commentary T H E O FFI CIAL M AGA ZINE O F CO K ER CO LLEG E – HAR T S V ILLE, SOU T H C AR O LINA
A CENTURY OF COLLABORATION COKER COLLEGE & SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY TERRANCE HAYES '94: POET, PROFESSOR & MACARTHUR GRANT RECIPIENT TRANS4MATIONS DEFINING THE COKER EXPERIENCE
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coker.edu | cokercobras.com | facebook.com/cokercollege | youtube.com/cokercollege
COMMENTARY
A M E SS AG E F RO M D R. RO B E RT L . W YAT T PR ESIDENT of the COLLEGE
Winter 2015 | Vol. 43, No. 1 coker.edu | cokercobras.com facebook.com/cokercollege | youtube.com/cokercollege
A R T D I R E C T O R
CONTRIBUTOR S
Kyle Saverance ’06
Ben Beetch ’10
Vice President for Marketing & Communications ksaverance@coker.edu
Manager of Special Program Marketing bbeetch@coker.edu Seth Johnson ’12
L aura Hoxworth Editor & Content Strategist lhoxworth@coker.edu
Often, it seems people only speak of transformation in the past tense—that mysterious process you only notice once you’ve emerged, transformed, on the other side. Coker College has become familiar with the idea of transformation in the past 107 years. In this issue, we explore the concept from all angles.
TEAM
WRITER
What is a transformation?
Interactive Media Developer sjohnson@coker.edu
We look back at some of the defining elements of Coker’s past, such as the unique relationship and shared history between Coker and Hartsville’s Sonoco Products Company (Page 17). We also celebrate the excitement of the present: the joy of a life-defining moment like graduation (Page 10) and signs of a thriving campus like the new DeLoach Center (Page 3) and the growing Honors Program (Page 16). And through it all, we never stop looking at what’s ahead—for instance, how alternative college rankings could affect Coker’s future (Page 12).
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Here at Coker, transformation is our specialty. We’re privileged to witness remarkable transformations every day—the transformation of a nervous freshman into a confident, prepared graduate ready to take on the world. For more on that particular transformation, turn to Page 5. You’ll find an in-depth look at where past, present and future combine in Coker’s unique four-year program, aptly named Trans4mations.
Norah Wofford ’11 Manager of Creative Services nwofford@coker.edu On the cover (left to right): 2014-15 Student Body President Kendrick Reed, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Rachel Manspeaker
The Commentary is the official magazine of Coker College and is published by the Office of Marketing & Communications.
COKER COLLEGE Office of Marketing & Communications 300 East College Avenue Hartsville, SC 29550-3797 843.383.8000 | marcom@coker.edu
COKER.EDU
As you make your way through this issue, remember that the best transformations don’t have a clear beginning or end. A transformation is a continual evolution, a forward momentum, and a belief that there’s always something more to learn and something new to accomplish. You, our alumni, donors, and friends, are the people who make it possible. Thank you for supporting us—past, present, and future. Sincerely,
Dr. Robert L. Wyatt
table of contents IN THIS ISSUE Winter 2015
3 Life in the New DeLoach Center
12 The New College Rankings
Updates on the DeLoach Center’s grand opening, Homecoming 2015 and more
Rankings help students find the “best” college—but can they help find the right one?
5 Trans4mations Defining the Coker experience with Trans4mations, Coker's unique four-year plan
13 Keeping Up With Terrance Hayes
11 News Briefs Highlights from a busy year in the Coker community
Andrea Coldwell Cabus on Coker’s growing Honors Program
17 A Century of Collaboration
The poet, professor, and MacArthur grant recipient on what it means to follow your bliss
10 A Moment to Celebrate Winter Commencement 2014
16 A Closer Look: Coker’s Honors Program
The past, present, and future of Coker College and Sonoco Products Company
20 Class News 15 #CokerPride Students, alumni, and friends of the college take to social media to share why they love Coker
Alumni news and notes from your Class Representatives
27 Alumni Notes Donor appreciation, memorials, and special recognitions
DEPARTMENTS CONNECT athletics & campus life
LEARN academics & faculty news
ACHIEVE awards & accolades
GROW looking toward the future
ENGAGE coker in the community
ADVANCE alumni news
Harris and Louise DeLoach
De LOACH CENTER GRAND OPENING
CONNECT
On Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, Coker College hosted a dedication ceremony that marked the official opening of the new Harris E. and Louise H. DeLoach Center athletics complex. Gov. Nikki Haley joined with Coker College President Robert Wyatt and other dignitaries to recognize the contributions of the DeLoaches and others who made the new $12 million facility possible. “Harris and Louise, you are at the center of all of this,” said Wyatt before an audience of more than 600 students, faculty, staff, community members, and donors. “Your guidance and service to the cause of improving educational opportunities in Hartsville has inspired this college, this community, and hundreds in the region who have been involved in building this Center.” “I hope this building reflects our deep appreciation for the good work of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the administration of Coker College,” Harris DeLoach said. “More importantly, however, we want it to reflect how passionately we believe in the role that education plays in the success of the people of this community. “In this structure, Coker College students will learn invaluable life and business lessons about competition and teamwork,” DeLoach continued. “I also believe that this complex will become an important centerpiece for the people of Hartsville to gather and celebrate competition at its best.” When Gov. Haley delivered her remarks, she awarded DeLoach the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor, which was given in recognition of the business leader’s lifetime achievements and contributions to the state. Harris E. DeLoach Jr. served as chairman and chief executive officer at Sonoco before he retired in 2013. He is executive chairman of Sonoco’s Board of Directors and a trustee of the Duke Endowment. In addition, he serves on the boards of Duke Energy and Milliken & Company and,
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locally, on the boards of the Byerly Foundation and the TEACH Foundation. At 71,000 square feet, the Harris E. and Louise H. DeLoach Center is the largest campus expansion in Coker’s history. The multi-purpose facility includes a main gymnasium that seats 1,908 in stadium-style bleachers and an auxiliary gymnasium. Level one of the facility also includes a strength and conditioning room, a cafe and dining area, athletic training and rehabilitation/therapy rooms, sportby-sport locker rooms, state-of-the-art classrooms, and more. Level two features a large Cobra Club, athletic offices, and a walking track. In addition, a grand opening celebration for the Hartsville community was held the following Saturday, Aug. 23. The family-friendly event gave residents an opportunity to enjoy games, refreshments, and tours of the new facility before the start of the fall semester. With the DeLoach Center now fully up and running, students, fans, and community members alike have been enjoying the facility and its amenities. “My favorite part about the DeLoach Center is just how much pride it brings to Coker every day,” said Hailey Yohn, a senior member of the women’s basketball team. “Having this facility is definitely going to attract more future students to Coker, and you can just tell that the college is going in the right direction.”
Harris DeLoach and Gov. Nikki Haley
Coker College President Robert Wyatt
WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP. percent raised
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$9,502,769.49 in gifts and pledges raised toward a goal
of $12,000,000.
For more information, contact Wes Daniels, Director of Campaigns wdaniels@coker.edu | 843.383.8178 W W W. C O K E R . E D U
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THE NEW D e LOACH CENTER IS TAKING COKER ATHLETICS TO THE NEXT LEVEL— AND BRINGING HOMECOMING WITH IT. This February, don’t miss Coker’s new, better-than-ever winter Homecoming celebration! Come see what’s new on campus, cheer on the Cobras in the DeLoach Center, and reconnect with your Coker family. Plus, join us for a Welcome Home Reception, campus tours, a halftime Alumni Gathering, and more.
LOCKER
LEGACY PROGRAM
IT’S A NEW ERA OF COKER ATHLETICS— AND YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT. The new DeLoach Center is transforming the future of Cobra athletics with the help of loyal supporters like you. To commemorate this exciting time, we’re offering a special opportunity for athletic For more information, contact Wes Daniels, Director of Campaigns wdaniels@coker.edu | 843.383.8178 W W W. C O K E R . E D U
donors, alumni, and fans. For a gift or pledge of $1,000 paid within three years, you will be recognized with a personalized plaque displaying your name—or the name of a friend or family member you wish to honor—on the front of your locker. T HE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COL L EG E, H A RT S V IL L E, S .C .
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defining the Coker experience
A Coker College education is a transformative experience. Coker College was founded on this simple, but powerful, belief. In his address that formally closed Welsh Neck High School and created Coker College in 1908, founder Major James Lide Coker spoke of the “firstclass institution” he envisioned. At the time, he was referring to the original Coker College for Women—and the decision to go co-ed in 1969 is just one of many changes Coker has gone through since. But through more than a century of evolution, one constant remains: a steadfast commitment to excellence. The Coker experience offers something unique—a certain brand of excellence grounded in Coker’s core values. The College’s original seal contained the fol-
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lowing inscription: “Character, Culture, Christian Service.” While no longer affiliated with a religious institution (since 1944), Coker has stayed true to its founding values of character, culture, and service. To understand how these values are a part of Coker’s curriculum today, look no further than Trans4mations, Coker’s four-year plan. The idea for a four-year plan began with the adoption of the College’s new strategic plan in 2009. In the fall of 2010, a committee was assembled and charged with developing a program that would take those core aspects of the Coker experience and make them a guaranteed part of each and every student’s education through a formal four-year plan.
In the summer of 2011, Trans4mations w as b orn. With this program, Coker College formally adopted into its curriculum four components that have been a part of the Coker experience for decades: personal
and academic exploration, service and cultural engagement, study away, and a capstone experience. Throughout a student’s time at Coker, Trans4mations guides him or her through a personalized sequence of both curricular and co-curricular experiences in these four areas. By the time they graduate, Trans4mations ensures that all students have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for both personal and professional success. Nearly 107 years after the Major’s address, Coker College has been through countless transformations of its own. But through it all, the Major’s vision of a firstclass institution—and the essence of the Coker experience—remains. Each year of Trans4mations, rooted in Coker's values and history, prepares students for the future.
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YEAR ONE LEARN
Personal and
Academic E x p l o r at i o n The first year of college is full of transitions—transitions that can be challenging for students from all backgrounds. Enter Trans4mations. Year One of the program is specifically designed to help guide and support new students as they adjust to college life, while setting them up with the academic and personal skills they need to succeed in college and beyond. As soon as they arrive at Coker, freshmen are introduced to the Coker way through one of Coker’s oldest traditions (dating back to 1925): the Commissioner program. In the college’s centennial history book, In Quest of Excellence, author and Coker College Provost Emeritus Mac Doubles writes: “The Freshman Commission has played a vital role during all these years in creating that bond between a sophomore and a freshman that helps facilitate the happiness of generations of new students at Coker.” When freshmen arrive at Coker, they’re divided into small groups. Each group is then paired with an animal mascot (such as the Eagle or the Frog) and a sophomore volunteer—their Commissioner. Throughout the following year, that group will become their “family,” with the Commissioner acting as a trusted friend and peer mentor.
phere that helps students feel supported and connected to Coker. “Especially when they're far from home, they’re going to need somebody to talk to,” he says. “My Commissioner was somebody I could go to whenever I needed. To this day, he’s a best friend I can count on.” Also as part of Trans4mations, freshmen take two specialized courses. First semester is Coker College 101 (CC101). Through everything from study techniques and goal-setting skills to personality assessments and financial literacy training, CC101 aims to help integrate freshmen into the college environment, both academically and socially. In their second semester, students who are undecided on their major can take Coker College 102 (CC102). CC102 covers topics like professional dress, resume and cover letter writing, and interview skills—plus a job shadowing experience and plenty of personalized guidance. For students who have already settled on a major, many departments offer specialized courses instead of CC102 that allow those students to dive into their chosen field of study. Through these two unique courses, freshmen are also introduced to Coker itself. They learn about Coker’s academic resources and traditions, and even compete in a scavenger hunt to explore campus. “It’s not just about acclimating to the college environment but also navigating Coker as an institution—learning about the Coker way,” says Whitney Watts ’08, Coker’s dean of students.
“We are a residential campus and a lot of our students are away from home for the first time, so the entire first year experience helps support them through that,” she says. “It’s helping them learn a lot about who they are and who they want to be. We’re preparing them not just to be academically sound but also prepared for when they’re out there on their own—giving them the skills to be successful and a good citizen of the world.” Year One also includes a physical fitness component, with a range of CobraFit classes available in everything from yoga to kickboxing. This, too, is not a new addition to the Coker experience. As stated in the Coker 1914-15 catalog: “One’s college course should show results not only in the enrichment of the mind but also in the strengthening of the body. This is the aim of Coker College.” Today, Watts says the physical fitness component is important not just for physical health but for learning about all aspects of mental and personal wellbeing—lessons that Coker students can carry with them into the rest of their lives. Each of these components were carefully chosen for Year One to enrich all areas of a student’s life, academic and beyond. “It’s important as an institution that we look at them as the whole person,” says Darlene Small, assistant dean and director of the center for engaged learning. “In terms of growth and development, these are important years. If we can have a positive influence on that, then that’s what Coker sets out to do.”
Darrian Love, a sophomore Commissioner, says the Commissioner program creates a true family atmos-
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YEAR T WO Service & Cultural
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Engagement Year Two of Trans4mations is focused on one goal: getting students engaged in the world around them. While students have all four years to complete the 18 units of cultural and service credit that Trans4mations requires, students are particularly encouraged in Year Two to explore the many benefits of getting involved—both within the Coker community as well as throughout Hartsville. Of course, artistic and cultural events have been a part of the liberal arts-based Coker experience since the beginning. It began with organizations like the Glee Club, Dramatics Club and Art Club, all created within a few years of Coker’s founding. Today, opportunities for cultural engagement across campus range from art shows and theater performances to academic lectures and more. Small says attendance at cultural events provides students with the opportunity to experience another dimension of the academic world, fostering a life-enriching pattern of cultural involvement. Cultural events connect students to people and parts of Coker they may not have otherwise experienced. “It bridges the gap in being able to appreciate and value someone else’s interests,” she says. “For example, athletes go to theater performances
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and understand the similarities between performing on a stage and a field.”
the YMCA and more provide a range of opportunities for all interests.
Community service has long been a part of the Coker experience as well. In line with the commitment to service established on Coker’s original seal, the college developed a new Statement of Purpose in 1986 that included the following statement: “Coker College should teach its students that commitment to work and service are integral to life.” In 1999, a group called Helping Our Way of Living (HOWL) was created at Coker to provide alternative spring break opportunities, such as rebuilding homes to assist disaster relief operations. “It’s something that was already going on at Coker, but now it has a focus,” says Small.
“We look at service as leadership,” says Small. “The end result we’ve seen with the students who are completing the projects is them coming in and saying, I learned something about other people—but I learned something about myself too.”
With Trans4mations, service experience begins freshman year with the 9/11 Day of Service. One day in early September, all students enrolled in CC101 disperse into the Hartsville community to complete a wide range of service projects in remembrance of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. To earn their Trans4mations credits, students participate in community service or service-learning projects, graded on a rubric that considers the intensity, impact, and outcome of the project. Coker’s relationships with local organizations like the United Way, Boys and Girls Club,
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YEAR THREE
S t u d y A w ay LEARN
In Year Three, students broaden their worldview and stretch their comfort zones even more with Study Away. Designed to take students from the Coker campus and immerse them in a different cultural setting, Study Away includes experiences both abroad and within the U.S. Students not only get to know a new culture, but they also cultivate a greater understanding of their own cultural values and beliefs. At Coker, the importance of cultural and global education has been recognized since the beginning (the first International Relations Club was established as early as 1925). But study abroad really became a key part of the Coker experience with the creation of the Susan Coker Watson Scholarship in 1962. The scholarship provided funds for study abroad long before study abroad was a common college experience—especially for women. For Judi Bailey ’68, study abroad was one of the most important experiences of her life. While Judi dreamed of exploring the world, her parents had no interest in traveling outside of the American Southeast. The Susan Coker Watson Scholarship made it possible for Judi to realize her dream. Thanks to the scholarship, she had the opportunity to study at the University of London and travel through Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, and Portugal. Judi fondly remembers taking weekend trips to explore the English countryside and watching a live bullfight in Barcelona. But the experience was more than just fun— for Judi, it changed everything. “Experiencing other cultures at a young age changes your worldview,” she says. “For this kid, who grew up in a really small, sheltered environment, it was totally life-changing.” Throughout a long and successful career in higher education, Judi has now traveled everywhere from South Africa to Bulgaria. As provost at the University of Maine, she was on the team that helped establish the American University in Bulgaria. She says it would never have hap-
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pened if it weren't for the confidence she gained from Coker. “I would have never even gotten on a plane to go to Bulgaria had it not been for the assurance that I got with my summer study abroad,” she says. “I credit my success in my career to my opportunity for study abroad.” Throughout her career, Judi has been a strong advocate for study away opportunities. “I’ve encouraged every student I’ve ever met to do something that takes you out of your environment, whether it’s somewhere else in the United States or anywhere around the world,” she says. “It opens your eyes.”
Kenyon, associate professor of history. Kenyon has been leading Coker students on study abroad trips for almost 15 years. One of his favorite parts of each experience is watching students as they become more independent— as they transition from following him closely to navigating foreign streets and subway systems on their own. “There’s something really gratifying in seeing that kind of growth in a student,” he says. “He or she starts to imagine a greater potential.”
With Trans4mations, an experience like Judi’s is guaranteed for each and every Coker student. Watson Scholarships continue to be awarded today, as just one of many ways Coker makes study away a priority. “We are not recreating the wheel,” says Small. “We’re taking things that already exist and expanding on them.” Coker's vailable programs range in length from two weeks to a full semester or more, in a variety of locations across the U.S. and the world. Each student meets individually with the Center for Engaged Learning to talk through the options, including a budget sheet, and choose just the right program. Some students even design their own projects. For every experience—abroad or domestic—it’s not just about being somewhere different. Coker makes sure that study away experiences take students out of their comfort zones and immerse them in a new culture. ”It has to go beyond just existing in a different environment,” Small explains. “It has to be something that engages students in the difference.” In an increasingly global world, the ability to interact with all kinds of people (and cultures) has never been more important. But the confidence and personal growth gained from Study Away are invaluable. “I’ve seen lights come on. I’ve seen students become fascinated. It’s really astonishing, and they begin to think and make connections that they really weren’t capable of before,” says Kevin
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YEAR FOUR
C a p s to n e
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Experience In Year Four, everything comes together with a final capstone project. Unique to each student, a capstone project could be anything from an original theater performance to a research presentation to an art show—each student’s experience is tailored to his or her personal academic and career goals. It’s a demonstration of knowledge and skills, challenging students to communicate and share what they’ve learned and who they’ve become during their time at Coker.
sheaths. It’s not until you get past that and start to see those connections—that’s when art is exciting.”
In Coker’s art department, the capstone experience comes in the form of Senior Studio: two consecutive semesters of independent work (and intensive critiques), culminating in an individual show of the student’s original artwork. Jean Grosser, art professor and chair of Coker’s art department, says the senior studio has been a core aspect of Coker’s art program since the 1970s.
Glenn Chappell, associate professor of business administration, says the course gives students valuable decision-making experience in a realistic scenario. “The whole point is to give the student experience at making decisions that doesn’t cost them a career,” he says. “They come to have an appreciation of how hard business can be and what the stakes are.”
“Our goal is to have students think independently about the creative process,” she says. “They have to determine what they want to create, what they are going to communicate with their work, and who they are an artist.”
By seeing firsthand how decisions affect their business, students gain insight into how diverse business concepts fit together. “The simulation allows them to pull together those things that you talk about in class and see how they relate to each other,” says Karen Hamilton, associate professor of business administration and chair of the department. “They have to weave all the concepts together, make quick decisions, and observe how it affects their profits in the next quarter.”
One of the main purposes of a capstone project is for students to put their growth and independence to the test. “It’s a graduate school model,” Grosser says. “No one is telling them what to do. They have to build on what they’ve learned the previous three years.” Jim Boden, who has been a Coker art professor since 1999, says the challenge of a capstone experience is meant to take students to the next level—teaching them skills they will use for rest of their lives. “If you’re able to think abstractly, you’re able to see relationships to things you wouldn’t otherwise see. You’re a problem solver. You’ve developed a work ethic. Those qualities are invaluable,” he says. “As long as a student is just taking classes, it’s like the Whitman assorted chocolate box. They’re all separated by their own little plastic dividers and paper
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Of course, capstone experiences aren’t limited to the art department. In Coker’s business administration department, seniors take a capstone course centered around a business simulation program called GLO-BUS. In small groups, students use the program to simulate running a business. They work as a team to make strategic management decisions in finance, marketing, production, human resources, and more. With each decision, they’re given instant feedback through the effects on their business—good or bad.
when Coker began to more than 1,200 today—Coker has been through a journey of its own. But through it all, the Coker experience has stayed true to the belief that education isn’t about reaching graduation day and receiving a diploma. At Coker, an education is neverending. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to define exactly what makes the Coker experience unique. But with Trans4mations, Coker College ensures that each and every student receives an education that incorporates those aspects—career and major guidance, service and cultural learning, study away, and a personalized capstone project—that make a Coker education a truly transformative experience.
As with most other aspects of Trans4mations, Small says the capstone experience is not a “one-size-fits-all” project. Whether it’s a theater performance, an internship or a scientific research presentation, students have ownership of their experience—meaning they leave Coker with an understanding of what they’ve learned and an ability to confidently share it with others. In the end, a capstone experience isn’t about a final product or a destination. It’s about the journey it took to get there. Through the past 107 years—from just 35 students
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A moment to celebrate Winter Commencement 2014
S a n dra S ha w a lw a ys h a d a pe r sonal g oal to g e t h e r b a chelor’s d egree. On De c e mb e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 , t h at dre am f i nal l y c ame true . Rainey Knight, former superintendent of the Darlington County School District, delivered the commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Knight currently serves as an educational consultant for school districts across the state and state agencies throughout the Southeast. In her address, Knight advised graduates to be open to collaboration and to never stop chasing their goals. “Choose your course of action cautiously, and wisely, and with a deep passion for what you do,” she said. “It is your time.” When Sandra decided it was time to pursue her degree, it was because she wanted to move beyond the management level in her career. “Now, you have to have more than just experience,” she says. “You need that degree to get you to the next level. You need everything you can possibly obtain to distinguish yourself from other candidates.” Sandra says she knew from day one that her Coker family, from professors to classmates to administrators, really cared about her success. “The instructors that I’ve had with Coker, they care about your education and they will go the extra mile to help you in any way possible,” she says. “They pushed me to want to do better.
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“I think back to my first day walking into the classroom, and I did not know what to expect. Never in a million years did I think that I would feel just totally comfortable, totally at home, and totally relaxed with everything.” With support from Coker, her personal drive, and a strong desire to set an example for her daughter, Sandra worked through the tough times and accomplished her goal. The moment she walked across the stage represented more than getting a degree. It represented one of the most important accomplishments of her life. “Tonight’s graduates all have unique stories and paths that have led them to this moment,” said Tracy Parkinson, provost and dean of the faculty, during the ceremony. “However, in every case, whether a bachelor’s or a master’s graduate, each one has achieved something that will better him or herself, his or her family, and his or her community. That is what makes our work at Coker College so very rewarding.” Sandra’s story is one of perseverance and success. And it has only just begun. Sandra says she’ll miss her Coker family, but she can’t wait to put her newfound knowledge and confidence to use. “Before I would stay in the background, but now I have the confidence to step up and be that leader,” she says. “I am owning my career now—and I feel like the sky is the limit.”
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Sandra, a business administration major in Coker's Adult Degree Program, was among 64 graduates to walk across the stage in the new Harris E. and Louise H. DeLoach Center gymnasium and receive their bachelor’s degrees during the 2014 Winter Commencement ceremony. Six additional graduates received master’s degrees in college athletic administration.
NEWS BRIEFS It’s been an eventful semester for Coker College. With continued growth in all areas of campus, the college is making headlines. Here are just a few of the highlights.
ACHIEVE
For full stories and more up-to-date Coker news, visit us online at coker.edu/current-top-stories
COKER ALPHA RENAMED ADULT DEGREE PROGRAM In August, Coker announced a new name for its evening program. Coker College ALPHA (Adult Learners Program for Higher Achievement) is now the Coker College Adult Degree Program. “The name change more clearly and accurately reflects the nature of the program and the students we serve,” says Elaine Hodges, director of Adult Degree Program recruitment. “The new name will help us reach a wider audience of adults looking for a convenient and affordable way to earn their bachelor’s degree.” For more than 40 years, Coker’s Adult Degree Program has given adults in the Pee Dee region the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree at night. The program offers majors in business management, criminology, early childhood education, elementary education, psychology, sociology, and social work. Courses are offered two nights a week in three locations: Hartsville, Marion County, and, most recently, Florence. In December, the program relocated its Lake City branch to the Poynor Adult & Community Education Center in Florence.
SAVERANCE NAMED VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Coker College has appointed Kyle Saverance to the position of vice president for marketing and communications. Previously the executive director of marketing and communications, Saverance has been a staff member in the Office of Marketing and Communications since 2006. 11 | W I N T E R
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During his time at Coker, Saverance has planned and implemented the college’s overall marketing, brand management, public relations, and communications activities, including a redesign of the college’s website and a new marketing plan to align with the college’s strategic goals. As the vice president for marketing and communications, Saverance will provide leadership, vision, and strategic planning for all areas of the college related to marketing, communications, information technology, and graduate admissions, with the goal of improving strategic collaboration between communications and technology across campus. Saverance earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Coker College and a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University. He has served on the Board of Directors for Thomas Hart Academy and as the host judge for the 2014 Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence awards for Institutional Websites, Individual Sub-Websites, Best Uses of Social Media, and Mobile Applications. Originally from Rock Hill, SC, he currently resides in Hartsville.
COKER CONTINUES TO BREAK ENROLLMENT RECORDS Coker College has continued a streak of recordbreaking enrollment growth with its most recent class of incoming students. The new class includes the largest number of new performing and visual arts majors in college history (53), as well as 24 new Honors Program enrollees—more than double last year’s number. Coker has remained consistent on other measures within this year’s enrollment class,
including new freshman total (230) and new student total (303). “I am proud of Coker’s enrollment accomplishments and I am eager to begin working on next year’s class,” says Adam Connolly, associate vice president for enrollment management. “Coker’s incoming class reflects the leadership, diversity, and academic caliber that Coker prides itself on.” The college is in the midst of its largest growing period ever. As outlined in the strategic plan “Destination 1500” Coker is aiming for 1,500 students over the next few years.
COKER ONCE AGAIN NAMED BEST COLLEGE FOR VETERANS Coker College was recently named one of America’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for 2015. Coker came in at No. 5 in the South region. U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for Veterans rankings were created to provide data on which top-ranked schools offer benefits to veterans and active duty service members that can help them pursue a college education. “Coker College provides veterans with the opportunity to gain an exceptional liberal arts degree from a plethora of competency-based programs,” said Angela White, assistant director of financial aid. “Coker is a proud supporter of veterans and is honored to be of service to our veteran students.” To qualify for the rankings, an institution must be a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium, be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. W W W. C O K E R . E D U
THE NEW COLLEGE
RANKINGS R ank ings help students find the “best” college — but can they help find the right one?
Most attention goes to the lists released by the Princeton Review and the U.S. News & World Report, the two big players in the college rankings game. Each year, the much-anticipated results are carefully examined and relied on—by college-bound students deciding where to apply or attend, as well as college administrators anxious to move up in the ranks. Of course, a bank of information to help students in their college search is a useful resource. But in recent years, a growing swell of backlash against the rankings themselves has emerged. Concerns range from the accuracy of self-reported data to whether the formula rewards colleges for inflating tuition. And more importantly—is it even possible to rank all colleges on one scale? Christopher Nelson, president of St. John’s College in Annapolis and a critic of college rankings, said to the Washington Post in 2012: “The rankings purport to do something that they can’t do well: to give an objective opinion on a single scale with a lot of data, on what is the single best college in the country.” So for the college student who’s looking for more guidance outside of the traditional rankings—now what? Enter a growing bank of new and different college rankings. They may not be as familiar, but they do exist. And as backlash against traditional ranking systems grows, interest in alternative rankings is growing too. Take Washington Monthly magazine. For 10 years, Washington Monthly has ranked schools on how well they contribute to the public good. Their methodology is based on three categories: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s), and service
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(encouraging students to give something back to their country). For Coker, this type of specialized ranking can help highlight benefits that would otherwise fly under the radar. This September, Washington Monthly ranked Coker College No. 42 among baccalaureate colleges on its list—up from No. 73 last year. This year also marked the fourth consecutive year Coker was ranked in the magazine’s top 100. Plus, Coker was included in this year’s “Best Bang for the Buck” list at No. 129 out of 386. In a 2012 article in the New York Times titled “The College Rankings Racket,” op-ed columnist Joe Nocera specifically calls out Washington Monthly’s rankings as a refreshing alternative. “Instead of trying to serve as a gauge of status, The Monthly’s rankings attempt to gauge more useful measures: social mobility, for instance, or ‘bang for the buck,’” he wrote. Nocera highlights a growing trend. Students who choose colleges based on fit rather than rank stand a better chance at a more personal and deeply satisfying college experience. With so much information available on a wide range of colleges, more and more students are looking for a school that tends to their individual needs —including location, education, major, size, affordability, diversity, and more. To help them find that best fit, they’re turning to new sources of information. These sources include Parchment, a company that processes transcripts for high school students applying to college. Since 2012, Parchment has used their data to produce a unique ranking system. Using the choices that these students made when they were admitted to more than one institution, which economists call “revealed preference,” Parchment’s system ranks where high schoolers choose when they have a choice. In the 2015 Parchment rankings, Coker College came in at No. 62 for liberal arts colleges, over institutions such as Presbyterian College (99) Furman University (105) and Wofford College (115). Overall, Coker placed at No. 173, over such varied schools as NC State (211), College of Charleston (229), Virginia Tech (240) and Elon University (278).
So what does this mean for Coker? Neil Irwin, a reporter for the New York Times, recently examined the Parchment rankings in an article titled “Why Colleges With a Distinct Focus Have a Hidden Advantage.” He draws one important conclusion from the results: Colleges that offer a unique cultural or educational experience have a distinct advantage. “While social pressure often steers people toward the best schools as measured by things like standardized test scores and rejection rates, many students have found that the best school for them is not necessarily the highest ranked, but one that is most tailored with respect to type of education or fellow students,” he wrote. Essentially, Coker’s high Parchment ranking shows that the Coker experience offers something special. When they have a choice, students are choosing Coker at a higher rate. In the past several years, Coker has continued to perform well in the most prominent rankings. In 2014, Coker was named a Best College in the Southeast by The Princeton Review for the 10th consecutive year, while the U.S. News & World Report named Coker as one of America’s Best Colleges for the 19th consecutive year. Coker was also listed by the U.S. News at No. 16 in the South Region, making it the highest-ranked baccalaureate institution in South Carolina for the third straight year. But Coker alumni and friends know that Coker’s advantage can’t be fully quantified on these lists. It’s the personalized environment that helps student from all backgrounds discover their individual strengths and live up to their potential—during and after college—that keeps students choosing Coker. "At the end of the day, this will always be the primary way in which I measure or rank what we are doing here at Coker—by the success of our students," says Provost Tracy Parkinson. As the higher education landscape continues to quickly evolve, students’ decision-making processes will change with it. For students who want to stop asking “which college is best” and start asking “which college is best for me,” these new rankings could help them get there.
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ACHIEVE
It happens every fall. Acceptance rates, SAT scores, number of extracurriculars, survey results, cafeteria food ratings—mounds and mounds of data are analyzed and condensed and neatly sorted into lists: the annual College Rankings.
TH I W P U G N I P E E K
S E Y A H E T ER R A NC g ra nt re cip ie nt on r hu rt A ac M d an or, The p oe t, p ro fe ss fo llow you r b li ss wh at it mea n s to
Terrance Hayes '94 is often asked for advice. When you’re an award-winning poet teaching college classes in creative writing, it kind of comes with the territory. His favorite response is short: “Follow your bliss.” It’s a popular Joseph Campbell quote, and those three simple words really resonate with Hayes. “If you do the thing you love, success will always follow,” he says. “Of course,” he adds, “you’ve got to really love it.”
” ACHIEVE
So far, it seems this philosophy has served him well. A professor of creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh, Hayes is also the author of four award-winning poetry anthologies. His second, Hip Logic, won the 2001 National Poetry Series and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award, while his latest, Lighthead, won the National Book Award for Poetry. His other honors include a Whiting Writer's Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Most recently, Hayes was one of 20 to receive a coveted MacArthur grant—one of the most prestigious individual development grants in the world. Informally called “genius grants,” they’re awarded each year by the The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to individuals who show promising creativity. Along with prestige, each grant comes with $625,000. Despite decades of success as a poet, the MacArthur was a shock for Hayes. The thing is, he never really planned on becoming a poet. “Poet” is only one of his many identities. Poet, painter, professor, son, husband, father—of all his descriptors, perhaps the most accurate would be “artist.” Hayes may not have always been a poet (in fact, hardly anyone even knew he wrote poems until his first book was published). But he has always felt the need to be expressive. “I really didn’t think about how I was being expressive,” he says. “I just wanted to be expressive.” Born in Columbia, SC, Hayes came to Coker on a basketball scholarship and studied visual art for three years before switching his major to English at the last minute. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1994, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college. “He was always very inquisitive,” says Dan Schmotzer, head men’s basketball coach at Coker and one of Hayes’s college mentors. Schmotzer was never surprised by his success as a writer—he always knew Hayes had a lot more going for him than basketball. “Terrance had a vision of what he wanted to do,” he says. “Terrance is one of those guys ... when he says something, it’s profound.”
Original artwork by Terrance Hayes “Notes for an essay on pop culture influence and inspiration”
At Coker, Hayes found the freedom to express all facets of his creativity. He took classes in everything from Chinese literature to religion to philosophy, and, looking back, he highly values his liberal arts education for allowing him to explore his many interests. Hayes says he found some of his most enlightening experiences in those unexpected classes—for example, a particular philosophy class with professor Jim Lemke. “With Lemke, I was always challenged,” he says. “He recognized that I could write, but he wouldn’t let me just get by as a good writer. He really pushed me to be a thinker. I remember that was a big shock—distinguishing between good writing and good thinking.”
His voice only grew stronger from there. Hayes earned his master’s degree in 1997 from the University of Pittsburgh, and he’s spent the following years traveling, teaching, painting, starting a family—and writing. He writes about race, family, sexuality, and fatherhood. He explores what it means to be black; what it means to be an artist. Themes of masculinity and music frequently emerge throughout his work. In other words, he writes what he knows.
It didn’t take long for his talent to begin drawing praise. Says author Cornelius Eady: “First you’ll marvel at his skill, his near-perfect pitch, his disarming humor, his brilliant turns of phrase. Then you’ll notice the grace, the tenderness, the unblinking truth-telling just beneath his lines, the open and generous way he takes in our world.” Hayes takes in the world through the eyes of an artist. Whether he’s walking down the streets of Pittsburgh, playing pickup basketball, or enjoying a quick game of Scrabble with his kids, Hayes sees poetry in everyday life. Writing isn’t so much a task or a job as it is a necessity—a lifestyle. “As long as I’m talking, I’m writing,” he says. “Everything that comes out of my mouth has the potential to impact my poems.” Of course, that doesn’t mean that it all comes effortlessly. Hayes espouses a life philosophy that manages to balance dreamy, “reach for the stars” ambition with grounded pragmatism. He’s careful to point out that following your bliss doesn’t mean eschewing hard work. “Think about it as the joy of practice, not the joy of performance and success,” he says. In particular, Hayes has a lot to say about the concept of inspiration. “What inspires an athlete?” he asks. “You don’t really ask those questions of athletes. You just know that they get up and they practice. Whether you have a good game or not, you still get up the next day
“I work and I produce, and I dig through the stuff I produce and look for the magical moments. But I don’t wait on inspiration.” It’s important to Hayes that his work be accessible. After all, the ubiquity of language is a large part of what drew him to poetry in the first place. “Not everybody has pens and oil paints and brushes, but everybody has language,” he says. “It’s always around us. Hip hop or Bob Dylan or even commercials ... you hear figures of speech that are the basis of what poetry is. It’s in our anecdotes, our euphemisms, our cliches.” The challenge, then, is how to take something as common as language and use it to create something new and worthwhile. “You have to hear it as a poet, and then do something with it,” he says. “It’s about beW W W. C O K E R . E D U
and you practice, and I approach art the same way. It’s more than being inspired. You hope that you do have inspiring moments—but in the meantime, you practice. I work and I produce, and I dig through the stuff I produce and look for the magical moments. But I don’t wait on inspiration.” As an example, Hayes mentions a series of essays he’s currently working on—all prose, which is a challenge for a man who thinks in poetry. He wrote a full 24 pages before he even realized what he was trying to say. “I couldn’t figure out what it was about,” he says, “until one day I was in the shower, and suddenly I thought, ‘Oh, it’s about vulnerability.’
“The inspiration can come at any moment, but you’re still working until you’re standing in the shower and saying, ‘Oh, that’s what I’ve been working on.’ If I had waited until that moment, I wouldn’t have had 24 pages,” he explains. As a professor, these are the lessons Hayes tries to share with his students every day. He avoids discussing his own poetry or his personal work process during class—he says keeping his life as a professor separate from his life as a poet is what gives him the freedom to be creative. He understands that his day-to-day livelihood helps keep him grounded. But more importantly, he loves being a teacher. His favorite is his freshman introduction to creative writing class. “Each week I try to bring in things to shock them and amuse them and challenge them. What I really love is just that moment where people are like, ‘Wow, this is something I’ve never thought of,’” he says. “That’s what I chase. That moment when you can share something with them that’s new.”
ACHIEVE
But it was a freshman creative writing class where Hayes first imagined a future as a writer. With encouragement from Professor Emerita of English Lois Gibson, Hayes eventually decided to pursue graduate school in creative writing. “He took both his art and his writing seriously, and he asked for criticism,” says Gibson. “Over time, he became more confident that he knew what he wanted his work to do and to say, and he developed a sense of his audience. His voice grew stronger.”
ing open and listening.” And that’s exactly what sets Hayes apart. He possesses a unique ability to translate the mundane into artwork; to see poetry where others see banality.
Hayes encourages his students to explore their interests wherever they lie. But he particularly encourages them to explore the humanities, just like he did as a college student. “What I’m saying to students, whether they’re business students or engineers … the humanities isn’t something you can put on the back burner,” he says. “If you’re human, you should be studying the humanities.” Hayes never set a goal to become an award-winning poet. He simply worked hard and followed his bliss— his need to express—and this is where he ended up. In the future, he plans to keep doing the same. As a matter of fact, his upcoming book, titled How to Be Drawn, was inspired by the parallels between his life as a poet and as a painter. As for the MacArthur grant, Hayes doesn’t know yet what he’ll do with the money. What he does know is that he will continue teaching and writing just as he always has. “I would hate for something like this to disrupt the way that I’ve been able to produce work in the past,” he says. “That would be my biggest fear.” This is a sensible move, of course—why mess with the formula that’s brought him so much success already? But for Hayes, it’s not about the success. It’s about preserving his integrity as an artist. He is first and foremost an artist, and he found success by staying true to where that led him. Wherever it leads him next, the rest of us will be lucky to follow along behind him.
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#cokerpride
Students, alumni, and friends of the college are taking to social media to share why they love Coker College.
How do you show your #cokerpride?
Find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and let us know why you’re proud to be a Coker Cobra!
GROW ENGAGE
@cokercollege
facebook.com/cokercollege
@aveeeshy
Lorena Cook James
I completely fell in love with @CokerCollege today. Hoping to be a future cobra! #CobraPride
“Congratulations Class of 2014 from a grad from 1964! Coker just keeps getting better and better.”
@cokercollege @erikaaaleaaa #CokerPride
Michelle King @marissacorrea_ One year ago I was accepted to @CokerCollege and I couldn't be happier with my choice of attending!
“Met some of these students today at Habitat for Humanity. Great group of young people. Go Cobras!”
Todd James “Coker is a great place for young adults to develop into role models for society.”
@ToddCCouch The Coker theatre department's presentation of Metamorphoses was breathtaking. Great work! #cokerpride
@soulfulmoeee I just had so much freakingggg fun at the Transformations Event! I love my college #CokerCollege
Joyce Leasure “I went to Coker College when it was an all girls college. They had a Civ. course developed by Dr. Davidson that lasted 4 years...it covered history, literature and the arts from the beginning of time to present day when you graduated. It was tough, but interesting! I know it has changed a lot for the better since I graduated. Have heard good things!”
Peter J Gloviczki @BethanySevek One of the many things I love about my college are the destination unknowns! #cokerpride #cokercollege
“I am fortunate to have very hardworking students. They inspire me on a daily basis with their dedication and commitment to strong, thoughtprovoking work. #cokerpride”
For Athletics: @cokercobras | facebook.com/cokercobras | @cokercobras 2013 C A M P U S I S S U E
15 | S U M M E R
@cokercobras Coker men's and women's basketball alums had a great time playing in their alumni games today! #GoCobras #cokerpride #alumniweekend
@_simply_sav_ Coker College Honors Program picnic!
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AA CCLOSER LOOK:
COKER’S HONORS PROGRAM
The Honors Program offers enhanced scholarly experiences based on three pillars: innovative scholarship, cultural interaction, and civic leadership. Students combine coursework with community service, leadership activities, and cultural experiences, both in and out of the classroom. For an inside look at what the program offers, freshman honors student Melissa Mahon interviewed English professor Andrea Coldwell Cabus about her experience teaching honors courses. Cabus, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and history from Otterbein University as well as a Ph.D. in English literature from Temple University, has been teaching at Coker for four years. She teaches Honors British Literature Survey and Honors Composition. Melissa is originally from Flagstaff, AZ. She’s a history major and a member of the tennis team. “I chose to be in the Honors Program because I wanted to be a part of the academic community that the program provides,” Melissa says. “I like how, as honors students, we challenge each other and learn from each other regardless of our different backgrounds and majors.”
Melissa: What qualities do you look for in honors students?
M: What do students gain by taking your honors courses?
Andrea: “More engagement and a
A: “I hope that it encourages them to
M: How do you think the Honors Program enriches the academic experience at Coker?
willingness to have a debate on subject
think independently about the subject
A: “Hopefully what the Honors Program
matter, rather than just waiting for
matter and specific works. Even though
will do is: A) bring in even more really
someone to just say what it means. I
you might be a biology major or an
good students and B) help them set
expect them to engage in that search
education major you can approach this
new bars for each other. It will help our
for meaning—to engage in that
material both through an English lens
best students, whether they are in the
discussion about why something might
and you can use the knowledge that you
Honors Program or not, to challenge
be significant and why it might be
already have. You might, in fact, come up
each other rather than compete with
interesting.”
with something that I have never thought
each other. This will make for a better
of.”
educational experience for those
M: What makes honors courses different from other courses?
M: What do you enjoy about teaching honors courses?
A: “The students work on a research
A: “I like having more people in the class
paper. They start to dig a little deeper into
who are willing to say something. It can
one of the concepts or one of the authors
be really easy, particularly for non-English
or works that we are dealing with, trying
people in an English class, to be very
to think a little broader than they would
quiet. Honors students tend not to be;
do in short papers.”
they tend to put something out there, and that means that we all
WEB EXTRAS
have a better experience
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W W W. C O K E R . E D U
better discussions.”
that are challenged, and it will also hopefully raise the level of conversation across the board,
we can know one another. I think that’s a real strength both for being able to teach students and for students being able to learn and engage with faculty. We can know each other and we can ask each other questions that we might not if we weren’t running into each other at campus events, basketball games, or just while walking across the lawn.”
Andrea Coldwell Cabus Assistant Professor of English
even for students who aren’t involved in the Honors Program.”
M: What do you think makes Coker unique inside and outside of the classroom?
GROW
Insight into Coker’s thriving Honors Program from English professor Andrea Coldwell Cabus
Coker College’s Honors Program has been growing rapidly since it was created in 2011. This August, Coker welcomed 24 new students into the program—more than double last year’s numbers.
Melissa Mahon '18 History major
A: “I like the idea that this is meant to be a place where everyone should have a voice. I like that it is a small enough place that
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A CENTURY OF
COLLABOR ATION Coker College & Sonoco Products Company
MAJOR JAMES LIDE COKER AND HIS GRANDAUGHTER SUSAN COKER WATSON, ca 1917. Coker College Archives
I
But if you look a little deeper, the independent liberal arts college and the international, multi-billion-dollar packaging company are united by much more than proximity. From a common founder through more than a century of shared history, the institutions we know today have a relationship unlike any other. A MAJOR CONNECTION It all began with one man: Major James Lide Coker. Born in Society Hill in 1837, “The Major” was a civil war veteran, businessman, merchant, industrialist, and philanthropist. Without the Major, Hartsville wouldn’t exist as it does today. Sonoco’s roots can be traced back to 1890, when Major Coker and his son, James, began manufacturing pulp and paper from Southern Pine trees. In 1899, the Major created the Southern Novelty Company (later renamed Sonoco Products Company) to turn their paper into cone-shaped yarn carriers—Sonoco’s first product. Meanwhile, the Major was also a champion for education in the community. He led the movement to establish Welsh Neck High School, which would become Coker College in 1908.
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So, from their first days, Coker and Sonoco shared an important connection—the influence of Major James Lide Coker. “Sonoco and Coker have been connected since the very beginning,” says Coker College Provost Emeritus Malcolm Doubles, author of A Century Plus: A History of Sonoco Products Company and In Quest of Excellence: A History of Coker College on its Centennial. “Both were built on a common foundation of the Major’s strong values and his descendants have carried those values into the modern day.” Throughout decades of growth and change, Sonoco and Coker remained invested in each other’s success—and the success of Hartsville. They have helped each other through tough times, such as when Sonoco suffered a labor shortage during WWII and Coker students volunteered to help. “After attending classes all morning, the collegiates would work during Sonoco’s second shift doing various types of work such as stacking cones,” says Sonoco’s Jane Easterling, as quoted in A History of Coker College. The Major is widely remembered as a man who dedicated his life to improving his community, and these two institutions are arguably the Major’s biggest and most lasting contributions. Both born from the Major’s commitment to Hartsville, Sonoco and Coker College share a strong history of combining resources to make Hartsville a better place to live.
AN INTELLECTUAL PARTNERSHIP The Major is also known as a man who had unwavering morals—particularly, a steadfast belief in the importance of education. A notoriously frugal man, he gave the College a $50,000 endowment and an additional $600,000 during his lifetime (including the funds needed to build Davidson Hall). That focus on education would prove to be the common thread throughout the evolution of both Coker College and Sonoco. As they grew to be pillars in the community, great minds were drawn to both the college and the business powerhouse—and a new, more sophisticated relationship blossomed.
Doubles recalls how, during his time as provost, Sonoco and Coker often took advantage of each other's most valuable resource—their people. “When I needed teachers or guest lecturers, Sonoco was always a resource,” he says. “There’s a sort of intellectual partnership that exists. The college has profited greatly from the brains of Sonoco, and vice-versa.” Ryan Vento, a senior business administration major, says the business department often uses the Fortune 500 company next door as a resource in teaching business concepts. “Sonoco is a big role model for business students here, because it’s real,” he says. “We’re not just reading about it. We see what they’re doing; we see their labels everywhere; we see how big of a presence Sonoco is here in town.” But no one tells a more compelling story about the Sonoco-Coker relationship than Gloria Mack Bell, Sonoco’s staff vice president of internal audit, a Coker College graduate of 1975, and a member of Coker’s Board of Trustees. A native of McBee, Bell grew up knowing of Sonoco. So when a bookkeeping position opened up and Sonoco reached out to Coker to find candidates, Bell (then a senior) jumped at the opportunity. Not only did she learn of the position through Coker, but she also largely credits her Coker education for her success in that initial role. “The whole Coker College experience—the small classrooms, the teachers really caring—all of that made a difference,” she says. From there, her connections at Sonoco helped her find a job with PricewaterhouseCoopers. A few years later, she returned to Sonoco— where she’s been ever since. Now, more than 30 years later, Bell is a strong advocate for the Coker-Sonoco relationship that helped launch her career. “I believe the relationship that exists between Sonoco and Coker is mutually beneficial, and I’m thankful for it,” she says. “I think it’s a great partnership.” Bell’s story is one of many. Countless Sonoco employees, both past and present, have earned their degrees from Coker College. Many Sonoco administrators have served on Coker’s board and contributed to long-
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ENGAGE
f you’ve spent any time in Hartsville, chances are you’re familiar with Coker College and Sonoco Products Company. After all, it’s not easy to escape the presence of two of the largest and oldest institutions in town.
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range planning at the College. A strong internship program continues to provide qualified interns for Sonoco and valuable experience for Coker students. The list goes on.
ENGAGE
While the two organizations have gone through countless transformations, a relationship has endured and grown under a shared commitment to the value of education. In 2011, Coker and Sonoco joined the Darlington County School District, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM), and Yale University to form a unique public-private partnership called PULSE (Partners for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence). PULSE implemented a comprehensive scholastic excellence program in Hartsville public schools, which Sonoco funded through a $5 million grant. “Sonoco gives back to Coker College for this simple reason: We are convinced that supporting education in Hartsville is the single most important thing we can do to ensure the longterm prosperity of our community,” says current Sonoco CEO and President Jack Sanders. “We firmly believe in the role that education plays in the success of a community, and Coker College is the centerpiece of our community: improving facilities, driving growth, bringing in more students and faculty, exposing people to Hartsville, keeping people in Hartsville, and adding to the increased viability and economic development of this great little town we call home.”
A BRIGHTER FUTURE Sonoco’s support for Coker over the years cannot be denied. Sonoco is the college’s largest donor, with just under $13 million given over time—including an annual contribution of $100,000 given to Coker’s Annual Fund. Most recently, Sonoco made a $3 million commitment to the DeLoach Center. The DeLoach Center itself would not have been possible without Sonoco’s executive chairman of the board and former CEO, Harris E. DeLoach Jr. An unparallelled advocate for educational opportunities in Hartsville, DeLoach has served on Coker’s board since 1998 and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the College. (For more on Harris DeLoach and the new DeLoach Center, see Page 3). “From our perspective, it’s clear that Sonoco is dedicated to being our partner in advocating for educational opportunities in Hartsville,” said Robert Wyatt, president of Coker College. “We are incredibly grateful for the company's generosity over the years, as well as the invaluable support from many individuals who have donated their personal time, expertise, and leadership to our causes. All of Hartsville benefits from this partnership, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us next.” But it’s not just the large donations that make a difference. Bell says she sees donations to Coker from numerous Sonoco employees each year—
Coker College (originally Coker College for Women before going co-ed in 1969) was established on the property of the former Welsh Neck High School in 1908.
even those who have no official affiliation with Coker. “There are numerous contributors at various levels,” she says. “Some have attended Coker, others have served on the board, and others just believe in Coker and the difference that it’s making here in Hartsville.” And then there’s the non-monetary support. For Vento, landing an internship in Sonoco’s talent acquisitions department transformed the company from an abstract case study in his business class to a group of individuals who challenged him and supported him. “Sonoco really encouraged me and helped me with whatever I needed,” he says. “My supervisors gave me a lot of responsibility, and they were so willing to work with me as an intern to help me expand my knowledge.” In the end, Vento’s experience is the perfect example of what makes the Sonoco-Coker relationship so strong. The strength of this partnership comes from more than monetary donations, more than the Major’s influence, and more than a shared commitment to improving the community. It’s built on million small gestures and relationships. It’s built on a century of individuals who have worked together, in ways large and small, to strengthen their organizations and their community. “I think the relationship—it’s for the good of all and the good of the community,” says Bell. “As both Coker and Sonoco continue to grow, there will be even more opportunities in the future.”
The history of Sonoco Products Company can be traced back to the Southern Novelty Company, which was founded in Hartsville by Major James Lide Coker in 1899.
CLASS NEWS • Gathered & Written by Class Representatives
1953 Dear Classmates,
Since Mitzi DuPre Matthews wrote her news, our mini reunion took place during Alumni Day weekend in April. We met on a Friday at the Hart House in Kalmia Gardens. Our number was small, but enthusiastic. Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt, Dan Shanks, and Dee Pierce from the college were guests. Charlie Chewning, Mitzi DuPre Matthews, Jennie Herlong Boatwright, Peggy Warren Smith and husband Jay, Chuck Cottingham and I enjoyed hearing an update on the exciting improvements and growth at the college. We loved the delicious lunch catered by Vonceil Holloman and Belva Prozzi. On Saturday I was especially honored to be a guest of Tommy Graham's family as they accepted the Distinguished Service Award for Tommy who had lost his life to cancer earlier in the year. Tommy was an outstanding teacher and musician. He was greatly in demand as a vocalist and trumpet player. The class of 1954 was celebrating their 60th reunion. It was good to see and talk with some of them, especially Beth Dubose Cottingham (we still claim her) and her husband Walter. Because James was experiencing some health problems, he and Sarah Sampson Bell were unable to be with us at the mini reunion. They were sorely missed because they have always come to every event we ever had. I have kept in touch with Sarah and at the present time, James is in a Lumberton, NC nursing home. Our prayers are with both of them. We are especially thinking of Betty Jean Lee Hunsinger as she has been the caregiver for her friend Dwight Hyman ever since he had a knee replacement last April. Recently he received a pacemaker. In the midst of all of this, Betty Jane herself was hospitalized for a few days, as well as two of her daughters. We are wishing better health for her and the others. Mickey McDowell who remains very loyal to Coker even though we lost his wife Ann Merck McDowell, now enjoys life at Clemson where he is near several children and their families. Our sympathy prayers and love are with Lois Ann Buddin Coker who lost her brother Archie and just five days later another brother Pat. Charlie Chewning doesn't get to come over for lunch and cards as often as in the past. Her health and many doctors' appointments have intervened. I miss having her come almost weekly and wish for her better health. In September it was my pleasure again to be on the panel of alumni speaking to the freshmen, 325 of them, about Coker during the '50s. Also on the panel and sharing her days at Coker was,Leatrice Margolin Weiner '52. The students were a great audience and seemed to enjoy our "version" of the college when we were there. Wait, alumni urge the students to
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Daphen Yarborough Edge and I keep in touch by phone. Her husband A. J. has been dealing with melanoma and complications. We will keep them in our prayers. You must see the DeLoach Center! In September, Dan Shanks gave the senior citizens of my church a tour of this awesome facility and afterwards we had lunch in the college dining hall. The gym where games are played seats 1,908. Does that number ring a bell with you? There is a second gym for practice! How proud the college and the Hartsville community are to have such an outstanding center. The college hosted a gratitude dinner in October at Prestwood Country Club for those who are members of the colleges Lifetime Giving Societies. New members and endowed scholarship donors were recognized. I was there representing you, the class of '53! We are almost to a very impressive number, of $50,000 and should reach and surpass that milestone in 2015. Aren't we so proud! I don't think my life could be any more exciting than it has been this year. At the age of 83, it's amazing that God has blessed me with so many wonderful things. My family continues to grow - my granddaughter Erin Stewart married Dusty Floyd from Mullins October 11 (Pam Huggins Chapman '50 and Mitzie DuPre Matthews '53 were there). My grandson Jeremy Huff and his wife Sarah are expecting a daughter in January. You classmates are blessings in my life too and I love each of you. Pat Chapman Huff Still wondering about 1,908 seats? The answer is...the year Coker was founded.
1957 Dear Class of '57, I know you will all join me in sympathy for the family of Suzanne DuRant Gonya who died in September. I did not get to her funeral because I only learned about it after the fact. I know we all have many fond memories of Suzanne and are saddened by her death. I see Almena (Mena) Gainey Galloway, Ann Gay Blakeney Duvall, Fran Moore Cauthen and Murray McDonald. We all stay busy, but manage to get together to eat once in a while. These are the ones I see, and never hear from any of you. Just got home from five days in the mountains, have a trip to Ireland planned for November, and Switzerland next spring. Retirement is wonderful!!! Hope all is well with all of you—please let me hear from you! Love, Lynn Oates
1958 Annette Cooke Stokes has a total new left knee after having surgery on May 19. She spent June and July in therapy at home. It paid off and she really loves the results at last. She was able to do her long-planned river cruise: 16 days on the Danube, the Main and the Rhine; going through 66 locks crossing the continental divide of Europe. “Lovely country, castles galore, history everywhere. Started in Vienna, 1100 miles to Amsterdam ...weather went from 90s to 48 in Amsterdam. And my new knee walked 2 to 4 miles every day but two!” Two days after their return from Amsterdam, their daughter, Phyllis, was married. Her two sons gave her away, and her sweet daughter, Tracey, served as matron of honor. “Lovely ceremony and David seems crazy about her!” They are hoping to get the whole family together in Houston at Christmas. Brooke, their 11-year-old ballerina, will perform in the Nutcracker, but it is “difficult to get 20 of us together.” Katie Thomason Ballenger writes: “Early this week I received the sad news of the death of our sister classmate, Pam Binnicker. Then I received Susan's note asking us to write something for the next issue of our Coker class notes. That sent me to the basement to look for my 1958 annual. When we moved, I discarded all annuals except my senior annual, and I am so glad I kept it. Peggy Nelson Stogner and her staff did a good job in publishing the 50th anniversary annual. I am looking again at pictures of many friends of years ago. I am saddened when I realize that special people like Pam Binnicker and some other Coker friends are no longer with us except in our thoughts and memories, but for those thoughts and memories I am grateful. I am also grateful that there are still Coker friends from whom I hear and whom I see from time to time. Someone recently shared that friends can come into a person's life for a Reason, for a Season, or for a Lifetime. For each type of friendship I give thanks. Greetings to all of you former classmates! I am well and enjoying location and family in Maryland.” Betty Barnes Walpole writes: “I have had a good summer. I made the decision earlier in the year that I wanted to do something special for and with my seven grandchildren, so we went to Hawaii. (I call it my “living giving.”) It occurred to me that I would rather do something with them to make memories than to someday, perhaps, leave them something. We flew to Maui first for a few days and then took a cruise around the islands. Then, as plans were being made, my children and their spouses decided to join us. All 12 of us had a wonderful time and it accomplished the goal I wished for – to enjoy being together in a beautiful part of the world.” Another thing happened to Betty this past summer. She became engaged to
her high school sweetheart from Charlotte. His name is Jim and sometime in the near future they plan to be married. Jim lost his wife 11 years ago and Betty lost Ed six years ago. “We are products of the wonderful '50s and enjoy reminiscing about those times of great music and shagging. He will move from Charlotte to join me in Spartanburg.” James Lamar Caldwell, Jr. and his wife Lucy went to their granddaughter's college graduation this past May. She was one of 27 graduates in a class of 3000 to graduate with highest honors. They have two other granddaughters who work in Columbia. They had a bumper crop of peaches and blueberries this past summer and that kept Lucy busy canning and freezing things in August. A number of their friends came and picked blueberries. Lamar had cataract surgery on both eyes during August and September. He has no central vision but the surgery has helped the peripheral vision a little. “It is basically 100 percent anyway.” Lucy and Lamar celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in August. “Time flies when you're having fun.” I still go to Myrtle Beach twice a year, even though there are beaches much closer to Nashville. This past August I was returning on the day of the Grand Opening of the new DeLoach Center. It is a wonderful building, housing a huge gymnasium and a fully equipped work-out room. I was totally surprised to learn that there is NO swimming pool on the Coker campus! They even built a new building years ago around the old pool we used. It is gone! I have fond memories of choreographing and swimming in synchronized swimming numbers for our annual May Day show. I also got my Red Cross life guard and swimming instruction certification my freshman year. Each summer I worked as a life guard, except before my senior year that summer the chemistry teacher paid me to work for him so I stayed in South dormitory with all the summer school students. One night we stayed up all night, climbed up on the roof to observe the stars and talk, and then walked to the lake at sunrise to go skinny dipping. Does this bring back a memory for any of you? Please keep sending me the news from you. My address is 315 West Meade Drive, Nashville, TN 37205. My email is susan. shumaker@comcast.net or call me at 615352-5732. Susan Holroyd Shumaker
1959 Mary Holmes Burkett has a new housemate: Grandson Ian Carter has moved to the Best Coast from California and is living with Mary while attending college. That does not keep Mary from enjoying life in Charleston, visiting art galleries with friends
T HE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COL L EG E, H A RT S V IL L E, S .C .
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The year has passed so quickly, and I hope it has been a good one for you.
love and support the college as we did and to make the most of their education there.
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and trying out new restaurants, and she continues to make frequent journeys to the West Coast to see children Laine and Michael. For the past several years, Mike’s family has arrived on the Isle of Palms at the end of summer for their annual Beach Bash. This year, with so many of the younger ones obliged by jobs, Mary and her sister Nancy went to Ohio for the Burkett Barn Bash. The senior Burketts live in a barn, remodeled of course to provide human comfort, and their progeny have built homes on the farm. Mary continues to volunteer with Meals on Wheels and with her church, and to take a water aerobics class several times a week. Anne Davis Glass also has housemates, both of them music majors with financial needs. She writes, “The elderly farmer is still taking me to dinner and then playing my Steinway…His piano is not nearly so rewarding! My children live far enough away that we do not get together nearly often enough for me to see the grandchildren as much as I’d like. The doctor sent me to Centennial [Hospital] for tests to prove that I had a blockage…I did not…but the first bill that has already arrived is enough to make anybody have a heart attack!! And that was just for the first day of tests!! I am still teaching and playing. That is what gives me joy and sanity!!” Faye Gurley Reynolds is another water aerobics fan, having returned to it after a two year recess. She’s made a number of small trips over this past year, visiting Bonnie Cone Sawyer in Saluda, SC, later going with Bonnie to join Elizabeth Whittle Baxter in her Isle of Palms condo, and traveling with a senior group to the Smokies. “In addition to those little outings,” she says, “I read quite a bit, garden less and less, and spend time (if I can) with children and grandchildren.” Most of Tricia Fisher Williams’ 10 children live near her in California, but Kathi and Tom both live in Phoenix. One of the fun things of Tricia’s summer was going to Phoenix with 22 family members for the annual “Tube Down the Salt River Day.” Instead of tubing, Tricia spent the day at the pools with the mothers of the children too small to tube. While she was there, Phoenix had record breaking heat of 113 and 114. She says it was a nice visit except that Tricia Ann's youngest boy, a six year old, broke his arm and was therefore banned from the pool area by his mom. I often see pictures of Tricia on Facebook having other kinds of fun with children and grandchildren. Molly Creadick Gray sent news of grandchildren. You will remember the difficulties that granddaughter Claire went through with leukemia. Claire is just beginning her senior year of high school as I write this. She made 2200 on her SAT, was invited to join the National Honor Society, and has received early college acceptance. Worries that the chemo she had had might create learning problems were clearly for naught. Claire’s older brother Conner is a college sophomore and loving it. Molly’s son Geoff is in his 22nd year with Microsoft and spends weeks at a time traveling. Cameron is a junior engineering student in college, and Cody graduated from high school and is joining the Army, a fact that Molly finds worrisome, given the problems in the Middle East that are in the news every day. As for Molly herself? Any time Warren and I have lunch at Malia’s, we check to see if Molly and Pete are there because they very often are!
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Betty Crawford Moore found my name on her to-do list as she was checking off items for a 10-day trip to Hawaii. Earlier this summer, she had driven to Santa Fe, NM, with friends where they saw six operas at the fantastic opera house out in the desert. They also visited a number of art museums, the most impressive of which was Crystal Bridges in Arkansas. Betty also managed beach time with family and loved it. However, she notes that a highlight of her year was being at Coker with “some of our beautiful, vibrant, and fun classmates.” Is she biased or what? Barbara Dibble Dixon and husband Bubber are proud of the Hollywood success of Bubber’s nephew Tate Taylor. You will remember that Tate directed the enormously successful movie The Help. More recently, he directed Get On Up, the James Taylor biopic, which has had particularly strong reviews for the performance of the lead actor, Chadwick Boseman, an Anderson native. Several Class of 59ers have thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Go, Tate! We want more. I have a request. I know lots of you do email. It’s about time you got on Facebook too! We have a Coker College Class of 1959 page and I’d love to be able to keep more regular contact with you through it. As for Westcott news??? If I told you everything, it would fill up way too much space! Suffice it to say that Warren and I continue to enjoy living in Aiken, we are both very busy with a variety of things, and life is good. Only one negative: I need to follow the examples of Mary and Faye, and get back to water aerobics from which I’ve taken a long recess. I can’t blame anything for that except lacking the gumption to make arrangements for it! Y’all let Pat Crawford Fields know what’s going on with you so it can be in the next Coker Commentary. That’s especially true if there’s no news about you here! Holly Mims Westcott
1962 As usual, our classmates are listed in alphabetical order using the last names they had when we were classmates. This news is submitted in mid-October and the next will be due in mid-April. I do appreciate it when you are good enough to share any of your news. Please remember to forward news of classmates with whom you keep in touch and let me hear of any changes in your (and their) contact information. Please also keep Coker College in your giving plans. Our donations mean a great deal and are important for current and future students as well as for any group rating colleges, such as U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Sara Anderson Kummer is on a health kick, hoping to live up to her longevity genes! She has lost 25 lbs. and will soon begin to work with a trainer to improve her strength and stamina. Sara's family is doing well, for which she is always thankful. In July sister Charlotte Anderson Ross '60 and Sara had a long road trip to New England and the edge of Canada. They attended a wedding, visited several old friends and family members, visited Bar Harbor and Acadia Park in Maine and ate as many lobster rolls as they could! In March, 2015, they plan to tour Sicily, with an extension in Malta. She sends love to all. Gail Arnette Sinclair and her husband
James Vernon celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 23rd. A reception was given by their daughter Sharon, and it was a beautiful weekend. Friends and relatives came from all over the United States, many of whom were in their wedding; Sharon is engaged to a wonderful man, Fred McEwan, who, with his sister Wilhelmina, owns a thoroughbred training center in Camden. Fenwick Equestrian has been designing and manufacturing high performance equine products for horses and competition worldwide including a line of performance coolers, horse blankets, saddle pads, clothing and leg protection gear for all horse disciplines. There is a new titanium fabric covering for healing. Gail's granddaughter is working with a group of 22 bank branches. Mary Bell Kittle and Joe have been enjoying their months in Orkney Springs, VA this summer. They have travelled and have had lots of company. In mid-September Mary joined her sisters in Charleston and Mount Pleasant for their annual gathering. She and Joe have returned safely back to San Antonio. Although they have made this trip over 30 times, it is still a long, long drive. Rest stops with good smells for their dog, Justa, and an always welcoming stop at the Crown Plaza in Baton Rouge ease the pain, but the 24 hour driving time never gets any shorter. Just as they arrived in their garage at home they had a flat tire. Sherrie Berry Wolski and Pat are well and enjoying warm Florida weather near Orlando. Their yard is full of Halloween decorations, but Sherrie wonders if she will want to go to all that trouble next year, but I think she will. It is a lot of work. Their children and grandchildren are happy and well. Gayle Brandt Faust has just written that her older son, Chris, is engaged. Gayle is tutoring a kindergartener through the United Way reading consortium. She works in her yard often. Peggy Brown Buchanan and John moved into a wonderful retirement community in Charleston. They moved from Mount Pleasant in July and almost immediately took off for their annual family week at Kanuga in NC with their daughters and families. They are planning to attend John's 45th reunion from Union Theological Seminary here in NYC the first week in November. I surely hope to see them then. Ros(alind) Carrigan Hearon and I had a wonderful LONG telephone visit a month ago. Her husband, Eddie, died in December of 2013 and it has been difficult to take care of all the things one needs to do. But it sounds as though Ros is succeeding. I never realized how many interesting things she has done since our Coker days. She taught French at the Women's College of Georgia for a year. She attended graduate school at Appalachian State University and joined a University program to study in France for a semester or year (in the Loire valley) and continued to teach French and International Studies in various schools. After teaching French for 30 years at Fort Jackson, she retired. The school gave her a gift for her dedication to the school. The gift was an honorarium which allowed Ros, Eddie and both children to travel to Paris, France for three weeks in the fall of 2013. Charlotte Cothran Taylor wants to know if we remember what we did with our laundry while students at Coker. I think we had a laundry room in the basement where we
would take our laundry to be cleaned for us by some wonderful school employees. Do you remember the same thing? Her granddaughter, Callie, is a student at UNCW and has been asking all sorts of questions about how these things were done back in the old days. Oh, my! Things have changed and we were so lucky. Doris Duke Straight writes that she has nothing new to report. "Life goes on!" Linda Eddins Richardson and I had a nice telephone visit. It was so interesting to find out that she worked for 47 years. After teaching for a few years, she began to specialize in potable water and waste management in the laboratories. She keeps busy enjoying and caring for her 84-acre farm. Part of her farm is leased to a cotton farmer and she takes care of her horse, a cow and two dogs. Her puppy is a "salad bar"/mixed breed. Linda is active in her Methodist church, singing in the choir and serving as a lay servant. Linda enjoys watching football games and reading. Her sister lives in Columbia and they enjoy getting together when possible. Carol Elting Richardson sounds like a new person and feels so much better having been given a new medication to take once a day. She and daughter Georgia went to the mountains again this summer and went to New Orleans where they had a wonderful and interesting time. Georgia has been designing a wardrobe for magician Chris Angel. When we spoke today, Carol and Charlotte Cothran Taylor were having a nice usually monthly visit and it was such fun to hear them giggling. Judy Griggs and her cousin had a nice annual October visit to Myrtle Beach. She has been busy trying to find the right help to make needed repairs on her house. Judy is still busy working on projects for her church, although most of the projects are not as big as they used to be. She is looking forward to attending a family reunion next May. Dorothy (Dot) Herlong Hay writes that "this was our year of big events.” In May Charles turned 80 and Dot, 75. In June they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They had a wonderful vacation in the NC mountains with all of their children, grandchildren and even grand-dogs. They feel very blessed with a wonderful family and good health. Molly Holbrooke Thomas and Al attended the Grand Opening of the DeLoach Center, Coker's new athletics facility, with two levels of amazing modern features and equipment. They have just returned from their annual trip back to Purdue for a big football game won by Michigan State and where they were able to see a lot of good friends and enjoy seeing the beautiful autumn colors as they drove through the mountains. Now she's on her way to Myrtle Beach to celebrate her sister (Betsy)'s birthday. Molly has just retired from her job of six years chairing and working on hosting special receptions and events at their Village Church. She sent an email in later September mentioning that they were enjoying hearing the sounds of Fort Bragg's artillery practices. Anita Jones Stanton was good enough to send two adorable photographs of her Shih Tzu pups in a nice email. She is really busy with plans to move before the end of the year, having purchased a smaller house in a gated golfing community a few miles from
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her present home. She is downsizing from almost 4,000 (plus a full basement) to 2,300 square feet. She is redecorating the new house before she moves and then later lists her big house for sale. Anita has changed to a new medication for rheumatic problems and is hoping for even better results. Harriet King Van Norte is in Italy and last night asked her husband Robert to respond to my request for news. So this is their news, kindly sent by Bob to keep us posted:
Peggy McCue Freymuth writes that all is well now that a prescription problem has been worked out. She was distressed to miss the wonderful 50th anniversary celebration for Gail Arnette Sinclair and her husband, Jim. Ina (Crim) Karow Ingram was able to attend. They were among the bridesmaids and they all miss Sue Melton who would have been a bridesmaid if she and her husband David were not living in Germany fifty years ago. Pat McTeer Hughes still loves working at the Hartsville Public Library 29 hours a week and, at times, six hours a day. Two cats keep her company. She and son Carl, an internist in Charlotte, are heading west to see the national parks in Utah and Nevada for their annual mother-son treat trip. They do plan to spend two nights in Las Vegas at the end of their excursions. Pat's long-range urban planner son, Patrick, has just begun to work in Annapolis County, MD. Pat hopes to get in touch with Liz Moore Weir upon her return. Paula Moran sounded well and happy when we spoke a few nights ago. She is still working at Publix, though everyone's hours have been cut. We were moaning a bit that older age means less energy, but we are happy to still be well enough to do so many things. Her cats are wonderful and keep her good company. Her son and a group of his friends have recently taken his boat to Louisiana waters and were able to take the
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Ida Pace Storrs recently attended the SC State Fair and had such a good time. She just missed seeing Frances Segars Kelley who had been there with a quilting group of friends. One of the tents was filled with delightful balloon animals. She bought a Dalmatian balloon and had fun wandering around barking. Another fairgoer kept barking back at Ida's new toy. Henrietta Ramsey van Arsdale is expecting a great-granddaughter in February and is thrilled. Roonie is her father. Grandson John has received a scholarship to RPI for next year. My hunch is that he has inherited some great genes from his grandmother. Nancy Rogers and Law have returned from a trip to Italy (Sicily and the Amalfi Coast). They also spent a week visiting friends in Munich and Tubingen (where Nancy was on the American Studies faculty for almost five years). It was a fantastic trip. The other wonderful event of the last few months was the wedding of her daughter, Ellen, to a wonderful young man, Matt Greytak. They were married on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and the entire weekend was full of good eats, drinks, and sporting activities. They met playing Ultimate Frisbee (on the national level) and are both scientists, with good, interesting jobs. May that last! As for Nancy, she has just been elected to the Maryland Humanities Council board and she is looking forward to serving in that capacity. Otherwise, her days at the farm include studying Italian daily, working on her ongoing translation project, and making a decision as to whether to read books in the hammock under the weeping cherry tree or in the hammock beside a little creek, lulled by the sounds of the water and the birds. Frances Segars Kelley's older granddaughter graduated from high school and is now studying to be a nurse. She took courses last summer and also during the school year and entered her freshman year with 30 credit hours. Her younger granddaughter is playing varsity tennis and golf at school and travel softball on the weekends. They enjoy watching her play. Frances stays busy with her many organizations and enjoys her sewing/quilting groups. She has attended three retreats so far this year and several more are planned. She enjoys spending time at their lake house. Henry holds down the home front while she travels. Frances, her daughter and both granddaughters are planning a girls' vacation with hotel reservations to stay in New York City Dec 27-29, leaving on the 30th of December. They hope to visit Amish country in PA and Washington, D.C. before returning for school and work. Flo(rence) Staklinski Taylor writes that her knee replacement surgery was a great success. She and Bill are still playing tennis, reading and doing a great deal with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They are planning to go to Chapel Hill for the UNC Homecoming game in November. Their summer project was to have some bathroom redecorating done. This was a dusty eight weeks, but it looks wonderful. They took Bill's 97-year-old mother to Carolina Beach several times this summer and visited Hilton Head. Their big vacation was an Alaskan cruise for seven days and four days on land. "The scenery was MAJESTIC!" Their 18-year-old grandson, a very nice young man, is attending Kennesaw State and seems to be loving it. Their 9- and 12-yearold granddaughters are growing up so fast.
Flo treasures those times they are able to visit them in Athens, GA. Gwen(dolyn) Thomason Adams shares that Herbert's oldest brother passed away Sept. 20th after battling bladder cancer. Their oldest grandson has come back to teach in Laurens. This is his fourth year of teaching special education in middle school. He loves it and the students love him. Five of their 10 grandchildren are in college. One is working toward her master's and the others are in undergraduate school. It is hard to believe the cost of college these days. Two granddaughters are into sports... one plays tennis and runs track and the other does water polo. A grandson is playing middle school football. Their youngest is in the fourth grade and is active in drama and has small roles in the Little Theater. Our time is filled with trying to attend some of these events. Never a dull moment. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2015 to all. Nancy Thornhill Bolden was so sweet to leave a telephone message on May 1st wishing me and our classmates a happy May Day. In June, Moonpie attended a reunion of her husband Harold's former high school football team in West Virginia and had a wonderful time meeting so many of his former friends and players. Her York book club sponsored a trip to Amish country and they had a good time, even attending a remarkable play, Moses. Grandson Luke, now in third grade, is doing well academically and has a lot of homework. He is enjoying being a Webelos Cub Scout and had a wonderful time participating in a sleepover. Recently Nancy was eating lunch in Florence and enjoyed finding Frances Segars Kelly's Swamp Fox Quilters including former students Martha Sherrill Flowers Herbert '70 and Ray Torrance Vance '70. Joanne Tuten Bellamy has been busy making fig preserves, pear jelly, grape jelly and peach chutney. Oh, I wish we lived close enough to visit at just the right time. A good friend has joined Joanne to prepare and freeze field peas and okra. Every day Joanne knits some treasures for a Christmas Bazaar and for other groups. Her favorite exercise is to return to the Tiger Preserve to play with the chimps, orangutans, an elephant and tigers. She hopes you will visit or search at www.myrtlebeachsafari.com! Cathy Ward Parker says it is getting chilly in Port Joli, Canada. Between Liverpool and Shelburn in Nova Scotia, it must be beautiful on the water. Lots of sailboats and seagulls in the summer and snow everywhere in winter make it tempting to visit. Jim's daughter and son-in-law have been living in Limerick, Ireland, for a couple of years where she is teaching. They were able to visit Cathy and Jim this summer and plan to return to spend Christmas with them. Cathy is another mystery lover from our class. Bruce Williams and Mary-Frances '64 flew out to Portland, OR, for a wedding. Oregon was nice. Since they were flying that far, they decided to do more. So they then spent 10 days at the Navy Lodge Bangor on the Kitsap peninsula and were able to explore that area including the Olympic National Park. They also decided to take a land/sea cruise to Alaska. The weather in August was gorgeous and they were able to see Mt. McKinley/Denali. They saw 12 grizzly bears, moose, caribou, mountain sheep,
and a red fox. The tour guide said several times at the end of the tour that they were able to see so much because they were in the "right place at the right time." The allday tour began at 6:40 am. It was tiring but well worth the effort. From there they were bused to the ship for a seven-day cruise. They are planning to take a river cruise in Europe next May. Nancy Ransome Wilson reports that everything is fine, as always, in Arizona. She really enjoyed watching this year's Miss America Pageant and thinks it was well done. On May 1st I received lovely May Day wishes with a note saying that Nancy always thinks about Coker on this day. Mary Anne Wycliff Johnson was good enough to call on October 1st. She sounds wonderfully well and happy and adores her new miniature Schnauzer puppy, Franz. She spent a wonderful Mother's Day at the Grand Canyon and has been busy with three carving groups. There is a big art show for which she has been carving whimsical houses and quails. She has three grandsons. Matt is in Los Angeles, constructing websites and apps. Brian is finishing a stint coaching football in Germany and plans to return in February when his team will be in the playoffs. Bobby is in the 11th grade, trying to become an Eagle Scout like his grandfather, Jo Harold Johnson. Mary Ann has found a wonderful Presbyterian Church in Fountain Hills and has been busy making Halloween decorations for the Desert Garden Botanical Garden exhibition in Phoenix. She is on Facebook and would so enjoy having classmates join her. Peggy Zeigler Reeves has been busy attending various Institute of Management Accountants conferences, some of which were in Minneapolis, Savannah, and Charleston. She serves on the Board of Governors. She and Donnie have two wonderful dogs, a lab/terrier mixture puppy and a wonderful Red Heeler, known as cattle herders. They have been working on their house, getting a new roof and painting parts of the exterior. It's now hunting season, which pleases Donnie to no end. My son, John Barrow, and I had the most wonderful time for two weeks in June first attending a Potier de la Morandiere family reunion in the Loire Valley, France. More than 100 cousins from babies-to-be to those in their 90's attended on June 14th and 15th. The following week we spent in beautiful Switzerland. Good friends insisted that we stay with them near Geneva and spoiled us. We enjoyed the wonderful train/ rail system, the food, the sights and history. We spent a night in Bern and another in Lucerne, having enjoyed a long rail trip up the mountain to the Jungfraujoch and down. While John and I enjoy "date nights" on Mondays in my apartment, it was very nice to be able to travel together for two weeks. One of my favorite projects is to try to collect news from our classmates twice a year and I wish I had time to call every one of you. But emails help so much and I thank those of you who participate the cheaters' way. Please know you are/were (since this will not arrive before next spring) wished a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. I send so many good wishes to each of you, Love, Gaby Morandiere
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"After the seminar and related travel in Europe, Bob and I were able to get a 'Space Available' flight from near Munich into Naples. This was possible as Bob retired from the US Air Force's Judge Advocate Branch and was made easier due to increased flight in that area. Harriet was eager to get near Bari, Italy (which sits close to the Adriatic Sea on the lower Boot of Italy) as Emory University had a seminar she was invited to attend concerning the ancient culture of Apulia and surrounding areas. This was especially significant to Harriet as it had a bearing on 'Humanitarian Rights Violations' (as considered by The Hague Tribunal) which appeared to have NOT taken place to any appreciable degree in this remote area of Italy. Harriet will be there for some time. After this seminar is finished, Harriet will return to Metro Atlanta, but stop for a short escapade in Frankfurt, Germany. She sends her love to all the wonderful friends from the halcyon days of Coker and looks forward to the next reunion…In closing, I did want to share one comment she made as we parted. 'Bob, I read something not long ago, that was both amusing and apropos of our own long lives.' (As we are all about the same age these words might well mean something to her Coker classmates): 'When you live long enough and look back over your journey through life, most of it will appear as a vague and incomprehensible dream that may not have even happened.' This was shared with her legendary million dollar smile."
boat to the islands several months ago.
ADVANCE 1963 We have news from Madeline Theus McKenzie! It has been a fun and interesting time for her since her last news. She is recovering from a broken wrist due to a fall, while also taking care of her young granddaughter. Madeline and her son’s family spent a week at Disney World in June. August found her with her daughter’s family in Park City, UT.
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Lynda Morillo Hord and husband Dick spent a weekend in July with Madeline. Lynda was in Charleston for a Saint Andrews High School Reunion. They report that it was wonderful to be together and to eat at Fleet’s Landing downtown on Saturday night. Nan Warren Clarke and Erskine have traveled o’er the ocean again! They traveled the Scotland Presbyterian Heritage Tour with 42 other travelers. They traveled to the castle in Edinburgh and enjoyed learning about Mary Queen of Scots and her tough life. While worshipping at St. Giles Church, the congregation was debating about the secession of Scotland from Great Britain. The opinion seemed to be divided. They traveled on to Ireland and then home to Montreat, N.C. Some championship games in rugby, curling and Gaelic football were going on as she went through Ireland. Back home, Nan enjoys her grandchildren’s various activities and hiking and canoeing for herself. We have good news from Tammie Caskey McGuire! Her son, Mac, had his six month cancer scan and it was clear and everything looked good. Mac and his wife have Truitt, a 5-year-old daughter and Griffin, a 3-year-old son. Daughter Teri and husband Marc are having a second child in May to go along with Dorie Lee, a 1-year-old. Tammie reports that she is 73 and whammo at last she is having grandchildren. Tammie has had back issues and this is the first time in a long time that she has been able to travel a little. We wish her well and many happy trails. Other o’er the ocean travelers were Goode and Gail Mobley. In July they went to Italy enjoying Rome, Pompei, Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. We understand that Capri was their favorite place. In October they visited New England at a beautiful time. Closer to home, Goode was impressed with the dedication of the new DeLoach Center on Coker’s campus. Belinda Duckworth Copeland continues to serve as the Treasurer of Darlington County. She plans to retire in June 2017. Our busy Belinda represented South Carolina as a delegate to the Girl Scouts USA in Salt Lake City, UT in October. Barbara Willis and husband Jim have returned from their annual European get-together with friends from graduate school days. The group spent a week in the Kleinwasser Valley in Austria and then on to Paris for another week. Barbara reports that Austria was wonderful with hiking and walking and enjoying good food, beer and wine. Normandy is being considered for the next trip. Barbara and Jim spent their July, August and part of September at their cottage on Fort Pond near Boston. The cottage has electricity and little else; no TV, no telephone, no running water. However, they have one row boat, a canoe, and a sailboat. Heaven!
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It was great to see Barbara and Jim at our fiftieth reunion! Fifty-fifth will be here before you know it. As was mentioned in our last Commentary, Carol Phillips Kirven and Larry were planning a trip to Alaska to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They flew to Anchorage in August, rented a motor home and drove to Denali National Park and around the Kenai Peninsula. At one of their camping spots, Carol chatted with a gentleman who asked if Carol’s husband was Mr. Kirven. She replied yes and the man said that he was his teacher in high school. It’s a small, small world after all!! Carol and Larry spent two wonderful weeks touring, fishing and camping. They visited one afternoon with Georgia Ann Jenkins Porcher’s daughter, Kelly, who lives near Denali. Also visiting Kelly was Georgia Ann’s older daughter, Lisa, from Charlotte. Jackpot! Betty Gail Forbes Gandy has moved into town in Darlington and loves her new house. She works twenty hours a week for a medical facility. She reports that her children and grandchildren are well and a wonderful part of her life. On your behalf, your reporter attended the August 2, 2014, meeting for representatives and reunion planners. Other than information received, the highlight was touring the campus. You will be very pleased to see the physical changes and learn about the changes in athletics and academics. GO COKER! As always, I need news! Please remember to send in your alumni gifts designated for l963 ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP. Fill my mailbox with news! Kay Elder Williams
1964 What a great 50th Reunion we celebrated in April! It was marvelous that so many classmates returned to our beautiful Coker campus. Now please stay in touch and enjoy news from each other. Pat Holland Chapman: Frank and I traveled with friends to Hawaii. On the tour of Pearl Harbor, we were reminded of how much we owe to all members of the armed services— past and present. At Pearl Harbor, we talked with a survivor who still lives in Hawaii. In August, we went on a riverboat cruise on the Snake and Columbia Rivers—beginning in Clarkston, Washington and ending in Portland, Oregon, seeing the many places Lewis and Clark traveled on their journey. Of course, summer would not be complete without visiting with our five granddaughters! It was great to see everyone in April, and I was happy so many of the class of '64 could attend. Nita Nunn Danenburg: We made an annual trip to the beach at Emerald Isle, NC with the grandchildren, twins Cameron and Morgan, who just turned 6. The weather was great and we try to do things to get them away from video games and iPads. They experienced: boogie boards, go-kart racing with an adult driver of course, water slide, picked up many shells, a watermelon provided entertainment with a seed-spitting contest, and I taught them Old Maids. Hope all of you had a great summer. Gail Etters Pilger: John and I welcomed home our grandson Jonathon Eck from his 16 months of teaching in Taiwan plus
travels in SE Asia. His adventures will be the memory of a lifetime. Now he is working on entering medical school. Our oldest granddaughter, Julia, is a junior at GA College in the physical/occupational therapy degree program. Their younger sister, Olivia, is sophomore soccer star in her high school. Emma Pilger, our son's 13-year-old, is preparing for ski season—they live in the Colorado Rockies. We will depart Atlanta soon for our winter home in Naples, FL until April. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this past June with our family and wish we could do another 50! Carol Chastain Dietrick is sorry she missed the reunion, but enjoyed seeing our pictures. Betty Morrell Pait and Jerry just returned from nine days of traveling through all the New England states with four other friends. The leaves were beautiful (her first time north of PA). Their first great-grandson is seven months old now, and they are totally consumed with him. Nell Bates Beasley: My summer was hectic to say the least. My youngest sister Elaine died. She had Lewey Dew Dementia, a combination of Dementia and Parkinson's. It was hard to lose her, but I know she is in no pain and I know she is at peace. On July 14, I had extensive back surgery (L1-S1) lasting six hours. I have to wear a brace for six months and I'm not driving yet. I do my exercises and walk daily with a walker progressing to a cane. I'm steadily improving so keep me in your prayers. Anne Lamb Matthews: All is well. I'm in New Jersey now, Greensboro tomorrow, and Dallas Thursday. I was in Chicago last week and back there next week, all Rotary speaking or meetings. I loved being with all of you and hope we can all be together for the 55th. Life is good, and best wishes to all. Linda Milam Law: I too enjoyed the reunion. It was a special time and a special group. Our generation certainly enjoyed and cherished friendships! Our summer was taken up with grandchildren. We had each for a week—five weeks in all. Charlie and I just returned from a study trip on the American Reformation with Ligonier Ministries. We started in Boston and ended in Philadelphia. I felt like I was in Civ. again! This trip was the culmination of a study trip of the Scottish Reformation. Lorena Cook James: We had a nice summer, too, enjoying Doug’s bountiful vegetable garden. I had the pleasure of a number of family gatherings, and now the Sparrow Scholar Committee is getting underway for this school year. Daughter Kelly had two successful cochlear implants earlier in the summer and is hearing well again. She is doing quite well except for a recent broken ankle. Granddaughter Bella is almost 13 now and a seventh grader in the advanced program and taking a Spanish course for high school credit. Son Bryan has all the work he and a helper can handle with cabinet making. However, he has found plenty of opportunities to keep us supplied with fresh shrimp and flounder for the weeks ahead. I hope to spend more time this year on genealogy, and dealing with my huge collection of family pictures, plus having fun with good friends. Linda Traynham Prior: I am really sorry I did not make it to our class reunion. I enjoyed reading the news from everyone. Right now my only news is that tomorrow I'm flying out to spend a week with my
children in Texas. Margaret Lind Pitner and her husband moved from their mountain home at Wolf Laurel to a town house in Wolf Laurel Resort, 25 miles north of Asheville, NC. On Facebook, she says the downsizing has simplified their lives. Karen Kuehner: In July I moved to Pawleys Island, and we are loving life here. Mary Louise Antley Glesner: Our one big milestone was our 50th wedding anniversary on the 10th of October. Jerry and I celebrated the actual day by ourselves reminiscing over the past 50 years; reading cards and emails; and enjoying several phone calls. The kids Sharon, Scott, and Jill showed the next day bringing lunch with them. Grandsons Dustin (7) and Trevor (9) belong to Sharon, and Bailey (4) is Scott’s daughter. Jill is the only one still unattached and seems to like it that way. The scoop about Jerry and why I didn’t talk about him at Coker: Jerry and I started dating in June after graduation. He was stationed at Charleston Air Force Base; I was living with my sister in Charleston and working during the summer at the Charleston County Library (an internship that Dr. Davidson suggested to me). First date in June; engaged in July; and married in October. My mother was astounded, not at all sure we knew what we were doing. But now it’s been 50 years! Sarah Ann Horton: On Dec 26, our three children and seven grandchildren will accompany us to the Jekyll Island, GA historic inn where on the 27th we celebrate our 50th anniversary, having arrived on that island a half century ago for our honeymoon. What a sweet family gift we anticipate, all being together in a tranquil setting! Best wishes to all my classmates! Naomi Kelley Jackson: I have been busy preparing for a social function at our house and now have houseguests for a few days. I really have no news. Anne Lamb Matthews spoke to the Hartsville Rotary club in early summer; Mary Ann McCaskill Tomlinson and I attended. Anne always makes a wonderful presentation. We had a brief visit after the meeting. Mary Ann has a relative in a Hartsville assisted living facility so we see each other occasionally. These visits are brief but meaningful—we mainly talk about the little ones in our families. Cameron Council Speth: We have had a glorious fall in Vermont. The leaves have never been more beautiful. Gus and I enjoy long walks with our dogs—good for the body, mind, and soul. Gus has written a memoir, Angels by the River, published in October. It is his story but was a joint project that we both enjoyed doing. His urgent message about the destruction of climate change can never be told too often.
1969 Over half a year has already passed since our 45th reunion, and before you know it, our class of '69 will be celebrating our 50th reunion! Let's have a huge turnout. Please keep us updated with what you have going on so we can report it in our news section. Our email addresses are listed below. Jennie Baker Smith, class co-rep 1969, jensmith303@yahoo.com; Frankie Rhodes Watson co-rep 1969, email frankisapc@ yahoo.com
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Many of you may not have heard about the passing of Harriett Wilkes Council. Our sympathy is extended to her family. Brenda Thompson Stewart is always the first to send in her news. She and her husband love retirement, which gives them more time to enjoy their three grandchildren who make them so proud. Speaking of Brenda, I am happy to announce that she will be your new class rep. After two terms, I am turning the pen over to her. Virginia King Hilderbrand and her husband Terry enjoy retirement. Ginger retired in 2007 but Terry just recently retired from Georgia Tech, giving them time to visit their grandchildren, which provides them coastto-coast trips. Their youngest grandson is in NJ and the older two live in L.A. When not traveling, they enjoy sitting on the dock of the old river cabin on Lake Wylie, SC. Also enjoying retirement is Susan Roessler Dirsh, who along with her husband Mike, retired at the end of 2013. They’ve enjoyed trips to their favorite Florida beaches as well as a trip to Ireland last spring. Their son is finally back in the states and he and his fiancée plan a spring wedding. Susan’s daughters are blessed by their chosen careers and have blessed Susan and Mike with three grandchildren. During her routine mammogram last year, Susan learned she had breast cancer but it was found so early that it was considered stage zero and thus no chemo was needed. Susan urges all classmates to be diligent in getting those mammograms. Candace Constable Craven and husband Scott enjoyed their CA grandchildren for a week over the summer and then headed to their lake cabin in upper WI for some rest and relaxation. These grands are son Jeff’s children, ages two and three. Daughter Meredith lives near her parents so Candee and Scott enjoy her two boys more often. Others who will soon find out about grandchildren are Jessie Markley Lee and her husband Joe. Their first grandchild (parents-to-be are daughter Caroline and her husband Will) is expected in February 2015, and Jessie will have the wonderful opportunity to care for the baby girl when Caroline returns to work. Elaine White Gilbert and husband Victor added a second granddaughter to their total of five grandchildren. Their younger daughter Ginger and husband Ray had a new baby on July 23, 2014, whom they named Paige.
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Another grandchild update: Roxanne Copeland Richardson and husband Aubrey celebrated the second birthday of grandson John Maddox. Roxanne says they are so blessed. Gayle Buckheister Sawyer and George’s granddaughter, Zoe Olivia Sawyer, was born on June 23, 2014. Zoe joins her adoring brother Logan who is in third grade at Ashley River Magnet School for the Arts in Charleston. The proud parents are Chris and Jen. Zoe loves sleeping on her Pop-Pop George’s shoulder and going to the zoo with her grandparents and Aunt Erin. Gayle has made our class proud serving as Coker Alumni President so let’s make her proud with our Alumni Day gift! No grandchildren yet for Jane Brown Riechmann and husband Mark, but they will be getting a new daughter-in-law in January. Tim and Kate will wed January 17, 2015. Connie White Boleman, Myra Cato Coffey, Nell Cutts Daniels, Beth Abrams Jones, Lucy Maxwell, and Suzette Whittle York enjoyed a getaway weekend in Black Mountain in September. This was especially meaningful for Lucy who had lost both her mother and sister in less than two months at the end of 2013 and early 2014. Nell Cutts Daniels and husband Ken just returned from Gainesville, FL where they visited their precious granddaughter Laura and cannot wait to visit again. Ken will be working part-time through 2015 and during warm weather; Nell will be going with him on his business trips which primarily take him to Canada. Jane May Gable continues to teach (her 34th year) and spends a lot of time in Raleigh with her grandson William, 2. Still living in Lexington, KY, Celeste Oliver Phillips works at the VA hospital and is busy educating everyone about Ebola! She plans to work for two more years or even longer if she feels like it! Shirlyn Daniels Bellum: Cliff and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on September 26, 2014. On the 27th, our three children, their spouses and our four lovely granddaughters honored us with a wonderful family outing. The weather was perfect; the food was terrific; and the pleasure of being together…..indescribable. Cliff and I are truly blessed. Please remember to keep your contact details up to date. We hate to lose classmates and it’s much easier for you to notify either Coker or the Class Rep of changes than to have them do super sleuthing to locate you! Coker is growing! The campus looks great. Hope you can be there for our 45th reunion! Jane Brown Riechmann
1971 Wendy Lamm Leonard and her husband, Danny, are enjoying their newest grandson—their fourth. They celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii, fulfilling a marriage-long dream. Wendy connected with Barrie Murphy Sadler for lunch in Warrenton, VA, after
first going to Culpepper. Oops, according to Wendy, she says, "her memory doesn't always cooperate with the rest of her."
Jane Woodberry Fordham—Jane and Steve just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary! Wishing you many more!
Ginger Altman Haselden's daughter, Molly, was married in Mt. Pleasant in August to Cortie Thompson. She said it was a sweet ceremony with 180 folks enjoying a swinging reception.
Cathy McInnis Evans— Cathy is getting “another daughter” as her son, Marshall, popped the question and she said, “YES”!
Teresa Burrell McKenna stays busy at her family's barbecue restaurant, Lillie's Q in Destin, FL, and awaiting son Charlie's Los Angeles restaurant to open. He has two others in Chicago and a growing barbecue sauce business, available in Fresh Market and Crate and Barrel. Mom's proud to boast that he appeared on the Rachael Ray Show. Sarah Jo Wood Safrit, your class rep, hopes to hear from you so news can be shared. Several of us keep up with one another on Facebook. Join us. Sarah Jo and Leonard's daughter, Mary B., is pursuing a master's in vocal performance, a three-year program, at UNCG. Sarah Jo is in her second term on Coker's Board of Trustees and has enjoyed getting to know our late classmate Patricia Allen's sister Susan.
1972 Reps: Janie Cleckley Campbell, Sarah McCanless Haarlow, Harriett Courtney Lemke Janie Clerkley Campbell—"Hello Coker Class of '72...I hope I don't bore you with all the Coker news...but then...why not...that is how we got together. It was an exciting day to celebrate the grand opening of our wellness center. What a beautiful facility. We have had volleyball games, concerts and some other events in it so far. There are 22 bathrooms in the building...TimberlakeLawton had one public bathroom. This week October 16th, there will be a Faculty/Staff basketball game to get us in the mood for basketball season. And....NO I'm not playing...they really did ask me to coach, but I turned them down. What a hoot that would have been. It will be a fun night. Then, for those of you who were Commissioners, this weekend is the Halloween Carnival. I know you hear this every year, but we are growing and hoping to need another new residence hall soon. The campus is beautiful and you would be so very proud. Please come visit. On a more personal note, Sammy and I have been working hard to have the '55 Ford Convertible he drove in high school ready for his 50th high school reunion next month. Bet (Birdsong Matthews) and David stopped by to tour the DeLoach Center and see the car on their way home from a trip to the beach. I hope we can finish it in time and keep ourselves awake to enjoy his reunion...we have truly been burning the midnight oil. I used to joke that I talked to his feet when we were dating....this time he was talking to mine...I got under the car and took parts off. I really never was very prissy anyway. Looking forward to reading your news and hearing who else has decided to retire. Take care of you and yours and keep in touch. We have much in common." Reed McSwain Jackson—"No news here… just an old retired teacher, assistant principal, central service administrator who, after 30 years in education, is thankful to be able to enjoy a stress-free time! Bill and I are in good health. We have four cats that consider us their “staff” (those who own cats will understand exactly what I mean)."
Bet Birdsong Matthews—"I am still loving retirement and all the freedom it brings! David and I love our road trips! We recently drove through Hartsville on our way home from the beach and stopped to see if we could visit the new DeLoach Center on campus. It was a Saturday, though, and all the doors were locked. I knocked on a window (in true 1972 fashion!) when we saw a student-athlete working out inside. She graciously let us in and gave us the grand tour...WOW! What an awesome facility! It made me proud. The student-athlete giving us the tour represented Coker well. We were excited to see Judy Southard's ('70) Athletic Hall of Fame plaque on the wall! If you are in the area, go get the tour! Alice Bodenheimer Wilson ('74) and I are members of the same church and try to keep each other up on Coker news when we hear some... mostly, we back each other up when folks don't believe that there really IS a Coker College! I'm ready for our next reunion...let's do it up right Class of 1972!!!!" Jean Southard Riddle—"Listening to 60s and 70s music is a great way to travel. Loved hearing "Build Me Up, Buttercup" and "Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog" the other day. Memories of Coker College in 1968 to 1972 returned. As we now see our children start their college reunions, we hold precious our college days together. Our Brelan and Will welcomed to the world, Samuel Beaumont Montgomery, on February 7, 2014. I now have seven grandchildren from 6 months to 13 years. Sam and I still live in Sumter but enjoy the coast near Bull’s Bay most weekends." Elizabeth Fisher (“Fish”)—"I am continuing to enjoy being a Media Specialist at Weaver Academy for Visual and Performing Arts in Greensboro, NC. I find the enthusiasm and dedication our high school students’ project to be very inspiring daily. In the spring of last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and it was certainly a wonderful adventure. I always look forward to hearing from my Coker friends and hope that we can all get together! It would be great fun! You can contact me at efisher28144@gmail.com, and yes, Facebook!!" Carol Chandler Dabbs Briley—"I retired in May after 40+ years at Central Carolina Technical College and am currently teaching two online English classes for CCTC. I am now permanently located at North Myrtle Beach with my husband Randy, feeding raccoons (yes, we know they can carry rabies) and hosting 'Group Therapy' (neighborhood get-togethers featuring adult beverages) every week." Sarah McCanless Haarlow—"Bob retired in June after 48 years in education so we are looking forward to some great times ahead! I recently had the privilege to speak to the freshman class at Coker about the way it was when we were there in 1972. They were amazed at 'the way we were' and I am amazed at the way it is now. It fills me with pride. I do hope everyone will make an effort to come back for our 45th in 2017." At our last reunion, the Class of '72 pledged to help with the recent renovation of the Coker College Bell Tower. Just a reminder that you can still give gifts toward that
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Classmates, it is hard to believe that by the time you read this, our 45th reunion will be right upon us. You’ll know the date (April 11, 2015) and the plans being made by our Reunion Committee comprised of Deborah Moore Hall, Sylvia McLamb Puffer and Linda Lee Matthews. Please remember that whether you are able to attend or not, our class gift is given on Alumni Day. All donations made from July 1, 2014 to Alumni Day will be counted toward our gift. Any monetary gift you make to Coker should have Class of 1970 designated on it. You can write a check, go online and use a credit card, or bring cold cash to Alumni Day. It would be great if every classmate could give something and we could surpass our goal of $7500. I personally challenge you to give $500! And it’s double that for our 50th! (Remember THE PLAN?) If you cannot meet my challenge please give what you can.
Elaine continues her fight against cancer and appreciates the prayers, cards, emails and calls from so many classmates. She knows your prayers are carrying her through. Our sympathy is expressed to Elaine over the loss of her mother in July 2014.
ADVANCE project by putting "Bell Tower Repairs— Class '72" on the memo line of your check. The Bell is used actively in current Coker life. We still ring it to celebrate athletic victories, the start of the school year....but I don't know if young couples still ring it when they get engaged....maybe we should leak that information to them?? We are proud of tradition and I hope you will rally around this cause to support one we would identify with.
1975 Class of 1975: save the date and start making plans now to attend your reunion on April 10-11th! Please start calling your friends to encourage them to return for Alumni day this spring. For more information or to volunteer with planning, please call the alumni office at 843-383-8082.
ADVANCE
1979 Remember when we were at Coker, and thought we would always be young and full of energy? I could never have imagined being a grandmother back then. Those days seemed so remote and far off. Well, for many of us, those delightful days are here. I am happy to announce that I am now the proud grandmother of an adorable 17-month-old grandson, Andrew Mason McLaren. My son Stephen joined the Marine Corps four years ago, and he and his wife are stationed in Virginia Beach, about a 4 hr. drive from me. So my hubby and I get to visit with our grandbaby every couple of months. We feel incredibly blessed to have them within driving distance. Becoming an empty-nester was really hard at first. Then when my son was sent to Okinawa for two years, I decided I needed something to occupy my time. So I became a USO Volunteer. It was a way to support our troops, and give something back to those who serve our country. It also helped me feel a little closer to my son. Thank God for modern technology. During his two years in Oki, we kept in touch by Skype and Facebook. Now we Skype on Sundays to see our grandbaby between visits. It's the next best thing to actually being there, but still doesn't replace a warm hug and kiss. Our dear friend Beth Warr Schmid, has also become the grandmother of a beautiful granddaughter named Caroline. Beth lives near her granddaughter and is blessed to see her often. We have teased that my Andrew will have to one day meet her Caroline. Many of you have recently become emptynesters, in-laws or grandparents. We would love to hear about you and your family. Please drop by our new 'Class of '79 and Beyond' Facebook page. We would love to catch up with our classmates and see where life has led you. So feel free to hop on over to a page created just for you, to brag, share and post photos. I look forward to seeing you there. Debbie Schultz McLaren, Class Rep ('79)
1980 Class of 1980: save the date and start making plans now to attend your reunion on April 10-11th! Please start calling your friends to encourage them to return for Alumni day this spring. For more informa-
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tion or to volunteer with planning, please call the alumni office at 843-383-8082. Susan Weathersbee Dionne is helping to organise a dutch treat dinner on Friday night in Hartsville. Watch for a packet of information soon.
1985 Class of 1985: save the date and start making plans now to attend your reunion on April 10-11th! Please start calling your friends to encourage them to return for Alumni day this spring. For more information or to volunteer with planning, please call the alumni office at 843-383-8082.
1986 Hello Coker friends, I hope this finds all of you doing great. Well, this is a big birthday year with most of us entering the Half Century Club…The Big 50! Wow…can you believe how time flies? Now we sound and look like our parents did when we were all together at Coker. I am very pleased to see that we have a nice addition to the campus with the opening of the new DeLoach Center. I look forward to watching the Cobras strike during our home basketball games this season. I did hear from some of our classmates and want to share their stories with everyone… Kenneth ”Sun Bear” Broom writes: "Retired from the Army in 2007, served in Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I met and married my wife, Ute, in Germany. Married 20 years and have one son, John, currently a freshman at UNCPembroke. Live in Fayetteville, NC. Work as a Department of Defense Contractor; get to do a lot of traveling and I have two doggies Kaiser and Lilly." Birgitt Torres White: She and Billy have been married 23 years and live in Hartsville. She has been working with Sonoco for 20 years and was recently promoted to Technical Services Lab Supervisor. They have two daughters in college. Their oldest girl will graduate from Presbyterian College this year and the other daughter is a sophomore at USC. When Birgitt has some free time, she likes to help children by volunteering with her church youth group, and she is passionate about representing abused and neglected children of the court system through the Guardian ad Litem program. John Santos: John has been working for just over a year with a new company called Bartercard. They have three children with the oldest, Joseph, graduating from Newberry in December. He played soccer for the Wolves for four years. Patrick, their middle child, is living and working in Charleston. Their baby girl Sarah is a freshman at Winthrop right now, and with John and Julie’s empty nest the college sweethearts can focus more on each other and be the lovebirds they were at Coker 31 years ago. They are celebrating 28 years of marriage together. Julie is a nurse and is currently working at MUSC. Looking forward to hearing more updates from the outstanding students from the Class of 1986. You can reach me by email, you can reach me by my cell, don’t care how you reach me, just get me if you can… Peace, Love, and Happiness, Teresa “Trigger” Martin
1987 Greetings Class of '87! It was such a pleasure to attend Leadership Coker this summer where I got to visit with alums from many years, including Phyllis Atkinson Palmieri from our own class and Kathy Harsh Cunningham who was a few years after us. Donald joined us for lunch, as did our daughter, Emily, who is already preparing to help out with alumni activities when she graduates in May 2015. I have some news to share from James Blount. He is now living in Pompano Beach, FL and is the new Program Administrator for Gulf War Illness Research at Nova Southeastern University, Department of Osteopathic Medicine. Way to go, James! Please keep our friend Craig Mayer in your thoughts and prayers. He was in a serious car accident In early September and has been hospitalized since the accident. Donald and I have taken up a new hobby— scuba diving! We did a "try it" class first and loved it so much that we decided to complete our scuba diver certification. If you are interested in scuba diving, we highly recommend the Wateree Dive Center in Columbia, SC. We are eagerly looking forward to a dive trip to some of the rivers and springs in FL within the next few months. Donald is also now an avid and quite accomplished ukelele player. I'm not sure what got him interested in the first place, but he's certainly enjoying his ukes. He started playing early this year and enjoys relaxing with his music each evening after work. Donald, Emily, and I shared some family time during a long weekend getaway to Asheville, NC during her Fall Break in October. We had adventures in downtown Asheville, at Biltmore Estate, and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I treasure the time we have as a family. With Emily's graduation from college so close, we aren't sure where her future career will take her. Selfishly, I hope it isn't too far away from us!
with the Alumni Office. One of the highlights of Alumni Day is when each class gets to present their BIG CHECK to Coker. Help us stand out this year and consider sending in a donation to the annual scholarship fund. Let’s see how much the class of ’95 can bring in. Please contact me or Sam Fryer if you have any questions about Alumni Day. I hope to see all of you there!!
2005 Hello Friends! Coming up is a big year for us 2005 graduates. We get to celebrate our 10 year college reunion on the first year that Homecoming has moved to the Spring! I have set up a group on Facebook for us to use to connect and plan for our reunion and to stay connected for the future. I am working on finding those of you who are on Facebook, so if I haven't contacted you yet, the group is Coker Class of 2005. Super simple! If you would like to help with the reunion, let me know. We hope to get as many of us together as possible. More class news to come next time... ;)
2012 Class of 2012, I am currently working for Georgetown Medical Hospital at HealthPoint Center for Health and Fitness in Pawleys Island as their Fit for Kids Supervisor. I have agreed to help with our class news, so please send me information to submit for our class. (New jobs, engagements, weddings, babies or anything that you would like to share!)
I hope that many of us will be able to visit in February 2015 when Coker celebrates Homecoming. Keep your eyes on the Coker College website for more information. The dates are February 27-28, 2015. Please send me your news for our next edition of The Commentary. You can find me on Facebook, or email me at dfmosser@ comcast.net. Remember, unless I have news from some of you, I will only be able to share the adventures of the Mosser family! I know that would be quite boring after a while!
1995 It’s our reunion year! Can you believe it’s been 20 years? I know many of us keep up with each other on Facebook, Twitter, and every other form of social media out there —but none of that can replace spending time with each other face-to-face reminiscing about our time at Coker. Please make plans to attend Alumni Day on Saturday, April 11. There will be events on campus throughout the day including tours—which you don’t want to miss because Coker has grown tremendously since we left. Then that night we will have a class gathering at the Midnight Rooster (dutch treat). Details on all of this will come to you, but if you are not receiving Coker news regularly, please take the time to update your information
W W W. C O K E R . E D U
CLASS REP DIRECTORY The following classes are in need of a class representative: 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1966, 1967, 1975, 1993, 1998, 2011, and 2012. If you are interested, please call the alumni office at 1-800-65-COKER (26537) or 843-383-8082.
1938
Florence Houck Steele | PO Box 9005 Orangeburg, South Carolina 29116
1939
Lisa Sneed | ljsneed@coloniallife.com | (803) 331-2576
1947
Lee Blake Stevenson | PO Box 660 Beaufort, South Carolina 29901 | (843) 524-5860
1949 1951
Betty Lee Gandy | 1201 Wisteria Drive Florence, South Carolina 29501 | (843) 662-2797
1952
Betty Lou McIntyre Barclay | 329 Lee Circle Dillon, South Carolina 29536 | (843) 774-6122 | Bbar830771@aol.com Frankie Nicholson Townsend | 201 Kinney Circle Bennettsville, South Carolina 29512 | (843) 479-9398
1953
Pat Chapman Huff | 507 Wilmar Avenue Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 332-3755 | pathuff1953@gmail.com Mitzi DuPre Matthews | 200 Juanita Drive Lexington, South Carolina 29072 | (803) 8088462 | bmatthews4@windstream.net
1954
Lois Hatfield Anderson | 210 Saddlebrook Lane Hopkins, South Carolina 29061 | (803) 776-0926 | LHAnderson32@aol.com
1956
Peggy Cantey Gardner | PO Box 42 Manning, South Carolina 29102 | (803) 435-6862 Barbara Ward Mishoe | 154 South Main Greeleyville, South Carolina 29056 | (843) 426-2591 | Tnmishoe@ftc-I.Net
1957
Lynn Williams Oates | 3417 Oates Highway Lamar, South Carolina 29069 | (843) 332-3040 | lwoates@roadrunner.com
1958
Susan Holroyd Shumaker | 315 West Meade Drive Nashville, Tennessee 37205 | (615) 352-5732 |Susan.Shumaker@comcast.net
1959
1980
Cameron Council Speth | 89 Jordan Road Strafford, Vermont 5072 | (802) 765-4899 | cece@speth.com
Lee H. Hickman | 703 Beaty Street Conway, South Carolina 29526 | (843) 248-3925 | lhickman@sccoast.net
Eleanor Powell Clark | 106 Arapaho Circle Darlington, South Carolina 29532 | (843) 395-2173
Barbara A. Britton | 6716 St. Julian Way Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314 | (910) 860-7650 | jmb1jmb2@aol.com
Naomi Kelley Jackson | 2302 Bay Road Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | naomijac@roadrunner.com
1965
1968
Joni Lading Abernathy | 20037 Oak River Court S. Chesterfield, Virginia 23803 | (804) 590-1644 | jabernathyva@comcast.net
1969
Sarah Jo Wood Safrit | PO Box 388 Beaufort, North Carolina 28516-0388 | (252) 728-3213 | sarahjo@centurylink.net
1972
Janie Cleckley Campbell | 2045 East Carolina Avenue Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 332-1547 | jccampbell2@bellsouth.net Sarah McCanless Haarlow | 369 Brookwood Drive Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 816-4995 | SarahHaarlow@gmail.com Harriett Courtney Lemke | 411 Prestwood Drive Hartsville, South Carolina 29550-3629 | (843) 861-6005 | hlemke19@gmail.com
1973
Jane Clyburn | 1002 Starcliff Drive Lugoff, South Carolina 29078 | (803) 438-5638 | pjclyburn@att.net
1974
Pat Newman | (352) 792-3565 | pnewman224@yahoo.com
1976
Holly Mims Westcott | (803) 514-2431 | hwestcott@atlanticbb.net
1977
Ann Matthews Bragdon | 1563 Johnsonville Highway Lake City, South Carolina 295606202 | (843) 389-4401 | wbragdon@ftc-i.net
1961
Mouse Belotti | 1118 Inverness Lane Hanahan, South Carolina 29410 | drb90@att.net Jane McCrackin Suchy | 5303 Bluff Road Mullins, South Carolina 29574 | (843) 464-7056 | suchysuchy@aol.com
1978
Vicki Smith Chaplin | 839 Bethlehem Road Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | Sylvia Beard Seppala | 726 Loveville Road # 59 (843) 332-5998 | chaplins4@bellsouth.net Hockessin, Delaware 19707 | (302) 239-0641 | sylviabs@aol.com
1962
Gabrielle (Gaby) Potier Morandiere | 300 East 54th Street #7-K New York, New York 10022 | (212) 832-7462 | gaby.morandiere@verizon.net
1963
Kay Elder Williams | 411 West Windward Landing Place Hampstead, North Carolina 28443-2476 | (910) 270-0122 | tapperkay@charter.net
W W W. C O K E R . E D U
1979
Debbie Schultz McLaren | 20184 Foothill Terrace Ashburn, Virginia 20147 | (703) 726-1190 | writerdeb11@aol.com
1994
Jennifer Spray Blankenship | 2977 Dance Drive Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 332-9835 | blankcamp@aol.com
1982
Heather McConnell Buckelew | 1606 Duckhorn Street NW Concord, North Carolina 28027 | (704) 786-1857 | nj2sc2nc@ctc.net
1995
Dee Holt Zsembik | 1376 Hyde Park Drive Port Orange, Florida 32128 | (386)795-0544 | Sam Fryer III | 1610 Southwood Court Florddshouse@yahoo.com ence, South Carolina 29505-3195 | (843) 629-8372 | sfryer@fsd1.org
1983
1970
1971
Fredie Williams | PO Box 2734 Evans, Georgia 30809-2734 | fredie.williams@gmail.com
Dede Lawrence | dede_lawrence@yahoo.com
1984
Jane Brown Riechmann | 2970 St. Johns Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32205 | (904) 384-8650 | stjohnsjane@bellsouth.net
1992
1981
Jen Baker Smith | 29 Long Lake Drive Bluffton, Glenn Bridges | 18-F Old Sourth Court South Carolina 29910 | (843) 816-0125 Bluffton, South Carolina 29910 | (843) 8154745 | daddydolphin@hargray.com Frankie Rhodes Watson | 117 Schooner Lane Columbia, South Carolina 29212 | Donna Craig | 801 Longbow Road Charlotte, (803) 312-1138 | frankiesapc@yahoo.com North Carolina 28211 | (704) 365-6763 | djcraig@bellsouth.net Constable Craven | ccraven@uwalumni.com Michelle Wiscovitch King | 400 Gandy Drive Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 857Brenda Thompson Stewart 0084 | michaelbking@bellsouth.net brenstew66@gmail.com
Pat Crawford Fields | 1713 Scenic Valley Lane Knoxville, Tennessee 37922-7135 | (865) 675-3013 | jcfields@tds.net
1960
Susan Weathersbee Dionne | 137 West Home Avenue Hartsville, South Carolina 295504123 | 843-639-2065 | d.susan93@yahoo.com
1985
1996
Karol Lowery | klowery727@aol.com
1997
Shereza Middleton | 5145 Seymour Road Dalzell, South Carolina 29040-9144 | middleton26@yahoo.com
2008
Veronica Gallo-Bambery | 502 Cashua Street Darlington, South Carolina 29532 | veronicagallo@hotmail.com
2009
Shannon Bowers | 1814 Golden Street Newberry, South Carolina 29108-4472 | bowers.shannonc@yahoo.com
2010
Chad Daniels | 134 West Home Avenue Apartment C Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | | chad.daniels@sonoco.com
2011
Margaret McCoy Toney (803) 210-6113 | margaret.m.toney@gmail.com
2012
Regina Bacote Donithan | 5482 Rosehall Place Meagan Stone Atlanta, Georgia 30349 | (404) 344-0692 | (843) 236-8020 | meaganstone@ymail.com rbacote518@hotmail.com Alison Wood | 2400 Pine Haven Street Beaufort, South Carolina 29902-6042
1999
2014
Miesha White | 1706 Willis Drive Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | Romiesha.white@gmail.com
Dean Legge | 808 South Poplar Avenue Andrews, South Carolina 29510-3032 | Tracie Johnson Paschal | 1111 West (843) 264-9398 | dean@dawgpost.com Roseneath Road Florence, South Carolina 295015745 | TraciePL@aol.com Sheila Trapp | 1343 Antioch Road Hartsville, South Carolina 29551
1986
Teresa "Trigger" Martin | 133 Tall Oaks Drive Irmo, South Carolina 29063 | 803-318-1413 | triggermartin@aol.com Susan Sweatt Robey | 1 Cobblestone Court Columbia, South Carolina 29229 | susansrobey@earthlink.net
1987
Cynthia Lee Hylton | 14405 Woodswalk Court Midlothian, Virginia 23112-2412 | (804) 519-6192 | hyltoncl@verizon.net
2000
Keelea R. LeJeune | keelealejeune@hotmail.com
2001
Roslynn Elom | 572 East McIver Road Florence, South Carolina 29506 | (843) 667-0502 | ravenrose3@aol.com
2002
Stephanie Carwile Murry | PO Box 299 Panola, Texas 75685 | (318) 773-0133 | Stephanierodeo@aol.com
Donna Farrell Mosser | 1003 Tamarack Blayke Turrubiartes | 1847 Arnold Drive Drive North Augusta, South Carolina 29841Charlotte, North Carolina 28205 | 9327 | (803) 640-5696 | dfmosser@comcast.net (704) 535-1504 | blaykee@gmail.com Phyllis Atkinson Palmieri | 1819 New Market Road Hartsville, South Carolina 29550-9303
1988
Millicent Chewning Macchione | 3011 Stone Bridge Trail Conyers, Georgia 30094 | (770) 3880067 | Millicentmacchione@yahoo.com Lisa Bryant McDowell | 9 Alison Way Columbia, South Carolina 29229 | (803) 699-7924 | lmcdowel@richland2.org
1989
Meg Quilty Liebe | 803 Washington Avenue Palmyra, New Jersey 8065 Pennie Cathey Peagler | 183 Royal Oaks Lane Lexington, South Carolina 29072 | (803) 926-8410 | penniepeagler@gmail.com
1990
Kathy Harsh Cunningham | 6004 Highmarket Street Georgetown, South Carolina 29440 | (843) 344-1492 | khc1224@aol.com Amy Gibson | 6 Corby Court Columbia, South Carolina 29229 | (803) 462-9851 | algibson90@bellsouth.net
1991
Helen Mason Allen | 1823 Misty Vale Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28214 | (704) 575-1314 | helenm.allen@cms.k12.nc.us
2003
Wes Daniels | 201 Chester Avenue Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | (843) 616-2485 | wdaniels@coker.edu Emily Tupper | 5809 Yeary Road Plano, Texas 75093 | emilymarovich@yahoo.com
2004
Selena Davis | 410 Emmary Street Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 | selenacobras20@gmail.com Julia Kokemor | 202 Saint Nicholas St Luling, Louisiana 70070-5110 | jkokemor1@gmail.com
2005
Jessica Brill Lloyd | 1241 Old Oak Road Birmingham, Alabama 35235 | smilerainmaker@aol.com
2006
Jennifer Jackson | 200 Cedar Branch Road Loris, South Carolina 29569 | (843) 7564469 | jenmarie_john315@yahoo.com
2007
Kristin Caswell | 141 Pacific Avenue Chapin, South Carolina 29036-7315 | (864) 241-8124 | kcaswell@vertixinc.com LaDrica Jones-Christian | 843-409-2841 | ladricaj@hotmail.com
T HE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COL L EG E, H A RT S V IL L E, S .C .
C O M M E N TA RY
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Lois Hatfield Anderson | 210 Saddlebrook Lane Hopkins, South Carolina 29061 | (803) 776-0926 | LHAnderson32@aol.com
1964
ADVANCE The Office of Institutional Advancement would like to thank the friends, alumni, faculty, staff, foundations and corporations who gave so generously to Coker College this year. MEMORIALS The following memorials were received July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Zeke Alford
David C. Darling
Sherrill E. Jordan
Richard & Gail Culyer
Pat Chapman Huff
Pat Chapman Huff
Terry & Caroline Harrington
Carol Ann Elmore
Bryan & Martha Ann Blackwell
Al Birchler & Molly Holbrook Thomas
Arlene A. Dembik
Terry & Caroline Harrington
Rollins & Nancy Culpepper
Charles Jeff Maddox, Jr.
Anne Ellis Neely
Linda M. Bosley Ross & Deborah Bowker Mary Esther Denny
Pamela C. Binnicker Sarah Brown
Archie Buddin Pat Buddin
Phil & Iris Kennedy Robert L. Knous, Jr. Chuck & Leslie Madison Rex A. Maynard Rod & Laura Moseley Anne Ellis Neely Becky Reynolds Anthony & Peggy Sciotto Jacqueline J. Segars Mark Smith Ronnie W. Sparks Dan & Lisa Stanzione Bill & Olive Timberlake Curtis Tyner Vail Valley Foundation Leonard and Carla Wood
Donna Davis Freeman
Emsley "Tunnie" Freeman
Doyle Cannon
Ann Parker Gallop
Sharon Elmore Case
Sherrill E. Jordan
Jacquelin Maxwell Gambrell
Paul P. Casillo
ADVANCE
Cokernuts' Class of 1962 Susan Clemenston Katherine Coker
Nell Cutts Daniels
Jane Gardner Hunter
Knights of Columbus, Florence Knights of Columbus, Hartsville
Lynda Morillo Hord Edith Floride Reynolds Budgy & Nancy Wilhelm Margaret Brown Young
Bettie R. Horne
Nancy Strahan Hall
Loree H. Gandy
Sophia Goyeneche-Gray Memorial Jennie Turner Gustafson
Ernest L. Cook
Dana Harris Dixon
Mrs. Fairy Lee Mulligan
Katherine Kalber Dunlap
Walter E. Hayden
Barbara Kalber Frampton
Gus Hoffmeyer, Jr.
Joan Snoddy Hoffmeyer
John Huggins
Mrs. Nancy Nickles
Harriet King Van Norte
Greg & Barbara Connor
Myra Cato Coffey Nell Cutts Daniels Marte Parham
Sandra Porter White
Lamar & Lucy Caldwell Barbara Ballentine Stuckey
F. Chisolm Beckham Bradley C. Black David & Kaye Crook David C. Darling Albert & Joan Lemke Dan & Shelia Schmotzer
Floride Reynolds
Becky Reynolds
Andrew S. Efird
Kevin & Kristin Molony
James & Virginia Vaughan
Andrew S. Efird
Charles Jeff Maddox, Jr.
Almeda Maxwell Kelly
Dr. James Lemke Memorial
Emma Wates Lesto
Kenneth R. Lesto
Jewel Hilburn Lovelace
Robert Lovelace
Betty Sue Mangum Haithcock
Rollins & Nancy Culpepper
Betsy McCollough Yager
Betsy McCollough Yager
Murray F. McDonald, Sr.
Richard & Gail Culyer
Betty Wray Macdonald Jones
Walter & Beth Cottingham Billy P. Mitchell
Charles Jeff Maddox, Jr.
Greg & Barbara Connor Rodger & Helen Fuller
Azilea Sullivan Mangum Margaret McCall
Helen Lee McCollough
Elizabeth (Betty) Robertson Coughlin ‘61 in the loss of her husband Joseph Coughlin.
Joyce Gregg Fincannon ‘60 in the loss of her her sister, Joan Carole Gregg '63. Hoyland Lowery Fisher ‘55 in the loss of her husband, Earl F. Fisher, Jr.
Susan Rogers Frampton ‘66 in the loss of her her mother-in-law, Barbara Kalber Frampton '38. Clara Ingram Gandy ‘47 in the loss of her sister, Thelma Ingram Richardson '45. Elaine White Gilbert ‘70 in the loss of her mother, Pauline Bell White.
Ellen Tollison Hayden ‘68 in the loss of her husband, Walter E. Hayden.
Johnny Andre Jackson ‘06 in the loss of his father, Johnny James Jackson '79. Elsie Vause Matthews ‘51 in the loss of her son, Joseph David Matthews III.
Sara Harrington McCord ‘46 in the loss of her sister, Loree Harrington Gandy '40.
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Frances Humphries Price ‘40 in the loss of her husband, Robert H. Price.
Eppie Moody Richbourg ’50 in the loss of her husband, Henry L. Richbourg.
Ellen Harden Rogers ‘66 in the loss of her husband, Charles N. Rogers, Jr.
Lucile Parker Stranch '50 in the loss of her sister, Ann Parker Gallop '60. Susan Gallop Voss '94 in the loss of her mother, Ann Parker Gallop '60. Tina Weeks Weaver ’91 in the loss of her father, Henry R. Weeks
Dr. Bubba Nickles
Information received July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Howard "D" Brown ‘03 in the loss of his his aunt, Deborah Cannarella Newsome '02.
Dr. Kenneth L. Wilmot
Betty Newell
Harry Montgomery ‘02 in the loss of his wife, Janie Farrier Montgomery '03.
daughter, Emmaline Rose Pierce.
Keith Wallace
Rebecca Mitchell
Information received July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Samanth & Nick Pierce '09 in the loss of their
Eleanor Whittinghill Vaughan
Elizabeth Stevenson Meigs
IN MEMORIAM
Howard "Bo" Brown ‘87 in the loss of his sister-inlaw, Deborah Cannarella Newsome '02.
Karen LaTorre Stitely
Barbara McKenzie
Barbara Caddell McKenzie.
her husband, Ladson Fraser Owens.
Blaine Rogers
Timothea F. McDonald
Angela McKenzie ‘91 in the loss of her mother,
Norma "Bootsie" Hurst Owens ‘54 in the loss of
Allene Stuckey Reep
Wilmot Salters McCollough
SYMPATHY
Janice Montgomery Binnicker ‘61 in the loss of her sister-in-law, Pamela Binnicker '60.
Edna Earle Poyner
Barbara Kalber Frampton ‘38 Hilda Rowe Rutherford ‘38 Helen Montague James ‘39 Edna Johnson Kirkegard ‘39 Loree Harrington Gandy ‘40 Helen Walker Haltiwanger ‘40 Adeline Godfrey Merrill ‘41 Mary Sue Luek ‘42 Genelle Smith Abrams ‘44 Edna Johnson Bryan ‘45 Thelma Ingram Richardson ‘45 Nancy "Kitty" Windham ‘45 Joanne King Corbett ‘47 Jewel Hilburn Lovelace ‘47 Geraldine Edwards Giles ‘48 Beatrice Dudley McQueen ‘49 Betty Martin Guerry ‘52 Rebecca Burroughs Mitchell ‘54 Juanita Haselden Martin ‘55 Allene Stuckey Reep ‘55 Mary Ann Jones Slattery ‘55 Evelyn Fay Tolbert ‘55 Elizabeth Degenhardt Campanile ‘56 Suzanne DuRant Gonya ‘57 Dolores (Lores) Brown Baker ‘60 Pamela Binnicker ‘60 Joyce Gregg Fincannon ‘60 Ann Parker Gallop '60 Elizabeth Bakis Harakas ‘60 Peggy Smith Canady ‘61 Mary Lee Mathis Pattison ‘61 Jennie Turner Gustafson ‘63 Brenda Davis Bettger ‘64
Harriett Wilkes Council ‘70 Elizabeth Burton Gabriel ‘71 Ray M. Segars, Jr. ‘77 Juanita Coleman McFarland ‘78 Johnny James Jackson ‘79 Carson Lewis Wright ‘81 Andrew Ouzts ‘87 Peggy Hendley Bristow ‘88 Barbara Delores Caddell McKenzie ‘94 Richard Eric Van Vlake ‘94 Carey Shane McElveen ‘98 Leon Anthony Martin ‘00 Janie Farrier Montgomery ‘03 Sue Carol Parker ‘03 Michael R. Rush ‘03 Terrance Ford ‘04
W W W. C O K E R . E D U
SCHOLARSHIPS & ENDOWMENT
Dr. Lois Rauch Gibson Children’s Book Endowment Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Coughlin
Mr. James & Dr. Lois R. Gibson
The following gifts to Scholarships & Endowments were received from July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Ms. Ann Y. King
Mr. L. Robert Vaughan
Edna Earle Poyner Endowed Scholarship Eleanore Whittinghill Vaughan Scholarship
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Endowed Scholarship The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Alice & Virgil Smith Piano Scholarship Mrs. Martha Ann Anderson Blackwell Barbara D. Dixon ’59 & Osmond Dixon Endowed Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. O. W. Dixon, Jr.
Carrie Lee & Gustave Kalber Memorial Endowed Scholarship Ms. Linda M. Bosley Mr. Ross E. Bowker Heritage Community Bank Mrs. Mary Esther Denny Dr. & Mrs. William P. Kennedy Mr. Chuck Madison Mr. Rex A. Maynard Mr. & Mrs. Rod D. Moseley, Jr. Ms. Rebecca E. Reynolds Mrs. Ronnie S. Sparks Vail Valley Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth H. McClain Mrs. Jean McDaniel
Mr. & Mrs. Louis M. Amos
Ms. Edith F. Reynolds Mrs. Margaret Brown Young
David & Kaye Crook
HONORARIUMS
Mrs. Sara K. Wilds
Ruth Ludlam McClam 1946 Endowed Scholarship
General Scholarships BB&T Charitable Foundation
Marguerite Assey
Christina Lee Wallerstein
Dick Baird
James V. Cooke
Priscilla Perry Arnold
Randy and Linda Kressal
Ritta C. Hennecy
Al Birchler and Molly Holbrook Thomas
Priscilla Perry Arnold
Sarah Kolb Bivins
Emily Marovich Tupper
Greg and Barbara Connor
Angela E. Dent
Camden and Mary Cherbonnier
Bridget M. Harrison
Marguerite A. Assey
Donna Davis Freeman
Melanie McGrath
Michal Baird
Phyllis Brousard and David Villanoueva Elizabeth Bushardt Jessi Campos Class of 1961
Class of 1962 "Cokernuts" Trisha Collins
Beth DuBose Cottingham Wes Daniels
Harris and Louise DeLoach Dr. Malcom Doubles Fred Edinger
Liam Flaherty
Jan Bennette Frye
Katie Huggins Hennecy
Mrs. Sara K. Wilds
Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Greer
Sloan H. Brittain Endowed Music Scholarship
Duke Energy Foundation
Mrs. Sloan Hungerpiller Brittain
Drs. George & Gayle Sawyer
Kiwanis Club of Hartsville
Ms. Susan Melody Frank
Mr. Albert W. Lemke Charles & Betty Sullivan SC Commission on Higher Education
Buddy & Jane Norwood
Mr. Joseph A. Balotti Mrs. Tracy E. Burns Ms. Amanda M. Goyeneche Knights of Columbus
Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Greer
Mr. & Mrs. William W. Hall
Estate of Lee Howard Watson
Mrs. Sloan Hungerpiller Brittain
Mr. & Mrs. W. F. Palmer, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Lex West
SNATS-Music Department
Sparrow Scholars Program Sophia Goyeneche-Gray Memorial
Jean C. Williamson Endowed Scholarship John C. & Leland S. Hungerpillar Scholarship John M Williams, Jr. Study Abroad Scholarship Mr. Tim Boisvert
Dr. Ye Li
Mrs. Joyce Johnston Utt
Joyce Johnston Jordan Utt Endowed Scholarship Katherine & Charles Kirkland Dunlap Scholarship Kenneth Lewis Wilmot Endowed Scholarship Kim Chalmers Art Travel Fund Leona Davis Perry Endowed Scholarship Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship
Lettie Pate Whitehead Fdn., Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Puffer
Strahan Endowed Scholarship Susan Coker Watson Scholarship—Honors The Inabnit Family Endowed Scholarship Wells Fargo Summer Business Acadamy Wells Fargo Foundation William H. & Elizabeth E. Shelley Endowed Scholarship Dr. & Mrs. Willam R. Blakeney Zan West Endowed Scholarship
Malcolm C. & Jacqueline E. McLeod Doubles Endowed Scholarship Dr. Kevin T. Kenyon
Michale Manbello
Thomas and Marie Bender
Melanie McGrath
Jeanne M. Salino
Priscilla Perry Arnold
Marguerite A. Assey
Emily Marovich Tupper
Marguerite A. Assey
Robin A. Perdue
Marguerite A. Assey
Samantha Pierce
Priscilla Perry Arnold
Marguerite A. Assey
Kris and Nadya Collins
Peggy McCue Freymuth
Emily Marovich Tupper
James V. Cooke
Michael K. Daley
Marguerite A. Assey
Jennifer E. Fierke
Dr. David McCracken Information received July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Lee & Tiletha Lane
G.J. Wilds III Scholarship
Jean Ludlam 1951 Endowed Scholarship
Class of 1964 Endowed Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. Douglas A. James D. L. Scurry Foundation Scholarship Dr. James Lemke Memorial Fund
Mr. & Mrs. C. J. Coughlin
Rev. James Thomas & Eloise Browne Endowed Scholarship Ruth Lawton Wilds Endowed Music Scholarship
Jane Parler Norwood Scholarship
Class of 1963 Endowed Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. Joseph B. Hord, Jr.
Nickey Brumbaugh Endowed Art Scholarship
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Bush, Jr.
James W. Lemke Chair Mr. Bradley C. Black
Class of 1956 Endowed Scholarship
Ms. Nancy L. Carter Mr. & Mrs. Edward K. Harrington Mrs. Nan E. Howard
George Sawyer Kalmia Endowment
Christine & Brent Weaver Endowed Scholarship Brent & Tina Weaver CIC's Engaging Evidence Class of 1953 Endowed Scholarship
ADVANCE
Erby & Katie Sue Duffie Jackson Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. Harold V. Abbott Frank Bush Endowed Scholarship
Mary Elizabeth Dubose Cottingham Scholarship Miriam Hooks Benefield 1952 Library Scholarship Nancy Barrineau Endowed Scholarship
Dan McGill
Sarah Mims
Susan Bartenskin Necci Erin Earle Owen
Linda Lovette Parker
Jonathan and Jacob Perdue Ann Rice Phillips
LIBRARY The following gifts of books and/or media were given to the Charles W. and Joan S. Coker Library Information Technology Center July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
Mrs. Dorothy G. Alford Mr. Charles Ellison Mr. Richard Puffer Mr. Donald Quist Mr. John S. Rainey Mr. Barry Reese Representative Tom Rice Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Rubinstein Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Traweek
Nick Pierce
Linda Rhyne
Sarah Jo Wood Safrit
Willie Calcutt Saleeby Gail Arnette Sinclair and James Sinclair Courtney Smith
Cile Stokes and Terri Glover Dr. Stephen B. Terry Christina Glover Wallerstein Mac Williams
Dr. Kevin Keynon
W W W. C O K E R . E D U
T HE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COL L EG E, H A RT S V IL L E, S .C .
C O M M E N TA RY
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ADVANCE
KALMIA GARDENS DONATIONS
ADVANCE
Information received July 1 - Dec 31 2014.
Dr. Ronna Askins Greg & Lyne Askins Jack and Francine Bachman Dave Bailey Dick & Michal Baird Ruth Baronda Merle Davis Baxley Dr. & Mrs. James Bell Dr. Caroline C. Benser Dr. & Mrs. Press Beattie Dr. & Mrs. David Blackmon Ritchie & Heidi Bond Sloan Brittain Michele Burns Frank and Frankie Bush Byerly Foundation Stanley Byrd Bill & Helen Chaplain Dr. & Mrs. Richard Conner Charlie & Joan Coker Charles & Joan Coker Foundation Howard & Rhonda Coker Sylvia Coker Fitz Coker Bob & Betty Corning Hal & Missy Cummings Marie Daniels John & Judy Davis Mary Esther Denny Ann Dixon Bubba & Barbara Dixon Eddie & Linda Drayton Graham & Frances Drayton Kirk & Jane Dunlap Duke Energy Ann Gay Duvall Andy & Vicki Eaddy Dr. and Mrs. Fred Edinger Randall Ewing Wade & Mary Lutie Fletcher Jim & Jean Fort General George W. Gering Carole Godwin Bobby & Jeanne Goodson Jean Grosser Drew & Bonnie Hamilton Terry & Caroline Harrington Walt & Susan Harvey Catherine Hendricks Jim & Cathy Hines Joan Snoddy Hoffmeyer Candy Holcombe David Holt Flossie Hopkins Lura Holler Charlie & Frances Hupfer Jay James Drs. Keith & Jordi Jones Mary Coker Joslin Dr. & Mrs. William Kennedy Robert & Diane Kerzner James & Nettie Kilpatrick
Edgar & Nan Lawton Ed & Tru Lawton Curtis & Barbara Lee Dr. John & Ione Lee Kenneth & Lenora LeFew Kevin & Tina Mahoney Reverend & Mrs. Michael Malone Art & Darlene Maxwell Gordon & Bernice McBride Kathy McCall Roy McCall Kaye McElveen Jim & Claire McGee Richard James McKinnon Larry Merriman Kathy Moore John & Suzy Moyd Vern & Nancy Myers John & Pam Newsome Ruth Rogers Nielsen Lou & Vicki Norment Bart & Janet Norwood Gene & Heather Norwood Walt Peterson Insurance Agency Dwight & Cathy Parker Thomas & Margaret Peck Chandler & Martha Moye Peel Terry & Sharman Poplava Frank Prehoda Ellen Rogers Jenny Rogers Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Rubinstein Dr. & Mrs. Steve Rumpf Richard & Carol Ruthven Leonard & Sarah Jo Safrit Drs. George & Gayle Sawyer Roger & Connie Schrum Goz & Pat Segars Donald & Phyllis Sheeley Patricia Shelley Michael & Anna Siegfried Joe & Kathy Smith Bob & Janet Snow Sonoco Foundation Bill & Olive Timberlake Sarah Timmons Margaret Thomson Howard & Judy Trout Bob & Peggy Trowell F. Allen & Louise K. Turner Foundation Tim & Liz Uhl John & Judy Walker John & Martha Ward Lex & Sherry West Zan & Pat West Sara K. Wilds Bob & Hannelore Wilson Elaine Whittle Bud & Joanne Zobel
MEMORIALS Information received July 1 - Dec 31, 2014.
Richard Bailey
Adrienne Rogers
Shirlyn & Cliff Bellum
Raymond & Reba Chapman Bob & Betty Corning Ann Dixon Julia Harrington Dr. Ernest L. Helms lll Candy Holcombe Dee Hope Gordon and Bernice McBride Larry & Cindy McCord Scott & Pinky McInville Bill & Rebecca Moody Chandler & Martha Moye Peel Jim & Terry Petty Mary Ridgeway Catherine Rodgers Hal and Michele Rodgers Drs. George & Gayle Sawyer Bill & Olive Timberlake Patricia Wallace
Wilma Burry
Andrea Hamilton Duncan Jim & Mary Lathan Steele Loree Harrington Gandy William R. Barrett
Mary Elmore Jordan Dr. Belva Howle High Dr. Jim Lemke Janet Norwood Deborah Thompson Lewis Jim & Holly Prescott Mardi Susan Lindler
Drs. George and Gayle Sawyer
George Rogers David & Kaye Crook
John & Trish Nielsen Adrienne H. Rogers Betty Wiggins Lynch & Melanie Christian
Reva Williams
Jerry & Roz Blackwell
HONORARIUMS Information received July 1 - Dec 31, 2014.
Sloan Brittain
Patricia Wilmot
Anna Hungerpiller
Adrienne H. Rogers
Kyle Segars Mary Segars
Kyle Segars Mary Segars
Jim & Holly Prescott
Barbara Kelley Griffeth
Dr. Lois Rauch Gibson
Dr. & Mrs. Walter C. Cottingham Dr. Lois Rouch Gibson
Pine & Lake Garden Club
Dr. Berry Litsey Josh Loflin
Dr. Josiah Simpson Matthews Nita Howard Adrienne & Hank Rogers Mary R. Ridgeway
Margaret McCall David Allen
Stanley Byrd Mary R. Ridgeway
Deb Cannarella Newsome Joan Snoddy Hoffmeyer Dr. M. B. Nickels
Lewis Reep David Allen
Kyle Segars Mary Segars
Marion & Greta Hawkins
Rena Fish Earl and Hoyland L. Fisher Dorothea C. Foster Mrs. Betty J. Gandy Erma Deen Hoyle Karen Hoskins Christopher and Joan Kirkland Ginny Tomlinson MacKinnon Magnolia Garden Club Roy and Margaret McCall Mrs. Cynthia Moody Patty Pepper Allison L. Sabol Drs. George and Gayle Sawyer Pat Smith Jim & Barbara Ballentine Stuckey Sara K. Wilds
Harry & Rita Moran
Nancy Nickels Bob & Betty Corning
Mary Mar Coxe Ann Dixon Joan S. Hoffmeyer Frank & Barbara King Harry and Rita Moran Mary Ridgeway Drs. George & Gayle Sawyer
Howard and Rhonda Coker Dr. and Mrs. Walter C. Cottingham
Bess Gore
Alan Ginn Lewis Bobbie K. Kelley Bobb Riggs
Drs. Geroge and Gayle Sawyer Bill Segars
Mrs. Allene Stuckey Reep David Allen
Thank you for all of your support on behalf of the faculty, staff and students.
29 | W I N T E R
2015
W W W. C O K E R . E D U
RECOGNITIONS • Aw a rd s & Reco g n it i o n s 20 14
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Allan McLeland
Tim Halverson '97
Sharon Ting
Chris Ford is an agency owner with State Farm Insurance. Ford’s threeyear term began in October 2014, and serves on the Enrollment and Student Life Committee and the Athletics Committee. Ford is also an alderman and vice mayor of the city of Millington, Tenn. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Millington Family YMCA and as a liaison to the Millington Industrial Development Board. Ford is a past-chairman of the Board of Directors of the Millington Chamber of Commerce. He has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife, Amy, have two children and reside in Millington.
Allan McLeland is the chief human resources officer for Sonoco Products Company. McLeland’s three-year term began in October 2014, and he serves on the Enrollment and Student Life Committee and the Promotion and Marketing Committee. Prior to his current position, McLeland held human resource leadership roles with Sonoco in the areas of organizational development, talent acquisition, compensation, and employee and labor relations. McLeland served in the Army National Guard and has served on numerous boards, including the YMCA of the Upper Pee Dee, FlorenceDarlington Technical College and Thomas Hart Academy. McLeland holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master of business administration degree from the University of South Carolina. He and his wife, Lauri, have two children and reside in Hartsville.
Tim Halverson is the regional director at Russell Investments, a Seattle-based global asset manager. Halverson’s three-year term began in October 2014, and he serves on the Finance and Facilities Committee and the Athletics Committee. Halverson has worked in the securities industry for 17 years. He is a certified investment management analyst (CIMA) and a certified private wealth advisor (CPWA). Halverson graduated from Coker in 1997 with a degree in business administration. In 2013, he received Coker College’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Halverson and his wife, Julie, have two children and reside in Oak Creek, Wis.
Sharon Ting, an expert in leadership development, is president at Ting & Associates. Ting’s three-year term began in October 2014, and she serves on the Faculty and Educational Policy Committee and the Promotion and Marketing Committee. Prior to her current position, Ting was a Partner at Axialent, an international leadership and organizational development consulting firm and the coaching practice leader at the Center for Creative Leadership where she led the worldwide Awareness Program for Executive Excellence. Ting earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a master of business administration from Wake Forest University. She and her husband, Andre, have two children and reside in Greensboro, NC and Boston, Mass.
Joanne Moody Zobel '49 Endowed Scholarship
Sloan Hungerpillar Brittain Endowed Music Scholarship
Sloan Hungerpillar Brittain '43 with Shiloh Sears '14, the recipient of the Sloan Hungerpillar Brittain Endwowed Music Scholarship.
Alums Show Cobra Pride
Big thanks to the loyal Cobra fans who traveled to Columbia, SC in December to cheer on the men's basketball team in their game against the USC Gamecocks. The team greatly appreciated the alumni support. Go Cobras!
Bud & Joanne Zobel '49, from Isle of Palms, SC with scholarship recipient Trey Brown '17 at the Lifetime Giving Society Event in October W W W. C O K E R . E D U
T HE OFFICIA L M AG A ZINE OF COKER COL L EG E, H A RT S V IL L E, S .C .
C O M M E N TA RY
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ADVANCE
Chris Ford
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAID OFFICE OF M A R K ET I NG & COM MU NIC AT IONS 300 East College Avenue
843.383.8000
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COLUMBIA, SC PERMIT 1204
Hartsville, South Carolina 29550
1.800.950.1908
facebook.com/cokercollege
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coker.edu
youtube.com/cokercollege
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
The difference between a student and a leader. THE ANNUAL FUND.
“ As a teacher, you’re building the foundation of our nation. You’re preparing children to go out into the real world and become leaders.
”
JEFFREY TADLOCK '14 Education major GIVE ONLINE AT C O K E R . E D U/ G I F T S
I T ’S S A F E . I T ’S SI M PL E .
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT GIVING TO THE ANNUAL FUND, PLEASE CONTACT: Johnna Shirley at jshirley@coker.edu or 843. 383. 8016