Gravity summer 2015 by Augusta University

SUMMER 2015 VOL. 3 NO. 2

Bringing home a Steinway

Match Day On March 20, MCG students celebrated Match Day, the first in the new J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons, to learn where they will spend the next three to seven years of residency. This year’s theme was “Welcome to the Jungle.”

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

SUMMER 2015 VOL. 3 NO. 2 6

Transforming the future one child at a time in Zambia, Africa

Behind the scenes at The Weather Channel with alum Alana Leverette

Meet 2015’s Jag20 Honorees

EVERY EDITION

3 Campus Happenings 4 Calendar of Events 36 Alumni Advocacy 38 Growing GRU 40 College Catch-Up 42 Jaguar Pride 44 Class Notes 47 In Memoriam

GRU’s Steinways play beautiful music

The Augusta Golf Association: Decades of passion and support

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 R avity Summer 2015

Kristina Baggott (MBA ’03), Associate VP, Alumni and Donor Engagement, Georgia Regents University, Office of Advancement

GRAVITY MAGAZINE Senior Vice President, Office of Advancement Susan Barcus Vice President, Division of Communications and Marketing Jack Evans Executive Editor Kristina Baggott Senior Editor Karen Gutmann Alumni Affairs Liaisons Rhonda Banks, Susan Everitt Art Director Tricia Perea Senior Photographer Phil Jones Additional Photography Credits Anthony Carlie, Annette Drowlette, Matt Lindler, David Russell, Paula Toole, The Weather Channel, Weatherpix.com 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 Associate Vice President, Alumni and Donor Engagement Kristina Baggott kbaggott@gru.edu Senior Director, Alumni Affairs Scott Henson shenson@gru.edu Director, Alumni Affairs Susan Everitt slandretheverit@gru.edu MCG Alumni Affairs Coordinator Kim Koss kkoss@gru.edu Alumni Affairs Coordinator Cori Robbins crobbins@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.

Summer is a little slower on our campuses, as we take a breath between the hectic end of one school year and the too-soon start of the next. And it’s a great time to sit down with some

take in and educate children whose parents

of GRavity to read about our friends

AIDS crisis. From tragedy and desolation,

refreshing iced tea and our summer issue and colleagues.

In April, “all roads led to home” for more

than 1,200 Alumni Weekend attendees from

were among the many victims of the HIV/

they created an inspiring story of love, hope, and opportunity (p. 6).

And in our cover story on page 12

all of our colleges and schools. Alumni and

you’ll learn about love of another kind — a

including class reunions, lectures, discovery

music faculty and students have discovered

guests enjoyed 52 events over four days, sessions, and so much more.

During the weekend, we were excited

and proud to recognize our Distinguished Alumni and our second class of Jag20

honorees, a stellar group of emerging, young leaders whom you can learn more about on

love for musical excellence that GRU’s

through the recent acquisition of a beautiful Steinway Grand.

Hope you enjoy, and wishing you and

yours a slow-and-easy summer of family, friends, and fun!

pages 29-33.

Thanks to so many of you who let us know

how much you enjoyed the weekend, and please turn to page 34 for more details and photos.

This issue’s alumni stories truly showcase

the incredible range of opportunities open

to people who graduate from our university. Alana Moton Leverette earned a degree in psychology — and found her way to her

dream job as Senior Marketing Director at The Weather Channel. She gives us

a fascinating look behind the scenes at the station “where the world gets its weather” (p. 18).

On the other side of that world, Drs. Bo

and Ruby Cheves are changing lives in the southern African nation of Zambia, where 13 years ago they started an orphanage to

GRU Jazz Ensemble opens the Alumni Weekend Signature event.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

MAY

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS MARCH 20 Match Day Featured on the inside front cover. MARCH 28 Undergraduate Preview Day Nearly 180 high school juniors and seniors descended on the Summerville Campus for a day of fun and exploration to learn more about GRU educational opportunities.

MARCH

G R av ity Summer 2015

MAY 8 Commencement The GRU Alumni Association welcomed a new class of graduates into the alumni family. 3

OCT

G EO R G I A R EG ENTS UN I V E R S I T Y

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

grualumni.com

SEPT. 15 Business After Hours Come network with fellow alums and community professionals at this annual event hosted in partnership with the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce. J. Fleming Norvell Golf House at Christenberry Field House. 5:30-7 p.m. SEPT. 24 Grub for GRU Support GRU by eating at participating CSRA restaurants. Visit giving.gru.edu for locations. OCT. 9 IGRU Alumni Barbecue Celebrate the finale of the IGRU fundraising campaign at the D. Douglas Barnard Jr. Amphitheatre on the Summerville Campus. 5:30-8 p.m.

SEPT

24 OCT

OCT. 10 Jaguar Jaunt Race, run, or walk this fun 5k to raise money for student programs at GRU; begins at the Maxwell House (corner of Katherine and McDowell streets on the Summerville Campus). Registration 7 a.m.; Race 8 a.m.

NOV

G R av i t y S umme r 2 01 5

Gloria, one of the orphanageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first residents, puts the finishing touch on the Global Samaritan sign.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE

One Child at a

Time

In one of about 30 cots tightly positioned in two rows in the Zimba Mission Hospital women’s ward, a young woman lay suffering from HIV.

A medical clinic in a Baptist church in the Zambian bush.

There was no privacy; not even a curtain hung between cots to separate patients. The patient’s mother sat by her bedside and listened as a nurse translated Dr. Ruby Cheves’ fateful words into the Tonga language: “Your daughter is dying.” The older woman did not cry as one would expect a mother to do upon hearing this news. She seemed sad, but not surprised. She had been through this before; this was her fifth child to die of HIV. Each time, the woman inherited the deceased’s children. She was now caring for 25 or 26 grandchildren on her own and wondered how she would feed them all. Today Ruby, an OB-GYN, and her husband, Dr. Bo Cheves (MCG, ’85), a general surgeon, recall that day on the women’s ward as the impetus that would change not only their lives, but also the lives of at least 60 Zambian children.

Written by Paula Hinely

Continued on next page

Continued on next page G R av i ty Summer 201 5

A line forms for medical services at another clinic, many of which can be difficult to reach.

ON A MISSION As medical missionaries, the Cheves learned how to make do with less. From 1998 to 2000, they served as the only physicians in the 100-bed Zimba Mission Hospital, a Christian hospital that seeks to heal the spirit while healing the body. They worked in conditions that most Americans could not fathom. “The hospital had no electricity,” said Bo, nonchalantly. “You can do surgery without it; it’s just harder. You tie blood vessels instead of cauterize them, and there’s no laparoscopic surgery, so more patients are open. But, that’s ok. It gets it done.” In addition to their daily medical tasks, the Cheves helped with hospital improvements. Along with Rotary International, they built the hospital’s two 10,000-liter water tanks and dug a well to fill them. They helped install toilets, showers, and sinks and built a

laundry facility with a nonelectric washing machine so that hospital linens no longer needed to be washed by hand. They taught local health care workers to make IV fluids using distilled water and a 50-pound bag of medical salt. They also addressed the Zambian people’s spiritual needs. Every Sunday, they attended church. Every Thursday after work, the Cheves loaded their vehicle with a generator, a projector, and a copy of the “JESUS” film and headed to one of the many soccer fields nearby. With a sheet tied to the soccer goal as their screen, they showed the 1979 movie dubbed in one of Zambia’s 72 native languages to share the life of Jesus with the locals. “It was the highlight of our week,” Bo said. After two years living and working in the poverty-stricken country, Bo and Ruby thought their mission was complete. They made plans to return home to their Greensboro, Georgia, practices in June 2000. But two or three months before moving home, Ruby met the woman raising dozens of grandchildren, and a new mission was sparked. GLOBAL SAMARITANS That evening, Ruby shared her story with Bo, and the couple started thinking and praying about the bigger issue. They knew G EO R G I A R EG ENTS UN I V E R S I T Y

that this woman’s situation was not an isolated occurrence in Zambia, a country where infectious diseases, especially HIV/ AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, are rampant. Life expectancy at birth is less than 52 years, and countless children are orphaned. Within a week or two, the Cheves decided to start an orphanage and began planning before their June move. “There’s never anything easy in a third world country,” Ruby said of establishing Global Samaritans, their nondenominational organization and children’s home. They faced many hurdles, including finding and obtaining land, hiring locals to run the orphanage and its school, raising money to fund it, and gaining the trust of the Zambian government while getting them on board with the organization’s vision. That vision is threefold: to raise productive, Christian children to be the future of Zambia, to assist local churches and pastors, and to give Americans a service opportunity through mission trips. “That first night 15 years ago when we talked about it, I think God gave us those three purposes, and they haven’t changed at all,” said Bo. Throughout 2001, the Cheves and teams of volunteers began to build the orphanage on land in Senkobo, Zambia, about 15 miles from Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The first buildings erected were a duplex to house the initial 16 children and a guesthouse to board the volunteers helping with construction. The Cheves designed the orphanage to operate using a houseparent system. “We build a home, hire a widow to put in charge of it, and gradually give her eight girls,” Bo said. “Then we take another home, hire another widow, and gradually give her eight boys. They become families.” CREATING NEW LIVES The Global Samaritans children’s home welcomed its first five girls – Nonoka, Mwape, Manasse, Olivia, and Gloria in March 2002. Since then, the orphanage has flourished, now providing a home to about 60 children, who are typically between 6 and 10 years old when they arrive. Most are brought by hospitals, churches, or the country’s child welfare department. Some children have lived such a hard life that they seek out an orphanage themselves. “These kids aren’t looking to be adopted, because the bottom line is Zambia is not a place where international adoption is very common,” Ruby said. “But we’re raising them to make an impact there, and we’re hoping to produce future leaders of their country.” When they arrive at Global Samaritans, most of the children are timid and shy, many not knowing English or never having seen or used a flushing toilet. They come from nearby bush

villages, where subsistence farming is all they’ve ever known. They’re also far behind in their education. Cash is scarce, so most villagers don’t have the money to pay for the required uniforms and school fees. According to Bo, children who don’t live in an orphanage frequently drop out of school after sixth or seventh grade, if they get to go at all. The Cheves are determined to improve the outcomes for these children. In addition to Global Samaritans’ wonderful

Students Mwape, Jenny, and Roma (top) begin their first semester in college. Lot and Gloria (below), brother and sister, are now attending medical school.

Continued on next page G R av i t y S umme r 2 01 5

Global Samaritans’ church and library building.

teachers, the school has its own library, computers, and iPads, which all play a big part in the children becoming fluent in English by age 14 to 16. Their kids consistently rank at the top on the required nationwide exam given after seventh grade. Bo proudly recalled two great success stories: Gloria, one of the first girls in the orphanage, and her younger brother, Lot, who each scored the highest in the country when they took their tests. They’ve since graduated, and both are in school studying medicine. If not given the opportunity to live and thrive at Global Samaritans, these same children may have continued living in a grassroofed mud hut in a bush village, farming to feed their families, and continuing the cycle of poverty. Thankfully, they now have options. Three classes have graduated since the founding of Global Samaritans, and many

of the 20 graduates have gone on to medical, nursing, and technical schools or have found jobs in the nearby tourism industry. “After they graduate, the kids keep coming back [to the orphanage]. It’s their home, and it’s all they’ve ever known,” Bo said. In fact, they recently built a big building for their graduates to stay in when they come home during school or work holidays. “We feel like we have 60 kids in addition to our own. They call us Uncle Bo and Aunt Ruby.” While the Cheves have kept their roots in Georgia since leaving Zambia in 2000, they oversee Global Samaritans from home and are in regular contact with the orphanage. “We feel fortunate to have good people over there running it,” said Ruby, who now practices in Athens, Georgia, and teaches third-year medical students at MCG. The couple also goes back for several weeks a year to check on “their kids” and take mission teams from around the U.S. to drill wells, run vacation Bible schools or pastor conferences, and provide medical care. “We could never do what we do without the money and time people give to sponsor the children or get on a plane and go over there,” Bo said. He and Ruby are proud of the impact Global Samaritans has made but insist it’s a team effort. “It’s a big success, but it’s other people and God who help do the work.” n

ZAMBIA BY THE NUMBERS

14.6M Population as of July 2014

46.2% Under 14 years old

5.3% 55 years or older

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U N I VERSI T Y

Cheves Facts • Bo graduated from GRU Medical College of Georgia in 1985 and is a general surgeon with Georgia Regents Medical Associates Lake Oconee Village in Greensboro. Ruby graduated from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport in 1985 and is an OB-GYN for Athens Regional Medical Center. She also teaches thirdyear medical students at the GRU/UGA Medical Partnership. • Bo is a fourth-generation alumnus. He follows in the footsteps of greatgrandfather Dr. G.W. Churchill (1909; then the Medical Department of the University of Georgia), grandfather Dr. Harry Langdon Cheves (’24, the Medical Department of the University of Georgia), and father Dr. Harry Langdon Cheves Jr. (MCG, ’53). Bo’s given name is Harry Langdon Cheves III. • Bo and Ruby met during their

residencies at Greenville Hospital System in South Carolina. The couple worked together for 18 years before Ruby began working in Athens. They have two children, Rebecca and Alex.

12.7%

Adult population with HIV/AIDS

Bo and Ruby Cheves

• In 2012, Ruby was named the National Mother of the Year by American Mothers Inc., a nonprofit group promoting motherhood through educational programs, due to her work with Global Samaritans, career as an OB-GYN, and being a mother of two.

Global Samaritans

For more information on Global Samaritans, visit globalsamaritans.org or call Bo Cheves at 706-338-4222.

• In their spare time, the Cheves work on their home in Union Point, Georgia, named The Corry House at Ogeechee Plantation, which was built in the 1860s and is a popular destination for plantation weddings.

85%

Labor force in Agriculture

60.5%

Living below poverty as of 2010 Information from CIA.gov’s The World Factbook

G R av ity Summer 2015

VIDEO Hear the beautiful tones of GRUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest Steinway at magazines.gru.edu.

G EO R G I A R EG ENTS UN I V E R S I T Y

forLOVE A

EXCELLENCE Bringing Home a Steinway

G R av i t y S umme r 2 01 5

Written by Eric Johnson

Rosalyn Floyd enters the room

with a mixture of excitement and fear. Honestly, the whole process is a little terrifying. Blind dates are never easy, but here in New

York City, it feels like everything is hanging in the balance, and the whole speed-dating structure that follows is so unnatural, it’s intimidating. How do you form an honest, informed opinion from a series of such brief encounters? Can you really build a long-term relationship from so little? But Floyd has come prepared. As difficult and awkward as the process might be, she’s taking it seriously. So much so that she’s brought a folder with her. The papers inside will help keep her evaluations as uniform as possible. After all, she wants applesto-apples comparisons because, when you’re talking long-term relationships and you’ve flown all the way to New York from Augusta, you leave nothing to chance.

After the first four meetings, her anxiety gives way to panic. While none of the meetings has gone poorly, not one has left her in a swoon, either. And isn’t that what’s supposed to happen? Isn’t her pulse supposed to quicken, her heart supposed to race? When the connection is right, aren’t you just supposed to know? And then, when she pulls out the bench and sits down for her fifth and

final introduction, it happens. Her pulse races, her heart pounds — and a pleasant certainty envelops her. That fifth Steinway Concert D — it is, without a doubt, the one. 14

Dr. Rosalyn Floyd

When Floyd, a Professor of Music who teaches piano, speaks about the pianos in her life — and there have been many — it’s not unusual for her to give them human attributes. For example, talking about a renovation of the Fine Arts building, a time when all the pianos were moved out, she sounds almost responsible for whatever indignities her studio piano, a smaller Model M Steinway, was forced to endure. “I don’t know where they moved them, but when my piano came back, it was in G EO R G I A R EG ENTS UN I V E R S I T Y

dire shape, and my pianos are not used to that kind of treatment,” she says. “I almost wanted to apologize to the piano for putting it through that. First, it had to be moved, and then the climate wasn’t what it liked.” Climate is important to pianos of all shapes and sizes, but it’s particularly important to concert-grade instruments, which despite their size, are incredibly delicate and have ridiculously small tolerances. Throw in the fact that so much of it is made of wood, and you’ve got a recipe for a needy and sometimes temperamental investment. A HIGH-STAKES PURCHASE When pianist and public radio personality Christopher O’Riley performed at the Maxwell Theatre in March as part of the Lyceum Series, Georgia Regents University’s benchmark performing arts series, he played the concert on the university’s new piano, one of a pair of 9-foot Steinways the school uses for performances. Floyd was there to see O’Riley, but she was also anxious to hear if the Steinway was up to the job. O’Riley is one of the nation’s top classical pianists, so it’s a little like having a race car driver take your car out for a spin — he can probably get more out of it than you knew was there. “I sat in the back listening to him performing, and the piano just spoke so beautifully in that room,” Floyd says. “I was just thrilled at that.” To say Floyd was relieved would be an understatement, since she and Dr. Martin David Jones, a Professor of Music who teaches piano and is the orchestra director, were pretty much single-handedly responsible for the choice of that particular instrument. At a cost of $117,000, it’s a decision G R av i t y S umme r 2 01 5

that doesn’t come easily, especially when much of the money was provided by donors, including generous contributors to a grassroots “88 Keys” campaign. “It was extremely successful,” Dr. Angela Morgan, Chair of the Department of Music, says of the campaign. “We had this big graph with all the keys of the piano, and we priced each of them differently. The least expensive keys were around $200$300, while the most expensive ones were around $10,000.” That kind of buy-in only made the actual purchase that much more thrilling — and high stakes. “Rosalyn and I were flown up to New York and got to take a tour of the Steinway factory,” Jones says. “It was fascinating to see each step of the manufacturing process, and when we were brought to the testing room, that was really special.” Steinways are made in only two places, Hamburg, Germany, and New York City, and they remain the gold standard for concert pianos. It takes a year for Steinway’s skilled craftspeople to create a piano. They use the same tools, machines, and techniques their 19th-century counterparts did to painstakingly — and lovingly — piece together the 12,000 parts that go into each instrument. “If you’re buying a 9-foot instrument for a concert hall, Steinway is the piano that most artists prefer to play,” Jones says. “… ‘Steinway’ is kind of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.” Continued on next page

Steinway’s skilled craftspeople use the same tools, machines, and techniques their 19th-century counterparts did.

After the tour of the factory, which included lunch, Jones and Floyd were brought to the testing room, where five 7-foot grands and five 9-foot grands were set up for them to choose from. Because they were choosing a piano for the 740-seat Maxwell Theatre, they passed over the Concert Bs and went right for the larger Concert Ds. Steinways come with a specific lettering system: S, M, B, and D. As the story goes, the letters stand for small, medium, big, and damn big. “That’s just the old, old joke,” Floyd says. “Even if it’s not true, it makes for a good story.” With a technician on hand, Floyd and Jones played each of the pianos, taking care to keep the evaluation as controlled as possible. “It wasn’t so much about quality as it was personal taste and trying to decide which would be the best piano for the space we have, because pianos speak differently in different spaces,” Floyd says. A perfect example is the Steinway Harry and Vola Jacobs bought for their home. Harry was the founding Director of the Augusta Symphony, now Symphony Orchestra Augusta, and Vola was a longtime piano teacher on the Summerville Campus. When Floyd went to the Jacobs’ home to play the 9-foot 16

European Steinway, she was surprised to find she didn’t like it, though she was too polite to say so. After Vola Jacobs passed away in 2010, the piano went to Reed Memorial church, and when Floyd attended a piano performance a short time later, she was surprised again — this time she loved it. “It sounded phenomenal,” she says. “In that space, because it’s so much larger and there was more resonance in that particular place, it just sounded great.” So with space in mind, Floyd and Jones went from piano to piano, playing their individual choice of music on each one. “It was kind of a Goldilocks thing,” Jones recalls. “This bed is too hard; this one is too soft.” As luck would have it, the one that seemed just right to Floyd was the last one she played. “That piano was just so gorgeous,” she remembers. “I was sitting there playing it, thinking ‘Hmm — I hope Martin likes this one, because this is the one we’re taking home.’” Jones, it turns out, felt the same way. “The first four were all good 9-foot Steinways, but the fifth one we clearly thought was the best,” he says. “And since it’s been brought down here and played — I’ve played recitals on it — I think we made a good choice.” THE FIRST STEINWAY Though its life before arriving at then-Augusta College is unclear, GRU’s older 9-foot Concert D dates from the high-quality period around WWII. “The Steinways that were pre-war almost always have great quality,” says Floyd. “There was a time when CBS owned Steinway for a hot second as the kids say, but the ones that came out of that era were never as good as the pre-war ones.” Such luminaries as Richard Cass, John Browning, and Claude Frank played on that piano, though when Floyd arrived in 1988, it was in a classroom. “I couldn’t understand why it was in a classroom, but I didn’t question it because it meant every musical example I played was going to be just wonderful,” she says. “It had a beautiful sound.” Not everyone was a fan. A visiting pianist came in as part of the Jacobs Concert Series and complained about it.

G EO R G I A R EG ENTS UN I V E R S I T Y

“She basically insulted the old Steinway and said that it wasn’t up to what she was going to play,” Floyd says. “But it was a blessing in disguise, because that’s why we got the new one. If that kind of thing was going to happen, we needed to have a piano we could use.” Ultimately, Floyd says they put more than $22,000 into the old Steinway, basically gutting it, and when it came back, it sounded wonderful. The rebuilding process is expensive and drastic, but luckily the GRU pianos don’t suffer the same abuse experienced by those in larger organizations. At the Atlanta Symphony, for example, visiting artists can be pretty hard on pianos. “We’re talking the best artists in the world, and they play very big because they’re in a big hall,” Jones says. “They play loud, and they play big. And those instruments get beat up pretty hard. They don’t last more than a couple of years before they need a rebuild.” Without that kind of use, Jones says he hopes to get a decade or so before they have to do any major work, though even the preventive maintenance can be costly. “This department just doesn’t have the money to do the kind of maintenance that should be done,” Floyd says. “If all things were equal and we had the money, we’d have a resident technician, but we don’t; so basically we get all the pianos tuned twice a year.” The exception would be the two Concert Ds, which get tuned before recitals. A NEW HOME Though they always coveted a climatecontrolled room for the two Steinways, the need became especially evident when the boiler went down during a January cold snap a few years ago. “You could hang meat in both of those buildings,” Morgan says. “We had one of our cellos crack, and the pianos got so out of tune.” Even without acts of God like the malfunctioning boiler, the pianos always presented a difficult tradeoff for the Maxwell Theatre — keep the venue at a constant temperature and humidity level, which is a costly proposition, especially in the summers, or allow the pianos to suffer from the extreme fluctuations. That’s why Morgan fought for funding for a climate-controlled room, which was completed last summer at a cost of $27,000. Located in the basement just G R av i t y S umme r 2 01 5

a short elevator ride from the stage, it is tightly sealed and has its own dedicated HVAC system to keep the humidity and temperatures steady. “If you’re going to get that kind of instrument, then investing in taking care of it is a good idea,” Jones says. Floyd agrees. “I don’t know about the medical side of the university, but I would bet my bottom dollar that with the exception of maybe a mainframe computer, these pianos are the most expensive things on campus,” she says. n

Dr. Martin Jones Martin Jones

TAKING HER

WORLD

BY STORM

Behind the Scenes at The Weather Channel with Alumnus Alana Leverette Written by Danielle Wong Moores

Motorists attempt to flee the 2.6-mile monster that hit El Reno, Oklahoma, on May 31, 2013.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

MAY 31, 2013 — The Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Bettes and his crew were in El Reno, Oklahoma, chasing an EF-5 monster tornado, when it unexpectedly turned and headed right for them. And “monster” doesn’t do it justice. With wind speeds estimated at 296 mph — just shy of the world-record 301-mph tornado that hit nearby Bridge Creek-Moore in 1999 — and the widest tornado ever observed in the U.S. at 2.6 miles wide, this was a truly terrifying storm. Within seconds, the full fury of the twister was upon them, tossing their Tahoe through the air. When it hit the ground 200 yards away, the seat-belted crew had miraculously sustained injuries they could walk away from. Others were not so fortunate, including a three-member veteran storm-chasing team from the Discovery Channel, who were among 18 who lost their lives that day. Such accidents are extremely rare among the professionals who work every day to prepare and protect the rest of us, but the hazards of covering the worst Mother Nature has to offer are very real. IN THE STUDIO Like the rest of The Weather Channel team in Atlanta, senior marketing director Alana Moton Leverette (BS, Psychology ’98) was watching the live coverage unfold as Bettes’ shaky voice said, “Our worst nightmare — we were hit by the tornado … I’ve got to tell you, my life flashed before my eyes … Everyone in our vehicle is OK, [but] our vehicle is about pancake flat.” In the studio, there were gasps of “Oh, my God!” “Having a personal connection to someone who lived through that type of severe weather gave me a whole new appreciation for what they do every day to bring the weather to our customers,” said Leverette. “It shows you how powerful the weather is and how much passion these guys have for what they do every day.” Continued on next page

G R avity Summer 2015

and some of the smartest people she’s ever met. “Talk about a pivot in my career,” said Leverette, who originally planned to be a school counselor and middle school cheerleading coach. “I’m a social sciences major. What am I doing in here with all these brainiacs?” But Leverette fell in love with telecommunications and marketing when she took an administrative job in the cable industry, and she hasn’t looked back. And while she fell into her job at The Weather Channel by happenstance while following one of her mentors, it’s become her dream position.

Alana Leverette with meteorologist Jim Cantore (top) in the studio. Meteorologist Mike Bettes (below) with TWC’s current stormchasing vehicle.

Leverette’s job is to make sure the popular channel is widely broadcast when and where viewers need it. And in the midst of tornado season, visiting family in Florida, and juggling a two-year-old, days working in her car during her Atlanta commutes aren’t uncommon. When she gets to work, it’s at The Weather Channel’s modern eight-story building in north Atlanta. Even for Leverette, who has been with the station since 2012, knowing nationally recognized personalities like Sam Champion or Jim Cantore are just downstairs in the firstfloor live studio still feels a little surreal. Leverette describes her colleagues as amazing, passionate, down-to-earth —

PREPARE AND PROTECT During Superstorm Sandy, Leverette recalls that senior meteorologist Stu Ostro, who consults with the U.S. military on weather patterns to prepare troops for deployment, blogged about where the storm was likely to hit. “One of his colleagues or friends growing up read his article, and she left, and her family was safe, [even though] her home was destroyed,” said Leverette. “He literally gave this really great warning to tell people this is happening. Then, full circle, someone reached out to him and said, ‘You saved my family.’” Leverette had her own up-close and personal experience of a high-stakes weather situation during last year’s Atlanta ice storm. TWC was predicting that the wet snow would soon turn to ice, but it couldn’t predict how city officials would respond. Like thousands of Atlantans, Leverette left work early and found herself stuck in gridlock for hours. “It took me nine hours to get home,” she said, finally reaching her husband and toddler son by midnight. But thanks to The Weather Channel’s emphasis on emergency preparedness, she was better prepared than many of those camped out on Atlanta’s highways. Not only had Leverette made sure to gas up as she was leaving the office, but her phone was charged, and she had snacks and water in her car. So her ice storm story involved a cozy few hours checking up on family and friends, with plenty of heat and food and water. COOL PLACE TO WORK Leverette’s co-worker, on-air personality Alex Wilson, was at home during the ice storm. Her shift had ended at 10 a.m., and after a quick run to the grocery store, she saw cars starting to get stuck behind her house on Powers Ferry Road. The next morning, she was supposed to fly out to cover the Superbowl, but when the roads were still closed, she called in to see if the station needed help. She walked the two miles to work, meeting up with Mike Bettes on the way. At the station, a shell group was still on air, having slept at the station overnight. Wilson pulled her high heels out of her backpack, did her own makeup, and for the next six hours, pitched in. “It was quite an event — a perfect G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Outside The Weather Channel’s north Atlanta studio.

series of events and conditions that led to a huge mess for a couple of days,” she said. Wilson agrees that working at The Weather Channel has been a dream. “It’s as cool of a place to work as you would imagine,” said Wilson. “You can’t beat the group of people that we have. Not only are they the smartest and brightest people I know in the field of weather, but … they’re the hardest workers; they’re the most passionate … and compassionate people.” It can be gratifying: During tornado season, the station regularly shares safety information with viewers on what to do should a twister strike in their area. When straight-line winds began to threaten severe weather in one viewer’s area, the gym owner followed TWC’s advice, grabbed a radio so she could stay posted on what was going on, and took her 60 students into the basement to ride it out. Wilson spoke to her after the bad weather was over. “She said, ‘I always hear from you and other media to stay weather aware and know what’s going on. I knew the basement was the place to be, and I had that severe weather plan ready.’” Wilson’s first role at TWC was in 2013 as a co-anchor with Jim Cantore on “Weather Center Live.” Like Leverette, she admits that when she first walked in the door, she was star G R avity Summer 2015

struck. “But they’re [all] really the same on TV as they are in person,” she said. “There’s no showbiz to them.” Still, it’s a little unbelievable to share ice cream with severe weather expert Dr. Greg Forbes, who always gets ice cream instead of cake for his birthday. Or to go out to that first after-work birthday dinner at a Mexican restaurant and see Jim Cantore stride in wearing jeans, said Wilson with a laugh. Leverette traveled to New York City with Sam Champion for a TWC fan meet-and-greet and, on another occasion, with Jim Cantore to a school assembly. The veteran meteorologist was to teach middle schoolers what to do in the event of a weather emergency. He bounded on stage in Doppler radar sneakers — and the crowd went wild. “He wears these sneakers, and they think he’s the coolest thing ever,” recalled Leverette. “That’s what I love about these guys: They want to make [science] cool and hip and relatable and fun.” That infectious spirit is partly what keeps the staff going, especially during often hectic days and nights when there’s breaking weather news — along with plenty of chocolate and what employees fondly call “preemption pizza.” The fast-paced world of cable television is a far cry from where she thought life would take her, and Leverette couldn’t be happier about it. n 21

JOIN THE MOVEMENT IGRU (I’m giving. Are you?), the campaign to support GRU and GRHealth, was a huge success in its first year. We need your help to continue raising the bar to ensure our great progress continues. Every dollar counts, and even the smallest donation can help change the life of a student or patient. Through IGRU, you can direct gifts to any of the nine GRU colleges, our regional campuses, athletics, health system, the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, or any other program you wish to support.

2015

Attending events is a great way to show your support of GRU and GRHealth.

SAVE THE DATE GRUB FOR GRU

SEPTEMBER

MUSIC GALA CONCERT

OCTOBER

RUSSELL BLANCHARD LECTURE SERIES

OCTOBER

GRU ALUMNI BARBECUE & CELEBRATION

OCTOBER

JAGUAR JAUNT

OCTOBER

Give online today at

giving.gru.edu/IGRU

“Our motive was a desire and commitment to continue supporting junior golf and college golf at Augusta State.” – Don Grantham

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

{ } GOLF THE AUGUSTA

Decades of Passion

and Support to Build Jaguar Athletics Written by Karen Gutmann

ASSOCIATION and

THE

UNIVERSITY

It’s a gorgeous spring morning in Augusta,

Georgia. Vivid blue skies, marshmallow clouds, grass as green as an Irish glen. At 8 in the morning, the air is just this side of cool. It’s enough to send even the most casual golfer straight to the nearest course. And on this glorious day just a couple of weeks past the famed Masters Golf Tournament, the Forest Hills Golf Club is humming. A convivial group of about 40 senior golfers are gearing up for their standing Wednesday morning game. Most are members of clubs from around the area, but they choose Forest Hills for its pristine greens, first-rate facilities — and the way the place makes them feel. It’s golf heaven. Yet if it weren’t for the passion, tenacity, and resourcefulness of a group of local community and business leaders — all members of the Augusta Golf Association —the Forest Hills Golf Course might be only a distant memory. And the university’s Division I Championship-caliber golf program may well have remained an unlikely dream. EARLY DAYS Founded in 1949, the Augusta Golf Association began as a social organization centered on the love of the game and comprised of members of the Augusta Country Club. Charter members included prominent local businessmen and civic leaders. Most were good friends, and many were alumni of the Academy of Richmond County, Augusta Junior College — or both — so they’d known each other for years. Most started young in the sport, so AGA members were, from the beginning, keenly interested in helping aspiring young

golfers to learn the game, and it wasn’t long before their interest and support expanded to college golf. They began by providing scholarships to student players at the Junior College of Augusta, whose team played against other small colleges and prominent high schools in the state. Then Augusta native Carl Sanders, first as a state senator and then as governor, led the junior college to become part of the University System of Georgia under the Board of Regents in 1958 and to become the four-year Augusta College in 1964. Shortly after that, the AGA began working with thenCoach Marvin Vanover to provide funds for the first of many four-year scholarships that would be awarded to promising students and golfers. THE RESCUE By the mid-1970s, the glory days of the Forest Hills Golf Course seemed far behind it. Developed in the 1920s, it’s where golf legend Bobby Jones began his historic 1930 Grand Slam win. Through the ’20s and ’30s, the nation’s richest and most famous golf enthusiasts flocked to the course. In the ’40s, it was turned over to the military, so weary and wounded World War II veterans could grow stronger on its links while convalescing at the Oliver General military hospital. But in 1974, a new course opened at Fort Gordon, and the one at Forest Hills was designated federal government surplus. By 1976, it was a mess. “The grass had grown up; the greens were no good anymore; and nothing was playable,” said Don Grantham,

Third and final article in golf history series Continued on next page G R avity Summer 2015

“

And credit goes to … “You can have the resource, but if you don’t have the know-how to take advantage of it, you won’t get very far.” — DON GRANTHAM, Forest Hills Golf Committee Chairman since 1988.

• RED PRICE, the PGA professional who managed the course from 1980 until his retirement in 2004, is universally recognized as pivotal to the success of the course. “He had a way of taking care of business without upsetting anyone,” said Grantham. “I applaud him in any way I can.” • DARREN DAVENPORT has been the course

superintendent since 2005 and is a big reason FHGC feels like “golf heaven.” “He’s done a tremendous job of keeping the course in such great condition,” Grantham said.

• DAN ELLIOTT, PGA professional and

current General Manager/Director of Golf, and SARAH MOONEY, Head Golf Professional, are continuing the trend of excellence in golf course management that has seen Augusta Magazine readers continually name Forest Hills the best public golf course in Augusta.

Augusta businessman and longtime member of the Augusta Golf Association. But AGA members Grantham, R.O. Barton, Billy Dolan, and Finley Merry saw in the abandoned property the chance to acquire a home course for the fledgling Augusta College golf program and a catalyst to launch it to real success. So they got to work. First, they solicited then-Congressman Doug Barnard to help navigate the red tape required to acquire federal government surplus. They learned federal rules mandate that only a government agency can acquire surplus property of this type — and it has to be used in the same capacity, in this case a golf course, for 30 years into the future. Next, since they couldn’t acquire it directly, they appealed to a local member of the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, Toby Ivey, to help convince the BOR that they wanted an abandoned and decrepit golf course. It was a tough sell. They ultimately agreed that if the AGA could raise the capital to make the extensive improvements needed — estimated at a half-million dollars (or $2.1 million today) — the BOR would be the conduit for taking possession and would turn it over for use by the Augusta College Athletic Association (ACAA) to be managed by the AGA. They called a meeting of the AGA membership and laid it out: They needed each of the 100 or so members to sign a personal note to C&S Bank, pledging at least $500 in order to secure the line of credit needed to get started. Nobody hesitated. Thus, in December 1978, the federal government transferred the property to the BOR, and the AGA and the ACAA entered into an agreement for the AGA to manage and operate the course for payment of one dollar per year. Today the AGA manages the golf course in conjunction with the university and the Augusta State University Foundation.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Bobby Jones (top) meets with golfers at Forest Hills in this undated photo.

THE LEGACY From the beginning, the AGA determined that any proceeds from the operation of the golf course would be given back to the college’s athletics program, with a focus on golf. In the second year of operation, they broke even, and in year three, they gave the athletic association just under $10,000 — the first of many gifts that would, by 2001, total more than $4 million. The funds are just the beginning of AGA member contributions to the university’s golf program over the decades. Individual members take every opportunity they can to share the course and its mission with other golf enthusiasts — and being located in “the golf capital of the world” hasn’t hurt. Each spring, the AGA sponsors the Collegiate Invitational, which brings enthusiasts from around the U.S. in town for the Masters to visit or play the course, often including golf greats who participated in the Invitational while college students — such as Phil Michelson, Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, Dustin Johnson, and more. Though he lived more than a thousand miles away in Texas, one such guest, J. Neal Garland, was inspired to make donations toward the start of the women’s golf program at the university. Over years, Mr. Garland contributed more than $100,000 toward the golf program. And AGA eﬀorts have met with resounding success. Dolan was the Forest Hills Golf Committee’s first Chairman, and from the moment the course was conceived until his death in 1988, he dreamt of fielding a Division I championship team out of Augusta. His dream — and the dream of so many AGA members — came true with back-to-back Division I title wins in 2010 and 2011. It’s no stretch to draw a direct line from the AGA investment in the Forest Hills Golf Course to the worldclass golf program that exists at Georgia Regents University Augusta today. ■

In the 1940s, wounded veterans (below) could play the course during their convalescence.

G R avity Summer 2015

2015 JAG20

EMERGING ALUMNI LEADERS

nnovative, creative, thorough,

productive, energetic, professional, compassionate, selfless … these

are only a few of the glowing descriptors

nominators used to characterize our 2015 Jag20 honorees.

This year, we were again challenged

to select only 20 from the impressive

group of enthusiastic nominations we

received. But this year’s Jag20 selectees are certainly deserving of the honor. We asked them some questions to

get to know them better: What would

surprise people about you? What would

you tell a prospective student about your alma mater? Can you share a story from your time on campus? What surprises

you most about how your life is turning

out? If you were a superhero, what powers would you choose?

In the next pages, we share some of

their answers and give you a snapshot

of this year’s best-of-the-best … GRU’s emerging alumni leaders.

NOMINATE honorees for 2016! Tell us about an emerging alumni leader under 40 at grualumni.com/Jag20.

G R avity Summer 2015

SCOTT ARGO

HANNAH BERIAULT

ALLISON BUCHANAN

Interim Director of Academic Admissions Augusta, Georgia

Instructor Augusta, Georgia

Radiologist, Assistant Professor Augusta, Georgia

People would be surprised to know … “I consider myself a human GPS. Seriously! I can go somewhere only once and remember the directions or places of interest years later.”

Alma mater matters … “While on vacation almost 1,000 miles from Augusta, we randomly met someone in our field. They voiced how prestigious our program at GRU is, and it made me immensely proud.”

People would be surprised to know … “I was captain of my college soccer team.”

AMY HORNE

NINA KRIMSHTEIN

Accounting Manager Evans, Georgia

Physician Atlanta, Georgia

People would be surprised to know … “I’ve known my husband since we were in third grade. We were in school together and started dating in the 10th grade.”

People would be surprised to know … “I don’t think my med school friends would be surprised, but I’m the family champion of Just Dance on Wii.”

BA, Communications ’04; MPA ’08

BS, Respiratory Therapy ’05

SUPER POWER WISHES

BBA, Accounting ’97

Fly/defy gravity

DMD ’05

MD ’04

Manipulate time/ travel/speed X-ray vision Read minds Extra arms Function on no sleep Speak/understand all languages Be Batman Be Ironman

FACULTY HEROES hen asked for their best experiences at the university, 15 of 20 Jag20 honorees talked about our terrific faculty, using superlatives like “the best professors around” and “the greatest faculty any institution could possibly have.” Kudos to our entire faculty and to those who were called out by name:

KATHLEEN MCKIE MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, MCG “On the day of my formal interview at GRU, I was fortunate to be interviewed by Dr. Kathleen McKie, and I feel as though she became my advocate from then forward. … from the moment my medical school interview began, through the years in the classroom and student rotations, and into the application process for residency programs (and even now), I feel as though Dr. McKie was looking out for me.” –Shared by Donald Loebl G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

CATHLEEN CALDWELL

GRAEME CONNOLLY

THOMAS CULLEN

Associate VP of Marketing Augusta, Georgia

Associate Professor Augusta, Georgia

Postdoctoral Fellow New Haven, Connecticut

Alma mater matters … “I value the experiences I was able to have at a smaller institution. You can choose to be as involved as you want to be.”

Alma mater matters … “GRU has the feel of your favorite small hometown hangout combined with top-tier teaching and research associated with a large-scale operation.”

People would be surprised to know … “I enjoy collecting exotic plants and have an entire room dedicated to this collection — at last count 188 individual plants.”

DONALD LOEBL

WENDY MADKAN

BA, Communications ’00

MD ’03

MEd, Health and Physical Education ’00

BS, Medical Laboratory Science ’06

MD ’04

9 OUT OF 20 WISH THEY COULD

MANIPULATE TIME, TRAVEL, OR SPEED

Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician Augusta, Georgia

Dermatology Clinical Instructor Los Angeles, California

People would be surprised to know … “I taught science in high school for one year before going to medical school.”

Alma mater matters … “I would tell a student considering GRU to notice the warmth of the people who attend, work, and volunteer at the institution.”

DR. RICHARD HARRISON EdD, former Dean of the College of Education

G R avity Summer 2015

tions rook l Rushb Michae

Continued on next page

Illustra

“In 2000, I was at a crossroads in my personal and professional life and if it were not for Dr. Richard Harrison … believing in me and taking a chance by offering me a part-time position in the department, who knows how my life would have turned out!” –Shared by Graeme Connolly

AMBER MCCALL

KARA MOORE

BRANDY QUARLES

Assistant Professor Augusta, Georgia

Doctor of Dental Medicine and Owner Gray, Georgia

Research Associate in Neurology Augusta, Georgia

People would be surprised to know … “My favorite ‘adult beverage’ is Coke Zero, and my greatest fear includes octopi – it’s the suckers that really freak me out!”

People would be surprised to know … “I am the most competitive person you have ever met. Whether it is school, sports or tic-tac-toe, I fight to the death!”

People would be surprised to know … “I was almost killed in a car wreck in 2003. The doctors said, ‘It will be a miracle from God if she ever wiggles a toe again.’”

RHODA SWORD

LAUREN WIEME

Assistant Professor Augusta, Georgia

Physician Assistant Internal Medicine Evans, Georgia

Alma mater matters … “Having amazing classmates and faculty who made learning together meaningful, which culminated in a well-respected dental degree, was a beautiful thing.”

Alma mater matters … “I am thankful that GRU values opportunities like … serving on a medical mission’s trip with classmates in Monterrey, Mexico … [and considers it] a vital part of training.”

BS, Nursing ’05; PhD, Nursing ’11; Nurse Practitioner Certification ’12

SUPER POWER WISHES Fly/defy gravity

DMD ’05

DMD ’03

BS, Biology ’10

MPA ’08

Manipulate time/ travel/speed X-ray vision Read minds Extra arms Function on no sleep Speak/understand all languages Be Batman Be Ironman

PETER BASCIANO

BONNIE DADIG

PhD, Associate Professor, Hull College of Business

EdD, Chair, Physician Assistant Program

“When I was beginning to work on my finance major, I had to get at least a B in my advanced corporate finance class before I could take any of my other classes. Dr. Basciano was more than willing to help me almost every day after class. … I got my B in what turned out to be the toughest class of my college career and learned that hard work always pays off.” –Shared by Kyle Scott

“Never in a million years did I see myself teaching PA students, but this surprise has been a huge blessing in my life. The chair of our department, Bonnie Dadig, saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. She believed that I had the knowledge and ability to teach at a graduate level. I have been on faculty now for three years, and I have learned so much.” –Shared by Stevie Redmond

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

STEVIE REDMOND

CYNTHIA RHODES

KYLE SCOTT

Assistant Professor Augusta, Georgia

Owner/Managing Real Estate Broker Augusta, Georgia

Financial Services Representative Augusta, Georgia

People would be surprised to know … “I earned 10 varsity letters in high school, playing a combination of volleyball, basketball, tennis, and soccer.”

People would be surprised to know … “I’m an avid watcher of ‘The Donna Reed Show’ and a sucker for the 1971 version of ‘Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’!”

People would be surprised to know … I cry at the end of ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Rudy’ every single time, even though I have seen both movies 100 times.”

TOM WIEME

MARK WITCHER

MPA ’10

MPA ’08

BA, Political Science ’03

BBA, Finance ’03

MD ’09

25% Physician Assistant Family Medicine Augusta, Georgia

Chief Resident, Neurosurgery Winston-Salem, North Carolina

What surprises me about my life … “That I — a Northerner — moved to the South to study and practice medicine. I’m humbled and thankful for God’s good plans!”

People would be surprised to know … “My wife and I have been blessed with six wonderful children.”

WISH THEY COULD

FLY/DEFY GRAVITY

DONNA WEAR PhD, Professor, College of Science and Mathematics “Because my 18-month-old had an ear infection, her daycare sent her home, so I tried to sneak her into class. I was certain Dr. Wear would not approve, but I planned to exit quickly if she made any fuss. … I kept her really quiet with strawberries and grapes. Dr. Wear walked around to where I was (back of the class by the door) and looked at us for a moment, … so I held my bowl of fruit up to her. She grabbed a couple strawberries and proceeded with the lecture. She actually cared that I was trying and didn’t try to make things more diﬃcult for me.” –Shared by Brandy Quarles G R avity Summer 2015

ALUMNI WEEKEND IN REVIEW Presented by

April 23-26, 2015

Written by

Karen Gutmann

College of Nursing celebrations included “A Night on the Canal.”

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Gene Kranz looks on as Captain Jim Lovell enthralls the audience at the weekend’s Signature Event.

“All roads led to home” for thousands of alumni during our fun and informative 2015 Alumni Weekend held in April. Some of those roads were long: Our Signature Event speakers, Jim Lovell and Gene Kranz, travelled 238,900 miles — to the moon and back! And we were so grateful that Dr. Nita Wiggins (Communications ’86) traveled from her home in Paris, France, to give our Jag20 keynote address. Over the four-day weekend, 52 events were held in 17 locations across our campuses. Reunion events were held for classes spanning from 1945 through 2015 — 70 years! Seven “discovery sessions” entertained and informed on subjects ranging from the history of Summerville to the world economy to cyber-physical systems. And audience members were thrilled to be in the presence of history as Lovell and Kranz told the fascinating story of the doomed Apollo 13 flight. They kept more than 500 listeners on the edge of their seats — even though everyone knew the ending. Please enjoy these photos from the weekend. n Don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year:

APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2016.

Dr. Lois Ellison introduces Friday’s Ellison Lectureship program speaker.

The Art Hardy Memorial Golf Tournament beneﬁtted GRU respiratory therapy student scholarships.

G R avity Summer 2015

Printmaking 101 was one of many Discovery Sessions enjoyed over the weekend.

ALUMNI ADVOCACY

Successes Impress During Third-Annual Congressional Fly-in From cybersecurity to cadaver labs to a new home-awayfrom-home for families of young patients, the items on the agenda for the third-annual Congressional Fly-in spectacularly showcased the great things happening at GRU. In early April, GRU’s Government and Community Affairs Office hosted 17 health and education policy staffers from Georgia’s Congressional delegation for a 24-hour whirlwind tour of our university and health system. The visit was bookended by a warm welcome and institutional overview from Provost Gretchen Caughman and a

Written by

Karen Gutmann

presentation by MCG Dean Peter Buckley on graduate medical education and the importance of growing residency slots to serve Georgia’s health care needs. “The Congressional Fly-in gives GRU a chance to underscore the importance of the work being done on our campus,” said Caughman. “As an educational institution, we want the Georgia delegation and staff to have a deeper understanding of GRU’s contributions to the state of Georgia and the region.” Our guests couldn’t help but be impressed with the state-ofthe-art educational facilities at the new J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons. Opportunities for hands-on exploration of the simulation, dental, and cadaver labs gave them a taste of the rich and interactive experience afforded today’s GRU medical and dental students. Joanne Sexton, Director for GRU’s Cyber Security Educational Initiatives, described progress in the development of GRU’s cybersecurity program, part of our commitment to help build the cyber security education programs of tomorrow. They also toured the new Ronald McDonald House. Located adjacent to

caption

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

We are proud to showcase the great work of Georgia’s newest R-1 research university and hope to continue in years to come.

–Provost Gretchen Caughman

the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, it is seven times the size of its predecessor in downtown Augusta and has 22 bedrooms with private baths, a playroom especially for children with suppressed immune systems, a large family kitchen, and a living room for family activities. “This annual visit provides attendees a personal and up-close view of an academic health center in full motion, knowledge we hope will be helpful when making policy decisions back in Washington,” said Caughman. n

G R avity Summer 2015

GROWING GRU

Study Abroad: Empowering Students in a Shrinking World

Written by

Karen Gutmann

current economic, social, political, and cultural changes in the country and — more importantly — to experience them firsthand. “Havana is full of old cars, just like you would expect,” said Richardson. But she was also struck by the omnipresence of government and old Spanish architecture going to crumbling ruin for lack of resources. Bates, a biology major, and Layton, a pre-marketing major, traveled to Costa Rica as part of the First-Year Experience program for freshmen. Bates remarked on the lack of infrastructure compared to home, the lower quality of health care, and the difference in police response. “If there was a crime, the police wouldn’t bother,” she said. “Not like here, where you can count on them to come.” Layton noticed how much simpler they lived compared 2015 Spring Break Odyssey to the U.S. and relished “I was kind of scared going “the chance to experience to Cuba,” said Richardson, an a different culture, food, accounting major in the Hull people, and atmosphere.” College of Business, who Amy Richardson, Jazmine Bates, and Madison Layton. Their instructors helped participated in a spring break them explore issues of study abroad trip to the island nation. With relations only recently thawing, she wasn’t sure how culture and sociology as they stayed overnight with a local family, planted trees to offset their carbon footprint, zip lined welcome a group of American students would be. from a mountain so high they could see both the Caribbean “But they were so welcoming,” she said. “People cried right in and Pacific oceans, hiked the Montverde Cloud Reserve, front of us because they knew it meant change was coming.” and more. Richardson and 15 other students, along with two faculty All three students said that the experience made them members, spent time in the capital city of Havana with a side appreciate the opportunities they have as young Americans. trip to the small town of Viñales, about two-and-a-half hours to And all three expressed deep gratitude for the scholarships that the west. helped them make the trip and expand their horizons. n Various stops on the agenda provided time for discussions on Jazmine Bates, Madison Layton, and Amy Richardson shared their infancy with the World Wide Web. You might say they grew up together. At the time of their birth, only 1 percent of the world’s population had access to the Internet. In the course of their lifetimes, that number has grown to 42 percent, or more than 3 billion worldwide — with nearly a million more connecting each day. Most of our favorite social apps and websites are significantly younger than they are; today’s 20-year-olds can’t even imagine a world unconnected. And that connected world — where information circles the globe at the speed of a tweet —requires a global perspective. A perspective that more and more students are acquiring as they study abroad.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Donors Make a Difference: Brian Marks Over the past five years, 440 scholarships have enabled 320 students to participate in 71 different study abroad programs — thanks to the generosity and vision of just one man. “It’s difficult to exaggerate the enormously positive impact Brian Marks has had on our study abroad programs and these students’ lives,” said Maria Darley, Director of Study Abroad. “Thanks to his kindness and generosity, our students are expanding their education to the world — and enhancing their opportunities to work and contribute when they graduate.” Students participate in fundraising activities — like selling Yankee Candles and holding a raffle — and Marks’ scholarships provide a matching funds incentive. Despite the pressing need for young graduates to adopt a global perspective, only 4 percent of U.S. college students get the chance to study abroad. Marks’ dedication to the GRU Study Abroad Program is keeping its mission alive … impacting, empowering, and enriching students to become global citizens equipped to make a difference in this world. If you’d like to help students experience the world, please contact Wes Zamzow, Director of Development, at 706-721-2699 or email wzamzow@gru.edu.

G R avity Summer 2015

Iconic classic cars (top) in Cuba’s capital, Havana. A picturesque coffee and dessert shop (below) in Havana. Travel photos courtesy of Amy Richardson 39

COLLEGE CATCH-UP

THE HULL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

While most students were relaxing over spring break, 15 Hull College of Business students spent the week studying international business in the communist country of Cuba with Professor Don Howard. The course began with classroom study of international politics, culture, economics, finance, marketing, and management in a global environment. During the travel portion of the program, students visited with University of Havana professors, local business professionals, and entrepreneurs to experience the culture and economy firsthand. The group also traveled to the tobacco-growing region about two hours outside of urban Havana to interact with farmers and small business owners. Next year’s trip will be “Cuba 2016: A New Day Rising!”

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

The Graduate School hosted the 31st-annual Graduate Research Day in March, where graduate students from six GRU colleges, UGA pharmacy students, and residents and fellows from the GRU Department of Internal Medicine presented 99 posters. In addition, there were 23 plenary presentations from MCG postdoctoral fellows. The keynote speaker was Dr. Leroy Hood, one of only 15 members of all three National Academies. Dr. Hood is a systems biologist and researcher who helped pioneer the Human Genome Project and develop automated DNA sequencers and is currently cultivating his vision for health care through his Institute for Systems Biology’s P4 pilot project. P4 medicine stands for predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

COLLEGE OF NURSING

Dr. Lovoria Williams, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing, is the principal investigator of a GRU Cancer Center initiative that received a $1.75-million grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. The goal of the initiative, called c-CARE (Cancer Communication Access Research and Education), is to reduce the burden of cancer among minority and underserved populations in Georgia. Short term, c-CARE is designed to increase compliance with prevention and early detection recommendations and ensure access to needed services. The long-term goal is to reduce new cases and deaths from largely preventable cancers. C-CARE will be implemented at 12 sites across the CSRA, including churches, community clinics, and the KROC center.

PAMPLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES The Phoenix, GRU’s award-winning student-run magazine, in March added two more accolades, both from the Society of Professional Journalists. The Phoenix editorial staff — Editorin-Chief Matthew Johnson, Assistant Editor Anna Garner, Creative Director Drew Greiner, and Business Manager Kaitlin Keller — was a finalist in the best magazine category, and Erica Ruggles won the Region 3 feature story category for “Hooked,” her first-person account of flesh suspension. As a regional winner, Ruggles’ story will go on to compete for best feature at the national level. Read it at issuu.com/gruphoenix/docs/new_ phoenix_fall_2014. G R avity Summer 2015

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA

Asthma rates among black youth living in urban Detroit and rural Georgia are essentially the same, according to research conducted by Drs. Dennis Ownby and Martha S. Tingen in collaboration with researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. This finding conflicts with the widely held theory that city life is a risk factor. Their findings instead suggest that asthma is a disease of poverty and poor housing, where environmental triggers such as mold, fungi, cockroaches, mice, dust mites, and even strong odors may be pervasive and easily permeate paper-thin walls. Children may get additional

exposure in unkempt school buildings, and relatively low health literacy, such as awareness that tobacco smoke is an asthma trigger, may also be a factor, noted Tingen, the study’s coprincipal author. Ownby is an allergist-immunologist at MCG, and Tingen is Co-Research Director of the GRU Children’s Research Unit and Charles W. Linder, M.D. Endowed Chair in Pediatrics. For the complete story, go to greport.gru.edu/ archives/15772.

COLLEGE CATCH-UP COLLEGE OF ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES Ana Luz Thompson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Dental

Hygiene, authored a coloring book, “Keeping Up With Your Smile,” geared

toward minority elementary-aged students. Available in English and Spanish,

JAGUAR PRIDE

Athletics Makes National Splash

the coloring book is designed to familiarize students with the sights and sounds of a regular cleaning and check-up, as well as teach them basic oral hygiene.

Thompson worked with GRU’s Office of Innovation Commercialization to

publish the coloring book, which has already been used by dental students on

mission trips across the world. The coloring book may be purchased through the bookstore at jagstore.net.

COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE The College of Dental Medicine honored longtime volunteer Dr. Jane Martone with the naming of the Dr. Jane F. Martone AEGD/GPR Resident Office.

Faculty, past residents, and students raised roughly $30,000 in appreciation of

Martone’s work and service graciously donated for more than 15 years. Martone maintains her own full-time private practice in Westfield, Massachusetts, yet flies to Augusta on her own dime and drives a car she keeps here to a home she has purchased in Martinez so she can volunteer for a week each month

Someone forgot to tell the Jags that fame is supposed to last 15 minutes. In a stellar year across multiple sports, the GRU Augusta Jaguars have earned more than their share of the national spotlight. In February, the men’s basketball squad hit the national airwaves via the CBS Sports Network, as their Military Appreciation Day game broadcast into millions of homes. Fort Gordon soldiers packed the stands; 40 new soldiers were sworn in on the main floor; and that was just the beginning as Homecoming festivities and Senior Day kept fans in Christenberry Fieldhouse and across the nation tuned in to a 71-61 victory — that was never in doubt, it’s worth adding.

in the AEGD/GPR clinics. The college is ever grateful for the generosity and

commitment Martone has made to the residents, the college, and the profession.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION The College of Education held its Response-to-Intervention Workshop in April with close to 300 teachers from local school districts in attendance — the largest attendance to date. This program educated teachers on the multitier approach to the early detection of students with learning and behavior needs. Sessions

NCAA Tournament appearances in multiple sports have kept “Georgia Regents” on many a postseason bracket.

featured highly acclaimed speakers who spoke on topics such as working with students with autism, bipolar disorders, and disruptive behaviors.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS Twenty-two students were honored at the College of Science and

Mathematics Honors Recognition Ceremony in March. Included among the highest honors winners:

• Alyssa Outhwaite, a biological sciences major, researches salt-water crustaceans

and fishes. She plans to pursue a PhD in Ecology or Environmental Studies and teach at the college level.

• Murray E. Macnamara is a double major in mathematics and physics and plans to pursue graduate studies.

• Jamie O’Meara, a physics major with a 4.0 GPA, conducts research on the Hydra project and plans to teach physics at the high school or college level.

• Drew Pierson, a psychological sciences major, researches factors influencing perceptions of sexual behavior and plans to pursue graduate studies.

• Emily Stone, a graduate student researching pediatric health psychology, will begin a doctorate program at Pacific University in Oregon this fall. n

“As the front porch of the university, we were very proud of the national exposure afforded through the CBS Sports Network and being viewed in over 100 million households,” Athletic Director Clint Bryant said. “Our participation in the NCAA Division II Military Pilot Program, along with Ft. Gordon and the Peach Belt Conference, has highlighted our relationship as a national model of best practices and is in line with our institutional mission and vision.” NCAA Tournament appearances by volleyball, men’s hoops, softball, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s tennis, and men’s tennis have kept the name “Georgia Regents” on many a postseason bracket, though in different ways. The volleyball squad took preseason expectations and shredded them, as well as many conference foes, en route to their first-ever NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the men’s golf team waltzed their way to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship as an associate member to guarantee their 19th G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Written by

Caleb Rule postseason bid, while men’s hoops added their 11th in program history. Softball built on its youth in a big way, blitzing their way up the regional rankings as high as third for their fifth appearance in the past seven seasons, and both tennis teams continued to hold serve in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s top 50 as they battled against other highly ranked squads. Teams claimed many top-25 rankings, from men’s track and field to women’s golf, continuing the tradition of top-tier performance in one of Division II’s toughest conferences. “We are extremely proud of our student-athletes and their ability to represent us at the national championship level,” said Bryant. “This says a lot about the ability of our coaches, student-athletes, and support staff.” Alumni also made names for themselves: Patrick Reed continues to tear it up on the PGA Tour, winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and notching his first top-25 finish in a major at Augusta National with a tie for 22nd. Multiple former Jaguars dot the European Tour, from Jake Amos to Scott Jamieson to James Heath, and Natalie Wille topped the Nordea Tour’s standings at season’s end and hopes it will eventually launch her to the Ladies’ European Tour. Athletics staff made headlines, too. Assistant cross-country coach Pardon Ndhlovu won the OUC Orlando Half Marathon and GRU Augusta Half Marathon and qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games with his time in the Chevron Houston Marathon, to continue his pursuit of a childhood dream. Even the Athletics Media Relations Director got in on the act, as Taylor Lamb’s proposal at Augusta National’s Amen Corner exploded on social media, grabbing headlines from USA Today and earning “total boss” status in pieces from Golf Channel and Golf Digest. From the fields to your Facebook feed, GRU has been there in the past 12 months. And the athletics department isn’t apologizing for being greedy with the national spotlight. #SorryNotSorry n TOP: Jaguar Basketball’s Military Appreciation Day MIDDLE: Peach Belt Conference Cross Country Championship BOTTOM: Taylor Lamb and fiancée Alyson Dukes G R avity Summer 2015

CLASS NOTES >1960s

Dr. Patrick Scannon

Dr. Phil Gingrey (MD ’69) recently joined Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP as a senior advisor, and Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him to the Board of Governors of the George L. Smith II Georgia World Congress Center Authority.

>1970s Michael W. Christensen (BA, History ’78) is the Media/Public Information Manager at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield, Mississippi. Dr. Virginia Dare Domico (BSN ’76) was appointed to the Georgia State Board of Nursing Home Administrators by Gov. Nathan Deal. Dr. Patrick J. Scannon (MD ’76) is founder, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of XOMA, a late-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Berkeley, California.

>1980s Dr. Stephen Wilson (MD ’88) has joined Pleasant Valley Surgical Associates in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Wilson is also an associate professor at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Department of Surgery and is a boardcertified general surgeon.

>1990s Dr. William Barclay Boling (MD ’93) and Stephen Wallace Tomlinson (MBA ’93) were married Oct. 2, 2013, in Central Park, New York City. Boling works with an Atlanta-based, nonprofit 44

hospital and specializes in inpatient medicine care. Tomlinson is retired from the executive department of Norfolk Southern Railroad. Dr. Arthur Constantine (MFRI ’93) shared insights on the link between physical health and spiritual wellbeing from his new inspirational book, “It’s Always the Heart,” at Riverside Christian Academy in Fayetteville, Tennessee. In the book, he relates stories of patients encountered over more than 25 years as a cardiologist. Dr. Ann Contrucci (MD ’93) has joined Cobb & Douglas Public Health in Marietta, Georgia, as a pediatrician. Contrucci frequently appears as a medical expert on HLN’s “Nancy Grace.” Ethlyn McQueen Gibson (MSN ’97) was elected to the Williamsburg Health

Foundation Board in December. Gibson is currently the Clinical Performance Manager for the Riverside Health System’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in southeastern Virginia. Dr. Christopher Greene (MD ’93) is Medical Director at ClearRiver Health, a new, locally based, not-for-profit health plan for Medicare beneficiaries located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he will help lead development and growth. Dr. Cathy Hatcher (PhD ’98) was featured in Inside Higher Ed’s “Academic Minute” to discuss her research on the formation of blood vessels at the embryonic stage to help understand congenital heart defects. Hatcher is an assistant professor in the Department of Bio-Medical Sciences at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Macy proposal caption here

Linda Kolmar (BS, Physician Assistant Studies ’92) is Facility Lead Physician Assistant at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.

>2000s Dr. Judy Glaser (BSN ’93; DNP ’08) received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from The Carl Sandburg College Foundation and Alumni Association. Glaser is an assistant professor in Biobehavioral Nursing at Georgia Regents University. Dr. Shelle Glover (MD ’09) joined the Floyd Primary Care Network in Cedartown, Georgia. Before coming to Floyd, Glover was a family physician and medical director at Emanuel Medical Group in Patterson, California. She has traveled the world — from Ghana to Peru, Zambia to India, North Carolina to South Africa — to provide education and health care. Edward Murray (BA ’07) is Director of Admissions for Reformed Theological Seminary Global and RTS New York City. Murray completed his Master of Divinity degree at RTS Charlotte in May.

Diana Thompson (BA, Music ’07), a coloratura soprano, starred in a performance of American opera and musical theater titled “The American Scene” and was guest clinician for a vocal master class at GRU’s Maxwell Theatre. Thompson owns a teaching studio and performs in productions throughout the region and beyond. Patricia Zurita (BA, Communications ’04) is Associate Director of Communications at Whittier College in Whittier, California, where she oversees media relations, public relations, and content creation for the liberal arts college.

>2010s Brandon Ball (BA, Communications ’14; BA, Music ’15), a tenor, was one of the three winners of the GRU Department of Music 2015 Concerto Competition and the recipient of the Lucie Ruziaka Award for most outstanding vocal student. Samantha Borders (BA, History ’11) visited GRU on behalf of the Anthropology Student Union to discuss

her time in the Middle East with a presentation called “Rethinking Normal — Challenges & Discoveries in Middle Eastern Fieldwork.” Jessica Brown (BA, Communications ’14) is Resource Coordinator for Hope House in Augusta, Georgia, a residential rehabilitation program for women suffering from substance abuse. Clarissa Chavez (BA, Communications ’14) is a marketing coordinator for Georgia Regents University’s Division of Communications and Marketing. Courtney Davis (BS, Biology ’13) and Cornelius Sturgis Jr. (BBA ’10) were married June 14. Davis, who earned her master’s degree in May from Auburn University, accepted a position as Admissions Recruiter at Clayton State University in metro Atlanta. Kayla King (BA, Communications ’14) co-presented research on “Helping Hands, Incorporated: An Analysis of Organizational Structure” at the American Society for Public Administration Georgia Chapter

Dr. Shatul L. Parikh (MD ’03), Vice President of Northwest ENT and Allergy Center in Atlanta, Georgia, was part of a team of board-certified otolaryngologists who launched a responsive design website to inform potential sinus surgery patients about ear, nose, and throat ailments and the treatments available to cure them. Stacy Marie Roberts (BA, Marketing ’06) released a children’s book, “Boomer, Be Nice,” that addresses bullying and teaches kindness. G R avity Summer 2015

Dr. Stephen Wilson

Academic Conference at the University of West Georgia in March. Dr. Zachary Klaassen (MFRI ’14) was lead author of the study “Suicide risk increased in older, white males with advanced bladder cancer,” one of the first assessments of the risk of suicide in this demographic. Macy Knowles (BA, History ’14) and Daniel Rice are engaged to be married July 4, 2016, in Augusta, Georgia. Knowles is an admissions recruiter for Georgia Regents University. Eryka Menzies (BA, Communications ’13) is a staffing specialist for MAU Workforce Solutions in Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Clay McCollum (DPT ’11), a physical therapist with Floyd Physical Therapy & Rehab in Rome, Georgia, has earned a Sports Certified Specialist designation. McCollum is one of only 28 specialists in the state. Dr. Erin Meeks (MD ’11) completed her residency in the Floyd Family Medicine Residency Program and joined the family medicine team at Emory Clark Holder Clinic in LaGrange, Georgia. Isis Nezbeth (BA, Communications ’13) released a book, “Instant Coffee: A Collection of Articles on Life as a Twentysomething,” available for purchase on Amazon.com. Raven Norris (BA, Communications ’14) is Regional Marketing Manager for Hull Storey Gibson Companies LLC, a retail real estate acquisition, management, and development company headquartered in Augusta, Georgia. 46

J. Ashley Panter (BA, Communications ’12), Marketing Manager at the UGA Small Business Development Center, spoke to students about creating a digital resume during the Hull College of Business “Marketing Major Week 2015.” Carissa Parrish (BSEd ’11) and Travis Keels (BA, Communications ’13) are engaged to be married. Keels proposed on April 12, Parish’s birthday. Tierney Elizabeth Rollins (MSN ’12) and E. Perry Hall Jr. (MBA ’11) were married Oct. 18, 2014, in Augusta, Georgia. Tierney is a registered nurse at University Hospital and Perry is Accounting Manager at United Brokerage Company. Jessica Seigler (BA, Communications ’11) is the Children’s Miracle Network Coordinator for Georgia Regents University. Jacob Thigpen (BA, Communications ’14) is Contributing Editor for Bloguin, an information and entertainment sports website. Dr. Ruby Truong (DDS ’14) is a new partner at A Confident Smile in Thomasville, Georgia.

Macy Knowles and Daniel Rice

Stephen Zang (BS, Radiologic Sciences ’12) and Rebecca Lauren Hightower were married Oct. 11, 2014, at Cope Baptist Church in Cope, South Carolina. Artavia Zeigler (BA, Psychology ’13) is an admissions/recruitment specialist at Augusta Technical College.

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 N TS U NI VERSI T Y

MEMORIAM

Henry M. Althisar (MD ’52)

Julian Sheppard Heyman Jr. (BSN ’80)

Edward W. Schwall (MD ’29)

Robert Boerner (BBA ’71)

Chester Howard (BSN ’93)

Robert Shive (MFRI ’65)

Dorothy Byrd (BSN ’74)

Lawson C. Johnson (MD ’50)

Stephen D. Sinclair (MSN ’92)

John S. Clark (MD ’62)

Elbert Johnson (MFRI)

Robert D. Waller (MD ’48)

William L. Clark (MD ’59)

Dean Jones (AACC, Core Curriculum ’55)

William H. Weaver (MD ’52)

Joel E. Cox (MD ’50)

Robert Linton (AAAC, Core Curriculum ’42)

William T. Williams (MD ’53)

John F. Duke (MD ’67)

David J. Mascaro (MS, Medical Illustration ’69)

Moffat Wylie (BA, Psychology ’68)

Cantral L. Eargle (MD ’65)

Gordon D. Myers (MFRI)

Mark Garfunkel (DMD ’75)

Nancy C. Parris (AACC, Core Curriculum ’63)

Thaddeus L. Glenn (MD ’61)

Ranson J. Pelt (BBA ’73)

Richard Gray (MD ’82)

Jason R. Perry (MD ’96)

Susan Hargrove (BSN ’90)

Edith Phillips (AACC, Core Curriculum ’42)

Wesley W. Harris (MD ’52)

Jerry G. Purvis (MD ’60)

Gary N. Harrison (MD ’73)

Robert D. Ringle (BA, Psychology ’91)

G R avity Summer 2015

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

ALUMNI RESOURCES

Written by

Live and Learn ... and Learn and Learn Dr. J. Roy Rowland (MCG ’52, 89 years old,) has lived a long and valuable life … and he’s far from finished. On at least his third career over 63 years of work, Rowland knows how important it is to keep abreast of new developments in his field. So for many years, he has taken continuing education courses at his alma mater in order to keep at the top of his career game. “Everything changes so rapidly,” he said. “I take classes regularly to continue my licensing and keep up to speed.” He estimates he’s taken about 380 hours of continuing education courses over the years — the equivalent of about 25 semesters of college course work. Classes have been located on the university campus, at the Marriott in downtown Augusta, and on Kiawah and Hilton Head islands. “What I get at the MCG continuing medical education courses keeps me current in my field,” he said. “I’ve found the courses to be convenient and in pleasant venues.”

Karen Gutmann

from his hometown of Wrightsville. More than 2,000 babies came into this world with an assist from “Dr. Roy.” Always passionate about helping people, in 1975, Rowland decided to turn his attention to finding political solutions to issues he cared about. He ran successfully for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives and served there — while maintaining his medical practice — from 1976 to 1982, when he ran for the U.S. Congress. Upon winning, he gave up his practice to move to Washington, D.C. Rowland was deeply involved in health care issues during his 12 years in Washington, serving on the Veterans Affairs Committee and spearheading bipartisan legislation to create a network of community health centers to provide care to Medicaid patients –Henry Ford and the under- and uninsured. Though the legislation didn’t pass, since returning to Georgia, he has continued his quest more locally. For the past 16 years, he’s worked with The Community Mental Health Center of Middle Georgia, which covers a 10-county midstate area and provides mental health, addictive disease, and developmental disability services to the population. Rowland doesn’t ever plan to stop learning. “I’ve always thought the brain is like striated muscle,” he said. “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.” n

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.

Sixty-Three Years … and Counting For nearly three decades, Rowland practiced family medicine in Dublin, Georgia, a city of about 16,000 situated midway between Savannah and Atlanta and about 18 miles

Learn More • Learn a language, earn a professional certificate, master a computer program, join a musical ensemble, attend a summer camp. Lifelong learning opportunities for adults and youth through GRU’s Professional and Community Education (PaCE) program are almost limitless. • Dozens of course offerings in the health sciences are designed to help professionals across a wide range of careers keep current in their fields and maintain licensure. • Courses are offered on campus, online, and off site for maximum ease and convenience. • Visit gru.edu/ce or call 706-721-3967 or toll-free 1-800-221-6437 for more information.

G E O R G I A R E G E N TS U NI VERSI T Y

Dr. J. Roy Rowland

Oﬃce of Advancement 1120 15th Street, FI-1000 Augusta, Georgia 30912 105532

Non-Proﬁt Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Augusta, GA Permit No. 210

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

CONNECT TO GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer lives at home, please send the correct address to alumni@gru.edu. facebook.com/GeorgiaRegentsU & facebook.com/GRUJaguarNation

thank You! presenting sponsor

We Would like to extend a special thank you to our 2015 sponsors. We couldn’t have done it without you!

EvEnt SponSorS

if you are interested in sponsoring alumni Weekend 2016, contact us at 706.729.2390 or alumni@gru.edu