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.”

Starting in August 2019, Lindenwood University’s very own Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory (EPNL) conducted a study in which researchers found that adding a certain probiotic to a milk protein powder helps improve the absorption of amino acid.

Lindenwood University recently signed an articulation agreement with the St. Charles Community College (SCC). The goal of this agreement is to provide resources and opportunities to SCC students who are planning to transfer to Lindenwood.

Lindenwood University 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.

For decades, young adults have consistently had the lowest voter turnout rates of all age groups in United States elections. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, a shocking 53.9 percent of eligible 18- to 29-year-old citizens opted not to vote in the 2016 presidential election. Young people are passionate about current affairs and have the potential to become a mighty political force, but time and time again, they are underrepresented in the polls.

Located in the parking lot between the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts and West Clay Street, a temporary investment from Lindenwood University 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.

Lindenwood University will be the exclusive presenting sponsor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Regional Spelling Bee in connection with the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition.

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