CCGA Brightwork Fall 15 by College of Coastal Georgia

BRIGHTWORK THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE COLLEGE OF COASTAL GEORGIA

FALL 2015

In this issue 2.....................................Loud and Proud: CCGA Pep Band 4................................................ Student Profile: Harvest Hale 5.......................................................Overboard Entertainment 6.............................................................Interdisciplinary Studies 8....................................................................Spring Sports Recap 11........................................................Brandies Goes For Gold 12...........................................SGA President, Robert Mydell 14..............................................................................Mariner Village 16..................................................Student Profile: Kyle Meyer 18................................................Nursing: Above and Beyond 20.............................................. Radiologic Sciences Program 21................................Student Profile: Samantha Womack 22........................................Student Profile: Jonathan Parker 23................. Student Profile: Michelle Thompson Smith 24................................... Student Profile: Jonathan Erickson 25..........................Careerlink: Linking Students With Jobs 26.........................................Alumnus Profile: Philip Lyons, Jr. 27...................................................................................Class Notes 28........................................................... Faculty and Staff News

Brightwork is produced by the Office of Advancement for the College of Coastal Georgia with the support of the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation. Advancement Office Mick Cumbie, Vice President for Advancement John Cornell, Director of Marketing and PR Peggy Golden, Staff Writer/Special Projects Sandy Ault, Assistant to the VP for Advancement Abby Born, Graphic Designer Managing Editor/Layout and Design John Cornell/Abby Born Editor/Senior Writer Peggy Golden

Editorial Assistance Kevin Price, Charlie Felder ‘15, Kim Leggett ‘88, Hannah Carmichael ’16, Elizabeth Tasciotti ’15 Taylor Priest ‘16, and Tyler Coen ‘16 Photography Photography by John Cornell and Abby Born unless otherwise noted. Cover Photo Campus Illustration by Saint Simons Island artist ED Hose.

Kristine Alvarez moving into Lakeside Village on move in day.

From the QuarterDeck H

ow do you measure success? In the academic world, we tend to look at numbers, trying to quantify success in some tangible way. Isn’t that what measurement implies? Students look at test scores, grade point averages, and credit hours towards graduation. College administrators review indicators such as the enrollment numbers, retention and progression statistics, degrees awarded, and program funding. The coaches watch the scoreboards and the win-loss records. As we start the 2015-2016 academic year, we have much to celebrate: • We are still basking in the glow of back-to-back national championships for the Mariner men’s golf team. Additionally, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has designated four of our athletic teams – women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball – as NAIA Scholar-Teams in recognition of their academic performance. This speaks to our College and our Athletic Department’s commitment to graduating successful students who are prepared to be good citizens and good stewards as they move forward in life. • This fall we are launching three new bachelor’s degrees: a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, designed to help adult learners utilize work experience and military credit to progress to degree completion, and B.A. degrees in French and in Spanish through a new online eMajor system approved by the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents. • Our academic programs are achieving noteworthy success. For instance, 100% of our School of Education and Teacher Preparation graduates passed the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Education. In the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, 100% of the B.S.N. graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination for the licensing of nurses and the degree program rates #1 across all three ranking categories in the NCLEX report. • The current construction of Mariner Village, the second phase of our on-campus student housing which is being built by Corvius Campus Living, is particularly timely. Our new student enrollment increased by 10%, including more students from Alabama, Florida and South Carolina who are taking advantage of the new Border Resident Waiver. Our Career Services office is compiling the results of the inaugural First Destination Survey of our Class of 2015. That will provide us additional benchmarks for comparison, such as the percentage of graduates employed and their average starting salary, as well as the percentage continuing their education for a higher degree. With over 45% of our student body identifying themselves as first-generation college students – the first in their family who will graduate from college – and the predominantly rural nature of southeastern Georgia, which is finally beginning to recover from the Great Recession, our graduates are looking at a much different future today than we could have prepared them for a decade ago as a two-year commuting college. That’s a success story of accessibility, affordability, and quality. A little harder to quantify, but real nonetheless, as these pages and student stories will illustrate.

Greg

LOUD AND PROUD CCGA PEP BAND CONTINUES TO GROW WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: JOHN CORNELL

ames Furness ’18 played trumpet in the Glynn Academy band throughout his four years of high school. So when he came to Coastal Georgia and discovered there was no band, he got together with some of his classmates to create one. “Eric Seals, Eli Gentry and I were at Glynn Academy together. We knew some players from Brunswick High School who were going to Coastal as well. So we emailed Jaime Parker-Lewis who put us in touch with Dr. Hartman and we recruited more friends to make it happen,” he said, describing the birth of the Mariners’ pep band. “There were 17 of us this past year, mostly freshmen, but we expect to have 25 by fall semester.” Elijah Gentry ’18 wasn’t planning to enroll at his hometown college until Furness and Seals started talking about a band club. “The larger we are and the bigger the sound, the more exciting it is. And we’ll be playing even more music this second year.”

The larger we are and the bigger the sound, the more exciting it is. And we’ll be playing even more music this second year

“More? I lose my voice now! We are loud and rowdy for the Mariners!” laughed Daniel Finney ’18, a trombone player. Finney heard through the campus grapevine about a pep band starting up and promptly volunteered. “Sneakers squeaking on the floor were about the only sound you heard at games before. Now the gym rocks! It’s like a big university atmosphere packed in there!” 2

The band members take credit for starting the “Hail the Sail” chant that is now a routine refrain. They say there is one big reason why they formed the pep band – fun. “We really got into basketball,” Furness said. “We were screaming and cheering. It was pretty physical.” “This is a good way to get students involved and come out for the games,” Gentry chimed in. “Even when the team lost, students were there to support them,” Finney added. For saxophonist Eric Seals ’18, playing for volleyball games was equally exciting. “More championships – yes! We want to cheer and give our team the best home court advantage possible.” “We all want to play, but that doesn’t mean we want to be music majors or anything like that. I’m interested in engineering, so I’m focused on math,” Furness said. “But music is a great escape – a real stress-buster.” Gentry, who plays the trumpet, agreed: “It’s a nice outlet from the everyday grind of classes and studying.” “It’s very important to me,” stressed clarinet player Geraldine Moore ’18. “Pep band is a social network, a way to meet new people on campus and make friends. This is something we all have in common – we love music.” “We don’t go on road trips with the teams. We can’t take that much time away from our classes. We’d rather have money for instruments than travel,” Furness continued. At this point, band recruits need to furnish their own instruments as well as their contagious enthusiasm, but the band’s budget is expanding with the new academic year to buy a bass guitar, a piccolo, and a baritone. Purchased instruments are the property of the College, available for future band members to play.

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Left to Right: Eric Seals, James Furness, Geraldine Moore, Daniel Finney, and Elijah Gentry

“We’d like to buy a baritone sax next. Awesome sound,” he added. “We’d also like to buy more music. Mickey Wendel with the Golden Isles Community Band has been a big help and both high schools have shared sheet music with us so we could add to our repertoire.” In addition to more members, music, and instruments, the pep band seeks more opportunities to play. They provided music for the VALOR spring cookout and Furness said they would like to do more events where they can share their enthusiasm.

I’m excited to be part of such a thriving, vivacious student organization and we welcome anyone who would like to participate!”

Gentry and Furness would also like to add jazz. “But we’d need to build up our saxophone section first,” Furness admitted. “This could open the door to having a music program at Coastal,” Gentry said. “Think there might be a Finney Music Room some day?” Finney quipped.

Furness concluded, “Maybe we’ll eventually be big enough to become a concert band. But for starters, there’s nothing more fun than a pep band. I think our enthusiasm makes a good college recruiting tool!” Jaime Parker-Lewis is Director of Campus Center and Student Life. Dr. Sarah Hartman is Assistant Professor of Education and a Glynn County school system “band mom” who serves as the faculty advisor for the pep band. “The enthusiasm within the pep band is contagious. The first time they took center stage in the gym during the opening of basketball season last year to play the National Anthem, welcome the teams onto the floor, and entertain the crowd, they had a hooked audience,” Dr. Hartman said. “Plus the pep band members are excellent students in their academics, work ethic, and extracurricular activities. They are organized and determined, using their involvement in the pep band as opportunities to serve. They’re recruiting other local high school students to come to CCGA and join them. I’m excited to be part of such a thriving, vivacious student organization and we welcome anyone who would like to participate!” Students interested in learning more about the pep band should email: ccgabands@gmail.com or shartman@ccga.edu

College of Coastal Georgia

Student Profile: Harvest Hale WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTOS BY: STEVE ROYER

Harvest Hale ’16

enior Harvest Hale will remember this past year at Coastal Georgia from the perspectives of an art student, business major, Overboard Entertainment chair, and the 2015 Homecoming Queen. She hopes her College friends and faculty remember her, after she graduates in May 2016, as someone who doesn’t quit and always gives her best. When she started as a freshman, she was initially remembered for her blue hair and Mohawk. “When I was young, I was seen as being different. I was big into exploring the world around me. I was fascinated by astronomy, biology, and our natural environment. So, when the kids were playing games, I wanted to play in the earth. I’ve always been a little weird,” she laughs. “My hair was my form of self-expression. I somewhat liked being different at that point. But I’ve learned other ways to self-express in college – through art, my work, what I choose to do. Self-expression doesn’t have to be through my outfit or my hair, and as much as I enjoyed the sciences, art has always been a passion for me.” She views art as a deep form of expression that doesn’t require words, noting, “Art for me is more about the ‘how’ than the ‘what.’ How something is drawn or designed can speak so much more than the object itself.” That’s how she found herself on the evening of May 8 at low tide on St. Simons Island’s East Beach, working with Professor Jeff LeMieux and other CCGA Art Club members to create a beach drawing in a “seeds of life” pattern. The drawing in the sand was 120 feet in diameter, according to LeMieux, and was completed using two poles attached 4

“Art for me is more about the ‘how’ than the ‘what.’ How something is drawn or designed can speak so much more than the object itself.” to a 30-foot rope and some rakes. A quadcopter drone piloted by Steve Royer from St. Marys and the Kings Bay RC Modelers videotaped the process. A St. Simons Island resident, Hale was home-schooled during high school and was very active in 4-H. “I had some great experiences, including studying dolphins in the Mediterranean. I gave presentations in California, Texas, Maryland and several other states. I got the chance to volunteer and work closely with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and I achieved the honor of Master 4-Her.” She considered studying environmental sciences. But once she became involved in Overboard Entertainment, the campus student life programming board, her perspective changed. “Overboard is about creating the student experience on campus,” she explains. “It’s not based on your major or academic studies. The programming board is an amazing venue to connect

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with the campus community. Everyone likes to have fun. Everyone likes to do things with their friends. There is so much more to education than GPA [grade point average] and with these campus activities, we have the opportunity to stretch to students regardless of their interests.” She credits Jaime Parker-Lewis, Director of Campus Center and Student Life, for getting her involved in Overboard Entertainment. “I guess she saw things in me I had yet to recognize in myself,” she laughs. “Jaime saw a capacity for me to develop and she challenged me to grow. I look at my own personal development as a result of her faith in me and what I can become. There is greatness in every individual, and Overboard Entertainment brought that out in me.” Overboard Entertainment also caused her to re-think her course of studies. “Once I started on the programming board, I fell in love with the business

Beach drawing in progress.

“The programming board is an amazing venue to connect with the campus community.” side of it: event management, teamleadership, developing people,contracts, budgeting, planning. I also have a personal passion for marketing and graphic design. So I’m planning to get my B.B.A. and go for an M.B.A. after graduation next spring.” She did well in her business law class – one of only two students to receive an A – and interned with the Brunswick law firm of Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin, PC. But she quickly adds that as fascinating as law is, it’s not necessarily the best use of her skills and interests. She’s also looking forward to an upcoming internship with Brunswick’s iHeartRadio and says she’d like an opportunity to do an event-planning internship as well. Becoming Homecoming Queen was an exhilarating quest, she admits. The process includes nomination by a campus organization (Overboard Entertainment for her), answering essay questions, meeting GPA requirements, committing to community service, securing a written recommendation, and being interviewed in addition to a vote by students. “If it was just a popularity contest, I’m not sure I would have been interested. And since I tend to be kind of quiet, I really had to step up my game.” She hopes her involvement on campus will prove impactful. “I not only want to raise the bar for myself, but also for the student experience and our campus culture. I hope that one day many more students will be excited about the activities and opportunities this campus provides. I hope they will come to find the interpersonal development that comes with being active, and just how much fun it can be. There’s more to education than classes and course work; it’s about letting go of the person you think you are and becoming the person you want to see in yourself. That, for me, is the greatest form of self-expression I have come to know and the most valuable lesson CCGA has taught me.”

Overboard Entertainment

& Camden Activity Board The programming board, as a campus organization affiliated with the Office of Student Life, develops, plans and stages innovative and fun events for the student body and campus communities. Overboard Entertainment is specific to the Brunswick campus; the Camden Activity Board is the parallel entity for the Camden Center of the College in Kingsland. Participation in the organizations offers leadership opportunities as well as involvement in campus life. The College is a member of the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) as well as the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). Programming board members travel to the APCA and NACA conventions annually to review and select entertainment and activities for the following academic year. Programs range from touring professional entertainers and movie nights in the Stembler Theatre to karaoke nights, “Coastal’s Got Talent,” winter homecoming and spring fling. The executive board for the 2015-2016 academic year includes Morgan Piratzky, chair; Ross Tyson, Camden vice-chair; Chris Smith and Rebecca Rapp, Brunswick vice-chairs. Jaime Parker-Lewis, Director of Campus Center and Student Life, is the staff advisor. Becoming involved is as simple as liking Overboard Entertainment’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/OE.CCGA, emailing overboardent@ccga. edu or coming to the weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 5 p.m.

Highlights for Fall 2015 September 30 Comedian: Adam Grabowski 12:00pm - Camden Campus 8:00pm - Brunswick Campus Stembler Theater October 30 Halloween Paint Party 9:00pm - Student Activity Lawn College of Coastal Georgia

HELPING STUDENTS MOVE AHEAD The New Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Program WRITTEN BY: Hannah Carmichael ’16 and Elizabeth Tasciotti ’15 (fall term), Student Coaches for The Writing Center

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PHOTOS BY: ABBY BORN

The target audience for this degree is nontraditional students and also students who have accumulated many credit hours but no degree. Being able to construct a program that fits into future careers and employment goals sets this program apart from more traditional degree programs that may not have as much adaptability.

oseph Matheney ’15 is a veteran running out of time. He has 18 months left on his GI Bill and wants to finish his bachelor’s as soon as possible. “I want to go to Physician Assistant (P.A.) school and until this new Interdisciplinary program came along, my projected graduation date was two years away.” Matheney first enrolled at CCGA in the nursing program, switching to the biology degree because that was the closest program he could find that would get him into a P.A. school. He liked CCGA and wanted to stay here. The school has been very invested in working with veterans and he was quickly enlisted to help with campus veterans’ initiatives. At CCGA, Matheney feels that people listen to him and respect his experience. “Where else could I sit down with the president of the school and have an earnest conversation about ways to improve college life for veterans?” Matheney’s interest and work helped lead to the creation of the veterans’ lounge on campus. Although very much enjoying his college experience, Matheney’s only concern has been time. The biology track he was on included many courses that he would not need for his ultimate goal. He heard about the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies through his advisor, and after looking into the program Matheney felt hope that he could accomplish his goal of getting his degree in the time he needed. “This program allows me to pick the classes that I need for my future goals and not have to be confined to a

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Pazsley Currie ’15

regimented set of classes. On top of that, I may be able to use my life experience as a medic in the military as credit. I am excited to know that now I can graduate a year ahead of my original schedule.” For students like Matheney, the flexibility that Interdisciplinary Studies provides has many advantages that make this program attractive to people who may otherwise have given up on their dreams of getting a degree. The interdisciplinary program will open the doors to college for students who may not have originally considered it an option. The target audience for this degree is nontraditional students and also students who have accumulated many credit hours but no degree. Being able to construct a program that fits into future careers and employment goals sets this program apart from more traditional degree programs that may not have as much adaptability. Allowing students to pick classes that fit their needs is an empowering and unique aspect of Interdisciplinary Studies. Dr. Tracy Pellett, Vice President for Academic Affairs, believes “this is a game-changer for a lot of students because of the attractiveness of the flexibility of the degree.” It enables students to take control of their college experience and shape their degree to their specifications and career goals. Students who have drifted from one major to another can combine all their credits and even use previous experience such as military and work experience to earn

Joseph Matheney ’15

credits. According to the program’s description, more than 50% of the classes that are part of this program can be taken online, allowing students to fit their studies into oftentimes busy schedules. The B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies at CCGA aligns itself with a major direction that the University System of Georgia (USG) is headed through its “Go Back, Move Ahead” initiative. USG is committed to facilitating nontraditional students in the completion of a degree. CCGA is not the only college in the state system to be offering this degree track; Georgia Tech University, University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Valdosta State University and Armstrong State University are as well. According to the program’s description, “interdisciplinarity” focuses on giving the student essential skills such as critical thinking and problemsolving to be successful in whatever career or workplace they choose. The program officially began in August 2015. The interdisciplinary degree program provides students a flexible academic pathway that allows for the tailoring of an academic program to meet the individual’s needs, skills, and interests. The program is particularly beneficial for those students who are returning to school and need a pathway to completion. For Dr. Pellett, the program also benefits the College because it could “singlehandedly increase enrollment, improve graduation and progression.” College athlete Pazsley Currie ’15 calls Interdisciplinary Studies a “freedom program.” For her, freedom meant

being able to use the credits she has accumulated in different areas to get a degree. Pazsley has been playing basketball for several colleges throughout her career, accumulating many credits that did not fit into a structured degree. When she came to CCGA, she chose the biology degree but was not altogether happy with that choice: “I had so many credits that would not be used towards the biology program that I was still looking at another three years before I graduate.” This led Currie to consider looking for another college even though she has enjoyed her time at CCGA. When her advisor first heard of the interdisciplinary program, she immediately contacted Currie, feeling it might be the answer to this student’s situation. Not only have many of Currie’s credits applied toward her degree, she has also discovered an additional bonus: being able to choose classes that she finds interesting and not taking classes just because they are part of a specific program. “It is so liberating,” she confesses, “to choose classes that are attractive to you. You can get a little bit of everything. I think this makes me a more wellrounded person.” What Currie is most happy about, though, is that as an Interdisciplinary Studies major, she is staying here and is projected to graduate at the end of 2015, moving on to P.A. school. For students like Matheney and Currie, this degree means the freedom to move ahead toward their career goals.

College of Coastal Georgia

SPRING SPORTS RECAP WRITTEN BY: KEVIN PRICE | PHOTOS BY: JOHN CORNELL & KEVIN PRICE

TENNIS

t’s no secret that the College of Coastal Georgia has a state-of-the art tennis facility, and the school also has two nationally-ranked tennis teams that call the Marta F. Torrey Tennis Complex home. Once again, the Coastal Georgia men and women combined for another successful spring season on the hard courts in 2015 with the Mariner men stringing together perhaps their finest season yet in the program’s short time competing at the four-year level in the NAIA. The Mariners finished the campaign ranked No. 11 in the final Top 25 poll. The ranking was the highest-ever for the program. The team made its second straight appearance at the NAIA national championship tournament in May at the spacious Mobile Tennis Center, winning its opening-round match 5-4 over Asbury (Kentucky) before dropping their secondround contest to Xavier (Louisiana). The Mariners also won in the first round last season before losing their second match to

perennial power EmbryRiddle which advanced to the national final. The Mariners were one of four teams from the Southern States Athletic Conference to reach this year’s national tournament. No other league in the country had more than three teams make the 24team national field. Prior to nationals, Coastal Georgia advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament a third straight season this spring. The Mariners were led by senior Erick Bermudez and sophomore Rhan Burton who were both selected for the allconference team by the SSAC coaches. Also, Joel Hunter was named to the league’s AllFreshman Team. Meanwhile, the Coastal Georgia women also had a solid season after refilling the roster with several new players who were competing at the collegiate level for the first time. The Mariners finished the season ranked No. 25 in the country but did not get a bid to nationals after competing in the national event the previous two seasons.

Coastal Georgia reached the semifinals of the SSAC tournament a third straight time this spring before losing to eventual national champion Auburn-Montgomery. The Mariners got big seasons from first-year players Daniella Caruso and Freja Rasmussen who both were named to the all-conference team. National championships don’t come easily for any athletic program, but sometimes teams are just so good that they make winning a championship look routine.

GOLF

t the College of Coastal Georgia, the men’s golf team could be placed in that category. The Mariners sailed to the NAIA national championship this past spring, punctuating a

Left to Right: Head coach Mike Cook, Alastair Tidcombe, Hunter Cornelius, Trevor Smith, Alan Barnhardt, Allen Bradford, assistant coach Dylan Freeman

banner season with a convincing victory at the national tournament which earned the program its second straight national crown. Coastal Georgia led from wire-to-wire at this year’s national tournament held in late May at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Mariners ended up winning by 11 shots as they were the only team to finish under par as a team in the four-day, 72-hole extravaganza. Last season, Coastal Georgia captured its first-ever national title in any sport when the golf team came from behind in the final round of the tournament to capture the crown. At this year’s championship, the Mariners placed three players in the top 15 in the individual standings which landed all three players on the All-Tournament Team. Seniors Alastair Tidcombe and Hunter Cornelius tied for fourth overall at 5-under 283 for the championship. Also, senior Allen Bradford finished tied for 13th at 2-over 290 for the tournament. Bradford also made the tournament team last spring when he led the Mariners to their first national crown by finishing fourth in the individual standings. Also for the Mariners, junior Trevor Smith tied for 46th at 8-over 296 and

senior Alan Barnhardt tied for 58th at 11over 299. The title-clinching triumph was the eighth victory in 10 tournaments for the Mariners in the 2014-15 season. The eight wins are a school record, surpassing the five the Mariners posted the previous season while claiming the national championship for the first time. The only two times they didn’t win, the Mariners were second at the Dave Adamonis Sr. Invitational hosted by Johnson & Wales in late October and third at the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament in April. At the league tournament, the Mariners finished just four shots behind conference champion Dalton State and were two back of runner-up Mobile. Following the national tournament, the Mariners were showered with awards. For starters, all five players in the lineup earned All-America status with Tidcombe, Bradford and Cornelius getting first-team honors by the NAIA and Barnhardt and Smith getting thirdteam recognition. Those same five players had already been named to the All-Conference Team for the Southern States Athletic Conference. Bradford was chosen as the College of Coastal Georgia

league player of the year while Tidcombe was voted the newcomer of the year in the conference. Bradford also was recognized as the Coastal Georgia Men’s Student-Athlete of the Year at the annual athletics banquet in April. Cornelius was also named a DaktronicsNAIA Scholar-Athlete after making the conference all-academic team. Also, Coastal Georgia head coach Mike Cook was named the NAIA Coach of the Year for a second straight season. Meantime, the Coastal Georgia women’s team put together another respectable season though they were in a bit of a rebuilding mode this past year. The Mariners received votes for the final national rankings after winning three tournaments over the fall and spring schedules. For the women’s team, Sarah Gilliard, who is now looking toward her senior season, won three times individually last season, giving her seven career wins, which is the most by any single player in program history. Gilliard was named to the SSAC allconference team a third straight season. She also made her third appearance at the national tournament as an individual qualifier. 9

Brandies Goes

for Gold

WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: ASHLEY BRANDIES & ALYSSA GUNBY

shley Brandies ’16 has loved horses since she was a toddler growing up in Jesup. By the time she was eight years old, she was taking riding lessons, but even before then, she was learning the dirty work of grooming and mucking out a stable at summer horse camp. It didn’t alter her passion. Seven years ago, she began riding with trainer and owner Christy Parker at Pine Haven Stables in Brunswick. Now she rides three to four days every week and is in training for the World Cup. She hopes to be one of the 24 riders selected for try-outs this December in Missouri in the pre-Olympic saddle seat competition. If she makes it, she will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, as a member of the U.S. team for the 2016 World Cup Saddle Seat competition. Brandies represented the U.S. Saddle Seat Young Rider Home Team in international competition during the 2015 U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational held at Cascade Stables in New Orleans during June 25-28, where her five-gaited team was awarded the gold medal. One week later, she competed in two national finals at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show, The Red Mile, Lexington, Kentucky. She placed third out of 15 riders in the United States Equestrian

Federals adult medal final and third out of 16 in the United Professional Horsemen’s Association national final. In describing the Saddle Seat Invitational, Lori Nelson, Assistant Executive Director of National Affiliates for the United States Equestrian Federation, noted that Brandies would be competing with limited practice on unfamiliar horses with riders from South Africa and Canada. Nelson wrote: “This is a grueling and competitive four days of competition where the winners are crowned with gold medals much like our Olympic Athletes…it is equal to the importance of the Olympics in the Saddle Seat discipline. Being selected as a member of this team is an incredible accomplishment.” Pointing out that the time commitment required was as much or more as athletes in collegiate or Olympic level sports, Nelson added: “Horseback riding is a sport which requires not only physical fitness but also other life skills such as: decision making, communicating, problem solving, goal setting and empathy. Equestrian athletes take the concept of teamwork to the highest level, as they form a partnership with a horse; two independent beings working together and communicating with one another to achieve their goal. We hope that Ashley’s classmates and community understand the commitment she has made to get to this level and the role she will play as an ambassador for this country.” Her own horse, A Riot on 43rd Street, is an American saddlebred that won 3rd in the nation in the 2013 hunt seat competitions. “I didn’t name him,” she laughed. “He’s Riot for short.” The bay also competes in western seat and saddle seat divisions.

For Brandies, it was a busy summer. In addition to traveling to the national and international United States Equestrian Federation competitions, she taught at a summer equestrian camp and took classes at the College. A typical summer weekday for the middle grades education major was teaching from 8 a.m.-noon at the stables, grabbing lunch on her way to campus, spending from 1-4 p.m. in the classroom, then returning to the stables where she also helps to train and show other owners’ horses.

“Teaching is a family tradition and my experiences teaching at the barn cinched it for me as my career choice.”

“I’ve been taking summer classes since completing my freshman year to make sure I graduate on time,” she said, “and I keep up with my studies by laptop when I’m on the road.” The Dean’s List student is also a two-year recipient of a Hites-Dinos Family Higher Education Scholarship awarded by the College Foundation, a member of the Association of Coastal Educators (ACE), served as a sophomore senator for the Student Government Association, and has worked as a student assistant in Student Activities. “I love working with children and seeing that light bulb go off,” she said. “Teaching is a family tradition and my experiences teaching at the barn cinched it for me as my career choice. I love my professors and my cohort – the program is awesome!”

Ashley with her trainer, Christy Parker

Ashley and Riot at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show

Ashley Brandies with her horse “A Riot on 43rd Street” at Pine Haven Stables in Brunswick. PHOTO BY: ALYSSA GUNBY

11 Ashley and her team at the Young Riders Competition

WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: ABBY BORN

student leader recognized as a “compass” whose actions help to keep the campus “tightly stitched and on the right course,” Robert Mydell ’16 is president of the Student Government Association for the 2015-2016 academic year. He is also actively involved in the Spanish club and the Urban Gaming club, previously serving as an officer in both, as well as other campus organizations such as Overboard Entertainment.

“I want all students to be more in tune with SGA. I want them to be able to feel comfortable talking to me or any other SGA representative.”

“A lot of what I do, I owe to SGA - from participating in student government as a senator to serving on various committees and boards. I can honestly say that I never thought or imagined myself running for executive office in any organization, especially SGA. But serving with student government in my junior year did so many positive things for me - from simply being active to expanding my leadership role on campus – I decided to go for it,” he said. 12

His agenda includes expanding SGA’s visibility and student involvement at the College’s Camden Center in Kingsland. As a first step, he is planning to establish weekly SGA office hours there, once he figures out the travel logistics between the Brunswick campus and the Center. “I want all students to be more in tune with SGA. I want them to be able to feel comfortable talking to me or any other SGA representative.” He added, “Teamwork is one of many characteristics of SGA and working alongside dedicated and motivated individuals who have the same drive and urgency to take the College of Coastal Georgia to another level is very meaningful. But the main reason I ran is to increase the collaboration between SGA and all the other organizations on campus. Campus organizations set the groundwork for how the College of Coastal Georgia is perceived when it comes to student involvement. There used to be a monthly meeting called the President’s Roundtable, where the presidents of all the campus organizations would come together, brainstorm, and put their ideas forward. With these types of collaboration, we can strengthen communication and have better student involvement. We just need to pull together.” A criminal justice major in the public management track, he plans to work in law enforcement following graduation

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Robert Mydell ’16, SGA President

in May so he will have first-hand experience to couple with a master’s degree when he realizes his dream of teaching at the collegiate level. He views a career in criminal justice as a family legacy. His grandfather, who retired from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynn County, was with the Secret Service during the Nixon presidency. His father is a former

“I grew up understanding that service to others is rewarding.”

U.S. Marshall and is now back with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. His uncle was with the Baltimore Police Department. His mother is completing her doctorate in public administration. For the friendly senior who works part-time at Cracker Barrel as well as on campus as a student assistant in Technology Services, his aspirations stem from his love for helping people, another family legacy. “I grew up understanding that service to others is rewarding.” For that, he was recognized as the Student Employee of the Year for his efforts in Technology Services at the 4th Annual Student Affairs Leadership Awards ceremony in April 2015. He’s also a Nerf blaster enthusiast.

“The Urban Gaming Club really gets me excited,” he laughed. “We wage week-long Humans vs Zombies games a couple of times during the academic year as the supreme stress buster between classes and study sessions. All it takes is a sense of humor, an official UGC bandana, a Nerf blaster and some extra socks.” The game rules forbid hazing, all study areas and classrooms are off limits, and participating players must pre-register and wear a color-specified bandana positioned around the arm or forehead to indicate their human or zombie status. Mydell was born in Savannah and spent his early childhood in Atlanta until his family moved to Brunswick when he was ten years old. He graduated from Brunswick High School in 2011 and watched from the College campus as the new high school complex was built across the street on Altama Avenue. “In my opinion, my leadership capabilities can only go so far. Being SGA president this year is a wonderful opportunity, especially when it comes to meeting other SGA presidents and members around the state to receive advice and insight on what they do with their organization.” He concluded, “You know, the changes I would like to see happen are small, but can have a huge and lasting impact. I believe that greater student involvement can lead to higher student success, greater retention rates, and an increase in students wanting to be the next student leaders.”

College of Coastal Georgia

MARINER

VILLAGE Coming Fall 2016 WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | RENDERING BY: CORVIAS CAMPUS LIVING

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The corner of Mariner Way and Fourth Street is undergoing a metamorphosis as work progresses on Phase II of the newest on-campus student residences: Mariner Village Residence Hall. (Artist Rendering)

he ceremonial groundbreaking was held May 4 with the Honorable Buddy Carter, Representative to the United States Congress for Georgia District 1, as keynote speaker. The community joined College students, faculty and staff; College Foundation trustees and donors; University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank M. Huckaby; State Senator William Ligon; State Representatives Alex Atwood and Jeff Jones; Brunswick Mayor Cornell Harvey; Michael Browning, Glynn County Commission Chair; and Jimmy Scott of Corvias Campus Living for the ceremony. When completed, Mariner Village will be a suite-type building similar to Lakeside Village with a bed count for 216 students, including six residence assistants, and the apartment of the Mariner Village residence hall director, a professional staff member. According to Dr. Michael Butcher, Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life and Housing, the design and construction

of the building includes best practices to create suites that align with the interests of students while creating common areas that help facilitate building community. “The Mariner Village residence hall will provide a critical component of the College’s strategic plan to greatly enhance the student life and the overall success of our students”, Dr. Butcher said. “The addition of 216 additional students in Mariner Village will help create an enhanced living and learning environment on campus. This residence hall will assist with building the foundation and pathway to timely graduation while helping to create lifelong connections between students, faculty, staff, and the College.” The building marks a new milestone for the College’s growth and for the University System of Georgia as student housing is transferred to the management firm of Corvias Campus College of Coastal Georgia

Living. The day-to-day operation and management of campus housing will be retained by the College, Dr. Butcher explained. “A key component of this arrangement is that the students will experience a seamless transition.” Corvias Campus Living entered into a public-private partnership with the USG Board of Regents in November 2014 to construct and manage student housing at nine campuses, including the College of Coastal Georgia, for the next 65 years. “The new facilities…will provide not only more on-campus housing options, but more high-quality housing options, for the students of the College of Coastal Georgia,” Kurt Ehlers, Managing Director of Corvias Campus Living, said. “But the first-rate facilities coming to campus are not limited to this new project. This partnership will ensure that all of CCGA’s housing is uniformly maintained to the highest standards for generations to come.” 15

Fishing for Success Student Profile: Kyle Meyer WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: JOHN CORNELL

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or Kyle Meyer ’18, the Atlantic Ocean and the Marshes of Glynn are two of his classrooms and you are as likely to find him at the St. Simons Island fishing pier in the village as you are on campus. The avid angler and biology major is also a business owner and entrepreneur. He started his company, Big Boy Baits, five years ago – when he was in middle school. Meyer’s passion for fishing and his quest for the perfect lure can be traced to micropterus salmoides – the largemouth bass, a freshwater North American gamefish noted for its fight. Making effective lures to catch fish is both a science and an art. Meyer simply turned his hobby into a business as fishing buddies and other anglers began asking where they could buy lures like his. The Roswell, Georgia native moved to St. Simons Island two years ago, when his family decided to make their favorite vacation destination their home. Meyer finished his senior year at Glynn Academy, graduating in 2014. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” he says. “I love the Golden Isles. The College offers a degree that matches my interests in marine biology and coastal ecology and is close to the ocean as well as home. Works for me.” Meyer makes his colorful, custom plastic lures for freshwater and saltwater fishing himself: “They are American made - by me! They are hand pored, custom molded and colored, and offer amazing action.”

His lures can be found at St. Simons Bait and Tackle in the village and Kennedy Outfitters on Airport Road, St. Simons Island. Interest in his lures is spreading across the southeast and mid-south. “But 98% of my sales are online, through my website.” While his personal interest has shifted more towards saltwater, he’s excited about the thriving bass fishery in the nearby Okefenokee Swamp. He also plans to expand his own skills and experience as a fishing guide.

“I love the Golden Isles. The College offers a degree that matches my interests in marine biology and coastal ecology and is close to the ocean as well as home. ”

One of his projects is tracking sharks for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – one reason he regularly frequents the St. Simons Island village fishing pier that reaches out towards the ship channel between St. Simons and Jekyll islands. “We fish with giant reels for eight-to-nine-foot tiger sharks, bull sharks, and hammerheads. It is a tag and release program providing scientific data such as sharks’ migration patterns, size and relative health, and population density,” he explains. He enjoys the ocean-oriented research and conservancy efforts as well as the thrill of the catch – one reason he plans to major in biology with perhaps a minor in business. Another project is the founding of a CCGA Angling Club. “We have 18 students interested so far. We’ll be a different kind of campus Mariner. If you want to catch a fish, come talk to me,” he concludes. “Not just about lures, but the best places to go fishing!” To learn more about Big Boy Baits, including how to purchase lures, visit www.bigboybaitco. com or find them on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

College of Coastal Georgia

Dr. Lydia Watkins, Assistant Professor of Nursing and B.S.N. program coordinator, pointed out that graduates were not only passing, but also passing on their first attempt. “Most of our students have job offers before or right after graduation,” she added, “and have participated in service-learning projects within the community.” The superlative results have led to Dean Kraft and Curt Spires, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Nursing, being invited to present and share the School’s success story with the Georgia Association of Nursing Deans and Directors and other nursing organizations. ”We really are the program of note across the state for prelicensure programs,” Dean Kraft confirmed. The School’s strategy includes rigorous curriculum review and revisions as necessary and formatting all test questions in “action” model, stressing application, analysis and synthesis.

“Most of our students have job offers before or right after graduation”

Kayleigh Friedly, 1st semester BSN nursing student

CCGA NURSING

Above & Beyond WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTOS BY: JOHN CORNELL

he College’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences is celebrating back-to-back good news. For the second term in a row, May and December 2014, the graduating class of nurses earning B.S.N. degrees achieved a 100% pass rate on their National Council of State Boards of Nursing NCLEX licensure exam. Furthermore, the high scores of the graduates – 93% of the examination questions were answered correctly as compared to 82% nationally and 86% regionally – lifted the CCGA B.S.N. nursing program into the top tier, both regionally and nationally, of nursing schools achieving such consistently high results. The A.S.N. graduates weren’t far behind, ranking in the top 17% nationally and the top 26% regionally. “These results are outstanding,” said Dr. Patricia Kraft, Southeast Georgia Health System Distinguished Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences. “I know the last few years have required our nursing faculty and staff to go above and beyond in all aspects of their work, but the payoff has been phenomenal for our students.” 18

The success and reputation of the program have been significant factors in recruiting talented nursing students. But Dean Kraft also points to the strong partnership between the College and the Southeast Georgia Health System as well as the generosity of donors such as Hugh P. Nunnally, Jr., Susan and William Gussman, the estate of Audrey N. Young, and the late Margaret Davis as being significant as well. “The Southeast Georgia Health System partners with us to provide superlative clinical experiences for our students, including opportunities to work in many different areas of specialization. This type of real-world exposure increases confidence as well as competency,” Dean Kraft explained. “They’ve also provided the financial support that permits us to maintain state-of-the-art simulation facilities. The Nunnally family, through their generosity in establishing the Miriam and Hugh Nunnally Center for Nursing Education as well as the Nunnally Building for Nursing and Health Sciences, is assuring this community of committed nursing graduates and top-quality nursing education. It’s a win-win for the health system, the College, the students, and the patients we serve and assist.” While the laboratories have benefitted from the interest of the Davis and the Torras families, the nursing students themselves benefit from generous scholarships established by the Gussman family, Audrey Young in memory of Gerald Zell, and others. In return, through service-learning projects across the community, the students and faculty share their expertise and spend hundreds of hours volunteering. Teddy Bear Clinics are one example of volunteerism that has crossed into service learning. “Teddy Bear Clinic takes children through picking out their teddy bear, naming it, and adding an arm band for the bear as

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identification to going through the steps of a pediatric medical exam,” Dr. Watkins explained. “We do an eye exam and give eyeglasses made of pipe cleaners if the child determines they need glasses. Then we imitate vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, height); we listen to their heart and lungs and the kids listen to the stuffed animal as well. We usually ‘hear’ wheezing because asthma is so common now in childhood, followed by a fake breathing treatment with a nebulizer machine or inhaler with spacer. We listen again when they sound better because the medicine worked. We look in eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and usually pretend to find a bead, pea, or piece of corn in the nose or ear, reminding kids to not put things in their own nose or ears. We have bandages for boo-boos and cuts as well as a fake x-ray machine that shows the teddy bear swallowed a key, paper clip, thimble and zipper. We then go to surgery: a table set up with surgical drapes, oxygen mask for anesthesia, sutures without the needle, and alcohol swabs and pretend to do surgery to remove the key and make the teddy bear well. “We teach while taking the kid through the clinic, and let them do everything we do so they can play with the equipment and become more familiar with it. Medical play has been proven in research to reduce children’s stress in the primary care provider’s office and the hospital if they have been exposed to the medical equipment in a playful environment prior to it being used on them. Toddlers who have used the equipment on their toys feel as if they have some autonomy and power before someone does it to them, increasing their comfort. “Older school age children respond better if they know what you are using, how it works, and why the nurse or doctor is using it. We work with the lead nurse of the school system to coordinate the Teddy Bear Clinics and other health education booths at the local school health fairs and PTA nights.” There are several other service-learning projects integrated into the nursing program Dr. Watkins cited. “For the B.S.N.

Brandy Chambers, BSN Assistant Professors of Nursing

Kyle Owens’15

“Nursing Care of Children” class, our service-learning projects are centered in developing teaching projects to go into the school system to help promote health and wellness as well as prevent injury. Examples of what the students have taught include: hand washing and dental hygiene in kindergarten and 1st grade;

“In the A.S.N. and B.S.N. mental health nursing courses, the students develop teaching projects about specific mental health illnesses and teach them in the community.”

exercise, nutrition, and sun safety in all grades; anti-bullying and social media safety in junior high; and sex education and STI prevention in the college dorms.” “In the A.S.N. and B.S.N. mental health nursing courses, the students develop teaching projects about specific mental health illnesses and teach them in the community. For our Community Health Nursing course is in the B.S.N. final semester, students develop community-wide projects to promote wellness, such as diabetes management and stroke/hypertension prevention at the Manna House and wellness activities and facility improvements for Safe Harbor.” The School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers two baccalaureate programs: the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) and the R.N.-to-B.S.N., which is tailored to meet the needs of working nurses seeking the higher degree, including online coursework to provide schedule flexibility. The School also offers Career Associate programs in Radiologic Science and the Associate of Science in Nursing (A.S.N.) as well as an Associate of Science for Transfer in dental hygiene.

College of Coastal Georgia

The Class of 2015 radiologic science graduates (left to right): Brittany Griggs (Brunswick), Hayley Morrison (Brunswick), Caryn Hagglund (Brunswick), Brittany Boatright (Alma), Briana Tresvant (Brunswick), Benjamin Foster (Brunswick), Jessica Boyer (Camden Couhty), Colleen Nunn (2014-2015 Outstanding Student, Radiologic Science) (Brunswick), and Marquita Johnson (Brunswick).Not only did they all pass certification, but also they have positions or are continuing their education.

RADIOLOGIC SCIENCES PROGRAM

Above & Beyond

(Continued) Since their first graduating class of three students in 1969, the Radiologic Science program has graduated over 345 radiographers, according to John Eichinger, Assistant Professor and Radiologic Sciences Program Director. “Many have gone on to advanced careers in computed tomography, nuclear medicine, mammography, ultrasound, and radiation therapy.”

“The program, which accepts 16 students annually, has witnessed an 85% job placement rate of graduates over the last five years as well as a 71.4% graduation rate of student who complete the program in 24 months.”

The Radiologic Sciences program provides training in the art and science of radiologic technology, Eichinger explained, through courses in patient care, radiographic positioning, pathology, radiation physics, and radiation protection. Eichinger cited a long history of national accreditation for the program through the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). “The program, 20

which accepts 16 students annually, has witnessed an 85% job placement rate of graduates over the last five years as well as a 71.4% graduation rate of student who complete the program in 24 months. Of those who have graduated, the national examination first-attempt pass rate currently stands at 98%.” Eichinger, who serves as president of the Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences (AEIRS), noted that the Class of 2015 graduates achieved a 100% pass rate for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists national certification exam. In January 2015, the College’s radiologic sciences program received an additional three-year award extension of accreditation by JRCERT, bringing total accreditation to the maximum of eight years. “The accreditation extension to 2020 confirms the Coastal Georgia program is in compliance with the Standards for an Accredited Educational Program in Radiography,” Eichinger said. “This is great news for the College and the program, which has had a highly successful history.” JRCERT is the only agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation for the accreditation of traditional and distance delivery educational programs in radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance and medical dosimetry.

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WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: ABBY BORN

amantha Womack ’16 is a detective of sorts. She studies bones. “Bones are fascinating. They can tell you a lot about a person’s health and what is going on in the body,” she explained. “That’s why I chose radiologic science as my major and healthcare career choice.” The 2012 graduate of Camden County High School worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.) at Magnolia Manor in St. Marys during her high school years, dispensing patient care but not medications. “I was the TLC,” she laughed. “That’s one of the reasons I like working in radiology - the patient interaction.” After graduation, she began her core college classwork just down the street from the high school, at the Camden Center. Her original objective was the

nursing program, but during her sophomore year she learned more about the radiologic technology program and made the switch. “I love the program. It’s hard and it requires discipline, but it offers so many options,” said the HOPE scholarship recipient, who maintains a GPA above 3.5. “There’s always a job in any medical field and with my husband in the Navy, I wanted a portable profession.” Her husband is currently assigned to the Kings Bay naval base. Womack plans to obtain her x-ray technologist certification and then develop her practice specialization. Possibilities she listed include nuclear medicine (radiation therapy and PET scans, for example), MRI, OB/GYN (ultrasound), and even live imagery in operating rooms for surgeons.

College of Coastal Georgia

“Radiation technology is not just about broken bones,” she emphasized. “More time is spent in diagnosis than in treatment. Because X-rays can reveal what’s going on, the challenges include positioning and determining how much radiation to use. That’s why I think of it as solving a mystery.”

Student Profile: Jonathan Parker WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: ABBY BORN

onathan Parker ’16 said studying for his A.S.N. was not like the Army. Sergeant Parker served in Operation Iraqi Freedom I and III. “In the Army, they show you once and you are expected to pay attention and get it right the first time. In the nursing program, they guide you through it. The instructors don’t abandon you, but stand right there with you in the clinical setting.” That doesn’t make it any easier, however. “You have to be prepared to study – a lot,” he explained. “Nursing has to be your #1 priority. No hanging out. No TV.” One of the differences, according to Parker, is how the material is presented. “Questions are presented in scenarios. It is how you apply what you’ve learned that becomes critical. Fast recall is required – just like in the service – but you are drawing conclusions from symptoms. It’s almost like a crime scene. Like a detective, you look at the evidence, all the angles and interactions.” Parker has experience with that as well. Based at Fort Stewart, he joined the Hinesville police department after completing his military service. He used his veteran’s benefits to obtain an associate degree in criminal justice through a highly-advertised, for-profit online university while working as a police officer. But he was stunned 22

to learn that his benefits had been exhausted with only a two-year degree to show for it.

“My advice to any vet is to make sure you really understand the GI bill limitations,” he stressed. “Don’t get caught in the expense of online coursework for an associate degree, no matter how easy it sounds.” His wife, Courtney, is a nurse at St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital in Savannah. She convinced him to consider a career move to nursing, stressing the portability and options the nursing degree offered. “I like how fast-paced and action-oriented nursing is,” he said. “I like working with the public, one-onone. Both my service and police training prepared me to make quick decisions.”

He worked full time while she studied nursing at Armstrong Atlantic. Now they are reversing those roles. He is using student loans to fund his studies and will complete the program in two years. “After researching carefully, Coastal Georgia was the only school I applied to,” he added. “Not only did they have a terrific reputation, but they also have an amazing pass rate for the licensure exams and a R.N.-to-B.S.N. program I can move on to that’s fastpaced, affordable, and online.” Parker commutes from Richmond Hill to Brunswick, but he said he doesn’t mind the drive because he uses it as study time. “Between classes I study in the library. I record my class notes on my phone and then play them back during the drive.” He took this summer off, however. “The past nine months have been study, study, study. The next nine months will be the same. I need a break, some down time to enjoy my family.” That includes quality time with his 18-month-old baby daughter, Kendall. Parker has also found an outlet in writing. “I have seen, done, and experienced things in my life that putting down on paper helps me deal with,” he said. His work was published in Seaswells, the College’s award-winning literary and arts magazine, for both the 2014 and 2015 editions. His prose piece, “Baghdad Unicorn,” won second place in the 2014 Austin/Garner Prose Contest and was selected by College President Aloia to read at the magazine release party that spring. “My Journey through Death” won third place this year.

Student Profile Michelle Thompson Smith WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: JOHN CORNELL

The birth of her son, Gaines, three years ago is what propelled her into nursing.

ichelle Thompson Smith ’16 has a lot to balance in her life as she works towards her B.S.N. Originally from Dacula, Georgia, and previously stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, the Army veteran has been living on St. Simons Island for three years and taking nursing classes at the College. She already has a B.A. (2008) in finance from North Georgia College and State University. The birth of her son, Gaines, three years ago is what propelled her into nursing. Gaines was born with hemolytic disease and he wasn’t expected to live. “He was eleven days old before I could hold him,” she recalled. “The first week of his life, all I could do was touch his tiny hand. He was on a ventilator with IV tubes attached to him. I started researching the disease, knowing I wanted to be in a position to help any other family facing this kind of situation.” Gaines will be three years old in June – now a happy, healthy toddler able to play with his four-year-old sister, Kenedi. Smith chose Coastal Georgia because of location, affordability, and program quality. Her father had moved to the area a few years earlier and works at Pinova. Her husband, Brian, is from St. Simons Island. An engineer, he works on boats

Michelle Thompson Smith ’16

“I love the clinical experiences, where I can see what I am actually going to be doing with my training.” in the oil fields of the Gulf of Mexico and is gone for days at a time. So she cares for the two children, works as a waitress at Crabdaddy’s, and studies. “Working on a B.S.N. under these circumstances is challenging – but not impossible,” she said. “And I love the clinical experiences, where I can see what I am actually going to be doing with my training.”

College of Coastal Georgia

Smith wants to start in pediatric nursing, specifically neo-natal intensive care (NICU). Eventually she plans to earn a Ph.D. Although she loves numbers and analysis, as her first degree in finance indicates, she feels driven. “Part of it is my work ethic, just as it was when I was in military service. But another part of it is my love for education. Both come from my parents, who said that if I can do something, then I should.” Smith stressed the level of commitment required to be successful in the B.S.N. degree program. “It’s not enough to want to be a nurse. Don’t even take up a seat in the class if you are not prepared to give more than 100% to this effort, 24/7.” One of the things she values is how seriously the nursing program prepares nursing candidates for post-graduate board certification through the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). “Targeting doesn’t compromise what you are learning,” she emphasized, “it just provides a paradigm to structure that learning in order to assure familiarity. It is as important to have immediate recall when standing crib side in the nursing unit as when answering questions on the exam.”

Student Profile Jonathan Erickson WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO BY: ABBY BORN

“We have some of the friendliest professors you can ever hope to have. They love to teach, they want to share, and they really want to help you.”

hen Jonathan Erickson ’17 moved to campus as a freshman, he went to work at Jeff’s Pool Service, where he discovered that the College President, Dr. Greg Aloia, would be one of his assigned customers. He’s worked for pool companies since he was 15 years old, but it wasn’t until he came to college that he learned the science behind it from Dr. Colleen Knight, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Erickson also worked

freshman year for a R.A. position. “I really worked to sell myself. Brian and Cheryl helped me with my resume, but the person I had to impress was Tiffany Curry Davis, our area coordinator. In fact, I’m still trying to impress her.” Brian Weese is the Coordinator of Career Services on campus, which includes hiring students for campus jobs, and Cheryl Van Dyke is the campus counselor for Student Affairs.

as a residence assistant at Lakeside Village this past year and is assigned to Coastal Place Apartments for academic year 2015-2016. “I roomed with a resident assistant, Ryan Porter [who graduated in 2014], and I saw first-hand what the job required,” he explained. “The personal peer experience really opens you up, requiring connectivity, trust, and relationship-building skills. I had some peer leadership experience from my high school marching and symphonic bands and was a note taker in disability services here on campus. I decided to apply at the end of my

“I was nervous and very serious when I first started out,” he confessed. “When my boat started rocking, I’d vent to Tiffany to get it out of my system; she’s like a big sister. I recognized I wasn’t connecting, wasn’t loose enough, so I started to hang out more in order to build a sense of community. Pretty quickly I realized that the #1 issue for most students was worry about class assignments – late-night homework panic. So I’d tell them about an online, all-night tutoring service I discovered to get them through the crisis and suggested they plan ahead so they

“When you get here and it’s a little scary and you’re on your own, you can still prove that you are worth it. As scary as it seems, you are stronger than you think.”

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could use campus resources like the Writing Center, TRiO, ATTIC tutors and supplemental instructors.” He understands firsthand the perils of not being prepared for class. A firstgeneration college student himself, Erickson works two jobs to augment a HOPE scholarship and a Pell grant to pay for his college education. He qualified for the HOPE scholarship after graduating from Wayne County High School in 2013, but lost it after his first semester in college when his grade point average slipped to 1.69. “I enlisted in Pat Morris’ boot camp, got my kick in the butt, my study skills on track, and my priorities re-focused. Now my GPA is over 3.5 and I’ve made the President’s List twice,” he said. Patricia Morris, an advisor in Academic Services, developed the boot camp in collaboration with faculty volunteers, providing aggressive intervention for students who initially flounder in the college experience, putting their financial aid at risk. To be named to

CAREERLINK: Linking Students With Jobs “I want people to know that they too can recover from a bad freshman year.” the President’s List requires a full-time student to achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA for the term – quite a turn around. “I want people to know that they too can recover from a bad freshman year. When you get here and it’s a little scary and you’re on your own, you can still prove that you are worth it. As scary as it seems, you are stronger than you think,” he said. “Plus we have some of the friendliest professors you can ever hope to have. They love to teach, they want to share, and they really want to help you.” Now a biology major in the preprofessional track, Erickson has set his sights on attending graduate school at Georgia Regents University in Augusta to earn his Master of Physician Assistant (M.P.A.). This fall he plans to intern with the Summit Medical Group, shadowing Micah Lancaster, a physician assistant and graduate of Georgia Regents, in the office of Dr. Lawrence Blasik, Summit Dermatology and Laser Center. “Micah has been instrumental – a real mentor to me,” he noted. “I hope to intern in other practices as well before applying to Georgia Regents. The experience is terrific.” Equipped with his house plants (“Something green boosts your mood,” he quipped), his aquarium (home to his beta fish), and his bicycle, Erickson is ready to ride into his junior year.

WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN

Career Services has added an upgrade – an app - to Coastal Careerlink, the one-stop shop for all things career related. The app includes job and internship listings, an employer database, resume and cover letter writing tips and reviews, and appointment scheduling. According to Brian Weese, Coordinator of Career Services for the College, all features can now be accessed through smart phones and tablets. Students can search for “Careers by Symplicity” in the App store to download the app. The assistance alumnus Philip Lyons Jr. ’14 (page 26) and student Jonathan Erickson ’17 received from Career Services illustrates what Weese and his staff do every day. “Last year, we performed 1,900 resume and cover-letter reviews,” Weese said. “Over 450 students utilized FOCUS2 to assess their interests, skills, values and personality to help them choose a major and career.The student employment program continued to give students the skills they need to perform successfully on the job while also providing the opportunity to develop new proficiencies through workshops on Photoshop and Illustrator, Excel, money management, intercultural awareness, and Lync telephone training.” Career Services and the School of Business and Public Management have an agreement that internships for credit require resumes that have been reviewed and approved by Career Services. “We worked with Phil, not only enabling him to receive college credit for his ESPN internship, but also giving him that competitive edge a good resume can provide when applying for a job, ” Weese explained. Career Services is also the coordinating department for student campus employment.“Our statistics show that students working on campus maintain a better grade point average and are more likely to remain enrolled. For instance, at the end of the fall 2014 term, the campus-wide GPA was 2.81, but student workers averaged 2.97. Retention of freshmen from that fall term to the spring term was 83.6% overall, but freshmen working on campus were even more persistent - over 85%,” Weese pointed out. “Jonathan went through our student employment orientation which is headed by Career and Student Employment Counselor Alysia Johnson. The workshop helps students develop job skills such as timeliness, professionalism, and customer service. He also used our Interviewstream system to practice his interview skills, using a recorded interview which asks questions and then video records the answers. He was able to watch his interviews and selfassess plus I reviewed his interview and provided feedback on his interview strengths and weaknesses.” Weese concluded, “Our purpose is to empower students and alumni to achieve their career goals – just another benefit of choosing the College of Coastal Georgia.” For more information about Career Services, visit this webpage: http:// www.ccga.edu/CareerServices/

COLLEGE OF COASTAL GEORGIA Alumnus Profile: Philip Lyons, Jr. WRITTEN BY: PEGGY GOLDEN | PHOTO PROVIDED

lumnus Philip Lyons, Jr. ’14 (B.B.A., Marketing) is vice president of a national foundation and activities director for the Holiday Inn resort on Jekyll Island. The two kept him hopping this summer. “Both are about creating good memories for families,” he said. “For the resort, I’m booking live entertainment and arranging programs and activities – sometimes in tandem – mornings and afternoons for children, teens, adults and the whole family. In the summer, there is something fun going on seven days a week.” He also serves as vice president of the Marty Lyons Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization making special wishes and dreams come true for children ages three to seventeen with a terminal or life-threatening illness. The foundation was established in 1982 by his uncle, Marty Lyons, New York Jets defensive tackle and defensive end for 12 years and an All-American college player for the University of Alabama under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. The Georgia chapter of the foundation will be hosting the 3rd Annual High Tide Golf Classic and beach bash at Jekyll Island on Saturday, October 3 – a popular foundation fundraiser. Lyons didn’t plan a career in marketing and events management. His family moved to the area after Hurricane Andrew and he graduated from Brantley County High School. He loves kids and creativity, so he thought he’d end up in education, maybe even as a football coach. To help pay for school, he worked at JCPenny as a stock boy, moved up to sales in men’s wear, and discovered he had a talent for creating effective mannequin displays for product merchandising. After his casual hipster look caught district management’s attention, he became a visual specialist in marketing and promoting trendy looks and image for stores’ success. That experience, coupled with his parents’ encouragement, tilted him towards a more general business degree with a concentration in marketing rather than towards teacher preparation. “I may yet go to graduate school to get my M.B.A. in events management and special media. It feels strange not to be taking classes,”

he confessed. “I’ve only been out of college one year, but sometimes it seems like five, although I stay in touch with faculty, staff and former classmates; they became like family to me. At Coastal Georgia, that family-feeling is a cultural thing.” A project for his Marketing Research and Consumer Behavior class piqued his interest in that area. “I was involved in re-branding the campus programming board, developing a business model to get more student involvement in what is now Overboard Entertainment,” he explained. His one-year business internship with ESPN led to a job with the coastal radio station, coordinating events and promotions using social media. “That really opened my eyes to the whole event coordination business,” he said, “and my ultimate goal is to have my own company.” He cites three people as influencers during this formative period: his mother, his marketing professor, and Brian Weese, Coordinator of Career Services.

“If you tell me that something isn’t possible, then I’m not only going to make it possible, I’m going to exceed expectations. The great thing about what I’m doing – both at the resort and the foundation – is that I’m making it good for someone else.”

“My attention to detail comes from my mother, who died my senior year of college. She always said that the more you plan, the better you’ll succeed. She was my motivator,” he explained. “Dr. George Dupuy, Professor of Marketing, taught me not to do the same thing twice and, as a college student, I learned to write as well as think. Brian Weese wouldn’t let me give up. He kept telling me that the hard work would pay off. When I finally created a resume Brian didn’t tear up, I used it to apply for the Holiday Inn position – and he was right. I got the job.” He concluded, “If you tell me that something isn’t possible, then I’m not only going to make it possible, I’m going to exceed expectations. The great thing about what I’m doing – both at the resort and the foundation – is that I’m making it good for someone else.”

Brightwork

Class Notes

Two alumnae were among the 18 women recognized by the Golden Isles YMCA during the 17th Tribute to Women Leaders held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on June 2, 2015. This year’s class includes (B.S., Public Affairs), sponsored by the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation, and who received her Associate of Science in Nursing (R.N.) from the College of Coastal Georgia and formerly served as a clinical instructor for the College’s R.N. and L.P.N. programs. Tingler was sponsored by Applecare Immediate Care, where she has worked since 2012, first as a physician assistant and currently as the Clinical Director of Compliance, Risk and Nursing for 14 AppleCare clinics in Georgia. The Tribute 2015 program was dedicated to College of Coastal Georgia Foundation Trustee Emerita Jeanne Kaufmann Manning. Dr.Valerie Hepburn, former president of the College, and current College Foundation Trustee Randal Morris served as honorary co-chairs. retired as Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator, Office of Student Affairs, in March 2015 after more than 20 years of service to the College under four presidents. Previous positions for the former College basketball player during his career included Coordinator of Recruitment.

(B.S., Psychology) has joined the staff of the College as the part-time Assistant Area Coordinator in Residence Life and Housing, overseeing Coastal Place Apartments. As an undergraduate, she was a student assistant in the Office of Disability Services, winning the College’s 2013-2014 Student Employee of the Year award. She is completing her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration through Georgia Southern University. (B.S., Coastal Ecology) graduated in December and is now working at the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway in the research division of the plant ecology lab. The Sea Island Garden Group scholarship recipient is passionate about the conservation of natural plant communities in the southeastern U.S. and he is excited to be in ecological research, conservation, education and outreach in the heart of Georgia’s historic range of longleaf pine and wiregrass. He received a 2015 Excellence in Service-Learning Outstanding Student Award at the third annual service-learning symposium in April. (B.S., Middle Grades Education) is teaching Georgia history to 8th graders in Jesup.

A member of the College’s Alumni Leadership Group, he continues active involvement with the College’s Minority Outreach Program (The Boys of Summer) as the Program Director and with 14 Black Men of Glynn, Inc.

(B.B.A.) and the Alumni Association Group chaired by Darby Chancey ’12 l (B.B.A.) hosted a CCGA Alumni Association Socia ns Hour at Henshaw’s FUSE Frozen Yogurt on St. Simo Island in mid-March. (B.S., Early Childhood/Special Education) and Stephen Purnell were married is May 2 at St. Simons United Methodist Church. She Glynn an EIP teacher at Glyndale Elementary School in County.

(B.S., Early Childhood/Special Education) is teaching 4th grade at Altama Elementary, Brunswick. She was featured this summer in the website series, 52 Stories, at www.ccga.edu/52stories (B.B.A.) is putting his degree to work in inventory management at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. He was the recipient of a 2015 Service-Learning Excellence Award and the 2015 Mariner’s Pride Award for his record of service and student leadership on campus.

College of Coastal Georgia

Faculty and Staff News N

ational searches for two of the top administrative positions within the College of Coastal Georgia were successfully concluded with the selection of Michael “Mick” Cumbie, Vice President for Advancement, and Dr. Tracy L. Pellett, Vice President for Academic Affairs. Mick Cumbie had served as Director of Development for the College of Fine Arts and Communications, Western Illinois University, since 2006. In that position, he served on the executive planning committee of the University’s planned Center for Performing Arts as well as Executive Director of the University’s Performing Arts Society. His previous experience includes five years chairing the Military Science Department at WIU, a recruiting and training program for Army/ROTC officers. He served three years as Chief of Counterintelligence in the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (NATO); one year as chief of the Intelligence Analysis Section of the U.S. Forces Command in Atlanta following service as the senior intelligence officer for the Department of Defense Olympic Task Force; and in various security and military intelligence capacities at Fort Meade and abroad between 1983 and 1995. Cumbie earned his B.S. in Administrative Management at Clemson University and his Master of Human Relations at the University of Oklahoma.

“Mick brings a creative background to Coastal Georgia. He is returning to his Georgia roots after more than a decade at Western Illinois University and a successful military career,” College President Greg Aloia said. “He is committed to community involvement and adding him to our leadership team positions the College and the Foundation to further develop new initiatives. The 2015-2016 academic year promises to be an exciting one for our campus and the community.”

Prior to accepting the position at Coastal Georgia, Dr. Tracy Pellett served as Associate Provost of Academic and Student Life for two years and Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies for five years at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. He has 28 years of experience as a teacher and professor, including Professor of Education at CWU and Minnesota State University-Mankato and Assistant Professor of Education at University of Arkansas-Monticello and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Dr. Pellett earned his doctorate in curriculum and instruction/sport pedagogy from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, his master’s in teacher education and motor learning from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

“Dr. Pellett brings a wealth of experience and a successful track record of innovative leadership in such diverse areas as institutional strategic planning, assessment and accreditation, curricular programming, academic policy, online and multi-modal learning, academic technology, faculty development, academic support services, competency-based undergraduate degrees, international program development, and first-year experience and honors programming,” College President Greg Aloia said. “Adding him to our leadership team positions the College to fast-track new initiatives from the University System of Georgia as well as opportunities identified in our comprehensive strategic planning process.” At the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce annual awards dinner Tuesday evening, June 16, Kay S. Hampton, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Nursing, was recognized as the 2015 United Way of Coastal Georgia Volunteer of the Year. Dr. Tracy Pellett, Vice President for Academic Affairs, noted in congratulating Hampton, “Kay has a lengthy and active history of volunteerism with many local organizations and is most deserving of this award.” Hampton retired at the end of August after almost 25 years with the College.

Dr. Claire E. Hughes, Associate Professor of Education, School of Education and Teacher Preparation, has been selected for a 2015-2016 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant for faculty research by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. “Both Greece and the United States have a deep interest in increasing student performance through teacher feedback and intervention. Through a shared research agenda with Dr. Ionnni Dimakos, an international expert in writing strategies at the University of Patras, I will be looking at how teachers can help students plan and persist in difficult writing tasks, particularly among children from varied cultural backgrounds and in special education. The teaching aspect of the grant will be teaching seminars at the University

of Patras in the areas of strategic instruction, special education and talent development. This project promises to improve the teaching of writing in Greece, the United States, Georgia, and here in the Golden Isles,” Dr. Hughes said, describing her Fulbright project. She will be spending spring semester of the upcoming academic year in Greece (January 15-June 1, 2016).

Receiving a Fulbright has become a HughesLynch family tradition. The College’s first Fulbrighter was Dr. Jim Lynch, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Dr. Hughes’ husband. He was selected by the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission for an International Education Administrator Award for the 2013-14 Fulbright Awards competition cycle and travelled throughout En-

gland and Scotland for three weeks to create empowering educational partnerships with international colleagues at various U.K. universities.

Dr. Kimberly Manahan, Assistant Professor of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, will serve as the Interim Director of Service Learning for the 2015-2016 academic year. Dr. Mannahan, who joined the faculty in 2011, was a recipient of the 2014 Service-Learning Excellence Award for outstanding performance as service-learning faculty. Dr. Kinsey received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (Social) from the University of Arkansas, her M.S. in Applied Psychology (Clinical/Counseling) from Augusta State University, and her B.A. in Psychology from UGA.

Welcome New Faculty Twelve new faculty members have joined the full-time teaching staff of the College of Coastal Georgia for this academic year.

Dr. Lauren Boardman, Dr. Robert Clark, Dr. Wanda DeLeo, Dr. Jessica Melilli-Hand, James Holt, Nevada LeCounte, Lee McKinley, Dr. Holly Nance, Dr. J. Brian Pope, Dr. Traesha Robertson, MaryAnne Sandburg, Dr. Renren Zhao,

Assistant Professor of Nursing Assistant Professor of English Professor of Accounting Assistant Professor of English Lecturer of Mathematics Assistant Professor of Nursing Associate Professor of Health Economics Assistant Professor of Biology Professor of Psychology and Social Sciences Department Chair Assistant Professor of Biology Assistant Professor of Nursing Associate Professor of Mathematics College of Coastal Georgia

Advancement Office One College Drive Brunswick, Georgia 31520 ccga.edu

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRUNSWICK, GA PERMIT NO. 245

L to R: Brianne Herrin, Ashley Cane, Corey Mallard