A word from the President

EMBRACING Change

It 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. While our campus was closed over the summer, we took The completion of this project will set off a musical chairs 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 It is all accomplished and recognize those who 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 Perhaps the greatest organ technology guru. reflection of our move And we have the very to modernity is our first one in the U.S. at name change—from Piedmont. It is an example President Mellichamp poses with an organ digital page turner. college to university. It of embracing change 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 As we approach our 125-year anniversary in 2022, exciting branding language that captures our distinctive 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. James F. Mellichamp, President 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