Valpo students know the power of discovery and have opportunities for undergraduate research beginning their freshman year. Situated on the east side of campus, the James S. Markiewicz Solar Energy Research Facility (SERF) offers something truly unique: the ability to study and research in the only solar furnace located at an undergraduate institution in the United States. With more than 300 stunning curved mirrors and a 20-foot-by-20- foot heliostat, the SERF allows students and faculty to explore ways to use solar energy as a viable alternative energy source — and serves as a beautiful campus landmark for those passing by on Sturdy Road.

Nursing education — and the field of health care overall — has come a long way since the College of Nursing and Health Professions was founded more than 50 years ago! Throughout that time, Valpo CONHP students, faculty, and staff have contributed to an enduring legacy of excellence. In this throwback to the early 1980s, nursing students are seen in the traditional nursing gear of that time, reviewing key expectations in advance of a quiz. Don’t forget to sign the Honor Code!

Last year at Valpo felt — more than anything, I think — distant. Because of the newly reshuffled reality we lived in, I often felt more like a distant observer of my classes, my social circle, and my work, than a real participant. That’s why art has been so important for me; the practice of observing what’s around me and putting it down on paper, like I was doing in my digital media class pictured here, makes me feel intimately grounded in a world that seems to always be shifting around.