Connection Magazine Winter 2017 by Georgia College & State University

CONNECTION ..... ..... WINTER 2017

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

CONTENTS 4

Up Front News and notes around campus

Featured Story Part of the team

Homecoming Schedule

The making of a life’s work

Student Proﬁle Martin Alcantar

Featured Alumnus Corey Dickstein

Sports Head Coach Jason Eller

Faculty Spotlight Joanne Previts

Congratulations!

Class Notes

Alumni Awards

Georgia College congratulates Dr. Ken McGill for receiving GC’s first patent. U.S. Patent #9,441,993 - Conduit Bound Propagation Separation Model

President Steve Dorman Vice President for University Advancement Monica Delisa Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications Omar Odeh Editor/Director of Marketing and Publications Victoria Fowler, ‘12 Writers Margaret Brown Brittiny Johnson, ‘15 Cindy O’Donnell Aubrie L. Sofala, ‘12, ’16 Al Weston Design Jon Scott, ‘83 Brooks Hinton Photography Corey Dickstein, ‘09 Anna Leavitt Aubrie L. Sofala, ’12, ’16

Please send change of address and class notes to: University Advancement Campus Box 96 Milledgeville, GA 31061 connection@gcsu.edu

No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or genetic information be excluded from employment or participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination, under any program or activity conducted by Georgia College.

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Celebrating 20 years of liberal arts at Georgia College ampus and community celebrated 20 years of the liberal arts designation by the University System of Georgia (USG) on Sept. 27, 2016. To mark the occasion, the university honored past presidents Dr. Dorothy Leland and Dr. Rosemary DePaolo with designated spaces on campus named in their honor.

“I never worried about legacy. I think your presidents are stewards of the institution, and so it’s all about stewardship and how do I become the best steward of this mission to the best of my talents? And if I’ve done that, then I’ve done a good job,” said Leland, who had the Ennis Hall Gallery named in her honor. Dr. Leland was the driving force in the renovation of the downtown theatre, which opened as the Campus Black Box Theatre and university bookstore in 2010. She was also responsible for placing the renovation and restoration of Ennis Hall for approval on the state’s budget. The library atrium was designated as the DePaolo Atrium, dedicated to DePaolo, the university’s ninth and first female president. DePaolo was a champion of the first construction period of the university’s 114year history. “The library is the heart of the university, and we were a great university, so we needed a truly great library to make a statement,” said DePaolo. “Just seeing the outside when I was walking in and seeing it had taken fruition, it was a great feeling.”

The campus welcomed back former USG Chancellor Dr. Stephen Portch, who understood the worth of a public liberal arts institution in the state of Georgia. Along with honoring the two presidents, the celebration also involved a panel discussion with Portch, Leland, DePaolo, and University Historian, Dr. Bob Wilson. The discussion included the role of liberal arts in the world today, anecdotes of the three during their tenures, and the future of higher education, specifically the liberal arts. “Chancellor Portch was the one who came up with the brilliant idea that this state needed a public liberal arts university,” said DePaolo. “It fit everything that I’d ever believed in my life and fought for in my own life and education. I wanted to go to a school like this one, but it didn’t exist at the time.” Leland says she knows the future of the university lies in its ability to hold true to the mission that was designated 20 years ago. “My hope is that Georgia College continues to be even better at that mission, especially in an era where we have so much of the external world telling us the most important thing about education is how much money you earn and that nothing else matters,” said Leland. “Georgia College is a place where the value of liberal arts can grow and flourish and where people are transformed because they choose to come here.”

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Live Healthy Baldwin receives statewide award The communitywide program Live Healthy Baldwin, coordinated through Georgia College’s Center for Health and Social Issues (CHSI), received top honors in the state at the Healthy Georgia Awards ceremony. Hosted by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s Healthy Kids Georgia, the Georgia Department of Public Health, and Georgia Shape, the inaugural awards recognized successful efforts in childhood health and wellness from across the state. The Healthy Georgia Awards acknowledged the work of nine nonprofits, municipalities, and school districts for their extraordinary results in promoting and fostering health and wellness among Georgia’s youth. Three awards, Innovation, All Star, and Legacy, were given across each sector. Live Healthy Baldwin received the All Star Award in the municipalities category. The All Star Award recognizes acclaimed organizations working at the forefront of Georgia's health and wellness movement. Live Healthy Baldwin is a communitywide initiative whose goal is reversing the childhood obesity epidemic among at-risk children. The purpose of the project is to increase opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity by providing the Baldwin County area with access to healthy and affordable foods, along with developing a community that is supportive of forms of active transportation, such as bicycling.

Nursing students use robot to explore changing world of tech, medicine Nurse educator graduate student Macey McCullough talks face-to-face with undergraduate nursing students in Milledgeville, Georgia— but she’s doing it roughly 100 miles away from her home in Atlanta. McCullough is using a robot, made by the company Double Robotics and dubbed “Botcat” by GC faculty and students, that is comprised of a robotic base that uses an iPad for remote communication, features self-balancing wheels, and allows McCullough and other students to be anywhere in the world, while still operating, hearing, and seeing everything inside a room. “We have always had technology-based experiences as part of our curriculum in the undergraduate nursing program,” said Assistant Professor of Nursing Josie Doss. “Having these robots as part of the clinical piece of the program now ensures that we are adapting to the new technology in the medical ﬁeld. We’re on the cutting edge of this because it’s not used routinely.” Telemedicine, the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients using technology such as robots, is a growing trend. With specialists all over the world, the use of a robot allowing the health care professional to see and hear the patient in real time can be life-saving.

Dr. Jim Lidstone, director of CHSI, Janet Cavin, Tom Glover, and Alexis Haggerty represented Live Healthy Baldwin at the awards ceremony. connection magazine | 6 | gcsu.edu

Optical lab – the coldest place on campus Georgia College now touts a big accomplishment for a small, public liberal arts university. Physics students recently completed building, piece-bypiece, the same equipment used at larger universities to achieve ultra-cold temperatures for the study of atoms. It took six years for various students to construct their Rb Magneto Optical Trap (MOT) – a tiny high-vacuum chamber holding millions of atoms kept near absolute zero (still an impossible feat at -459° F). Few institutions worldwide allow undergraduates access to this kind of research. Injected into the chamber through a tiny, heating wire – atoms may someday lead to quantum encryption for a new generation of faster

computers, better navigational systems, and more accurate time keeping. “The work we do in physics takes years before something happens. This is not like a switch, and all of a sudden it works. You have to ﬁddle with it,” Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Hauke Busch said. “The temperature in the room changes. Somebody slams a door too hard, and it’s all knocked out of place.”

Students’ bright idea results in solar-powered golf cart Two Georgia College students put what they’ve learned in class to work as they transformed a Georgia College golf cart to solar power—on their own time. Recent graduates Anderson Kendrick and James “Dillon” Vogt, both physics majors, dedicated two days a week for the project and used their skills and knowledge to construct the solar-powered cart. “We connected positive and negative terminals in the batteries,” said Kendrick. “We applied the theory behind

everything we learned in a combination of our classes. It’s built based on chemistry, electricity, and magnetism.” They are now researching what the solar-powered golf cart is going to save the university. The operational costs of the solar panels have already proved to be signiﬁcantly less expensive. The latest solar golf cart brings Georgia College one step closer to adding more renewables to its energy mix.

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Georgia College achieves several high rankings See how we measure up statewide, regionally, and nationally. The 2017 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges report ranked Georgia College as a Top Public Regional University. Designated ninth among public regional universities, Georgia College was the state’s only university to be ranked in the top 10 of this category. The 2017 “Best Colleges” guidebook shows Georgia College also listed 28th on the Best Regional Universities in the South—tied with Christian Brothers University. The 653 universities in “Best Regional Universities” category are not ranked nationally, but rather against their peer group in one of four geographic regions — North, South, Midwest, and West — because, in general, they tend to draw students most heavily from surrounding states. U.S. News & World Report ranked Georgia College 20th as a Best Regional University for Veterans, which shows the university’s dedication to our veterans in two areas: certiﬁcation for the GI Bill and participation in the

Yellow Ribbon Program or in providing in-state tuition to all out-of-state veterans. U.S. News listed Georgia College as a top undergraduate teaching school, ranking the university as fourth in the nation. The J. Whitney Bunting College of Business ranked in the top Undergraduate Business Programs list. The Princeton Review recognized Georgia College on the “2017 Best Colleges: Region by Region” list for the 10th consecutive year. The university is a member of the elite group classiﬁed as the “Best in the Southeast.” The Colleges of Distinction website also recognized Georgia College as a public college of distinction — one of only two in Georgia named to the list. Teacher.org recently released the “Best College” rankings with the Early Childhood Education and Special Education degrees listed in the top 20 for the U.S.

Women’s Center receives $300,000 Department of Justice grant The Women’s Center received continued funding for Project BRAVE, a comprehensive violence prevention plan aimed at education, training, and victim services. Totaling nearly $300,000, the grant, provided by the Department of Justice, allows the university to continue to oﬀer the programming used during the last several years. “I think the trainings and learning opportunities during the last three years have helped educate our students. We can see from the data provided from the pre- and post-test that they are learning about bystander intervention and resources for victims, and we also hear numerous anecdotal stories of how students are choosing to step up and intervene in certain situations,” said Graham.

Since the beginning of Project BRAVE, more than 2,000 students and over 500 faculty and staff members have taken part in Project BRAVE through training courses and other opportunities. Those include campus Public Safety officer training as well as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training for an emergency room nurse at Oconee Regional. SANE nurses have completed specialized education and clinical preparation in the medical forensic care of the patient who has experienced sexual assault or abuse. Aimed at increasing knowledge surrounding powerbased interpersonal violence and prevention through bystander intervention education, the Be BRAVE: Step Up training and other courses are offered monthly or on an as-requested basis for student organizations and departments.

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Grant from National Institute of Health funds brain research at Georgia College Dr. Ashok Hegde, the William Harvey

Professor of Biomedical Sciences, was recently awarded a $381,357

grant from the National Institute of Health

Challenge accepted:

(NIH). Hegde now

hopes to discover new

Second student studies University of Oxford Jordan Bracewell, a junior rhetoric major and political science minor, received the opportunity to study at Regent’s Park College at the University of Oxford in England during the fall 2016 semester. At Oxford, she took two courses for a total of 12 credit hours—one on British politics and the other focusing on classical rhetorical theory. Although the coursework was intense, Bracewell embraced the challenge.

mechanisms by which

genes can be activated electrically to

strengthen neural

pathways in the brain. The funds will be used for research that may

someday help people with dementia and other

brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

“Neuroscience is the final frontier in biology and maybe in all of science. We know a lot about the

“I’ve never been abroad before,” she said. “I really wanted to immerse myself in the culture. Academically, I was incredibly challenged there in a diﬀerent setting, but that’s what I wanted.” At Georgia College, Bracewell is in the Honor’s Program, a member of Phi Alpha Delta (law fraternity), the Mock Trial team, the Mandatory Student Fee Committee, and the American Democracy Project. She also served as a senator for the Student Government Association. In addition, she assisted in running the voter registration drive. “Georgia College has moved me to a whole new level just because people are so kind and nurturing,” she said. “I learned that if I want to do something and I try hard enough, I can make it happen.”

brain, but we still don’t know everything,” said

Hegde.“Generally, people are living longer and

longer, and that means we’ll have more and more problems of the brain.”

It could be 10 years before research yields results:

drugs that can improve connections in the brain or block things that destroy memory.

The grant is being used to purchase special

machinery, chemicals, microscopes, and computer software to analyze data. Money will also pay the salary of a postdoctoral Research Fellow and

stipends for undergraduates to continue their work in the summer.

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COVER STORY

part of

THE TEAM Rec sports creates opportunity for community, camaraderie connection magazine | 10 | gcsu.edu

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students’ experience in college, with

Part of the culture is ensuring scheduling

nearly 50 percent of the undergraduate

suits as many players as possible—a feat

student body participating—well above

Rosenberger says can be difficult.

the national average of about 15 percent reported from the National Intramural-

“One of the challenges is scheduling. It’s

Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA),

always evolving to meet the needs of

according to Rosenberger.

students,” said Rosenberger. “With some players playing on eight to 10 teams at

culture of rec sports

Logan Matysiak, senior exercise science

once, there are always plenty of

major, says the culture of rec sports is what

scheduling conflicts.”

keeps students coming back. Matysiak says Rosenberger and Drew Bruton,

Another key to creating that culture is

assistant director of recreational sports, are

diversifying sport offerings. Making sure

key players in influencing others.

there’s “something for everyone” is what Rosenberger says is part of making a

“It’s really the environment that Bert and

successful program.

Drew have created at rec sports,” said Matysiak. “We all see how much they love

“Diversifying our offerings has really

their job, when they’re out on the fields

helped us create that overall culture. If

It’s the adrenaline, the flash of stadium

every night; and it makes us see how

you’re on the fields and you play one

lights, that fateful goal edging the net or

dedicated we can be and do our part.”

game a week—you’re not going to be

that dive to catch a Frisbee. That’s how

committed to the brand,” said

many Georgia College students spend

Matysiak has been to the state

Rosenberger. “Now we have students who

their weeknights— on the intramural fields

championships for flag football twice and

are very ‘intramurals are life.’ They play

at West Campus.

will be returning in January. She’s also

three to five games a week. And when

been a supervisor for two years and a

they don’t have games? They’re still here,

scorekeeper since January 2014.

cheering on their friends.”

“When I first got here, there were very few sports offered” said Bert Rosenberger, director of recreational sports. “Now we offer up to 10 sports during seasons. We knew we had to find ways to get more students involved, and adding the sports they liked was it.” Since the mid-2000s, Georgia College’s focus on recreational sports has shifted. In the “old days” a sport or two would be offered each semester with a few hundred participants total. “For the number of students who participate each year, it’s more like a school with 15 - 20,000 students, which makes us around the top one percent of the country,” said Rosenberger. “About a 60 percent of participants are men, and 40 percent are women, which is huge.” Rec sports has become a staple of many

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“It’s all about fun and meeting new people.

Participation in intramurals chanгs you for the bettр." - Nathan Vickroy

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a team on and off the fields The sense of community fostered by recreational sports and its correlation to student retention was one facet of Dr. Larry Christenson’s research at the University of Georgia as he pursued his doctorate in educational administration. “Students are looking for a non-threatening way to interact and connect in college,” said Christenson, executive director of Housing. “Intramurals are a natural fit for that. They can come together on the field, share in victories and the struggles—it’s more than just a game. It’s a way to get involved and share in passions.” Brantley Attaway, junior business management major, saw the relationships his sister was able to make on the fields and knew he wanted to be a part of the experience of rec sports. “What’s been the highlight for me has been the friendships I’ve made,” said Attaway. “When you’re on the fields, you’re so focused on playing the game you don’t realize that those people end up being some lifelong relationships and friends.” Attaway is one-fourth of what’s called the “313” squad in rec sports. Made up of Attaway, senior Nathan Vickroy, junior Mitch Risley, and junior EJ Barr, Jr., they all have phenomenal career wins totals in recreational sports. Vickroy stands at 560, Risley at 489, Attaway at 455, and Barr at 373. The four also happen to be roommates. The "313" is a homage to the house number they all share. “I got involved with rec sports and grew up playing sports since I was five,” said Mitch Risely, an outdoor education major. “I’m very competitive, so I try to have fun by competing in every sport.” While the group is competitive, Attaway says there are always sports that don’t come as naturally. “We are pretty competitive; and there are sports, like flag football, that we’re not supposed to lose,” said Attaway. “But there are others that we’re not so good at like innertube water polo and cornhole.” “It’s all about fun and meeting new people. Participation in intramurals changes you for the better,” said Nathan Vickroy, an connection magazine | 15 | gcsu.edu

Guelce’s zeal for rec sports and where it led him after isn’t an outlier. Recent graduate Zach Weyher, ’15, is now a graduate assistant for intramurals at Georgia Southern and is pursuing a master’s in higher education administration. Like Guelce, he was inspired by the commitment of workers and players at GC rec sports. “This is exactly what I wanted to do,” said Weyher. “When I was at GC, whether I was playing or working, I was out there everyday of the week.” Weyher says he still uses techniques exercise science major. “It’s made me a

manager. “To get away from studying and

better person and a leader. You hear from

stress. It’s a chance to invite your friends

numerous people that intramurals are the

and hang out.”

reason people love Georgia College.” White, who wants to go on to be a high Christenson says these connections are

school math or science teacher, says that

what last but also are part of what keep

his time spent refereeing and being a

students coming back to the fields—and

player with rec sports has given him an

to Georgia College.

opportunity to learn life lessons.

“When you drive by the intramural fields

“When you’re a referee, you find out

and see the stadium lights on at 1 and 2

pretty quickly that you’re never right. And

a.m., and that’s the norm? You have to be

as a participant, you have to understand

pretty motivated to be involved with that,”

that every call is not going to be on your

said Christenson. “It’s about the interaction

side,” said White. “It’s helped me see

and connectedness behind the activity.

there are always two sides to the story.”

Those are the memories our students will have long after they leave here.”

It’s no surprise students go on with lasting impressions from rec sports. Marvin

life lessons of rec sports

Guelce, ’12, landed in the position as

Junior math major and rec sports referee

“I got involved with rec sports my first

Calvin White says his time donning the

semester at Georgia College,” said

black and white jersey on the intramural

Guelce, who majored in economics and

fields is his opportunity to take a breather

management. “I was always into sports,

from it all.

and it was an incredible environment to be

director of operations for the Atlanta Sport and Social Club.

a part of. I joined a team; it grew into a “It gives me a chance to get away,” said

bigger team; and it ended up, I never

White, who is also the men’s basketball

missed a game.”

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Rosenberger called upon to create a more successful rec sports program. “Georgia College rec sports does an excellent job catering to the people who are playing,” said Weyher. “It’s something that I’ve tried to incorporate here, and it wasn’t until I tried that I realized how good our rec sports program is at Georgia College.” Guelce says it was connecting with new people that made rec sports, either now as a professional or then as a student, meaningful. “It’s the ability to get outside of your bubble and comfort zone,” said Guelce. “At any time, you can make new friends while still preserving that competitive spirit.” Now offering the same experience to others that he received at Georgia College, Guelce has seen it come full circle. “I see the culture of rec sports has changed, and it’s really repositioning itself as a program where students can be part of something much larger than themselves,” said Guelce. “It’s awesome to see the evolution of it and to feel and know that we were a part of the beginning.” o

Homecoming 2017 TUESDAY, FEB. 14

1 p.m. ......... Paws on a Cause – Centennial Drive 6 p.m. ......... Paws on a Cause – Centennial Lot 7 p.m. ......... SGA Presidential Debate

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15

6 p.m. ......... Residence Hall Spirit Board Contest (RSA) – Ralph H. Norman Clock Tower

8 p.m. ......... Paint U (CAB) – Magnolia Ballroom

THURSDAY, FEB. 16

6 - 10 p.m. ....Laser Tag “TRON”-like event

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

2 p.m. ......... Alumni Registration – TBA

7 p.m. ......... Homecoming Concert – Centennial Center Featuring: X Ambassadors,

Hoodie Allen, and Friends and Family

SATURDAY, FEB. 18 BLUE AND GREEN DAY

9 a.m. ..........Bobcat Ramble – The Greenway

9 a.m. ..........Tent City opens – Centennial Square 10 a.m. ........Parade Line-Up – Tattnall Street 11 a.m. ........Homecoming Parade Begins

11 a.m. ........Tailgating Begins at Reunion Tents – Centennial Square

2 p.m. ......... Cornhole Tournament (RecSports) – Centennial Square

3:30 p.m. .... Women’s Basketball vs. Clayton State – Centennial Center

Women’s Half-Time:

For more details, visit gcsu.edu/homecoming2017

Intro of Duke and Duchess Courts

5:30 p.m. .... Men’s Basketball vs. Clayton State – Centennial Center

8 p.m. ......... A Taste of Milledgeville - Front Campus

Men’s Half-Time: Intro of King and Queen Courts After Men’s Game: Parade Winners, SGA Election Results, Georgia College Early College’s King and Queen Intro Duke and Duchess Winners King and Queen Winners

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The making of a lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work

Inside a dean emeritusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decades-long career at Georgia College

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tep inside Dr. John H. Lounsbury’s office, and you’ll

spent with Georgia College students. Relationships are the key

catch glimpses of his seven decades-long career in

to education, according to Lounsbury. They’re also why the

education. There’s a thick Rolodex on his desk

93-year-old says he keeps working at Georgia College, offering

containing contact information on the hundreds of educators

guidance to upcoming leaders in education.

with whom he has been associated over the years, massive bookcases filled to capacity, framed photos of him with

Alumna Maggie Perkins, ’14, specifically chose Georgia College

students; and then there are the lighthouses.

because of Lounsbury’s legacy.

A mounted ceramic lighthouse sits

“Before even coming to Georgia

on his desk with other smaller

College, I knew about Dr.

lighthouses scattered on the

Lounsbury,” said Perkins. “I knew I

shelves, and a large tapestry with a

wanted to teach middle grades,

different lighthouse in each of the

and I was interested in Georgia

eight squares hangs on the wall.

College because of his legacy at

These are all fitting reminders of his

the school and his impact on the

time as co-director of the Georgia

field of middle grades.”

Lighthouse Schools to Watch program.

Perkins says she first met Lounsbury while she was in the middle grades

“I’m a great lover of life, and I’ve

cohort and was working in Early

always related well to persons of all

College. Their short conversations

ages,” said Lounsbury, who grew

quickly turned to longer thought-

up in Plainfield, New Jersey, during the Great Depression and

provoking discussions on research topics, the state of public

served in World War II. “Therefore, my career in education has

education, and related philosophical issues.

been very satisfying as I have enjoyed relationships with so many wonderful people.”

“Without Dr. Lounsbury’s guidance, my career would be ordinary,” said Perkins. “Thanks to his guidance, I’m aware of

Lounsbury came to Georgia College in 1960 after being

the ‘wholeness’ of what middle grades is. It’s not just a different

recruited by former president Dr. Robert E. “Buzz” Lee, who was

building; it’s a unique philosophy toward unique students. I keep

a colleague during Lounsbury’s time teaching at Berry College.

a sticky note on my desk that just says ‘JHL’ to help me keep in

For Lounsbury, the opportunity was a chance to get back to

mind what Dr. Lounsbury stands for. So everyday, whether I am

Georgia.

conscious of it or not, he shapes who I am as a teacher.”

“The college was the right-sized institution for me,” Lounsbury

While Lounsbury retired in 1983 as Dean Emeritus, he maintains

said. “I liked being a significant figure at a smaller college where

an office in Kilpatrick Hall. And in 1997, the Board of Regents

I could come to know students as individuals and where I could

approved a petition presented by a group of faculty to name the

have some control over program development. Georgia College

school the John H. Lounsbury School of Education — now called

has been good to me.”

the John H. Lounsbury College of Education.

Lounsbury has spent the second half of his career focused on

“It took me a long time to accept it; it’s such a humbling thing,”

editing and publishing with his publication credits spanning many

said Lounsbury.

pages. He was editor of the National Middle School Association Middle School Journal from 1976 to 1990. Then he became the

With a long, storied career steeped in being a national leader in

Professional Publication editor of the association in 2002,

the field of education, Lounsbury recently had a doctoral

ultimately editing, designing, and publishing over 200 books.

dissertation written on his influence in the middle school movement that will be followed up by a full biography. ■

Despite his contributions in the publishing world, Lounsbury says the most important aspect of his career has been his time

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STUDENT PROFILE Junior chemistry major aims to inspire others with the

mAGiC OF SCIENCE Junior chemistry major Martin Alcantar feels at home within the walls of Herty Hall. The Fort Valley, Georgia, native came to Georgia College in 2014, knowing he’d pursue a career in the sciences. “I came in ready and conﬁdent to try new things,” Alcantar said. “I had a really inspiring chemistry teacher in high school, so I knew that’s the direction I wanted to go in.” Alcantar quickly got involved with the Chemistry Club, which has been a staple of his undergraduate experience. He’s also volunteered with the Science Education Center, which strives to provide STEM learning opportunities to local communities. As part of his outreach, he coordinates the Center’s magic shows to local school-aged children. “I’ve tried to change some things up in the last couple of years,” said Alcantar. “Recently, I’ve implemented four new reactions, and they’re a big hit so far with the kids.” Alcantar ﬁnds happiness in sharing his love of sciences with younger students. The common notion that

STEM fields are difficult and intimidating is one he wants to end. “To me personally, I love seeing other people learn about the sciences,” said Alcantar. “I want to show that anyone can get into science, and it’s not scary.” Many times, the magic shows take him to lower income neighborhoods. Alcantar says ensuring access to STEM educational activities and the message it sends is even more important in these areas. “I want to show that no matter where you come from, you can make it; and science can take you places.” In 2015, the junior traveled to San Diego, California, to present his research at a national conference. Having opportunities for research has been an important step in his college experience. “Georgia College is different from other universities in that it offers a lot of opportunities for undergraduate research,” said Alcantar. “It’s helped me not only get experience, but helped me decide what I want to do after college.” connection magazine | 20 | gcsu.edu

While he always knew his path was in medicine, it wasn’t until a recent addition of a pre-med concentration that Alcantar changed his path to practicing medicine. A family history of diabetes is the driving force of Alcantar’s journey to medicine. “I’m interested in ﬁguring out what happens in the body when these diseases take over and how to best treat symptoms,” said Alcantar. “I’ve found nothing is impossible if you truly set your mind to it.” Alcantar has his sights set on a graduate program that will allow him to earn his doctorate in medicine and in chemistry, simultaneously. In the future, he hopes to become a surgeon. “Georgia College has been such a tight-knit community that has made me feel at home,” said Alcantar. “It can be hard sometimes, but I’ve always had someone, whether a peer or professor, by my side the whole time.” ■

“

I WANT TO SHOW THAT ANYONE CAN GET INTO SCIENCE, AND IT’S NOT SCARY.

”

FEATURED ALUMNUS

IN THE Alumnus pursues craft of sharing stories with world

| A scroll through alumnus Corey Dickstein’s Twitter feed shows you the type of work the Washington, D.C.-based journalist does. It’s hard-hitting and no frills. It’s his accounts of military reporting, peppered with brief moments of his own narrative— such as a tweet rooting for the Cubs, a customary act for the Chicago-born journalist. Dickstein came to Milledgeville in 2005 knowing he wanted to pursue journalism. Once on campus, the “not too big, not too small” vibe suited the graduate of Heritage High School in Conyers. “As far back as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer,” said Dickstein, who graduated in 2009. Dickstein served as editor-in-chief of the Colonnade his senior year. It was a leadership position the then-sports editor never thought to pursue. Dickstein says under his helm, stretches of late nights turned to early mornings as the staff produced the weekly paper. The Colonnade is also where Dickstein met his current girlfriend, alumna and fellow editor-in-chief Claire Dykes, who took up the reins in 2009. “My crew was legendarily slow,” said Dickstein. “Looking back now, I have no idea how we ran a paper that way, but we somehow got the job done. To this day, Wednesday nights in the Colonnade office are some of my greatest memories with what turned out to be some of my best friends.” After graduation, Dickstein took an internship with the Savannah Morning News that turned into a position on the main news desk. After a year, he found himself in the position of military reporter for the paper. “Up until that point, I didn’t really have a lot of exposure to military life,” said Dickstein. “I took the beat and had it for five years. I made it my own thing. I spent a lot of time at Fort Stewart and at Hunter Army Airfield, the installations near Savannah. I fell in love with it—the mission of it.”

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His vigor for reporting led him to “throw his hat in the ring” for a Pentagon reporter position at Stars and Stripes. Since then, he’s traveled with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and reported from Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland. Dickstein has grown to expect the oftentimes hectic, unpredicatble nature of his line of work. “Traveling with the secretary of defense is among the more demanding things I’ve done,” Dickstein said. “You’re constantly flying from one location to another — filing stories and photos as you’re flying. You’re working with editors all over the world and only getting maybe three hours of sleep.” Dickstein’s fervor for reporting garnered him the Emerging Journalist Award in 2014 by the Georgia Press Association. In 2015, he won first place by the Georgia Press Association for a photo essay published by Savannah Morning News. The essay followed nearly 5,000 Fort Stewart-based soldiers in their combat training in the Mojave Desert. Most recently, Dickstein was awarded the 2016 Outstanding Mass Communication Alumnus for his dedication to the field of journalism. “Corey was an outstanding editor of the Colonnade while at Georgia College,” said Dr. Mary Jean Land, chair of the mass communication department. “Corey’s dedication to the department includes visits to campus to share his knowledge with current mass communication majors and his ongoing attempts to assist students in obtaining positions in the journalism industry. We are very proud of Corey and his determination to excel in the journalism field.” Still, Dickstein says that success isn’t the word he’d use to describe his career.

reporting from the Pentagon, I’m surrounded by some of the world’s best journalists, period. I look at my work, and I look at these Pulitzer prize-winners, and I don’t know how I got into the same building as them. But I do know I’m the type of person that, if I’m going to put eﬀort into it, I’m going to try to be the best. I don’t think I’d ever accept what I’ve done as being good enough. I’ll always strive to do better.” Dickstein is optimistic, yet rooted in reality about the future of journalism and its tendencies to be a grueling profession. His advice is simple: love what you do. “I would say, my best advice is: if you really want to go into this line of work, then you better love it,” said Dickstein. “It is endlessly frustrating, and it’s very hard work. I don’t think people realize how hard it is. You have to really believe in journalism and what you’re covering. You’re not going to get rich, you’re going to work odd hours, and you’re going to get scrutinized by people whose name you’ll never know.” Before Dickstein took oﬀ into the industry, he posed a challenge to the 2009 graduating class and himself. In his last op-ed in the Colonnade, he wrote, “Let’s go out there and see what impact we can make on the world.” He says his contribution is piecemeal— working daily to leave an impression. “Through journalism and photography, I’ve managed to tell stories, mostly about soldiers. I bring their daily life into the public eye— that’s something I’m very proud of,” said Dickstein. “I have the opportunity to tell other people’s stories, and that’s an incredible gift you can give someone. And if I can do that and share those for the world to see—then I think that’s pretty awesome.” ■

“I’ve had some successes, and I’ve done some things well,” said Dickstein. “But

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SPORTS

INTRODUCING GEORGIA COLLEGE HEAD BASEBALL COACH

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hen Jason Eller took the reins as the ninth head coach in the storied history of the Georgia College Baseball program this past summer, the Bobcat Athletic Department knew they were getting a skipper well-versed on the sport of baseball in the state of Georgia. The Sprayberry High grad walked on for a fourletter baseball career at Georgia State University. After a year spent traveling the globe with Athletes in Action and another season in Independent League professional baseball, Eller joined the coaching ranks – bringing success right along with him.

What’s important to Jason Eller the person? My kids, (my wife) Amy and her happiness, and the growth and development of my children. Making sure the 40 players believe in our coaches. I try to be strong in my faith and approach every day with a positive outlook. My son hit seven balls in a row the other day. We may or may not have been in the living room, but watching him swing the bat is great. I keep trying to make sure my daughter doesn’t watch too much “Frozen”… just getting on the couch with them, take them to the playground, spend all my free time with them.

His first coaching stint was coaching women’s professional baseball for the New Jersey Diamonds, prior to joining the baseball staff at Martin Methodist College in Tennessee. From there, it was off to Division I Wofford College and another year at Georgia State before joining head coach David Perno’s staff at the University of Georgia (UGA) for 11 years. He worked his way to fulltime assistant coach in 2008, taking charge as recruiting coordinator and running the offensive approach for the Bulldogs. In his first year in that role, UGA won a Southeastern Conference Championship and played for a National Championship, one of three times the Bulldogs advanced to the College World Series with Eller in the dugout. Eller then took the head coach job at Augusta University, completing a three-year turnaround with a national ranking and Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament appearance in 2016.

is baseball a strong sport at the prep level in Georgia? There is no question. In my mind, it’s the best. It’s fun to watch. The seven innings goes by real fast when you have two great baseball programs. Most of the schools in Georgia are not “teams” but “programs.” It’s so much fun to recruit in the Peach State. It’s great for me because I’m a Georgia guy. I’ve been in the state almost my whole life, which helps me build great relationships with all of the high school coaches. I can pick up a phone and cross check on any potential student-athlete from Dalton to Valdosta.

We sat down with coach Eller to talk about baseball in the state of Georgia, his family, and his ties to Bobcat Nation. Why were you interested in Georgia College? I’ve always been a fan of Georgia College baseball, starting with my days at UGA. I roomed with Don Norris, who coached under Steve Mrowka at GC. Don used to tell me Georgia College stories a lot, so I began to watch the program grow. In the state, Georgia College is one of a handful of schools that has been to the College World Series; and when a program within our state achieves that sort of excellence, you take notice. My wife and I were married in Milledgeville, so it’s home to us. We have a first-class program, a first-class university, and a first-class community. What type of student-athlete do you look for? We really like the “football-based” ballplayer. We like the “coach’s son” that has spent his life around a dugout. We like the “legacy” that has friends or family members that have spent time around Georgia College. First and foremost is how they carry themselves. You can learn a lot about a young man from how they interact with you on the phone. I’m a big people person, so I can make my mind up relatively quickly about whether or not they can play for me and want our coaching staff to be their coaches. How they dress, how they were raised, you can tell a lot about a young man from his handshake as well.

is a National Championship an achievable goal at Georgia College? We were just talking about this as a staff. One of our goals is that we want to do something here that’s never been done. The 1995 and 2010 Georgia College teams went to the College World Series, with ’95 finishing as runners-up. So there’s only one thing left to do, and that’s to win a national title. Having played for one in 2008 at UGA, having [GC pitching coach Nolan] Belcher on the staff who’s won two at South Carolina, you know the type of team you need. You know the clubhouse culture, the different personalities, and talent levels you need, and this team has every tool that it needs right away. ■

GEORGIA COLLEGE BASEBALL

AT A GLANCE: • • • • • • •

NCAA National Runners-Up in 1995 NCAA Region Tournament Champions 1995, 2010 PBC Regular Season Champions 2006, 2007, 2010 PBC Tournament Champions 2013, 2015 2016 Record: 33-17 Returning All-PBC Players in SS Brandon Benson and CF Logan Mattix Season Opener: Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. vs. Ohio Valley University

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Joanne Previts named

outstanding professor

of middle grades education

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iddle school is a unique and complex period of rapid growth, where young adolescents develop identity and sometimes exhibit problematic behaviors like low self-esteem and bullying.

Previts taught fourth and ﬁfth grades in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2004. It was a “leap of faith” leaving the classroom to instruct teacher candidates, she said, but the experience has been rewarding.

But Dr. Joanne Previts, the nation’s leading middle grades educator, considers these challenges remarkable opportunities for exploration, development, and discovery.

Since arriving at Georgia College in 2009, Previts has mentored three cohorts of teacher candidates. She learned the importance of guiding young minds from her mentor, Dr. John H. Lounsbury, who still serves as dean emeritus. The GC College of Education is named after Lounsbury, whom Previts calls the “conscience of the middle grades movement.”

“There are a lot of misconceptions about this age group,” said Previts, associate professor of middle grades education at Georgia College. “These extraordinary young adolescents are going to soon be our voters and serve on juries and be members of our society, who currently now have the ability and desire of wanting to learn and belong.” “Yes, they may be acting out and testing boundaries,” she said, “but we know that’s part of their growth and development. In the middle grade years, they’re deciding who they want to be and whether or not they’re someone who can be successful.” This fall, Previts was awarded Outstanding Professor of Middle Level Education by the National Professors of Middle Level Education. The organization honors professors who exhibit outstanding teaching qualities and excellence in supervising teacher candidates. “I feel genuinely honored and humbled,” Previts said. “We don’t do our work for recognition. I’m not a spotlight person. My work style tends to be more collaborative. My identity as an educator, researcher, and advocate has been inﬂuenced by colleagues and mentors I’ve been fortunate to work with over the years and here at Georgia College.” Dr. Holley Roberts, interim chair of education, said Previts is a model for eﬀective teaching. “She challenges middle grades teacher candidates to meet high expectations, so they’ll be well prepared for the demands of the classroom. Her colleagues and I are thrilled her work has been recognized in this way,” Roberts said.

As a mentor, Previts works closely with teacher candidates to develop essential knowledge during coursework and field placements. She also finds research-based practices, observes them teach, attends school board meetings as an advocate, and helps students present at national conferences. “We’re investing in what they’re going to do for the rest of their lives,” she said. “It’s taken very seriously. They’re going to be responsible for the cognitive, social, and emotional development of young adolescents. It’s an awesome responsibility.” According to Previts, Georgia College teacher candidates graduate with a strong foundation. One of her former students, Alissa Leugers, now works as a sixth grade teacher in Lawrenceville. Leugers said Previts exemplifies what it means to be a mentor. “Day in and day out, she models compassion, integrity, and strength. She challenged me in every possible way as I prepared for a career in which I shape many young lives,” Leugers said. According to Previts, some of the most important things a teacher can do is build relationships, generate excitement through creative learning experiences, and let students figure things out for themselves. “Don’t take away their sense of accomplishment,” she said. “Taking risks and making mistakes are essential to authentic learning and growth.” ■

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1960s

CLASS NOTES

Sandra Leigh Gordy, ’68, and Sam Massell were wed in a private ceremony on Sept. 21, in Atlanta. Dean Sam Candler of the Cathedral of St. Philip and Rabbi Peter Berg of the Temple presided over the ceremony. Gordy is chief executive oﬃcer of American-Superior, Inc. and daughter of the late Jeﬀ and Gladys Gordy of Gainesville, Georgia, and formerly of LaGrange. Massell is president of the Buckhead Coalition, Inc. and son of the late Sam Sr. and Florence Massell of Atlanta. The couple resides in Atlanta.

1990s Hal Coley, ’91, worked in information technology for 15 years with Bank of America. He recently became enterprise information services delivery manager at SunTrust Bank for the salesforce.com customer relationship management platform.

2000 s Dr. Jennifer Claxton, ’01, ’02, ’13, has been a faculty development specialist at the University of Georgia since 2015. She works with the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences faculty where she serves the college with learning technologies, curriculum, and instruction support. She also works with faculty and staﬀ to integrate learning technology tools into course designs to build active and engaging student learning experiences. Joseph Richards, ’03, of Salt Lake City, Utah, makes people laugh. In 2016, he launched his self-funded, self-promoted stand-up tour. Since then, he has performed his one-hour show at venues in Colorado and Utah. Richards’ shows focus on current events, zany characters and crowd participation as he

creates 90 percent of his material during the show. He has also started writing songs about recent news and posting the songs each week. Follow along with his adventures at http://www.josephpatrickrichards.com. Scott malone, ’04, is an assistant vice president of Portfolio Management at Nationstar Mortgage in Dallas, Texas. He and his wife Melissa have a son, James Wyatt “JW,” who celebrated his ﬁrst birthday in November 2016. In January 2016, Toby Bowen, ’07, of Athens, became the account manager for Georgia supporting Massey Ferguson Farm Equipment dealers for AGCO Corporation. Laura Christa moore Garner, ’09, completed her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Informatics and has successfully passed her Nursing Informatics certiﬁcation. She is the director of Clinical Informatics at Houston Northwest Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Mass Communication major mary Zehner Kelly, ’09, of Lilburn, Georgia, started working at GuildQuality, an Atlanta-based surveying company, when she was a junior at Georgia College. Upon graduating, Kelly was a teacher. Then, she joined GuildQuality in 2013 so she could work from home and raise her son. Now, she works as a full-time surveyor with GuildQuality hiring Georgia College students as part-time surveyors. Kelly manages nine Georgia College students and a few alumni.

2010s Bryan Canady, ’10, ’14, received a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Georgia College. During his senior undergraduate year, he participated in a co-op program through Robins Air Force Base (AFB). He is a contracting specialist at Robins AFB working in AFSC Avionics. In October, Canady completed the competitive Squadron Oﬃcer School — a professional military education course for Air Force captains. Georgia College biology major Arthur C. Jones iV, ’14, will begin Mercer University’s Physician Assistant program in Atlanta in January.

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Teddi Strassburger, ’16, graduated in three years. Shortly after graduating, she was oﬀered a marketing strategist position with a technology corporation working with about 25 clients daily creating marketing campaigns and developing emails, blogs, social media posts, and websites. Strassburger also works with internal/corporate marketing and uses InDesign, which she used to create The Corinthian, to make ﬂyers for events and employee guides. Her favorite part of this position is writing.

Rae Ann Boswell, ’12, and matt Houser, ’12, were engaged on May 15, 2016, in Rae Ann's hometown of Troy, Alabama. At Georgia College, Houser was an active student in the political science department as well as a mentor in the Foreign Language Lab for Spanish. He pursued his passions by volunteering for the Peace Corps after graduation and served as an agriculture and food security extension agent in Payuka, Togo (West Africa). Houser is currently pursuing his Masters of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia. Boswell is employed at the Atlanta-based Chick-ﬁl-A. The couple have scheduled their wedding for June 17, 2017, in Atlanta. Early childhood education major Whitney Johnson, ’12, said she will marry accounting major Geoﬀ Wright, ’12. The wedding will take place in Atlanta in 2017. The couple met at Georgia College and began dating in the summer of 2012.

Patrick Olvaney, ’14, and Delaney Thomas, ’15, were in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, when Olvaney asked Thomas to marry him. The wedding is in September 2017.

madison Powers Cooper, ’15, married Alex Cooper, ’15, on July 23, 2016, in Savannah, Georgia. The couple met in Russell Auditorium, and he proposed at Russell Auditorium. They reside in Lumberton, North Carolina. Fellow Bobcats in the wedding party are: Taylor matthews, ’15, Taylor Fangman Gahwiler, ’15, Andrew Gahwiler, ’14, Cullen Wallace, ’15, and Kevin Floody, ’15.

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CLASS NOTES

Christine Trout, ’11, ’16, received her bachelor’s degree in health education and a master’s degree in business administration. She recently accepted a position at Patientco, a health care IT company in Atlanta, working as a client partner — all while ﬁnishing her WebMBA program. Trout works alongside four other Bobcat alumni. She also is engaged to be married in May 2017 to Georgia Tech graduate Patrick Tynan.

Early childhood education major Lauryn Dennard, ’14, and athletic training major Nolan Baugh, ’17, are engaged and getting married at the Magnolia Ballroom on May 20, 2017. “We love Georgia College and all of the memories we have made here,” said Dennard. “We can't wait to have our most special day on the campus.”

CLASS NOTES

With seven Bobcats by their sides, Allison Blanchard Crawford, ’15, ’16, and michael Crawford, ’15, ’16, were married on June 5, 2016. Blanchard and Crawford met at Georgia College at a campus ministry's Valentine's Day Dance during the spring of 2014. Following a honeymoon to Mexico, the couple now resides in Grayson, Georgia. Michael is a physics teacher at Peachtree Ridge High School, and Allison is a language arts teacher at Brookwood High School. The wedding party included Kendall Crowe, ’17, Brad Williams, ’13, ’14, mike Lerzo, ’16, ’17, Kelly Cook, ’15, Kate Graham, ’17, Kinsey Schultz, ’15, ’16, and Shamiah Green, ’15, ’16.

In October 2015, Jorge Santander, ’14, mass communication major, asked Joanie Hebert, ’14, management major, to marry him. Almost one year later, on Sept. 24, 2016, Hebert walked down the aisle to meet her groom to vow to spend the rest of their lives together. The couple, who reside in Sandy Springs, are looking to the future with hope. By their side stood Gabby Banzon, ’14, Paul Nacey, ’13, Benedict Esposito, ’15, Nathan Anisko, ’15, and Eric Anderson, ’15.

Laurelle Chechopoulos, ’12, and Joshua Scheib, ’11, ’13, were married at the Country Club of the South at Johns Creek, Georgia, on June 4, 2016. Laurelle has an exercise science degree from Georgia College. Joshua has his undergraduate and master’s degrees in criminal justice. Laurelle is a physical therapist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Joshua is a SWAT operator in metro Atlanta. The couple resides in Atlanta.

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In Memoriam Charlene Culpepper Carpenter* Elizabeth Peavy Craig* Ellen Hinely Exley Inez Burgess Gordon Edward Kempson Cecile Bailey Mace* Patsy Ball Roberts* Dollye Ponder Thompson, ’20 Pauline Hunt Watson, ’22 Mina Youmans Collins, ’23 Myrtice Ellison, ’24 Mary Bridges Talley, ’24 Julia Capel Burton, ’25 Grace Pughsley Thompson, ’26 Mary Culpepper Campbell, ’27 Agneze Ellington Harrison, ’27 Frances L.inder King, ’27 Elizabeth Yarbrough Baker, ’28 Frances Treadway Culpepper, ’28 Julia Walker Drake, ’28 Lottie Whittle Drake, ’28 Fannie Little Hodges, ’28 Aleen Rush Woodard, ’28 Laura Chandler Dobbs, ’29 Katherine Burnley Kennedy, ’29 Willie Pursley Kerr, ’30 Edith Clanton Reid, ’30 Susie Reamy Dunnavant, ’32 Louise Collins Orr, ’32 Mary Black Rice, ’32 Eunice Chandler Strong, ’32 Malissa Wilder Boggs, ’33 Vivian Yates Campbell, ’33 Marian Houser Edmunds, ’33 Louise Marsh Pittman, ’33 Florence Bell Anderson, ’34 Minnie Edwards Ash, ’34 Iris Tison Ford, ’34 Grace Lanier Johns, ’34 Rebecca Chambliss Jones, ’34 Mabel Greene Sellers, ’34 Patricia Madden Ash, ’35 Elizabeth Crawford Class, ’35 Iris Brookins Corbett, 35* Elizabeth Turnbull Hayes, ‘35 Marjorie Sykes King, ’35 Sarah Perry Seymour, ’35 Floride Moore Gardner, ’36*

Mary Corry Alexander, ’37 Reba Mann Barnett, ’38 Elizabeth Barnhill Gupton, ’38 Helen McMichael Ham, ’38 Jeanette Westbrook Klasen, ’38 Mary Bowen Banks, ’39 Doris Stokes Farmer, ’39 Florence Turner Ford, ’39 Mary Kirland Hind, ’39 Jennie Touchton Kennedy, ’39 Jaqueline Stokley Williford, ’39 Marie Slade Brandenstein, ’40 Nora Morgan Geer, ’40 Roslyn Redman Hawkins, ’40 Rebecca Grace Price, ’40 Anne Tanner Waldrop, ’40 Frances Edwards Aldridge, ’41 Bernice Rogers Bland, ’41 Madge Nance Dixon, ’41 Mary Hardy Cavender, ’42 Annie Morgan Jeﬀers, ’42 Lucille Coleman Massey, ’42 Dorothy Burke Miller, ’42 Ida Moreland Murphy, ’42 Elizabeth King Scruggs, ’42 Inez Corbett Davis, ’43 Mildred O’Dell, ’43 Johngeline Morris Wilson, ’43* Elizabeth Brooks Bagwell, ’44 Martha Waldrep Carter, ’44 Marjorie Morton Hicks, ’44 Geraldine May Hollis, ’44 Betty Haynie Jordan, ’44 Emma Franklin Robson, ’44 Kathryn Jackson Cox, ’45 Evelyn Smith Hancock, ’45 Elsie Standard Hobbs, ’45 Nora Payne Kunz, ’45 Carolyn Jones Cravey, ’46 Anne Pittard Hayes, ’47 Caroline Phillips Gammell, ’48 Dixie Schultz Holmes, ’48 Mary Ruth Peeler, ’48 Eunice Hudson Powell, ’48 Hilda Calderon Anderson, ’49 Wilena Malone Evans, ’49 Milladene Burnham Grant, ’49* Lavinia Tisdale Adams, ’50*

Rebecca Newberry Bailey, ’50 Geraldine Davis Alligood, ’51 Norma Bennett, ’51 Ruby Kennedy Donaldson, ’51 Robbie Mcallister Grimley, ’52 Faye Wood Lennard, ’53 Janet Cureton Ross, ’53 Agnes Dean Stokes, ’53 June Williams Kellam, ’53 Inez McWhorter Gordon, ’56 Lucy Fossett Howard, ’56 Paula O’Neill Sparboe, ’61 Bertha Foster Hicks, ’62 Wilma Curtis Bass, ’63 Elizabeth Dent Browning, ’63 Dorothy Moseley Mullis, ’63 Louise Gipson, ’66 Selma Forshee Gray, ’66 Linda Lucas Hopkins, ’66 Winifred Moody Fowler, ’67 Marcelene Warren Jackson, ’67 Anita Shivers Wilkinson, ’68 Andrew Haman, ’69 Shirley Harden Hobby, ’69 Harold Watson, ’69 Richard Reid, ’70 Charles Brownlee, ’71 Arthur Garland, ’71 Ronald Wagner, ’73 James Huﬀman, ’74 Walter Bowers, ’75 Lee Lane, ’75 Anne Hardwick Reddick, ’75 Edsel Joseph DeVille, ’76 Betty Jordan Phillips, ’79 Andy Cook, ’80 Rebecca Flansburg Anley, ’83 Bobby Anderson, ’85 Sara Everett, ’90 William Riley, ’91 Glenda Walters, ’92 Theron Harrison, ’94 Sheryl Aldridge, ’96 Christopher Thomas, ’98 Nick Arlov, ’00 Robert Bahn, ’03 Tom Davis, ’10

*Denotes alumni of Peabody School. This list recognizes deceased alumni that the university has been made aware of since Dec. 2, 2016.

ALUMNI AWARDS

Two alumni honored The following alumni awards were presented during Alumni Weekend.

The Outstanding Recent Alumni Award honors

He also opened three stores that offer clothing and lifestyle retail: one in

alumni who have graduated within the past 10

Watkinsville, one in Athens, and one in Lavonia.

years and established notable recognition in a professional career with promise for continued

“Owning my own business gives me the freedom to dream big, to be

success.

creative, and to think outside the box, and then acting on it is probably what I enjoy most,” said Chitwood. “Each of these things has been sewn into the fabric of who I am for as long as I can remember.”

The Outstanding Recent Alumni Award was given to Derek Chitwood, ’08, who isn’t afraid to dream

Besides establishing success in the retail industry, Chitwood is also a

big. Upon graduating from Georgia College, he

shining example of being a good steward in his community. In addition

started Peach State Pride by creating a logo that

to donations, Peach State Pride gives 15 percent of annual profits back

represented Georgia.

to Georgia charities.

“In a sense I was seeking to brand our state,” he

Chitwood also serves on the Advocate Board for Extra Special People

said. “After doing some work in South Carolina

in Watkinsville, is a member of the Oconee and Athens Chambers of

following graduation from Georgia College, I realized just how powerful

Commerce, and more. He also enjoys speaking to students and local

the palm tree and crescent moon were in that state.”

organizations about entrepreneurship.

Chitwood always had a distinct connection with being from the “peach

Chitwood offers perspective to young individuals who are just starting

state.” He recalls from a young age spending every summer in his

their careers.

grandfather’s peach orchard. “Whether you're starting a business or plan to work for someone else, “In 2009, I sketched out a logo that I envisioned becoming the logo for

the most important things that you need to master are patience and

the state of Georgia,” he said. “Of course it was a peach. That logo

humility,” he said. “The real world seems to hit many graduates hard,

quickly became a clothing line that in so many ways is much more,

but our best employees share very simple attributes: They’re

because when you see our peach logo, you think ‘Georgia.’”

dependable; they do what is asked of them with respect to authority; and as time goes by, they prove to be patient, and that patience always

Based on his success with owning the clothing brand Peach State Pride,

pays off.”

he opened his first clothing store, Empire South Clothier, LLC in 2013.

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2017 PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

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The Ethel Rae mozo-Stewart Alumni Community

He is also grateful for his Georgia College experience and wants to pay

Service Award honors alumni with a history of

it forward.

service that resulted in visible improvements within the community. It’s named in honor of Ethel

“I am fortunate to be blessed with a college degree from a wonderful

Rae Mozo-Stewart, Class of ’46.

liberal arts college that has provided a gateway to a ‘world of opportunity,’” he said. “I have an obligation to return payment through

Due to his tremendous amount of compassion for

my service to the community, especially today's youth and young

his community because it’s the “right thing to do,”

adults.”

Dr. Cedric B. Howard, ’94, was awarded the Ethel Rae Mozo-Stewart Alumni Community Service

As a board member of A&R Hornets Youth Sports Organization, which

Award. In addition to serving as the vice president

serves more than 300 youths in sports and cheer activities, Howard

for Student Affairs at the University of New York

developed a strategic plan for implementing academic standards and

at Fredonia, he is content devoting most of his free

fundraising protocol for scholarships for inner-city youth to participate

time toward helping others.

in organized sports.

At a young age, Howard learned from his mother and grandmothers to

Through Palmer Scholars, he also raised funds for college scholarships

focus on relationships rather than titles and status.

and developed a mentoring program with local professionals for high school and college students, which increased four-year college

“It does not cost anything to show love and respect to others, but you

completion rates by more than 90 percent.

should not expect to receive the same in return,” Howard said. “Do it because it is the right thing to do, not because you are expecting

As the recipient of numerous awards including the NASPA - Student

something in exchange for your work.”

Affairs Administrators in Higher Education’s Region V Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Dean and the Brotherton

Based on his grandmother’s advice to put a smile on someone’s face

Community Champion Award, Howard offers the following advice.

daily, he gauges his satisfaction on how many individuals he’s helped each day.

“Follow your passion and interest,” he said. “Serve communities that you are naturally drawn to and have a ‘heart.’ Your work in a given

“My work with others is a return on the investment that was given to

community is an investment, and the rewards are priceless.” ■

me,” Howard said. “The most rewarding part of service to others is the joy and appreciation that they experience.”

To nominate alumni for the 2017 Alumni Awards, visit: gcsu.edu/alumni/awards

University Communications Campus Box 97 Milledgeville, GA 31061

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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Education was at the heart of the Wommacks’ decision to give a gift Because education has been an integral and a driving force for both dr. Barbara Carter Wommack and dr. Hines Wommack, even in retirement they continue to devote time and resources toward the advancement of education in communities where they live, have studied, and/or taught. although Hines Wommack studied french as an undergraduate, he lacked confidence in teaching the language until he was selected to attend summer institutes in french, first at georgia College (1963) and then in france (1964). He also taught french in georgia and served in the peace Corps for two years. Wommack earned his master’s degree from georgia College in 1968. Later, he pursued a ph.d. at indiana university. “i have fond memories of georgia College and the support and encouragement i received from faculty, especially drs. Mangiafico and Lounsbury,” he said. “georgia College is all in the family,” said Wommack. “our daughter, son-in-law, and his father all have master’s degrees from georgia College.” although Carter Wommack did not attend georgia College, Carter Wommack’s family lived in Milledgeville for two years; and she attended kindergarten at peabody Lab school on campus.

Carter Wommack loved reading. she became an elementary teacher and realized learning to read was not easy for many children. so, she entered graduate school at the university of georgia where she earned an ed.d. in reading education and later was a reading professor at several colleges. school improvement has been important to both of them. Carter Wommack served many years as a volunteer and as a member of the elementary/Middle school Committee of the southern association of Colleges and schools where she occasionally worked with dr. John H. Lounsbury, now dean emeritus of the College of education. Wommack spent many years as a consultant/staﬀ development coordinator with regional educational agencies. “We are always encouraged by the successes of students with whom we have taught and worked,” said the Wommacks. “We understand that inspiration can flow in two directions: from teacher to student and from student to teacher.” e couple still takes education to heart with the gift that pays them back – a charitable gift annuity with the georgia College & state university foundation. in exchange for their gift, they receive dependable, fixed payments for life, as well as valuable tax benefits. to learn more about a charitable gift annuity, contact elizabeth Hines at 478-445-1944 or elizabeth.hines@gcsu.edu.