Points of Pride Stories from inside Greensboro College
spring 2013
Recent Grad
Round-Up
Life after Greensboro College is full of opportunity for our graduates. Find out what a few of them are up to post-GC.
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What’s Inside: Technology Upgrades, Theatre Students Learn from Disney Pros, Introducing Human Factors & the Usability Lab
See more photos from Lessons and Carols and the Aquabelles Reunion on page 16
Points of Pride Spring 2013
Class Notes: alumni@greensboro.edu
Managing Editor: Dana Ziolkowski
Alumni Relations: kristen.brown@greensboro.edu
Greensboro College 815 West Market Street Greensboro, NC 27401 www.greensboro.edu 336-272-7102
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Points of Pride
Dear Alumni and Friends: As Greensboro College nears the launch of a year-long celebration of our upcoming 175th anniversary, it is important to reflect upon why GC has the track record of being the longest standing institution in the city committed to continuous service to its original mission.
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2 Institutional Advancement Update 4 Fine Arts Welcomes Additional Academic Concentrations 6 New and Improved
8 Human Factors 10 Where Dreams Really Do Come True
What we do, how we do it and why we do it … works. And it has been proven generation after generation. As Board Chair Walter Newton has remarked, we remain today part of the “long green line” of people committed to the mission of a very specific type of higher education at a private, residential, church-related liberal-arts college. Certainly, Greensboro College continues to evolve and be transformed. A member of the Class of 1863 or 1913 or 1973 or 2013 would relate very different experiences in popular culture and social norms. But those GC graduates would share much in terms of the broad, rigorous liberalarts foundation they received from their faculty and college staff, and they likely would agree that their experience here informs a meaningful life well lived: a life of commitment, competence, curiosity, citizenship, service and faith. Our alumni today continue to move on to excellent graduate schools, work in their field of study, raise loving families, and serve others. That’s why we continue to do what we do, and do it well. During this celebration of a major watershed year, our 175th anniversary, I extend to you all a sincere invitation to come to campus anytime for a visit–for one of our special events, which you will hear more about soon, or just a visit to campus. You will see for yourself why we have continued to make the sacrifice and commitment to our core mission– for 175 years and counting.
With Pride,
Lawrence D. Czarda, Ph.D. President
12 Recent Grad Round-up 14 The Pride Athletics Update 16 Photos from Lessons and Carols and the Aquabelles Reunion
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Greensboro College
Institutional Advancement
an update from
As spring approaches, we’re experiencing a sense of renewed dedication to Greensboro College from alumni and friends. We have much to celebrate already this year.
Greensboro College Society Charter Members Honored Greensboro College held the induction ceremony for Charter Members of the Greensboro College Society on Oct. 13, 2012, during Homecoming Weekend. In a moving ceremony during which Society members expressed their support for the college, 40 individuals were presented with their Charter Member pins and welcomed to this special group.
Sparrer, a religion and philosophy major, spent most of her career in Christian education. In 2010, at her class’s 50th-anniversary reunion, she pledged a sizable estate gift to the college.
The Greensboro College Society recognizes and celebrates the college’s most supportive alumni and friends. The group partners with the college to elevate the gift of education to new heights. With a gift of $1,000 or more during the fiscal year, supporters are taking the lead in providing vital resources to ensure each Greensboro College student can achieve his or her full potential. To date, more than 100 individuals and businesses have become charter or lifetime members of the Greensboro College Society.
Sparrer died Jan. 14, 2012. Her gift to Greensboro College is a testament to her kind, generous nature, and will help in many ways to better serve our students.
To support Greensboro College and become a charter member, contact Joan Glynn at 336-272-7102, ext. 458, or email joan. glynn@greensboro.edu. Major gifts Greensboro College has received two gifts totaling more than $1.5 million, college president Lawrence D. Czarda, Ph.D., announced during the college’s annual Founders Day convocation on Jan. 17, 2013. The college has received from the late Louise Sparrer, a 1960 graduate, through her long-time friend Sally Wheat, coastal property in York County, Va., that has been appraised at more than $1 million. The gift is unrestricted, and the college has the land for sale.
Recalling her first visit to the campus as a prospective student, Sparrer said in 2010, “I hadn’t (visited) here three hours before I knew I wanted to be here if they’d accept me. Nobody ever walked the halls in this building who loved it more.”
The college also has received a gift of more than $500,000 from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, Czarda said. That gift is designated for repairs and improvements to various facilities used for student activities. Other recent contributions include gifts from members of the Class of 1963 in honor of their upcoming 50th reunion. Ping Beall ’63 has donated land valued at more than $48,000. In making the gift, Dr. Beall said, “Looking back, I can say that without a scholarship from Greensboro College, I would not be where I am today. GC gave me my first home and head start in this land of opportunities. I am happy that I am able to return the favor as a token of appreciation 50 years later. Also, I am forever grateful for the help and kindness I received from President Harold Hutson, the faculty, the staff, my fellow students and their parents who welcomed me to their homes as ‘a member of the family’ over holidays and semester breaks.” Another member of the Class of 1963, Ken Anderson, has provided support for the President’s Breakfast Series, which is a new program implemented this academic year. Small groups of alumni and friends are invited to join Dr. Czarda for breakfast and discussion regarding areas in which the college needs special support. Topics include the need for scholarships, facilities improvements, resurfacing Pride Field, and providing internship opportunities for Greensboro College students.
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Points of Pride
Alumni Weekend is Friday-Sunday, April 12-14.
Please join us! Turf Field Campaign Kicks Off The Greensboro College kicked off a campaign in October to install artificial turf on Pride Field. Pride Field, behind Main Building on campus, serves as the home for the college’s four soccer and lacrosse teams. Synthetic turf will provide a stable game-day environment and increase the amount of time other teams can use the field for practice. The surface also will provide a safer practice/play environment for student-athletes. In addition to hosting athletics practices and events, the turf field can be used for band practice, intramurals and other recreational and educational activities regardless of the weather. The college believes that having more practices, intramurals and informal recreation on the field will increase campus vibrancy seen by families, prospective students, alumni and guests. To learn more about the Turf Field project or to donate, please contact Michelle Davis at 336-272-7102, ext. 332, or email michelle.davis@greensboro.edu. Alumni Weekend Alumni Weekend is Friday-Sunday, April 12-14. Please join us! Greensboro College will kick off its year-long celebration of the 175th anniversary of its founding during Alumni Weekend 2013. Join us on Saturday, April 13, for a day of recognition and commemoration. Classes with special anniversaries this year include the Class of 1963, celebrating its 50th reunion, and the Classes of 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, and 1988. On January 26, Greensboro College celebrated the unveiling of the Mayo C. Harlow ’66 Memorial Court in Hanes Gymnasium. The project was made possible by a generous gift from Catherine (“Kitty”) Harlow in memory of her late husband. Extensive renovations have dramatically improved the gymnasium, which hosts men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball.
Friday evening will include dinners for the Classes of 1953 and 1963. Saturday includes the alumni awards luncheon, Athletic Hall of Fame luncheon and a variety of athletic activities. Sunday features the academic awards convocation and an alumni concert featuring the Chorale and Chamber Singers. A complete schedule is online at http://greensboro.edu/alumni/ alumni-weekend.cfm.
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Fine Arts Welcomes Additional Academic Concentrations Music and Theatre Departments Add Exciting, New Concentrations for Students
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Music adds Digital Music Production and Contemporary Improvisation concentrations
Theatre introduces arts management and musical theatre concentrations
Greensboro College’s new Digital Music Production concentration trains music majors in digital recording and musicians. It lets them learn their way around the business world, including marketing, strategy, and accounting. Most importantly, students learn to think and create as contemporary musicians in a variety of genres and styles. From old-school soul to hip-hop, from Baroque to country, students learn to recognize and duplicate the essentials of musical styles within the digital environment.
To address increased demand by new students, Greensboro College’s Theatre Department has introduced two new concentrations, arts management and musical theatre, after consultation with theatre professionals in North Carolina. Both concentrations delivered the Greensboro College way are things the college believes to be attractive to high-school students interested in those fields, says David Schram, Jefferson Pilot Professor of Theatre and department chair.
“The music business is changing so quickly,” says Neill Clegg, professor of music. “Through the digital music production concentration, our students learn the importance of continuing to acquire skills and to keep adapting to the changing face of the music business. If they’re interested in a career in the music business, this is a great program for them.” Clegg leads both the digital music production and contemporary improvisation programs with instructor Jim O’Gara ’97. “It’s important that our students are well-rounded musicians — not just great musicians, but great people,” O’Gara says. “Through this program, our students receive not only music training, but also a well-rounded education in history, business, and other key areas you need for a career in music.” The music department also has introduced another new concentration: contemporary improvisation. The students in these programs will often work hand-in-hand to learn and produce together. Contemporary musicians have the world’s music available to them at the touch of a computer screen. The result is an almost infinite variety of exciting new music that combines different styles and genres. At the center of this is improvisation — musicians creating new music on the spot, sharing ideas and traditions to create their own music and taking it to the musical marketplace. “You’ll be in one of the most creative parts of the world: North Carolina,” Clegg says. “From Greensboro to Asheville, WinstonSalem to Durham, Wilmington to Charlotte, North Carolina is a hub of creativity and tremendous opportunity in the music industry.” Greensboro College students also gain from the years of experience of their professors and the connections they hold in the music industry. Students receive real-world experience before graduation and could work on special projects with their professors, including scoring a film for Greensboro’s 48hour Film Festival, which the college’s music students did in 2011.
Musical theatre presently is one of the most popular forms of theatre in the United States. There are many opportunities to perform professionally in musicals, not only with theatre companies but also at theme parks and aboard cruise ships. But what makes the Greensboro College program unique? “Opportunities, opportunities, opportunities!” says Schram. “As with all of the emphases offered in the theatre program at Greensboro College, students get lots of chances to apply the skills learned in the classroom to the stage — both here on campus and off campus. Plus, we have professional actors, choreographers, and singers who teach the specific courses in musical theatre, so a student gets training from working professionals and many opportunities to perform.” The college’s new arts management concentration gives students the skills they need to work in any field related to the arts as well as in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Students will work on productions, organize the North Carolina Theatre Conference’s annual convention, and have internship opportunities with local arts organizations. “It’s what makes our ability to deliver this program unique,” says Schram. “We have fostered strong relationships with several large arts organizations in Greensboro. Students will intern at Triad Stage, the area’s only Equity professional theatre, at the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the North Carolina Theatre Conference — both of which have offices here in Greensboro.” Practical experience through internships and excellent coursework taught by arts professionals put these programs ahead of the rest and make our students that much more prepared to succeed after graduation.
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Greensboro College
before
New and
Greensboro College focuses on technology upgrades across campus Greensboro College has been on a building spree … just not the kind that features cranes towering against the downtown skyline. For more than a year, the college, using a generous gift from longtime trustee Royce O. Reynolds and his wife, Jane, as well as other funding sources, has been upgrading many of its electronic resources. This building spree is improving many aspects of student, faculty and staff life. Parts will impress visitors as well. The Reynoldses’ gift totaled $500,000, and as you would expect, it has funded some of the most spectacular changes. The lecture hall in Cowan Building has been completely
renovated into an auditorium with technology for screenings and, eventually, videoconferencing. The room now sports a virtual whiteboard/data projector, HD media/data projector, 3-D document projector, and improved wired and wireless network access. Facility upgrades include acoustic, lighting, flooring, wall covering and seating. “This facility is going to be a showplace now on campus tours for prospective students,” said Colleen Murphy, vice president for enrollment management and marketing. Across College Place, Finch Chapel also got electronic upgrades, with an electric screen,
new lighting, a projection system, and a new sound system with wireless microphones, amplifiers and recording equipment. Less visible but just as crucial are the improvements the gift made possible to secure the college’s electronic information: new servers, with off-site backup and communications equipment to ensure that even if one system is knocked off-line, the other will still work and no information will be lost. And dozens of staff members got new computers. Apart from the projects funded by the Reynolds gift, the college is redesigning its website to improve the appearance and
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after
Improved organization of the parts you see and the function of the parts you don’t. An old, balky proprietary system for managing the site’s content will give way to a brand-new, opensource program. Hanes Gymnasium got a new sound system as part of a major renovation and the unveiling of the Mayo C. Harlow Court on Jan. 26. That project, including other renovations and additions to the gym, was made possible by a gift from Catherine Harlow in honor of her late husband, Mayo C. Harlow ’66. Also in the past year, GCTV has become a fixture on campus. The closed-circuit
television system, broadcasting on highdefinition screens around campus in such locations as the Admissions Welcome Center, Lea Center and Fowler Dining Hall, helps provide extra visibility on campus to students, faculty, staff and visitors for stories, events, and upcoming deadlines. And in an emergency, instructions can automatically override other programming to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. The college also has contracted with a service to help spread news about the successes of its students not only to Greensboro-area news media, but to news media in the hometowns of students and to the students themselves via social media. They and their families
can then share those links via social media, helping to spread the word even further about the Pride’s accomplishments. In addition, Greensboro College has received permission to establish its first online degreecompletion programs, for bachelor’s degrees in business administration and in criminaljustice administration, and will be working with a vendor, Learning House, to do so beginning later this year. These asynchronous courses enable working adults, even those with rotating shifts or odd schedules, to complete requirements for a bachelor’s degree, and the college’s robust electronic infrastructure is helping to make that opportunity possible.
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The Human Factor
New human factors psychology concentration offers more career paths for students Ever wondered why your 10-digit phone number is split with hyphens into three parts? The short answer is that the human brain can’t reliably remember 10 things at once. That’s a minor, everyday example of “human factors,” how people interact with structures, tools, and anything else in their environment. This field includes engineering, industrial design, graphic design, statistics, operations research and anthropometry. It seeks to match systems and services with the properties and limitations of human performance. Now, Greensboro College’s Department of Psychology has a concentration in human factors psychology, one of only a handful of such undergraduate programs nationwide. The director is Professor Lisa Gunther-LaVergne, chair of the Department of Psychology. Her mother, Dr. Virginia Lang of HirLan Inc., and brother, Richard Gunther, co-owner of Ovo Studios and an interaction designer for Oracle, have
Usability Lab
helped design the program. Their companies have contributed money, in-kind gifts and consulting to establish the program and renovate unused space in Proctor Hall into a user-experience lab. Private companies will rent the lab when the college isn’t using it. "We found that small, liberal-arts colleges such as Greensboro College matched our (partnership) needs well,” Gunther says. “The local demographic of the students, the focus on a well-rounded educational experience, and the desire of the administration to reinvent Greensboro College for the 21st century all contributed to the idea that GC was the place for us." Lang worked with Gunther-LaVergne’s research methods students last spring on a human-factors project. Students said they enjoyed putting into practice concepts they had learned in class and valued the opportunity to work with an industry professional.
www.greensboro.edu
“I enjoyed being back in the classroom, helping students make connections between research and practice," Lang says. And Gunther-LaVergne believes the program will benefit both students and the college’s corporate partners. Rising juniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better who have taken certain psychology and computer-science courses may apply for the program, which includes not only classes but also a practicum and internship so that students can apply lessons in the real world. For Gunther-LaVergne, it shows how a liberal-arts education remains relevant. "This program provides students with a solid foundation in psychology while they also (study) art, computer science, math, business, and communications,” she says. “Students will then apply what they have learned to real-world, human-factors problems. (They’ll have to) think critically, communicate effectively and be able to adapt well to various situations. This, to me, is a liberal education at its best." And job prospects are bright, her brother says. “A recent US News and World Report survey identified User Experience as one of the ‘hot jobs’ for the next 10 years,” Gunther says. “The abundance of engineering, retail, and finance in the Piedmont Triad, as well as Greensboro's proximity to Research Triangle
Points of Pride
Greensboro College’s Department of Psychology concentration in human factors psychology is one of only a handful of such undergraduate programs nationwide.
That’s particularly true with computers. Human factors affects how easily we understand what’s on a web page, how efficiently we perform complicated computer tasks (and how often Human factors as a field of study originated we switch from a primary task, such as writing after World War II, when aviation engineers a document, to a secondary task, such as found that easily readable dashboard checking email, and when we can switch most instruments helped pilots pay attention to efficiently), and even how easily and strongly what was going on around them in the sky – perhaps the difference between life and death. we come to think of our computers as another “person.” If you’ve ever wondered whether effective multitasking is really possible, humanSince then, industries have developed factors research has concluded that most of us around how we see things, what and how are really bad at it. we remember, and what those things mean for designing everything from buildings So if you let your cell phone remember to computer programs that will work everyone’s phone number for you, there harmoniously with the human brain. are good scientific reasons why – and Greensboro College students will be learning The government requires new medical about them. devices to undergo human-factors testing before being sold, and experts in the field are testing the next generation of spacesuits. But designers with backgrounds in human factors also helped develop the iPad, XBox Kinect, Oxo GoodGrips kitchen utensils, and the Amazon Kindle Fire. The same research that once informed the design of cockpits now affects almost all technology we use. Park and the banks in Charlotte, all yield some very good entry-level job prospects.”
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Where
Greensboro College
Dreams
Really Do Come True “Workshops and master classes are usually reserved for professionals and graduate students from programs in the Southeast, so this is a real unique opportunity that we offer,” Saari says. “This is a great advantage of being a small, private institution. The students get this kind of hands-on treatment, and we treat students in their first year with the respect and care that many graduate programs offer their students. Our first order of business is undergraduate students, and our undergraduate students get exceptional experiences.”
Theatre Students Make Connections with Disney Pros John Saari’s modesty and relaxed demeanor belie his accomplishments and expertise and the incredible opportunities and expert education he gives his students. This became evident once again when he arranged for his theatre students to spend three days in Orlando, Fla., recently, learning from the leaders of Disney Properties.
The students attended workshops and sessions related to their areas of study, including costuming, stage management, pyrotechnics, and more. They had the opportunity to meet and learn from these top industry leaders, many of whom offered future internship and job opportunities to the students. Theatre major Maria Mignone, who graduated in December, lined up an interview for immediately after the trip and landed a spring internship with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Costuming and Wardrobe Department. “[Disney] looks at students who participate in the USITT Southeast as having a leg up in terms of experience,” says Saari, “so they were actually giving preferential treatment to some of those students in regards to internship and hiring opportunities. A number of the students would get these very personal invitations to apply for jobs or internships with Disney.”
Saari is a professor of theatre and the director of the design/technical emphasis program at Greensboro College. For the past 20 years, he has cultivated valuable The students were blown away – not by what was relationships with several of Disney’s department leaders different, but by how connected their current — they work with his personal company, Sculptural Arts coursework is with what the pros do. Their training Coatings, Inc., for projects including “Beauty and the preparing them for success after graduation. Beast” on Broadway and “The Lion King.” Two years ago, Saari teamed up with Jack Feivou, the general manager “I expected them to have this whole other process of Epcot and Worlds of Entertainment at Walt Disney, to that they went through,” says Savannah Lewis, a create a master class series for the U.S. Institute for Theatre sophomore theatre major concentrating in design Technology (USITT) Southeast, of which he’s a master tech with an emphasis on lighting and sound. “It class mentor. was really cool to see that they were just like us — they do exactly what we do.”
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Points of Pride
Alumni Hig hlight:
Mark Exline, a junior theatre major concentrating in stage production with a focus on scene design and paint, grew up 45 minutes north of Orlando and has fond memories of visiting the parks. But this was a new experience for him. “It’s sort of like getting to meet the president and he sits down and explains to you how he runs the country,” says Exline. “It’s almost that level of an experience for us in particular because no one gets this information. The fact that Disney was able to open up their doors to us and tell us so much… it’s once in a lifetime, honestly.” Exline also participated in a portfolio talkback, in which professionals talked to students about what’s important in portfolios and on a resume. Beyond all of the knowledge and connections the students achieved, for Exline, the experience went even further. “I didn’t expect to be inspired,” says Exline. “But walking in and seeing people in a suit and tie who love what they do, and want to share it with you and want to invite you to do what they do with them — and they want to play and they want to hear your ideas — that’s absolutely amazing. It made me want to come back and do the biggest possible thing I could. It made me want to create things people would remember for their entire life.” The event was so successful for both the college and Disney that it will be offered every four years, so future Greensboro College theatre students can benefit from the experience, too.
David Farm er, Class of ’87 Once upon a ti me, Dav
id Farmer was College studen a Greensboro t. Today, he’s on e of the world ’s designers. From top sound the Lord of the R ings trilogy to Incredible Hul The k, A rmageddon to Cowboys an David has left hi d A liens, s mark on some of cinema’s bigg blockbusters. W est recent hile working in New Zea land, minutes to catc he took a few h up with us on how he got star he got to where ted and how he is today. How did you r passion for music and so out when yo und play u attended G reensboro C It took a back se ollege? at, really. For a while I wanted a rock band, bu to be in t frankly am no t really a perform never even purs er, so I ued it. At the ti me, I was only of the concept ba rely aware that people coul d make a living sounds for film mak ing s. I had seen a be hind-the-scene The Empire Stri s video for kes Back severa l years before atte Greensboro Col nding lege, but it was n’t on my radar seemed like a jo at all. It b only other pe ople could purs hadn’t tripped ue. The switch yet that that co uld be me. How did you r roots in a sm all town con who you are tribute to today? I hope my root s have kept me grounded, thou really for me to gh that’s not judge. A s we go through life, th kinds of phases ere are all , and I think co ming from a sm helped me keep al l town has things in perspe ctive and not ge up in the hype. t too caught Hype is fleeting anyway, so it’s base our lives ar best not to ound it. Do you have any words o f wisdom for Greensboro future College stud en ts? Follow your pa ssion and make your way. My da once that my ca d told me reer should be so mething I enjo that I would do ye d enough it whether I was being paid or no about an eye-op t. Talk ener… Your favorite Greensboro College mem Hands-down, th ory? e friends I mad e. My roommate well as Chris, D John, as ale, Mike, Todd , and a host of memories are et folk s whose ched into me fo rever. Best Greensb oro hangout? O’R iley’s
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RECENT GRAD
Greensboro College
Round-up
They’re motivated. They’re prepared. They’re on their way to success, equipped with a Greensboro College education. Find out what a few of our recent graduates are up to today. ANDY SCOTT “At the start of my junior year, I produced and directed a play about 9/11, to serve as a memorial to those affected by the terrorist attacks,” says Andy Scott. “It was performed in front of Main Building just before sunset. I think it was one of the first times I truly defined myself as an artist and a member of the theatre community.” Scott graduated from Greensboro College in 2012 with a major in theatre and minor in English. He has landed an artistic internship with Triad Stage, Greensboro’s renowned professional theatre company. He credits the Greensboro College theatre faculty with giving him the right tools. “The faculty … were leaders without being overbearing, mentors without being controlling,” says Scott. “That was one of the keys to success in the theatre department.” Scott is considering graduate school, preferably Columbia or Yale. But for now, he’s embracing the adventure. “It is my hope that I feel challenged and present challenges to those that want to see them,” he says. “I hope (my work) inspires good actions, a thoughtful view of humanity, and a hunger to see more and even create something.”
Brittany Carroll Just because Brittany Carroll received her English and Communication Studies degree here last May doesn’t mean she has finished learning — even at Greensboro College. Carroll, in graduate school at High Point University and working part-time, also is interning with GC’s PR staff. She wanted handson experience, from editing video to learning how to write news releases. And while she knows that strategic communication requires research, she prefers qualitative to polls: “I like to be around people.” For now, she has no idea where she wants to work. But wherever she lands, eventually she’ll have to deliver bad news. If she must, she wants to do it honestly and professionally. “I’ve … seen a lot of news coverage that wasn’t handled very well, and I … think, ‘If they’d had a better PR person, they’d probably not have the big mess they have now,’” she says. “I want to be able to work for a company or (organization) in which I can show (that group) in a good light. Sometimes, if a negative message is phrased honestly and in the right way, it can avoid a whole lot of other problems.”
Davit Avagyan It was the interesting courses at Greensboro College that initially caugh Davit Avagyan’s attention. And once he got here, he dove headfirst into his coursework as an honors student and as president of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), a student organization now called Enactus. With a brain for business from the start, it’s not surprising that Avagyan, along with teammate Albert Hovhannisyan, competed in and won the city-wide Biscuitville Product Development Challenge: Brand Your Biscuit. Their Buffalo Chicken Biscuit was judged superior to more than 20 other entries from seven colleges and universities in the Greensborobased restaurant chain’s home market. “During the four years of my studies at GC, I gained many life lessons, but those lessons are just too many to list,” says Avagyan. “I will simply say that yes, GC did help me prepare for the times coming after graduating college.” Avagyan graduated from Greensboro College in 2012 with a major in Business Administration and Economics with concentrations in finance and management. He will soon be working toward his MBA and MS in Global Supply Chain Management through the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University. He begins the program in Fall 2013.
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Points of Pride Rafael Pecanha It has been a unique journey for recent Greensboro College graduate Rafael Pecanha. From his hometown of Rio de Janiero, Brazil, through the wheat fields of Kansas, Pecanha first set foot on the Greensboro campus in the fall of 2010. Having spent two years at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan., Rafael was still learning English and adjusting to American culture.
Beth Ward Beth Ward is a force to be reckoned with, both on the field, and off. After finding Greensboro College on the web, she visited campus, loved the location and people, and decided to make it hers. Ward was accepted into the honors program, played soccer, and was president of the athletic training club and a resident advisor. In 2012, she received her B.S. in athletic training with a minor in humanities. “Without GC and its people, I could not have succeeded in college and known the proper steps to take to make it in the workforce,” says Ward. “Each experience — athletic, academic, or personal — shaped me into the person I am today.” With resume and job-search help from her professors, she landed not one, but two great jobs in her field: as a certified athletic trainer at Fulton Academy High School in Heath, Texas, and at Texas Health and Wellness. Soon, she’ll pursue a master’s degree in athletic training at St. Louis University. “My professors were always available to help me, and I loved playing a sport and being around athletes,” says Ward. “Every part of GC contributed to who I am today.” FAST FACT:
100%
For the past 5 years, of our athletic training grads who have applied to a graduate school have been accepted into their program. And those pursuing Athletic Training even received a full tuition waiver and stipend.
“The biggest challenge was learning the language,” Pecanha says. “I had previously taken classes but I was nowhere near being a fluent speaker.” His passion for soccer brought Pecanha to the United States and eventually connected him to Greensboro College. He fell in love with the smallcampus atmosphere in the heart of the city. Three years and a business-administration degree later, the thing that stands out most to Pecanha is the support system that Greensboro College offered him. “Greensboro College is unique because people are always there to help,” Rafael said. “There is great support, beginning at the top with Dr. Czarda, to help students prepare for the real world.” Following his graduation in December 2012, Rafael took a job with Cutco Cutlery as a sales associate. He also plans to seek an M.B.A.
Joshua Hudgins At Greensboro College, Joshua Hudgins was a student in the honors program, performed in the Funky Bunch Chapel Band, served as a resident advisor and class officer, and cofounded the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He also was a member of the 2011 NCAA Division III national champion golf team. After graduating from Greensboro College in 2012, Hudgins was hired to teach mathematics at Greensboro’s Grimsley High School after student-teaching there his senior year. “GC prepared me well,” says Hudgins. “Residence life, sports, traveling and getting to meet different people … made me a more well-rounded person.” Initially attracted to the college’s golf program, Hudgins applied and was awarded the Presidential Scholarship. He chose Greensboro College over two other N.C. colleges largely because of his tour. “It was a small campus that allowed me to get to know a majority of students and to have a more personal experience with professors,” he says. “I don’t think having gone to another school would have afforded me that opportunity.” Now Hudgins focuses on fostering the champions of tomorrow. “I am in a position to affect how (students) perceive their education,” says Hudgins. “I can contribute to helping (them) grow up and give. It motivates me every day to be a good example.”
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Greensboro College
since 2007, the direction of the program under second-year head coach John Trice looks promising. Seven players were named to the USA South All-Conference Team — the most since 2008. Two players also were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region Team. Off the field, the Greensboro College athletics department announced the launch of a Turf Field project and Hanes Gymnasium facelift. Athletics Director Dan Cetrone introduced the turf project to members of the community, Board of Trustees, alumni, and college staff on Oct. 30.
The 2012-13 Greensboro College athletics season has been highlighted by successes on and off the field. Leading the charge on the playing field were The Pride football and men’s soccer teams. "The turf field will move us to a state-of-the-art environment," The football team, guided by first-year head coach and USA South Cetrone said. "AstroTurf is a great company, and they are helping Coach of the Year Bill Young, turned in its second .500 season us secure a top-of-the-line product to help with the training, in the program’s history. Eleven players earned USA South Allcompetition and safety of our athletes." Conference recognition — the second highest number in school history behind the 2002 team. On Jan. 26, The Pride unveiled the updated Hanes Gymnasium. The project was made possible by Catherine (“Kitty”) Harlow, in memory On the soccer field, The Pride men capped a turnaround season of her late husband, Mayo C. Harlow ’66. The court was dedicated with an appearance in the USA South Championship game. While between the men’s and women’s games of a basketball doubleheader Greensboro came up short of its first conference tournament crown and is now known as Mayo C. Harlow ’66 Memorial Court.
Mayo C. Harlow ’66 Memorial Court
www.greensboro.edu
The 850-seat Hanes Gymnasium has been the home of the Greensboro College men’s basketball team since 1967 and now houses the women’s basketball and volleyball teams as well. The highlights include new paint, conference and championship banners, sound system, floor and wall decals and backboards, as well as concession-stand renovations. The Pride also made a splash in the community this year, earning recognition from the NCAA for its work with Special Olympics. Greensboro College was featured in the NCAA Division III Special Olympic Spotlight Poll, earning more than 66 percent of the final votes to win $500 toward its next Special Olympics activity. What started with a couple of soccer practices blossomed into other sports programs at Greensboro College working with Special Olympics. The finale last year was the First Annual Special Olympics Unity Cup. The Unity Cup recognizes promoting inclusion and competition between Special Olympics athletes and collegiate student-athletes.
Points of Pride
Greensboro College and Guilford College worked together in 2012 to put on a variety of skills competitions. The event culminated with the Unity Cup soccer match, in which members from the men's and women's soccer teams at both Greensboro College and Guilford played alongside Special Olympic soccer players. In a continuation of the Unity Cup match, members from both teams walked out with the starting line-ups for the opening match for the 2012 season between Greensboro College and Guilford College's men's soccer teams. In addition to being recognized at the opening introduction, these players had the opportunity to play during halftime of the match. The Pride athletics department seeks to build on its recent momentum. The department also asks for your help in making a positive change in our students' experience by supporting the Turf Field Project. To donate, please contact Michelle Davis at 336-2727102, ext. 332, or email her at michelle.davis@greensboro.edu.
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Points of Pride
Lessons and Carols 2012
Aquabelles Reunion 2012
Greensboro College
www.greensboro.edu
Upcoming Events March 1-April 2 (reception 6-8 p.m. March 1) Seniors Art Show No. 1 March 18 Professional BBA Open House For details, visit: greensborobba.com March 22-24 FATE A series of three student-directed, one-act performances For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 4 Lynne Haeseler, piano recital For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 5-May 1 (reception 5-7 p.m. April 5) Seniors Art Show No. 2 For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 6 Swing Dance Jazz Ensemble Concert For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 13 Greensboro College Open House Visit greensboro.edu/admissions April 13 Alumni Weekend 175th Anniversary Kick-Off Athletics Hall of Fame To RSVP for Alumni Weekend, contact Kristen Brown at 336-272-7102, ext 403 or kristen.brown@greensboro.edu April 14 Musicians’ Honors Convocation For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 14 Alumni Chorale Concert For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu
April 17-21 “June 27” a student adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s classic short story of horror, “The Lottery” For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 18 Wind Ensemble Concert For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 19 Relay for Life with Village 401 To get involved, contact Abby Neidert at 336-272-7102, ext. 644 or abby.neidert@greensboro.edu April 19-20 Opera Workshop Performances For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu April 23 Jazz Ensemble Concert For details, visit: finearts.greensboro.edu May 10 Baccalaureate May 11 Commencement
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Get Connected Submit a PrideNote: greensboro.edu/alumni/pridenotes.cfm Read recent PrideNotes: gcpridenotes.blogspot.com View your Greensboro College yearbook online: museum.greensborocollege.edu/yearbooks.html Explore Greensboro College’s rich history as a timeline: museum.greensboro.edu/Images/Misc/Celebration%20Timeline.pdf
with Greensboro College Find upcoming events: greensboro.edu/about/communications/events View the 2012-13 fine arts event schedule: finearts.greensboro.edu Social networks flickr.com/greensboro-college facebook.com/greensborocollege twitter.com/gcpride