📰 BEST BETS
Exploring Alabama’s Descent Communities
The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park will cultivate community and education around the cultures of southeastern Native Americans at the 36th annual Moundville Native American Festival Oct. 3-5.
Why This Matters: Festival attendees will have the chance to meet Native American artisans, see traditional dances, listen to stories and music, and support local and Native American businesses.
For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at rljohnson8@ua.edu.
Supporting Small Business Development
The Alabama Small Business Development Center at UA will bring its Digital Marketing Bootcamp program to rural communities in Alabama in fall of 2024.
Why This Matters: The Digital Marketing Bootcamp is a three-hour training program that guides attendees through setting measurable marketing goals for their business and instructs how SEO, social media and technology can help them reach their goals.
For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at jessica.nelson@ua.edu.
Enrollment Surpasses 40K for First Time
A record-breaking number of in-state first-year students highlights UA’s fall 2024 total enrollment of 40,846, surpassing 40,000 for the first time.
Why This Matters: UA’s unwavering commitment to student success led to the record-breaking enrollment, which includes 3,434 freshmen from Alabama, marking the largest number of in-state freshmen ever. This 7.9% increase in in-state first-year students is UA’s sixth consecutive year with an in-state increase. Second-year retention also reached an all-time high at nearly 90%.
For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu.
Iron Bowl Meets Citizen Science
Fans of The University of Alabama and Auburn University can compete in the realm of citizen science through the annual Marble Bowl by submitting observations of wild plants, animals and fungi to one of two projects on the iNaturalist platform.
Why This Matters: Alabama is blessed with incredible biodiversity — amongst the highest in the nation. Unfortunately, there are also many endangered species and a high extinction rate. With these facts in mind, the increased need for documenting biodiversity around the state is more clear.
For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at rljohnson8@ua.edu.
📅 EVENTS
Sept. 26; UA Arboretum
Fiction Collective Two 50th Anniversary Reading
Oct. 7; Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center
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