2021 Georgia College Highlights

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Highlights 2021

Highlights 2021 Most notably for 2021, the university experienced transition at the highest level of leadership as Georgia College welcomed its 12th president to campus in October – Cathy Cox. Soon after President Cox’s arrival, she began a series of listening sessions across campus that concluded near the end of the year. The feedback from these efforts will help shape the direction of the university for 2022 and future years as we continue on our path toward preeminence.

The year 2021 also marked another significant milestone for the university – a celebration of our liberal arts mission. In 1996, the Georgia Board of Regents designated Georgia College as the state’s public liberal arts university. As the university celebrates throughout the 2021–2022 academic year, we would like to share with you a history of the liberal arts at GC, along with additional stories and highlights of success experienced from our students, faculty, and staff.

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Y E A R S O F L I B E R A L A R T S : Faculty reflect on the past, look to a bright future

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r. Ken McGill’s roots run deep at Georgia College. He’s spent the last nearly 30 years teaching students the foundations of chemistry and providing hands-on learning opportunities through research.

Throughout his tenure, the professor of chemistry has seen many changes.

“Back then, we were a regional university,” McGill reflected on starting at Georgia College in 1992. “We basically accepted students within a certain radius of Milledgeville.”

Talks of a focus on liberal arts began under President Edwin Spier not long after McGill arrived on campus. The formal designation from the University System of Georgia came in 1996 — transitioning the university from a regional college to the state and even national stage.

“I think getting the public liberal arts mission was very impactful,” said McGill. “Before we were competing with students in central Georgia. Now we compete on a national level, and I think going for the public liberal arts mission was an incredibly insightful strategy that helped really give Georgia College an identity to make it thrive and grow.”

From 1997-2003, Dr. Rosemary DePalo heavily promoted the liberal arts when she led campus as president.

“She was the one who was the champion for the liberal arts mission. She's the one who brought the discussion into reality, got everybody on board, and instilled it as part of the campus culture,” said McGill.

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5DR. KEN MCGILL

“She was able to get I don't know how many additional faculty positions,” said McGill. “That brought a whole host of new, energetic junior faculty. It was a very fun time.”

Professor of Secondary Education and long-time faculty member Dr. Cynthia Alby agrees.

“I think what was great in the early years was that the country was doing well financially, and there was a lot more funding to do what we wanted to do,” said Alby. “All the things that we were trying to do to come to our liberal arts mission were just easier to do then.”

In 2004, Dr. Dorothy Leland assumed

the role of president and led the university through 2011.

“She was the one who navigated us through some tough economic times and helped us maintain that mission,” said McGill.

During that time the student body grew to around 6,700 undergraduate and graduate students, and experiential learning opportunities were expanded.

“While we did better than most institutions in Georgia and across the United States during the economic downturn,” said Alby, “I still think those were some tough years just in terms of carrying out our mission.”

Then came a lull — when the excitement of the new mission waned and things became somewhat routine. The liberal arts mission was still very much alive, but more siloed and departmentalized.

Seeing the need for assessing and rejuvenating the mission, Dr. Steve Dorman as president charged a group in 2015 to do just that.

“We had the sensation that we'd lost some of the energy,” said Alby. “That just makes sense. You can't expect an initiative to just maintain that level of interest for 20 years or more.”

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3DR. CYNTHIA ALBY

The major starting point for the group was to think about what the university was trying to provide for its students — what made Georgia College unique and, in turn, exemplified the liberal arts mission.

“We were teaching loads of fantastic courses in great programs, but the big picture of how these things were connected and how it played into the liberal arts was missing,” said Alby.

The goal became to show students how all experiences at Georgia College, both inside and outside the classroom, link together. From that, GC Journeys was born.

“What we were trying to do with GC Journeys is say, ‘we're already doing all these great things, if we could pull them together under one umbrella so that people can see how they fit together, then students could make conscious choices about which would be a good fit for them,’” said Alby.

Through the GC Journeys Program, students take advantage of five insideand outside-the-classroom transformative experiences during their time at Georgia College. It includes the first-year experience, career planning milestones, and the senior capstone course. Each student can also choose to take part in at least two other options: study abroad, community-based engaged learning, undergraduate research, an internship, or leadership programs.

“I feel like since 1996 we have been slowly making our way forward in terms of recognition as the state’s designated public liberal arts institution,” said Alby.

“But it wasn't until we implemented GC Journeys that we began garnering so much more recognition on both the state and national levels.”

It’s not just Georgia College getting more attention. Time and time again top business leaders note skills gained from a liberal arts education as their top desires for new hires.

“I'm emphasizing marketable skills that students have because they're a liberal arts major,” said Dr. Lee Gills, chair and professor of psychology. “Our students can work in groups, sift through information, and decide what's true and what's not. They can perform an activity with limited information or even ambiguous information, and they can ask for clarification when it’s needed.”

Over his tenure, Gillis has interacted with hundreds of students. For him, it’s the small class sizes and relationships between faculty and students that make the difference.

“I recall a nursing student who transferred here,” he said. “She was telling me she was writing thank you notes to the professors because they actually would talk to her and answer the questions she had. She was not getting that same kind of attention at her previous college, so it really made an impact when she came here.”

Students consistently say the relationships with faculty at Georgia College are key to their success. Those help open doors to research, jobs, or even graduate school.

As we look to the future, the opportunities continue to grow for students.

Steeped in the liberal arts tradition, the possibilities are endless.

“Now we are really pursuing that national stage where we are competing with nationally recognized public and private universities,” said McGill.

“When I got here, we never would have thought about competing with many of these places, and the quality of our students just continues to get better. It has been a really great ride.”

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Achievements

from our Students, Faculty, and Staff The Georgia College community has many successes occurring on a near-daily basis, ranging from personal accomplishments to achievements that earn national attention. We are proud of all of the work that our students, faculty, and staff do, and are honored to be able to share some of the most notable accolades garnered in 2021 with you.

eorgia College political science student Lauren Miller was named a Gilman-McCain Scholar by the U.S. Department of State. Miller, a member of the class of 2022, traveled to France in summer 2021 to study intercultural leadership and communication at the European Study Center in Strasbourg.

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The Gilman-McCain scholarship is a congressionally-funded initiative of the Bureau of Education and Culutural Affairs which awards $5,000 to undergraduates who are dependents of active-duty service members. The scholarship encourages students to pursue rich cultural experiences and develop their capacity for global citizenship.

Lauren Miller Named Gilman Scholar

Miller is a lieutenant in the Georgia Army National Guard and has studied leadership deeply. She has continued to pursue her passion for leadership at Georgia College, where she is a member of the Leadership Certificate Program. Miller ultimately hopes to pursue a career in government service and to remain a reservist in the military.

Miller’s passion both for public service and international travel was formed in her early years. Born in Alaska, she spent her formative years traveling with her family, being stationed at military bases at home and abroad. Miller attended high school in Italy before returning to the United States and beginning her studies at Georgia Military College. She transferred to Georgia College in 2020.

“The study abroad [program] is based on learning to lead in a globalized world and preparing you to be a leader who can effectively communicate, can see problems in an organization, or give you the vital leadership skills you need to lead in a state or country,” said Miller.

Through the Intercultural Leadership Program, Miller aspires to gain insight on leading at the international level and forging relationships across cultures.

While in France, she studied human rights, mediation, dispute resolution, social responsibility and peace-building, and intercultural negotiation skills.

Based at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, she met with EU elected officials, ambassadors and diplomats, military officers, and international business executives.

“The new Gilman-McCain Scholarship Program is a really exciting opportunity for students like Lauren to be able to pursue international experiences that will help them grow as students and as people, and it's also a great way for this country to honor the dependents of members of our armed forces," said Anna Whiteside, who coordinates Georgia College’s Office of National Scholarships.

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Against the odds Communication major wins national radio news award

When he was little, Jonathan O’Brien wasn’t afraid of a monster under the bed.

From early on, he loved watching the nightly news and knew how bad real people and circumstances could be. By Kindergarten, he was scaring all the other kids with tales of Hurricane Katrina, and his teachers had to tell him to stop.

Now, he wins awards for telling the news.

O'Brien took second place for CBI (College Broadcasters, Inc.), a huge feat as many of his national competitors were from larger schools with bigger budgets, better equipment, and far-reaching audiences — stations with 1.3 million listeners compared to Georgia College’s humble gathering of a couple hundred.

O’Brien likes to joke “you might get the WGUR signal up at the Kroger.”

But that hasn’t stopped him.

A junior communication major from Atlanta, Georgia, O'Brien quickly rose from a “homesick freshman” to becoming news director of the student-run station by his second semester. This means he’s editor, anchor, and chief reporter all rolled into one. Since freshman year, he’s also been given practicum students to manage.

O’Brien gets paid $300 a semester to do this job.

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But he says he’d do it for free.

“There’s always been an underlying desire to report the news,” O’Brien said. “I was always fascinated with current events — anything the adults were talking about.”

“Why? I guess I’ll have to consult a therapist about that,” he said, laughing.

“I guess because it was so normal.

Everybody always said I was the kid who was mature for his age.”

To understand his rise to the top of radio news at Georgia College, one must understand O’Brien’s upbringing.

He grew up like most any other child — maybe a tad more serious — wanting to be a lawyer and then governor of Georgia. He was raised by his two grandmothers, both extraordinary women who built successful careers. Their influence largely made O’Brien who he is today.

“That determination, that grit of theirs, is what I focus on,” he said. “It makes me want to make something of myself and do something in life that’s worthwhile. My grandmothers always made me feel like I can do whatever I want if I put my mind to it.”

Growing up, his heroes were TV reporters and anchors. Now, O’Brien delivers the news in his own spunky, creative way —

lending a distinctive Southern-accented enthused voice to news from campus, the local community, nation, and world.

All technology at WGUR came hardearned through ad sales and grants. It’s a small but impressive space, where O’Brien keeps the news short, factual, and clear.

Every hour on the hour, each show is 3 minutes and 30 seconds. An additional program, “Georgia College’s Evening News,” was produced three days a week live at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

During important occasions, O’Brien spearheads unscripted, live coverage that’d make most TV news editors envious. He was featured in a 13WMAZ newscast for the inauguration. He’s caught the attention of many faculty and staff on campus, as well, along with members of Georgia Public Broadcasting and the National

The wins continue...

Jonathan O'Brien was also on top of the news world by winning first place in Best Audio Hard News Reporting at College Broadcasters, Inc. at the 2021 National Student Electronic Media Convention with his story “Voting Bill Protest.” He and WGUR also won third place in the same category with the news about “COVID spike in rural Georgia nursing home.”

Radio Talent System in San Francisco, California, which offered him a Benztown Mentorship.

During the 2020 Presidential Election, O’Brien juggled the schedules of a dozen other students. Some were assigned to the courthouse and polling places to get voter reaction. Others roamed campus for faculty and student reaction. O’Brien interviewed leaders from the Young Democrats and College Republicans live on air and used audio from the Associated Press (AP) to fill in time gaps. He created table charts and spreadsheets, showing 35 open senatorial seats with details about each. He compared 2020 to elections in 2008, 2012, and 2016. All night, his students scoured the internet for interesting tidbits, the latest news from the New York Times, or what CBS was predicting. They

fed this information to O’Brien via text as he continued talking on air.

O’Brien is quick to say he didn’t do any of this or achieve award-winning status alone.

He names off a list of mentors who helped him, but his advisor, Media Lab Coordinator Evelina Galova-Iossifov, gives much of the credit to O’Brien, saying he doesn’t require micro-management.

“He’s on top of it and, if that’s not enough,” Galova-Iossifov said, “he produced and hosted live election coverage in 2018 and 2020. That’s something done by veterans and here he was — a newbie with only talent, work ethic, and an incredible drive — delivering six-plus hours of non-stop live results and analysis on air.”

“In short,” she said, “Jonathan comes as close to being the perfect student and radio journalist as possible. I look forward to following his career in radio journalism.

He’ll achieve a grand slam in the business.”

The second-place CBI award for Best Audio Newscast came as a complete surprise to both O’Brien and GalovaIossifov.

The prize was for a lengthier newscast, a nine-minute “Evening Brief ” O’Brien did when bored and stuck in his apartment at the beginning of the pandemic last March.

The report included facts, quotes from local health officials, audio from several AP stories, another news story from a Georgia College practicum student, and sing-song advice from Sesame Street’s Elmo on the importance of handwashing.

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International internships Two Georgia College students selected for Fulbright Canada and Mitacs Globalink internships

Two Georgia College students were selected to participate in summer research internships funded through a partnership

by Fulbright Canada and Mitacs Globalink.

Junior physics major Catherine Boyd and junior biology major Molly Bullington completed advanced research projects for 10 to 12 weeks under the supervision of faculty at Canadian institutions.

Boyd performed research on nanostructured thin film devices with faculty from the University of Victoria.

Nanotechnology, a relatively new field of study, centers around engineering materials and their properties at very small-length scales. It is widely used in technology, including in electronics and automobiles.

Bullington studied the neural circuit for courtship behavior in drosophila, known more commonly as fruit flies, with faculty from the University of Saskatchewan – Saskatoon.

Students would typically travel to Canada for the internships, but due to the pandemic, the internships were conducted virtually.

While different from a Fulbright Scholarship, the internships are administered by Fulbright Canada. The program is relatively new, and this is the first time Georgia College students have been awarded this internship.

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Bullington plans to attend school for veterinary medicine. Another possible academic path she may take, once accepted into vet school, is to apply to a dual-degree program for a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and a Ph.D. Both students expressed excitement and enthusiasm over the opportunity to work alongside a faculty member in Canada, gaining personalized mentoring.

“This was an opportunity to do research projects that we might not have at Georgia College,” said Whiteside. “This was a great first step towards learning how international research collaborations work, and also learning about research culture in other countries."

“The program has great benefits, so it's competitive,” said Anna Whiteside, assistant director of the Honors College and coordinator of the National Scholarships office.

“Our particular students were heavily involved in undergraduate research,” she said. “Both were referred to me by MURACE (Mentored Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors) for their undergraduate research experiences.”

Boyd developed an interest in physics early on through her family’s iron foundry business and enjoyed researching a new topic through the internship.

M O L LY B U L L I N G T O N After initially enrolling at Georgia College as pre-engineering, she discovered a passion for physics and changed her major. Upon graduation, she will be attending another undergraduate program to earn a mechanical engineering degree.

From there, Boyd plans to attend graduate school for a master’s in engineering. Her dream is to work for NASA. Just like Boyd’s passion for physics, Bullington has a longstanding passion for biology. She’s always been interested in the details of things and understanding how and why they work. Data analysis comprised the majority of her research with the University of Saskatchewan.

CATHERINE BOYD

wo marketing faculty members and two graduate students were recognized for the “Best Paper Award for the Branding, Strategy, and Research Track” at the 2021 Spring Marketing Management Association (MMA) Conference.

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Their research is titled “A Survey of Historical Marketing Influences on Artisan Vendors” and focuses on the historical perspective of what are known today as brand communities. An understudied $44-billiondollar cottage industry in the U.S., the researchers examined the history of artisans, artisan vendors, and brand communities.

Professor of Marketing Dr. Doreen Sams and Associate Professor of Marketing Dr. Mary Kay Rickard worked with Aruna Sadasivan, who recently graduated from the WebMBA program, and Samuel Mullis, a Master of Accountancy student.

Students, faculty collaborate to receive ‘Best Paper’ award at national marketing conference

Sadasivan took a course with Sams where she expressed her desire to earn a Ph.D. The graduate assistant for Sams and Rickard, Mullis has an interest in history. He provided secondary research for the paper.

“All of the coauthors spent many Zoom hours working on the paper and spent much time working on the different parts on their own,” said Sams.

“There were three papers submitted to MMA for presentation,” she said.

“The winning conference paper is part of a more extensive study under review with a journal.”

The other two papers are: •

Mary Kay Rickard, Aruna Sadasivan, and Doreen Sams (2021) "Overcoming Economic and Societal Constraints: Resilience of a U.S. Cottage Industry," MMA Spring 2021 Conference.

•

Kendra Evans, Mary K. Rickard, and Doreen Sams (2021), "Marketing Strategies for Institutions of Higher Education Career Services: An Empirical Study, MMA Spring 2021 Conference.

Kendra Evans is a new lecturer at GC. The work done on the papers submitted shows great collaboration among faculty and students.

“I believe that it is the senior faculty's role to mentor junior faculty as well as graduate and undergraduate students in research while also helping graduate students understand how to traverse the path toward a doctoral degree,” said Sams.

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How one double-major went from The Gardening Club to Newman Civic Fellow

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or Savannah Taylor, a junior double-major in economics and world languages and cultures, gardening was more about the mud than sustainability. She grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, where she and her parents would spend afternoons cultivating vegetables. It was this affinity she brought with her to Georgia College, where she quickly joined the Gardening Club. She didn’t expect that her personal hobby could lead to her being named one of Campus Compact’s 290 students making up the 20212022 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows.

“A lot of people are kind of surprised by that. I meet a lot of people who think, ‘Oh, she must be an environmental science major,’ but none of the career paths I’m looking at are inherently environmentally related,” said Taylor.

For her, the Newman Civic Fellowship is about learning how sustainability filters throughout every facet of our lives. Gardening is just the fun part.

The Newman Civic Fellowship selects leaders from Campus Compact member institutions who demonstrate creative ways of solving challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally. Taylor is now the president of the Gardening Club, running an active group of around 20 people and a rotating interest group of about 40.

Since the pandemic, she’s seen a rapid spike in interest from students in sustainability.

“The pandemic has shed some light on this, as you know; people come to college, especially their freshman year, and they’re going through all these changes. I think so many people come out to my work days and discover how relaxing gardening can be,” Taylor said.

In addition to the meditative effects of gardening, the pandemic has led to more students understanding the need for environmental accountability and awareness.

Through gardening, Taylor was introduced to the Georgia College Office of Sustainability where she works part-time while pursuing majors divergent from that kind of work.

“I think we all get in these bubbles of like, ‘this is what I’m doing and this is my concentration.’ We get focused on the work that we do, but it’s really cool to step outside of that and say, ‘oh, what I’m doing is really important, but what they’re doing is also really cool and important,’” said Taylor.

Through pursuing these creative connections between academic disciplines, Taylor reached out to Drs. Mariana Stoyanova and Aurora Castillo-Scott for guidance on a paper about the impact of drug operations on the Columbian lexicon, which she was later invited to present at the 24th annual Conference on the Americas and was awarded a certificate of recognition. This divergence of ideas is what the Newman Civic Fellowship looks to promote.

“The experience of the last year has driven home to all of us that we need openminded, innovative, public-spirited thinkers and doers. That is what Campus Compact is about, and the stories of our Newman Civic Fellows demonstrate it’s who they are,” said Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn.

More than the accolades and accomplishments, Taylor enjoys filling her life with endeavors that leave her feeling complete at the end of the day. Beyond the Newman Civic Fellowship, she won’t be surprised to find herself doing work with international, domestic, or concentrated organizations or nonprofits.

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Bobcats take top student research prize at BEA conference Georgia College Mass Communication majors – Anjali Shenoy, Margaret Cain, Meredith Ryals, and Isabella Samples – accepted the Top Student Paper Award for the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) 2021 On-Location Research Competition. BEA is the premier international academic media organization for educators, students, and professionals in electronic media production. BEA 2021 On-Location was held virtually Oct. 7-12, 2021.

The Mass Communication students’ award-winning research paper is titled, "Listen up! A contemporary exploration of college students' attitudes toward campus, student-run radio."

Dr. Christina Smith, associate professor of communication, said following the students’ Oct. 8 conference presentation, “As their faculty research mentor, I am proud of Anjali, Margaret, Meredith, and Isabella for sticking with the grind of research, and they represented Georgia College remarkably well as young scholars.”

Georgia College Mock Trial teams win regional awards at tournament Two students on Georgia College Mock Trial team won awards for “Outstanding Attorney” and another for “Outstanding Witness” at a three-day regional tournament hosted online in February by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA).

Georgia College’s two teams, a total of 18 students, competed against 21 other schools from across the country.

Prelaw philosophy major and president of the university's Mock Trial team Lillian Renaud and criminal justice major Daria Brown defeated Boston College and the University of Mississippi as one team, in addition to winning Outstanding Attorney awards. The second team also beat Boston College and one of its members, communication major Samuel Tucker, won as Outstanding Witness.

“One judge said Daria's opening statement was possibly the best she had ever seen in a Mock Trial tournament,” said Dr. Adam Lamparello, director of Mock Trial for Georgia College and assistant professor of criminal justice.

“I am so proud of this team and their accomplishments, which resulted from countless hours of preparation and dedication," he said. “In the coming years, our goal is to be the best mock trial team in the country.”

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During the tournament, each team goes through four trials that last about three hours. In two trials, each team represents lawyer and witnesses for the plaintiff. In the other two trials, they argue for the defense.

Brown and Renaud dealt with a fictional case of battery or act of physical harm. The ‘fact pattern’ focused on whether the defendant killed his daughter by poisoning a bottle of wine for her to drink. Both performed opening and closing arguments and conducted direct and cross examinations.

It took six months for students to prepare for the competition. To win, it takes hard work, ample practice, poise, good projection, and an understanding of the facts. Facts must be mastered, so answers are formed to fit the questions.

"Winning an Outstanding Attorney Award is considered one of the greatest accomplishments for any college Mock Trial member,” Renaud said.

“However, Georgia College Mock Trial is about so much more than just winning awards,” she said. “It’s about learning people skills, public speaking, leadership, and — I know it’s cheesy — making friends that will last forever. Being on this team has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life."

GC Volleyball’s Bochniak Named PBC Scholar Athlete of the Year Georgia College Volleyball standout Libby Bochniak was named the 2020-21 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Female ScholarAthlete of the Year. The award is the highest individual honor given by the conference to student-athletes and is chosen by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives.

"This is a fitting tribute to a fantastic career for Libby," stated Director of Athletics Wendell Staton. "Student-athletes like Libby Bochniak come along once in a career. First and foremost, Libby is an outstanding person who has been a joy to have in our program. She succeeds in everything she does; and just as she was an outstanding college volleyball player, she will be a fantastic physician. We are so proud of Libby and are fortunate to have her spend her college career at Georgia College."

Bochniak was chosen as one of the valedictorians for her senior class, graduating with a 4.0 GPA in biology and a minor in chemistry. She will go on to attend medical

school at Lincoln Memorial University. In 2019, she was named a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American, the first in GC program history and only the eighth PBC volleyball player to earn that distinction.

On the court, Bochniak became the first in program history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. A two-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection, she was also named twice to the PBC All-Tournament team. In the spring of 2021, she was fourth in the PBC in kills per set and eighth in digs per set and was the only player in the league to be ranked in the top 10 in both categories.

She was twice named a PBC Player of the Week and finished her playing career ranked 14th in all-time kills for the conference with 1,108. Bochniak becomes the third Georgia College female student-athlete to be named the PBC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining Shanteona Keys in 2015 and Margaret Klinger in 1999.

LIBBY BOCHNIAK

“”

Student-athletes like

Libby Bochniak come along once in a career WENDELL STATON DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

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Georgia College professor and student name new species of amphipod It may seem like scuds are the lowest creatures on earth.

And that’s because they are — literally — the lowest.

Scuds are bottom dwellers at the bottom of the food chain. They suck up nutrients in the muddy depths of lakes, rivers, streams, marsh, and ocean — only to become food for larger aquatic invertebrates and fish.

About 10,000 different species of these shrimplike creatures are known to exist.

Now, one more’s been added to the list.

Georgia College Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Kristine White and environmental science major Sally Sir of Duluth, Georgia, have discovered an amphipod never-before identified by anyone else. They found it in a collection of about 7,000 amphipods White collected in the mid-2000s as a post-doctoral student in Okinawa, Japan.

They dissected their little ivory-colored scud — about 4 mm in size (imagine a stack of four dimes). They took 3D images of it with a DSLR camera on a stacked imaging system. They described and drew it. Most importantly, they gave it a name and sent the information off to the international journal, Zootaxa, where several peer reviewers will determine once-and-for-all whether it’s a new species. They should hear the news soon.

Until then, the organism’s new Latin name — bestowed by White for its hairy appearance — cannot be disclosed.

"I'm very excited," White said. "I was even more excited to have a student here to work on it. It was a group effort. We both decided together that this was a new species."

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Early on freshman year, Sir approached White after a departmental meet-and-greet, where professors told students about their research. Not many undergraduates want to work with amphipods, so White was thrilled to have Sir on board. She taught her how to dissect the small creatures, how to identify a species, and how to draw and identify parts.

Sir spends 10 to 30 hours a week in the lab. From the start, she was hooked.

“I thought they were just kind of neat little aquatic things I’d never seen before — something different than you’d come in contact with in your daily life. I thought it was interesting, so I met with Dr. White again and, every day,” Sir said, “she introduces me to something new.”

By sophomore year, Sir had helped single out and describe a completely new species.

She recalls the day they found the hairy little scud.

The team was studying the professor’s multiple collections from Japan. As a postdoctoral student, White had described 24 new species in Okinawa, an area she called “uncharted territory” for amphipods.

“Most people haven’t looked in a lot of habitats. If you look for amphipods,” White said, “you’ll find them.”

Her assortment of amphipods laid dormant for years, as White began a career in higher education at the University of

Tampa. She joined Georgia College in 2019 and now uses her post-doctoral collection to teach Sir taxonomy, the science of classifying organisms.

The new species was notable for its feathery setae — or hairy bristles — which were more numerous than usual. It also had a leg without serrated or jagged edges.

The team knew at once they’d found something special. It stood out from the others in a “funky” way, Sir remarked.

It took weeks to verify. They scoured science literature and identification keys on amphipods. But they couldn’t find anything else like it — which says a lot.

Amphipods are part of a larger group called arthropods, which make up 75 percent of all animals on earth.

“Every paper and key that we used was a dead end,” White said. “It never matched

the known species. So, after a lot of literature we decided it was, in fact, a new species.”

Scuds — microscopic in length to as large as five inches — swim here and there unnoticed by most people. But they are vitally important. Their sudden disappearance from an area can be an environmental indicator of trouble — a new predator, toxin, or pollutant in waters that could eventually affect the fish we eat.

“Amphipods are especially sensitive to toxins and pollutants in the environment.

So, if there is some type of new pollution,” White said, “they would show it, usually by dwindling numbers.”

This fascinates Sir as an environmental science major. Someday, she may want to be an amphipod taxonomist and keep an eye on the health of marine ecosystems.

She feels “incredibly lucky” to be at Georgia College, where undergraduate research — as early as freshman year — is encouraged. She’s learned to use identification keys, dissect and draw small organisms, as well as illustrate and take images of amphipods. She’s comfortable with microscopes and more confident overall. Most importantly, White said, Sir has learned invaluable critical thinking skills, seeing research from step one through to publication.

She’s now helping White gather dissected parts of the new species for permanent storage at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, Japan.

“It really kind of clicked,” Sir said. “I really love the learning and, every time I came in, I was just learning so much.”

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Education faculty member receives national COPLAC award Dr. Rob Sumowski, associate professor in the Lounsbury College of Education, recently was named the winner of the Charles Dunn Award for Faculty from the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).

The award recognizes a faculty member whose commitment to student success goes "above and beyond the classroom and office,” according to the organization. The winner must demonstrate extraordinary attention to students and understand they sometimes face unique challenges, both on and off campus, that may compromise their academic performance.

“Dr. Sumowski is most deserving of this recognition,” said Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “He is dedicated to his students and consistently encourages them in their academic pursuits. He is a great representation of our institution.”

A member of the faculty at Georgia College since 2011, Sumowski is an associate professor of Special Education and Program Coordinator for the Master of Education and Education Specialist programs. Prior to entering higher education, Sumowski spent 21 years as a P-12 teacher, assistant principal, behavior specialist, and district-level director of student safety.

“In my life I have encountered a handful of special people who offered me mentorship, guidance, and grace,” he said. “They helped me understand that nobody has all of the answers, and that all of us are just trying to figure out this crazy, tragic, beautiful circus we call life.”

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“In the final analysis, our relationships with others are all that matter. We are all in this together. That’s the ground upon which I approach my teaching. I am deeply humbled to be able to repay the giants in my own life by sharing some of these lessons with the next generation,” said Sumowski.

A proponent of the Field-Based Cohort Model, Sumowski serves as a mentor leader in the undergraduate and M.Ed. programs. A state leader in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), he has served on various visioning and planning committees with the Georgia Department of Education and has been called upon by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office to testify as an expert witness in hearings involving classroom management issues. From 2015 - 2018, he served as a Professor-inResidence assisting the Baldwin County School District with redesigning its behavior management system, resulting in a 32.8 percent decrease in the district’s office disciplinary referrals. Sumowski then developed coursework in PBIS and served on the 2019 Georgia Professional Standards Commission Task Force that led to the creation of Georgia’s Teaching Certificate Endorsement in PBIS, the first of its kind in the nation.

He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Music from Mercer University, Master of Education and Education Specialist degrees from Georgia College, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Georgia.

DR. KAREN BERMAN HONORED WITH PRESTIGIOUS "HILLEL HERO" RECOGNITION Recent retiree Dr. Karen Berman impacted many lives at Georgia College as a colleague, professor, and founding advisor of Hillel, the Jewish student organization on campus. Hillels of Georgia honored Dr. Berman in a virtual celebration of Hillel Heroes in April of 2021.

Nicholson selected to conduct research in London Dr. Brantley Nicholson, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Culture, was selected as a member of the U.S. and Americas Program at the internationally renowned Chatham House in London, England.

In spring and part of summer (Jan. 2022 through July 2022), Dr. Nicolson will be in residence at Chatham House in London, working on a project called, “The New Global South” analyzing shared Pan-American imaginaries in the American I-85 and Andean Corridors. He will have the opportunity to provide a comparative study between cities such as Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina and their Andean counterparts, such as Santiago, Chile, and Medellin and Bogota in Columbia. The project is an extension of research presented in a forthcoming article, titled “Santiago as an Icon of the (New) South.” According to Nicholson, the New South and the Global South are important concepts in cultural and economic theory.

“Given my experience growing up in the New South and exploring the Global South through my intellectual focus on Latin America, it struck me that there was a lot of unexplored overlap between the two,” he said. “While I have talked about this new vocabulary with students, especially during our study abroad to Chile, the sabbatical at Chatham House will give me the opportunity to expand on my article, ‘Santiago as an Icon of the (New) South,’ and expand on the concept.”

Exposure to the speaker series and leading intellectuals who pass through Chatham House will give Nicholson the opportunity to develop the vocabulary, as he expands the focus to cities such as Medellin, Bogota, and Lima, Peru.

His passion for this study began when he studied abroad in Chile as an undergraduate in 2003. Nicholson was struck by the similarities between Santiago and his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.

“They were booming and undergoing socioeconomic changes in similar ways and at the same time,” he said. “I was not sure what I expected Chile to be like, but similar to Charlotte was not it. I have since been fascinated by the notion of combining the concepts of the global and new souths. In this instance, I explore the I-85 corridors and the Andean corridors. This resonates with Georgia College students who grew up in the Atlanta area, and while we are in Chile, we draw specific parallels between Atlanta and Santiago.”

Nicholson’s goal is to use the time and effort at Chatham House as a spring board to develop the new project into a book or series of articles.

“I will also gain fresh ideas to bring into the classroom,” he said, “and hope to make connections that will translate into future invited speakers or study abroad contacts.”

Chatham House is the United Kingdom’s equivalent of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations. Founded in the aftermath of the First World War, Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute that provides authoritative, non-partisan commentary on world events and offers solutions to global challenges.

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DR. CHIANG RECOGNIZED BY SOUTHEASTERN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AS THE WINNER OF THE 2020 MENTOR AWARD The Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) is the Southeastern region’s premier organization for professional and academic Psychologists. SEPA is a regional psychological association affiliated with the American Psychological Association (APA). Each year, the SEPA conducts a call for nominations for the SEPA Mentor Award as part of its annual meeting activities. In 2020, SEPA had a record number (30) of very strong nominations for this award. The 2020 winner of the SEPA’s Mentor Award, awarded in early 2021, was Georgia College’s Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang.

Dr. Chiang’s exceptional mentoring activities and her involvement with the SEPA made her an outstanding choice for this honor.

Dr. Harold Mock elected a member of the International Institute for Strategic StudiES NATO naval planners implemented the flexible response nuclear strategy at sea in the 1970s and 1980s. His research interests include civil-military relations, particularly related to nuclear strategy and defense planning in western Europe.

At Georgia College, Mock directs leadership programs and is an assistant professor of history. He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia, where he previously served as Bradley Research Fellow. Additionally, he holds a master's degree in history from the University of Virginia and bachelor's degrees in political science and history from Georgia College.

Georgia College Director of Leadership Programs Dr. Harold Mock was elected a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Mock’s appointment was approved in the April meeting of the institute’s Committee on Membership.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is one of the world’s leading think-tanks in international affairs. The IISS shapes the strategic agenda for governments, businesses, the media, and vGEORGIA COLLEGE | 22 |

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experts across the world. Based in London, England, the IISS provides objective information on military, geopolitical, and geo-economic developments that could lead to conflict.

Mock is a specialist in international affairs and transatlantic relations. He currently is writing a book entitled “Dangerous Power: An International History of German Unification, 1969 - 1993.” He also is at work on a project investigating how

The International Institute for Strategic Studies was founded in the early days of the Cold War by Oxford historian Sir Michael Howard, political scientist Alastair Buchan, and future Prime Minister Denis Healey. Through the IISS, the founders aimed to generate accurate, objective information on international strategic issues for politicians, diplomats, and foreign affairs analysts.

Dr. Holley Roberts sworn in to serve on Professional Standards Commission Governor Brian Kemp appointed Dr. Holley Roberts, associate provost, to the Professional Standards Commission (PSC).

She was sworn in to serve on the Educator Preparation/Certification Committee in early 2021 – one of two standing committees that are a part of the commission – and was later named the chair of this committee. The Educator Preparation/Certification Committee receives and reviews items referred by the Educator Preparation Division relating to the status of PSC approved programs. The committee makes recommendations to the Commission for the approval, denial,

or revocation of preparation programs. It also monitors and advises the Commission on a variety of issues related to educator preparation.

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission was created by the Georgia General Assembly on July 1, 1991, to assume full responsibility for the preparation, certification, and professional conduct of certified personnel employed in the Georgia public schools. Roberts is one of two commissioners serving from higher education.

English professor receives grant to ‘transform’ Shakespeare for high school Dr. Jennifer Flaherty, associate professor of English, is part of a partnership that recently received more than $161,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The money will be used to create a summer program for high school teachers, focusing on diversity and adaptation of Shakespeare.

This prestigious award is highly competitive. Flaherty’s colleague, English Professor Dr. Bruce Gentry, obtained two past NEH grants for projects on Georgia College alumna and author Flannery O’Connor.

This is Flaherty’s 10th year at Georgia College. Her coursework includes the “GC2Y Underworlds and Afterlives” and “Shakespeare,” as well as upper-level and graduate Shakespearean courses like “Shakespeare and the Teenage Girl.”

Flaherty also teaches “Jane Austen on Film”

and “Modern Drama: Female Playwrights, Renaissance Drama, and Milton.”

It’s her love of Shakespeare that led Flaherty to team up with Dr. Deborah Uman from Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Utah. They applied for the NEH Summer Institute grant, proposing to use adaptations of Shakespearean tragedies to teach his plays “with an emphasis on engagement and diversity.”

Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president for academic affairs, congratulated Flaherty for “this significant accomplishment.” Her team’s project, “Transforming Shakespeare's Tragedies: Adaptation, Education, and Diversity,” shows her “commitment to scholarship” and contributes to the university’s national advancement, he noted.

Flaherty and Uman will design a threeweek summer program for 28 high school English teachers nationwide. There’ll be three virtual meetings: one in June and two in August 2022, as well as a two-week stint on the WSU campus July 10-26.

Lessons will focus on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Othello,” two plays

commonly taught in high school classes.

The Summer Institute will demonstrate “model approaches for using adaptations to help students make connections with key Shakespearean themes from identity and power to race and gender,” Flaherty said.

High school teachers will learn to transform Shakespearean tragedies into film, novels, video games, graphic novels, and web series. Participants will go to a Shakespeare festival in Utah and hear from a group of “incredibly talented” guest lecturers, Flaherty said. The goal is to give teachers the tools to use adaptation “to engage students in comparative analysis.”

She plans to bring these insights into her classes at Georgia College, too.

“I’m so excited about this opportunity,” Flaherty said. “Georgia College has really emphasized the importance of transformative learning experiences and high-impact practices in my time here, so it means a lot to have the opportunity to share the lessons I've learned from Georgia College students, faculty, and staff with a group of high school teachers in the amazing setting of Utah."

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Dr. Jeff Fallis was recently named the first Poet Laureate of Athens, Georgia, by the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission.

Fallis –– a newly-hired lecturer in Composition and World Literature at Georgia College –– will hold the position for two years, until 2023.

“It’s an amazing honor, but also a well-deserved one. This is a real tribute to the power of Dr. Fallis’ writing, and it’s a reminder of the importance of creative writers and creative writing to the quality of our lives,” said Dr. Matthew Pangborn, professor and chair of Georgia College’s English Department.

Traditionally, renowned poets were appointed for life as a member of the British royal household. Today, highly regarded poets are given honorary positions by a government body or institution to compose poems for special events.

Fallis has lived in Athens for “most of the last 25 years” and knows the community well. After getting a master’s in creative writing from the University of Virginia, he got his Ph.D. at the University of Georgia. He currently commutes every day to Georgia College from Athens, so he’ll be able to continue to teach and fulfill his duties as poet laureate.

New Georgia College English lecturer named inaugural ‘Athens Poet Laureate’

“My poems lately seem to be about music, dogs, trees, walking, absence and presence, and the body,” Fallis said. “I believe that poetry is important, because it reminds us of how strange and durable language is, and because it both reminds us of our past and allows us a way to imagine new futures.”

Fallis was chosen from a group of nine applicants compiled of administrators, educators, librarians, and local poets. Commission members said they based their decision on “excellence in craftsmanship, vision for the position, professional achievement in the field of poetry, and a history of actively elevating the visibility of poetry in the community.”

The idea for the program was sparked by young poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, who read her poem, "The Hill We Climb," at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is funding the position with hopes it’ll “further enhance the profile of poets, poetry, and literary arts in the (Athens) community and beyond.”

As poet laureate, Fallis will give readings and conduct workshops in Athens.

He’ll work to install poetical verse permanently in public city spaces, he said, so “poetry can become even more of a concrete part of its citizens’ lived, everyday experience.”

“Athens is known internationally for its music and visual arts scenes, but its literary and poetic worlds have perhaps been comparably overlooked. I hope to draw attention to Athens's poetic and literary past, present, and future as poet laureate,” Fallis said, “and I especially want to bring poetry to segments of the Athens community that might have had less access and exposure to poetry.”

Fallis is recognized for his live poetry readings in Athens. He helped sponsor the “VOX Reading Series” and wrote an introductory essay for “The Collected Poems of John Seawright.” He’s author of works in magazines and journals.

These include “American Poetry Review,” “James Baldwin Review,” and “The Oxford American.”

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Cognia Georgia Excellence in Education Award Presented Posthumously to Dr. John H. Lounsbury Cognia, the international accreditation organization for PK-12 schools and organizations, presented the 2021 Georgia Excellence in Education Award posthumously to Dr. John H. Lounsbury, dean emeritus, for his significant impact on student learning in Georgia. Dr. Cheryl Reynolds, professor of educational leadership and a member of the Cognia Advisory Board for Georgia, nominated Dr. Lounsbury for the award.

Dr. Sandra Godwin receives award for her co-authored book The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council awarded Dr. Sandra Godwin, and her co-author Helen Matthew Lewis, the Award for Excellence in Documenting Georgia's History. The award came as a result of the authors' new book, "A White Liberal College President in the Jim Crow South: Guy Herbert Wells and the YWCA at Georgia State College for Women, 19341953." The volume was published by Mercer University Press in 2021.

In addition, the same book has been nominated for two other awards by the Southern Historical Association and Georgia Historical Society.

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Georgia College welcomed several new faces in senior administrative roles at the university in 2021.

These individuals include:

Frank Baugh Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management

Cathy Cox President

Angela Criscoe Interim Executive Director of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Dr. Daniel Czech Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences

Brett Monroy General Counsel

Dr. Shaundra Walker Director of the Ina Dillard Russell Library

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University Milestones and Accolades

5Integrated Science Complex Opens In September 2021, Georgia College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly-constructed, 43,000 sq. ft., $22.1 million Integrated Science Complex. The building, designed to be “science on display,” will be the new home for programs in science disciplines beginning in early 2022.

4Andalusia Interpretive Center Groundbreaking A groundbreaking ceremony was held in late September 2021 for Georgia College’s new $3.4 million Andalusia Interpretive Center. The 4,860 sq. ft. building at Andalusia, the former home of alumna and author Flannery O’Connor, will be used as a point-of-entry for public tours. There will be an exhibition room, research area, gift shop, offices, and rental facilities.

Outside, there will be a story-telling courtyard and walkway connecting to the rest of the property.

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5GC Earns Tree Campus USA Designation for 5th Year in a Row In early 2021, Georgia College received the 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education designation by the Arbor Day Foundation, marking the fifth consecutive year GC has earned this recognition. Tree Campus Higher Education, an Arbor Day Foundation program, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

To obtain this distinction, GC met five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus Higher Education, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for GC’s campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

GC’s Grounds Department staff maintains a tree care plan that includes a database of all trees on campus. With the help of outside consultants, the grounds staff maintains campus trees by pruning, watering, treating, and aerating surrounding soils. The trees on campus not only provide shade, shelter, and beauty, they also support a diverse wildlife population and help to reduce storm water runoff and filter the air in the urban environment.

This recognition cannot be obtained without the involvement of Georgia College students, faculty, and staff, and we thank all who have participated in our Tree Campus events throughout the year.

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4Georgia College maintains Bronze Award for Sustainability Georgia College has earned a STARS Bronze rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, is a comprehensive rating system for colleges and universities for measuring the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, and encouraging sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE's STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university's sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.

3Terrell Hall receives statewide preservation award The historic preservation of Terrell Hall garnered an award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.

Named an Excellence in Rehabilitation winner, the work at Terrell Hall was celebrated at the 44th annual Preservation Awards held in Macon, Georgia.

Originally constructed as a residence hall in 1908, no building on campus has more completely preserved its architectural integrity as Terrell Hall. During the preservation work, elements obscured in the 1970s were salvaged — like higher ceilings, wider hallways, old flooring, and windows that were covered up. Close to 30 coats of paint were stripped off the wood in stairwells and corridors to reveal stunning original woodwork. A ribboncutting was held for the building in February 2020.

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5Georgia College receives National League of Nursing Center of Teaching Excellence designation Georgia College’s School of Nursing (SON) joins the elite ranks of universities recognized for their outstanding nursing programs.

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NURSING PROGRAM IN GEORGIA ACCORDING TO REGISTEREDNURSING.ORG

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NURSING PROGRAM IN THE NATION ACCORDING TO U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

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The SON has been designated as a 2021 Center of Teaching Excellence by the National League of Nursing (NLN).

Georgia College is one of only 79 institutions in the country to be recognized by the organization in 2021.

At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, the SON is widely recognized for its educational opportunities and outstanding graduates.

In 2021, RegisteredNursing.org identified the GC SON as its highest-ranked nursing program in the state of Georgia, and U.S. News and World Report recognized the graduate nursing programs as No. 27 in the nation. The undergraduate program’s NCLEX pass rate consistently surpasses that of state and national averages.

4Georgia College receives national award for focus on undergraduate research Georgia College has been named a recipient of the 2020 Campus-wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA) by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). This annual award recognizes institutions with exemplary programs that provide highquality research experiences for undergraduates.

“We have seen the value undergraduate research can bring to a student’s education and have chosen to provide as many opportunities as we can for our students to participate in research,” said Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This national recognition is a reflection of the exceptional work of our dedicated faculty who are strong supporters of students in their research efforts, and that is key to their success.”

Over the years, undergraduate research has grown from a small, faculty-driven initiative into a “transformative experience” in which the university purposefully encourages all students to take advantage of during their time here.

Now in its sixth year, the AURA award draws on CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research(COEUR), which outlines criteria for exceptional undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity programs.

For AURA recognition, campuses must demonstrate depth and breadth in their undergraduate research initiatives and evidence of continual innovation.

Institutions of different Carnegie classifications are considered for the award.

“The 2020 AURA recipients reflect a dedication to wide participation of students and disciplines, curriculum-based experiences, opportunities for studentfaculty recognition, and publication and improvements based on data,” said CUR’s Executive Officer Lindsay Currie. “Amid the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is inspiring to see the steadfast commitment of these higher education institutions to excellence in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry

on their campuses.”

According to CUR, Georgia College showed impressive growth of its undergraduate research program over a 10year period. The university integrates undergraduate research with other proven high-impact practices, participates in dialogue on undergraduate research at a national level, applies survey data to improve the program, infuses undergraduate research into curricula (which includes a capstone experience), and emphasizes interdisciplinary collaborations that involve many student populations providing a model for other campuses.

“During the 2019-2020 academic year, at least 2,325 of our students participated in an undergratduate research experience,” said Dr. Jordan Cofer, associate provost for transformative learning experiences.

“That’s about 40 percent of our student body.”

“Our story is really compelling because in 2011 we had a group of faculty get together to create learning communities,

2,325 Number of GC students that participated in an undergraduate research experience during the 2019-2020 academic year

and they really investigated what it would be like to centralize undergraduate research,” Cofer said. “Those initial faculty members really helped build our undergraduate research program from the ground up.”

Undergraduate research continues to grow and expand at the university with the latest endeavor being the launch of a new national journal in early 2021.

“It fits our mission,” Cofer said. “It’s an important practice to do and getting national recognition for something we do really well.”

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Leading the Pack: GEORGIA COLLEGE STARTS NATIONWIDE UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL

Scholars with impressive projects from prominent schools all over the country vied recently for a spot in a new academic journal based on undergraduate research.

This new research journal came from Georgia College.

“More and more, colleges are going to start integrating and trying to grow their undergraduate research programs and start seeing the value of undergraduate research, and we’ve just got such a great head start,” said Dr. Jordan Cofer, associate provost for transformative learning experiences.

“What we’re seeing is we’re a leader in this area,” he said.

“We’ve got a national reputation for doing great work both internally and externally.”

Early 2021 marked publication of the first edition of “Undergraduate Research,” founded at Georgia College and put together by two Georgia College assistant professors: Dr. Kelly Massey in exercise science and Dr. Alesa Liles in criminal justice. Three other faculty served as associate editors: Cofer; Dr. Doreen Sams, professor of marketing; and Dr. Kasey Karen, assistant professor of biology.

The 174-page magazine showcases research by students in their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior years of college.

The journal is free and one of few in the nation to highlight undergraduate work in all disciplines.

The cover and back artwork are by two Georgia College art majors. The front, by senior Joshua Worthy, is an intaglio print of a wolf wearing a mask. The back, by junior Mary Douberly, is a multi-plate color intaglio etching of intertwining snakes.

Fifteen Georgia College faculty signed up to review research projects. Each submission was given a “blind review” by two GEORGIA COLLEGE | 34 |

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academic scholars before decisions were made on what to include. This means reviewers saw content only — not which student or school it came from. Reviewers worldwide came from schools like the New York Institute of Technology; University of California, Berkley; University of South Africa; Notre Dame of Maryland University; and the University of Wisconsin.

The editorial board had members from distinguished schools, as well, and representatives from CUR (Council on Undergraduate Research) and the AACU (American Association of Colleges & Universities).

Out of 45 submissions, only six — about 13 percent — were accepted. To compare, 60 to 70 percent of all applicants are accepted to undergraduate research conferences and just less than half are admitted to the annual “Posters on the Capital” exhibit.

“Our publication rate was harder than most journals,” Cofer said. “It was pretty selective. I think that makes the journal more prestigious. It just means you’re getting a better quality of work.”

The six submissions came from a variety of schools like the University of Virginia College at Wise, University of North Carolina, Columbus State University, and Middlebury College. Topics ranged from the effects of parental relationships on academic success and music education to reflections from 1st-Century Christianity and Chicano identity.

Diversity of topics from multiple disciplines is what makes Georgia College’s publication special.

“There are some disciplinary journals for one university or on one topic. But we wanted to be an undergraduate

research journal for all disciplines, so any student can submit,” Cofer said. “Our hope is it will continue to grow; it’ll start to gain some prestige and draw attention to the work we’re doing here.”

In the front of the journal, there’s a section called “About Georgia College,” which describes the university as a place “where practical education meets life-altering, realworld experiences.” There’s a letter from Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president for academic affairs, who called undergraduate research “transformative” and a “central focus” at Georgia College.

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On the back, there’s an ad for earning graduate degrees at Georgia College.

There’s also the website URL www.undergraduateresearch.org, where a digital copy of the journal is housed.

Massey called the first issue a “great success” and especially thanked the university's administrators, faculty, and Brooks Hinton, print shop manager and lead graphic designer, “for making sure the journal is a shining example of the greatest that is Georgia College. In just six months, Georgia College has made yet another mark in undergraduate research and has become a force to reckon with.”

Plans are ambitious to publish Georgia College’s “Undergraduate Research” journal twice a year. Editions were mailed to schools throughout the United States, and copies were given to each reviewer and student submitter.

This is just one of many efforts to highlight undergraduate research on campus. There’s already an internal undergraduate conference and internal undergraduate journal. Georgia College helps host the statewide undergraduate research conference, as well, and founded “Posters at the Capitol,” a research exhibit by undergraduates from around the state before legislators.

“There aren’t a lot of schools that are expanding in the area of undergraduate research. Especially right now, everyone’s tightening the belt,” Cofer said, “But we’re putting in the resources here, and we’ve invested, so I really think it’ll continue to pay off.”

Georgia College’s undergraduate literary journal wins national award The 45th edition of Georgia College’s undergraduate literary journal, “The Peacock’s Feet,” won first place in design from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP).

The award was announced on the AWP website and was in the national organization’s September issue of “The Writer’s Chronicle.” This is one of two National Program Directors’ Prizes for “outstanding journals in the categories of content and design.” The honor came with a $1,000 cash award.

Ryan Stone of Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, judged for design. He wrote, “The Peacock’s Feet is elegant in its simplicity and approach, yet simplicity here does not equate to poor quality or poor execution. The artwork pops off the glossy pages. The text is well spaced, easy to read, and fits the journal’s dimensions well. All aspects of this little journal are exquisitely executed.”

Peter Selgin, associate professor of English at Georgia College and advisor for the journal, noted it was completed in collaboration with Georgia College's Creative Services department despite

COVID-19 restrictions and last-minute problems with printing costs.

“Not only did the ‘The Peacock's Feet’ editorial staff's heroic efforts result in an issue worthy of the National Program Director's Prize,” Selgin said, “but it was produced within budget and on schedule — no mean feat under the circumstances.”

“At the eleventh hour, Creative Services made the recommendation to switch printers to one who met both our budget and our deadline with no loss of quality,” he said.

Dr. Kerry Neville, assistant professor of English and coordinator of the university’s graduate and undergraduate Creative Writing Program, congratulated the journal’s staff and editors-in-chief Ava Leone and Matthew Malstrom for their hard work.

“If you've never picked up a copy and read through this marvelous publication,” Neville said, “I'd urge you to do so! It’s available in the rack outside the English graduate office.”

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Zoom [Out] Theatre’s COVID production accepted and praised at Kennedy Center In 2020, when most playhouses and university theatres were shut down, Georgia College’s Theatre Department was bustling with new ideas, churning out virtual performances, and filming productions.

The very first, “Zoom[Out],” was accepted to the regional Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) and screened at its virtual festival in February 2021. The last time a Georgia College play was shown at KCACTF was in 2008.

Other plays, actors, technicians, and stage managers from the spring 2020 semester were nominated for national KCACTF awards that were decided in April 2021.

Georgia College was praised for producing so much when “so many programs have chosen not to produce,” according to a coordinator of the KCACTF nine-state region four division.

“This is an honor and recognition of our work,” said Eric Griffis, interim chair of theatre and dance.

“This is the second time in the last 10 years one of our shows has received this honor,” he said, “and the first time we were able to take our production to the festival. It’s been especially nice since this was our first virtual production ever.”

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“” THIS IS AN HONOR and RECOGNITION or our work.

ERIC GRIFFIS INTERIM CHAIR OF THEATRE AND DANCE

“Zoom[Out]” was an experimental production written and directed by alumna Iona Holder, co-founder and artistic director of the Birdhouse Theatre in Milledgeville, Georgia. It resulted in a theatrical film, called “WE.” Eleven students did monologues about experiencing loneliness and resilience during COVID lockdowns.

These were edited and reassembled into film.

The production was well received at KCACTF. Georgia College students were involved in virtual response sessions, where they discussed themes with theatre

professionals and were commended for their work. That film and theatre’s entire 2020 virtual season are available at gcgivingvoice.com.

“Zoom[Out]” was also nominated for excellence in directing, acting, and stage management, as well as for lighting and sound design.

Georgia College’s virtual production about starting college during COVID, “Conzoomed,” received several nominations for excellence in acting.

“Lions in Illyria,” a children’s version of

Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” was nominated for excellence in directing, camera direction, stage management, technical support, costume design, and acting. “Giving Voice,” a musical about the Black Lives Matter movement, was nominated for excellence in scenic art, dramaturgy, acting, and stage management.

Through KCATF, individual students can go on to compete for scholarships and opportunities to take master classes with Broadway artists.

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Theatre wins two prestigious awards for social justice production Georgia College’s Theatre and Dance Department won two highly-esteemed awards for last fall’s production of “Giving Voice: A Black Lives Matter Musical.”

The awards were for “Best Social Justice Film” from Silk Road Film Awards Cannes — a monthly worldwide competition for independent filmmakers and writers — and “Best Feature Film” from the Canadian Diversity Film Festival.

“The Department of Theatre and Dance is honored to have ‘Giving Voice’ recognized with these two awards,” said Eric Griffis, interim director for the department. “‘Giving Voice’ was devised by students under the guidance of Dr. Karen Berman, whose commitment to theatre for social change helped shape our program over the last 13 years. Our goal is to continue producing theatre that explores themes of social justice and equity.”

Berman retired in January 2021. Her production was among many honors given recently at Cannes, including other category wins in France, Argentina, Switzerland, GEORGIA COLLEGE | 38 |

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Singapore, and Romania. Georgia College’s “Giving Voice” was one of many plays that were filmed, not staged, on campus last year for safety during COVID-19. The university’s theatre was one of few nationwide still operating during the pandemic.

Dozens of undergraduate students helped research, write, compose dialogue, and choreograph the musical. They filmed “under the most trying of circumstances,” Berman remarked, using equipment purchased in the fall with the help of Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president of academic affairs, and Dr. Eric Tenbus, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“It is wonderful to see the student contributions and artistic achievements resulting in these international awards. They recognize the high level of talent and commitment to student success of our Georgia College faculty,” said Spirou.

The 25 singers were filmed individually in a small sound booth for safety and distance precautions. First, they were filmed to

capture audio, then to capture “visual lip sync” for each song, Berman said. Next, Haley Fusia, who has a master’s in film, synced the singers visually and vocally together into the film. Some scenes looked like music videos.

The theme song was “Unity” by guest artist musical director Raymond Darius Jackson.

Griffis designed the costumes; associate professor Isaac Ramsey was scenic designer; and professor Bea Czogalla was production manager.

“We did all of the writing, memorizing, and rehearsing on Zoom, before going into filming live one person at a time,” Berman said. “Keith Bergeron and Clay Garland were our directors of photography, and neither had done anything like this before. So, we’re all pretty proud of the ingenuity shown during the pandemic, especially when many theatres schools shut down productions altogether.”

“I am so proud of our GC Theatre faculty, staff, and students who produced this original film with their creativity, hard work, and perseverance in a difficult year,” she said.

Georgia College announced as 2021 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Award Winner The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge hosted its third biennial awards ceremony on Nov. 8, 2021, to recognize select higher education institutions, educators, and students for their extraordinary work in student voter engagement during the 2020 presidential election.

Georgia College received the 2021 Best in Class Public Four-Year Institution Highest Registration Rate Award. More than 840 institutions enrolling close to nine million students participated in the ALL IN Challenge.

“As point person for our student voter registration and education efforts since 2004, I am thrilled that we came in best in class in the nation for our 95 percent registration rate and won a gold seal for our 77 percent voting rate — 11 percent higher than the national average in the 2020 election,” said Dr. Jan Hoffmann, professor of rhetoric and coordinator of the American Democracy Project on campus.

“Our next challenge is to carry that robust and healthy citizen accountability into midterm and local elections, which tend to have much lower student engagement, though they decide so many more

things that affect students’ daily lives," she said.

The 2020 election cycle saw unprecedented voter registration and turnout among college students according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), a research study of the Institute for Democracy in Higher Education (IDHE) at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. IDHE reported that 66 percent of college students voted in the 2020 election, a 14-point increase from 2016.

“The rise in voter participation and engagement for college students in last year’s presidential election amidst a global pandemic was tremendous and will undoubtedly be tied to the tireless efforts of the dedicated students, faculty, administrators, and partner organizations that are part of the ALL IN Challenge network,” said Jen DomagalGoldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “The hard work of these trailblazing honorees will help support many of the country’s future leaders in fulfilling the equitable, engaged vision of democracy to which we aspire.”

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Setting Records Georgia College has landmark year for grants

In 2020-21, Georgia College received a record-high amount in grants, exceeding $4 million. It marked a 5.9 percent increase from the previous year and a whopping 73 percent since 2018.

“This is very important for two reasons. The first is that we’ve surpassed the 4-million-dollar mark. The second reason is we can observe a progressive increase over time. That is significant,” said Dr. Costas Spirou, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

“Additionally, it is great to see the increased level of grant submissions by faculty,” he said. “Put all of that together, and it is wonderful news. Especially coming through the pandemic. It shows our faculty and staff are continuing to do exceptional work and are very committed.”

The university’s overall grant total nearly doubled in nine years. This windfall aligns with the first director hired for the Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects (OGSP) in 2010. Interim director since February, Donna Douglas said she couldn’t take credit for this record achievement. Securing grants is a team effort.

The numbers of actual proposals fell during the pandemic year from 54 to 42 — a 22 percent drop.

Yet, the amount of funding requested rose 9 percent.

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“While teleworking, we were actually busier than ever,” Douglas said. “Grant work did not stop during the pandemic.

Several large proposals were prepared and submitted during that time away from campus.”

“Furthermore,” she said, “the pandemic impacted our active projects because additional regulations and protocols were issued from each federal sponsor.”

Some quick facts about grant awards: •

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The largest amount of funding –– about 40 percent –– went to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). Last year, they received over $1.6 million in grants impacting more than 1,800 children in Baldwin County.

Almost half went to the College of Health Sciences (24.5 percent) and the College of Arts and Sciences (23.4 percent).

The biggest growth was seen in the College of Health Sciences (COHS), which increased from just over $20,000 in 2013 to more than a million in 2021. COHS’s numbers more than doubled in the past two years alone.

The College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) also saw incredible growth –– a 172 percent jump since 2016 –– going from $352,996 to $960,191.

That bump was mainly due to a highly-competitive $650,000 National Science Foundation grant to help lowincome students get degrees in chemistry and physics.

Reorganizing the IDC rates (indirect costs) a few years ago contributed to the current success, Spirou noted. The distribution model was altered so funds spread to include principal investigators and their departments. This new model offers additional incentive for faculty to pursue grants.

A number of new faculty were awarded grants for the first time, which Spirou remarked demonstrates creative initiative on their part. Successful recipients are more likely to keep applying for grants. Many of

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these faculty involve students in their research and community outreach, as well, which aligns with the university’s mission as a public liberal arts school, he said.

Mark Pelton, associate vice president for strategic initiatives, recently was in charge of oversight for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He has talented grant writers on his staff. With two departments “almost completely supported by grant funds,” he said, “these grant writers are highly motivated and productive.”

In 2004, former University President Dorothy Leland asked Pelton to lead a project pinpointing services that needed increased external funding. Pelton worked closely with Douglas to standardize and simplify internal forms and processes; develop a new intranet website devoted to grant efforts; create an online approval system; share information on available support services; and provide extensive grant-related assistance. This work resulted in the formation of the Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects in 2006. The center hired its first director in 2010.

Since then, grant activity has increased significantly, Pelton said. Only five grant proposals were submitted in 2001 with $56,883 received in funding. By 2015, the

university had submitted 41 proposals, netting more than $2 million.

“Georgia College has been on an upward trend since the mid-2000s,” Pelton said.

“I suspect the university’s grant programs and the services our unit offers are fairly unique. It is my understanding,” he said, “that our Communities In Schools (CIS) is the only partnership of its kind in the country between a university and local board where the CIS office is a university department. So, yes, what we do is fairly unique.”

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies, formerly known as Extended University, has led the way in grant revenue since 2007, Pelton said. It operates six community programs, including “Afterschool Achievement.” The afterschool “YES” and “High Achiever” programs alone reap about $1 million a year in funding.

The “Wraparound Baldwin” grant for Communities In Schools is “pretty innovative and cutting edge,” Pelton said, “in that it provides school-based healthcare in the ‘Bee Well Clinic’ at the Early Learning Center.” This care is available for all Baldwin County public school children and their families. Pelton’s department

purchased telehealth equipment with two “Reaching Rural Communities” grants.

This will extend the clinic’s health services to every public school in Baldwin County.

In addition to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, the College of Health Sciences also attracts a large percentage of grant money with its nursing programs in rural areas. Recently, the College of Arts and Sciences “has really been coming on strong in grant writing,” as well, Pelton said.

Funding supports faculty research, which enriches the classroom experience.

Dr. Carrie Cook, who recently served as interim associate dean for Arts and Sciences (COAS) is charged with reviewing and approving grant proposals submitted

by COAS faculty. Last year, “there was a tremendous increase in the amount of grant funding sought,” she said. In 201920, 11 proposals requested $100,671 in funding. Last year, the same number of proposals asked for more than $1 million — nearly a 1,000 percent increase.

As dean of COAS, Dr. Eric Tenbus considers his role in grant success to be one of encouragement. He makes sure faculty have what they need in terms of incentive and support. He pointed to several COAS grants that raised their tally this year: Dr. Chavonda Mills and the Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy secured $650,000 to diversify recruitment of students majoring in STEM fields, and two professors received grants to study water quality. Dr. Samuel Mutiti in geology and environmental sciences got $165,987 for study abroad research in Zambia; and Dr. Dave Bachoon in biology secured $45,600 for research in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and $20,000 for water quality analysis in Puerto Rico.

This kind of funding is getting harder to obtain. Successful grant writers have to make a persuasive case their university is “a busy, gifted, and academically-focused campus community,” Tenbus said.

“It’s important that the university and the College of Arts and Sciences pursue more federal grants,” he said. “Doing undergraduate research is an important niche for Georgia College, as it fits into the GC Journeys initiative. It’s the pursuit of grants that ultimately contributed to winning the AURA (Award for

Undergraduate Research Accomplishments) from the Council on Undergraduate Research, because the funding helps faculty provide even more exciting research opportunities for our students.”

These components must come together for triumph, along with assistance from the Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects –– what Spirou called “a vital component to the university’s success this year.” Without support, ideas don’t always move to completion. The grants office gives faculty the tools and confidence to succeed.

Proposals are submitted to Douglas’ office, and her staff reviews guidelines with submitters. They identify all elements and required forms. This gives faculty and staff more time to devote to writing narrativeand discipline-specific sections. The team approach ensures everyone knows what they’re responsible for by the completion date.

Applying for a grant is “a labor-intensive process with significant planning,” Douglas said. It involves the development of partnerships, writing drafts, budgeting, and

multiple revisions. Some federal proposals can exceed 100 pages.

“While working with a person preparing a grant application,” she said, “you get to see how invested they are in their project and all the effort they put in to making it the best proposal possible. When it’s funded, not only is it seen as a victory but a validation of that individual’s hard work.”

Even with support, however, federal funding remains elusive. It helps that Georgia College is a “well-known, respected university with excellent fiscal management,” Pelton said. Despite selectiveness by grant agencies, he said, Georgia College is “earning a reputation for successfully and faithfully implementing grant programs and also for strict adherence to agency funding rules and guidelines.”

All these elements are essential for grant success. But, in the end, it all boils down to people. Spirou points to "entrepreneurial" faculty and staff as the main architects of this year’s achievement.

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Accomplishments in Athletics

Bobcat Soccer Wins Program’s First PBC Sportsmanship Award The Georgia College Soccer team was chosen for the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Team Sportsmanship Award for the first time in program history in fall 2021. The PBC awards a school for each of the conference's sports and recently announced soccer's award winners.

"Having good sportsmanship on a team involves being a good team player, being respectful to everyone – the opponents, the officials, the staff – and representing our program in the best way," said Head Coach Tinna Gallagher. "That's what our players do, and I am so proud that our program got recognized for that by our peers in the Peach Belt Conference."

"I am also proud of how our players have dealt with the effects of COVID-19 on our whole school year and on our season. They have been respectful, patient, and understanding in every way possible."

The PBC presents the award "to the team in that sport that best exemplifies the spirit of sportsmanship and generally conducts themselves with a high degree of integrity, character, and class." Georgia College tied for the honor with Francis Marion University as chosen by the other teams competing in the Peach Belt Women's Soccer season.

Overall, this is the 22nd such honor for the Bobcat Athletic program, the second-most in PBC history.

In June, the Peach Belt will award the school with the highest total sportsmanship points as the "PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award." Bobcat Athletics won this honor for 2016-17, and the GC Soccer Team's Sportsmanship honor could help them to repeat the feat this season.

Georgia College top-ranked public institution to earn Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence Georgia College was one of only 43 DII schools, and the top-ranking public institution in the country, to earn Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence. This is the second year the Bobcats have received this award. The Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence is awarded to Division II schools that have achieved an Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 90 percent or higher.

“It is an honor recognizing 43 schools for this prestigious award,” said Steven Shirley, president of Minot State Univeristy and chair of the Division II Presidents Council. “I applaud these schools and student-athletes for their hard work, commitment, and dedication to achieving academic excellence.”

The Division II ASR includes transfers into a school in the calculation and removes transfers out who left school while academically eligible. The ASR also includes the more than 31,000 non-scholarship student-athletes who were enrolled in the four years covered in the most recent data.

This is the tenth year the award has been given.

GC Athletics Director selected for Division II Implementation Committee Georgia College Director of Athletics Wendell Staton was chosen in December 2021 to represent Bobcat Athletics and the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) as a member of the NCAA Division II Implementation Committee.

Under the guidance of co-chairs Wisconsin-Parkside Univeristy Chancellor Debbie Ford and Delta State University President William LaForge, the Implementation Committee will review the division's rules and policies and make recommendations, enacting principles agreed upon in the new Division II constitution in January 2022.

“I am honored to be selected as a member of the NCAA Division II Implementation Committee,” said Staton. “I am proud to represent the Peach Belt Conference and Georgia College as we are going through historical change within the NCAA,” said Staton.

The committee comprises 28 voting members: one representative from all 23 Division II conferences and five current and former student-athletes.

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GC Claims Peach Belt Institution of the Year In early 2021, Georgia College became the winner of the 2020-21 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. Bobcat Athletics won the honor for the second time in the last four years. A banner that rotates from winning school to winning school will return to Milledgeville for the first time since the 2017 season as GC becomes only the second PBC institution to win the award more than once.

"We are honored to receive this recognition from our peers," said Director of Athletics Wendell Staton. "Our student-athletes are fantastic ambassadors for our university as they participate with passion and integrity while respecting the game, our opponents, and fans in attendance. Our foundation is built upon the concept of recruiting and retaining outstanding people, and the Institution of the Year for Sportsmanship is a direct reflection of the outstanding character of our studentathletes and the coaches who lead them daily."

The annual honor is given to the institution displaying the best overall sportsmanship for the 2020-21 season and culminates the PBC's season-long sportsmanship recognition program.

Following each championship sports season, a Team Sportsmanship Award is presented to the team in that sport that best exemplifies what the award stands for: the spirit of sportsmanship, a high degree of integrity, character, and class. Each team award is voted on by other teams who compete in that sport and points are awarded on how each team finished in the voting.

In 2020-21, Georgia College won Team Sportsmanship Awards in Men's Basketball, Women's Soccer, and Women's Tennis. GC has won 23 Team Sportsmanship Awards overall in the 13-year history of the program, tied for second-most among all PBC institutions.

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