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disciples, educate children, care for the sick and feed the hungry.
2000s Vanessa Mosley Greenlee (00C) and husband John announce the Dec. 23, 2010, birth of son Finian Wyatt. Vanessa is in her 12th year teaching. The family resides in Johnson City, Tenn. Toqeer Abbas Chouhan (01C) and Haydne Weese Chouhan (01C) were married Sept. 12, 2009, at Frost Chapel. Toqeer is a litigation attorney in Atlanta; Haydne is a design supervisor for Arby’s Restaurant Group. The couple resides in Mableton. Caroline Ellis Dye (01C) and husband Barry announce the Dec. 16, 2010, birth of daughter Nora Ashelyn. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. Nora joined sister Charlotte (2) at the family home in Augusta, Ga. Caroline and Barry both work as physical therapists. Kendra Warden Hunter (01C) recently accepted the position of director of student leadership and activities at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. Nicole “Nikki” Parker Murphy (01C) and Patrick Murphy were married May 6, 2011, in Atlanta. Lendy Susan Chapman (00C) served as maid of honor. The couple resides in Marietta, Ga. Christopher “Shag” James Sear (01C) and wife Dana announce the births of son Noah Christopher (Sept. 27, 2008) and daughter Natalie Rose (Oct. 1, 2010). Chris is vice president of sales and service for Iron City Uniform Rental; Dana is a stay-at-home mom. The family resides in Pittsburgh, Pa. Autumn Brown Bridges (02C) and husband Heath announce the Jan. 3, 2011, birth of daughter Annie Kay. She weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. The family resides in Cartersville, Ga. Brandon LeWayne Johnson (02C) and wife Emma announce the March 31, 2011, birth of son Andrew Porter. He weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces. The family resides in Cartersville, Ga. Bradford John Combes (03c, 05G) and Elizabeth Hand Combes (05C) were married April 2, 2011, at Eagle Creek Country Club in
Orlando, Fla. Clayton William Kitchen (03C) was the best man. Brad works as a financial representative; Liz is a speech pathologist. The couple resides in Orlando, Fla. Justen-Rhyan Giambalvo (03C) and Jennifer Bottinick Giambalvo (05C) announce the Jan. 25, 2011, birth of son Parker Rhyan. He weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. The family resides in Woodstock, Ga. Malissa Ergle Koblick (03C) and husband Brian announce the June 2, 2011, birth of son Karson William. He weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. The family resides in Monroe, Ga. Kristin Farrar McCown (03C) and husband George announce the Jan. 27, 2011, birth of son Jacob Steven. He weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and was 21 inches long. Jacob joined brother Myers (2) at the family residence in Marietta, Ga. Sarah Marie Norton (04C) received a master’s degree in visual disabilities from Florida State University in December 2010. She teaches visually impaired students in Fulton County, Ga. Margaret Fowler Westover (04C) and husband Tim announce the April 6, 2011, birth of daughter Chloe Charlotte. The family resides in Columbus, Ga. Matthew Walton Young (04c) has been hired by the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta as instructor of guitar pedagogy and performance. He also has been commissioned to write a new metal guitar method, which should be available early next year. He and wife Suzanne Storey Young (02C) reside in Douglasville, Ga. Courtney Bips Hardy (05C) and husband Josh announce the April 23, 2011, birth of daughter Seraphine Grey. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. The family resides in Anderson, S.C. Travis Ryan Henry (05C) has been teaching internationally since 2006. His placements include schools in Vietnam and China. Kevin Alan McDonald (05C) and Rachel Meyer McDonald (05C) announce the April 10, 2011, birth of daughter Kayla Adison. She weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces. Kayla
Passion to
teach
SCOTT WILKINSON (09C),
far left, once drew inspiration from his faculty mentors in Berry’s School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences. Now, with help from a highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, he hopes to follow their example. The NSF fellowship will provide approximately $120,000 over three years to cover the cost of his participation in the new Cancer Biology Ph.D. program at Emory University. One of only a handful of students to be accepted for the program’s inaugural class, Wilkinson plans to study the immunological basis of cancer and how mutations within DNA can cause tumors to develop. He is also interested in learning about the innate immune system and its ability to fight cancer and prevent its spread. Wilkinson is building on two years of prior research experience at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. There, he was mentored by another Berry alumnus, Dr. William Nicholson (83C), above right, whose own career choices were inspired by the influence of a Berry faculty member, Dr. John McDowell. Wilkinson – like Nicholson before him – benefitted greatly from the support and guidance of the people who taught him at Berry. He speaks highly of faculty members such as Dr. Chris Mowry, his advisor in the biology department, and Dr. Todd Timberlake, who Wilkinson said once remarked, “I’m glad to hear that physics has inspired such passion in you!” after learning that he had thrown his textbook in frustration while studying. “The professors at Berry kept me grounded and helped me sort everything out,” Wilkinson praised. “I owe everything to them pushing me further than I was willing to go and always being there for me to offer whatever advice I needed to hear.” Today, he dreams of returning to Berry and investing himself in the lives of future students, just as his professors once invested in him. “I’d love to come back to Berry and help the students achieve more than they think they’re capable of – to return the favor,” he said.
by Rick Woodall
BERRY MAGAZINE • FALL 2011
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