Stories this week include: It’s time to celebrate with the alumni of Augusta University, organizations continue to raise awareness during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, four students are honored for their work in medical illustration and Augusta University Health has a new tool to help colon cancer detection.

Augusta University celebrates Alumni Weekend

Alumni Weekend arrives with all Augusta University colleges hosting events. The President’s Cookout will be from noon-2 p.m. Saturday, April 23 at the D. Douglas Barnard Jr. Amphitheatre. From 1-3 p.m. Saturday, both the Mary S. Byrd Gallery and the sculpture and ceramics studio will feature work of current design students and studio visual arts students. At 2:15 p.m. on Saturday at the Maxwell Theatre, the Jazz Ensemble will perform.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month continues

Alpha Chi Omega will host their Run A Mile In Their Shoes event at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23 at the Grove on the Summerville Campus. This is the second year of the event, which raises money for SafeHomes of Augusta and brings awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault. The event will feature a mile run around campus as well as a 50-yard dash in heels. Representatives from SafeHomes, The Child Advocacy Center and others will be part of the activities.

Students receive awards for medical illustrations

Four students in the Department of Medical Illustration at the College of Allied Health Sciences have received awards for their work. Allen Hagan, Peter Naktin, Corynne Gamboa and Clara Oh received honors at the 2022 University of Georgia and Augusta University Science and Medical Illustration Student Exhibition. This was the 30th anniversary of the cooperative exhibit which displays the best in student scientific and medical illustration in Georgia.

AI-aided colonoscopy gives more accurate colon cancer screening

AU Health and the Georgia Cancer Center have a new tool to improve detection of polyps that could become cancerous. The addition of a computer-aided software during routine colposcopy enhances screening to find polyps that may be missed in regular screenings. “We are very excited about this because this is something new and I think it’s going to be our future to help our patients. We are going to be the first ones in the state of Georgia to have this technology,” said Dr. John Erikson Yap, assistant professor of gastroenterology at the Medical College of Georgia.