Texoma Connect

The solar observatory in the IDEA Center at Austin College will highlight the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox on Friday, September 22. Weather and sunlight permitting, the public is invited to join students and faculty to watch the progress of the sun between 1:00 and 1:20 p.m. as it reaches its highest point in the sky. The IDEA Center is located on the Austin College campus at 1108 E. Richards Street in Sherman. The event is free.

The annual fall and spring equinoxes are the two days when the sun shines directly on the equator and provides nearly equal daylight and night hours. Sunlight pouring through the gnomon hole in the roof of the IDEA Center will cast an image on the atrium floor and align with the equinox marker at exactly “solar noon,” (1:18 p.m. CDT). A gnomon hole is an ancient device originally used to compute time.

Dr. David Baker, professor of physics, director of the Adams Observatory, and author of the award-winning book “The 50 Most Extreme Places in the Solar System” will provide comments and overview during the event. Watching the sunbeam march across the atrium floor and arrive at the equinox marker is magical,” said Baker. “It marks a significant moment in time, one that has been observed by many civilizations throughout history. The solar observatory at Austin College does it in a special way. It’s worth seeing.”

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

Area children are invited to participate in Austin College’s ’Roo Bound program Saturday, September 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free Saturday morning program is an opportunity for children in kindergarten through 5^th grade to spend fun, learning time with members of the Austin College community. This month’s program is titled, “Making a Racquet” and will be led by Austin College’s tennis team and Coach Ryan Dodd. Team members will offer a variety of activities to teach the children through games and mini-lessons. Students will have lunch in the Austin College dining hall in Wright Campus Center, courtesy of the Service Station and Aramark Food Service.

The day of the program, students should arrive between 10:45 and 11 a.m. at the Wright Campus Center entrance off Brockett Street.

Advance registration is requested so that sufficient volunteers and materials will be available and only 50 slots are available. To register or for more information, contact the Austin College Service Station at 903.813.2333 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.weekdays or email servicestation@austincollege.edu. To register by email, include the child’s name and grade level, along with the parents’ phone number.

In addition to the special learning opportunity for children, ’Roo Bound, coordinated by the Austin College Service Station but involving many students across campus, is designed to expose children to the idea of college in a safe, fun environment. The organizers hope that the program makes college attendance seem accessible to children, particularly those who might be the first in their families to consider college. The next events are scheduled for October 21 and November 11.

The Austin College Service Station is a student-run organization that connects Austin College students available for service with local agencies and groups needing volunteers. Many students do individual service projects in the community; campus organizations often do group projects; others take part in projects such as ’Roo Bound or the College’s annual Great Day of Service, when several hundred students volunteer at more than 40 agencies in the north Texas region.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.