Anderson University Magazine

Anderson University 2013

SPRING

MAGAZINE

President and Mrs. Whitaker celebrating 10 years student center plans spawn broader vision

Anderson University Magazine 2013 SPRING Edition Rick Warren at AU............................ 6 Homecoming .................................. 7 Nursing students honor “silent teachersâ€? ...........................10 SYNNEX Corporation hosts over 120 business students ..........................11 Student center inches closer to groundbreaking .........................12 SIFE is now Enactus ..........................15 AU strengthens positions in U.S. NEWS top tier rankings ..............16 Dr. Whitaker’s 10th anniversary ...........20 Diane Whitaker uses professional gifts talent and selĂ essness ............23 Honored interior designer attributes success to AU ...............................30 Honors continue to mount for AU interior design program ...................31 AU students aided Hurricanes Sandy victims during spring break ...............32 Professors strive to educate a generation of “Spiritual Tinkerersâ€? ...................35 Endowed scholarships .......................36 Anderson students transformed theater into circus .........................38 Athletics .......................................42 Alumni news ..................................46 Contributing Writers: Evelyn Beck, Jill Carraway, Benjamin Culbreth, Brianne N. Holmes, Barry Ray, Jonthan Todd, Donald White Anderson University Magazine is a publication of the Marketing and Communications Department of Anderson University for alumni and friends.

President: Dr. Evans P. Whitaker Editor In Chief: Barry Ray Editor: Shelli H. Rutland Contributing Writers: Barry Ray, Evelyn Beck Contributing Photographer: Jason Jones Photography

university happenings ...

Campus News Campaign for new student center hits high gear

greetings from Anderson University The famous Beatles song “Here Comes the Sun”

You will see the final drawings of the planned

states that “It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter;”

Student Center and Dining Commons at

but had the “fab four” been on the Anderson

Anderson. As we march into the warm weather

University campus when that song was written,

months, the idea of having the most significant

it might have gone a little differently. It’s been a

building for the next 100 years on our campus

fast, exciting, and celebratory winter, even though

is closer to becoming bricks and mortar. The

nature has thrown us its share of cold, wet days.

fundraising for the facility at the literal and

As the pages of this magazine will bear out, inside

figurative heart of the campus is entering the

the warm halls of AU there has been a flurry of

critical last stage, and we are certain it will make

activity and accomplishment; and as the weather

a difference on this campus that only a building

warms in South Carolina, we are eager to finish

of this magnitude can make.

the 2012-2013 academic year with a bang.

As with any issue of this magazine, this one is full This edition of Anderson University Magazine

of the accomplishments of our students, faculty

commemorates a decade of progress at this

and staff. While they are increasingly plentiful

institution under the leadership of our president,

around here, we never take them for granted

Dr. Evans Whitaker. Ten years may seem like a long

and hope you won’t either. With that said, we

time to some; but as you count the changes and see

hope you enjoy this glimpse into the marvelous

the growth that has occurred during Dr. Whitaker’s

activities at this special institution!

tenure on campus, it is difficult to imagine how much has occurred during such a short time.

- Anderson University Magazine

Rather than pause to reflect on those achievements, however, the campus community is forging ahead with initiatives that promise to dwarf even the major milestones we celebrate in this magazine.

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winter commencement ceremony

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One hundred and thirty-six graduates, a record for Anderson University’s fall semester commencement, crossed the stage to receive diplomas on December 14.

AU has broken enrollment records for the past six years, and the university’s graduation numbers are reecting that growth. AU passed the 2,900 mark in enrollment this year.

Anderson University also awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Clayton King, the founder and president of Crossroads Worldwide and Clayton King Ministries.

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Rick Warren at Anderson University a huge success

What’s in your hand? That was the question posed several times by Pastor Rick Warren to an overflow crowd in Anderson University’s Henderson Auditorium during an October 7th chapel service.

Skillfully, one of the world’s most influential evangelical leaders used the story of Moses’ first encounter with God to urge students to give Him their gifts and trust Him with the results. In that biblical story, Moses’ hand contained a simple shepherd’s staff; but when he threw it down, it came alive. Warren pointed out that when Moses gave what was in his hand to God, it came alive; and when he took it up again, it became lifeless.

Warren then, as few modern preachers can, related the application to students trusting God with their life direction and committing their abilities to His plan.

The Anderson student body sat in rapt attention during Warren’s sermon, but afterward the front of the auditorium was chaotic as students and Warren hugged, laughed and posed for hundreds of pictures and autographs. The warm feelings were mutual as an effusive Warren remarked during his visit.

“I loved hearing these students sing,” he said.

“One of the best ways to take the spiritual temperature

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of a campus is to listen to the students singing.

I’ve been to Notre Dame and Baylor this week; and I can tell you, the fire is here at Anderson.”

Just a week removed from a heath scare that sent him to the hospital and caused him to miss his Sunday sermon at Saddleback Church in Southern California, Warren showed no signs of fatigue or weakness, although he did accept an offer from the AU College of Christian Studies to sit during his lectures in the John A. Broaddus Lectures on Preaching. Warren visited Anderson as part of the prestigious second annual Broaddus lectures in which he gave pastors from all over the region insights into his method of sermon preparation and how he creates life-changing messages for congregations. Many of the pastors in attendance were in town for a weeklong seminar as part of the new Doctor of Ministry program at AU, which has attracted pastors from all over the Eastern half of the country. He pleaded with pastors to make a commitment to preaching as effectively as possible.

“Your church members will put up with a lot if the preaching is meeting their needs,” he said.

Warren was at his most energetic, however, in mixing with Anderson students whose vitality and spiritual commitment impressed him.

“These kids are incredible,” he said after his campus worship message. “This campus is incredible. A large number of non-ministry students came out last night to hear me talk about sermon preparation!

This place is spiritually alive.”

Warren is founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, California, one of the ten largest churches in the U.S. His book, The Purpose Driven Life, has sold more than 30 million copies, making it the best-selling hardback book (apart from the Bible) in American history. Time Magazine named him one of the “15 World Leaders Who Mattered Most in 2004” and in 2005 one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” In 2005 U.S. News & World Report named him one of “America’s 25 Best Leaders.” His Pastors.com is one of the most widely used Christian websites by church leaders.

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AU Board of Trust names residence hall in honor of the president’s tenth anniversary

“For the first time in our lives we’re nearly speechless,” President Whitaker said in response.

In his remarks, Miller said that the Whitakers have instilled in Anderson University an attitude that fosters success. “Remarkable things have taken place here,” Miller said. “These two are dream-makers.”

by Brianne N. Holmes, ‘12, Columbia, SC

Anderson University President Evans Whitaker is renowned for his affinity for bowties. At this year’s homecoming, Anderson students, alumni, faculty and the Board of Trust celebrated President Whitaker’s 10 years of service by wearing bowties and staging a surprise recognition of the president and his wife following the women’s soccer game.

In his Oct. 27 congratulatory remarks, Kip Miller, chairman of the AU Board of Trust, announced the board’s decision to name the newest Boulevard residence hall Whitaker Hall in honor of President and Mrs. Whitaker. Miller also presented the president with a four-tiered cake, topped with a giant cake-bowtie.

One of the dreams fulfilled recently is the opening of the School of Nursing. The new program began classes this year in a state-of-the art, newly re-purposed facility, which features human dissection, skills, and simulation labs. As part of the homecoming festivities, school officials dedicated the new facility. In attendance

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2012 Homecoming also marked the third anniversary of the Trojan Cook-off, a barbeque competition. Twenty-two vendors participated, handing out samples of their pork and sauce.

Judges from the South Carolina BBQ Association selected Bald Hawg BBQ of Simpsonville, South Carolina, as the first place winner. The cooks of Bald Hawg said this is the first barbeque competition they have won; it was also their first year at the Trojan Cook-off. The South Carolina BBQ Association judges awarded second place to Swig-N-Pig and third place to Backwoods Bar-B-Que.

were several alumni who graduated from a nursing program run by the University and Anderson Memorial Hospital in the 1950s and ‘60s.

“You’ve created history this year,” President Whitaker said to the faculty of the new nursing program.

Homecoming featured victories in other areas as well. The overall winner of the fourth annual Trojan Challenge Alumni and Friends 5K was 16-year-old Andre Falardeau, the brother of AU sophomore Anna Falardeau of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Among the female runners, Heather Glew of Iva, South Carolina, clenched the victory. Fifty people participated in this year’s race, the proceeds of which will go to the Anderson chapter of SIFE—Students in Free Enterprise.

Dr. Miren Ivankovic, who leads the SIFE group along with Dr. Bill Laing, said that SIFE gives business students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom through business projects and competitions. Ivankovic said that the funds raised by the race will likely go toward transporting students to SIFE competitions. Dr. Ivankovic himself ran in the race, finishing second.

The winners of the third annual Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament were Joe Miller, Chris Edwards, Kaleb Davis, and Greg Quarles.

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Culminating the homecoming victories, the homecoming court was introduced, and seniors Jonathan “Thor” Raines and Sydney Tran were named king and queen. Tran, of Seneca, South Carolina, is majoring in Elementary Education with an add-on certification in Early Childhood Education. Raines, of Easley, South Carolina, is a Christian Theology and Theatre major. He also wore a yellow bowtie.

President Whitaker congratulated the homecoming court and thanked those who wore bowties. “Keep wearing them,” he said.

“Bowties forever!”

Then, everyone ate cake.

Save the Date:

Homecoming 2013 October 19th

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Anderson nursing students honor “silent teachers” It’s not a scene that is common in medical teaching facilities, but Anderson nursing students, faculty and administrators gathered for a special ceremony to honor the lives of the first four individuals who donated their bodies for scientific research.

“As an intentionally Christian school of nursing, we feel it is important to honor the lives of these individuals,” says Dr. Pamela Binns-Turner, dean of Anderson’s School of Nursing. “We are so honored by their gift and will always treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

Anderson University has the only cadaver lab devoted to undergraduate instruction in the state and region. It is one of the primary advantages nursing students have at Anderson that they would not have in other nursing programs. While the simulators in the new nursing building are among the most high-tech available anywhere, there is still an important difference in using actual

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human cadavers in instruction, especially when ultimately the nurses earning their Bachelor of Science at AU will make life-saving decisions in a clinical setting. They refer to the people they will study as “silent teachers.”

“We should always remember that these were individuals with dreams and families,” said Dr. Evans Whitaker, Anderson University president. “They lived and accumulated assets and ultimately made this incredible gift so that our students would be the most highly skilled professionals possible. They didn’t have to do this.

They chose to, and we honor them today.”

Anderson’s School of Nursing launched successfully in August with full classes in both the traditional B.S.N. program and the Accelerated B.S.N. program for adults seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing. As the new students all gathered to pray and thank God for their rare opportunity to pursue their calling at Anderson, the large white board in the room where they held the service listed the scripture reference, Genesis 1:27. “So God created mankind in his own image.

In the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.” It’s a verse these students and faculty have pledged to remember always.

SYNNEX Corporation hosts over 120 Anderson University business students On October 24-25, 2012, SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a leading distributor of IT products and services with its US distribution headquarters located in Greenville, SC, partnered with the Anderson University College of Business to host a management colloquium for the school’s students. This annual outreach program started five years ago to give Anderson University business students the opportunity to spend two days in career development sessions at SYNNEX, while giving the company the opportunity to meet and recruit new talent. This year SYNNEX hosted over 120 students in its Greenville location to experience what it is like to work at a Fortune 500 company, as well as to help students prepare for careers in a corporate environment.

The colloquium consisted of four sessions that covered a variety of topics including securing an internship, resume preparations and interview tips and techniques. Areas covered specifically related to SYNNEX included mergers and acquisitions, planning and executing new product launches, event planning and how to successfully manage projects and employees. SYNNEX currently employs two former Anderson University students who participated in the management colloquium in their Greenville office.

“We believe being involved with local colleges and their students is a responsibility to embrace, beginning with inviting them in our office to experience the corporate environment, an experience that they cannot learn in the classroom.”

Bob Stegner Senior Vice President Marketing, North America “Not only is this experience beneficial to Anderson University business students, but for SYNNEX to better understand the behaviors, needs and practices of the young workforce and to have the ability to meet and recruit new talent.”

“The ability for our students to go on site at SYNNEX and experience first-hand the day to day processes of a large company is an invaluable experience.”

Dr. Joe Spencer Professor of Marketing at Anderson University

“With half of recent college graduates unemployed or underemployed in the United States, this management colloquium gives our students an advantage to understand and prepare for their job search and an opportunity to meet with SYNNEX executives.”

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Susan Kelly-Gilbert presents a $20,000 check to Dr. Evans Whitaker for the G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Student Center at the Board of Visitors Breakfast.

Student Center inches closer to groundbreaking with new design/location Since we last updated you on the new G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Student Center at Anderson University, some things have changed.

The DP3 architectural ďŹ rm from Greenville selected for the project, working with Anderson University leaders have created a design that will be more than the social and architectural heart of AU in the future, but the geographic heart as

well. As you will see in the latest drawings of the planned $15.2 million facility, the scope of what began with the critical need for a new dining commons and facilities for students to gather and engage in life together has become the anchor of a splendid future esplanade that will run from the Thrift Library through the center of campus.

The new walkway will feature abundant new green space and artistic touches and serve as the main artery of a vibrant, modern Anderson University.

Approximately $9.6 million has been raised for the student center to date, meaning that with generous support from donors, alumni and friends, a groundbreaking date could be set in the near future. To learn more and see more pictures of the new student center, visit andersonuniversity.edu/studentcenter.

Facing and following pages: G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Student Center

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Anderson University SIFE is now Enactus One of Anderson University’s most recognized and active student organizations is changing its name as part of a global rebranding process.

and individuals in need. AU Enactus has been recognized consistently for its work in the Anderson area, most notably being named the National Champions of the Sam’s Club Environmental Sustainability Challenge for three consecutive years. At the National SIFE Exposition in May 2012, the AU Team was named one of the top 60 in the nation, placing it in the elite top 10%.

The Anderson University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team, which has held an important place on campus since its inception seven years ago, became Anderson University Enactus, effective January 7, 2013. This rebranding is part of the global movement from SIFE to Enactus, to accommodate continued expansion of the program across the globe. Enactus is derived from the organization’s objective: to evoke entrepreneurial action to empower those in need.

Each year AU’s SIFE/Enactus Team partners with multiple businesses and organizations in the Anderson area. Partnerships include Walmart, Sam’s Club, State Farm Insurance, Kravet Fabrics, First Quality Tissue and more. As part of its efforts this year to involve members of the community in its work, the AU Enactus Team is currently forming an Advisory Board, which will be comprised of local business and civic leaders. The Advisory Board’s first meeting will be held in March 2013.

“We are very excited about SIFE’s decision to rebrand to Enactus,” said Chase Heatherly, a senior marketing student and the team president. “We may have a new name, but our mission remains the same: to change lives in the Anderson community and abroad through the power of business.”

Enactus invites all members of the Anderson University campus and Anderson community to get involved in its efforts. Questions or suggestions may be emailed to enactus@andersonuniversity.edu.

The AU Enactus group is one of the top teams in the United States. More than 70 students participate in the program and complete up to seven projects in the Anderson community each year under the guidance of three faculty advisors.

These projects assist local nonprofit entities, such as Anderson Interfaith Ministries, small businesses,

SIFE/Enactus is a global organization, consisting of more than 1,500 teams across 40 countries.

The objective of Enactus is to prepare college students to become successful graduates, dynamic business people, and civic leaders.

Enactus provides students opportunities to apply lessons learned in business courses to “real world” projects that provide sustainable solutions to issues facing their local communities.

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Anderson University strengthens position in U.S. NEWS top tier rankings Anderson University rose two spots to #21 in the top tier of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings for 2013 and was named for the 4th consecutive year as one of the 41 “up and coming” institutions in America others should be watching for its quality and innovation the 2nd ranked in the South among regional colleges. Additionally, Anderson gained another prestigious recognition for the first time as it was named one of the 44 universities in America with an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching, taking 2nd in the South among regional colleges in that ranking.

“We are very pleased that Anderson University continues to be recognized for its academic strength by independent evaluators such as U.S. News & World Report,” said Anderson University President Evans Whitaker. “We are especially delighted to be named for the first time to its list

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of the top institutions with a strong commitment to teaching as well as to be named for the fourth consecutive year to the exclusive list of the nation’s “up and coming universities.”

Anderson has been named to the list of “Up and Coming” institutions since the list’s inception four years ago. Innovations like the Mobile Learning Initiative, in which freshmen have been given the latest iPads for use in specially designed classes, AU’s undergraduate cancer research center, an innovative new study abroad program and a new criminal justice center of excellence have kept it on the list.

Being cited as an unusually strong teaching institution is a new honor for the University.

The list was developed by the magazine to highlight those colleges and universities that devote more resources to enriching teaching and learning between professors and students in the classroom than taking professors out of the classroom for research.

“The awareness of the character and substance of our faculty and students is obviously increasing as is the growth and continuous innovation of the entire university,” Whitaker said.

AU Chamber Singers sing with King’s Singers “The world renowned King’s Singers lead the AU Chamber Singers in a masterclass. The workshop was conducted before an audience of professional musicians, music teachers, and students on October 29, 2012 at the Academy of Arts in Taylors, SC. This was an exciting opportunity for AU choral students to hone their skills and work with top-tier choral artists.”

Dr. Richard A. Williamson

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The FIRST DECADE

Y

E

A

R

D R. & M RS. W HITA K E R 2002

EST.

2012

1911

Dr. Whitaker’s 10th anniversary

by Evelyn Beck When Dr. Evans Whitaker was under consideration for the job as president of Anderson University ten years ago, the trustees asked him to put his ideas about goals for the institution into writing.

By the time his wife Diane found him at the computer at 1 a.m. one night, he had reached page 24, and she wondered if anyone would want to read such a long response. Whitaker replied, “If I can’t hold their attention, then I’m probably not the man for the job.”

“Ten years ago, it was evident during the interview process that God had uniquely prepared Dr. Whitaker to be president of Anderson University. He presented a concise but compelling vision for Anderson at the request of the search committee.

Ten years later, the fulfillment of that vision continues to take Anderson in a direction that is focused on guiding Anderson University to excel among Christian universities across our nation.”

Robert Winburn Member of Anderson University Board of Trust

He was indeed the man for the job, and a decade later, he can look back on an impressive list of accomplishments. Most obvious to the public is the transition from college to university and

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as the institution’s remarkable growth. Enrollment has exploded by 80 percent, from 1631 in 2002 to 2922 in 2012, making it the fastest growing private university in South Carolina. There are several new undergraduate degree programs and eight graduate degree programs including the doctoral level. The School of Nursing is the latest addition.

“The centerpiece of what I wanted to accomplish was to begin graduate programs and to set a goal to become known as one of the stronger comprehensive universities in the South with a Christian mission,” said Whitaker. “That must have resonated because as soon as Diane and I got here, the campus started working on that vision; and we haven’t stopped.”

Key to that vision was the participation and leadership of faculty. “There was a lot of administrative involvement in the first few programs, but then a transformation happened,” said Whitaker. “Faculty picked up the mantle of leadership. Now most ideas for new programs are generated by the faculty. I’m very pleased that our transition from college to university seems to have enabled our faculty to become more entrepreneurial, visionary and creative in their contributions.”

The size of the campus has quadrupled through purchases and gifts of real estate that will be developed into an athletic campus and a nature preserve in partnership with the Rocky River Conservancy. The nature preserve, said Whitaker, “will be a tremendous asset to the community.”

On-campus construction has included the $8 million Thrift Library. What had originally been planned as an expansion of the existing library became AU’s largest construction project ever at Whitaker’s urging. “To achieve our vision, we needed an entirely new library facility,” said Whitaker. “When I laid out my case to the trustees, they changed plans in midstream. As a new president, it was risky; but it turned out to be the first major accomplishment of my work here.”

The University’s reputation, influence, and attractiveness have soared. Two years into Whitaker’s tenure, Anderson ascended to the “top tier” of

U. S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges.

Shortly afterwards, Anderson was named to the magazine’s list of less than 100 “Up and Coming” institutions in America that other institutions should be watching, and it has remained on that list each year since even as the number of institutions on the list has decreased. “We don’t design our activities to necessarily achieve such a high rank.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re delighted to be on the lists – and the higher the better – but we don’t manipulate our data or exaggerate our quality to get there,” Whitaker stresses. Getting on the selective list of America’s 100 Best College Buys came afterwards, providing further evidence of the accuracy of AU’s high ranking and exceptional affordability. Last year, U. S. News & World Report recognized Anderson yet again on its new list of institutions that deliver excellent teaching.

Anderson was ranked second in the South.

What a decade of students may remember most about the Whitakers are the new traditions they have created. One is the Archway Walk. Families line the walkway and cheer the freshmen they are leaving behind. “It’s ceremonial closure, a great final goodbye for the family, a great way for families to be part of an important rite of passage,” said Mrs. Whitaker. At graduation students walk through that same arch in a procession led by a white horse and rider dressed in formal morning wear. Inspired by a Harvard tradition, it has been made into Anderson’s own. “Grads love it,” said Whitaker. “It adds a touch of flair to the procession.”

And graduates get the final word. At the close of the commencement ceremony, the President says, “Long live Anderson!” to which the graduates shout back, “Long live Anderson!”

But it’s probably the end-of-semester cookies that get the most attention. Mrs. Whitaker bakes sugar and chocolate-chip cookies, and then she and her husband deliver them to students living in the residence halls. “Some were really curious about why the president was knocking on their door,” said Whitaker. As the student body has grown, this simple task has become more challenging.

“Under Dr. Whitaker’s guidance, Anderson University has become a major force for change in our community and the Upstate,” Lee Luff, president of the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce said. “From increased program offerings, such as the graduate programs now offered at the school, to the expanding labor force educational needs, like the ACCEL, MBA and Command College and nursing programs, Whitaker has proven to be a visionary in not only bringing to the school what it needs to succeed, but also in bringing to our community what we need to succeed. The growth of Anderson University over the past 10 years has meant more than just more students and more buildings: it has meant economic growth to our community, intellectual growth in our labor force and exponential growth in the qualify of life in our area.

More than 100 years ago, the Chamber recognized the importance of having a college in our community and worked with community leaders to ensure it was a success. Now, as the Chamber celebrates its 110th anniversary, we’re glad to have Dr. Whitaker as a partner in the success of the city of Anderson, Anderson County and South Carolina.”

Lee Luff President, Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce

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Though Mrs. Whitaker now has some helpers, she continues to bake the cookies herself. And though students are now invited to the President’s home for cookies and milk in December, the tradition continues.“We have never gotten tired of doing it,” said Whitaker. “It’s worth the extra time and effort.”

“Evans is an outstanding leader that has elevated the status of Anderson tremendously during his ten years. He is a consummate professional and has provided a clear vision for Anderson University while always ensuring that everything is Christ-centered.

There are some people that are creative visionaries and there are also some people that can carry out plans. It takes a special person to have the vision and the ability to execute it. Evans Whitaker is that special type of person.”

Chuck Sanders Former Chair, Anderson University Board of Trust

That personal connection with students is what drives Whitaker. “What matters most is that we get to see students’ lives change,” he said. “We see this wonderful transformation from the time they’re freshmen until they graduate. The thing that we take the greatest satisfaction and joy in is that we give them the knowledge they need for the journey of their life, which is indicative of our slogan, ‘Knowledge for the journey.’ Our brand is something that’s real, not just a marketing tactic.

It’s something that happens every day.”

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Ten years after accepting the challenge to lead Anderson University, its president couldn’t be happier. “Every day strengthens my love for this place and the understanding of the culture that exists on campus and how special that is,” said Whitaker. “My primary goal has been to help Anderson become the best institution it could be and maintain its faith-based mission. My parents taught me to see life as primarily stewardship—the understanding that each one of us is given the wonderful gift of life and the opportunity to make a difference. I have always felt it was my duty every day to take what was given and do the best I can with it.”

“On behalf of the City of Anderson, I am pleased to congratulate Dr. Whitaker on a decade of distinguished service to Anderson University. His leadership in guiding the school to its University status is perhaps the most significant among his meaningful contributions which benefit our community.

That shift held more than just academic benefits; it is an example of the relevance and mutually beneficial role that higher education can play in the imaging of municipalities. We value the history of Anderson University and look forward to its bright future as we recognize Dr. Whitaker for his leadership.”

Terence Roberts Anderson Mayor

Diane Whitaker uses professional gifts, talent, and selÁessness to advance university’s mission

by Jonathan Todd Diane Whitaker says her only job on campus is to bake those cookies!

Don’t believe it.

Diane Whitaker, wife of Anderson University president Dr. Evans Whitaker, is everything the university wants its students to become: an effective professional, the embodiment of Christian generosity, and a lifelong learner who tirelessly develops her God-given gifts. Just ask medschool bound senior Brendan Robinson, who came to AU because of her work in AU’s admission office.

“Mrs. Whitaker was unlike many of the people I had encountered in my college search because I could tell that she was genuinely passionate about the school. She embodied the mission and values of the school,” said Robinson, who was also accepted into Wake Forest University as an undergrad.

The principal of Robinson’s high school attended one of the twice-annual North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) conferences, which she has helped host for six years.

At each conference Mrs. Whitaker shows 20 to 35 high school guidance counselors the red carpet, said Pam Bryant-Ross, AU’s dean of admission.

Whitaker, the admission office’s coordinator of external relations, books the counselors’ plane tickets, arranges their transportation to hotels, plans their meals, and selects attractive gifts for the guests to take home. As part of the program, she also invites the guests to the President’s home for dessert.

The conference that Mrs. Whitaker hosts is marked by its hospitality, said Dan Crabtree, a college counselor at Wheaton Academy in Illinois who presents at the workshop.

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Anderson County has always been fortunate to have Anderson University as a key component of the areas’ educational,cultural, religious and community foundation.

Under the leadership of President Evans Whitaker the University has created within our county and area a leading edge University that continues to rank nationally in several polls as well as become one of the leading economic engines of our community with a possible contribution of approximately $100 million to our regional economy.

The academic and cultural achievements have greatly enhanced the lives of students and the entire community. The creation of the Cancer Research Center, School of Nursing, College of Christian Studies and of numerous advanced degree programs, all under the guidance of Dr. Whitaker and his leadership team, are leading Anderson County to advance our place in the 21st Century.

Thanks to President and Mrs. Whitaker for coming to Anderson. May additional creative programs and services come from this intentional Christian University.

Francis Crowder Anderson County Councilman Former Anderson University Trustee

“The thing that all the counselors talk about the most is the hospitality,” Crabtree said. “And we’re convinced that if we went to the dictionary and

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looked up ‘hospitality,’ we’d see a photo of Diane Whitaker there!”

Crabtree also credits the experience he has had at the workshop for putting Anderson University on the radar of Wheaton Academy’s graduating seniors. A Wheaton graduate is a current Anderson student, he said.

It’s no accident that Diane Whitaker’s work has led students to attend AU. In fact, she is uniquely qualified to work in every capacity where she has served at AU over the last decade. After graduating from Belmont University in Nashville, she worked as an admission counselor at the school for five years. Diane Whitaker’s management experience at Belmont includes three years as the school’s director of residence life. And before she and Dr. Whitaker came to Anderson University, she also had a successful career as an award-winning sales agent for a builder; she sold estate homes that ranged from $600,000 to $850,000.

During her ten years at AU, Diane Whitaker has volunteered her talent, skills, wisdom, and time to advance the mission of the school, university officials said.

She served without compensation as AU’s interim director of residence life during the spring 2005 semester. While the university sought a permanent director, Mrs. Whitaker began turning AU’s housing department into a “residence life” department that employed more full-time staff and developed community-building programming for students.

As a side note, during 2012 Homecoming, AU’s Board of Trust named the newest Boulevard residence hall Whitaker Hall, which—beyond honoring the Whitakers—is a fitting recognition of her investment into student life programming, one school official said.

Even though Mrs. Whitaker was a volunteer— in residence life and admission—AU officials recognized the dramatic impact she had on their departments. When Dr. Whitaker discussed her stepping down from volunteer work in the admission office, he said admission leaders asked “why would you want to cripple us like that?”

Omar Rashed, AU’s vice president for enrollment management and marketing, was one of the admission officials who appreciated Diane Whitaker’s contributions. He credits her with

developing AU’s Presidential Ambassador and College Ambassador program, which trains students to serve as campus tour guides and articulate representatives of AU’s colleges and schools.

“Diane took the vision of the Presidential Ambassador and College Ambassador program concepts from me and developed what are now two of the most prestigious and sought-after student leadership programs on campus,” Rashed said.

Even as a volunteer, Diane Whitaker was usually one of the last people to leave the office each night, and she consistently helped set up and put away hundreds of chairs, tables, and displays for admission and campus events, Rashed said. She also gave campus tours on occasional Saturdays to accommodate visiting prospective families, he said.

“She also travels extensively each year recruiting for the university at college fairs and high schools,” Rashed says.

Rashed’s and others’ appreciation of her contribution to the admission office led to the creation of her full-time position at AU. In addition to serving in the residence life and admission departments, Mrs. Whitaker has volunteered her expertise in construction and building layout and use to AU’s renovation and building projects, including the Thrift Library, new residence halls, and the School of Nursing building.

Mrs. Whitaker—in addition to her work—is known as a woman on campus who always has a listening ear, particularly for students. She helped start the annual winter tea on campus where women—students, faculty, and staff— fellowship. In addition to the tea, she gives “exhaustively” of her personal time to counsel students regularly at the President’s home, said AU Provost Dr. Danny Parker.

People who work with Mrs. Whitaker describe her as selfless. They point to the hours she spends baking thousands of cookies for students. She also has shown her selflessness in her work one year to prepare a new residence hall for the arrival of students, said Deb Taylor, AU’s director of health services. Taylor remembers her cleaning a toilet in the new residence hall.

“You don’t see a lot of presidents’ wives scrubbing a toilet,” Taylor said.

Diane Whitaker’s care for students, staff and faculty members also has been apparent in her annual two to six visits to AnMed Health Medical Center to check on injured students and AU employees, Taylor said. At the permission of patients, Taylor also sends her text messages from the emergency room to share updates on their conditions.

Although Mrs. Whitaker came to AU as the spouse of the president, she also has made time to continue her studies and life as a performer.

Before studying music at Belmont University, she toured internationally in the 1980s with the Christian group The Continental Singers. So when AU theatre professor Deborah McEniry couldn’t find anyone to play the character Marmee in AU’s 2008 production of the musical “Little Women,” she asked Diane Whitaker.

“She did a fabulous job,” McEniry said.

To prepare for the role, Whitaker took AU’s Acting II class and rehearsed onstage for 15 hours a week for eight weeks. And that’s in addition to the time she spent memorizing her lines for this lead role, McEniry said.

In addition, Mrs. Whitaker, said McEniry, took criticism well, helped build the sets and create the costumes, and she baked cookies for the cast.

Provost Dr. Parker said when AU’s Board of Trust began its presidential search in 2002, the trustees sought a president to lead the campus “but also a spouse who would be intimately involved with the course of the University.”

The Board found whom it sought when it brought the Whitakers to campus. Diane Whitaker says she does what she does on campus for the joy of seeing AU students, such as senior Robinson, learn about AU in high school, watch them grow at AU, and then share that they were accepted into medical school as seniors.

Says Diane Whitaker: “It’s for the Brendan Robinsons of the world!”

P R E S I D E N T ’ S 1 0 Y E A R A N N I V E R S A RY

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JUST THE FACTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

56 25 STUDENTS

6

COUNTRIES

CONTINENTS

2012

36

2012

38

2012

25

2002

24

2002

20

2002

11

MAJORS

CONCENTRATIONS

MINORS

+150.00%

+190.00%

+227.27%

2002

890 BEDS ON CAMPUS

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2012

1281 BEDS ON CAMPUS

THE PAST TEN YEARS 2012

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS WE HAVE SERVED...

2002

67

118

180,000 POUNDS

Oƒ

FACULTY FULL TIME

20K 18K

+176.12 %

FRIED

16K

CHICKEN

14K 12K 10K 8K

2012

6K 4K 2K

27.5

2002

148

424

EMPLOYEES

+286.49 %

TONS Oƒ

20,000

cookies baked & served

By Mrs. Whitaker

MAC

&CHEESE

P R E S I D E N T ’ S 1 0 Y E A R A N N I V E R S A RY

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10 | CAMPUS NEWS

our faculty and students ...

Faces of AU Current and former Anderson students are making their alma mater proud with academics and professional success and service

honored interior designer attributes success to AU interior design professor, program

by Benjamin Culbreth, freshman, Campobello, SC He was just there getting his car serviced. He did not expect that asking the woman across from him for her magazine would start a conversation. It turned out she was a professor of interior design at Anderson University. Kerry Howard had always dreamed of working in interior design.

1999 AU Graduate AS,' Georgia ChaSter %ronze AZard ReciSient 2010 SiOver AZard ReciSient 2012 2011 Master oI Ceremony, 31st AnnuaO AS,' Georgia ChaSter 'esign ([ceOOence Awards Celebration 3ublished 'esigner Atlanta Homes /iIestyles HG79·s 'esign :ars Traditional Home Magazine %ravo T9·s ´ToS 'esignµ Atlanta Magazine’s Home

Thirteen years after graduating from Anderson’s interior design program, Kerry Howard found himself as the keynote speaker at Discover ADAC in Atlanta this fall.

According to its website, ADAC, or the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, is one of the Southeast’s most distinguished design centers and home to some of world’s best furnishings, textiles, and accessories. For the first time in 50 years Discover ADAC opened its doors to the public in what was once an exclusive event for designers and architects; the unprecedented occasion made Howard’s delivery of the keynote a special honor. He discussed his background, education and work history, and spoke about the design of enduring interiors.

“Every day is different: I never do the same thing,” Howard said. Just two years after graduating from Anderson University in 1999, Howard started his own business, KMH Interiors LLC, based in mid-town Atlanta, Georgia. Howard said

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he had always wanted to start his own business; it just took a couple of years to get going. His previous work experience included jobs at a furniture company and working on residential design projects. Now Howard says his business, which had done very well despite the slumping economy, is working on projects with $500,000 budgets.

Since entering the business world, Howard says he has spoken at every college in Georgia and a few in South Carolina. He said Anderson has one of the strongest interior design schools in the country, adding that the courses were not easy, but covered a broad spectrum of aspects of the field.

Howard said his journey as a designer began in a waiting room with AU interior design professor Anne Martin, who now is the dean of the school.

Howard attributes the designer he is today to Martin.

He remembered a project he worked on for three weeks only to hear Martin tell him he could do better once he turned it in. She was tough to the point of making him angry, he said, but it was her high expectations that helped shape him into the designer he has become. Martin was tough, says Howard, but she believed in him.

Sarah Wadding, junior Interior Design student, was the recipient of the 1st Place 2013 Carolina’s Otto Zenke Design Competition award in High Point, NC, February 22, at the Winter Conference Awards Luncheon. Sarah received a framed certiďŹ cate, as well as $1000.00 cash award.

Additionally, the School of Interior Design/ASID Chapter at Anderson University is

honors continue to mount for AU interior design program

the recipient of a $1000.00 award.Submissions to the competition include colleges and universities in both North and South Carolina. Second place and Honorable Mentions recipients included students from the following institutions: University of North Carolina Greensboro, Art Institute of Charleston, and Winthrop University.

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AU students aided Hurricane Sandy victims during school break

By Donald White The popular image of university student activities during a holiday consists of hanging out at the mall, connecting with their friends on social media, and going to the movies.

Not so with 23 Anderson University students over the recent Christmas break. They were ankle deep in mud and covered in grime, providing muchneeded disaster relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy on Staten Island, New York.

Along with 170 other students from seven universities across the nation, they pitched in to complete 38 projects – mostly cleaning up flood-damaged private homes – totaling in excess of 2,700 volunteer hours.

The mission trip, which began December 12 and

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ended December 18, was sponsored by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Associate Campus Minister Becky Walker, who led the group, said this type of trip dovetails nicely with Anderson University’s goal to expose students to various kinds of mission activities. “Students did things they never expected to do,” she said. “As a result, they grew on both a personal and spiritual level.”

The students tackled jobs ranging from delivering meals from the American Red Cross to performing “mud outs,” completely gutting ruined homes down to the studs and foundations and then sanitizing them.

“It was hard, physical labor,” said Jordan Niemeyer, a junior majoring in kinesiology. “We tore out walls and floors and then hauled away the debris. The toughest job was getting rid of all the mud that accumulated in the houses due to the storm surge.”

The response from the homeowners was overwhelmingly positive, she said. “They were deeply moved by what we did on their behalf, but it also benefitted me as well. It broadened my perspective of how lives can be impacted by a disaster, made me more appreciative of what I have, and allowed me to share the Gospel with people who are hurting.”

Alex Richards, a junior majoring in history, had a similar experience. “Helping fellow Americans restore their homes was important,” he said, ”but the ultimate factor was sharing the Gospel with brothers and sisters in Christ.”

on a “church planting” mission. Associate Campus Minister David Neace led a group of nine students on the mission that also included a homeless ministry. “We’ll return next December to continue our work there,” he said.

Evidently the trip made a lasting impression on Alex and about a dozen other Anderson University students who participated. In January they became certified “mud out” specialists during disaster relief training sponsored by the Greenville Baptist Association. “We’re prepared to go anywhere we’re needed the next time a disaster strikes,” he said.

Anderson University’s longest-running mission in the school’s recent history centers on annual trips to Guatemala. “Six years ago we partnered with Engadi Ministries International to help rescue boys from drugs and violence,” said Greg Allgood, director of campus ministries and the mission leader. “This year our group of 14 students helped to build a boy’s ranch that includes housing and an educational center, the purpose of which are to show these young men that there is a way out of poverty and that gangs are not the answers.”

According to Walker, the mission trip to Staten Island confirmed her belief in the current generation of college students, particularly those at Anderson University. “They’re really stepping up and making a difference in the world. They’re passionate about helping others and passionate about Christ. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

During the Christmas break, Anderson University students also participated in mission trips to Seattle, Washington, and to Guatemala. For the third consecutive year, students traveled to Seattle

More than 100 Anderson University students have participated in this mission in the six years of the partnership with Engadi. “They’ve helped troubled boys become Godly men,” Allgood said, “and they’ve fulfilled the school’s goal – to provide opportunities throughout the world to present the Gospel and to advance the Kingdom of God.”

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Anderson University recognized a long time friend and supporter on December 12, 2012 by unveiling a portrait of Laniel Chapman in the board room of the Chapman Multimedia Center of the Thrift Library. Chapman was a key champion of the fundraising effort that resulted in the library as well as several other key campus building and beautification projects. Pictured with Mr. Chapman are his daughters and grandchildren: (left to right) Vivian and Laniel Chapman, followed by their daughter Lisa Dunbar, granddaughter Alex Williams, grandson Hampton Williams, and daughter Gina Williams.

Have you ever thought about what happens when your will doesn’t follow your will? Anderson University now has a program in place to help you with your estate planning needs.

When estate plans aren’t distributed to match the wishes of the giver, it’s a result of two very unfortunate issues: 1) The will has become out of date.

2) There was never a Will to begin with.

Too often, a lifetime of hard work and commitment to God results in our most precious gifts and possessions being redirected by some stranger.

Tax laws change. Perhaps you’ve moved to another state. Or your assets have changed in nature or value. All require you to revisit your estate planning or will documents. And, if you’ve yet to begin planning, every day you wait is another day of uncertainty about what happens to your possessions when you die.

Don’t let a probate judge determine the destiny of your estate.

Call Susan at PhilanthroCorp at 800-876-7958. She will set a time for you to speak with one of the PhilanthroCorp estate specialists.

They will help you create or update your will.

For more information, visit: www.andersonuniversity.edu/wills 3 4 | FA C U LT Y A N D S T U D E N T S

professors strive to educate a generation of “Spiritual Tinkerers”

this model partly means giving students ample opportunity to participate in discussion both inside and outside of the classroom. And with so many conflicting voices in the world constantly demanding students’ attention, Dr. Barnett pointed out it is crucial for an educator to give practical examples and share personal experiences to show students he is worthy of their attention.

Whatever you call them—Generation Y, Millennials, Mosaics, or Screeners—members of today’s college-age, digital generation are facing more challenges in their daily lives—and challenges to their faith—than any group that has preceded them.

According to Dr. Barnett, teens comprise the most religiously active segment of our population.

Unfortunately, an astounding 70 percent of those abandon regular religious practice between the ages of 18 and 22 and become “spiritual tinkerers,” a term coined by sociologist Robert Wuthnow. Dr. Barnett’s point: that’s exactly the age when young adults fall within the scope of influence of educators at institutions like AU.

To understand how to better reach that population, educators at Anderson University in fall to discuss trends impacting the contemporary church and how those trends affect college students. A group of AU faculty, representing all disciplines across campus participated in the dialogue moderated by Dr. Kris Barnett, the associate dean of the College of Christian Studies at AU. His presentation, The State of the Church: The Faith of our Students, discussed how addressing the spiritual concerns of 20-somethings is part of the AU professor’s continual goal to integrate a Christian dimension into lessons.

Therefore, he says, it’s important that educators understand the challenges students are facing in order to help them learn effectively. By addressing their spiritual concerns, educators can help students apply their faith to their career—whatever calling they follow. And since the college years are when many students shy away from organized religion, Dr. Barnett explained that college professors are in a unique position to minister to students when they are especially vulnerable to the new ideas—some good, but some not so good—that bombard them from many directions once they are away from their parents and home church.

The State of the Church: The Faith of our Students is part of a series of regular sessions sponsored by AU’s Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence.

According to Director Peter Kaniaris, the mission of the center is to offer a means for continual improvement of professors by facilitating discussions among AU faculty members.

Worship is changing. Education is changing. And the faculty members of Anderson University are committed to learning, growing and equipping their students for Christian service. At Anderson University, the hearts and minds of the faculty are focused on bringing glory to God through outstanding teaching.

Dr. Barnett’s message to his AU colleagues: their encouragement and inspiration at this time can be critical in helping students embrace their faith while they prepare for their future. He recommended that his colleagues be intentional and courageous in inserting faith into class discussions, view education as a calling, and forge strong connections and relationships with students.

“We have some of the most superb faculty of any university,” Kaniaris said. “These seminars are a way to highlight the expertise of our teaching staff. They essentially help our teachers teach each other and allow them to share what they’ve learned.” In addition to regular presentations each semester, the Center for Learning also offers webinars and books to faculty members to support their continuing education. In addition, the center conducts classroom surveys or offers support with teacher evaluations.

By Jill Carraway

Dr. Barnett generated discussion among the participants by asking their thoughts on how their teaching styles impact this generation and suggested the EPIC acronym model for teaching: make learning Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich, and Connected. For these educators,

For more information about the Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence, contact Peter Kaniaris at pkaniaris@andersonuniversity.edu.

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endowed scholarships

By Evelyn Beck Seven endowed scholarships have been established in recent months at Anderson University. Such a large number in such a short span of item is unusual, exciting and gratifying. “Growing our endowed scholarship program is one of our most pressing priorities because of our growing student population and because of the decrease in various scholarship programs provided by the state or federal government,” said Dean Woods, AU’s vice president for Institutional Advancement.

Scholarships can be established in many different ways – through direct gifts, memorials, life insurance, or as a bequest in one’s will or trust.

A scholarship fund can be established and funded over a period of time or at a future date. The seven newest endowed scholarships are a mix of these intentions: Annie Claire Tribble ’63 Endowed Scholarship for Women’s Basketball was created by Annie Tribble, who led the Lady Trojans to three AIAW junior college national championships in the 1970s. The first endowed scholarship for women’s basketball, it will support a student on the team who reflects the values of both AU and Coach Tribble.

Juanita Dean Hall Scholarship for Nursing was established by the son and daughter-in-law of Juanita Hall, a longtime RN at Anderson Memorial Hospital, now AnMed Health. It is the first endowed scholarship for AU’s new nursing program and will support a traditional student pursuing a major in nursing, with preference given to an Anderson County student.

Perry & Marion Carroll Endowed Scholarship for Music was established by Dr. Perry Carroll, former chair of AU’s Department of Music, and

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his wife. It will be awarded to a student pursuing a major in music. Dr. Carroll was a beloved professor for several decades and also was the co-founder of the Anderson Symphony Orchestra.

Rev. Ed Matheny ’67 Memorial Scholarship is for a student pursuing a career in church ministry.

It was created by his wife and children in memory of Rev. Ed Matheny; all of them attended Anderson University. Rev. Matheny served numerous churches over the years including Boulevard Baptist in Anderson from 1977 to 1994.

Elinor Maxwell Bond ’41 Scholarship is for deserving and needy boys and girls with a preference given to students from Hart County, Ga., or Oconee County, S.C. It was established in memory of Elinor Bond, a longtime teacher of fifth and sixth grades.

William A. Watson Scholarship Fund was established by his grandson in honor of William Watson, one of the university’s first and longesttenured trustees. It will support students with financial need.

Blanche K. Stanton ’44 Scholarship Fund was created from the estate of Blanche Stanton, a Pickens County, S.C., native who taught home economics and geography in Michigan public schools. It will assist worthy average or “C” students.

As many of 95 percent of AU students have demonstrated financial need. While scholarships do not cover all expenses, they do help make tuition affordable. “Scholarships make a real difference in the lives of students,” said Woods, citing the example of twin boys who enrolled as freshmen. “Their mother discovered she had cancer and had to leave work and go through expensive treatment, and then during that process her husband lost his job with the economic downturn.

Scholarship funds kept their dream alive for a private Christian education for their sons.” If you have questions about establishing an endowed scholarship, contact the AU Advancement office.

Forgotten Carols The packed auditorium that was entertained and inspired by the Christmas production of The Forgotten Carols in November, 2012 will provide some inspiration of its own in the form of a major gift to Anderson’s Calvary Home for Children.

Anderson University president Dr. Evans Whitaker recently presented a check for $10,246 to Greg Skipper, the Executive Director of Calvary Home. Skipper says the gift will allow for the care of two children for an entire year and give the foster care facility the ability to expand its ministry to assist more children and families who need help.

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Anderson students transformed theatre into circus in presentation of Barnum This year Anderson University’s theatre students stretched to achieve their goals—literally. They also walked tight ropes, flew on trapezes, tumbled and juggled.

Not to worry: the university’s College of Visual and Performing Arts did not run away and joined the circus. Instead, theatre students brought a taste of the circus to AU. From Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 to Saturday, Oct. 27, Henderson Auditorium housed Barnum, a musical based on the life of P. T. Barnum,the nineteenth century entertainer who brought to the world the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Since the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) added musical theatre as a major in 2009,

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the theatre department has grown exponentially, with about half of theatre students majoring in musical theatre. Dr. David Larson, dean of the CVPA, says that the college has added new programs every year for the last six years, which provides the growing number of students with new, exciting opportunities.

Barnum offered students a chance to broaden their experience. In addition to the usual demands of character development, memorization, singing, and dancing, actors this year can add “practice magic tricks” to their to-do lists.

“Almost everyone in the cast has had to come out of their comfort zone to learn something new to make the show feel like a circus,” says Peter Crawford, who played the role of P. T. Barnum.

The show’s director, Dr. Deborah McEniry, said the students have worked hard to bring the circus to Anderson. In fact, she said that many students began learning tricks before the school year began.

“They’ve just been extremely professional,” McEniry says.

Senior Sarah-Jane Fawcett, who played the role of Charity Barnum, P. T. Barnum’s wife, says that she

has been stretched vocally. One song in particular, called “One Brick at a Time,” challenged her, but it has also become her favorite part of the show.

“It’s been the greatest challenge and the most rewarding,” she says.

For Crawford, Barnum represents a milestone: it was the first lead role of his acting career.

“It’s stretched me in almost every aspect,” he says.

At the same time, Crawford grew to feel comfortable in the shoes of a showman and dreamer. While researching the historical Barnum and studying the script, Crawford said he found that he shares many personality traits with Barnum, including a sense of what Crawford dubs “childhood wonderment.”

Fawcett agreed, saying, “It’s just fun to work with someone who really is Barnum.”

Reflecting on her own character, Fawcett sees Charity Barnum as the one who believes in Barnum, admires his vision, and helps him fulfill his dreams. Barnum’s role as a visionary is part of what drew McEniry to the show.

“That is what I think I love about the story,” she said. “He was a dreamer who went after his dream 100 percent and succeeded.”

In some ways, Barnum was like the theatre artists telling his story.

“We are big dreamers,” McEniry says.

“I definitely can feel some of his pain and some of his joy,” she adds.

Anderson University’s production of Barnum was selected to be showcased at the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Feb. 6, 2013 in Albany, Ga. This year marked the first that an AU production was selected for performance in one of the seven regional festivals nationally. Region IV includes schools in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and southern Virginia.

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10 | CAMPUS NEWS

athletic news ...

Trojans in motion!

Anderson’s basketball teams spent much of the winter at the top of the conference standings in another great year for AU athletics

athletic update men’s soccer This past season saw the Anderson men’s soccer team continue to achieve a high level of success as the Trojans caught fire late in the season to win four straight matches, as Coach John Murphy’s squad captured its third consecutive South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship.

earning Most Valuable Player honors for the second consecutive year. Senior midfielder Shu Ogawa, defender Zak Moss, sophomore Daniel Colvin, and defender Lars Zimmerman were all named to the all-tournament team. Ogawa, Hesse, and Zimmerman also earned All-Conference honors at the conclusion of the regular season, while Ogawa was also named First-Team Academic All-District.

women’s soccer

The Trojan defense, led by All-South Atlantic Conference honoree Lukas Hesse, was stellar over the second half of the season and recorded six shutouts in its final eight matches, including four straight to close out the campaign.

Anderson opened the South Atlantic Conference tournament with its fifth consecutive win past Wingate, a 1-0 road victory past the Bulldogs that propelled the Trojans into the tourney semifinals, where they responded by upsetting top-seeded and 12th-ranked Mars Hill on penalty kicks. The Trojans earned the conference title on sophomore Daniel Colvin’s first goal of the season with less than two minutes left in regulation.

Five Trojans were named to the South Atlantic Conference All-Tournament team with Hesse

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The women’s soccer team wrapped up the 2012 campaign with a 7-7-3 overall record and made its second consecutive appearance in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

As a team, the Trojans ranked 10th nationally in shutout percentage, 34th in save percentage and 69th in goals-against-average among the 300 teams ranked.

Anderson’s stellar defensive efforts resulted in a school-record 10 shutouts, including three straight in Sept., which eclipsed the previous mark of seven clean sheets that was set just last season.

The Trojans and league-champion Lenoir-Rhyne tied for the South Atlantic Conference statistical title, with each notching 10 shutouts.

Individually, junior Krystal Goss was 57th in assists per game and 67th nationally with her team-leading seven assists. The Newry, S.C., native tied for fifth in the South Atlantic Conference with eight goals.

Sophomore setter Meghan Cautero was third in the conference with 1,057 assists on the season and was second in the league with 9.19 assists per set, while ranking 88th in the country. Cautero also led the Trojans with 26 service aces and posted eight double-double dig/assist outings on the season.

Defensively, sophomore Alix Hooker ranked fifth in the SAC with 552 digs, which is the ninthhighest single-season mark in school history.

wrestling

Junior net-minder Kaitlyn Neipp started every match in goal last season and was named SecondTeam All-SAC, while leading the conference with seven shutouts. The Anderson, S.C., native has 17 career shutouts during her time between the pipes and ranked 55th in the nation with 96 saves this season. Neipp recorded a career-high 16 saves versus Wingate during the regular season and ranked 29th nationally in save percentage.

volleyball One of the most prolific middle blockers in school history, senior Tiffany Rowe led the South Atlantic Conference in two defensive categories – solo blocks and blocks per set, while ranking 32nd nationally. The Myrtle Beach, S.C., native concluded her stellar career ranking second alltime in solo blocks, block assists and total blocks.

The Trojans featured a balanced offensive attack last season, with a pair of sophomores leading the way. Second-team All-SAC selection Shannon Gillespie led Anderson and ranked fifth in the league with 355 kills, while Hailey Pittman was just behind, averaging 2.89 kills per set and was 10th in the SAC with 329 total kills. Freshman Victoria Wehrmann added 1.89 kills per set.

Gillespie recorded 15 double-doubles and notched 19 double-figure kill matches on the season, with Wehrmann posting a double-double versus Tusculum in late October.

The wrestling team began the season with a No. 10 ranking in the competitive East Region; and following a grueling early-season schedule, the Trojans claimed back-to-back wins in late November. Junior 149-pounder Dan Telhada and freshman 133-pounder Zak Hale led the way, with Telhada claiming the top spot in his weight class in the first December rankings after beginning the campaign with an unblemished 7-0 record. The Franklin, Mass., native notched an impressive three pins and a major decision during his season-opening win streak. Hale went on to qualify for the NCA A Championships after claiming third place at the Super Region I Championships.

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men’s cross country The men’s cross country team finished sixth at the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Championships, with junior Parks Edwards pacing the Trojans with an eighth-place finish and earning All-SAC Second Team honors in the process. Joshua Visi-Clark crossed the line in 24th, while junior Kyle Koby earned 35th.

Seniors Alex Pena and Ryne Welch and junior Drew Mahaffey finished as a group, crossing the line in 40th, 41st and 42nd respectively. Freshman Tucker Huellmantel finished 45th and junior Matt Imes finished 65th.

women’s cross country The Trojan women’s cross country team finished third at the 2012 SAC Championships in late October.

Anderson, the two-time defending South Atlantic Conference champion, came up just shy in its bid to become the first team to claim a third consecutive league title since Mars Hill won five straight SAC crowns in the late nineties.

Senior Emily Eckroth, who paced the Trojans in four of their five regular-season outings, led the Trojans yet again with an eighth-place finish at the championship, while sophomore Sydney Hazel finished 10th.

Senior Amanda Mahaffey earned 14th, with all three runners garnering Second-Team All-SAC accolades.

Sophomore Madison Guest earned 23rd with junior Hannah Robles claiming 25th; and freshman Devan Fisher crossed the line in 48th, while junior Rachel Westberry took 53rd.

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men’s basketball After posting the most successful record in school history and making its third consecutive NCA A Tournament appearance in 2012, the men’s basketball team opened the 2012-13 looking to build on that momentum with yet another successful run this season. One of the biggest challenges that faced 2012 Southeast Region Coach of the Year Jason Taylor was replacing four starters from last year’s record-setting squad that saw the Trojans earn the most regular-season league wins in South Atlantic Conference history and set a new school record for wins in a season with 26. The winningest men’s basketball coach in school history has laid a firm foundation for success after guiding the Trojans to three consecutive 20-win seasons and the 2012-13 edition got off to an exciting start by winning four of their first five games, including a four-point win past defending Southeast Region Champion and 11th-ranked Montevallo in November. The Trojans were picked to finish fifth in the South Atlantic Conference by a vote of the league’s coaches, but defied that prediction by earning the No. two seed in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Has was named the SAC ScholarAthlete for men’s basketball, marking the third consecutive year that a Trojan men’s basketball player has earned the accolade, as former AU standout Nick Trull was a back-to-back recipient in both 2011 and 2012. The Greer, S.C., native also earned First-team All-SAC honors after averaging 17.9 points per game during the regular season, the fourth-highest average in the league.

Hash led the nation in three-point shooting at 48.6-percent and ranked first in the SAC and eighth nationally in free throw shooting at 90-percent.

earn spots on the SAC Preseason All-Conference Team, with senior guard Alissa Diaz being chosen to the first team. The native of Coral Springs, Fla., did not disappoint, as she was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year after leading the Trojans to the program’s first SAC title since joining the conference and the top seed in the conference championship. She ranked second in the SAC in scoring at 16.8 points per game during the regular season and was the league’s second-best free throw shooter at 85.3-percent.

Joining Diaz was Second-Team All-SAC selection Breonda Shannon, who led the Trojans and ranked eighth in the league with eight rebounds per game. She became just the third player in school history to record more than 700 points and 700 rebounds. After his team went from an eighth-place predicted finish in the SAC preseason poll to a regular-season conference championship, Brunelli was named the conference’s Coach of the Year, as the Trojans posted their best overall record in six years. He becomes the second AU basketball coach in as many years to win the award, as head men’s coach Jason Taylor was named Coach of the Year following last season.

women’s basketball The Trojan women’s basketball team returned all nine letterwinners, including every starter from last season and head coach Jim Brunelli added three talented newcomers to the squad.

The Trojans had a league-high three players

The Lady Trojans capped off their regular season SAC championship with a thrilling 55-52 tournament championship victory against Tusculum on March 10th in the final at Timmons Arena in Greenville.

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10 | CAMPUS NEWS

united with a passion ...

Alumni News AU announces the 2013 honorees in The Gallery of Distinguished Alumni

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The Gallery of Distinguished Alumni recognizes alumni of Anderson University who highly exemplify in their lives the educational philosophy and values of the institution. Selected

by Anderson University Alumni Board of Directors Awards and Nominating committee in conjunction with the Office of Institutional Advancement, recipients represent a range of disciplines, class years and geographical locations. Each of the inductees is pictured in our Gallery which is located on the wall to the right as you exit the Martin Dining Room in the Merritt Administration Building.

46 | ALUMNI NEWS

1993

1972

Jesse O. (Joe) Drennon is CEO of the Anderson Area YMCA. He is responsible for fiscal operations, community relations and programs of three branches. Since he began with the YMCA, the budget increased from $68,000 to $106,880. Drennon is also on the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce as well as on the Board of Deacons at Anderson First Baptist Church. In 2011 he was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Director of the year award.

“Anderson University made a tremendous impact on my professional career in non-profit management. During my time as a student, my father passed away unexpectedly. I was able to personally witness the guidance and nurturing of professors who genuinely cared for my wellbeing and who stayed true to the mission of a Christian university.

As CEO of the Anderson Area YMCA, I consider my role as one of servant leadership to our community’s needs. My goal is to daily exhibit the values of caring, respect, responsibility, honesty, and faith to each individual who needs our organization’s services.”

Christopher L. Reeves, DPM,MS,FACFAS, graduated from Barry University of Graduate Medical Science with a doctorate of Podiatric Medicine. He is board certified in foot surgery as well as board certified in reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery. He served as chairman for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Annual Scientific Seminar Committee in 2012. He is Section Editor for Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery, The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery as well as a Manuscript Reviewer. He also serves on the American Board of Podiatric Surgery Oral Testing Committee and was awarded Florida Podiatric Medical Association Young Practitioner of the Year in 2010.

“The athletics and education at Anderson established the fundamental foundation for my future endeavor as a successful surgeon, husband, and father.”

1998

Clay Bolt is an award-winning natural history and conservation photographer whose work and projects have been featured by National Geographic, the Nature Conservancy, Scientific American, Outdoor Photographer and Audubon Magazine among others. In 2009 Clay co-founded the “Meet Your Neighbors” project.

MYN is an international nature photography project developed to connect people with the wildlife within their own communities.

Currently the project has representation in over 30 locations around the world.

“My time at Anderson University

has had a profound impact on not only my career, but also the way that I approached other areas of my life. Professors Kaniaris, Mitchell-Rogers, and Wooten were always there to listen and patiently guide me along the path, and their thoughtful attention to my concerns helped build the confidence that I needed to go forward. I felt like I was part of a family rather than just another student.”

2004

Leonard Galloway is the principal of Varennes Academy of Communications and Technology, a K-5 elementary school in Anderson, SC. Leonard is currently completing his second year at Varennes as principal.

He attended Varennes as a child and is amazed at how God has led him back to his roots as an instructional leader.

Quaint House Frances Mims Frances Mims is an eight generation South Carolinian, born in Union and descended from its first settlers.

Mims taught at Anderson University and AU named its endowed lecture series “The Frances Mims Lecture Series.” Quaint House is a book of poetry dedicated to the memory of her father, Philip Dunn Flynn.

While attending his first semester at Anderson, God revealed his plan for Leonard to focus on enhancing the lives of children.

Leonard decided to change his major from Business Management to Elementary Education and went on to complete a Masters Degree in Educational Administration at Furman University after graduation. He is currently working on his EdS through Furman University.

“The encounters and relationships I shared at Anderson University served as a stepping-stone towards the path of success. Anderson University’s philosophy of a Christ-centered education is the only reason I am able to serve in this current position. Anderson University was instrumental in molding a vision that encompasses Christianity and a pathway to a successful career.”

Summer of ‘84 A Novel

by Robert Rooney Robert Rooney attended from 199092 and has recently had his first book published. The national release date was March 5th.

The summer of 1984 was shaping up to be the greatest for twelve-year-old Ryne Moreland. His beloved Chicago

2005

Alice B. Storey is a pharmacist in Greenwood, S.C. She received her Doctorate of Pharmacy at USC College of Pharmacy in 2009. She previously served on the Alumni Board of Directors.

“Anderson University will forever hold a special place in my heart.

The opportunities and academic preparations I received during my college years played a large role in helping me to achieve my dream of becoming a pharmacist. The faculty relationships I formed during these years have been long-lasting. Anderson helped me to grow not only academically, but spiritually as well. God is faithful.

He will give you the guidance and strength to reach your goals. I am grateful that He used Anderson in my life to help me reach many of mine”

Cubs were on the way to their first pennant in 39 years while he and his friends were in hot pursuit of a rumored black panther on the loose.

And now that he had discovered girls, his ultimate goal was to obtain his first real kiss from good friend and fellow Cub lover Marla Hebner.

Helped by his good friends, Ryne has to overcome several awkward and comical obstacles to reach his goal and finds himself wondering if he will ever succeed. His journey takes a sudden and serious turn when Marla has to face life’s ultimate test, sending Ryne on a search for life’s ultimate answers. It is how the young girl and her family handle this test that becomes Ryne’s first and greatest spiritual witness. In Summer of ‘84, Robert Rooney captures joy, laughter, and tragedy through the eyes of a child coming of age.

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class notes For additional information on alumni, go to www.andersonuniversity.edu and click on Alumni and Friends.

honors awards DeeDee Waters, ’10, and Mary Nell T. Anthony, ’96, were two of the recipients of the 2nd annual “20 Under 40” Award, which honors twenty of the brightest young leaders in the Anderson area; Robin B. Kelley, Jr., ’79, was recently presented with the Peak Award for his significant contributions by employer and Atlanta-based CPA accounting firm Moore Colson. Robin is the firm’s director of marketing and this is the second time he has received the coveted award. The Moore Colson Peak Award is given to an individual based on significant contributions to the firm and work performed that is considered above and beyond expectations or something unique that an individual brought to the firm which has made a significant impact; Rudy Gray, ’73, has been elected the 11th editor and president of The Baptist Courier, the official newspaper of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

weddings Brittany Cornish, ’12, wed Dale Pirkle on September 22, 2012; Murphy Laughridge, ’12, wed Trey McCants on November 3, 2012; Stephanie DeLeo, ’12, wed Henry Clarke Bynum on May 26, 2012; Nycole Pelfrey, ’12, wed Ryan Hix on October 6, 2012; Jamie Crighton, ’11, wed Danny Nash on September 30, 2012; Maggie Hill, ’11, wed Roy Frick, ’11, on October 20, 2012; Mary Robinson, ’11, wed Adam Newton, ’11, on August 11, 2012; Brittany McKinnish, ’11, wed Charles Travis Huskey on October 21, 2012; David Bishop, ’11, wed Caryn DeRuiter, ’11, on June 16, 2012; Kristin Smoak, ’11, wed Chris Adams, ’10, on October 6, 2012; Kelsey Deily, ’10, wed Joseph Hunter Barton on July 28, 2012; Wes Mason, ’10, wed Morgan Leigh Carter on July 21, 2012; Cass Wood, ’10, wed Karen Vaughn on April 29, 2011; Suzi Nodine, ‘10, wed Andrew Aldridge on March 17, 2012; Derek Hipp, ’10, wed Ashley Elizabeth Altman on August 4, 2012; Catherine Thomas, ’10, wed Edward Williams on September 22, 2012; Talley Clardy, ’10, wed Will Clardy, ’11, on July 7, 2012; Anna Morris, ’09, wed Justin Beam, ’09, in April 2010; Elizabeth Bundy, ’09, wed Daniel Ruczko on August 25, 2012; Jenika Mullikin, ’08, wed William Heath Herron on July 19, 2012; Andrea Ray, ’08, wed Chris Pitts, ’09, on September 15, 2012; Hunter Garner, ’07, wed Farrah Norris on October 15, 2011; Jessica Wilks, ’07, wed Nick Easterlin, ’09, in April 2011; Gillian Baikie, ’07, wed Jamesson Pena Vasquez on June 2, 2012; Tennille Owens, ’06, wed Brian Crnobrnja on October 27, 2012; Mallory Hagerman, ’05, wed Les Gilmore on March 25, 2011; Emily LaMee, ’04, wed William Robert Camron Foster on August 11, 2012; Wendy Morgan, ’03, wed Shayne Hamer on September 29, 2012; Angela Harrell, ’03, wed John Cason on October 6, 2012; Sherry C. Richardson, ’01, (M.Ed. ’08), wed Timothy Todd on April 28, 2012.

baby news Amanda V. Nettles, ’11, and Brad Nettles, ’10, a son, Bradley Robbins Nettles, III, July 2, 2012; Sara G. Crocker, ’09, a daughter, Ava Grace, September 4, 2011; Rob Wallace, ’08, a daughter, Lilly, September 22, 2011, and a daughter, Annabelle, January 17, 2010; Jennifer K. Patterson, ’08, a son, Evan Alexander, April 11, 2012; Bailey S. Rountree, ’07, a son, Jackson, October 29, 2012, and a son, Drew, August 14, 2011; Meryl D. O’Donald, ’07, and Austin O’Donald, ’06, a son, Gus, October 4, 2012; Lauren D. Dean, ’07, a daughter, Ella Elise, in July 2011; Jennifer P. Robinson. ’06, a daughter, Harper Adair, December 20,

48 | ALUMNI NEWS

2010; Leslie M. Pearson, ’05, a daughter, Amelia, July 1, 2012; Leigh Ann T. Thomas, ’05, a son, Knox Neville, April 11, 2012; Jamie D. Bright, ’05, a son, Kellan Michael, January 28, 2012; Becky B. Bean, ’05, a son, Bradley Christopher, August 12, 2012; Donnie Fetner, ’03, a son, Easton, October 29, 2012; Kati B. Linn, ’02, a son, Owen Asher, March 8, 2012; Angie H. Childs, ’01, a son, Anthony Weston Childs, May 1, 2010; Peyton S. Snyder, ’00, a son, Benjamin Keith, June 7, 2012; Michelle L. Pickens, ’97, and Marshall Pickens, ’08, a son, Marshall “Hall” Ivey Pickens, IV, August 17, 2012; Deborah J. Evans, ’96, a daughter, Elizabeth, in August 2011; Pam C. Robinson, ’87, a daughter, Chloe Beatrice, September 17, 2010.

in memoriam Alice Fay, died January 25, 2013. Alice studied chemistry at Radcliffe College and University of California Berkeley. She spent her career teaching at colleges and universities in Ames, Iowa; Detroit, Michigan; Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Kenya in Africa; Trinidad, West Indies; Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina; and finally at Milledgeville, Georgia. During her later years she and her husband spent their summers in South America collecting ferns. She was a member of the Episcopal Church for all of her adult life.

Glen Hughey, died January 18, 2013. Glen graduated from Cumberland University and Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina where he received his master’s degree. Glen retired from Anderson University where he taught math and served as Registrar and Director of Admissions.

Ken Clamp, ’92, died August 5, 2012. He was employed by Aramark Food Services at Anderson University for 23 years and was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church.

Ulysses Craig Neill, Jr., ’58, died August 23, 2012. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Rev. Neill served as pastor at Martha Drive Baptist Church, Homeland Park Baptist Church, and Shiloh Baptist Church in Anderson; Southside Baptist Church in Abbeville; and interim pastor at several churches in the area. He was one of the founders and executive director of the Haven of Rest Ministries and was Pastor Emeritus at Homeland Park Baptist Church.

Amanda Burgess Milloway, ’05, died September 29, 2012; Brian Stepp, ’01 and ’02, died September 8, 2012; Josephine “Jo” Mulcahy Bostic, ’88, died October 24, 2012; Trudy G. Sanders, ’85, died August 16, 2012; Darryl Andrews, ’82, died March 22, 2011; Deborah Towell Smith, ’81, died December 2, 2011; Russ Metz, ’77, died August 5, 2012; Harold Clinkscales, Jr., ’74, died September 13, 2012; Gloria Curry Gregory, ’72, died August 11, 2012; she is survived by her husband Chuck Gregory, ’75; Tommy Fulmer, ’69, died May 31, 2012; James “Jim” McGee Horton, Jr., ’66, died September 19, 2012; Linda Stevens Jackson, ’66, died February 24, 2011; Bonta Drake Smith, ’64, died September 25, 2012; she is survived by her husband Glenn Smith, ’64; Judith Fluck, ’63, died August 2, 2011; she is survived by her sister Audrey Carswell, ’59; Douglas Hanley, ’62, died April 28, 2009; Carolyn Asbill Tidwell, ’61, died August 29, 2012; Louise Sadler Hopkins, ’59, died October 16, 2012; Jean Alexander Benson, ’48, died June 27, 2011; Betty Shelton Hoyle, ’47, died September 17, 2012; she is survived by her sister Emmie Gurley, ’54; Gail Newton Martin, ’47, died August 16, 2012; Eleanor Martin Keels Malion, ’42, died June 4, 2012; Eleanor Martin Forrest, ’40, died August 16, 2012; she is survived by her daughter Nancy Harrison, ’68 and granddaughter Wendy H. Meininger, ’88; Evelyn Mahaffey Welborn, ’40, died September 3, 2012; Dorothy McMinn Thompson, ’40, died July 28, 2012; Sybil Campbell Martin, ’39, died July 26, 2012; Sara Trowbridge Robertson, ’37, died September 3, 2012; Pearl Boatwright Bullock, ’35, died December 20, 2010.

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career news Caryn K. Scheving, ’12, is a graphic designer for PIP Printing and Marketing in Anderson; Brittany C. Pirkle, ’12, is the children’s ministry assistant at Taylors First Baptist Church; Murphy L. McCants, ’12, is a first grade teacher at McLees Academy of Leadership in Anderson; Calli Lawson, ’12, is a teller for Carolina Alliance Bank; William Peden, ’12, is an account representative with Hegwood & Todd, LLC, in Greenville; Stephanie D. Bynum, ’12, is a special education teacher for Lexington District Four; Maggie H. Frick, ’11, is a fourth grade teacher at Saxe Gotha Elementary; Roy Frick, ’11, is a teacher at Batestburg-Leesville Middle School and a coach at the high school; Bill Bense, ’11, is a deputy sheriff with Dorchester County; Adam Newton, ’11, is a compliance manager with Boyd Management in Columbia; Nicole Bailey, ’11, teaches third grade at Rudolph Gordon Elementary in Simpsonville; Stephanie W. Ledford, ’11, is a teacher with the Aiken County Public School District; Jessica Perry, ’11, is a scientist for Lexington Medical Center; Steven Burdette, ’11, is a process engineer with Michelin North America; Jennifer Pickens, ’11, is a math teacher at Meadow Glen Middle School in Lexington District One; Brandon Cox, ’11, is assistant worship leader and pianist for Hoffmeyer Road Baptist Church; Brittany M. Huskey, ’11, is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator; Carlie Ann W. Brooks, ’11, is a clerk for the Pendleton Branch of the Anderson County Library system; Christine H. Hall, ’11, is an English teacher at Pickens High School; Clarke Walker, ’11, is an ASR with Colonial Life; Kelsey D. Barton, ’10, is an art teacher at Slater-Marietta and Heritage Elementary; Marc Lindsey, ’10, is a patient care technician for M.U.S.C. Children’s Hospital in Charleston; Laura Arrasmith, ’10, is a campus safety officer for Anderson University; Laura Gorman, ’10, is a design assistant for Pulliam-Morris Interiors; Adam Wright, ’10, is youth minister for Dekalb Baptist Church in Camden; Annie Moss, ’10, is a program manager for the Whitten Center, part of the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs; Kelly Casebere, ’10, is a high performance and emerging sport intern with the United States Olympic Committee; Catherine T. Williams, ’10, is a training specialist for Beaufort County Disabilities and Special Needs; Anna M. Beam, ’09, is employed by NewSpring Church; Justin Beam, ’09, is employed by NewSpring Church; Kathryn Jordan, ’09, is a first grade teacher at Pendleton Elementary; David Vroblesky, ’09, is a customer support analyst at BlackBaud; Hanna K. Slone, ’08, is an assistant professor in the Art and Design Department of Sterling College in Sterling, Kan.; Jenika M. Herron, ’08, is a fourth grade teacher at New Prospect S.T.E.M. Academy; Brandon Loudermilk, ’08, is the principal researcher in the research division of the South Carolina Department of Education’s Office of Data Management and Analysis; Chris Pitts, ’09, serves as the contemporary worship leader at Saint Andrew Methodist Church in Easley and associate pastor of Kingdom Vision; Hunter Garner, ’07, is the owner of Iron Pig BBQ; Jessica W. Easterlin, ’07, is a teacher for Lexington School District One; Nick Easterlin, ’09, is employed with Michelin; Kristi G. Clements, ’07, is employed with The Christian Counseling Center; Matt Chambers, ’07, was promoted to information technology systems architect at Clemson University; Amy A. Whiten, ’06, (MBA ’10), was promoted to corporate compliance officer, privacy officer and C.A.R.F. (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) coordinator at Anderson Oconee Behavioral Health Services; Jeff Watson, ’06, is the compliance officer for Southern Wesleyan University; Tennille Owens, ’06, is the regional operations productivity manager for Johnson Controls; Mikah Jones, ’06, is an accountant/ fiscal analyst II for Clemson University; Jason Ratliff, ’ 05, is a sales rep for Eli Lilly and Company; Brandon Gilliard, ’05, is bassist for Atlantic Records recording/touring artist Janelle Monae; Josh Merry, ’04, is a science teacher and the wrestling director at Mount Pisgah Christian School; Emily L. Foster, ’04, is a senior designer with Interiors Incorporated in Santa Rosa, Calif.; Demetrius Fletcher, ’03, is a seventh-grade Social Studies teacher and basketball coach at Legacy Charter School in Greenville; Wendy M. Hamer, ’03, is the owner of W.R.M. Photography; Andria Carpenter, ’03, is the learning management system administrator for the Center for Transformational Learning at Southern Wesleyan University in Central; Angela H. Cason, ’03,

50 | ALUMNI NEWS

is a licensed massage therapist at The Mane Attraction; Lindsay D. Mullen, ’03, is an agent for State Farm Insurance; Chris Edwards, ’01, is an adjunct professor of economics at U.S.C. Upstate; Lauren Brown, ’01, is on staff with Crossroads Church in Lebanon, Tenn.; Michael Hodge, ’98, is senior pastor at Enoree Baptist Church; Craig Wooten, ’97, is director of business development for Tactical Medical Solutions in Greenville; Candice C. Kirven, ’96, is a third grade teacher at A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School of Engineering in Greenville; Shenae P. Wiley, ’95, was promoted to assistant principal of an air force base in Portugal through the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA); Karie B. Calhoun, ’95, is an interior designer for Herald Office Solutions; Rion P. Rampey, ’94, is the associate editor for the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association; Sheila Ferguson, ’93, is a credit specialist with AVX Corp; Josie Small, ’92, is employed by Williams & Fudge, Inc. in Rock Hill; Jeff Holliday, ’91, is director of financial aid at Montreat College; David Rivers, ’90, is regulatory director for R&S Compliance Group; Kenneth Smith, ’89, is an assistant professor of chemistry at Columbus State University in Ga.; Tommy Garner, ’87, is an instructor at Winthrop University; Mark Hooper, ’87, is director of Lodestone Digital in New York City; Melanee O. Woodle, ’86, is a counselor with Anderson Mental Health; Jerry Sosebee, ’77, is the associate director of the Church Health and Cooperative Program for the South Carolina Baptist Convention; Lynne D. Nichols, ’73, is a registered nurse at Self Regional Healthcare; Craig Drennon, ’66, is the new administrator of the Montessori School of Anderson.

Share your news.

Go to www.andersonuniversity.edu and click on Alumni and Friends. Next click on Update Your Information.

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Call the AU Box Office for Free Tickets at 864.231.2080

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