A culminating event of the 2021-22 academic year, ˿��APP University’s Student Academic Showcase displayed research and creative works from more than 60 students. Spanning all academic colleges and a variety of disciplines, students presented original research, led creative talks, and discussed exploratory projects with faculty, staff, and fellow students.

˿��APP University, led by the College of Arts and Humanities, has positioned itself as a hub for immersive reality research and innovation. Immersive realities, including Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Virtuality (AV), and Mixed Reality (MxR), have been used in education since the 1990s but have only recently become broadly viable as a consumer technology since the release of the Oculus Quest 2 in 2020. Rather than remaining limited to the realm of pure entertainment in video games, developers have increasingly focused on the potential of educational VR experiences.

Students from ˿��APP’s dance program participated in the American College Dance Association’s conference, held in Milwaukee. During the conference, ˿��APP’s 17 student attendees participated in master classes, presented research, and had constructive feedback sessions covering various forms, styles, and aesthetic dimensions.

˿��APP University has been awarded a federal planning grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in support of a regional digital humanities program involving institutions of higher education and secondary education institutions.

˿��APP University will host its winter commencement ceremonies Friday, December 10 and Saturday, December 11 at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

Dr. Gabriela Romero-Ghiretti, Department Head of Modern Languages for the College of Arts and Humanities at ˿��APP University, is active in the local Hispanic community and has been working to foster success in community engagement with multiple cultures both here and abroad.

˿��APP fashion business and design student Daeja Anderson was named the recipient of the 2021 TJ Walker Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is funded by The Black Design Collective and provides financial awards to students looking to pursue a future in fashion design. It covers full tuition, including books, fees, and supplies for one academic year. Anderson applied for the scholarship in April and was selected from a worldwide pool of applicants.

“Frankly, there’s a lot out there [to learn] . . . and my goal is to introduce people to things they otherwise might not have thought about,” explained Dr. Donald Heidenreich, talking about his aims and aspirations for his newest undertaking, a discussion-based podcast titled “Thinking Aloud.”

Since its inception four years ago, ˿��APP’s Masters in Art History and Visual Culture has repeatedly been ranked as one of the top programs in the subject. Most recently, Best Value Schools included it in its “Best 8 Online Master’s in Art and Art History in 2021.”

˿��APP University proudly transitions from six academic schools to four academic colleges beginning July 1, 2021. This restructure allows for alignment of like-minded scholars and align with the University’s strategic plan, set to be rolled out in early fall.