Harding Academy Alumni Connections Kent Lashley, former Harding Academy teacher and coach, was recently named Vice President of Administrative Services of Rose State College in Midwest City, Okla. Kent and Amanda Brigman Lashley (‘95) have two children, Julia (7) and Sam (5). Todd Meredith (’89) Was awarded the Ph.D. in philosophy from Tulane University in May, 2013. The Class of 2013 made a gift to the General Scholarship Fund in memory of their former classmate, Ian Babb, who died in 2010. Cathy Donaldson retired this year from her position as Chairman of the Department of Letters and Languages at Harding Academy. She was honored at a reception hosted by former students, Rhonda Charnes Martin (’95), Cristy Perry Sneed (’95), Carrye Sowell Holland (’95), Kan Comkornreucha Gaston (’95), Heather Bittle McDonald (’95), and Althea Northcross (’02). Jared Hawley (’05) requested letters from Donaldson’s former students expressing appreciation for the excellence in teaching she demonstrated at Harding. Jared hand-bound those letters into a leather volume he presented to her at the event. Shay Crawford (’06) was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays after graduating from Lipscomb University. He has been working with the Port Charlotte Stone Crabs, a Rays farm team, as a left-handed pitcher. The Rays’ pitching instructor has changed Shay’s over-the-top style to a side-arm style. Getting to the majors will depend on mastering control of those two pitches according to SunCoast Sports, the local Port Charlotte sports media source. Paul Pinkley (’75) continued his education at Freed-Hardeman University, followed by a M.A. in Theater Arts from University of Memphis, and an Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. After years working with college students, Paul and his wife Debbie moved to Cambodia where he manages the Ship of Life, a medical mission serving the 30
villagers along the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap Lake. Paul shared some of his and Debbie’s Cambodian adventures with Harding’s upper school students during chapel this spring. Brandy Pullen Seale (’95) was married to William Hopkins Seale III on April 7, 2012, at Sugar Bay Resort in St. Thomas. The couple currently resides in Savannah, Ga. Whitney B. Gardner USARMY (’92) was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on February 8, 2013, at Ft. Knox, Ky. Whitney and his wife, Melissa, along with their children, Grason and Greta, will move to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where he will take battalion command on July 1. Whitney will speak at Harding’s annual Veterans Day chapel in November, 2013. Jay Papasan (’87) and Gary Keller released a new book in April, 2013, The ONE Thing: The Surprising Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. Jay did his undergraduate work at the University of Memphis. His love of writing led to a graduate writing program at New York University. Jay freelanced and later worked as an associate editor with Harper Collins. In 2003 he and Keller launched KellerINK, the publishing arm of Keller Williams Realty International. A series of books about real estate topics followed. His current release takes the reader beyond success in real estate to success in life. In mid-summer the book appeared on 92 national bestseller lists, including #1 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. Jay and his wife Wendy currently live in Austin, Texas, with their two children, Gus (9) and Veronica (7). Mike (’88) and Shay McKinney are the proud parents of Justin Kearney McKinney, born January 10, 2013. The family lives in Somerville, Tenn. Congratulations to Amber McRee Turner (’89) whose book, Sway, was published this QBTU ZFBS CZ %JTOFZt)ZQFSJBO #PPLT *U XBT chosen to be on Harding Academy’s summer reading list for 7th grade. A second book, also picked up by Disney, is to be released soon and Amber is working on a third. Amber is married to Bryan Turner (’92). The family lives in Germantown, Tenn.