The NAU Review — How to get involved, NAU’s secret garden and Notes from the President

Sept. 22, 2022

The NAU Review. The official news source for Northern Arizona University.

HAPA Hawaiian club students smile at camera

Get involved. Find your home.

When Michelle Gardner arrived at NAU as a freshman, she didn’t know a single person. She wanted to make friends but had no idea how to meet people. Then, she attended the Welcome Week Club Fair and learned about New Student Government. She didn’t have a particular interest in government, but the people at the booth were nice, so she decided to get involved. The rest is history. She went on to join the Honors program, work for The Lumberjack newspaper, serve as an orientation leader, teach HON/NAU 100 and even host a radio show on KJACK—making countless friends and even more memories that shaped her entire college experience. Nearly two decades later, she now serves as the director of the Office of Leadership & Engagement and helps ensure all Lumberjacks have access to finding their own “home” or community. She has simple advice for students: GET INVOLVED—it will change your life.

Read her blog

Notes from the President -- José Luis Cruz Rivera

Week in review

President Cruz Rivera reflects on the devastation Hurricane Fiona inflicted on his native Puerto Rico and the hundreds of thousands without power and clean water. He called attention to the striking parallels between the fires and floods in Flagstaff and hurricanes in the Gulf.

Read his message

NAU’s very own Secret Garden 🤫

You read that right—NAU has a Secret Garden. Last week, ENV 181 students added the finishing touches to this restored campus green space planting native edible and pollinator plant species, assembling Subpod vermaculture composting units and building a picnic table for the campus community to enjoy. This transformation of the abandoned space was made possible by the Green Fund and the Begovac family, whose generous endowment will guarantee ongoing maintenance. Though an official grand opening of the space will take place later this semester, the Secret Garden is open to visitors and for compost drop off in the designated bins. The Secret Garden Atrium entrance is in the north hall that connects the Science Annex and Physical Science buildings.

See the photos

Photos of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon

McAllister fellows invite communities to think, act
on climate

Climate needs more than scientific solutions. To tackle these difficult questions, NAU selects five artists, teachers and scholars for the McAllister CEED Fellowship, a two-year grant to support community-centered climate change programming. These fellows will work in their respective fields to imagine new ways to engage and educate their communities around climate.

Read the story

Native American students pose next to the Honors College sign

With community at the center, this Native-led research program is breaking ground

After a successful first cohort, applications for NAU’s Honors Native American Summer Research Program open soon. The program, which celebrates Indigenous excellence and empowers bold inquiry, allows students to gain career experience in their area of study while conducting supervised research.

Read the story