Campus News

ON THE CASE

When departments team up, they can solve almost any case. Department Chair for Criminal Justice and Social Work Michael Laughlin and Biology Professor Eugene Dunkley combined forces to produce a day of learning mixed with fun when they co-hosted GU’s inaugural forensics camp in June. Activities featured hands-on learning experiences for high school students. ey took ngerprints, analyzed blood spatters, referenced computer evidence, and learned about managing crime scenes. Guides for the day included detectives from a nearby sheri ’s department, the chief of police with the Greenville Police Department, and crime scene investigators from the Illinois State Police.

PANDEMIC CAN’T STOP THE PANTHERS

e pandemic changed how athletes competed last year. Mask mandates, altered schedules, and frequent COVID tests proved challenging. Still, seven GU teams came out on top. GU men’s and women’s cross-country teams, and indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s track and eld teams won St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Championship titles. e Lady Panthers in volleyball (pictured above) won their conference regular season championship and the conference tournament.

HAWKINS TO HELM CHAPEL

GU’s 2021 Commencement speaker, Rev. David Hawkins, both a familiar face to students and pastor of Living the Word Church in Collinsville, Illinois, will serve as interim chapel director for the 2021-2022 school year. Hawkins, often a favorite guest speaker in chapel, will now serve as the primary chapel speaker and bring in other speakers from the community. Also new this fall, the entire GU community will gather for chapel in H.J. Long Gymnasium on Wednesdays. e gym and rec center are the only campus venues that can accommodate students, faculty, and staff assembled at the same time. On Mondays, a time for worship and scripture will take place in Whitlock, and small groups throughout campus will meet on Fridays.

e Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) approved GU Director of Social Work Helo Oidjarv as a site visitor to evaluate social work programs at other schools.

GU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Sonya Jones ’96 joins the University’s sport and kinesiology faculty this fall. She holds two master’s degrees from the University of IllinoisSpring eld and brings a depth of experience both as an educator and as athletic director. Reality TV fans will remember her as a rst-place runner-up on the NBC TV show, e Biggest Loser.

Department Chair for Criminal Justice and Social Work Michael Laughlin ’99 received the Sage Junior Faculty Professional Development Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice. e award provides partial funding for travel to attend the ACJS National Conference and specialized training/ conference sessions.

Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studies Grace Denton earned her doctorate in voice performance and pedagogy from the University of Mobile. She also holds a master’s of music in voice performance from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Associate Chief Academic O cer Kathryn Taylor ’89 will participate in the Senior Leadership Academy (SLA). is yearlong program, co-sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), serves mid-level administrators in higher education who aspire to senior leadership positions. A competitive nomination and vetting process determines selection.

Sonya Jones ’96 Helo Oidjarv

Michael Laughlin ’99

Grace Denton

Kathryn Taylor ’89

UNIQUE GIFT EXPANDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

Biology Professor Eugene Dunkley used to imagine how the All-in-One Fluorescent Microscope BZ-X 800 could bene t students, but acquiring one remained a dream. en Dr. Lew Whaley ’76 turned those dreams into reality. Whaley stepped up to fund the microscope that was installed last April. Dunkley reported that students couldn’t contain their “oohs” and “ahs” when they saw what the microscope could do. “It was like being at a reworks show,” he said. “ ey were just so excited.” e microscope allows for greater and more detailed research. It enables students to take high quality photos of cells, to grow cells, and to do things like test the e ects of ca eine or alcohol on di erent cells. It also allows them to study live tissue. Professors and students in the department are grateful to Dr. Whaley for the doors he has opened to exploration and for the inspiration to explore more.

LEADING, SERVING

Student government leaders serve their peers and gain management experience in the process. is year’s Executive President Jenna Haselhorst ’23 and Executive Vice President Jaime Quesada ’22 will manage teams, schedules, budgets, events and more. Both receive donor-funded scholarships. Thank

you for giving.

NEW LOOKS ON CAMPUS

From replacing HVAC computers in Whitlock Music Center to remodeling the Fitness Training Annex, maintenance crews stayed busy all summer. ey replaced entry doors and re nished the oor in H.J. Long Gymnasium, replaced roofs on multiple buildings including Snyder and Mannoia Halls, and resurfaced and replaced pavement around campus. ey also remodeled bathrooms in Burritt Hall in advance of Burritt’s 100th anniversary next year.

Pursuit member Matt Williamson ‘24 receives the Panther Preferred Scholarship.

Thank you for giving.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

GU’s worship band Pursuit led worship at eight camps in the Midwest and Pennsylvania this summer. Band members also served as counselors and engaged middle school and high school youth in camp activities. Pursuit guitarist Zane Simmons ’23 welcomed the opportunity to give back through the camp experience: “It was really amazing to see everything come full circle for me personally because camp is the environment that really changed me.” To book Pursuit for your event during the school year or summer, contact Nathan Kriebel ’16 at nathan.kriebel@greenville.edu

PANTHERS SWEEP ATHLETIC/ ACADEMIC AWARDS

Anna Finch ’21 and Collin Kessinger ’21 swept the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Post-Graduate Scholarship Awards this year. e award recognizes athletes who earn two varsity letters and maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Anna played middle-blocker in volleyball. Collin ran in track and cross country. Awardees can use the $1,000 scholarship during the rst two years of postgraduate studies. Collin will pursue his master’s in electrical engineering, and Anna will pursue a master’s in education. Under special NCAA rules brought about by COVID, both may compete in their respective sports as Panthers one more year. Katie Wolfram ’20 won the post-graduate scholarship in 2020.