Downtown Phoenix campus

Two Arizona State University School of Public Affairs professors began work this fall in national leadership positions in prestigious research and education organizations.

Mary Feeney, a full professor and Lincoln Professor of Ethics in Public Affairs, is the new program director of the Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF).

From purchasing a ticket and passing through the turnstiles to buying some peanuts and Cracker Jack — and maybe a couple of hot dogs and a souvenir — an enjoyable day at the ballpark depends on many hard-working people fans may never meet.

ASU students enrolled in PRM 427, Special Events Management for Revenue Generation, were able to meet the people in charge of staging a Major League Baseball game at Chase Field through a visit that gave them insight on how it is done. The gathering of students and experts resulted from a happy coincidence of time and place.

Twenty years ago, the country saw images of police officers heroically running into buildings that would soon come crashing down.

But over the past few years, people have seen uglier images of police officers abusing their power.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 changed policing in America, according to William Terrill, professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University.

And now, he said, policing seems to be pivoting again.

It was once a place where people cleared out after work, where most restaurants closed by 3 p.m., where only the occasional sports game or First Fridays art walk drew a younger crowd.

Now Arizona State University students live and learn on the Downtown Phoenix campus, bringing an energy and presence that have helped inject new life into the area.

Majors are among the stars of the academic world. Whether students keep the same one throughout their time in college, change them along the way or double them up, majors play a central role in the college experience.

Rarer, though, are mentions of a minor or an academic certificate gained through completing specially arranged courses. That’s often because students don’t have a minor or in many cases may not even know they exist.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has worn on, feelings of isolation and depression run strong for many people. For members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), a volunteer-driven organization open to members of the community who are 50 and older and where stimulating courses, trips and social activities are the mainstay, the sudden and limited social interaction left them at a loss.

The OLLI staff was challenged to find new ways to keep members connected.

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