Professor Hadaway kicks off Opening Convocation

Professor Hadaway kicks off Opening Convocation

By DEMETRIUS HARRISON News Editor

On August 28 at 11:00a.m., Georgetown College opened the school year by hosting what is called the Opening Convocation.

The hour long ceremony is held with intentions to welcome the students, staff and faculty to the community, as well as to jumpstart the school year.

If you have never attended the long running tradition, you are missing out on not only a NEXUS credit, but also a very unique experience.

Opening Convocation is one of the few events throughout the academic year where the entire student body huddles in formality to recognize outstanding staff and faculty, as well as to hear from a lot of administration from Giddings Hall who rarely get to interact with the student body.

Opening Convocation is also the time we are introduced to the new Student Government Association, specifically officiating our new Student Government President: Ben Martin.

Provost Dr. Rosemary Allen presents Dr. Terry Clark, Professor of Religion, with the 2018 Manning Award.

Source: Georgetown College

This year, Provost Dr. Rosemary Allen presented Dr. Terry Clark, Professor of Religion, with Georgetown College’s 2018 John Walker Manning Distinguished Mentor and Teacher Award. Leading to the moment she noted,

“The Manning Award is special because students make nominations and have a significant voice in choosing the winner.”

Furthering that statement, this award is so valuable due to the concept that students chose to honor Dr. Terry Clark. As Dr. Clark accepted the award, this signified the official launch of the fall semester and academic year.

The criteria for a staff or faculty member earning the Manning Award consists of the staff not only being involved with students, but has also shown quality efforts in instructional content.

Furthermore, the staff member must display academic leadership, hold high morality and have had furthered the Georgetown attitude and spirit through campus involvement. The Provost noted that Dr. Clark “embraces the opportunity to create new courses and inspire students to love those old standard courses by challenging them to think clearly and deeply about challenging subject matter. He has an admirable capacity to relate to and mentor students.”

Emily Crowe (c/o 2018) mentioned,

“Dr. Clark is a vivacious professor who cares about what he teaches and enjoys encouraging his students to think beyond what they have previously known.”

As the ceremony sponsored by Campus Ministries progressed, the new Student Government Association body was introduced. Our campus’s new fleet of student representatives consists of: Ben Martin, Emily Altman, Averie Lozano, Riley Noe, Raeann Fultz, Alexandra Shearer, and Patrick Oakley.

President Ben Martin delivered a razor-sharp speech mapping out the projected changes to campus SGA is working on for the academic year.

Moving along, Dr. Greene said some encouraging words regarding the start of an amazing era Georgetown College is entering. Our campus has seen tremendous changes under Dr. Greene’s brief leadership, and he promises we will continue to grow together as a community.

Giving a very, very warm welcome to the Class of 2022, as well as to returning and transfer students, staff and faculty, we cannot wait to see what Fall 2018 brings to the community. Until Spring Convocation!