Above: Students hold their eclipse glasses on while viewing the near-total eclipse. Photo courtesy of Marin Tadrus.

At 2 p.m. on April 8th, 2024, St. Ambrose University came alive as students and faculty
gathered in the quads to witness the celestial spectacle of a recent solar eclipse. This rare
astronomical phenomenon captivated many, leaving us awestruck by its graceful beauty.

In the quad, friends laughed and joked together, pulling out chairs from their kitchens and
lounging on the grass, all with their chins pointed skyward, although accompanied by jokes
about going blind. Although Davenport wasn’t in the path of totality, SAU students certainly
made the most of the great weather and captivating event.

Photos courtesy of Marin Tadrus.

“Any excuse to wear these goofy glasses and procrastinate homework with my friends is
fine by me,” said SAU Senior, Annah Miller, after being asked how her eclipse’ day has been
going.

Zoey Larson, a sophomore majoring in Social Work, and Andrew Held, a graduate student
in the same field, shared their perspectives on the eclipse. Both Zoey and Andrew were
familiar with the event and eagerly anticipated experiencing it with their community.

Zoey reminisced about a previous eclipse she witnessed during her high school years, “I
saw the last eclipse in 2017, and I’ve really been looking forward to experience this again,
even if it’s not a total eclipse.”

Andrew, too, looked forward to sharing the experience with the students at his internship
with Bettendorf Middle School, “I’ll be following along with what the school has planned for
the eclipse, and I’m super excited to see the students experience this for the first time, as a
lot of them didn’t get the chance to see the one in 2017.”

The campus buzzed with anticipation and excitement, with some students even fashioning
makeshift eclipse eyewear from multiple pairs of sunglasses.

SAU Nurse Nancy issued a reminder via email throughout the week to wear appropriate eye
protection when observing the sun to avoid eye damage or blindness. Many students and
faculty acquired safety glasses from the campus library or local stores.

Dr. Mitchell, an esteemed figure in SAU’s Engineering and Physics department, traveled five
hours to Southern Illinois to witness the eclipse in its totality.

Reflecting on the experience, Professor Mitchell shared, “During the totality, my only
thought was to savor every moment, as who knows when or if I’ll witness it again.”

Amidst the excitement, there were moments of reflection and contemplation. SAU Junior in
Finance and Economics, Billy Berwig, observed that the eclipse sparked conversations
about the vastness of outer space and humanity’s place within it.

“This event is amazing, but it also makes me uneasy thinking about the size of our universe.
We really have no definitive idea as to what else is out there, and this is an event we have
no control over.”

As the event concluded, it served as a touching reminder of the unknown wonders and
mysteries that await beyond our planet. The next total solar eclipse visible in the United
States won’t occur until 2044, leaving us eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to witness
this inspiring phenomenon.

Marin Tadrus is a staff writer for The Buzz.