An Alum Describes Her Love for the Lumberjacks

Linda Imonode graduated from NAU in 2003, as a Communications major.  She is currently the Staff Attorney for the Court of Appeals of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.  

I love NAU because it nurtured the intellectual, social, and emotional growth that occurred during my college years.  I took advantage of the small classes offered at NAU and truly felt engaged by my professors and classmates.  My way of thinking was challenged inside and outside the classroom on a regular basis.  I lived on campus all four years, which allowed me to take advantage of the many clubs, activities, and social events on campus.  I went to homecoming games with my hall mates and camping with friends I’d made in class.  Flagstaff is such a beautiful city that I found myself hiking, biking and camping more than I had ever done before. I built a community of friends at NAU whose friendships still sustain me today. In addition, I always felt like the faculty and staff were supportive and wanted me to succeed at NAU and beyond.

I encourage current and future students to take advantage of the smaller classes, live on campus and get involved.  Your experiences at NAU will stay with you for years to come and the growth and friendships you gain will stay with you for a lifetime. 

Special note: Linda is one of nine children, six girls and three boys.  All of the Imonode sisters have either graduated from, attended or are currently attending NAU. (left to right: Sylvia, Miriam, Linda, Neveah (niece), Janet, Jennifer and Jacqueline)

Love Transcends Time: A Dean Shares Why He Loves NAU

Eric Yordy serves as the Associate Dean for The W.A. Franke College of Business. 

I have been at NAU for the past 12 years.  I started as a graduate student, became the Assistant Dean of Students, then Director of New Student Programs (Orientation), then Assistant Professor of Practice in Business Law in The W. A. Franke College of Business and now, Associate Dean of the college.  In all my different roles, I have loved the commitment of NAU to the students most of all.  The faculty care about the students as learners and as people.  The faculty and staff are always available to help students with their problems while teaching the students how to solve their own problems.  More than any other university I have attended or at which I have worked, the faculty and staff at NAU want to know the students and get to know the students.  As an administrator, I have watched faculty in discussions about curriculum and classes to offer and the focus is most certainly on what students need as opposed to what faculty want to teach.  We have a committed student body who works well with us to make NAU a better place every year.  I love that we have students who stay in touch and come back to visit once they have graduated. It is true that once one is a Lumberjack, one is always a Lumberjack.  

A Double Dose: A Parent & Alum Shares His Love for NAU

(pictured left to right) The Dwyer Family: Dugan '16, Tim '84, Tracee '84 and Maddie '13

I love NAU for a number of reasons………..

It started after high school graduation with several of my buddies planning on attending NAU.  I had had a little too much fun in high school and needed a special favor called in from my principal to get accepted to NAU – with the promise to him that I would graduate in four years…………I did!

Many of the people I met while at NAU are my best friends today, including my wife, Tracee (’84 Dental Hygiene).   She was a member of a sorority and a little sister of the fraternity I belong to.  We’ve been married for 25 years.

Our NAU experience was so rewarding that when our oldest child, Maddie, was trying to figure out where she wanted to go to college, we introduced her to the NAU campus.  I’m sure the countless stories of our great NAU times that she heard growing up had a little to do with her decision to attend NAU.  She will graduate in 2013.

Keeping the tradition alive, our son, Dugan, now a senior in high school, will be attending NAU next fall.  He’s anxious to try out his new snowboard and embrace everything NAU has to offer. 

Finally, when I meet someone and the conversation reveals that both of us are Lumberjacks – there’s always a special bond, a camaraderie, that is only available to people who are True Blue.

Oh, and one more thing, you can always count on an NAU grad.  My best friend, Scott Hanson (’83 Journalism) helped me write this.

Why I Love NAU: A Student Perspective

Julius Young is a senior from San Diego, California, majoring in  Journalism, with a minor in Advertising.  

NAU has given me some of the best college and life experiences to date.  I came to the university as a track and field athlete in 2008. After running my first year, I battled a lingering hamstring injury, which ultimately forced me into making a decision of whether to continue running or to hang up my spikes. I decided that my education was far more important to me and the consensus was that I needed to direct my attention towards the initial task of my degree. After spending 2 years as a business management major, I decided that for the time the business route wasn’t for me, though I still plan on earning my master’s degree in management. I’ve always had a passion for writing and being creative, so I decided to change my major to Journalism and minor in Advertising. Upon doing so, I quickly realized that this was my calling. 

In my third year, I served as president of Black Student Union, which proved to be vital to my development as a student leader. The communication building has been pivotal to my success as a communication student. Regardless of your major, the structure and criterion of being a communications major challenges you to do more than you believe you can. This building has everything a student needs to be successful in this field. Radio station, television studio, visual and graphic design labs with the latest professional software, and photography labs are just a few of the tools at your disposal. Coming to NAU was the best decision I have ever made. The atmosphere coupled with the relationships I have formed with my peers and professors are some of the best and NAU is a rising institution that should not go overlooked.