Issue 1_The SpringHillian_Spring2022

Celebrating Black History Month

President Lee Announces Upcoming Retirement

Spring Hill College announced on Jan. 21, that President E. Joseph Lee, Ph.D., will retire from the College in December of this year.

Lee was invited to serve as interim president in August 2018, making him the second layperson to serve in the role. He was fully installed as the College’s 38th President on Feb. 7, 2020. During his tenure, the College outlined new strategic priorities, added new academic programs, strengthened its donor base and further engaged alumni and the local Mobile community.

“This decision has not been an easy one, as

Spring Hill has been such an important part of my life during the last three and a half years,” Lee said. “The students, faculty, staff, and the entire SHC community are absolutely the best! Now is a good time as the College is positioned for future growth and prosperity. It is with that in mind that I feel now is the time to prepare for new leadership.”

Some of the accomplishments under Lee’s tenure include: reducing tuition by nearly 50 percent and successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic by transitioning classes to online learning.

Jack McKinne , Chairman of Spring Hill College’s Board of Trustees noted, “Dr. Lee’s leadership has been instrumental in sustaining Spring Hill College

during this unprecedented pandemic environment, strengthening our existing curriculum, initiating a robust academic expansion that enhances the College’s value to our students and promoting the Jesuit identity of ‘cura personalis’ – care and respect for the entire human development. We will miss Joe, but also look forward to perpetuating his vision for Spring Hill as we carry out the selection process for our next president.”

The College’s Board of Trustees will begin a national search for the next president. When the search is complete, there will be a thorough plan in place to ensure a seamless transition.

Vice President for Enrollment, Nathan

Copeland said, “Having served at another institution during a presidential change I know to some extent what Spring Hill College is about to go through. The one thing that will make Spring Hill stand out from many other colleges is our community. Though this can be seen as an odd transitional time, Dr. Lee didn’t go anywhere and he is still very much leading our campus and will do so until the board finds the

next leader of Spring Hill. The board will now move forward with what is, in my opinion, the most important decision any board can make.

Dr. Lee has been doing a beautiful job of organizing the administration in a way that allows the campus to function at the highest level, especially as we gear up for a presidential search. ”

Students Prepare for Trip to Celebrate TRIO Day

The TRIO Student Support Service Program will be taking 35 students on an overnight trip to the TRIO Day events in Montgomery and Birmingham the weekend of Feb. 25-26, 2022.

The students will start their TRIO festivities at the Equal Justice Initiative Museum in Montgomery where they will visit the emotion-evoking monuments and exhibits of African American history from the times of slavery to the late 1980s.

They will then travel to Birmingham and spend the night there and attend

the TRIO Day conference the next day. Sophomore Trahan John says, “I feel genuinely intrigued to learn about hardships that African Americans and slaves faced getting to where we are today. TRIO has had an impactful and positive influence on my college experience so far.”

TRIO Director, Michael Cozart, says “We are so excited to take the students on our first excursion since the program has been revived on Spring Hill Campus. The students have been so interactive and we are ready for them to experience TRIO Day to the fullest.”

On February 24, 1986, a congressional resolution declared that Saturday, February 28, 1986, should be designated as “National TRIO Day” to commemorate the annual achievements of the Federal TRIO programs in communities across the country.

Every year since then, the community has reserved the fourth Saturday in February as National TRIO Day an opportunity to focus the nation’s attention on the needs of disadvantaged young people and adults aspiring to improve their lives if they are to become contributing citizens of the country, and to the talent which will be wasted if that investment is not made.

The Federal TRIO Programs are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.

If you are interested in becoming a part of TRIO, please contact Mr. Michael Cozart at mcozart@shc.edu.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Codi Clemmons Reporter

DiMya Evans Reporter

Michael Cozart, Director of the TRIO Program at SHC Picture courtesy of Michael Coxart

Students Volunteer with Project Homeless Connect

Codi Clemmons

Why Thank-A-Donor Day is Important to Students

On Friday, January 28, Spring Hill College staff and students participated in Project Homeless Connect which is a volunteering event that supports the homeless community.

Project Homeless Connect is an annual multiservice event that allows service providers to assist with legal matters, issue state identification cards, and conduct health assessments. Volunteers served as navigators at the event. In this role as navigators each person assisted a homeless client. They were able to guide and advocate for their client

as they visited the services at the event. Clients were provided breakfast and given hygiene items, clothes, shoes and more at no expense.

Project Homeless Connect was held at The Grounds, 1035 Cody Rd. N. Mobile, AL. The volunteers arrived at 7:00 a.m. and the event lasted until 2:00 p.m. The director, Foley Community Service Center, Jennifer Irizarry said, “It is a privilege to serve our community at Project Homeless Connect and do a small part to help the vulnerable and marginalized. The integrity of our community web depends on the resiliency of every strand.”

This event allowed for collaborating and

networking across colleges including Bishop State Community College, Spring Hill College, University of Mobile, and the University of South Alabama.

helps to better the Spring Hill College community.

Community Engagement Volunteer Coordinator at the University of South Alabama, Laurie Childers said, “A big thank you to Spring Hill College for supporting this year’s Project Homeless Connect. The opportunity to collaborate across colleges and professions provides all involved with new connections, additional applied skills, and most importantly an understanding and appreciation for our brothers and sisters in the community who live without the most basic needs.”

In 2020, approximately

Picture By: Codi Clemmons

750 clients attended the event. The event was not held in 2021 due to the pandemic. This year Project Homeless Connect was able to help around 200 members from the community with more than 300 volunteers attending the event.

For more information about Project Homeless Connect visit: https:// volunteer.uwswa.org/need/ detail/?need_id=652018 where you can apply for Project Homeless Connect and other volunteer activities around the community.

Spring Hill College Launches Its Own Ale Flavor

Reporter Madeline Ortego Editor

Beer lovers can now get a taste of Spring Hill College with the debut of Portier Pale Ale. The locally brewed ale will be introduced tonight at McKinney’s.

Braided River Brewing Company has partnered with Spring Hill College to debut the beer just for the College. Portier Pale Ale was crafted by Hannah Shankman, a 2019 alumna of Spring Hill.

“The beer is super sessionable,” said Shankman, meaning that it contains low levels of alcohol. “It’s styled to fit the kick-back vibe that McKinney’s gives.

“[Portier Pale Ale] is

super juicy, so you can easily pick out the orange and pineapple flavor notes. The bitterness is dialed way down so that all beer lovers from beginners to seasoned can enjoy it,” Shankman added

Two special launch events will be held tonight at McKinney’s. From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., students, faculty, and staff can join Aramark staff and brewers from Braided River to celebrate the launch of Portier Pale Ale. Then at 6 p.m., the event opens to the public. The first 50 people attending the public event will get a custom pint glass. There will also be t-shirts, music, games, snacks and, of course, beer.

After hearing about the launch of this new beer, senior Jake Foster said, “It’s awesome that they made a

beer specifically for Spring Hill and can’t wait to try out the new badger brew the next time I’m at McKinney’s.”

Spring Hill is joining dozens of other colleges and universities who have developed their own officially licensed beers, including the University of South Alabama, who also worked with Braided River to develop a unique beer for their university.

Braided River is a locally operated brewery. Located in downtown Mobile, they are focused on crafting quality products inspired by the Gulf Coast and on sustainability efforts. For more information about Braided River Brewing Company visit https://www. braidedriverbrewing.com/

The SpringHillian Editor: Madeline Ortego

Art Director: Madeline Hampson

Advertising Manager: BessMorgan Baluyut BTV Producer: Conner Moore BTV Director: India Hall

The inaugural ThankA-Donor Day will be held on Feb. 10, 2022, in the back of the student center from 11:30 a.m. until 1:45 p.m., where more than 1,000 donors will be sent cards and video messages thanking them for their generous donations from Give Day 2021.

This event is being led by the Advancement team, who will be providing the cards and filming the video messages from students, faculty and staff Thank-A-Donor Day is being started in order to thank donors for their generous donations in both

time and money, which allows the Jesuit mission and education to live on at Spring Hill. The college is a private institution that is not supported by the state government and instead relies on donations, among other things, to help keep their commitment to “Cura Peronalis” alive.

Cura Personalis is a care for the spiritual, social and intellectual growth of each person. This ideal is supported by the donations that help make students’ dreams and visions come true. Whether it be through scholarships or campus renovations and improvements, each dollar

With $10,000 from last year’s Give Day, the school was able to purchase seven iMac’s for the Integrated Media Center. This upgrade helps students learn the most updated version of softwares that they will use after graduation and improves their real world knowledge. Donations are an important part of making sure the students, faculty and staff have the best resources and opportunities to succeed here on “The Hill.’’

Having this day dedicated to donors shows that their generous donations do not go unnoticed and the entire Spring Hill community appreciates the benefits they provide. The signed

cards and videos, despite being a small way to show thanks, are a great way to offer a more personalized thank you to those who donate.

The video messages add a personalized touch and might help donors feel more connected to the students their donations benefit.

If I were a donor, I think that a card printed with a generic message would make me feel impersonal and as if the donation was unnoticed by the majority of the community. Being able to actually see the names and faces of the students who are benefiting from the donations allows the donors to feel personally connected to those that they are helping.

Using Creativity to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

“College will be the best time of your life” is a phrase many college students have likely heard before. While this can be true, it is also a time of life that is full of change, stress and anxiety for many students.

A survey conducted by Statista in Fall of 2018 shows that 29.5% of college

students reported that they had felt overwhelming anxiety at least once in the past two weeks. Over half of surveyed students reported that they had on at least one occasion felt too depressed to function. Statista attributes these depressive states and overwhelming periods of anxiety to the “stressful changes in environment, responsibilities, and roles” which can contribute to and exacerbate mental health issues.

While these statistics may seem staggering, studies are showing that there is a very simple way to help overcome the stress and anxiety you may feel: finding your artistic outlet. The Sage Neuroscience Center states that Art Therapy has been around for years and is an effective stress reliever, as art is capable of “allowing many people to process emotions and reduce

stress.”

The goal of art therapy is to allow the struggling person to relax until they are able to tap into their emotions. Simply coloring is enough to exponentially drop your stress levels.

Madison Heflin, Mental Health Counselor at the Spring Hill College Wellness Center, says that “Creative hobbies are an evidence based coping mechanism for reducing stress and anxiety. Engaging in a hobby can be a form of self care which is correlated with better mental health.”

believe that one of the greatest aspects of art therapy is that you don’t have to be an artist. Even if it is only for a brief period of time, art therapy allows a person to get their mind off of stressors and relax.

personally turn to art to give myself an outlet of expressing emotions that can’t be put into words. By

taking the opportunity to tune out the world around you and paint your emotions on canvas, write them in a journal or snap them in a picture. You are allowing yourself the ability to express emotion in a healthy way, which will positively impact your overall mental health.

So pop in your headphones, turn on your favorite playlist, pick up your tool of choice and tune the world out for a few minutes!

EDITORIAL POLICY:

The SpringHillian is published five times each semester from September to December. The views expressed herein do not represent the views of Spring Hill College and are not the views of the faculty, administration, staff or students. They are the views of the individual columnists.

SUBMISSIONS:

The SpringHillian publishes guest submissions at the discretion of the student-editor and section editors. Submissions should be less than 300 words, and editors reserve the right to edit the submissions for length and content. Original writings should be mailed or delivered to: Student-editor, The SpringHillian, Communication Arts, Spring Hill College, 4000 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36608. Submissions may also be sent as emailed attachments to: shcmedia@email. shc.edu.

Student uses pottery as a creative outlet.

Picture By: Madeline Ortego

Ben Gerety Columnist Alexandria Fonseca Columist

Advisors: Stuart Babington and Gary Wolverton

Bishop State Nursing Students volunteering at Project Homeless Connect.

Custom pint glass and Portier Pale Ale tap handle.

Picture Courtesy of Spring Hill Marketing Department

AROUND THE HILL

SHC cheer team helping inspiring cheerleaders during the cheer clinic over the weekend.

Photo by: India Hall

Pitcher Conner Ingram during baseball game against Southeastern Baptist College.

Picture By: Pete Schili

Sophomore Micah Morgan runs to third base during baseball game against Southeastern Baptist College.

Picture By: Pete Schili

Above: Summer Poole and Scout Paulus volunteering at little badgers cheer clinic.

Picture By: Gabby Rocha

Right: Sam Davidson during the basketball game against Kentucky State University.

Picture By: Kira Babiarz

Christina Larson, Madeline Ortego, Kamila Shipp, Jamie Martin and Reese Lebbingg at the 100 days to Graduation Celebration.

Picture By: Logan Pontillas

Right: Lizzie Barrois, Tony Hall, Miles San Soucie, and Roger Baudry celebrate 100 days until graduation.

Picture By: Eloise Day

Hannah Pitts, Scout Paulus, and Natalia Michas celebrate bid day.

Picture By: Natalie Williamson Photography

Sigma Kappa wlecomes new members on bid day.

Picture By: Natalie Williamson Photography

Members of Tri Delta await new members on bid day.

Picture By: Natalie Williamson Photography

Senior class of Phi Mu celebrates last bid day.

Picture By: Natalie Williamson Photography

It’s Time to Pardi! SHC Mardi Gras Ball is Near

DiMya Evans Reporter

The annual Mardi Gras Ball will be on Feb. 22, 2022, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets will be available in the back of the cafeteria in the student center every common hour on Tuesday and Thursday until Feb. 15th or tickets run out.

Tickets are free for all Spring Hill students and only $10 for outside guests.

Drink tickets will be available for attendees 21 and over for $4 per at a three drink maximum. Although tickets are free, there will be limited space so register soon if you would like to attend!

Since early last semester, the Spring Hill Campus Programming Board, also known as CPB, has been working diligently to create events that the students will enjoy and gain meaningful experiences. Of those events, the annual Mardi

Gras Ball is one of the most memorable events that Campus Programming puts together. Each year, CPB’s Special Events co-chairs work from the beginning of school until mid-February ironing out the meticulous details the ball consists of.

Aaron Foster, current CPB President, says “There are so many small, moving parts that the Mardi Gras Ball consists of because it is such a large event, that the sooner you start planning and getting tasks done, there is less stress as the ball gets closer. We are so excited to finally start getting back into some of our old traditions since the mask mandate has been a little more lenient since around this time last year”.

Although CPB is back with the traditional Mardi Gras Ball, there have been a few changes to make the event more exciting for faculty and students.

Campus Programming and the Student Government

Association, as known as SGA, have teamed up with CPB to have a Mardi Gras Court this year. Each senior is allowed to nominate one male and one female to be the Duke and Duchess of the Mardi Gras Ball. Of these nominations, the four most recurring names of each gender will be asked to ride on SGA’s float this year. A run-off election will take place early in the week and the winner will be announced at the Mardi Gras Ball.

CPB is also looking for volunteers to help decorate and remove decorations before and after the ball.

Volunteers will receive a gift card and community service hours after their selected slot of volunteer time has been completed. Student Body Liaison Chair of CPB, Caroline Luck says “When it comes to volunteers, the more, the merrier! I would love for there to be a great turnout because this will be a great way to gain some

of the behind the scene with Campus Programming while getting a token of appreciation as well.”

Volunteer signups will take place at the same time as Mardi Gras Ball ticket registration.

Will You Be My Valentine? CPB Sells CandyGrams

SHC Cheer and Dance Teams Teach Kids’ Clinic

Codi Clemmons Reporter

More than 70 young cheerleaders experienced a day of fun with the Spring Hill College Cheer and Dance Team at SHC’s third annual Little Badgers Cheer Clinic on Feb. 5.

SHC Cheer and Dance coach Alyssa Paesano said, “We love having it. It’s really fun for us to have and it’s a great time for the kids as well.”

During this fundraising event, the SHC Cheer and Dance team welcomed over 70 kids ages four to 13 to learn about cheerleading. The SHC Cheer and Dance team worked as teachers and mentors. Both teams spent weeks preparing both music and choreography in order to host the clinic.

“It’s a lot of work but it’s definitely worth it for us. Everyone looks forward to it. It’s something that’s just an exciting change of pace and getting to work with the little

kids is different, but it’s a lot of fun,” Paesano said. This event got the cheer team involved in the community and kids from local catholic and public schools. No cheer experience was necessary for the kids to participate. The participants had three hours of instruction on the basics of cheerleading and learned a cheer routine to perform alongside the cheer team for their families at the end of the day.

Freshman cheerleader Kaitlyn McCormick said, “Even though this was my first kids clinic, really enjoyed it because it gave them an entrance into our world of collegiate cheer. I think it is a really good early start from them and then just to get that experience right here in the community and it benefited how we operate as a team here at Spring Hill.”

Freshman cheerleader Allie Berg said, “It was definitely very hectic. There was a lot going on at once,

but think that it’s good that we got our name out there and a lot of people in the community know who we are. It was good to see all the little kids.”

The money raised will help the Cheer and Dance

team go to nationals, get new gear and new uniforms this season.

For more information about the SHC Cheer and Dance team go to: https:// shcbadgers.com under the spirit squads section.

To learn more about the National Cheer Association’s college nationals that SHC cheer will compete at in April go to: https://www. varsity.com/nca/school/ competitions/collegenationals/.

Spring Hill Welcomes New Beach Volleyball Coach

Valentine’s day is right around the corner and love is in the air, but valentine’s day isn’t only for couples.

Campus Programming Board has their annual valentines day candy grams available for students to purchase and send to someone they love. With the candy grams you can bring valentines day to your significant other or your best friend.

Campus Programming Board will have a table at the back of the student center during common hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays leading up to valentine’s day. They will be selling their valentines day candy grams for $2 apiece, the

proceeds will go towards future events hosted by the Campus Programming Board. Candy grams will be delivered on Friday the 10th leading up to valentine’s day. The last day the candy grams will be available

for purchase is Thursday, February 9th during common hour. Students can either anonymously send a candy gram or they can sign it letting someone special know they are thinking of them.

What is the meaning behind the candy grams besides just showing how much you care? Member of Campus Programming Board Alurah Williams said “The purpose of Campus Programming boards valentines day candy grams are to spread love, not germs, throughout the pandemic, we knew how it felt to be away from the people we love so this is the perfect opportunity to express that love we have.”

After spending the last two years in a nationwide pandemic feeling a bit of normalcy this valentine’s day can bring a smile to someone’s face.

A candy gram can be a great way to show someone you care about them or just want them to feel special.

Junior Linnea Beger says that “The candy grams are a great pick me up this

time of year. They show you that someone cares and is thinking about you. Especially during these crazy times as school is kicking back up into full gear.”

Sending someone a sweet little treat can be a great way to get their mind off of all the stress of college life.

Campus Programming Boards’ next event will be the annual Mardi Gras Ball held on February 19th in Byrne Hall from 7-9:30 p.m. Tickets will be available in the back of the cafeteria during common hour Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tickets are free for students and $10 for guests.

For more information on Campus Programming Board visit their page on badgerweb.shc.edu.

Kassandra Fairly Reporter

Spring sports are ramping up around the hill, and for the Badgers beach volleyball team, this spring has not only brought a new season but a new head coach as well.

With any new coach, there will be changes, and the badgers being able to adapt to another new head coach could make or break this spring season.

Newly appointed head beach volleyball coach Sarah Senft believes things have gone well thus far, “I think the team has adapted very well, everyone has been very receptive and willing to learn.” Said coach Senft wearing her gray badger beach volleyball hoodie. “One of my goals is to continue the culture

of the Spring Hill volleyball program. Going forward Spring Hill was the runnerup last year at the AVCA [American Volleyball Coaches Association] Division II championships in Tavares, Florida. Hopefully, in the next couple of years we’d like to bring home one of those national champions for the beach team.”

Coach Senft said she is looking forward to watching the team grow and develop.

“We are a younger team and during indoor, I thought we did a really good job with everyone stepping up and filling in roles, so I’m excited to see where the beach team goes.” Coach Senft was also the badger’s assistant indoor coach this past fall.

The Sandy Badgers may have gotten a new coach, but she isn’t as new to the program as you might expect. “I think the transition from being their teammate

Sarah Senft playing volleyball Picture courtesy of Badger Athletics

we’ve done a really good job of communicating from both sides.” Junior beach player Mikayla Boyer said the team has nothing but respect for coach Senft, “We all respected her last year and respect her this year, nothing has changed.”

“Transitioning from being a player to a coach has gone very smooth, thanks to the girls.” But like any coach there will always be highs and lows, “I think the hardest thing for me has been having boundaries, I had previous friendships on

the team. There are a few older girls that I have played with and was close with, so having boundaries with them has been difficult. I would say one of the easiest things for me has been recruiting because I went to the school so it’s not hard to talk about how great this school is.”

The Badgers will open their spring season with their first games on February 25th-26th at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

to their coach has gone well. They are very receptive during drills and willing to do what I ask of them without question. I think

Gabby Rocha and other team members teaching children about cheer and dance. Picture by: India Hall

Kassandra Fairly Reporter

Julia McKenzie gets Mardi Gras Ball ticket from Aaron Foster.

Picture by: Madeline Ortego

Alurah Williams selling CandyGrams.

Picture by: Kassandra Fairly