AU Today - Academics

Academic stories
nursing students in VR lab
March 15, 2024

Nursing students are getting their first taste of virtual reality in the classroom. The School of Nursing at Aurora University introduced VR into its curriculum earlier this year, giving students a chance to practice realistic scenarios for a diverse population of patients where they...

social work students receive scholarships
February 1, 2024

Aurora University has awarded 25 social work students $520,000 in scholarships and other support to pursue their substance abuse counselor credentials, as the demand rises for social workers trained to address the ongoing overdose crisis in Illinois. The scholarships are funded by a grant from...

graduate education student in meeting
January 5, 2024

The nationwide teacher shortage has been making headline news for the past several years. In Illinois, there were over 7,100 unfilled positions at the start of the 2023 school year, including almost 50 open positions for principals and assistant principals across the state.1 In response, AU...

Noyce Scholars
December 20, 2023

Aurora University named its inaugural cohort of Noyce Scholars—10 students who are studying to become math and science teachers for middle schools and high schools in high-need school districts. The National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program supports students from...

Education Student in Classroom
October 16, 2023

In an effort to help address the school leader shortage in Illinois, Aurora University launched the Alternative Principal Endorsement program in fall 2023. The program allows educators with a master’s degree to earn their principal endorsement in just one year through a unique combination...