Montevallo Today — Fall 2018

MONTEVALLO TODAY University of Montevallo Alumni Magazine • Fall 2018

MONTEVALLO TODAY University of Montevallo Alumni Magazine PUBLISHERS Scott Dillard MBA ’17 Kira Thomas ’12 kthomas18@montevallo.edu EDITOR Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’00, MBA ’13 bunttr@montevallo.edu WRITER AND COPY EDITOR Reed Strength ’16 ALUMNI EDITOR Dr. Tracy Rockco ’94, M.Ed. ’98 paynet@montevallo.edu DESIGN EDITOR Julie Haggard PHOTO EDITOR Alyssa Green ’14 PHOTOGRAPHERS Cara Anderson ’19, Thor Audiss ’20 Katie Compton ’18, Dr. Becky Halliday, Steve Herlihy, Corey Nolen, Matt Orton CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Guyton ’15, MBA ’18, Madison Griggs ’17, Jamie Haas ’19, Wesley Hallman, Waid Jones ’19, Brenda Knight ALUMNI ASSOCIATION UMNAA President Toni Leo ’80

From Calkins Hall Dear Montevallo family, Over the past eight years, it has been my great privilege to meet countless alumni and friends of our University who invest their time and treasure in the lives of the students we serve.

During those meetings, I have asked these individuals, “What brought you to Montevallo?”

Their answer is often, “I just belonged there.” Indeed, I see in our current students a keen sense of belonging to our dynamic family of learners.

With this in mind, I am pleased to announce that the theme of our new marketing campaign is “You Belong at Montevallo.”

We believe this offers all our constituents, especially prospective students, a sense of the spirit of intellectual curiosity, civic duty, meaning and purpose that truly lives in our classrooms, athletic fields, residence halls and other campus settings.

“You Belong at Montevallo” also offers a nimble, creative vehicle through which we can tell the world about the quality of education that our talented faculty and staff make possible.

Speaking of campaigns, I am also pleased to report that our comprehensive fundraising campaign has been a rousing success.

We achieved our $20 million goal nearly two years early and have extended it to $30 million. For all of you who have invested in the It’s About Family campaign, we offer a deep, heartfelt thank you. You are helping transform the world through your gifts — one Montevallo student at a time.

You will always belong at Montevallo.

President-Elect Cynthia Todd ’88 Past-President Laurl Self ’94 Alumni Council Representative Kit Waters ’78

Dr. John W. Stewart III President

Admissions Representative Audrey Crawford Faculty/Staff Representative Matt Walker ’02 SGA President Tori Irvin ’19 UMNAA Vice Presidents Dr. Lewis Brooks ’88, M.Ed. ’99, Ed.S. ’03, Dr. Terra Miller ’06, Megan Randolph ’06, Diane Ray ’68, M.Ed. ’74, Stephanie Shaw ’93, Christopher Willis ’07, Warwick Woodall ’82 Members at Large Tracey Morant Adams ’88, Shana Reach Arnold ’95, Eddie Baker III ’03, Jan Chance ’72, Suzanne Durham ’68, Sandi Falkenhagen ’68, Melissa Garrett ’75, Claudia Harrell ’73, Joe Hill Jr. ’88, Greg Jones ’85, Jean Kline ’77, Greg Lee ’99, Jeannine McElroy ’53, Pat Scales ’68 Ex-Officio Kristen Dechert ’03, Dr. Tracy Rockco ’94, M.Ed. ’98, Dr. John W. Stewart III

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On the Cover Lizbeth Juarez ’18 proudly accepts her diploma, emerging as a well-rounded highly educated individual who isn't just ready for the world — she’s ready to change it. She found the home where she belonged and now belongs to a new family: the UM alumni! See more about why you belong on page 16.

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contents DEPARTMENTS

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Faculty Spotlight

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Student Spotlight

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Campus News

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Athletics

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Donor Spotlight

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Campaign Update

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Alumni Profile

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Class Notes

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Alumni News

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Alumni Events

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YOU BELONG AT MONTEVALLO

Alumni share fond memories of discovering they belonged at the University. (Pulitzer prize winner Joey Bunch ’85 shown at left.)

Montevallo Today Vol. CVIII, No. 3 Fall 2018 Montevallo Today (USPS 005432; ISSN 1052-3634) is published three times a year by the University of Montevallo, Alumni Affairs/University Relations, Reynolds Hall, Highland St., Montevallo, AL 35115.

Periodicals postage paid at Montevallo, AL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, send address changes to Montevallo Today, Station 6215, P.O. Box 6000, Montevallo, AL 35115. To contact the Alumni Affairs Office, please call 205-665-6215. Text, photographs and graphic images included in this publication may not be reproduced without written permission from the editor. The University of Montevallo is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or disabled veteran/Vietnam era veteran status in the University’s educational programs; admissions policies; faculty, staff and student employment policies; financial aid; or other school-administered programs and services.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

ALEXANDER MECHITOV Pushing Students to Academic Success

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F YOU TOOK CLASSES in the Stephens College of Business within the last decade, there’s a high probability you’ve experienced firsthand the warm personality and engaged teaching of Dr. Alexander Mechitov.

Thanks to his diverse academic background, Mechitov offers classes in three different business areas: management information systems, quantitative methods and international management classes.

In his 17 years at UM, Mechitov has published 35 articles, averaging an impressive rate of two papers per year. In 2003, he was named the University Scholar, one of the most prestigious titles given to UM faculty.

He’s also been nominated three times for Who’s Who Among American Teachers by his students, and last year, he received the prestigious UM Best Graduate Teacher Award. “For a person with a very strong accent to be appreciated by students so much, it’s a really big honor to me,” said Mechitov.

That accent is a touchstone of his former life in Russia. Growing up in Moscow as a boy, he remembers being fascinated with a large world map in his childhood bedroom. As he grew older, he showed deep interest in the global affairs that the map represented: politics, economics, geography, social issues and demographics.

While pursuing a degree at Moscow State

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University’s Economics College, he met his future wife, Dr. Helen Moshkovich. The two later found positions and pursued Ph.D.s within the Institute for Systems Analysis, a branch of the prestigious Russian Academy of Sciences.

In 1990, Mechitov traveled to the U.S. for the first time to take part in the International Society on Multi-Criteria Decision Making’s annual meeting at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. There, he met a colleague from Texas A&M University that helped him gain his first visiting professorship in an American school.

After a few visiting and full-time stints at Texas A&M, East Carolina University and the University of West Alabama, Mechitov and Moshkovich learned of an open position for a management information systems professor at UM’s Stephens College of Business. They visited and thought the school presented a promising opportunity. But the couple was looking for two positions, not one.

It was a surprise when Dr. Nancy Bell, dean of the SCOB at that time, came back to the couple after an initial meeting and agreed to offer faculty positions to both of them.

“I consider Alex Mechitov and Helen Moshkovich the best hires of my entire career.

With their outstanding teaching, academic and service records, it was really an easy sell to talk President McChesney into creating an extra

position so we could have this incredible team at Montevallo. They are Montevallo’s dynamic duo,” said Bell when asked about her decision.

While Mechitov takes pride in his achievements and abilities as a researcher, he is also a passionate and highly capable teacher. One of his biggest goals is to inform and push his students to consider taking their academic careers beyond just an undergraduate level.

“I want them (students) to take full advantage of what they can get in these spaces,” said Mechitov. “When no one in your family or no one in your close environment is from academia, often students just don’t think about this opportunity.”

It’s a mission he plans to continue with the resources available to him as the newly appointed and second-ever Michael J. and Donna H. Grainger Endowed Chair in Business and Accounting, a title first given to his wife, Helen, in 2015.

“Alex Mechitov is an outstanding scholar and teacher,” said Dr. Stephen Craft, dean of the Stephens College of Business. “His many years of service make Dr. Mechitov an outstanding choice to be the Grainger Professor in Business.”

In addition to using the position to expand his own work, he also hopes to boost research opportunities for his students at both the undergraduate and MBA level.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Terrance Boykin Takes Center Stage For most of July, UM musical theatre major Terrance Boykin wasn’t himself. In fact, he was often five different people: a guard, a beggar, the Duke of Buckingham, another guard named Debris and a man named Rochefort, a henchman of the evil Cardinal Richelieu.

To clarify, Boykin performed as these characters in the Birmingham Children’s Theatre production of the classic swashbuckling tale, “The Three Musketeers.” The show ran from July 12-29, with performances each week from Thursday to Sunday.

It was the longest run of performances in Boykin’s career thus far, but also his first time working as a professional actor earning a paycheck for his craft.

Boykin began performing at age 10 in M.A.D. Skillz, a Birmingham contemporary dance company. “I’ve been dancing and moving since I can remember,” he said.

In high school, he auditioned and was accepted in the Jefferson County Academy of Theater and Dance at Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Alabama.

There, Boykin was introduced to theater, his “second love” only to dance. By his senior year, Boykin had performed in five shows and co-directed a production of “Mojo Man,” a one-act play by Walter Wykes. He was, by all accounts, a triple threat: a performer capable of acting, dancing and singing if the production called for it.

He needed a college that could further hone his talents, which he found at Montevallo after witnessing the spirit of a College Night performance and the quality of the UM Theatre Department’s production of “Cabaret.”

So far, Boykin’s greatest lessons learned at UM have occurred both outside and inside the classroom. “I’ve learned that the Theatre Department is about starting from where you are and helping build your skill set to where you want it be.”

Beyond learning to be a more nuanced performer, Boykin said he’s also gained valuable skills on how to be a professional and what a real audition process entails.

Outside of the classroom, Boykin said he’s been forced to put into practice the delicate balance between time and commitments. In the spring of 2017, Boykin learned, as many freshmen do, the sleepless nights of dedication required to play on either Gold or Purple Side during College Night.

Add memberships in Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, the Theatre Student Organization, the Minority Student Union and the African American Studies Club and responsibilities as a Montevallo Master, and you have a fully packed schedule.

Luckily, lessons passed on from his mother and stepfather prepared him to be independent and to prioritize his needs. “If I can find a way to make it happen, it’ll happen,” he said.

This deep reverence for the life lessons passed down from his parents influences another part of Boykin’s overall career goals: his own mentoring program for young, college-age men, regardless of major.

His time as a former orientation leader introduced him to several incoming freshmen that perhaps didn’t have the positive reinforcement he grew up with. For Boykin, it makes him reflect on how his parents’ support offered him the means to get an education and get paid to perform.

“I just really appreciate how much they’ve sacrificed when they didn’t have to. But they did it because it’s what I love,” said Boykin.

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CAMPUS NEWS The Center for the Arts will provide opportunities for campus and community use with the following key features: • Performance venues and hospitality space • University art gallery • Theatre Department offices and multipurpose classrooms and studios • Multi-use digital fabrication lab • Scene design and wardrobe shops along with versatile storage spaces

Center for the Arts Groundbreaking The University held the groundbreaking for its new multi-million dollar Center for the Arts on Thursday, April 19 at 4 p.m.

The 36,000-square-foot facility will allow the College of Fine Arts to provide a more comprehensive teaching and learning space, giving UM’s fine arts programs a location to collaborate more across disciplines.

The performance venue will include a 350-seat theater with state-of-the-art acoustics and technology for music concerts and theater performances, a 100-seat black box theater and a courtyard suitable for outdoor performances and receptions.

This will allow the new Center for the Arts to also act as an artistic hub for the community.

University Offers Wi-Fi Downtown

Mayor Cost and Craig Gray, CIO at UM, work to bring Wi-Fi connectivity downtown.

The University partnered with the City of Montevallo to offer Wi-Fi access to downtown Montevallo beginning in the summer. The Wi-Fi system is intended for UM students, Montevallo residents and visitors to use while enjoying the downtown area.

The University of Montevallo, City of Montevallo and Shelby County formed a strong partnership in 2012 with the formation of the Montevallo Development Cooperative District.

“Now, with any project the City has, we look to our partners to identify how we can strengthen the project. In this case, we knew with the streetscape project, we should consider all infrastructure,” said Dr. Hollie C. Cost, Mayor of Montevallo.

“The University is excited to support downtown life. We want students on Main Street and we want people to see this as a vibrant living community. The University bears the namesake of the town it’s in. It makes a lot of sense for us to partner,” said UM’s Chief Information Officer, Craig Gray.

Concert Choir Completes International Concert Tour

Photo by Dr. Becky Halliday The Concert Choir gathers prior to their performance in London’s Southwark Cathedral.

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The UM Concert Choir performed in a variety of prestigious locations across the United Kingdom and France as part of their second international concert tour, May 12-23.

Twenty-seven students, along with conductor Dr. Melinda Doyle, featured faculty soloist Dr. Roderick George and faculty documentarian Dr. Becky Halliday, performed in seven venues over 11 total days, including the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and King’s College in Cambridge.

“Traveling is one of the best forms of education, and a trip abroad of this magnitude has immeasurable life-changing benefits for our students,” said George.

In order to receive an invitation to perform at many of these venues, the choir was required to submit high-quality audio submissions with an application of accomplishments.

“The Concert Choir is truly an incredible ambassador for this University,” said Doyle.

“During the trip, our students performed in some of the most beloved musical venues throughout the United Kingdom and France and gained a greater appreciation for the choral art form as the universal language.”

Montevallo Named in Top 5 Safest College Campuses in Alabama Montevallo was named the safest college campus in the Birmingham metro area, ranking #4 for the state of Alabama.

In April, Niche.com released rankings for the 2018 Safest College Campuses. In recognizing the 15 safest colleges in Alabama, AL.com reports, “The rankings are based on a variety of factors, which include crime rate on campus property per 1,000 students; crime rates of surrounding areas; reports of residence hall violence; alcohol and drug-related arrests on campus; and student surveys on safety.”

The 2018 Safest College Campuses ranking is also based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Top-ranked colleges offer a safe and healthy environment with little or no campus crime, drugs or alcohol usage.

Statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education represent the most recent data available along with self-reported data from the schools.

Photo by Corey Nolen

UM Named Among Top 50 of the Best Colleges for Veterans in U.S. The University is one of the best higher education institutions for U.S. veterans, according to a ranking released in May by college review aggregator, College Consensus.

Out of 192 total public and private colleges and universities included in the list, UM is ranked 37th, making it one of only three Alabama colleges included in the top 50.

To be considered, each institution had to meet several specific criteria, including: credit for military training, be a Service Opportunity Colleges member, have a recognized student veteran organization,

be a Yellow Ribbon Program participant and employ a dedicated support contact for veterans, service members and families.

“We love our student veterans and warriors at UM,” said Amanda Fox, University registrar and interim coordinator of Veteran Affairs. “We may be smaller in size, but that allows us to offer personal attention to each of our students. Our average class size, walkability of the campus, and the ability of our students to work directly with faculty in research and internships make us a great choice for our veterans!”

University Honored as National College of Distinction For the seventh consecutive year, the University has been recognized as one of the nation’s Colleges of Distinction. It continues to be one of only two schools in Alabama marked with the Public College of Distinction achievement.

UM has proven itself to be at the forefront of higher education with a modern, student-centered approach to teaching.

“We are very pleased to be included in this prestigious ranking,” stated UM President John W. Stewart III. “In their deliberations, Colleges of Distinction assigns tremendous weight to the enterprise of teaching and learning. Many of the institutions they include are elite, private colleges.

Montevallo stands as a unique model for quality and affordability in higher education, offering a small, private-college experience for the cost of a state institution.”

Colleges of Distinction’s selection process reviews several facets of each institution, including general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction and more. Schools are chosen on the basis that they adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community and Successful Outcomes.

Learn more about these top stories and stay informed with UM updates at montevallo.edu/news

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CAMPUS NEWS

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Annual Forte Festival Brings Artists, Writers and Thespians to UM Campus The University of Montevallo campus celebrated the spirit of cross-disciplinary collaboration over a three-day period during this year’s Forte Festival of Creativity, an annual event that hosts a multitude of lectures, workshops and performances on the brick streets.

The interdisciplinary collaboration is presented by the College of Fine Arts, with support by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Montevallo Arts Council.

On Thursday, the festival began with a native plant walk led by local herbalist and alumna Cameron Strouss ’11. Later, Birmingham author Gin Phillips read from her novel Fierce Kingdom, selected as one of the best crime novels of 2017 by the New York Times Book Review.

Professor of Music Dr. Jody Landers gave an artist talk. Exclusive selections of his bicentennial opera adaptation, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” were also performed.

The day concluded with the groundbreaking ceremony of the upcoming Center for the Arts

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followed by the official Forte Kickoff Bash.

On Friday, Professor of Theatre Marcus Lane offered a staged reading of a rough draft of his original play. Patrons also took in an exhibit presented by the Auburn Prison Arts & Education Project in Carmichael Library. The exhibit displays the artistic works of incarcerated Alabama citizens that gain an education, and even college credit, through courses by the project.

L.A. filmmaker Neal Thibedeau, fiction writer Joe Scapellato and University of New Hampshire theater professor David Kaye also offered expert talks.

Finally, Saturday concluded the festival first with an unloading of UM’s famed anagama kiln. From there, many gathered in Orr Park for the Montevallo Arts Fest, where local artists sold their works while food trucks offered tasty treats and refreshments. There, the Alabama Water Watch provided bacteriological training in the nearby Shoal Creek while troupers from the Alabama Shakespeare Festival demonstrated

a heroic stage combat workshop.

On Friday and Saturday evening, the Theatre Department offered the concluding performance of Forte with the satire-rich “Urinetown: The Musical” in Reynolds Theatre.

1 Marc Tyler Nobleman presents the Pat Scales Special Collections Lecture “Origins of Heroes” in Carmichael Library; 2 L.A. filmmaker Neal Thibedeau conducts a director talk sponsored by local multimedia production company Pitts Media; 3 Shelby County Reporter presents guest artist David Kaye’s one-man show: “How I Brought Peace to the Middle East;” 4 Students and local artists help unload Montevallo’s Anagama Kiln. Each year, UM student artists and Alabama-area artists experiment with new techniques for the firing, which occurs over several days; 5 Music faculty Dr. Melanie Williams and Dr. Laurie Middaugh along with guest artist Daniel Seigel perform selections from “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” Dr. Jody Landers’ state bicentennial opera project, based on the landmark work by James Agee; 6 UM Theatre presents “Urinetown: The Musical” in Reynolds Theatre; 7 The UM English Department sponsors a reading by visiting fiction writer Joe Scapellato at Barnes & Noble Campus Bookstore.

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Photo by Katie Compton ’18

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CAMPUS NEWS

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Actor Michael O’Neill Offers Advice During Spring Commencement “I’d like to thank the Academy, my director and castmates … oh, that’s the wrong speech. I keep wanting to give that one,” began character actor Michael O’Neill during his commencement address at Flowerhill on May 5.

He immediately added that he was extremely honored to serve as speaker for this momentous occasion. He explained the plight of the character actor is that people often think they know you but can’t place how. “I’m pretty sure that before announcing me as your speaker, many, if not most of you, didn’t know who I was. I noticed that my Google and IMDb hits went up pretty dramatically, and I thought it was because I was doing ‘Scandal.’ But it turns out it was you.”

During his speech, O’Neill challenged graduates to learn from the “NOs.” “‘No’ can energize you. It will challenge you to look at what you can improve. But more than anything, it will force you to define your worth,” he said.

O’Neill recounted a meeting with a potential agent who told him “no.” As he left that meeting, he looked at their client list and memorized the actors who were similar character actors to himself. He then vowed that those actors would never beat him again. So, whenever he has seen these actors at auditions, it has made his focus sharper and his audition stronger. “I did some of my best work from that point on, and it all started with that ‘no,’” he said.

O’Neill offered career advice including the power of education and life lessons. He shared his experience with addiction and encouraged the audience to reach out for help if they encountered such an issue, whether for themselves or someone they knew.

In concluding the speech, he shared the best advice he had been given by a mentor: “It’s not the getting there, it’s the road going that you’ll look back on and cherish. So, I wish you a long road, a good road, straight in some places and curved in others.” His powerful words received a standing ovation and appreciation from those in attendance.

Following the address, President Stewart conferred 340 candidates for bachelor’s degrees (which included 130 from the College of Arts and Sciences, 46 from the Stephens College of Business, 81 from the College of Education and 83 from the College of Fine Arts), 57 candidates for master’s degrees and seven candidates for educational specialist degrees.

1 Commencement speaker Michael O'Neill addresses the class of 2018; 2 Faith Luna and Emily Fregeau pose for a photo on Main Quad prior to commencement; 3 Graduate Xavier Scruggs with his family; 4 Alexis Diaz accepts his diploma from President Stewart.

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SAVE THE DATE

SATURDAY, OCT. 13, 2018

JOIN US as we kick off the Centennial Celebration of College Night. The revue will include dinner, historical narration and songs from throughout the decades of College Night.

Tailgating on King Quad 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

College Night: The Early Years Anna Irvin Dining Hall 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Food, fun and spirits. Ticketed event: limited seating. Watch UM social media for details.

College Night Revue Palmer Auditorium 7 p.m. pre-show welcome and announcements 7:30 p.m. performance Ticketed event. Watch UM social media for details.

EMAIL CollegeNight@montevallo.edu for more information.

ATHLETICS

Photo by Matt Orton

Falcons Make Waves THE FALCONS ARE EXCITED to add men’s and women’s swimming to their repertoire, giving Montevallo 21 intercollegiate sports. This marks the tenth new intercollegiate sport added at Montevallo within the past six years.

“We’re excited about the continued growth within our athletic department,” said Athletic Director Mark Richard. “We’re proud to offer the opportunity for talented student-athletes to continue their swimming careers at the collegiate level. We look forward to adding to our high-achieving student-athlete population on campus.”

Montevallo is the first NCAA Division II institution in the state of Alabama to add men’s and women’s swimming as an intercollegiate sport. Montevallo will become the 74th NCAA Division II institution to compete in men’s swimming and the 104th institution in women’s swimming at the NCAA Division II level.

In the Gulf South Conference, UM will become the second school to add men’s swimming and the third to add women’s. They will also be competing against five Sunshine State Conference schools and one additional school who sponsors women’s swimming in the NCAA Division II South Region.

At the beginning of July, Richard announced the hiring of Aaron Mahaney as the first head coach for the Falcons’ men’s and women’s swimming programs.

Mahaney most recently served as the associate head coach at the State University of New York at Buffalo, an NCAA Division I institution in the Mid-American Conference.

“It was important to get a leader who can get the programs off the ground,” said Richard.

“We found our coach in Aaron Mahaney and we’re excited to get him on board and recruiting for the first season. Aaron possesses all of the important characteristics needed in a head coach to lead these swim programs.”

Mahaney was elevated to associate head coach after three years as an assistant coach for the University at Buffalo swimming and diving team.

Mahaney came to Buffalo after five years as an assistant coach at Penn State University, coaching both the men’s and women’s teams. Mahaney also spent time as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii and served as a coach at the United States Swimming National Open Water Camp held in California and Florida, where he coached the top 24 distance swimmers in the country.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Mahaney was a four-year letter winner swimmer for the Spartans and was named the program’s Freshman of the Year in 1999. He was the team’s Most Valuable Performer in 2002. He also competed at the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials, placing 18th in the men’s 200m butterfly in 2004.

Freddie the Falcon Releases First Book Our beloved mascot, Freddie the Falcon, now has his story published. In the book, written by Joel Altman and published by Mascot Books, you can take a journey through campus with Freddie.

Soar with Freddie from his magical beginning on the shore of University Lake, to visiting the antebellum buildings on campus, playing NCAA Division II sports, living campus life and preparing for College Night. Follow Freddie the Falcon as he takes a trip through his beautiful and historic home ... the University of Montevallo.

The book, Soar with Freddie, will be released in October at the Barnes & Noble Campus Bookstore. Freddie will be on hand for a special book signing. Follow us on Facebook @UMontevallo for the release date.

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REGISTRATION FORM

51st Annual OLYMPICS DAY GOLF TOURNAMENT Hosted by UM Athletics

Friday, Oct. 12, 2018 at Montevallo Golf Course Proceeds benefit the UM Athletics Hall of Fame & Scholarship Endowments.

Contact the Athletic Department at (205) 665-6600 for more information.

Fee*

Golfer Name_________________________________ $100 Golfer Name_________________________________ $100 Golfer Name_________________________________ $100 Golfer Name_________________________________ $100 *Fee includes lunch before and dinner after.

Additional Donations

Bob Riesener Endowed Scholarship

________

Leon Davis Endowed Scholarship

________

UM Athletics Hall of Fame

________

Total Amount Enclosed

Amount

________

Registration at 10:30 a.m. ◆ Shotgun start at noon ◆ 4-man Scramble format ◆ Teams will be flighted ◆ Prizes & gift bags for all participating golfers

By completing registration, I give permission for the staff and/or faculty to obtain emergency medical treatment, including emergency transportation, should I be deemed incapable of such decisions myself. I further understand and agree that any cost associated with such medical care will be my financial responsibility. This registration certifies that I am medically cleared and physically fit to participate in the Olympics Day Golf Tournament.

Full Name____________________________________ Signature_____________________________________ Mailing Address_______________________________________________________________________________ Contact Number________________________________

Email Address__________________________________

Are you UM Athletic Alumni? ❑ Yes ❑ No Sport(s)__________________________________________________ Please return completed registration form by Oct. 1, 2018, to UM Athletic Department, Station 6600, Montevallo, AL 35115 or by email to Barbara Holcombe at bczeskle@montevallo.edu. For online payment options, call (205) 665-6600.

Checks should be made payable to “UM Foundation: Olympics Golf.”

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

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IRMINGHAM NATIVES Michael ’73 and Donna ’74 Grainger first met and fell in love at John Carroll High School, after independently choosing to attend the University of Montevallo. For Mike, the decision was strictly based on finances. He knew he would be self-funding his college education since he hadn’t fully applied himself in high school.

Finding a place to belong When he walked on campus for orientation in 1970, he realized that at the University of Montevallo, he had found the place that allowed him to thrive. “It hit me: ‘This is how I can make it work: I can start fresh with a clean slate — put my head down, work hard and try to make something of myself.’ I felt at home and that I belonged,” said Mike.

His love of history propelled him to begin college as a history major. However, during his freshman year, he began contemplating his options for a successful career. When the University launched accounting as a major, he switched his major. He also decided to complete his degree in three years to get a head start on his career — and his marriage to Donna. He set his mind to graduating early and succeeded.

He was in the first group of accounting graduates at the University, achieving exceptional grades and still finding time to truly experience college life. He was president of his fraternity and served on SGA. When he commits to something, Mike is a man of action. He graduated from UM in 1973 and within the next month, he turned 21, got married and started a job with Price Waterhouse.

Reconnecting with the Montevallo Family Michael Grainger discusses how he and wife Donna rekindled their relationship with UM

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Photo by Steve Herlihy

Building a career His career continued to flourish as he moved to Tennessee with Price Waterhouse, transitioned to work for Coble Systems, and finally to Ingram Industries where he spent the majority of his career. After 20 years working in the Nashville area, Mike moved to California in 1996 as chief financial officer and later President of Ingram Micro. In his work with Ingram Micro, he was the driving force behind the company’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, which is his proudest career achievement. When he retired in 2007, Mike and Donna decided to move back to Franklin, Tennessee, and Mike is now a member of three company boards: Ingram Industries, Belkin and ScanSource.

Throughout his busy career, Mike explains that he became less and less engaged with Montevallo.

“Around the time of moving back (to Tennessee) in 2007, I got a call from a classmate of mine, James Newman ’74. He was on the advisory board of the Stephens College of Business at that time. Basically, James said ‘I need to talk to

CAMPAIGN UPDATE you about Montevallo and we need to get people like you involved and see what we can do,’” said Mike. “So, I started coming down to Montevallo and attending the advisory board meetings. It got me reengaged with the University.”

Paying it forward From 2007 to 2010, he says his involvement was minimal; until he met and visited with UM’s new president, Dr. John W. Stewart III. Within a couple of years, Mike had joined the UM Foundation Board and explored other ways to be involved.

“The more I saw things heading in the right direction at the University and watching John’s effective leadership, the more confidence I got in the ability of the University to accomplish a big capital campaign, which would be a first.

Then, Donna and I said we wanted to find something to do monetarily,” Mike said.

Looking at the different goals of the campaign, Mike became interested in the faculty development component. The only endowed professorship at that time was set up by Board of Trustee, the Hon. Todd Strange. After meeting with Hon. Strange, President Stewart, Scott Dillard (VP for advancement and external affairs) and others at UM to understand why faculty development initiatives are so vital, he did some research on his own.

“One of the best ways to recruit students is to have really good professors — people that students remember 40 years later for what they learned from them. So, if this is a way to recruit those type of teachers, that’s what we need to do,” he explained.

In thinking back, Mike recounts some of the faculty that were most memorable for him, including Dr. E.B. Sledge (biology), Dr. Jesse Jackson (history), Murray Flynn (economics), Charles Strong (accounting), Dr. Sarah P. Morgan (business law, namesake of Morgan Hall) and Dr. Van Tuyll (philosophy).

This thinking led the Graingers to set up the University’s first endowed chair. The SCOB Endowed Chair in Business and Accounting was initially awarded to Dr. Helen Moskovich in 2015, followed by Dr. Alex Mechitov this year.

Prior to the funding of the chair, SCOB had introduced the Center for Professional Practice in 2011. The Graingers talked to Dean Stephen Craft and Dr. Bill Hamer (director of the Center at the time) about ways to help students get ready for the business world.

Donna was extremely interested in giving students practical knowledge and business etiquette. The Graingers also wanted to show students that as a graduate from UM, you can achieve success and compete against graduates of more well-known universities. They found the perfect blend with the established Center for Professional Practice and decided to fund this endeavor as well. The Center was renamed to the Grainger Center for Professional Practice in a dedication ceremony in 2016.

Mike and Donna were able to fulfill the funding for the endowed chair quicker than they thought, but they weren’t yet done. Mike wanted to share his passion for history and his belief that society should apply its lessons to ongoing challenges. Mike committed to fund the Endowed Professorship in Modern History.

The first recipient, Dr. Jim Day, was announced this summer.

Challenge to others The Graingers believe that as you climb the ladder of life, you should be compelled to stop and reach back. “You should think of those people who helped you and then, be that person to those coming behind you. The next generation should know that they have as much opportunity as you did to be successful. And they should know that they are equally obligated to support successive generations.”

Make your gift TODAY! montevallo.edu/giving

As of July 1, the Campaign has raised $26.7 million, which is 89% of the new goal.

Since Oct. 2012:

4,193 new donors 1,306 major gifts of $1,000 and above

82 new scholarships More than $13 million raised for scholarships

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE National Co-Chairs Sandra Bond Bowers ’66 and Richard Bowers • Tim Lupinacci ’88 Mike Strong ’72 and John Paul Strong ’02 Honorary Co-Chair Cassandra King Conroy ’67, M.A. ’88 Barbara Bonfield ’58 • Lynn England ’81 and Donna England ’78 Mike Grainger ’73 and Donna Grainger ’74 • Brian Hamilton and Leslie Hamilton ’00 Ronnie Jackson ’73 • Jeanetta Keller ’75 and Bill Keller • Kathy King Mike Meadows ’79 and Sue Meadows • Kay Miller ’64 • Libby Queen ’59 Laurl Self ’94 • Donna Smith-Senter ’82 • Todd Strange ’66 and Linda Strange ’67

58 new members

joined the 1896 Society

New Goal: $30 million by 2020

montevallo.edu/alumni | 15

Photo by Corey Nolen

At the University of Montevallo, students find a place where they belong. They don’t have to conform who they are to be accepted. Students don’t merely fit in, they find a place to call home — a family where they belong. They receive an excellent education by engaged faculty to succeed in their future careers. This unique characteristic of UM has led the University to its latest marketing campaign:

16 | Montevallo Today

Alumni share how they knew they belonged at UM: Montevallo had the best reputation in the field of social work of all schools that I was interested in.

I wanted to attend an Alabama college and this was my idea of the best. The professors were highly trained, the campus was lovely and it was just right for me.

Mel Dorrough Robinson ’52 Retired social worker The first realization that I belonged at Montevallo came one night, when after long hours of working on a College Night electrical crew, we finalized construction of a sign for the Purple Side.

Exhausted, but with a sense of satisfaction that we had completed the sign that would hang in front of Ramsay, I thought about how much fun I was having at Montevallo.

Barbara Bonfield ’58 Retired social worker When I began my career at Alabama College in fall of 1957, I immediately knew that I belonged and was very happy I made this choice.

The students were friendly and caring and I knew this would be home for the next four years. I majored in home economics and this was an excellent department. The faculty were so helpful and always available when I needed them. I am proud that I am a graduate of the University of Montevallo!

Wilene Whatley ’60 Former teacher and retired grocery store owner I realized that I belonged at Montevallo at Dr. Betty Louise Lumby’s annual party. For many years, she hosted a party at the beginning of the fall semester for the entire music department — at least 120 students and faculty. I don’t know how all those people jammed into her elegant old apartment in Saylor House, but we did. My freshman year I sat there on the floor with everyone else, surrounded by all these wonderfully accomplished musicians, with books and art everywhere around us — and I was hooked. I knew instantly that I wanted to live that way.

Carolyn Duncan ’71, M.Ed. ’75 Partner with the Birmingham law firm of Cabaniss, Johnston, Gardner, Dumas & O’Neal I really enjoyed my time at UM and feel my education was first-rate. I knew I belonged on one of the first days as a freshman walking through campus to the new Harman Hall, viewing the displays and seeing the laboratories, and feeling that I was going to become the scientist that I had imagined being. It was so exciting and the faculty, including Drs. Sledge, Eagles, Beal and Merijanian, were demanding but fantastic.

Dr. Richard Cummings ’74 Harvard University professor and director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Glycoscience and the National Center for Functional Glycomics I attended UM only knowing that the teacher preparation program was one of the “tops” in the state. I really knew I belonged when the faculty of health and physical education had the first meeting with all the incoming freshmen and set the high standard for excellence that was expected. I was exactly where I was supposed to be! I continue to stay plugged in to Montevallo, because I want to give back and tell prospective students how wonderful the traditions and academic standards are at my alma mater. I want to help lead UM to continue to grow, be progressive in thought and reach out to help as many students as possible.

Toni Leo ’80 Retired teacher; UMNAA president Before I knew hardly anyone at Montevallo, before I pledged ATO and before I knew the employees in the Caf wouldn’t let me go hungry, I knew I belonged in the Tower putting out The Alabamian. We worked incredibly long hours and depended on one another. They always had my back, and I was the guy who needed all the help I could get. We shared a sense of purpose, and it’s no surprise to me now that I

think of Martha Crocker Strong ’87, George Codone ’88, the late Joe Naish and John Johnson ’88 as family, not friends or classmates. I belong in journalism still, because I belonged at The Alabamian and I belonged at Montevallo. You never leave where you belong, no matter what your ZIP code says.

Joey Bunch ’85 Five-time Pulitzer nominee, two-time finalist and winner in 2013 with a team at the Denver Post The University of Montevallo became my home the day Dr. Syble Brindley took me as a freshman to meet someone who could help me pursue my professional dream. She went out of her way to treat me like her own. I knew I belonged to the UM family.

Lewis Brooks ’88, M.Ed. ’99, Ed.S. ’03 Superintendent of Shelby County Schools Having attended a larger university for my first year of college, I knew that Montevallo was where I belonged my first day of class in the College of Business. The small class size and caring faculty that treat you as an individual and not a number was apparent from day one.

One of the greatest gifts of my time at Montevallo were the personal connections I made with so many fantastic people — the majority of these friends I still remain in contact with.

Montevallo will always hold a special place in my heart.

Jason Epstein ’96 Head of sales, service and performance management, Regions Bank I knew I belonged at Montevallo for many reasons, but a big one was Dr. Malcolm Braid. He was the first professor I encountered as a high school summer student. He scared me to death but also encouraged and nurtured my love of learning. I attended another college for

montevallo.edu/alumni | 17

Photo by Corey Nolen

a short time but came back for summer classes.

Dr. Braid kept telling me I needed to come back full time. I eventually did and graduated in 1997. I will always belong at Montevallo as an alum because it will always be in my heart.

I love showing friends around the campus and city. It is a great campus with caring professionals who want young minds to fly like falcons!

Dr. Lisa Green ’97 Optometrist, Maxwell Air Force base I felt like I belonged at UM before I even enrolled. I attended Boys State as a delegate for my high school, which was hosted at Montevallo. That week at Montevallo I fell in love with the idea of public service, but I also fell in love with the campus. Shortly thereafter, I received a full scholarship and I decided to attend. I cannot imagine having the leadership opportunities that Montevallo afforded me if I had attended another, larger institution: from serving on Freshman Forum to the Montevallo Masters program, being elected SGA President to President of my fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi). Each of these opportunities contributed to my career path and whatever success I have achieved.

Willie Phillips ’00 Congressional staffer, corporate attorney and utility regulator

18 | Montevallo Today

By the time school selection was imminent, it had become apparent that Montevallo was a fullfledged family affair and had to be at the top of my list. I had always belonged — my parents, UM graduates Jane Sheppard Gresham ’69 and William P. Gresham ’69 met at Alabama College in the late sixties. I had attended College Night several times with my parents as a child and was always mesmerized by the unique traditions, the beauty of the campus, the ghosts and palpable magic of the place. While I always knew I had a place at Montevallo due to sheer providence, it was friendships made that cemented the idea that I would always belong there in that very special place.

Linn Gresham ’01 Historic preservation expert and interior designer I knew I belonged at Montevallo on my first day of school. The classes felt intimate, the campus was so lively and at that point I knew it was the place for me. I’m proud to represent Montevallo everywhere I go. I belong at Montevallo because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today. I met the love of my life, my best friend and made countless lasting memories at UM that I carry with me every day.

Eric SanInocencio ’03 Director of digital media and strategy for the NFL’s Houston Texans I knew I belonged when I arrived for my campus visit in 2000. There was a sign at the entrance that said “Welcome Fred Miller and Family.” I loved the personal touch. Going to a place that took the time to make a prospective student feel welcomed meant a lot to me. As an alum, I still appreciate the small touches to make me feel welcome. Reaching out to me to let me know about upcoming events or allowing me to help with different initiatives on campus, it continues to make me feel like I am appreciated and more than a number. I hope current students continue to feel that way today.

Fred Miller ’04 Area general manager, Weyerhaeuser I knew I belonged at Montevallo during my senior year in high school when an admissions officer, a fellow Birmingham city schools grad and UM alum, described the campus during our senior class assembly: small classes, short distance, affordable, this tradition called College Night and a clear idea how a student from Birmingham could feel at home.

Terra Moody Miller ’06 Experiential learning and engagement, Clinical Center in Washington D.C.

I knew that I belonged at Montevallo after taking Intro to Theatre with Vladimir Rovinsky. After meeting with Dr. David Callaghan, I immediately changed from undecided to a theatre major and never looked back.

Griffin Hood ’06 Former film and commercial actor, writer and producer; theatre teacher at Daphne High School I am honestly a believer in intuition and on my visit to Montevallo, it felt like a place I wanted to be.

When I was leaving high school, I had a feeling that the traditional big school was not the best fit for me. My abstract ideas and interests in so many different facets of education were embraced at Montevallo. The culture and ethos of Montevallo truly made me feel my interdisciplinary passions belonged. I think this mindset around education has been the core of the career that I have pursued in behavioral finance and wealth management that I am in today.

Jordan Hutchison ’10 Advisor and behavioral finance specialist at SignatureFD I knew I belonged at the University of Montevallo when I found ways to connect, serve and make friends my first week on campus. I still belong at Montevallo as an alumna because my former professors are now my colleagues in working to strengthen civic life in Alabama.

Cristin Brawner ’11 Executive director, David Mathews Center for Civic Life

For me, I knew I belonged at Montevallo within a few days of getting to campus. Those first few days after, there were almost constant events with other freshmen and returning students. Seeing both the well-formed community among the returning students and the inclusive welcome to the freshmen was when I first knew I was in a place I belonged.

would bring to the campus. I also knew that I belonged when I was immersed in campus life, being able to be a part of such a diverse community of scholars where individuality was highly encouraged and welcomed. I learned so much about myself through these experiences that truly prepared me to live and work in a global society. I still belong at Montevallo because there is so much that alumni like myself can do to help enhance the experience for current and future Falcons.

Dan McBrayer ’11 Assistant district attorney, eighteenth judicial circuit, Shelby County, Alabama

Quincy Hall ’15, M.Ed. ’17 Area coordinator, Dept. of Housing & Residential Communities at The University of Alabama; Chair of the board of directors for Equality Alabama

I knew I belonged at Montevallo because I was surrounded by other big thinkers and caring professors who gave me the skills to translate ideas and passion into professional practice.

And now, I seek out graduates from UM’s counseling program because I know they received quality education and training.

Paul Tierney M.Ed. ’12 Clinical director, UAB Substance Abuse Programs I knew I belonged at Montevallo because it offered me every opportunity to succeed and achieve my goals. The University staff and professors took me in as if I was one of their own and really helped me grow not only as a student but also taught me to be a professional. The small class sizes allowed me to interact with the professors on a one-on-one basis many times and they were always free to help.

Ryan Baker ’17 Former Outdoor Scholar, attending Cumberland Law School I knew that I belonged at Montevallo when I first experienced the true familial persona of the faculty, staff and students on a campus visit. Each individual that I encountered was genuinely interested in me as a prospective student and individual and of what I

As cliché as it may seem, I knew I belonged at Montevallo the moment I took my first tour of the campus. From the friendliness of all the faculty, students and staff that I met on that tour to the sheer quirkiness of everything, I knew that Montevallo was the place for me.

Once I officially arrived on campus and I was able to flourish as both a student and a leader, I knew I had made the right decision. Montevallo became my extended family.

Ondrea Lee ’16, MBA ’17 U.S. Army logistics management intern, Civilian Logistics Career Management at Fort Lee, Virginia I knew I belonged at UM from day one. I found a special group of teachers, mentors and friends who would provide guidance and empowerment throughout my years there and after. Without them, my Montevallo experience would not have been the same and I wouldn’t be where I am today. I was able to achieve my dreams and work in the profession that I always dreamed.

Lizbeth Juarez ’18 Executive assistant to the CEO and lender assistant, Central State Bank M

Read more at montevallo.edu/montevallo-today

montevallo.edu/alumni | 19

ALUMNI PROFILE

Q&A

with Lisa Godwin ’93 Your home: Kigali, Rwanda Your hometown: Mobile, Alabama Tell us about your family. I am married to a Spaniard named Juan Gonzalez and we have two little girls — Gloria (age 8) and Maria del Mar (age 5).

Tell us about your educational foundation. I have a B.S. in biology from UM. I am also a family nurse practitioner with a master’s degree in nursing. I am also a trained sexual assault nurse examiner.

What is your profession? I am a foreign service officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). My title is health office director at USAID/ Rwanda. I lead a team of 18 experts to do health programming alongside Rwanda’s Ministry of Health.

What made you choose this profession? I served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Ghana from 1994 to 1996. I was a health educator in a small village in the Ashanti Region.

I then returned to the U.S. and attended graduate school at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions and became a family nurse practitioner. Then, I worked as an FNP with underserved populations in the U.S. — in a prison, in a rural health clinic and in a free clinic for immigrants. My international interest then led me to do two missions with Doctors Without Borders, first in Zimbabwe and then in Uganda. Afterward, I worked with other non-governmental organizations in Africa, mostly providing care to people with HIV. This all led me to apply for a job with USAID. I have been with USAID as a health officer for eight years.

How did Montevallo affect your career path? Montevallo made me appreciate diversity on a deep level. This led me to join the Peace Corps, which set me on a path to continue to work internationally. The students and professors at Montevallo challenged me to think critically about the world and gave me the confidence I needed to explore that world.

20 | Montevallo Today

What is the best advice you have received? You don’t have to know everything; that’s why you have a team. A very sage mentor at USAID taught me that, and I take it with me. No one can know how to do it all, perfectly. We must rely on each other to get to the end result and to do it well.

I make sure my team is cared for, feels safe and appreciated, has all the tools they need to do the job and that they know they have my full support and protection. All the teams I have had the privilege to work with have been dedicated, caring, technically amazing individuals — and, when you give them a conducive environment, you get terrific results.

Favorite motto: Currently, it’s “Today’s the day we burn the patriarchy to the ground,” but I’ve been feeling a bit revolutionary lately.

What is your favorite Montevallo memory? That’s an easy one! Playing College Night! I loved being in the Purple cast — win or lose, we always celebrated a Purple Victory!

The people I met playing College Night made a mark on my life and led me to be who I am today. That diversity I mentioned earlier, the Purple Side is truly special and wonderful.

What are your hobbies? Running, doing art with my little girls and singing in an embassy band called Neon Zebra.

What would you like to add? I recently went on a trip to the Uganda border to see mountain gorillas and it was amazing! You hike out to see the family with guides and national park rangers and then spend one hour with the gorillas. It was the experience of a lifetime. The gorillas are very peaceful and it was sort of like you’re looking at your close relative. There were two young ones who were playing and taunting each other just like kids.

For more, visit

montevallo.edu/montevallo-today

USAID officer Lisa Godwin provides aid in Rwanda.

montevallo.edu/alumni | 21

CLASS NOTES

CLASS NOTES

1973

Sherry Leverett Barton was honored as the Perry County High School Alumna of the Year. She retired from a 30-year teaching career in 2014. She continues to serve as president of the Perry County High School Alumni Association and has led several largescale community endeavors in her hometown of Marion, Alabama.

1979

Sharon Lynch Holcombe of Madison, Alabama, retired from public school teaching after 39 years of service. Sharon also recently celebrated her 37th wedding anniversary with Tim Holcombe ’73.

1980

Dr. Lynne Richardson has been recognized as the 2018 Patricia M. Flynn Distinguished Woman in Business Education. The award recognizes female thought leaders whose leadership, research and educational initiatives have made a difference for women in business education. Lynne is currently vice president for administration and finance at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

1982

Lisa Hearin Alexander was inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame on April 28.

She was included for her exceptional career at Cullman County High School where she played on the first girls’ basketball team for two years and the tennis team for three. Lisa lives in Birmingham and works in advertising.

1983

Dale Armour was named chief financial officer of Melbourne Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida.

22 | Montevallo Today

1984

Andrea Lovelady M.Ed. ’85 is the new afternoon care teacher and regular substitute in the University’s Child Study Center.

1988

Tracey Morant Adams was named senior executive vice president and the chief community development and corporate social responsibility officer at Renasant Bank in Birmingham. Tracey will work to lead external community relations and social responsibility strategies for the bank to further promote community and economic development.

Dr. Lewis Brooks M.Ed. ’99, Ed.S. ’03 was elected superintendent of Shelby County Schools.

Lewis spent the previous six years as assistant superintendent of administration and pupil services.

1989

Steven L. Higgs has been named vice president of network development and contracting at Louisiana Healthcare Connections in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

1990

Dr. Kristin Gilbert has been promoted to assistant provost for assessment and accreditation and the University’s liaison to The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). She will continue to teach courses as a professor of psychology.

1992

Paula Johnson Carline has been selected as the Fort Bend, Texas, Consolidated School District Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Paula teaches second grade at Frost Elementary in Pecan Grove, Texas, and was selected from 25 teachers in the district.

Carol Chambers was selected as Summerdale Middle School’s Teacher of the Year in Summerdale, Alabama. She was honored alongside other Baldwin County Teachers of the Year at a banquet.

Tammy Vincent was selected as the Pell City Schools’ K-6th grade Teacher of the Year. She currently teaches 6th grade math at Williams Intermediate School in Pell City, Alabama.

1993

Jeff Flinn developed the “719 Project,” based on the Bible verse Psalms 71:9, in order to help others reconnect with senior citizens, especially those housed in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Jeff currently serves as vice president of life connections at Community Elder Services (CES) in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Annette Funderburk was selected to be president of Ingram State Technical College, located in Deatsville, Alabama.

Lisa Godwin received the Department of State Superior Honor Award for her commendable efforts to save the lives and future opportunities of more than 130,000 orphans and children in Rwanda. Lisa currently serves as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) health officer director. (See page 20 for more on Lisa.)

1994

Chris Laatsch was hired as the new boys’ basketball coach at Spain Park High School. Chris resides with his wife, Leigh, and their seven children in Hoover.

1999

Dr. Brian Powell was named to a joint faculty position with Savannah River National Laboratory

and Clemson University in South Carolina. Brian will work to advance research on environmental remediation and radioactive waste disposal.

2002

Bethany Higginbotham received the Montevallo Civitan Club’s 2018 Servant’s Heart award. Bethany, director of the Chilton-Shelby Mental Health Center’s Intellectual Disabilities Division, is responsible for 70 clients, both in the center’s adult day program and in five group homes in the Calera area.

Sean Sawyer was named the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s first director of development and corporate relations in Franklin, Tennessee.

Sean will lead the Foundation’s efforts to grow both corporate and philanthropic support.

2003

Clint Green M.Ed. ’16 was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Alabama State Department of Education to correlate the arts into electives using technology. He intends to purchase a computer numerical control (CNC) machine for the classroom to introduce industrial arts to his students. He will be entering his second year as the visual arts teacher at Vincent Middle High School. Clint lives in Montevallo with his wife, Alyssa Green ’14.

Gina Mayne was named one of Prince Avenue Christian School’s (PACS) educators of the year.

Gina joined the school in Bogart, Georgia, in 2014 and is currently a 5th grade teacher.

Gene Twilley has taken a position with the Coalition for Christian Outreach as the Philadelphia

& East Area Staff Director. He will work to coach, encourage and cast a vision for staff on more than 20 campuses in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

2004

Joe Sharp was named principal at Robertsdale High School located in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Nathan Stockman was promoted to principal of Einstein Charter High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

2005

Mark Franks has undertaken the task of heading the Tuscaloosa County School System’s federal programs department. Mark previously served as principal of Brookwood High School in Brookwood, Alabama.

2006

Jake Headrick was hired as an assistant coach for the Missouri State Bears men’s basketball team in Springfield, Missouri. Previously, Jake spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Samford University.

Lynsey Weatherspoon took photos of the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery opening for NPR in April. Her photos were featured in the news organization’s coverage of the event. Lynsey currently resides in Atlanta, where she owns and operates her own photography business.

2007

Kimberly Couch Chance released her debut novel, Keeper, in January. She currently lives in Michigan with her husband and three children. She is a high school English teacher and YouTube personality.

Marcus Kennedy was inducted into the Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame in April. Marcus played on the Falcon’s men’s basketball team from 2003 to 2007.

Currently, Marcus is employed as a Licensed Realtor for ARC Realty in Birmingham, Alabama.

2010

Jordan Hutchison has been hired as an advisor for SignatureFD, a privately held financial design and advisory firm in Atlanta.

2011

Courtney Bennett was named the new executive director of Montevallo Main Street. In this position, her primary focus will be on supporting existing businesses with a secondary focus on recruiting new businesses.

Brooke Harris M.Ed. was promoted to the position of assistant director of UM’s counseling services. Brooke was formerly a counselor at UM.

Cameron Strouss was officially recognized as one of three registered herbalists in Alabama.

Cameron owns and operates Deep Roots Apotheké & Clinic in Montevallo.

2012

Erin Limerick was hired as the administrative assistant to the dean of the College of Fine Arts.

Previously, Erin served the same role in the department of biology, chemistry and mathematics.

Barranger Receives Honorary Doctorate During the Spring Commencement ceremony held May 5 on Flowerhill, the University presented alumna Dr. Milly Slater Barranger ’58 with an honorary doctorate degree for her achievements. Milly, an author, educator and producer in New York City, writes books about women and the modern American theater.

A Birmingham native, Milly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and secondary education. After graduating from UM in 1958, Milly went on to earn her master’s and doctorate from Tulane University.

She became chair of the department of theater at Tulane, which she led for nearly a decade and went on to serve as chair of dramatic art at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, she was the leader of the resident theater company PlayMakers, which is still in operation. She also became scholar-in-residence at the Yale School of Drama.

From 1980 to 2015, she wrote eight editions of Theatre: A Way of Seeing along with other textbooks.

She has documented the lives of the great women of theater. Additionally, Milly is the current editor of “The Selected Letters of Stella Adler” and has served as co-editor and contributor to numerous theater publications.

Milly was selected for inclusion in the numerous volumes of Who’s Who in America, including Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in Entertainment.

In 2017, she was named a Lifetime Achiever by Marquis Who’s Who for her accomplishments and prominence as a theater professional. Also in 2017, she was selected to serve a three-year term on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee.

montevallo.edu/alumni | 23

CLASS NOTES Zandra J. Morgan was named the 2018 Teacher of the Year at Madison Elementary School, where she has taught special education students for the last five years. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Madison, Alabama.

2013

Stephen Billy directed the annual live production of To Kill A Mockingbird in Monroeville, Alabama. This was the second year in a row Stephen has directed the production.

Kathleen Kryger recently graduated from UAB with a master’s in English. Kathleen will start a Ph.D. program in rhetoric and composition this August at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

2014

Alexandria Cottrell M.Ed. ’16 is the new student development coordinator in the University’s Upward Bound program.

Savannah Daily won an ABBY Award from the Alabama Broadcasters Association in March for the Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast. Savannah is the 10 p.m. news producer at WVTM13 in Birmingham.

2015

Ashlee Beck was recently promoted to the University’s campus event coordinator in the admissions office after serving as the campus tour coordinator.

Jacob Guyton graduated with a Masters of Business Administration from the Stephens College of Business in May. Jacob continues to man UM’s many social media channels as the digital media specialist in the Office of University Relations.

Khaliah Smitherman was promoted to manager of UM’s internal support network, Solution Center. Previously, Khaliah worked as a technical support analyst.

24 | Montevallo Today

Perrin Windham recently participated in the Medical Association of the State of Alabama’s 3rd annual Research Symposium in Montgomery. At the conference, Perrin received third place for her poster presentation. She is currently pursuing her medical degree at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama.

Connie Wyatt recently accepted a new position as the University’s IT coordinator and asset specialist. Previously, Connie worked in the Teacher Education Program.

2016

Barbara Ann Lewis was hired as an assistive technology specialist in the University’s Malone Center for Excellence in Teaching.

Cole Pevey MBA ’17 was hired as human resources coordinator in the University’s Human Resources Office.

Samuel Shuskey MBA ’17 was hired as library assistant and evening supervisor in Carmichael Library.

2017

Meagan Jackson is now the grants and federal wage system administrator for the UM’s Student Aid Office.

Paul Mahaffey II was hired as a technical support analyst in the University’s Information Systems & Technology office.

Elaine Wood captured the first win of her professional golf career on the NWGA’s Eggland’s Best Ladies Professional Golf Tour at Stoneybrook East Golf Club in Orlando, Florida. Elaine fired off a final round score of 66 to win the event by two strokes.

2018

Tiffany Pardue was hired as a library assistant handling acquisitions and serials in Carmichael Library.

WEDDINGS

2010

Amy Snyder and Egan Ray were married on April 27 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.

Jessica Zambie ’10 was the matron of honor and Mary Margaret Smith ’08 served as photographer. Amy works in retail at the Summit and Egan works as a driver for UPS. The couple resides in Pelham, Alabama.

2013

Kathleen Kryger and Eric Hand (son of Doug Hand ’78) were married on July 7. The couple will soon relocate from Birmingham to Tucson, Arizona, where Kathleen will pursue her Ph.D. in English rhetoric and composition at the University of Arizona.

Alyssa Maxwell and Tine Gjørup were married June 9 in Tilsted, Viborg, Denmark. The couple resides in Odense, Denmark, where Alyssa is a Ph.D. candidate studying neuromechanics and the motor control of songbirds at the University of Southern Denmark.

BIRTHS

2013

Nidia Liberato Brown and husband Arthur Brown welcomed the birth of their third child, Madison Isla, on April 19. Madison was also welcomed home by big brothers Carson and Anderson. The family resides in McDonough, Georgia.

DEATHS

1942

Emma A. Aitken, 98, of Birmingham, died May 18. Emma had a career at Southern Living magazine. She also was a longtime member of South Roebuck Baptist Church.

1943

Hilda Burks, 96, of Boaz, Alabama, died March 21. After graduating from UM, Hilda spent a season

in Washington D.C. managing a war-time cafeteria for soldiers. She later met her husband, Gilbert, who became the director of missions of Marshall Baptist Association. Hilda spent the rest of her life as her husband’s partner in the ministry and raising their three children.

Jean Ray McCarley, 97, of Birmingham, died Feb. 15. Jean was a renowned vocal soloist in local churches, an avid bridge player and the consummate volunteer for the Auxiliary of Big Oak Ranch.

1944

Mary Fievet, 95, of Homewood, Alabama, died April 17. She worked for several years as a volunteer for the UAB hospital gift shop, primarily as a buyer. Aside from raising her children, Mary will be remembered as a caregiver.

1945

Elizabeth Rhodes, 95, of Marietta, Georgia, died May 11.

Elizabeth worked in the medical field in Birmingham and Pensacola before raising her family of four children.

1946

Sara Virginia Upshaw, 93 of Birmingham, died April 24. Sara was a teacher for 40 years in Sylacauga and Birmingham. She was also a member of the Zeta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

1948

Margaret Hodges McLain, 91, of Birmingham, died April 27. She first worked as a social worker and then as a school teacher, even becoming a state finalist for the State of Alabama Teacher of the Year by the Birmingham Post-Herald in 1959. She taught in Talladega, Pell City and Ashville, Alabama, throughout her career.

1949

Betty Wilson Shelley, 91, of Excel, Alabama, died May 23.

Betty was the former director of the Monroe County Department of Human Resources.

1950

Mary Jane Johnston, 92, of Reading, Massachusetts, died June 2. Mary spent nearly 25 years teaching shorthand and typing as a business administration teacher in several high schools in Nassau County, New York. Her hobbies included making large needlepoint pictures and gardening.

Louise Hollomon Trammell, 87, of Eufaula, Alabama, died March 4. Louise had a long teaching career in Columbus, Georgia, and the Dixie Academy in Louisville, Alabama.

1956

Eloise Patton, 83, of Guntersville, Alabama, died March 2. Eloise was an influential school teacher to her community for more than 60 years and a devoted member of her church.

Mary Louise McMillan, 90, of Birmingham, died May 19. Mary and her husband, Lewis, founded Automatic Ice & Beverage, Inc., a Birmingham-based distributor of commercial ice making, beverage dispensing and refrigeration equipment. AIB is still going strong after 50 years, with Mary’s son Marc leading the company.

1957

Anita Paduano, 90, of Birmingham, died June 23. She was a teacher with Birmingham Public Schools for more than 30 years. Anita was an advocate for fitness and loved aerobic exercise and dance.

1960

1951

Sara Jones Denson, 88, of Gadsden, Alabama, died May 2.

Sara was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

Betty Harris Wilson, 82, of Phenix City, Alabama, died April 28.

Betty served and held many leadership positions with professional associations as well as within Trinity United Methodist Church where she was a proud member.

John Malcom Smith M.Ed. ’65, 80, of Greensboro, Alabama, died Jan. 31. He was a career teacher, leading classrooms in Conecuh County, Greensboro High School and Mayville High School, where he stayed until his retirement in 1999. He was also known as a talented storyteller with an open

invitation to anyone who wished to join his family’s table at Sullivan’s in downtown Mayville for a “John Smith” story.

1961

Dr. Stanley Michael Mahan, 84, of Brierfield, Alabama, died July 24. Stanley is best known as Doc Mahan to the countless patients that sat in his dentist chair for over 50 years. Earlier this year, he was honored for his lifelong commitment to the community of Brierfield, Montevallo and surrounding communities by having a bridge near Montevallo named in his honor.

1963

Mildred Ernestine Abney, 77, of LaFayette, Georgia, died April 21. Ernestine was a dedicated member and former employee of LaFayette First Baptist Church.

She was a 3rd grade teacher at Fortune Elementary and Gilbert Elementary for 30 years.

Nancy L. Conner, 77, of Rockford, Illinois, died April 5.

Nancy was an organist and choir director with a deep love for music. She worked in adminis-

tration for social services agencies in Rockford and directed several grant programs with Rock Valley College.

William Freeman Covington, 82, of Abbeville, Alabama, died May 29. William was a veteran of the Korean War. Later, he taught for several years in Ft. Gaines and Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia, and served five terms as the superintendent of education of the Henry County School System.

Upon retirement, William moved to Central Florida Community College as a health physicist.

Barbara Ann Helms Gates, 76, of Ozark, Alabama, died June 9.

Barbara taught school in Crestview, Florida, for approximately 30 years.

1965

Edward “Allen” Fulton, 74, of Montevallo, died Jan. 31. Allen retired from the Shelby County Board of Education in 2000, after serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal of Thompson High School in Alabaster. He later began a second career with Lathan Architects Associates and

We Want to Hear

FROM YOU!

DO YOU HAVE NEWS to share with the Montevallo family? Send your updates to today@montevallo.edu.

montevallo.edu/alumni | 25

CLASS NOTES was involved in all school construction and renovations during Shelby County’s population boom in the 1990s.

1966

Thomas M. Crumley, 73, of Hartselle, Alabama, died April 21. Thomas was a member of the West Hartselle Baptist Church.

He had six grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Lynda Kelsoe, 75, of Trussville, Alabama, died April 25. Lynda was an aerospace engineer and computer scientist who worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for approximately 40 years.

1968

Margaret Rourke, 90, of Salina, Kansas, died June 1. Margaret was a Sister of St. Joseph for over

70 years. She also taught in eight different Kansas cities before retiring.

1969

Joanne Holcombe Atchison M.Ed. ’75, 70, of Birmingham, died March 20. As a teacher at Homewood Middle School, she made strides in bringing women’s sports programs to the school.

In 1990, she was awarded the Public-School Health Education Teacher of the Year and was later named the Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Ronald Lee Jones, 75, of Birmingham, died May 4. Ronald was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He taught 5th grade at Thompson Elementary School and was the

assistant principal of Thompson High School. He later began Metro Goals in 1973, a local manufacturer of sports equipment.

James Calvin Rush, 70, of Birmingham, died June 20.

James served in the U.S. Army after graduation. He later made a career of various skilled positions, with his last at Hoover’s Brewer Cabinets in 2004. He leaves behind his wife, Gayle Hodges Rush ’70, of almost 50 years.

1970

Bobbie Doss Coley, 89, of Centreville, Alabama, died May 12. Bobbie spent 37 years as the director of school nutrition for Jefferson County schools.

Judith Anne Copeland M.S., 76, of Leighton, Alabama, died May 17. As a child, Judith spent time in Africa at a boarding school in Nigeria. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia where she was part of the Traveller’s Classroom and a pianist.

1971

Donald B. Hatcher, 80, of Canton, Georgia, died March 25. Donald served in the National Guard and later worked in hospital administration until his retirement.

Cynthia Swan M.S. ’74, 69, of Mobile, Alabama, died June 1.

Cindy worked as a speech therapist and educator for more than 40 years. She enjoyed spending time with her large extended family and playing cards.

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Go green — sign up to receive your copy of Montevallo Today digitally! montevallo.edu/montevallo-today

26 | Montevallo Today

1972

Faye Nicklaus O’Grady, 96, of Irondale, Alabama, died April 18.

Faye retired in 1986 as principal of Green Valley Elementary School in Hoover. Even after retirement, she used her gifts as an educator to teach adults as a volunteer at the local literacy council.

1973

Dr. Jacquelyn Pugh Horne, 65, of Opelika, Alabama, died

May 15. Jacquelyn was a retired member of the Auburn University faculty and former president of the Alabama Home Economics Association. She was also a longtime weekly columnist for the Auburn Villager and the Opelika-Auburn News.

Willie Edward Lusain Sr. M.Ed., 94, of Birmingham, died Feb. 28. Willie served for 37 years in the Bessemer City School System as a teacher and principal of J.S. Abrams High School. He also served in the U.S. Army’s 340th Army Band and was one of the first African Americans to work as a mathematician at Redstone Arsenal.

1976

Jack Joseph Colley Jr., 63, of Anniston, Alabama, died Feb. 16. Jack played tennis at UM and led a long career in marketing.

He was also a proud husband and father of three.

1978

Charles Ray Davis, 72, of Vinemont, Alabama, died May 7.

Charles worked in the financial services industry for 40 years before retiring, and he loved the outdoors.

1982

Bruce Leland Bryant, 61, of Birmingham, died March 9.

Bruce worked at the firefighting products company Amerex in Trussville, Alabama, for more than 25 years.

1988

Stephen Terry Dean, 52, of Sylacauga, Alabama, died March 6.

He ministered at various churches in Childersburg, Sylacauga and Roanoke, Alabama, as well as Bogue Chitto, Mississippi.

1992

Jennifer Lowe Berry, 46, of Birmingham, died March 14. She had a career in gifted education that took her to several schools across Shelby County.

2011

Louie “Tommy” Thompson Jr., 53, of Birmingham, died April 28. Tommy had several careers in his lifetime, including a stint as a professional chef and baker, a registered nurse and finally various roles in the Birmingham performing arts scene.

2013

Aaron Traywick, 28, of Elmore, Alabama, died April 29. Aaron was the CEO of Ascendance Biomedical. While a student on campus, he helped to create the

city of Montevallo’s bike share program ValloCycle.

CONDOLENCES To the family of Dr. Loretta G. Brown, 93, of Gurley, Alabama, who died April 19. Loretta served as a professor and director of UM’s speech and hearing center.

She was also a chairperson of UM’s Department of Communication Science and Disorders. She led efforts to establish the graduate programs in speech-language

pathology and audiology as well as the undergraduate program in education of the hearing impaired.

To the family of Rena Dunavant Harmon, 52, of Pelham, who died April 8. Rena was an award-winning realtor with RealtySouth’s Pelham office. Before that, she worked for the University’s Upward Bound program for 15 years.

To the family of Dr. Theodore “Ted” Pritchett, 82, of Montevallo, who died May 15. Ted

was a professor emeritus of music at UM and chair of the Music Department for several years until his retirement in 1991. After retirement, he continued to live in Montevallo with his late wife, JoAnn Pritchett ’71.

To the family of Mary Ona Wilhoit, 81, of Birmingham, who died June 18. Mary was an associate professor in UM’s former Communications Arts Department for approximately 30 years and served as the department costumer.

Get the license plate that will

FUND SCHOLARSHIPS AT UM! Take your CURRENT tag and RENEWAL information to your local DMV or courthouse and ask for the University of Montevallo tag!

It is just $50 a year and 100% of the net income ($48.50 per tag) received will help

fund UM scholarships.

For more information, call 205-665-6217 or visit montevallo.edu/giving

CLASS REPS WANTED

Ignite your connection to UM with your time, giving and participation • Serve as a spokesperson to fellow classmates • Inspire fellow alumni to reconnect with UM • Raise awareness of philanthropic activities IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SERVE your alma mater in this way, please contact Carolyn Jones at jonescl@montevallo.edu or 205-665-6223

montevallo.edu/alumni | 27

ALUMNI NEWS

Summary of Proposed UMNAA Bylaws Changes The last significant bylaws revision of the UMNAA was completed in 2011, with an anti-discrimination statement being added in 2014. Based on a review of the bylaws, which began in spring 2018 by the assigned committee, the following revision is being presented in writing in the current issue of Montevallo Today and is to be voted on at the annual business meeting of the Association on February 9, 2019, during the Homecoming luncheon.

Article V.3. Duties of the President-elect The President-elect shall preside in the absence of the President, and shall represent the Association and perform other duties when assigned by the President. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the President-elect shall become President for the balance of the term, and then shall be eligible for election as President for a full term.

Proposed addition: The President‐elect will oversee the Fundraising Committee, composed of the Vice‐Presidents and any interested board members to investigate, discuss and act on potential donors for consistent funding of the UMNAA. A report will be provided by the President‐elect and/or a committee member each board meeting.

28 | Montevallo Today

What is College Night?

“If you have never lived through one — never cried, laughed, and sweated through one — know this: It is the crest of the wave of college spirit; it is the peak of attainment in every activity on campus; it is the high spot that will stand out in your mind as meaning ‘college,’ when all the rest has faded.” — The Alabamian, February 1931 2019 HOMECOMING SCHEDULE — CREST OF THE WAVE

ALUMNI COLLEGE NIGHT TICKET SALES

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8

College Night tickets will be available online to active alumni beginning on Nov. 15, 2018, at montevallotickets.universitytickets.com.

Preview and Early Bidding of Art Auction Class of 1969 Registration *Class of 1969 Reception and Dinner UMNAA Distinguished Alumnus Reception (by invitation) *Centennial College Night productions SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Alumni Coffee & Registration UM Bookstore open (25% discount for alumni on a single logo item) *Minority Alumni Club Brunch and Award Presentation Vintage Purples Alumni Brunch Old Golds Alumni Reunion *Homecoming Awards & Recognition Luncheon Alabama College Society Reunion and Photo Purple & Gold Basketball Game Art Auction & Bloch Party 23rd Annual Alumni Art Exhibition and Silent Auction Coffee Reception *Class and/or Affinity Groups Reunions and Photos *Young Alumni Reunion *Centennial College Night Productions Please check montevallo.edu/homecoming for times and locations and additional activities such as department and athletic events.

Purchase tickets at montevallotickets.universitytickets.com or by calling 205-665-6215.

If you are interested in serving as a 2019 Reunion Chair, please contact the Alumni Office at 205-665-6215 or umalumnioffice@montevallo.edu. * Event requires ticket purchase. Schedule subject to change.

STEPS 1. First-time users will need to set up an account.

2. Select a seat based on availability for the night tickets are desired.

3. A maximum of two (2) tickets for Friday OR Saturday may be purchased, but not both.

4. Print out your ticket or use your phone for confirmation at College Night.

PLEASE NOTE • Minimum $40 contribution to the UM Foundation since 8/01/18 is required. Event registration is not considered a donation.

• Donation may be made at the time of ticket purchase.

• Ticket purchases will be monitored each day.

Tickets purchased that do not meet these criteria will be reversed.

• Alumni College Night ticket purchases and donations are non-refundable.

For those who are not able to purchase tickets online, call the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at 205-665-6215.

Beginning Nov. 15 and running through Feb. 8, an automated message will be played indicating to press “1” for College Night ticket purchases and “2” for all other requests. Someone will then assist you with purchasing your Alumni College Night tickets. This service will only be available during regular business hours.

Questions? Please contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at 205-665-6215 or email umalumnioffice@montevallo.edu.

See page 11 for College Night Revue information

montevallo.edu/alumni | 29

ALUMNI EVENTS

Shelby County Benefit Bash, Stewart Student Retreat, April 16 The Emma Dean Nathews Shelby County Alumni Scholarship benefited from the proceeds of this highly-anticipated alumni event. 1 The Walker family: Tom Walker ’75, Betty Walker ’75, Jane Walker Herndon M.Ed. ’06, Matt Walker ’02, Candace Walker, and Jeff Walker ’08; 2 SGA President Lizbeth Juarez ’18 and Montevallo Chamber Director Steve Gilbert ’81 manage the bingo table; 3 Megan Davis ’11 stands with her husband Chad beside her jackpot prize package winnings worth an estimated $1,000. Items are donated

by Shelby County businesses each year to make the fundraiser possible.

Athlete Alumni Tailgating, Kermit Johnson Baseball Field, April 21 The University of Montevallo National Alumni Association is always looking for new ways to engage alumni and begin new affinity groups. The most recent effort is for an Athlete Alumni Club, which kicked off with a tailgating event at the last home Falcons baseball game of the season. 4 This group of baseball alumni still gather forty years after playing together in the 80s; 5 From left: Vice President of Alumni Clubs Stephanie Shaw ’93 and Alumni Director Tracy Rockco ’94 prepare the registration tent for the tailgating event to generate interest in the Athlete Alumni Club.

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Senior Day, Flowerhill, May 4 The Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs sponsors Senior Day each year as a way to congratulate UM’s graduates and welcome them as alumni. 6 Nick Preston ’18; 7 Stellesia Conwell ’18; 8 Cage Williamson ’18 and Colby Quinn ’18.

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30 | Montevallo Today

8

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15 Alumni spotted at events held from March through June

16

Photo by Cara Anderson ’19

Junior Alumni Board Spring Soirée, Hoover Randle House, May 11 Proceeds from this event raised approximately $2,500 for the board’s Leadership Scholarship awarded to an upper class student at UM. 9 The men of Alpha Kappa Lambda showed up to support the Junior Board’s Spring Soirée; 10 From left: Junior Alumni Board President Kristen Dechert ’03, Alumni Board President Toni Leo ’80, Foundation Board Vice Chair Karen Kelly ’80; 11 From left: Lindsey Sherrill ’07, Julie Elkins ’00, Caroline Cody ’07; 12 From left: Cierra Floyd ’11, Jennifer Nelson ’09, James Nelson.

Minority Alumni Club Summer Social, Negro Southern League Museum, June 7 Proceeds from this event benefited the newly formed Rodger Smitherman Minority Alumni Book Scholarship. 13 President Stewart and Minority Alumni President Jeff Adams ’85 pose with scholarship recipients Jasmine Baxter ’19 and Kayla Johnson ’19; 14 Deborah Howard ’75 shows off the Negro Southern League Museum Director’s Tour package she won at the event; 15 It’s a family affair for the Mitchells. From left: Mike Mitchell ’86, Minority Alumni Club Vice President Donna Mitchell ’87, Whitney Mitchell Lowe ’13.

1990s Decade Reunion, Stewart Student Retreat, June 23 Hosted by the Alumni Association’s special events committee, alumni and guests enjoyed mingling and dancing to beats from the ’80s-’90s played by Junior Board member and DJ Zach Banks ’08. 16 Robert ’90 and Lana Hinds; 17 Melissa Kwater-Harrell ’17, Alicia Germany ’97, Betsy Hoffman ’94.

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Photo by Cara Anderson ’19

montevallo.edu/alumni | 31

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PPCO

University of Montevallo Alumni Affairs Reynolds Hall, Station 6215 Montevallo, AL 35115

Mark Your Calendar EVENTS

Alumni event tickets may be reserved at

October 13

Faculty and Staff Alumni Appreciation Breakfast, Reynolds Hall, 7:30-10 a.m.

Greek Alumni Reunion and James Wilkinson Greek Hall of Fame Induction 3-5:30 p.m., $10 per person. Nominate deserving individuals at montevallo.edu/ alumni. See page 11 for College Night Revue information.

October 11

October 18

montevallotickets.universitytickets.com

September 13

122nd Founders’ Day Convocation, Palmer Hall, 11 a.m.; UMNAA Board meeting, Reynolds Hall, Merrill Room, 2 p.m.; Alumni Awards Dinner, Anna Irvin Dining Hall, 6 p.m. Dinner is invitation only.

October 12

51st Annual Olympics Day Golf Tournament Four-man scramble, Montevallo Golf Course, registration begins at 10:30 a.m., shot-gun start at 12 p.m. Registration required.

Junior Alumni Board Fall Workshop, Young alumni will engage current students in open dialogue and networking after a panel discussion, Anna Irvin Dining Hall, Montevallo Room, 6-8 p.m.

October 27

Junior Alumni Board Booth, Montevallo ArtWalk-ArtStalk, downtown Montevallo, 1-6 p.m.

November 4

Junior Alumni Board Meeting, Reynolds Hall, Merrill Room, 2-4 p.m.

November 15

Alumni College Night tickets go on sale 8 a.m., minimum $40 donation to the University of Montevallo Foundation must be after Aug. 1 to be eligible to purchase tickets.

DEADLINES

October 1

Distinguished Alumnus Award, Nathalie Molton Gibbons Alumni Achievement Award and Nathalie Molton Gibbons Young Achievers Award Submit nominations at montevallo.edu/alumni.