Engage, Spring 2017

Spring 2017 Volume 4, Issue 1

SEIBEL GAINS A CAPITOL EXPERIENCE Page 4

TI C - TA C - T OE tu tor in g s e r v ic e s win prestig iou s a wa rd

GG C recei ves $2.8 mill i on i n publ i c grant s

Mor gan has a ve s t e d i nterest i n GG C

Through a collaboration between the Georgia Gwinnett College Honors Program and Lawrenceville’s Aurora Theatre, GGC students have presented four productions. The musical “Working” was presented before sold-out crowds this past fall semester. Shown here are cast members (seated) Jared Noble, Diamond Do’zia, Jaclyn Hofmann, Daniel Pope, Timothy Wylie, Tina Fears, Bree Johnson, Julie McMillian, (first standing row) Kay Cousin, Cory Phelps, Daniel Hilton, Jordan Wardach, (middle standing row) Chelsea Jackson, Becca Twiggs, Kevin Davis, (back row) Brandon Elam, Michelle Hamilton, Victoria Thompson, Casey Coyle, Mia Connell, Crystal Phillip, Brieanna Haberling, Anna Forester, Sophie Cardot, Sierra Gordon, Dell Kramer and Mary McCaffrey. Aurora Theatre representatives are noted in Italics. See the full story, page 13.

Spring 2 017 Volume 4, Issue 1

CONTENTS P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E ............................................................... 2 COLLEGE NEWS Notables........................................................................................................ 3 GGC receives $2.8 million in public grants................................................... 8 Rooks digs deep into history....................................................................... 10 Grizzlies aid Albany tornado victims........................................................... 12 TIC-TAC-TOE tutoring services win prestigious award.............................. 16 Global award honors GGC’s innovation in international education............. 17

OUR FOUR PILLARS IN ACTION SCHOLARSHIP Seibel gains a capitol experience........................................................ 4

SERVICE Dr. Long inspires girls to pursue STEM through robotics.............. 6

C R E AT I V I T Y Theater provides unique Honors Program experience................. 13

LEADERSHIP STEM Education Innovations program enhances student experience................................................................................ 14

A D VA N C I N G G G C Every cap tells a story...................................................................................18 Morgan has a vested interest in GGC..........................................................20

T H E G A L L E R Y ....................................................................................... 21 On the cover: GGC student and political science major Micah Seibel, ’17, recently served as a legislative aide with the Georgia Senate. He is shown at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. e n g a g e. g g c. e d u

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President’s Message

GGC’S

Innovation

earns significant grant awards Innovation is core to Georgia

Dr. Stas Preczewski

In addition to private funding, GGC has received $2.8 million

Gwinnett College’s vision, which

in multiple, active, public grants. Topping the list is a four-year,

intention to “be a driving force

for the continuation of an undergraduate research initiative that

includes phrases citing our

for change in student success” and “be a wellspring of educational innovation.”

To achieve these ambitious aspirations, GGC hires

$1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) has the potential to transform college-level STEM education well beyond Georgia Gwinnett.

Another NSF grant of almost $150,000 for an atomic force

exceptional faculty and staff uniquely dedicated to student

microscope will provide nanoscale visualization in coursework

methods and technologies.

a unique sharing of technology across disciplines.

success and empowers them to explore new instructional

With determined creativity, GGC’s faculty and staff have

and research in STEM disciplines as well as in psychology –

Several “Affordable Learning Georgia” grants are funding the

established a record of innovation with a variety of pilot

development of online textbooks and supporting materials that

strengthen our model of providing an attentive, accessible and

that will help students not only succeed in class, but in some

initiatives, research projects and instructional methods that

affordable education … and they are earning significant grant awards to fund their work.

will be provided to students free of charge, producing savings cases, stay in school.

A variety of other public grants support initiatives ranging

Grants are critical to an institution’s ability to research,

from student peer tutors to environmental studies and more.

operational budget. Such unfunded efforts require personnel

grant-supported initiatives and how they help bring GGC’s

develop and implement initiatives not included in its hours, equipment, supplies and other expenses.

Grants also are competitive, requiring a significant

investment of time and energy to prepare detailed proposals

This issue of Engage provides more information about public

vision to life. Thanks to our dedicated faculty and staff, Georgia Gwinnett College truly is game changing.

that will be compared to those of other institutions, with no

Warm regards,

appreciation for the GGC team’s efforts in this regard.

Stas Preczewski

guarantee of success. I cannot emphasize strongly enough my

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Ge orgia Gwinne t t C ollege

Dr. Mai Yin Tsoi, associate professor of chemistry, explains a lab exercise to her students.

Notables Benjamin Oladabo, ’17, Cherent Tesfaye, ’18, Dr. Mark Schlueter, professor of biology, and Sahar Mohammadi, ’16, display the first awards ever won by GGC students at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students.

Recognized at the 2016 conference as top student presenters, these three biology majors’ undergraduate research projects involved native bee species.

Christine P. Rosen, executive director of Individual Engagement, was named

The Georgia Gwinnett College Magazine

a Certified Fund Raising Executive by CFRE International.

Dr. Benjamin Brown, associate professor of psychology, has been elected to a four-year

term on the executive committee of the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science.

Dr. Rhiannon Evangelista, assistant

professor of history, received the Christopher

Seton Watson Prize by the Association for the Study of Modern Italy.

Class of 2017 business majors Lorena Sanchez-Rubio,

Marcelo Clavarino, Ana Bedon and Vanessa Parras earned second place at the second annual Goizueta Business School Hispanic Heritage Month Case Competition.

Dr. James Lowry, associate professor of

human geography, was recently elected to serve on the Association of College Honor Societies board of directors.

The Volunteer GGC program received its first

We Value Your Input

Send your ideas and comments about Engage to engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549.

Production

Editor-in-chief: Sally Ramey Photography: Rod Reilly, Jason Braverman, David Tullis Art direction: Mark Baran Graphic design: Libby LeBlanc Writing: Sally Ramey, Nancy Badertscher, Laurie Hudson, Amy Lancaster, Carol McEntee Engage Online team: Rycca Blanton, Educational Technology Server Team Other support: Barbara Lund, Dan Cassavaugh, Dawn Gadar, Laurie Hudson, Hoang Huynh, Amy Lancaster, Sydney Smith, Candace Williams-Brown

Strategic Communications and Positioning Renée Byrd-Lewis, vice president Sloan Jones, associate vice president Asia Hauter, director of Public Relations

Mailing List To be added to, or removed from, the Engage mailing list, contact engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549.

President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizing more than 1,800 hours of service provided at 23 events over 12 months by 416 members of the campus community.

Jenny Storey, executive assistant to the senior vice president for

Academic and Student Affairs and provost, was elected chairwoman

Georgia Gwinnett College 1000 University Center Lane Lawrenceville, GA 30043 678.407.5000 www.ggc.edu

of the Provost Assistants in Higher Education National Association.

See more Notables at www.ggc.edu/notables

Georgia Gwinnett College is an accredited, four-year, degree-granting unit of the University System of Georgia. e n g a g e. g g c. e d u

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Micah Seibel pauses for a portrait with the bust of James Oglethorpe, founder of the colony of Georgia.

CAPITOL EXPERIENCE Seibel gains a

GGC senior Micah Seibel was in eighth grade when he had his first glimpse of life under the “Gold Dome.”

His brother, Daniel, was working as a legislative aide and invited

him to the Georgia State Capitol for a day.

“As a kid, it was overwhelming,” said Seibel, now himself an aide

to Senator Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta), chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

During the whirlwind, 40-day annual General Assembly session,

legislative aides help keep the process moving. They answer phones, research bills and do most anything else the position requires.

In exchange, they are paid a modest $300 per week. However,

they also have a priceless opportunity to experience the political process first-hand.

“It’s interesting and very exciting,” Seibel said.

He will graduate from Georgia Gwinnett in December with a

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bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in Ge orgia Gwinne t t C ollege

Micah Seibel and Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) discuss legislation before the start of the day’s session in the Georgia Senate.

“I am thankful to Georgia Gwinnett College for providing the tools to prepare Micah with great leadership skills.”

– Senator Brandon Beach

international relations. After a two-year stint in the Peace Corps, he hopes to land a job with the state or federal government or possibly internationally, he said.

Seibel is in one of the best programs for students majoring in

political science or a related field, according to Merri Brantley,

While Seibel’s interest in

director of External Affairs at GGC.

government was sparked by that eighth

said. “I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in

Brookwood High in Snellville, when he joined the

“In my opinion, there is no greater learning experience,” she

working as a lobbyist or in state government.”

College juniors and seniors who want to be legislative aides

grade Capitol visit, it began to deepen at school’s Model U.N. program.

“That exposed me to thinking about policy and

go through a competitive application process, interviews and, if

developing my own opinions,” he said.

said Stacy Peery, Senate aide and intern coordinator. Only

family moved to Georgia when he was in elementary school so he

selected, a week of training before the General Assembly session, committee chairmen and members of the leadership are allowed

interns in the Senate, she said. The Senate Aide Program accepts

Seibel was born in Kansas, the youngest of seven children. His

and his siblings could attend college in Georgia.

After high school graduation, Seibel said he decided to “be smart

applications each fall.

about my finances.”

January, and the two quickly formed a “trust relationship.”

put his earnings toward college and was able to make it through his

Seibel met Beach at the start of the legislative session in “As a result, I’ve been given a lot of responsibilities to help with

anything that needs to be done,” Seibel said.

He took a year off from his studies, working 50 hours a week. He

first two years at GGC without loans, he said.

Seibel has been very active at GGC and is a member of its

Beach has only the highest praise for Seibel, a self-described

prestigious Honors Program. He helped start the college’s Model

“I am in my fifth session, and Micah Seibel is by far the best and

chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor

“Type A” personality.

the most prepared Senate aide I have had since being elected to the Senate,” Beach said. “I am thankful to Georgia Gwinnett College for providing the tools to prepare Micah with great leadership skills.”

Working for Beach has exposed Seibel to important and evolving

U.N. program and served as its president. He is president of GGC’s society. He has also served as president of Forerunner Campus Ministries, chairman of a Student Government Association

committee and a student assistant in the college’s Game Room.

Exactly what he’ll do after graduation and the Peace Corps is an

issues before government, such as the role of transportation in

open question. He knows one thing for certain: “I’m not set on having

Transportation Committee have debunked for him the long-held

servant, being involved in government and making a difference.

Atlanta’s future. In addition, hearings before the Senate

notion that Republicans unilaterally oppose mass transit and its expansion into the suburbs.

lots of money.” Rather, he said he’s always seen himself as a public “I have plenty of options,” Seibel said.

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Shown with Dr. Cherie Long (center top) are Kendal Henderson, Sigrid Melstrom, Robin Brusuelas, Thea Muhlstein and Abigail Lancaster. Also shown are the team’s robot and trophies.

Dr. Long inspires girls to pursue STEM Dr. Cherie Long is on a mission to recruit more young people

competition also helps kids discover exciting STEM career

GGC faculty members are required to devote some of their

to society.

into computer science and engineering, particularly girls.

time to service in their disciplines. Choosing to perform her

possibilities and ways they can make positive contributions After a decade of coaching boys’ teams, Long recently led

service in an alternative way, Long sought to work with children.

an all-girl team of eight- and nine-year-olds with no robotics

the program, I decided to become a coach as a way to get more

challenge because she felt a personal connection.

“A friend told me about First Lego League and after researching

kids interested and involved in STEM (science, technology,

knowledge or experience. She enthusiastically accepted the According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of

engineering, mathematics) at an early age. Waiting until middle

Commerce, women hold only 27 percent of all computer science

Long, associate professor of information technology. “The

bachelor’s degrees in computer science are awarded to women,

school is usually too late to get most students interested,” said

opportunity aligns well with GGC’s vision to build partnerships with local communities and ultimately, enhance businesses.”

First Lego League is a nationwide, multi-faceted competition

that immerses teams of children ages 9-14 in real-world science

and technology challenges. The teams work together to develop

a research project, presentation and a Lego robot programmed to perform certain tasks.

Participants learn to innovate, draw on imaginative thinking

and work as a team while developing valuable life skills. The

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Ge orgia Gwinne t t C ollege

jobs and the number is not increasing. Less than 20 percent of

even though women hold 60 percent of all bachelor’s degrees.

“Girls are vastly different from boys in that they interact and

learn differently. I had to completely change how I normally coach to accommodate their needs,” Long said. “For example, girls are much more critical of their work, and their style of presenting is

quieter. They tend to talk about their failures or difficulties rather than about their successes.”

This year’s competition theme centered on the interaction of

people and animals. The girls designed a dog vest customized

Left: Faces painted for their project’s dog theme, Thea Muhlstein and Robin Brusuelas adjust their robot during competition.

Below: Sigrid Melstrom, Robin Brusuelas, Endi Boender, Abigail Lancaster, Kendal Henderson work on portions of their team projects at Long’s home.

through robotics with wireless devices and sensors that would enable a dog to

summon help for an owner who is elderly, disabled or suffering from a chronic medical condition.

“It was amazing to see the girls experience tremendous

growth leading up to the competition,” Long said. “In addition to

learning how to build and program the robot and create the vest, they had to develop and practice a presentation for the judges – all within a four-month period.”

The team met twice a week for six hours, then daily the week

before competition. Their efforts paid off when the team won

a regional Core Values Award – defeating more experienced

teams in their overall approach to the competition’s challenges.

Georgia Gwinnett worked with Georgia Tech to host the First Lego League state competition in February. The college provided several student and faculty volunteers for the event. Here, GGC student Mike Deiters, infomation technology, assists two participants in getting their Lego robot ready to complete its required series of tasks.

not be possible.”

While Long’s teams have a winning record, the most

Coaching is a labor of love, said Long, who estimates she has

important impact is best described by one of the girls’ parents.

this year would be her last, but the girls have insisted otherwise.

Denise Henderson of DeKalb County. “I suspected she would

providing much needed support.

was actively engaged. Cherie has unending patience and

spent more than 2,500 hours mentoring her teams. She thought Long credits fellow faculty members and parents with

“GGC’s leadership has worked with me on my teaching

schedule so I am available to coach, and fellow faculty have

assisted. Without the support of my dean and school, it would

“My daughter, Kendal, is shy and has some focus issues,” said

benefit from a smaller group, and Cherie made sure everyone unlocked potential in the girls that they might not have been able

to do on their own. She has ignited a passion within my daughter to pursue team robotics.”

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GGC receives $2.8 million in public grants Publicly funded initiatives save students money, enrich learning experiences, broaden opportunities and expand the realm of human knowledge.

GGC faculty and staff have established

a successful record in obtaining public

grants to fund research, special programs and other initiatives. To date, the college has $2.8 million in active, public grants, ranging from a few thousand dollars to a $1.6 million grant (see story, page 14).

Often awarded through a competitive

process, public grants are provided by

state and federal agencies, and are man-

aged through the GGC Office of Research, Sponsored Programs, Accreditation and Certification Activities. Private funding is managed through the GGC Office of Advancement.

Following are several example de-

scriptions of Georgia Gwinnett College’s active, public grants.

Affordable Learning Georgia University System of Georgia (USG)

Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) Text Book Transformation Grants support

development of free, online textbooks

student earns a degree or not.”

GGC’s six ALG grants, totaling $96,400,

support faculty teams’ work on digital

textbooks for human geography, music

appreciation, American government, digital media and Spanish courses, as well as the

pilot of online math materials developed at another USG institution. Replacing mate-

rials priced from $43 to $215 each for 2,650 GGC students taking those courses results in annual savings of more than $351,000.

“Online materials make a real differ-

ence,” said Arant. “In sections piloting the

free digital media textbook, the DFW (D, F,

Withdraw) rate dropped from 20 percent to 6.8 percent, clearly indicating the signif-

icance of ensuring that all students have access to textbooks. We look forward to

similar success in the other five courses.”

Student learning and support DFW rates are the focus of an innova-

and supplemental materials. The USG

tive, pilot program that equips experienced

the use of free textbooks through Rice

instruction (PSI) in study groups and lab

is the nation’s top university system in

students to provide peer supplemental

University’s OpenStax publishing house.

exercises. The project targets introductory

per semester,” said Dr. T.J. Arant, senior

may reduce these courses’ high DFW rates

Affairs and provost. “When students skip

assistant professor of biology, received a

leave school temporarily or even perma-

Peer Instruction grant for this project.

Reducing these costs can determine if a

the recently awarded NSF-IUSE Course-

“Textbooks cost several hundred dollars

biology and chemistry classes, where PSI

vice president for Academic and Student

of 30-40 percent. Dr. Cindy Achat-Mendes,

buying textbooks their grades suffer. Others

$25,000 USG Complete College Georgia

nently when they cannot afford textbooks.

She continues the PSI project as part of embedded Undergraduate Research

Experiences and USG STEM Education Improvement Plan grants.

A $23,000 grant from the USG Board of

Regents African-American Male Initiative funds GGC’s Elite Scholars Program. Led

by Dr. C. Douglas Johnson, professor of leadership and management, and Dr.

Paul Grant, assistant professor of political science, the program improves retention

and graduation rates of African-American males by engaging them in high-impact

academic and co-curricular experiences.

Grants from the USG Affordable Learning Georgia program are enabling faculty at GGC to develop free, online textbooks for classes like digital media, shown here.

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Many Latino students attending GGC

are the first in their families to go to college, so their parents lack a frame of reference

for what college involves. Dr. Luis Mora,

associate professor of Spanish, received a $22,000 grant from the USG Hispanic

Latino Initiative to develop an educational program to help Latino parents provide

academic, emotional and financial support to help students graduate in four years.

Drs. Tacksoo Im and Sebastien Siva, both

assistant professors of information tech-

nology, received a $65,705 National Science Foundation subaward to collaborate with

Georgia Tech on exploring how a STEAM

(STEM + arts) approach can make computer science courses more engaging for non-majors. If so, the approach could help those students learn essential computer skills.

Research Dr. Mark Schlueter, professor of biology,

and his GGC students have been studying

bees in north Georgia apple orchards since 2011 in hopes of developing pollination

alternatives in light of declines in honey

GGC has acquired an atomic force microscope, thanks to a $148,443 National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant. Capable of capturing nanoscale images, the microscope will significantly broaden research capabilities of students and faculty across several disciplines. Here, Joseph Mondoux, biology, listens as Dr. Neelam Khan, associate professor of physics, explains how to use the microscope.

Meanwhile, Dr. Seungjin Lee, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, talks with Farzana Zerin, biology, about the interpretation of images captured by the microscope.

bee populations. He recently received a $15,000 Southern Regional Sustainable Agricultural and Educational grant to study how planting wildflower beds

in apple orchards may encourage the

Active Public Grants, Topics

Lead Faculty/Staff PhD

Grant Award

ALG: Digital media

Shuhua Lai

$

10,800.00

ALG: Human geography

David Dorrell

$

25,800.00

ALG: Math

Alvina Atkinson

$

2,400.00

ALG: Music

Todd Mueller

$

20,800.00

ALG: Political science

Dovile Budryte

$

20,800.00

ALG: Spanish

Federica Goldoni

$

15,800.00

Cyber Innovation training

Kris Nagel

$

65,000.00

DHHS: Suicide prevention*

Andrew Stochel

$

121,228.00

NIH: Research training**

Latanya Hammonds-Odie

$

18,516.00

NSF: A.F. Microscope

Neelam Kahn

$

148,443.00

NSF: IUSE Undergrad research

Judy Awong-Taylor

$ 1,629,820.00

NSF: IUSE GA Tech

Tacksoo Im

$

65,705.00

NSF: Information system security

Melchor De Guzman

$

20,730.00

SARE: Bee pollination

Mark Schlueter

$

15,000.00

Texas PW: Alligator gar

Peter Sakaris

$

20,000.00

USFWS: Bullhead catfish

Peter Sakaris

$

8,900.00

USFWS: Bees

Melissa Caspary

$

20,000.00

USFWS: Monarch butterfly

Melissa Caspary

$

5,000.00

USG AAMI: Elite Scholars

C. Douglas Johnson

$

23,000.00

USG CCG: Peer instruction

Cindy Achat-Mendes

$

25,000.00

USG HLI: Hispanic parent prog.

Luis Mora

$

22,000.00

USG STEM Initiative: Education Improvement Plan

Thomas Mundie

$

510,000.00

TOTAL TOTAL

$2,803,942.00 $2,814,742.00

*Department of Health and Human Services **National Institutes of Health Some USG competitive grants are supported by private funding.

presence and activity of wild bee species that can help pollinate the trees.

Dr. Peter Sakaris, associate professor

of biology, has a $20,000 Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department grant to measure age in young alligator gar in Texas rivers by sectioning and analyzing otoliths (ear

bones) from larval and juvenile fish. In

addition, he received $8,900 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to

estimate the ages of brown bullhead catfish from the tidal Potomac and Anacostia

rivers. Sakaris will relate fish age to liver

and skin tumor development in this species.

Dr. Melchor De Guzman, professor of

criminal justice/criminology, received

$20,730 in NSF funding to analyze insider

threats to information technology systems in financial institutions.

Dr. Melissa Caspary, assistant professor of

biology, received two USFWS grants totaling $25,000 for two research projects involving

Georgia’s Coosa Valley prairie. Both projects examine pollination and the importance of plant-insect community partners in an

ecological system. One project focuses on bees while the other concentrates on the now-endangered Monarch butterfly.

“Research provides valuable learning op-

portunities for GGC students to participate in undergraduate research, which signifi-

cantly contributes to future graduate study and professional experiences,” said Arant. e n g a g e. g g c. e d u

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Rooks digs G

eorgia Gwinnett College alumnus, former Marine and budding archaeologist Jim Rooks doesn’t have to think back very far to understand his passion for history.

His father, Terry Rooks, a former military man and leather smith, is a history buff who has shared that interest with his son. Through the years, Rooks’ father gave him historically inspired knife sheaths and colonial shot bags he had made, as well as a tomahawk and Brown Bess British musket he purchased.

Rooks was only seven or eight when his father brought the Civil War to life for him with a visit to Kennesaw Mountain battlefield.

“I absolutely fell in love with it,” Rooks said. “That’s when, as historians say, I caught the bug.”

Rooks graduated from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee in 2001. He immediately entered the Marine Corps and spent more than five years on active duty, seeing combat in Africa and Iraq as an infantry sergeant.

By the time Rooks was ready to return to civilian life, the economy had taken a down turn. He found the jobs that were available required a college degree, so at age 29, he enrolled at GGC, a convenient 15 minutes from his Suwanee home.

At GGC, Rooks met his soon-to-be wife, Morgan O’Kelley Rooks. The couple left Georgia Gwinnett in 2012 so Rooks could accept a job offer in South Carolina. However, the job didn’t pan out, and almost one year later, Rooks and his wife returned to Georgia and he was back at GGC. The couple married in 2014, and she left school for a job opportunity.

He continued school and graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

Top left: One of the ways Jim Rooks’ father, Terry, nurtured his son’s interests in history was to create historically inspired metal and leather items for him.

Shown is a leather sheath Terry Rooks created for the trowel his son uses for excavations. It is adorned with an embossed Native American Clovis point.

Bottom left: Jim Rooks (right) and two colleagues stand over a section of excavated soil at the Singer-Moye archaeological site in Stewart County, Ga. Rooks spent a month at the site last summer through the Georgia Archeaology Field School.

Right: Jim Rooks

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s deep into history “My passion and hard focus was American colonial history, particularly colonial warfare,” he said.

After graduation, Rooks quickly found a way to put his love of history to work, spending a month last summer as part of the Georgia Archaeology Field School, a collaborative effort of several Georgia institutions including the University of Georgia (UGA).

As a member of a student team, Rooks worked 10-hour days at the Singer-Moye site, a state archaeological treasure in Stewart County, Ga. The site contains eight earthen mounds, including one more than 40 feet high. Research indicates that a Mississippian community existed there as early as 1100 A.D. Excavations have revealed building foundations, animal bones, ceramic fragments and other artifacts.

The team found thousands of pottery sherds with rectilinear patterns indicative of Mississippian Georgia. They also found lithics and bone fragments used for scraping animal hides and other tasks.

“The most interesting finds were pieces of clay figurines, a few beads and a shark’s tooth,” Rooks said, explaining that the tooth meant that the community at Singer-Moye engaged in coastal trade. Another intriguing find was an arrowhead from a much older time period.

“We were very much amateur archaeologists coming out of it,” Rooks said of the UGA program.

Rooks returned to the Georgia Gwinnett campus this past October to talk about his “amazing experience” at Singer-Moye with students in an American history class taught by Dr. Kathryn Gray-White, one of his favorite college professors.

Rooks, who attended college on the GI Bill, said he had several inspiring history faculty at GGC, such as Drs. Michael G. Gunther, Carey Shellman, Richard Rawls and Gray-White.

Now 35, Rooks is working with his father-in-law on small construction and restoration projects but will soon enroll at UGA to pursue a graduate degree in historic preservation. Rooks said he hopes to parlay the combination of his military service and college degrees into a government job, possibly with the National Parks Service or U.S. Department of Interior.

“Obviously, I’m very interested in archaeology and anthropology,” said Rooks. This May, he will travel to Mystic, Conn., to participate in a dig related to the Pequot Massacre of 1637 and the English retreat that followed.

“This dig will be a dream come true!” e n g a g e. g g c. e d u

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GRIZZLIES AID Albany tornado victims

A

fter a January 22 tornado left

severe damage in Albany, Ga.,

GGC students quickly mobilized

efforts to help the victims. The EF3

Association officers at Albany State

University on arrangements for a trip to the area, a 3.5-hour drive from GGC.

tornado was up to 1.25 miles wide and

“A team of 15 students and a staff mem-

causing several deaths, dozens of injuries

deliver the supplies,” Lucier said. “We spent

had an unusually long track of 70.1 miles,

ber’s husband volunteered their vehicles to

and damage to hundreds of homes.

the next day clearing downed trees and

Coordinated by the Office of Student

other damage from around local homes.”

Involvement, the student-led initiative

Energized by the experience, the students

water, non-perishable food and other

more vehicles’ worth of supplies, 13

the Grizzly community.

This time, they spent two days clearing

collected emergency supplies such as

vowed to return. After collecting several

critical items from generous members of

Grizzlies made a second trip in February.

Erin Lucier, ’17, business, one of the

damage, painting and making other repairs.

project’s leaders and founding president

“This was the first-ever emergency relief

collaborated with Student Government

Walker, associate director of Student

of the Grizzly Leadership Academy,

effort by GGC students,” said Rontai

Students and staff making a second trip to deliver emergency supplies to tornado victims in Albany, Ga., included (first row) Erin Lucier, Crystal Ramirez, Clarissa Landaverde, (second row) Ben Hines, enrollment management associate, Monica Sandoval, Camilo Hernandez, (third row) Alfredo Corona, Ceraya Nichols, Mamady Marenah, Jadonna Grimes, Josue Fuentes, Gina Amariles and Rontai Walker, associate director of Student Involvement and the Student Center.

Circle: Several students wore t-shirts bearing a Gandhi quote about service.

Upper right: Omar Zuniga carries away tornado debris.

Middle right: Monica Sandoval and Crystal Ramirez assist with a homeowner’s repairs.

Lower right: Mark Guevara clears away downed tree branches.

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Involvement and the Student Center.

“It was impressive to see our students

take the lead in organizing the project so

quickly. They made the first trip less than a week after the tornado struck.”

Lucier said she and other Grizzlies felt a

responsibility to help their fellow University System of Georgia (USG) students.

“We hope that if GGC and its community were struck by a natural disaster, other USG students would come to help us,” Lucier said.

provides unique Honors Program experience ne might not associate theater with the typical college

honors program, but GGC’s Honors Program is in its third

year of providing such broad, holistic learning experiences.

produce videos of the performances. Art students exhibit works in the theater lobby. Grizzlies from across campus attend the

performances independently or for class assignments. Some also volunteer to help. Each play involves more than 50 students.

GGC’s Honors Program is designed for students who

demonstrate excellence and who want to enjoy an integrated learning experience, Wunder said. Members develop

essential professional and leadership skills through workshops, field trips, projects, cultural events and special classes.

Membership requirements include a 3.5 GPA, an essay, letter of recommendation and interview.

“We provide Honors Program members with a holistic,

transformative experience,” Wunder said. “This particular activity is a wonderful way for students to participate in theater while earning college credit.”

“Working” cast members perform a musical number.

One such student is Kevin Davis, ’17, who described his

involvement in the musical “Working” as a dream come true.

Through an innovative collaboration with Lawrenceville’s Aurora

“I am beyond thankful for the collaboration that GGC and the

productions of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Arts or Crafts”

I never could have imagined,” said Davis, who will graduate in

Theatre, Honors Program members have presented sold-out

Aurora Theatre have forged, as it is truly shaping my life in ways

and “Working,” the college’s first musical.

psychology with a minor in sociology.

This semester, members are presenting a 1940s-era version

of “Much Ado About Nothing,” as part of the Honors Program’s 3000-level class. Students are applying skills learned in their

majors to activities required to produce the play. History majors are examining historical aspects of the original work as well as how to interpret it for the 1940s. Business and English majors

are developing the play’s marketing campaign. Science majors are using technical skills on set design and construction. All benefit from mentorship by Aurora’s professional staff and Jaclyn Hofmann, its director of education and a part-time theater instructor at GGC.

“Theater allows for broad participation in project-based learning,” said Dr. Jennifer Wunder, director of the Honors Program. “Stu-

dents engage in scholarship, show leadership, express creativity and provide service – all core to the GGC Honors experience.”

That experience is shared with the whole college, and many students take advantage of the opportunities. Film students

Jacob McKee, an Aurora Theatre apprentice, rehearses a scene from “Arts of Crafts” with GGC student Timothy Wylie.

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The School of Science and Technology (SST) has launched its

STEM Education Innovations program, which will revolutionize the undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning experiences at GGC, and serve as a

leadership model for other institutions. This initiative is funded by more than $2 million in grants, supporting multiple projects that work together in an integrated strategy.

Core to the program is involving all STEM students in both

EDUCATION INNOVATIONS PROGRAM ENHANCES STUDENT EXPERIENCE

course-embedded and faculty-mentored research opportunities during all four academic years. This innovative, multi-faceted

model is based on Dean Thomas Mundie’s vision of a four-year, undergraduate research and creative experiences program.

This is a game-changing idea.

“The problem with the traditional, faculty-mentored

undergraduate research model is that students typically do it in their senior years and work one-on-one with their professors,”

Leveraging significant grant funding, the School of Science and Technology’s STEM Education Innovations program offers unprecedented opportunities for students to achieve greater academic success and professional opportunities.

said Dr. Judy Awong-Taylor, professor of biology. “But not every student has the opportunity or confidence to do that. We want all SST majors to have the research experience, and we want them to have it every year.”

So does the National Science Foundation, which awarded

Awong-Taylor and her faculty team more than $1.6 million to continue their development of the concept, which merges the traditional faculty-mentored model with course-embedded

undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), and to share it with similar institutions in Georgia and beyond.

SST faculty collaborate, design, implement and assess CUREs

for specific courses in biology, chemistry, environmental science, exercise science, information technology and mathematics.

Structured to provide a developmental “scaffold,” the CUREs

are designed to help students build targeted skills at each stage and apply them in the next. The process increases student engagement

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in their classes and prepares them to take on individual research projects under the guidance of faculty members.

By the time they graduate, GGC students possess a broad range

of work-ready skills and practical experiences that better prepare

them for professional positions in research, industry or continued education. They also do better in school.

“Students who conduct research as undergraduates not only

problem-solving skills to succeed in STEM as they progress to the college level. In addition to forging important links with

the community and future Grizzlies, the program improves 5th grade students’ science communication and lab skills while providing GGC students with leadership experiences.

Virtual Communities of Practice connect SST faculty

have greater success in their academic programs, they tend to

with non-GGC faculty dealing with similar student engagement

said. “In addition, we designed our STEM Education Innovations

and best practices between GGC and external institutions.

continue on the path to becoming STEM professionals,” Mundie program to include other initiatives that ultimately support student success and enhance learning.”

The Peer Supplemental Instruction (PSI) program

provides students with academic support and leadership

opportunities. Students in gateway science courses engage in collaborative learning sessions led by more experienced and successful students trained in a variety of active learning

strategies. This support helps students transition from high

school to college courses, where students often falter and can

potentially withdraw from STEM programs. PSI student leaders benefit from reinforced concepts and leadership development.

The PSI program was first funded by a $25,000 Complete College Georgia STEM Innovation grant.

Service Learning integrates community service with

real-world, problem-based instruction to enrich the learning

methods. This community will enable rapid transfer of ideas

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning partnership

between SST faculty and GGC’s Center for Teaching Excellence includes seminars and workshops on best practices in multiple teaching methodologies such as learner-centered teaching,

course design, educational technology, student engagement, and the scholarship aspects of teaching and learning.

In addition, SST encourages development of new, more

effective educational strategies by awarding mini-grants to internal and external partners.

An additional grant from the University System of Georgia

STEM II Initiative will support improving STEM performance via high student engagement strategies. Led by Mundie, this

grant of $510,000 will fund continued implementation of SST’s innovative vision.

“Our STEM Education Innovations program will position

experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen community

Georgia Gwinnett as a leader in STEM education,” Mundie said.

Schools’ teachers to deliver hands-on science instruction to

it will benefit generations of Grizzlies who will earn a degree

connections. Students work alongside Gwinnett County Public 5th graders. The program is designed to motivate elementary

students to consider STEM majors and empower them with the

“This benefits our community and state, but more importantly, backed by robust training and experience that will serve them well no matter their career choice.”

In this series of photos, students are conducting courseembedded undergraduate research in the organic chemistry II synthesis project, taught by Dr. David Pursell, professor of chemistry.

Shown are biology majors Shang Her, ’18; Mali Vang, ’18; Veronica Vratcheva, ’17; Dr. David Pursell; Nohemi “Mimi” Martinez, ’19 and Evan Sheffield, ’18.

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TIC TAC TOE •

•

Tutoring services win prestigious award The Academic Enhancement Center’s (AEC) TIC-TAC-TOE program recently won a University System of Georgia

Chancellor’s Service Excellence Student Improvement Initiative Team Award – Silver Level.

“The AEC team’s efforts were cited for improved satisfaction

and student retention,” said Dr. T.J. Arant, senior vice president

for Academic and Student Affairs and provost. “This is meaningful since GGC was designed specifically to ensure that students are able to find paths to success.”

More than 30 percent of all Georgia Gwinnett students use

Academic Enhancement Center

Serves all students at all academic levels • Located in Building C • Open 64 hours/week • Topic-specific workshops by faculty request

30 full- and part-time tutors 10 peer tutors 12 student assistants 55 faculty volunteer tutors 50 interactive workshops per semester

the AEC’s tutoring services at least once. The AEC provides

includes the AEC. “Although our average class size is only 21,

students in the AEC itself, the center’s TIC-TAC-TOE program

ability to address individual students’ needs, particularly if

about 18,000 tutoring sessions annually. In addition to serving offers three types of tutoring service designed to increase accessibility for all students.

TIC is the Tutors in the Classroom program, which provides in-class tutoring support to complement classroom instruction.

TIC tutors serve about 300 students each year.

“GGC’s attentive teaching model ensures that our students

get more personal interaction with our faculty,” said Dr. Justin Jernigan, dean of the School of Transitional Studies which

a classroom tutor in certain courses can extend the faculty’s

students are doing exercises during class and may encounter questions or problems. Our TIC tutors lends a hand to ensure that students receive the assistance they need.”

TAC is the unique Tutors Around Campus program, which provides tutoring services in gathering spaces and common

areas throughout campus, such as the residence halls, dining

hall, study areas or even on the lawn. TAC tutors provide about 150 sessions per semester, and there are plans to expand the program in the upcoming academic year.

“Many students may not have the time to visit the AEC or feel

comfortable going to the center to ask for help,” said Jernigan.

“We get around these barriers by placing tutors in strategic locations around campus where students can conveniently approach them in a casual setting.”

TOE , or Tutoring Online Everywhere, provides 24/7

assistance for students needing help after hours or from

off-campus. In the most recent academic year, more than 430 students used the online service.

“The TIC-TAC-TOE program significantly extends the AEC’s reach beyond the walls of the center,” Jernigan said. “The program is distinctive to GGC and fits perfectly with the college’s focus on active student engagement and holistic student success.”

Joseph Hoffman, a GGC writing tutor, assists nursing major Rebecca Llewlyn, ’17, with a specialized writing format required for some of her coursework. Through the TAC program, Hoffman provides tutoring services in campus common areas, like the Building B atrium as shown.

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TIC-TAC-TOE was initially made possible by multiple grants from three private funders, each funding one or more pilot phases.

Collectively, they contributed $219,850 to help launch this

award-winning program in support of student success at GGC.

Global award honors GGC’s innovation in

International Education

G

eorgia Gwinnett is one of

only eight colleges selected by the Institute of International

Education (IIE) to be honored through

its annual Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education.

“These are highly competitive,

worldwide awards, and this is GGC’s first international recognition,” said Dr. Stas Preczewski, president. “Everyone

associated with the college should be

proud of this remarkable achievement.”

IIE’s Heiskell Awards showcase

today’s most innovative and successful

models for internationalizing the campus, study abroad and international partner-

ship programs, with an emphasis on ini-

tiatives that remove institutional barriers and broaden the base of participation in

study abroad and promote international teaching and learning on campus.

The awards honor the most outstanding

initiatives in international higher educa-

tion among the IIE’s membership associ-

ation of more than 1,300 institutions. This year’s awards recognize five campuses

with the Heiskell Award and three with

honorable mentions, representing six U.S. states as well as the nations of Australia, Morocco and the United Kingdom.

GGC won an honorable mention in

the Internationalizing the Campus award

category for its “Internationalization of the

“I believe it is crucial for my generation to become informed global citizens, and we must be able to put aside our personal biases in order to study topics through cultural lenses which may differ from our own.”

– Hope Deraney, ’17

Curriculum: Engaging the World to Develop Global Citizens” Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The QEP enhances student

learning and the student learning environ-

senior vice president for Academic and

Student Affairs and provost. “This helps graduates be better prepared to live and

work in the expanding global economy.”

The QEP strengthens and supports

ment by creating internationalized courses

GGC’s other affordable, interdisciplinary,

and electives, as well as an optional Global

intercultural campus activities.

throughout the core curriculum, majors Studies Certification including foreign

faculty-led, study abroad programs and

languages, study abroad and a Global Studies Capstone course.

Students earning the certification

include political science major Christina “Hope” Deraney, ’17, shown at right.

She plans to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs and an international

career in human rights and gender equality.

“The Global Studies Certification has

helped me consolidate my knowledge and have salient, informed opinions about

the current state of international affairs,” said Deraney. She highly recommends

the program to students of all majors for gaining interdisciplinary understanding of their fields of study.

GGC initiated the QEP in 2014 as a

required component for reaffirmation by

its regional accreditor, the Southern Association of College and Schools Commis-

sion on Colleges. GGC recei ved its initial accreditation in 2009 and its next reaffirmation will take place in 2024.

“QEP-related internation-

alized courses created by our faculty enrich our students’ educational experience and their intercultural

and global competency,” said Dr. T.J. Arant,

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Every cap tells a story Office of Alumni Relations strengthens GGC traditions

A GGC employee since 2007, McDaniel

worked full-time as an administrative

A

so many emotions! I thought to myself,

At the Alumni Association’s fall 2016

GGC commence-

ment landscape. Flashes of color and

glitter accentuate the emotion-filled day,

each telling a story. Some are humorous, while others express determination, appreciation and achievement.

For Helen McDaniel, ’16, business, her

decorated mortar board symbolized five years of sheer perseverance.

I

plish something she once thought unat-

Senior Send-off Party, she stared at the

works of art dot the

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education, agreed.

tainable – becoming a college graduate.

gowns, individual

Ge orgia Gwinn et t C ollege

Crystal Serrato, ’16, early childhood

assistant in the Office of Academic and

Student Affairs and took classes to accom-

mid a sea of black

important milestone in their life.”

blank canvas before her, not knowing how to truly express her emotions.

“I sat there thinking my lifelong dream

of getting my degree has finally come true,” she said. “That is why I decided to put it on my cap

(shown above). It was very surreal to me. It still is.

I hope this tradition continues so future

GGC graduates have the chance to express their feelings about such an

“As I was decorating my cap, I felt

‘Wow! I did it ... I am graduating college and becoming an educator myself!’ This is why I decided to decorate my cap

saying ‘It’s my turn to teach.’

It was a thank you to

everyone at GGC

who helped me

become the person I wanted to be. It

activities – including Gwinnett Great Days

teach,” Serrato said. “As I put on my cap

competition, the Alumni and Donor

meant I was ready for the world, ready to the day of graduation, I knew I was ready to make a difference in students’ lives.”

This was the first time the Senior

of Service, a student organization spirit Appreciation Reception and the first GGC Homecoming King and Queen.

“Homecoming Week really show-

Send-off Party included mortar board

cased the collegial spirit among

started by the School of Education.

staff. It reminds us just how special

decorating, an expansion of a tradition

our students, alumni, faculty and

GGC is,” said Chad Miller, ’08, chair of

the Alumni Association Board. “We plan

to build upon this momentum for the 4th Annual Homecoming on Oct. 21.”

The new Student Alumni Association

(SAA) will also create and preserve

campus traditions, provide students with opportunities to interact with alumni and promote a culture of philanthropy at GGC.

“The SAA will build camaraderie among

past and present students,” said Aizaz

Shaikh,’17, charter president. “We are excited to start building these connections.”

“Our commencements are celebratory,”

said Nate Jones, director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. “It’s one of the things that makes GGC unique.”

Social programming keeps alumni

engaged throughout the year. This includes monthly alumni mixers.

“The stories expressed on graduates’

mortar boards never really end,” said

Jones. “Alumni will always be part of the GGC family.”

Mark your calendar!

Alumni mixer: May 25 Homecoming: Oct. 21 www.ggc.edu/alumni

It is also unique that students, alumni,

faculty and staff can shape a college’s

culture and traditions – from penning

the lyrics of the alma mater and choosing the school mascot to attending March Through the Arch and Homecoming.

The Office of Alumni Relations, in

collaboration with the Alumni Association,

strengthens and preserves such traditions, and creates new ones along the way.

“Collegiate traditions foster a sense

of community, inspire participation and

evoke memories,” said Jones. “This makes affiliation with the college even more meaningful after graduation.”

Homecoming is the perfect event for

Grizzly grads and their families to come

back to campus. In 2016, Alumni Relations coordinated with divisions across campus to create various Homecoming Week

Navy veteran and former White House chef Darian Horn adjusts his mortar board before receiving his bachelor’s degree in busiess administration at the summer 2016 commencement.

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Morgan has a

vested interest in GGC

B

randBank CEO Bartow Morgan, Jr. has been at the helm of the family business for more than 20 years. It was

started in Lawrenceville as The Brand Banking Company by

Morgan’s great-great-grandfather, E.M. Brand, back in 1905.

With eight branches now spanning the region, Morgan has

proven himself a leader within the business community.

However, his leadership extends beyond the corporate walls

workforce becomes more and more educated. This is an

investment in our quality of life,” Morgan said in 2008, a sentiment that still resonates with him today.

Now serving as chair of the GGC Foundation Development

Committee, Morgan encourages fellow community members to invest in the college.

and into the philanthropic sector. For Morgan, supporting GGC is seen as an investment in the community.

“BrandBank continues its philanthropic support of Georgia

Gwinnett College because we believe in the mission of the college; it’s a place of opportunities. If you desire a college

education, you can come to GGC for a quality education right here in your community,” he said.

Morgan said he has believed in Georgia Gwinnett

from its inception, serving as a charter trustee for the GGC Foundation since 2006.

“It is important that the Gwinnett community embraces and

supports GGC. This county will continue to prosper as its

During fiscal year 2016, the GGC Foundation provided more than $200,000 in scholarships and grants to hundreds of students. These scholarship funds provide long-term, renewable assistance to GGC students each year, while grant programs assist students facing financial shortfalls or emergencies. To support GGC,

visit www.ggc.edu/give.

“It’s about enriching our collective community.”

– Bartow Morgan, Jr.

“Typically when someone gives to higher education they

are giving to a cause they are passionate about, whether that is a named scholarship or a building endowment. While each and every gift is important, it’s vital we collectively sustain unrestricted giving to the GGC Fund. Each year, this fund

provides students with scholarships, emergency grants and

funding for academic and student programming,” Morgan said.

“It’s absolutely essential we provide a solid base of support for the college and its students.”

Morgan gratefully acknowledges gifts made by the GGC

community and hopes friends, parents and alumni who have not yet made a gift will be inspired to do so.

“Think back to your time at GGC,” he said. “How many

faculty or staff members became your mentors? Which donors

gave to the scholarship you earned? Who helped you succeed?

Quantify those and look at that as your obligation to give back to that next generation following in your footsteps.”

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The Gallery A delegation including Student Government Association (SGA) representatives, Four Pillar Society members and General visited with Georgia’s governor during this spring’s GGC Day at the Capitol. Shown are Santessa Young, Mehra Dawood, Ara Ko, Melly Hiciano, Denicia Williams, Mark Guerrera, SGA President Tammy Lu, General, Governor Nathan Deal, Aizaz Shaikh, SGA Vice President Usama Lakhani, Martavious Charlow, Emily Reagan, Four Pillar Society Advisor Susan Arant, Jared Noble, Shannon Bermudez and Myra Beamon.

Starting with the fall 2016 commencement, GGC alumni now congratulate graduates and present them with their official Alumni Association pins. The first alumni to do so were Whitney Durrah, ’14, political science; Sean Casey, ’15, business; Daryouch Aziz, ’08, business; John Maison, ’15, business, and Elease Dillard, ’15, biology.

Infielder Brashante Dareus, ’19, business, reaches for the ball during an intercollegiate softball game.

Gwinnett County’s support of GGC continues to be evident. Here, firefighters from the county’s newest fire station meet with General, GGC’s mascot, to exchange tips on fire prevention and grizzly growls. Station 31 is located directly across Collins Hill Road from the Grizzly Athletics Complex, which provides easy access to Highway 316, the campus and surrounding homes and businesses.

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Office of Public Relations 1000 University Center Lane Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

Georgia Gwinnett College is an accredited access institution offering targeted associate and baccalaureate degrees meeting the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of Gwinnett County and the northeast Atlanta metropolitan region.

Visit www.ggc.edu.

Connect with us @GeorgiaGwinnett

IT’S TIME TO Georgia Gwinnett College is making it easier for adult learners to earn a bachelor’s degree while balancing life’s demands. Change your game through innovative student support, attentive faculty and affordable tuition.

Learn more at www.ggc.edu.