Submitted by SCAFoundation on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 7:20pm

Megan Biddle, originally from Hope, Ind., is married, has 2 children, and is currently in her final semester at the School of Adult Learning receiving her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership. Biddle is also starting classes toward her Master of Divinity degree. If all this was not enough to keep her schedule busy, Biddle worked on a class project with Director of Security, Walt Smith, and Karen McTague, Grants and Research Officer, to help AU receive a non-competitive matching grant for 15 defibrillators on campus.

According to McTague, the financial match was a collaborative effort with the Parents Club, AU donor Russell Savage, and Anderson University. 

Each student in the School of Adult Learning chooses an applied research project to fulfill graduation requirements. The 5-hour course requires between 160 and 200 hours defining the project problem, researching literature, discovering solutions, and writing the finished paper that, typically, is at least 35 to 45 pages in length. The learner’s project is written and orally presented.

“A lot of students do a work or church related project,” recalls Biddle. “But because we had just moved to Noblesville and I had left my job as a nurse to come to AU full-time, I wanted to do something relating to Anderson University,” said Biddle.

Biddle met with Smith in the fall of 2008 to research the safety and security issues on campus. After considering different options, providing the campus with defibrillators seemed to be a natural choice given Biddle’s nursing background.

Defibrillators will be placed in these locations: Student Center; Reardon Auditorium; Decker Hall basement; Fine Arts building; Hartung Hall; Nicholson Library; Hardacre Hall; Health Services; and residence halls.

Jim Scott, natatorium director in the Kardatzke Wellness Center, will be providing CPR and defibrillator training for faculty staff the end of February on campus.