first and foremost a celebration and a reminder that life and death are both part of the same experience. Neither is to be feared and both are to be celebrated with joy and laughter, music and dancing and a heartfelt appreciation of family and all who came before us.

The NAU Review — How to create a less flammable forest and more news

by Community Contributor • October 26, 2021 • Comments Off

Fires in the West have been getting more severe and threatening more communities in the last 30 years. A team, including ecologists and economists from NAU, received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how communities can use fuel treatments to keep themselves safe and preserve their relationship to the forests they love.

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