Gravity - Spring 2015 by Augusta University

SPRING 2015 VOL. 3 NO. 1

ALUMS DRIVING DOWNTOWN REBOUND COCO RUBIO, OWNER SOUL BAR & SKY CITY

SPRING 2015 VOL. 3 NO. 1 8

Alums Reshaping Downtown Augusta

Breaking Golf Cars for a Living

Inventors Welcome at GRU

EVERY EDITION

5 Calendar of Events 6 Campus Happenings 28 Alumni Advocacy 30 Jaguar Pride 38 Growing GRU 41 College Catch-Up 44 Class Notes

A Look Back: A Historic Treasure — The Forest Hills Golf Club

Alumni Spotlight: Lost & Found — 30 years later

Georgia Regents University’s Alumni and Friends magazine is published three times a year by the Office of Advancement and the Division of Communications and Marketing to connect the university with alumni, friends, the state, and the world.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Kristina Baggott, MBA Associate VP, Alumni and Donor Engagement, Georgia Regents University, Office of Advancement

In 1970, the world watched spellbound as a steel-nerved crew of three fought for survival after an oxygen tank exploded on their Apollo 13 spacecraft hundreds of thousands of miles out in space. I was not yet born when those riveting events occurred, but like millions around the world, I have sat spellbound — more than once — watching the historic flight recreated in Ron Howard’s blockbuster 1995 film. Today, most of us probably picture Tom Hanks and Ed Harris when we think of that flight, but the two men they portrayed in the movie, Commander Jim Lovell and Flight Director Gene Kranz, are alive and well, and — I am thrilled to say — will be the keynote speakers at our Alumni Weekend Signature Event in April. Our 2015 Alumni Weekend theme is “All Roads Lead to Home,” which certainly will resonate with the men whose epic journey home 45 years ago still amazes and inspires us. Please see pages 24-27 for information on all of the exciting events scheduled for the weekend, and please take your own journey home and join us! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy our spring issue. We catch up with several Summerville Campus alumni who have helped revitalize and reshape Augusta’s downtown (p. 8). We tell the story of “innovation commercialization” at GRU, a mouthful to describe the fascinating journey from an idea’s conception in a lab to its transformation into marketable products on the shelf (p. 19). We profile one of last year’s Jag 20 honorees who, as test engineer for E-Z-Go, “breaks golf cars” for a living (p. 14). And we recount the long and storied history of GRU’s Forest Hills Golf Course, where so many of golf ’s legends got their start (p. 34). So take a moment to enjoy the latest issue of GRavity, and hope to see you in April!

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Ricardo Azziz, MD, MPH, MBA President, Georgia Regents University CEO, Georgia Regents Health System

GRAVITY MAGAZINE Senior Vice President, Office of Advancement Susan Barcus Vice President, Division of Communications and Marketing Jack Evans Executive Editor Kristina Baggott

Editorial & Production Senior Editor Karen Gutmann

Alumni Affairs Liaison Rhonda Banks

Art Direction & Graphic Design

Dear Alumni Family and Friends, As many of you have heard, I recently announced that I will be stepping down as President of Georgia Regents University and CEO of the GR Heath System effective June 30. It will be the end of a fascinating and satisfying five-year journey for my family and me, and the beginning of a new era for our university and health system.

Wier / Stewart

Photography

Senior Photographer Phil Jones Special Assignment Jennifer Stalcup

Advertising

706-737-1759 alumni@gru.edu

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Physical Address: 1061 Katherine Street Augusta, GA 30904 Mailing Address: GRU Alumni Affairs 1120 15th Street, FI-1000 Augusta, GA 30912 706-737-1759

What a journey it has been! Not always easy, but certainly rewarding. In 2010, when I became President of the then Medical College of Georgia, I knew I was being called in to be an agent of change … I just did not know the full extent of the transformation I would be asked to lead! Almost five years in, I am tremendously proud of what we have achieved together and immensely grateful for the support and the hard work of so many of you, without whom it couldn’t have been done. To note a few, we: •

Successfully completed the consolidation effort to create GRU, a new public comprehensive research university for the state of Georgia.

•

Improved student success, raising sixyear graduation rates and dramatically increasing the number of new freshmen who successfully complete 15 credit hours or more per semester.

•

Created a closely aligned, integrated, and successful health system, to be part of Georgia’s only public academic health center.

•

Garnered research funding of over $106 million in FY14, the highest in the history of the institutions, during the worst funding environment in decades.

•

Revitalized philanthropy, nearly tripling yearly contributions, and achieving the largest donation to a capital project in the university’s history and, separately, the

Associate Vice President, Alumni and Donor Engagement Kristina Baggott kbaggott@gru.edu Senior Director, Alumni Affairs Scott Henson shenson@gru.edu Director, Alumni Affairs Rhonda Banks robanks@gru.edu MCG Alumni Affairs Coordinator Kim Koss kkoss@gru.edu Alumni Affairs Coordinators Cori Robbins crobbins@gru.edu Anneliese Woodall anwoodall@gru.edu Administrative Assistant Jackie Thomas jacthomas@gru.edu Georgia Regents University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other application statutes and university policies.

largest philanthropic gift ever given to a public institution in Georgia. •

Obtained support for the construction of over $200 million in new building space.

I want to thank the innumerable community members and leaders who championed our forward-looking vision, and our students who have wholeheartedly embraced this new university and who will go on to make our community and the world a better place. And I am most grateful to the senior leaders, faculty, and staff of our enterprise for their tireless and selfless work to meet the many challenges placed before them. I am confident that the basic architectural work of consolidation and academic health center integration is complete. And we now have a capable leadership team in place that can effectively continue to move the university forward through the next phase of our development. I am fully confident that the university will continue its road toward greatness. It has been an honor to work alongside so many dedicated professionals, to welcome so many new students to the GRU family, and to be a part of this vibrant community. I look forward to completing my role over the next few months and hope that I will have the opportunity to personally express my gratitude to so many of you as I complete my service as your university President.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

APR

CALENDAR OF EVENTS For more information: 706-737-1759 or alumni@gru.edu

grualumni.com

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ALUMNI & FRIENDS LAUDERDALE GOLF TOURNAMENT

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ALUMNI WEEKEND

APR

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MAY 8

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OCT

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS OCTOBER 16 Opening of J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons: Hundreds toured the 172,000 square feet of new learning space in this state-of-the-art facility. OCTOBER 23 Cyber Security Education Summit: Hosted by GRU and featuring keynote speaker Adm. Mike Rogers, NSA Director and Commander of U.S Cyber Command, the summit brought together

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G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

NOV

DEC

higher education, Department of Defense, and industry stakeholders. NOVEMBER 22 Dance Dash 5K: Nearly 400 runners danced their way to the finish line in this fun new event to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. NOVEMBER 30 DECEMBER 1 Cares for Kids Radiothon: This 14th-annual event raised nearly $170,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. DECEMBER 13 Fall Commencement: Thierry Roques, VP and CFO of Coca-Cola of Greater China and Korea, addressed the nearly 600 fall 2014 graduates. FEBRUARY 21 Homecoming: Alumni and friends enjoyed the Alumni Tailgate before the nationally televised men’s Homecoming game.

NOV DEC

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FEB

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IS THE RIGHT TIME.

When a band of Augusta College graduates first descended on downtown Augusta in the early 1980s, their prospects appeared about as grim as Broad Street itself. None had any formal business training, and downtown had the evacuated look of a city bracing for a Category 5 hurricane.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Written by Tom Turner

COCO RUBIO

oco Rubio (BA, Spanish ’90), then a young Spanish teacher at Evans High School, barely noticed the boarded-up storefronts or absence of people. He was concentrating on interiors, particularly one he might somehow be able to afford. A building in the 900 block of Broad Street appeared within the realm of possibility. Its last tenant had been a pawnshop before Historic Augusta had acquired the property. Bryan Haltermann, a downtown landlord, helped Rubio secure a grant through then-Mayor Charles DeVaney. The $45,000 grant seeded what would become the iconic Soul Bar, whose value is now estimated in the quarter-milliondollar range. Another party had expressed interest in acquiring the building for use as rehearsal space, but Haltermann preferred the place to be lit and lively rather than stand dark most of the time. “Coco opened the Soul Bar,” Haltermann recalls, “and continued to work as DJ for the Disco Hell nights that had been such a hit at Squeaky’s before it closed.” Squeaky’s Tip-Top on Central Avenue had been a favorite hangout for generations of Augusta College students. Known for its generous burgers, cold Pabst Blue Ribbon, foosball, and pool tables, Squeaky’s was a masterpiece of dilapidated charm. It was also the closest thing to a business model that Rubio had. “I wanted the Soul Bar to be a kind of Squeaky’s Tip-Top downtown where local bands play,” he says. “We only sold beer then because Squeaky’s only sold beer.” The new place had a dropped ceiling, which Rubio removed. He retained the funky façade to give the Soul Bar “that dive bar feel.” Continued on next page

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Rubio’s décor was a tribute to James Brown and made the Soul Bar the only place at the time where visitors could find any evidence that the world-famous soul singer was from Augusta. One evening, the Godfather of Soul himself paid the room a visit, and after a game of rotation on the pool table shook Rubio’s hand and gave him his warmest approval.

“YOU KNOW WHAT’S UP.” -JAMES BROWN TO RUBIO “You know what’s up,” Brown assured Rubio. The room soon proved almost too successful. Local bands and those traveling through Georgia midweek made it such a favorite venue that soon Rubio was shopping for more space. He found it at 1157 Broad Street, a room that could accommodate 500 people — ideal for acts too big for the Soul Bar. Rubio, his brother, Jayson, and partner, Eric Kinlaw (BA, Music ’98), named the place Sky City after the once-thriving store across the street.

BRYAN HALTERMANN G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

ERIC & KRISTI KINLAW

Kinlaw, Rubio’s best friend and fellow Augusta College graduate, ran a vintage clothing business called the Bee’s Knees, a name he kept when he and his wife, Kristi, opened a downtown restaurant a dozen years ago. Kinlaw’s musical tastes are eclectic, and his powers of observation are keen. “Kristi’s the cook,” he says, “but I concentrate on atmosphere.” “The details have to be right,” he goes on, explaining that all the components that constitute ambiance, particularly lighting, must coalesce. And, as with most of his fellow Augusta College entrepreneurs, music is the common denominator. “Wycliffe Gordon played here our first year, and I played stand-up bass,” says Kinlaw. “Twice a month we still have a live band, Sure Eel, and DJ Matt Porter.” Foodies were quick to embrace the Bee’s Knees’ adventurous dishes. The place is well-known for its garlicky shrimp, unique tapas, and luscious desserts, though Kinlaw is most partial to his wife’s enchiladas. Continued on next page GRavity Spr ing 2 015

MATT FLYNN

RUN DEEP Matt Flynn (BA, English ’93) and friend and business partner Barry Blackston loved to hike in the Great Smoky Mountains. Afterwards they would spend a couple of days in Asheville, North Carolina, where they enjoyed the rustic bars and bluegrass music. Those experiences kindled a desire to open a downtown bar with an Asheville vibe. The Still Water Taproom, opened in 2003, is the result. Downtown had already been good to the pair. They had opened Nacho Mama’s in 1996 and Blue Sky Kitchen in 2000. From the beginning, Flynn demonstrated a phenomenal combination of skill and luck at booking bands with bright futures. The Avett Brothers and the Steep Canyon Rangers were among several acts soon to become stellar. A chainsaw sculpture that resembles the masthead of a sailing ship looks out over the narrow room. Flynn always places bands in the front window, an idea he got from the musical “smorgasbord” of the Georgetown district of Washington, D.C., where window-shoppers can sample a variety of sounds as they stroll. 12

“I try and catch up-and-coming bands that are working hard,” Matt Flynn says, a formula similar to the one he applies to the beers for which Still Water has also become known. “We have 18 on tap and always feature six or eight local and regional brews.” Ten years ago, Flynn discovered disc golf and still enjoys competing in the over-40 amateur division. He also enjoys watching Downtown develop. “I can’t see it going anywhere but up,” he says. “I would like to see some good-quality retail stores here.” Rubio agrees and has another suggestion. “GRU needs to have something downtown. That’s the next step I’d like to see — a GRU footprint downtown like SCAD [Savannah College of Art and Design] has done in Savannah.”

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

gru.edu/choice

I chose

I chose GRU. I love that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m never bored here. Between the Savannah River, Downtown, and Summerville, there is always something going on. Bonus: Spring Break during the Masters Tournament!

Samantha, Cumming, Ga. Special Education

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As a test engineer and group lead for E-Z-GO, Trevor Roebuck uses his major every day to develop better golf cars. Written by Danielle Wong Moores

Imagine it: You’re out on the golf course on a beautiful crisp spring day. The greens are smooth and fast, a gentle breeze lifts the edges of your collar, and you’re just about to swing through, when suddenly a cacophony of noise shatters the stillness — a golf car buzzing and bumping its way one hole over. That’s a bad day of golf. But as group lead of the testing department at E-Z-GO, an Augusta-based global leader in golf car manufacturing, Trevor Roebuck (physics, ’02) works hard to make sure that scenario never happens with his vehicles. “My whole job every day is a science experiment,” laughed Roebuck, describing the tests he and his 15-member team complete every day to ensure that E-Z-GO’s cars perform and handle quietly, smoothly, and efficiently GRavity Spr ing 2 015

throughout their lifetime. It starts in the machining area, a metalworking lab where his test engineers and technicians develop and build the parts that go into test equipment. “To us, these are like pencils and paper,” explained Roebuck. “These are all the tools to get that [job] done” — tools like specially built brackets that grab a steering wheel and make it turn back and forth hundreds, even thousands of times. His job has sometimes been described as “breaking a golf car into pieces,” and that description is not far off. In another room, the front frame of a vehicle is cut in half and stripped down, connected to wires and pneumatic actuators that apply a load and mimic the forces that can stress the steering column.

Later, an entire golf car is hoisted on a “four-poster” — pistons that move and shake it, exactly like the forces on the hilly terrain of a course. Roebuck knows the tests are exact because his engineers start by going out into the field — an actual golf course — and recording data. Then they come back and repeat the test, over and over again, in a compressed time frame to evaluate the car for vibration, noise, durability, and other factors. Even as a child, Roebuck was fascinated by the two sides of engineering: drawing, designing, and building with his hands and the math that went into it. He understood that if you measure area, diameter, and force, an equation can make sense of those numbers. Continued on next page

“BUT THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AT GRU. … IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT PAPERWORK AND MAKING 4.0S. IT’S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT.”

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

“It’s really easy to see when they’ve been bitten by the bug — they text, call, email, or show up at work out-of-breath ecstatic to tell me about how they solved a work-related issue.” GRavity Spr ing 2 015

“It’s not like a myth,” said Roebuck. “This stuff — I can measure it when I put the sensors up and I can calculate and I can show that this equation is correct, when I put these inputs in and this output comes out every single time.” He attended Augusta State University intending to stay for only two years before transferring to a technical university. But it took only one physics class with Dr. Andy Hauger to convince him to stay for the duration. “I was like, aw, I’ve got to stay. It’s only a couple more years. I’ve got to stay and see what this is all about,” said Roebuck. “It was how charismatic he was that got me excited.” He also appreciated the small class sizes. Roebuck went on to earn a master’s degree and PhD in engineering at the University of South Carolina-Columbia before joining E-Z-GO in 2008, but he always stayed in touch with his undergraduate professors. In fact, today, he’s working side by side with them: Roebuck has launched an internship program at E-ZGO for GRU physics majors who may be interested in going into test engineering. He is also working with his former mentors, including Dr. Tom Colbert, to bring more hands-on lab experiences to the major. Currently, no four-year program offers a test engineering major; Roebuck hopes his alma mater might be the first. A test engineering program would not only train future technicians and engineers on theory and equations, but it would allow them to apply those theories in real life through hands-on labs, clearing a path for students interested in pursuing this and related fields. And it would benefit the university, said Roebuck. “This is stuff you don’t see until you get into a job like this,” he said, picking up a load cell. “But these are all things that would be beneficial at GRU. … It’s not all about paperwork and making 4.0s. It’s about being able to do anything with it.” Roebuck’s excitement in giving back to his alma mater and mentoring young engineers is palpable. “It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s really easy to see when they’ve been bitten by the bug — they text, call, email, or show up at work out-of-breath ecstatic to tell me about how they solved a work-related issue. I love when they get to see how relatable their classes are to the real world.”

Visit our stores on campus to get the latest GRU Jaguar gear, textbooks, gift items, and so much more.

jagstore.net Summerville Campus 2500 Walton Way Washington Hall Augusta, GA 30904 706-737-1611 14

Health Sciences Campus 1499 Laney Walker Blvd DA Building Augusta, GA 30912 706-721-3581 G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Inventors Welcome Written by Eric Johnson

It’s late in the day as Dr. Chris McKinney unwinds at a side table in his office, cracking jokes about the rigidity of business attire. “Ties are just a conspiracy to choke people,” he says, pulling at the knot of his necktie. “It messes up your circulation, you make bad decisions … ” He pauses to assemble more reasons not to wear ties, then shrugs as if the reasons are too obvious to articulate. McKinney, relaxed and affable, went to band camp with acclaimed trumpeter Chris Botti and has played solo saxophone opposite jazz legend Clark Terry. He once occupied an office formerly used by Kenny Rogers. As he talks, you get the feeling he’d rather be sitting at the bar swapping stories with the band than doing the kind of necktie work the university pays him to do, but the clutter on his desk indicates that, neckties notwithstanding, he’s just as comfortable in the results-oriented world of big business. As GRU’s Associate Vice President for Innovation Commercialization, McKinney is the university’s point man for leading the team that helps move ideas from concept to commodity: translating faculty-based research into marketable assets. His Life Sciences Business Development Center is the incubator — a place where biotech and biomedical startup companies enjoy affordable workspace while gaining a foothold in the highly competitive marketplace.

Bringing Ideas to Market at GRU

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The Hub Located in the Interdisciplinary Research Building on the Health Sciences Campus, the center contains five wet labs, each with two offices. Each lab comes equipped with the requisite scientific equipment, room for whatever specialized equipment a tenant might supply themselves, and access to all of GRU’s support services, from biological safety to chemical safety to the various research cores. “The secret sauce is that our incubator tenants get the same pricing and access to those core facilities as our faculty, which is a great deal,” McKinney says. “GRU has some of the best research cores in the country.” Independently, the cost of these services is prohibitive for most startup companies; that’s why the incubator provides such an advantage. The facilities are available to any 20

outside company able to afford the lease, but the majority of tenants have had ties to the institution. “A great percentage of the companies that have lived here historically have arisen out of a faculty enterprise or even come here with faculty recruits,” McKinney says. “Such space is beneficial not only for recruitment, but for retention as well.” The idea of a biobusiness incubator is not new, but McKinney says GRU has approached it a bit differently. “It’s not only unique, but rare to actually put it all together, where you can actually have some of your early-stage companies right here with you, and you with them, and all of it right in the heart of campus,” he says. “So the fact that we’re with our incubator and working in the middle of the research enterprise — those two things are fairly unique.” G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

In one of five wet labs in the Life Sciences Business Development Center, She uses a robotic system to perform a DNA test (left) and displays a robotic system used for high-throughput RNA isolation (below).

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Innovation Currently renting two of the five labs is Jinfiniti Biosciences, a startup founded in 2010 by Dr. Jin-Xiong She, Director of GRU’s Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine. She was recruited to GRU in 2002 as a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar to promote economic development through scientific research and the translation of discoveries into products. “As Eminent Scholars, we are always encouraged to start companies and try to take discoveries from laboratories to commercialization,” he says. “That’s really the engine that drives us in this area.” Jinfiniti came out of his work in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) consortium, a 20-year international study involving six clinical centers. One study goal was to learn how genes contribute to the disease. When no established biotech company could be found to conduct that research, She began developing the technology himself. Now, Jinfiniti provides research services to other companies while developing new diagnostic tools and new therapies. This two-pronged strategy is intentional. Providing research services to others generates the revenue that funds his own research. The discoveries he makes, however, may not end up staying with him — and in fact, that’s part of the plan. In biotech and biomedical research, there is a gap known as the “Valley of Death” between the basic research and the point where big pharmaceutical and device companies take the idea to the commercialization stage.

It’s the biomedical version of what’s been happening in regular tech companies for years — develop a technology far enough to where Microsoft or Google buy you out and you can retire to your own private island. “It’s the same idea,” he says. “It’s risky, but it’s highly profitable if you make it.” According to She, 90 percent of biotech companies actually don’t make it, at least not for more than five years, and even fewer make it to 10 years. She says money is not the primary motivator for most; rather it’s ensuring new technologies actually do people good. “It’s not very easily doable, but it’s extremely important, because many wonderful technologies are going to be commercialized,” he says. “If they are not commercialized, they are basically wasting the scientific output.” According to She, the focus on commercialization has led to better, more focused research. “Because most academic researchers ask more theoretical questions, they probably don’t understand market needs and patient needs and clinical needs,” he says. “The commercialization process will force them to think about the significance of their research.” In his own teaching and research, he asks his students to think about two questions: Is the research innovative and is it going to be useful? “You cannot say I’m going to study this and see what happens,” he says. “You have to have a clear goal. Is this something that’s going to change society for the better?”

Commercialization While Jinfiniti is still in the incubator and still tethered to the university, one of the incubator’s graduates is actively putting products on shelves nationwide. Camellix, the company started by Dr. Stephen Hsu, a Professor in the College of Dental Medicine, has three lines of commercially available products — for dry mouth (MighTeaFlow), cold sores (AverTeaX), and hair care (ReviTealize) — made from special green tea compounds developed at GRU. “There is no way you could do any of the kind of work we’ve done outside [a university] or in a garage,” Hsu says. “We saw huge potential in these types of compounds; we patented this class of molecule at GRU, and we’re trying to develop different products in addition to those OTC drugs.” Perhaps most exciting is the imminent release of his hand sanitizer, which he plans to donate to military personnel in West Africa. Unlike the traditional alcohol-based hand sanitizers currently on the market, which studies show are effective for only 14 seconds, Hsu’s research shows that his “green tea” hand sanitizer (ProtecTeaV) remains effective for two hours after application and may protect against Ebola. Hsu learned about the medicinal 22

effects of green tea as a young man in his native China, when after graduating middle school he was sent to work on a farm as a forced laborer. Local farmers suggested he consume green tea to treat the severe diarrhea that afflicted him, and years later he decided to study why it was so effective. His AverTeaX products treat cold sores and fever blisters, clinical research shows, much faster than other currently available products. And according to Hsu’s research, the compounds derived from green tea treat the herpes virus without the dangerous mutations antiviral drugs can cause. Camellix is no longer located in the incubator, but Hsu’s ability to obtain patents for the different variations of the molecule further solidifies its relationship with the university. He explains, “The main operation right now — the company — is off campus, but we still have the umbilical cord attached to the university. The university receives royalties, so every dollar we sell, the university receives a share.” That’s a good deal for the university, he says, and a good deal for Camellix, which receives assistance with angel and venture financing as well as other help.

Hsu weighs a small amount of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), extracted from green tea leaves, for use in products produced and marketed by his company, Camellix.

Support Aside from hosting the incubator space, McKinney and his team also handle technology transfer — intellectual property issues, patents, and copyrights — for all of GRU. Contrary to conventional wisdom, patents are rarely a cut-and-dried path to a single and final product. “There are some things that come out fully baked as software or products, but most are either a part of something or at least a progenitor of something,” McKinney says. “We, as a university, generally don’t produce ultimate products. Usually, it’s really the seed of a product and service.” Ultimately, an innovation has the potential to spin off in almost any direction, and from that unpredictability comes many of our most groundbreaking advancements. McKinney sees GRU as a regional leader in those kinds of advancements. “It’s really an institutional imperative, I think, to impact our region through innovation,” McKinney says. “That’s really part of our mission at GRU.”

ALUMNI WEEKEND

Hear the Thrilling Story — and Lessons Learned — Firsthand

Presented by

Written by

Karen Gutmann

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Forty-five years ago, on April 13, 1970, the world held its collective breath as America’s Apollo 13 spacecraft hurtled through space 200,000 miles above the earth’s surface after suffering the explosion of a defective oxygen tank. Odds of the crew surviving were low. But survive they did, making the mission perhaps the most successful failure in human history. Two central figures in the life-and-death drama were Apollo 13 Commander James Lovell and Mission Flight Director Gene Kranz. Played by Tom Hanks and Ed Harris in the 1995 blockbuster movie depicting the near catastrophe, Lovell and Kranz helped bring the crew back safely to earth through a combination of courage, innovation, and engineering wizardry with the aid of dozens of talented scientists, astronauts, and engineers. Attendees of this year’s Alumni Weekend can hear the thrilling story firsthand when Lovell and Kranz come to Augusta as the keynote speakers during the weekend’s Signature Event.

“Houston, we have a problem.” “Failure is not an option.” The quotations above, immortalized in the movie, are familiar to all and encapsulate in 10 brief words the dramatic arc of an amazing and historic six-day odyssey. (The movie takes a little artistic license. The actual words of the first quotation were “Houston, we’ve had a problem here,” and they were not said by Lovell, but by flight engineer James Swigert. And no one said the second, though Kranz thought it so perfectly fit the mission attitude, he used it as the title of his autobiography.) Anyone who has seen the movie or heard the audio recordings of communications between the crew and mission control — or who followed events as they unfolded — has marveled at the calm and focused response to the explosion and its life-and-death consequences. Focused on survival, the crew was oblivious to the impact they were having back home, where their exploits engaged the entire world decades before the World Wide Web was created. “Nobody believes me,” Lovell later wrote, “but … we had no idea what an impression Apollo 13 made on the people of Earth. We never dreamed a billion people were following us on television and radio and reading about us in banner headlines GRavity Spr ing 2 015

ALUMNI WEEKEND SIGNATURE EVENT Saturday, April 25, 5 p.m. Maxwell Theatre, Summerville Campus Tickets are $10 for alumni, $15 for guests Purchase at the door or in advance online at grualumni.com/alumniweekend of every newspaper published.” Lovell retired from NASA in 1973 and Kranz in 1994, and both earned myriad honors and awards over the course of their careers. Today, the two thrill audiences worldwide with their first-person account of those historic events that are as riveting today as they were when they happened. 25

BRINGING TOGETHER ALUMNI OF:

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

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ALUMNI ADVOCACY

A Day-in-the-Life GRU Interns Learn Legislative Ropes — and Valuable Skills — in Atlanta

Written by

Karen Gutmann

Inside the House chamber, where the interns track floor action for GRU.

Only a couple of weeks into their semester-long internships, Jasmine Key (above left) and Sarah Carter (right) were excited to be at the epicenter of a surprisingly dynamic 2015 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. “I thought the legislators might be a little dry,” said Carter. “But they’re actually very lively. Everyone is excited, everyone knows everyone. It’s very dynamic.” 28

Key agrees. “I expected to see a lot of serious faces talking about politics,” she said. “But instead, there’s something different going on every day. One minute, people are advocating for a cause, and the next, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is playing in the middle of the Capitol rotunda.” Carter and Key are spending spring semester as interns in the GRU Government Relations Office in Atlanta, working G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Each day they check the “hoppers,” where they learn which bills have been dropped and will be assigned the next legislative day.

Taking notes in a legislative hearing on proposed bills of importance to GRU.

for Director Margie Miller. They are her eyes and ears under the gold dome, with Key tracking health care issues and Carter focusing on higher education legislation. In addition to learning how laws are made in Georgia, they are gaining “communication skills, networking skills, and experience working in a professional environment,” according to Key, all of which will be invaluable when they begin their own careers. GRavity sent a photographer to capture a typical day under the dome.

To learn more about GRU’s government internship programs or to apply, visit gru.edu/gov/internships.php. GRavity Spr ing 2 015

With Yvette Pegues, Ms. Wheelchair USA, who is at the Capitol to advocate for legislation to benefit the disabled.

JAGUAR PRIDE

Written by

Sweet Redemption

Caleb Rule

It may be the last time anyone bets against Jaguar volleyball. Picked to finish dead last in the Peach Belt Conference preseason coaches’ poll, the Jags didn’t settle for exceeding expectations. They turned in a season for the history books: • Most wins in a season • Longest winning streak • First NCAA Tournament appearance • Breakthrough NCAA Tournament win On that electrifying day, senior team captain Kristen Koch pushed her set to the left, watched it fly over the net and hit the ground — then was swarmed as the team mobbed each other amid fist-pumps and jumps for joy, their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in hand. The crazy thing is, no one knew what to expect up to that point — or earlier in the season. As it turned out, adapting game strategy to team strengths was key. At first, “ … getting quick points was a challenge,” said Head Coach Sharon Quarles. “We started running a system with one setter. … We were 10-4 to start the season, but to push the envelope and be better collectively, we wanted to switch systems to one with two setters roaming the floor.”

It made us want to fight even harder. The setter is the middle cog in the standard “bump-setspike” volleyball play, whose job is to position the ball for an outside hitter to spike over the net. Two setters would allow three attackers at the net nearly the entire game — giving the defense less time to react. They started working on it. First up was conference foe Montevallo, and while the Jags stole a 3-2 victory, they ran the new system for only two of five sets — with little success. Running it a few more times as the regular season wound down, they achieved a 26-7 record and No. 4 ranking in the NCAA Southeast Region, but it was still a work in progress. 30

Then came the Peach Belt Conference tournament openinground loss to Lander. “That moment made us realize how much more we needed to do to prove everyone wrong,” Koch said. “We weren’t invincible; we weren’t going to be given anything.” “It made us want to fight even harder.” A team meeting was called, and something clicked. “We were no longer 11 girls,” Koch said. “[After the Lander loss], this team became a family.”

On to the NCAA

Nov. 20 — In their first tournament game, the Jags started hot against fifth-seed Anderson, posting one of their best offensive sets of the year, and the defense held in set two to give the Jags a 2-0 lead. But the slugfest between the evenly G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

matched squads turned, as GRU dropped the next two sets 2522 and 25-23 to set up the deciding fifth set. The Jags rattled off five straight points for a 7-2 lead in the first-to-15 final frame. But again, Anderson battled, eventually tying things at 11-all. The teams traded points, until at 13-13, Koch blasted her 18th kill of the day, and assisted the final point — the high note in a season filled with them. It was sweet redemption for a coach and a team that suffered through a rough previous year, and one that continued to experiment offensively right up until their date with history. The subsequent loss in the semi-finals to top-seeded Wingate did not dampen the pride and excitement of the historic season. “To enter a ‘must-do’ situation with a new system, and pull it off — in the NCAA Tournament, no less — is way awesome,” Quarles said. “I can’t walk around without hearing from fans about how much fun our team was to watch.” “It is amazing, considering the journey we took,” Koch added. “It’s bittersweet to end my career, but it’s encouraging to know my final season was the start of many of my teammates’ legacies.”

SEASON SUPERLATIVES Won the PBC’s December Play of the Month for their game-winning point in the NCAA Southeast Regional. Coach Sharon Quarles was voted Peach Belt 2014 Coach of the Year. Senior Kristen Koch and freshman Kali Boatwright were named to the NCAA Southeast Regional AllTournament Team. Best record in program history at 27-9 overall and 13-5 in the PBC. Most wins and best winning percentage in the history of Jaguar Volleyball. Two seven-game winning streaks and one ninegame winning streak during the 2014 season.

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HOMECOMING WEEK IN REVIEW February 16-20

GRU welcomed students, alumni, and community members — including more than 1,000 soldiers from nearby Fort Gordon — to join in a fun array of Homecoming activities that culminated in an exciting nationally televised Jaguar men’s basketball win against Lander University. Over the week, hundreds of students enjoyed activities including the Jaguar Jam, “Wear GRU, Get Food,” karaoke, a virtual scavenger hunt, and election and presentation of the Homecoming Court. Alumni enjoyed a pre-game tailgate and came out in force to cheer on their home team. At Saturday’s games, the Jags invited local soldiers to celebrate Military Appreciation Day, as well as hosting Senior Day and Homecoming. Events included a swearing-in ceremony and the unveiling of a Ring of Honor. Both the men’s and women’s squads sported military-themed jerseys, which were auctioned through the NCAA for a new scholarship fund, the Veteran Military Hardship Completion Scholarship, to support veteran and active-duty military GRU students. The Jags gained fans across the nation when CBS Sports Network broadcast the men’s victory to more than 100 million homes.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

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A LOOK BACK

A Treasured Pieces of Augusta History History has a funny way of hiding in plain sight. Here in Augusta, for example, many of the giants responsible for putting our city on the map have been reduced to names on Interstate overpass signs. An over-generalization, perhaps, but it’s striking how quickly a legacy can be paved over, boxed up, and all but forgotten by successive generations. When I moved to Augusta with my family in the early 1990s, “Bobby Jones” was nothing more than an expressway to me, “Daniel” was the name of the airport in town, and “Calhoun” was that long bridge we crossed each Sunday on the way to church. The significance of these names — and the celebrated history associated with them — escaped my 10-year-old mind. It continues to today, unless I make a conscious decision to look for signs of the past. I’d wager the same is true for many Augustans. In fact, we live in a city filled with rich history, the remnants of which can be found in nearly every nook and cranny. Some of golf ’s most celebrated and heartbreaking moments have taken place in Augusta, from Jack Nicklaus’ first Masters win in 1963 to Greg Norman’s epic meltdown in 1996. Without a doubt, the most well-known – and heavily televised – moments were those played during the Masters Tournament.

Written by

Jordan Watwood But before the Augusta National came to dominate the headlines, another Augusta golf course reigned as king: Forest Hills Golf Club.

Before the Augusta National came to dominate the headlines, another Augusta golf course reigned as king: Forest Hills Golf Club. The Pinnacle of Luxury and Innovation

Forest Hills was established in 1926, nearly a decade before the Augusta National hosted its first tournament. Developed by Blanchard and Calhoun and designed by famed golf course architect Donald Ross, when it was completed at a cost of $100,000 (about $1.3 million today), Forest Hills represented the pinnacle of golf innovation and luxury for the time.

Hills House, c. 1935, the original Forest Hills Clubhouse.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Guests of the Forest Hills-Ricker hotel on the putting green shortly after the hotel’s opening.

When Forest Hills first opened for play in 1926, it was a spectacle to behold. Wealthy Northerners and golf enthusiasts flocked from all over the country to play the links. Photos and drawings depicting the course in its infancy show rolling fairways flanked on either side by a thick blanket of unblemished pines. Forest surrounded the course as far as the eye could see, though dotted among the pines were resort homes for the wealthy lucky enough to gobble them up before the course opened. In fact, Forest Hills was more than a golf course — it was a posh resort and residential complex. From a front-page article in The Augusta Chronicle, February 21, 1926: “1,000 acres of beautiful, rolling land, will be divided into three major sections. The section east of the hotel site will be known as the Hotel Plaza section; that west of the hotel site will be known as the Golf Parks section, in which 90 percent of the estates will overlook the golf course, while all the portion of Forrest Hills surrounding Lake Aumond will be known as the Lake Forrest section overlooking the clear, quiet lake waters and nestling among the towering pines.” Today, it’s hard to imagine an Augusta so idyllic, so pristine. But before the stock market crash, Augusta was one of the premier resort locations in the United States. The elite vacationed here. Ornate hotels dotted the skyline. According to the Chronicle, the rich and famous of the time were less interested in what the President had to say than in what was going on in Augusta.

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Monument to Progress and Prosperity

In the early 1920s, the buzz surrounding Augusta caught the attention of the Ricker family, owners of the famed Poland Springs Hotel in Maine, the oldest hotel in New England. They decided Augusta would be the location of their first venture outside that region. The city waited with eager anticipation for the day the Forest Hills-Ricker Hotel would finally open its doors to the public. Newspaper articles and photographs followed the construction of the hotel and development of the estates and golf course throughout 1926 and 1927. When it was completed (at a cost of about $2 million, or $27 million today), a January 1927 article in The Augusta Chronicle described it: “The Forrest Hills-Ricker Hotel, as it appears today, is a monument to the progress and prosperity of Augusta and this vicinity, and an impressive indication of the future of this city as a winter resort and sports center of the South.” Indeed, the hotel must have been a sight in its day. Located at the highest point within the Forest Hills 1,000-acre estate, it provided unmatched views of the surrounding countryside and golf course. Its presence all but dominated the Summerville skyline, towering above the pines just 100 yards from where the Newman Tennis Center stands today. World War II dramatically altered the property’s history. The proximity of the hotel to Camp Gordon led the Army to annex it in 1940 and convert it into a military hospital, the Oliver General. After the war, the golf course was taken over by the Department of Veterans Affairs and re-named the Fort Gordon-Augusta Golf 35

Course. It remained in the federal government’s possession until 1978, when it was gifted to the University of Georgia Board of Regents and re-named Forest Hills. The hotel was abandoned in 1986 and razed in 1988. Today, all that remains of the once-grand hotel is an empty field adjacent to the Forest Hills club house.

Lasting Legacy

Thankfully, the golf course withstood the test of time. Its designer, Ross, had achieved rock-star status in the golfing world after winning several titles as a professional before moving on to course design. Perhaps Ross’ most lasting innovation was the introduction of grass tees and grass greens, which up until that time were most often constructed of oiled sand. Much of Ross’ original course remains intact. A handful of the original 18 holes were removed due to the construction of GRU’s Christenberry Fieldhouse, which is adjacent to the golf course. In 2004, the Arnold Palmer Company was hired to restore the course to much of its original glory. The course did well after opening. Then one day in 1930, an up-and-coming amateur golfer named Bobby Jones stepped on it and won the Southeastern Open – the first of a season full of wins that resulted in Jones’ historic Grand Slam victory. It was a turn of luck that cemented the course’s place in golf — and Augusta’s — history. Retired sportscaster Stan Byrdy, author of “Augusta and Aiken in Golf ’s Golden Age,” says Jones felt his performance during the final two rounds of the Southeastern Open were “the best competitive golf of his career.” “Jones’ win in Augusta surely played a role in his locating the Augusta National here,” Byrdy continues. “Augusta was near to his heart as he played much golf here.” 36

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Jones’ celebrity helped keep Forest Hills in the forefront of Augusta’s golfing scene for many years. He kept a close connection to the course even after the resort was transformed into a hospital. Byrdy says that Jones, who was a colonel in the Army, even visited the course in 1946 to conduct a golf clinic for recovering soldiers. After the late 1970s, when the golf club was given to the Board of Regents, it became host to scores of collegiate tournaments, including performances by some of golf ’s present-day masters: Phil Mickelson (above, accepting the Billy Dolan Bowl after a tournament win while a student player from Arizona State), Davis Love III, Dustin Johnson, and Patrick Reed. GRU’s men’s golf team uses the course as a practice facility. Mastering the challenging greens certainly played a role in the Jaguars’ back-toback NCAA titles in 2010 and 2011. Dan Elliott, PGA, general manager of Forest Hills Golf Club, treasures the opportunity to work at a course with such a legacy. “For me, it’s being part of continuing the history that was made at Forest Hills,” Elliott says. “I love old golf courses; I love the history. That era of golf during the 1920s and 1930s — to know that the people who formed the game, that it was those types of players who were on this course — it’s a link to history. But now, with the college tournaments that take place here, it’s also the opportunity to continue making more history and continuing that tradition.” And perhaps that’s what makes Forest Hills so special: the opportunity to play the same fairways and greens as some of golf ’s greatest legends, to enjoy a course that drew the attention of the nation’s elite nearly a century ago, and to relish a piece of history that’s still alive and well today — and continuing to shape a new generation of legends. GRavity Spr ing 2 015

GROWING GRU

Gifts of the Heart from Summerville’s “Chief Greeter”

Roots in our institution don’t get much deeper than this: Charlie H.D. Williamson attended classes at the Junior College of Augusta in 1943, the year before he joined the Navy to fight in World War II. That’s back when the college still shared facilities with the Academy of Richmond County High School. It’s before it became part of the University System of Georgia. And well before it became a two-year college, then a four-year college, and eventually a state university. Commitment to our institution doesn’t get much deeper either. Williamson’s generosity to his alma mater began 42 years ago, with a first gift in 1973. Over the years, he has made 225 separate gifts totaling nearly $90,000. And he has helped raise additional funds in the millions, including a 38

Written by

Donna Martin

memorable single gift of $1 million. Yet friends and coworkers say it’s his gifts of the heart that define his character.

Sea Stories

Williamson was born in Augusta and graduated from the Academy of Richmond County in 1942. He spent a year at the Junior College of Augusta before entering the V-12 officer training program in the U.S. Navy. “I was very fortunate to get in the Navy,” he says. “They sent me to school and provided me with $50 a month, which was great in those days.” The Navy sent him to Emory University in Atlanta and to Northwestern University in Chicago, where he was commissioned an officer. Next they sent him to Harvard G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

University to study cryptographic communications. During World War II, Williamson spent time in Guam as a communications watch officer with “a fella by the name of Johnny Carson.” Also a communications officer, then20-year-old Carson arrived in Guam after his ship was torpedoed in the waning days of the war. Williamson had no inkling that 17 years later, Carson would become the worldfamous host of “The Tonight Show.” Henry Fonda was yet another of Williamson’s fellow soldiers. Unlike Carson, Fonda, who was 37 at the time, enlisted at the peak of his career. Two years earlier, his starring role as Tom Joad in Darryl Zanuck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” had earned him his first Oscar nomination. Williamson recalls the time Fonda was sent to ask the admiral if the men could stop wearing neckties. Famous or not, Fonda was told that neckties — blocked and pulled up tight — were required. “You get in the Navy and you learn to tell sea stories. Gets better every time you tell them,” he says laughing. Williamson was called back into service in October 1951 GRavity Spr ing 2 015

at the height of the Korean War. “They called me and said, ‘I have something for you. You are going to the commander of the 7th fleet right now off the coast of Korea on the Battleship Missouri, and they are shooting bridges in North Korea,’” he recalls. The tour, which he called the worst job of his military career, lasted three years, after which he left the service.

One-Man Welcoming Committee

Williamson began volunteering at the college in the mid-1980s and, after retiring from a successful career in insurance in 1989, decided to give more of his time. “They said, ‘Well, if you want to try and help us raise a little money for the foundation, that would be great,’” he recalls. Thus, Williamson became the smiling face that greeted everyone who visited the Maxwell Alumni House. His co-workers quickly gave him the affectionate title, “Chief Greeter.” Though a part-time employee, Charlie gave all of himself, according to colleagues, and became a one-man 39

welcoming committee. “I stayed until 2013,” he says. “Long stay! It was like one big family here, and I just wanted to keep coming back.” He became an energetic and successful fundraiser. Former coworkers say he seems to know most everyone in Augusta and marvel that he never forgets a name. “I enjoy prospecting,” Williamson says. And his career experience taught him “it’s just important to remember a person’s name. They say that it’s the sweetest sound that should come from a person’s voice.” He says two mottos guided him to fundraising success: “See the people. See the people. See the people.” And “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

He says two mottos guided him to fundraising success: “See the people. See the people. See the people.” And “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” The Scholarship

In gratitude and recognition of his contributions, a scholarship was established in his name in 2008: The Charles H.D. Williamson Scholarship-Hull College of Business. Each year, the Dean, with the help of a scholarship committee, selects a business college student as the recipient. Williamson feels honored that several of his close friends helped start the scholarship in his name, and he very much appreciates the tribute. He’s also quick to spread the credit. “The alumni are just great,” he says with a smile. “People who graduated from here have always been so helpful and willing to jump back in and help in any way possible.”

Together, they have given him and Muriel three much-loved grandchildren. His support for the university remains strong to this day. “GRU is the biggest asset Augusta has,” he says. “It deserves our support. We see wonderful results from it. I feel education is so important, and I always felt this place was such a great place to get an education.”

A Lasting Legacy

Williamson will turn 90 in May, and he looks back on his life with gratitude and grace. He is grateful for his family, especially his wife, Muriel, whom he wooed from her home in Andover, Massachusetts, to come south and wed more than 68 years ago. Their son, Davis, is a Medical College of Georgia alumnus and an ophthalmologist in Milledgeville, Georgia. Their daughter, Gail Skognes, lives in Atlanta. 40

To donate to the Charles H.D. Williamson Scholarship or for information on how to establish a scholarship, please contact Wes Zamzow, Director of Special Gifts, at 706-721-2699 or email wzamzow@gru.edu. G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

COLLEGE CATCH-UP

COLLEGE OF ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

Dr. Gianluca De Leo has been named Chairman of the Department of Clinical and Environmental Sciences. He brings extensive expertise in mobile health care technologies, simulation tools, and virtual reality systems to his role. De Leo, who came to GRU from Old Dominion University, holds master’s degrees in electronic engineering and business administration and a doctorate in biomedical engineering.

COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE Dr. Christopher W. Cutler has been named Associate Dean for Research at the College of Dental Medicine. He served as Interim Associate Dean for Research since 2013 and Chairman of the Department of Periodontics since 2011. “Dr. Cutler is a leader in research and education and a valued adviser to our students,” said Dean Carol A. Lefebvre. “As a mentor, Dr. Cutler takes particular pride in inspiring students to pursue careers in dental academics and research. This is evident by the number of former students who are now full-time faculty at dental schools.” GRavity Spr ing 2 015

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

The College of Education will offer a doctoral degree in educational innovation — the university’s first doctoral degree outside of health and medicine. This doctoral program is a three-year, cohort-driven program focused on equipping educators with the knowledge and skills to respond to evolving educational systems and foster innovation in both the classroom and in leadership positions.

COLLEGE OF NURSING

Assistant Professor Amber McCall received the 2014 Didactic Novice Faculty Teaching Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Each year, the AACN recognizes two new nursing faculty for “excellence and innovation in the teaching of nursing” — one for didactic teaching and the other for clinical teaching. The College of Nursing has been awarded full accreditation by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing through December 2024. The college and all of its programs came through the review process with “flying colors,” explains Dr. Lori Anderson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, meeting or exceeding all of the standards of the national accrediting body.

THE HULL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

The Hull College of Business has teamed up with the College of Allied Health Sciences and the Department of Neurology to launch the System for Technology-Augmented Rehabilitation and Training (START). This advanced technology-based software uses Microsoft’s Kinect motion tracking system to enable in-home telerehabilitation for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Within the next few months, coordinators on this project expect to have collected enough data to begin their formal assessment of the program.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Georgia Regents University Biology Professor Jessica Reichmuth is leading the research of the altered landscape of Georgia’s Satilla River. Over the last 100 years, the river has been cut eight times, which may have damaged the water’s ecosystem. This study is being funded through GRU’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Summer Scholars Program and the Small Grants Program. Reichmuth is applying for more funding and hopes to have a complete ecological assessment by 2016.

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA

Dr. Peter F. Buckley, Dean of the Medical College of Georgia, was named to the 12-member Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges. He will serve a one-year term on the AAMC council, which works to continuously improve the nation’s medical schools, identify issues affecting academic medicine, and develop strategies to achieve medical school missions. This includes providing a venue for deans to address the concerns of their students, residents, and faculty; assisting the deans in fulfilling their medical school’s missions; and to develop consensus on major issues. G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

PAMPLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

The walkability of a neighborhood can predict housing values, according to new research from Dr. Wesley Meares, Assistant Professor of Political Science. CityLab, a publication of “The Atlantic,” highlighted the work of Meares and his colleagues in December. An article on the positive effects of walkable neighborhoods noted that walkability is significantly and negatively correlated with neighborhood foreclosures and also reduces neighborhood abandonment and crime. The study, “Does walkability matter? An examination of walkability’s impact on housing values, foreclosures and crime,” was first published in the journal “Cities” last fall.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

The alumni, students, faculty, and administration of The Graduate School have been very busy during the last quarter! Highlights include: • Sherri Darden, MPA (2012) was named Teacher of the Year at Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School. • Anil Bhatta, Pharmacology PhD student, received a travel grant by the Physiological Society, London, to travel to the Obesity Meeting in England. • Trevor Hardigan, Physiology PhD student, received the American Heart Association Council on Hypertension, Hypertension Scientific Sessions, Young Investigator Award. • Dawn Langley-Brady, current Nursing PhD student and Instructor in the College of Nursing received the College of Nursing Dr. and Mrs. David Jerram Scholarship.

CLASS NOTES 1970s

proprietary school dedicated to providing quality training in nurses’ aide, patient care, and phlebotomy.

DR. JERRY MILLER DR. RANDY SMITH

Dr. Randy Smith (MD ’70; MFRI, Plastic Surgery ’75) was inducted into The Academy of Richmond County Hall of Fame as a 2014 honoree. Dr. Troy Guthrie (MD ’71; MFRI, Hematology and Oncology ’77) joined Baptist Oncology Specialists in Jacksonville, Florida. Guthrie specializes in cancers of the brain and spine, kidney, prostate, head and neck, breast, lung, and skin as well as immunotherapy for cancer, hematologic malignancies, and chemotherapy administration. Nancy Barton (BSN ’74; MSN ’76) was reappointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the Georgia Board of Nursing. Barton is Director of Clinical Resource Management/Nursing Support Services at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Francesca Taylor (BA, English ‘75) was named President of the National College Testing Association for the 2014-16 term. Taylor is Director of Testing and Learning Support at the University of West Georgia in Carollton. 44

Dr. Jerry Miller (MD ’76) published his biography, “The Burden of Being a Champ,” which describes his life journey from being a “foggy boy called Champ,” who almost failed out of elementary school, through med school and his long career as a pediatrician in Augusta, Georgia. The book is available on Amazon.com.

Kent Schneider (BBA, Management ’77) was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of SolPass LLC, a firm whose mission is to eliminate cyber fraud. A 26-year veteran of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Schneider previously was an executive in Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Information Technology sector and served as international President and CEO of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) for seven years. SolPass is based in Denver, Colorado. Bill Patterson (BBA ’78), a former specialist in the Army Reserve’s 319th Transportation Company and a Vietnam War veteran, has authored “Vietnam Convoy Trucker,” a chronicle of his time delivering supplies to American troops battling the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong.

DR. KATHRYN CHEEK

Dr. Kathryn Cheek (MHEd ’77; MD ’82) was reappointed to the Georgia State Board of Public Health. Victoria Agyekum (BSN ’77; MSN ’78) was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. Agyekum is cofounder of Dominion Health Care Solutions, a

MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN

Michael Christensen (BA, History ’78) published his debut book, “Of Mudcat, Boo, The Rope and Oil Can: An Informal G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

History of Mississippians in Major League Baseball.” Christensen is a freelance sportswriter living in Mississippi, where he was a sportswriter and copy editor for 28 years.

TERI PERRY

Teri Perry (ASCC, Nursing ’79), former Vice President of Adult Patient Care Services at Georgia Regents Medical Center, received the 2014 Patricia K. Sodomka Leadership Award for Patientand Family-Centered Care during PFCC Awareness Month in October 2014. Perry joined the medical center as Nurse Manager of the Cardiac Care Unit and was promoted to various nursing leadership positions during her tenure, assuming the VP role in 2006. She retired October 31, after 20 years of service to the medical center.

1980s Erich V. Boerner (BBA, Management ’83), Lt. Col., U.S. Army, Retired, was recognized as the City of Cape Coral, Florida, Charter School System’s High School Teacher of the Year and Lighthouse Award Recipient for 2013. Now in his 10th year as a Junior ROTC Senior Army Instructor, Boerner has led his cadets to win 52 District Championships encompassing a variety of physical and academic competitions and GRavity Spr ing 2 015

to contribute more than 25,000 hours of community service.

Young will be responsible for personal trust administration.

Dr. Kenneth Fuller (MD ’83) received the 2014 MCG Exemplary Teaching Award from the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at GRU. This award is presented to a faculty member with outstanding teaching abilities based on quality, consistency, student evaluations in the clinical teaching setting, and the number of MCG students mentored.

Dr. Kim Collins (MD ’89) received the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Excellence in Teaching Award at the group’s annual conference in September. Dr. Collins is Medical Director at LifePoint Inc., South Carolina’s organ and tissue donation procurement service.

Dr. James Cassidy Jr. (DMD ’83) was named the newest member of the Bibb County Community Board of Directors. Cassidy has been in private practice in Macon, Georgia, since 1983. Lillian Wan (BA, Art ’84; AACC, Criminal Justice ’90) surpassed the 37-gallon mark in blood donations at Shepeard Community Blood Center, helping to save 888 lives. She was also honored as the Center’s 2013 Top Platelet Donor.

JOE VIGNATI

Joe Vignati (BA, Political Science ’87) was awarded the prestigious Harold K. Ables Award from the Georgia Juvenile Services Association (GJSA). Vignati is currently the Department of Juvenile Justice’s Assistant Deputy Commissioner. Michele Young (BBA ’87) was named Senior Trust Administrator with Prairie Financial Group. Young has more than 25 years of trust administration experience, most recently at BMO Private Bank.

DR. JEFFREY S. PLAGENHOEF

Dr. Jeffrey S. Plagenhoef (MD ’87) was elected First Vice President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Executive Committee. Dr. Plagenhoef is President of Anesthesia Consultants Medical Group P.C. in Dothan, Alabama, and is on the medical staff of Southeast Alabama Medical Center. Cynthia E. Johnson (BS, Physical Therapy ’88) joined Berry College in Rome, Georgia, as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing. Ron Courson (BS, Physical Therapy ’89) was honored with the Tim Kerin Award from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. The award is presented annually to an athletic trainer who is devoted to keeping athletes safe and improving the athletic training profession while also demonstrating integrity, character, and devotion to the community. Courson 45

and accomplishments in graduate medical education. Ana Thompson (AS, Dental Hygiene ’96; BS ’02; MHEd ’04) was named Interim Department Chair at Georgia Regents University College of Allied Health Sciences Department of Dental Hygiene.

RON COURSON

is the University of Georgia Athletic Association’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine.

Dr. Janet Sobczak (PhD, Nursing ’99) joined the faculty of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth as Associate Professor of Community Nursing.

1990s Dr. Lora Efaw (MD ’91), a family medicine physician with the Center of Healing and Wellness in Tifton, Georgia, is now board certified in integrative holistic medicine after meeting all practice requirements and passing a comprehensive exam. Dr. Thomas Godfrey (DMD ’93) was reappointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the Georgia Board of Dentistry.

Dr. Lori Wagner (MD ’94) received the highly competitive and prestigious Outstanding Educator Award from the University of Louisville College of Medicine in recognition of her innovations 46

Money Health,” highlighting the benefits of a pediatric concierge home-visit medical practice. In addition, last year Parents Magazine selected him as one of seven most innovative pediatricians in the country. Thornburg practices in Naples, Florida. Dr. Ansley Tharpe (MD ’04) is engaged to be married to Brian Cobb of Savannah, Georgia. Tharpe is a partner in Gastroenterology Consultants in Savannah.

DR. TASNEEM BHATIA

Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (MD ’97) recently published “The 21-Day Belly Fix,” available for purchase on Amazon.com. Taz is the Medical Director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine. Dr. Stephen Goggans (MD ’97) is Director for the East Central Public Health District in Augusta, Georgia. Goggins assumed leadership of the 13-county district January 2.

DR. LORI WAGNER

CHRISTOPHER SHAFFER

Christopher Shaffer (MEd ’98) was appointed Troy University’s Dean of Library Services on August 15th.

2000s Dr. Brian Thornburg (MFRI ’03) was featured on “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir” on a segment called “Real

NIYA HOLLAND LLOYD

Niya Holland Lloyd (BA, Sociology ’05) published a romance-thriller trilogy entitled “Trapped By This Thing Called Love,” which reached the top-20 list of bestselling African America dramas and plays on Amazon.com. Dr. Ezat Mulki (DMD ’05), a boardcertified pediatric dentist, launched Villa G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

Dr. Marian Kahn (DNP ’08) opened Wellness NP of Michigan in Royal Oak. The clinic provides medical and nutritional support, including assistance with weight loss, nutritional counseling, lab testing, and primary care.

Rica Pediatric Dentistry in Villa Rica, Georgia. Dr. William “Jay” McAfee (MD ’05) has been named to the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital board of directors in Albany, Georgia. McAfee is a radiation oncologist with Radiation Oncology Associates at the Phoebe Cancer Center. Dr. Adrian Strickland (MD ’06) joined Internal Medicine Associates Chattanooga in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Strickland is board certified in internal medicine.

DR. THADDEUS SHUBERT

Ashleigh Rentz (BS, Medical Technology ’05; BSPSA ’07) married Matthew Johnson on September 20. DR. MARK FLOYD

Dr. Mark Floyd (MD ’08) joined the Harbin Clinic’s Orthopedic and Sports Medicine practice in Rome, Georgia. DR. SHERI NOVIELLO

MALLORY MEYER

Mallory Meyer (BS, Dental Hygiene ’06) is engaged to be married to Patrick Burke. The couple will wed November 2 in Clearwater, South Carolina. Dr. Thaddeus Shubert (MEd, Counseling and Guidance ’06) earned an EdD in Educational Administration from Georgia Southern University in Spring 2014 and presented at the November 2014 Georgia School Counselor Association Annual Conference in Augusta, Georgia. The session was titled “Retention Pathways for African-American Males: Empowering Counselors — Changing Mindsets.” GRavity Spr ing 2 015

Dr. Sheri Noviello (PhD ’06) is Professor of Nursing and Interim Dean of Valdosta State University’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Valdosta, Georgia.

Dr. Katherine Herzog (MD ’08) joined The Center for Pediatrics at the Longstreet Clinic as a staff pediatrician. Herzog is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Jeremy Wells (MD ’07; MFRI ’10) is an oncologist at University Oncology in Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Logan Fields (MD ’08) is an orthopedic surgeon at Athens Bone and Joint Orthopedic Clinic in Athens, Georgia. Lauren Geeter (BSN ’08) is engaged to be married to Dr. Michael Bursey. The couple will wed March 28 in Aiken, South Carolina. Dr. Justin “Mac” Vining (MD ’08), a pediatric cardiologist, joined Phoebe Pediatric Specialty Clinic in Albany, Georgia.

DR. PING LADY

Dr. Ping Lady (MD ’09) is a general surgeon with Affinity Medical Group in Appleton, Wisconsin, where she provides 47

comprehensive, general surgical services to patients of all ages and specializes in minimally invasive robotic, vascular, and hernia surgery.

2010s Eric Lewis (EdS, Teaching and Learning ’10), assumed part-time duties as Assistant Principal and teacher at North Augusta Middle School in South Carolina.

in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will begin this year. Dr. Jack Benton (MD ’12) has joined Georgia Highlands College in Dallas, Georgia, as an Assistant Professor of Biology.

Jacob Sroda (BS, Business Administration ’14) married Jessica Marie Colvin on August 2. Jacob is owner and operator of J.S. Landscape and Design in Evans, Georgia.

Dr. Polly Astin (DNP ’10) joined Berry College in Rome, Georgia, as an Assistant Professor of Nursing. Dr. Karen Wood (MD ’10) joined Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Lakeside OB/GYN in Gainesville, Georgia. Catherine Smith (BSEd, Early Childhood Education ’10) is engaged to be married to Kevin Daniel Lucas of Aiken, South Carolina. The couple will wed March 14. Dr. Brett Heimlich (PhD ’11) received the Fulbright-Fogarty Public Health Fellowship to travel to Malawi, Africa. While in Malawi, Heimlich will study sickle cell disease through screening and treating patients. Dr. Brian McNiece (MD ’11) joined the Harbin Clinic’s Family Medicine practice in Rome, Georgia. Steven Kophazy (BA, Criminal Justice ’11) was named 2014 Richmond County Deputy of the Year. Dr. Ashley Foster (MD ’12) married U.S. Navy Lt. Aaron John Lanzel on August 2. While a pediatric resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, Foster was offered a Pediatric Hematology Oncology fellowship at Emory University 48

Brett George (MS, Occupational Therapy ’13) and Lauren Snyder (MPA ’14) married on September 6, 2014, in Augusta, Georgia. Brett is an Occupational Therapist at Doctors Hospital, and Lauren is a Physician Assistant at the Aiken Center for Dermatology. The couple resides in North Augusta, South Carolina.

DR. MARK SNODDY

Dr. Mark Snoddy (MD ’12) is engaged to be married to Mary Charles Coleman. The couple will wed November 1 in Augusta, Georgia. Snoddy is an orthopedics resident at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. James Maina (DMD ’13) opened Acworth Station Dental Care, a new full-service, state-of-the-art family dental practice in Acworth, Georgia.

Dr. Jessica Cabbe (MD ’14) will begin a three-year residency in dermatology at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, in June. Cabbe was valedictorian of her class at MCG in 2014, at the University of Georgia in 2010, and at The Walker School in 2006. Dr. Ashkan Attaran (MFRI, Cardiology ’14) is a cardiologist at the Visalia Medical Clinic in Visalia, California. Dr. Arif Patni (MFRI ’14) is a family medicine physician with the Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Buford.

Heather Young (MPA ’13) is Director of Advancement Communications in Georgia Regents University’s Office of Advancement. Natalie Wille (BBA, Marketing ’13), former Augusta State women’s golfer, won the Noorporten Ladies Open at the Sundsvalls Golf Course in Sweden in September. Wille is currently the topranked golfer on the Nordea Tour, the professional tour in Sweden.

Have exciting news or photos to share? We would love to add your class note. Email us: alumni@gru.edu.

G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

MEMORIAM

Ann Abercrombie (BS, Physician Assistant ’89)

John Etheridge (MD ’58)

Dell Mitravich (BS, Chemistry ’77)

Ann Bailey (MD ’49)

Nancy Fortner (AS, Radiation Therapy ’85; BS, RT ’86)

William Mullins (MD ’56)

Benjamin Barron (MD ’58)

Alton Garrison (MD ’66)

Donald Nelson (DMD ’74)

Ira Bell (MD ’45)

Richard Griffin (MD ’61)

Marco Paliotta (MFRI ’01)

Claud Boyd (MFRI, Dermatology ’70)

Loyce Hargrove (Augusta College ’46)

Eloise Patterson (AACC, Core Curriculum ’38)

Donald Branyon Jr. (MD ’59)

Audie Holmes (MEd, Secondary Education ’88; EDS ’89)

Joseph Powell (BA, Sociology ’73)

Vann Brewster (MD ’60) Richard Brown (MD ’70) Dennis Calamas (AACC, Core Curriculum ’42) Margaret Callicott (Augusta College ’42) Ann Chappell (Augusta College ’78) William Coleman (MD ’64) Rosella Deriso (BSN ’67) Linda Dulabahn (Occupational Therapy ’79) Linda Dunaway (MSN ’76) Helen Dupree (Augusta College ’35)

John Hunt (BBA, General Business ’70) James Hutto (BBA, Marketing ’13) Karen Johnson (BS, Dental Hygiene ’75) R. Keeble Lambeth (AACC, Core Curriculum ’50) Sherry Maloney (MD ’82) Edward Martin (BA, Psychology ’77; BBA, Management ’77)

Violet Pritchard (BSN ’90) Brandi Ray (BSN, Community Health ’09) Ralph Roberts (MD ’47) Reba Shelton (BBA ’92; BSEd, Middle Grades Education and Health & PE Teacher Education ’98) Martha Stanford (AACC, Core Curriculum ’42) Leonard Willis (MD ’55)

Cecil Meares (MFRI ’71) Miles Mercer (MBA ’90) Maralynne Mitchem (BS, Occupational Therapy ’76; MHEd ’77)

You and I will meet again when we’re least expecting it. One day in some far off place I will recognize your face. I won’t say goodbye my friend for you and I will meet again. -Tom Petty

GRavity Spr ing 2 015

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Lost and Found — 30 years later

He doesn’t remember losing his 1962 Medical College of Georgia class ring but became aware that it was missing shortly after a trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, more than 30 years ago. Eugene (Gene) Bruker (MS, Microbiology ’62), now 91 years old, long ago lost any hope of ever seeing it again. So imagine his delight when his grandson Charles Todd Bruker (MD ’02) presented it to him at his home in Augusta, 50

Written by

Karen Gutmann

Georgia, in November. “He was ecstatic,” Todd reported. The ring must have been on quite a journey, though most of it is shrouded in mystery. Until one day about three years ago, when a Texas couple passing through Tennessee on a road trip stepped out of their car in a McDonald’s parking lot. “We stopped for something to drink,” said Steve Purdee. “The ring was on the ground right outside my wife’s car door G E O R G I A R E G E NTS UNI VERSI T Y

when she stepped out.” No one claimed it when the restaurant’s manager made an announcement, so they brought the ring home with them, put it in a drawer — and promptly forgot about it.

The ring was on the ground right outside my wife’s car door when she stepped out. Last fall, Purdee came across the ring while cleaning out the desk and decided to see if he could trace its owner. On the ring were two names: the school’s and Eugene Bruker’s. Purdee, a Vietnam veteran, had limited computer experience. “I only learned to use one about a year ago,” he said. But he put those skills to work and got in touch with Carole Campbell in GRU’s Advancement and Community Relations Office. Campbell was unable to find “Eugene Bruker” in the alumni database but decided to try an alumus who graduated 40 years later with the same last name, Charles Todd Bruker, a hematopathologist living in Alabama. “I thought I would take a chance and ask you if you may know Eugene Bruker or be related,” she emailed him. “This is quite amazing and rather unbelievable, to be honest,” he wrote back. “Yes, I know Eugene Bruker. He is my paternal grandfather and alive and well living in Augusta. “He will be overjoyed to receive it,” he continued. “And it would mean a great deal to me to be the one to return it to him.” Purdee was thrilled that the ring’s owner was found and immediately put it in the mail to Todd. About a month later, Todd was able to surprise Gene with the ring when he visited family in Augusta. The family is tremendously grateful to Campbell for “thinking outside the box” and doing the sleuthing work to locate Todd. And to Purdee for going the extra mile to reunite a lost ring with its grateful owner. “As a Navy veteran myself, I would expect nothing less from a fellow veteran,” Todd said. “Those are the kind of people who have served our nation — past, present, and future.” Todd’s maternal grandfather, Frank Johnston, was also an alumnus (MD ’59), and Todd has proudly worn his MCG class ring since he passed away. GRavity Spr ing 2 015

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