EMBRACING Change
I
t seems not long ago when the Sewell Organ was
current space on Prince Avenue. It offers modern amenities
installed in the Chapel. Named in honor of former
and convenient parking at a cost that is bottom-line friendly.
trustee Charles K. Sewell ’54, “Big Bertha” (as she
We also continue to modernize our on-campus
is affectionately known) includes nearly 3,700 pipes.
living spaces to meet the rising expectations of today’s
It is a magisterial instrument. For nearly two decades,
undergraduate students. In Demorest, we will soon break
I have enjoyed teaching and performing there.
ground on what will be the institution’s largest residence hall.
The completion of this project will set off a musical chairs
While our campus was closed over the summer, we took
the opportunity to clean Big Bertha. Over six weeks, all of
scenario as we move students out of older buildings that
her pipework was removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. After
will be pulled down or refurbished and into newer ones.
she was reassembled, we installed a prototype interface
Our philanthropic organization is taking on a more
that allows the musician
contemporary structure. In
to advance the pages
the spring, we will host our
of a musical score by
inaugural Yonahian Society
pressing a button.
Gala, an event to celebrate
and recognize those who
It is all accomplished
with an app and digital
support Piedmont with an
tablet. No more laborious
annual gift of $1,000 or
page-turning, which can
more. And many of you have
be quite tricky during a
noted that we have made big
complicated piece. The
strides in our publications,
device was developed
including this one.
by Bill Landolina, an
organ technology guru.
reflection of our move
And we have the very
to modernity is our
first one in the U.S. at Piedmont. It is an example
President Mellichamp poses with an organ digital page turner.
of embracing change
name change—from college to university. It recognizes our growth,
and updating a stately and venerable instrument
relevance, and rising profile. These are just a few examples
to meet modern expectations.
of how we are positioning Piedmont for success.
A similar scenario is being played out across
Still, the best is yet to come. This spring, we’ll pull the
our institution.
curtains back on a new UNIVERSITY logo, website, and
exciting branding language that captures our distinctive
As we approach our 125-year anniversary in 2022,
Piedmont is growing, adapting, and modernizing to meet the
qualities and personality (See page 9). I hope you will
demands of a rapidly changing higher education landscape.
join with us in celebrating this momentous occasion.
Our new facility in Athens illustrates this transition.
With so many classes and much of our instruction moving to an online format, we no longer needed the square footage that our current Athens campus offers. Many of our classrooms and office spaces there are not being used.
So this past summer we put the final touches on a plan to
relocate to a new facility that is within walking distance of our
2
Perhaps the greatest
| P I E DM ON T JOU R NA L
James F. Mellichamp, President
