PC Journal Fall 2010

Volume 3 No. 2

Fall 2010

CONTENTS Top Stories 1 2 3

Class of 2014 Arrives President Cleere Announces Retirement Dual Degree with Georgia Tech

College Life 4 6 5 7 8

18 19 20 21 22

Soccer/Lacrosse Field Resurfaced Spring Sports Recap Das is Player of the Year, Manderano to Coach Lacrosse Baseball Finishes at .500 Golf to Join GSAC

Graduate School

Dean Jane McFerrin Retires Freshmen Cookout Debate Team A1A Beach Music, Earth Day Disaster Drill

Academic News 9 9 10 11 12 13 14

Athletics

Dunnett is Top Graduate

23

Cohorts Expand North and South

Alumni & Friends 24 25

Alumni Honor Four at Luncheon Alumni Weekend Photos

Robertson Kindness Award Trillium Blossoms, ‘Trojan Women’

26 Class Notes, Sanders named to Hall of Fame 29 Obituaries

‘Miss Firecracker’ Graduation Photos U.S. News and World Report Q&A with President Cleere

Athens 16 17

Nursing Looks to Expand ‘Cultivating Curious Minds’

Piedmont College W. Ray Cleere President

Special Projects Coordinator Sandi Tatum

Editor David Price Director of Public Relations

Alumni Information Brandy Aycock Associate Director of Institutional Advancement

Graphic Artist Regina M. Fried Publications Coordinator

Justin Scali Associate Director of Institutional Advancement

Donor Relations Susan Mills Alumni and Donor Records Coordinator

Published Semi-Annually

Published by the Office of Institutional Advancement

Piedmont College Institutional Advancement P.O. Box 6 Demorest GA 30535

Postmaster Send Address Changes to:

Third class postage paid at Gainesville , Georgia

For more information about Piedmont College or for an admissions packet, call us at 1-800-277-7020 or (706) 776-0103. You may also visit us online: www.piedmont.edu.

Class of 2014 arrives

Aug. 8 was Moving Day for the Class of 2014, pictured above in Alumni Park, as they gathered on campus for the first day of freshman orientation.

(Above) freshman India Johnson, left, moves her gear into Getman-Babcock, while Casey Nutt packs away all the necessities of dorm life in Purcell Hall. (Below) Nicole Canup, Kendra Nations, and Amanda Posey try their luck with an orientation game designed to foster cooperation.

This year’s freshman class comes from across Georgia and the U.S., and some 475 students are living on the Demorest campus this year. Enrollment this fall reached 1,026 students in Demorest, 784 in Athens, and 866 enrolled in cohort classes for a total of 2,676 students.

TOP STORIES

The Class of 2014 arrived on campus en masse on Aug. 8 to begin their orientation program.

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TOP STORIES

Cleere announces 2011 retirement After 15 years at the helm of Piedmont College, President Ray Cleere will retire in June 2011, and the search is on for a new president who will have big shoes to fill.

During his time as president, Dr. Cleere has overseen the growth of Piedmont from a small, 850-student, four-year, liberal arts college to a comprehensive institution of 2,700 students on two campuses in Demorest and Athens. During his tenure, the college has constructed nine new buildings in Demorest, including five dormitories to dramatically increase the number of residential students. Almost every building on campus has also undergone a complete renovation, as have the athletic facilities and overall landscaping. The Athens Campus, which began in a former residence, has now grown to include a sprawling campus near downtown.

On the academic side, the college has expanded its curriculum in almost every area, including the addition of master’s, specialist, and doctoral programs in education, and three master of business administration (MBA) programs. The college also opened the Daniel School of Nursing, which offers bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degrees.

Piedmont currently offers 44 different undergraduate majors.

“I did not intend to stay quite so long, but it seems like there was always a new project right around the corner that I wanted to see through,” Cleere said. “The board of trustees saw to it that we stayed busy.” Cleere said that soon after he started, the board set a goal to increase enrollment to 2,000 students, a number the college reached in 2003. It also set as an overall goal to make Piedmont “one of the best small colleges in the Southeast.”

“I think in many areas we have reached that goal,” Cleere said. “Certainly our school of education is one of the best. We produce more teachers than any other private college in Georgia besides Mercer; and our teachers, including those with undergraduate or advanced degrees, are sought after around the state. It is always interesting to see how many of our alumni are counted among local school systems’ teachers of the year.”

“The same can be said for our school of arts and sciences,” Cleere said. “Our students excel in many areas, including graduate school. The school of business is producing successful MBAs in fields ranging from finance to health care, and for the past three years, our school of nursing graduates have had a 100-percent passing rate on their certification tests.”

Cleere said the additions of Stewart Hall for math and science and the Swanson Center for mass communications and theatre provide students with up-to-date facilities, including the latest computer technology. All of the college’s athletic facilities have been rebuilt, including the additions of the Johnny Mize Center, Loudermilk baseball stadium, the outdoor Walker Fields and the Burgen Tennis Courts.

“We have a lot of areas where we can still improve, but I would put our campus and facilities up against any of the small colleges in the Southeast, and really they compare well with many larger in-

President Ray Cleere speaks to graduates at Baccalaureate services in 2010.

stitutions, Cleere said. “To date, we have invested more than $90 million in buildings and infrastructure in Demorest.” The Athens Campus was another $12 million investment, he said.

Cleere said he is most proud that all of these improvements have been made while holding down the cost of tuition. The college has not raised tuition in three years and currently only one or two four-year private colleges in the state have lower tuition than Piedmont. “None of this would have been possible without our extremely loyal donors, many of whom serve on the board of trustees,” he said. “Not every college is lucky enough to have trustees who are that committed to the success of the college and its students.”

Before coming to Piedmont, Cleere served as commissioner of higher education in Mississippi, and he previously served as vice chancellor for academic affairs for the University System of Georgia.

He also served as vice president and dean of faculties at Valdosta State College. He began his career in education as a teacher and counselor in the Atlanta City Schools.

Piedmont has not been the only beneficiary of Cleere’s time while president. He is an active member and former president of the Habersham County Chamber of Commerce. He also was the driving force for the establishment of radio station WPPR, which provided northeast Georgia with Georgia Public Radio broadcasts for the first time beginning in 1995.

Retirement will probably not find him sitting at home, and until then, Cleere will be busy with the latest project on campus, a complete renovation of the downtown Demorest Art Gallery and the addition of a new fine arts classroom building adjacent to the Martens Center.

But rest assured, the next president can expect that there will probably be another project right around the corner when that one is done.

For an interview with President Cleere on the state of the college, see Page 14.

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Students seeking an engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology can now complete much of their undergraduate course work at Piedmont’s Demorest Campus.

The two colleges recently completed an agreement that allows engineering students to study for three years at Piedmont and then complete their engineering degree in two years at Georgia Tech, said Dr. Steven Nimmo, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. At the end of the program, students receive a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics from Piedmont and a bachelor of science degree in engineering from Students in the dual degree program will be able to enroll in advanced math and physics courses at Piedmont Georgia Tech. before tranfering to Georgia Tech.

Nimmo said the initial program will concenNimmo said the dual-degree program with trate on students studying mechanical engineering, Piedmont is convenient for students who live in although the agreement will also cover civil, electrinortheast Georgia, and it is also ideal for students cal, and industrial engineering. who want to take advantage of Piedmont’s smaller At Piedmont, students will take the regular genclasses, which usually include 20 to 25 students, to eral education classes required for a bachelor of sciget more one-on-one instruction from the profesence degree, including English, languages, science, sors. Laboratory work can also be customized to social sciences and math. Students would also take the type of engineering that students are interested advanced math and science courses, including addiin, Nimmo said. tional calculus, physics and pre-engineering courses.

“This program is effective now, and we are reAt Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical cruiting students to begin in 2011,” Nimmo said. “I Engineering, they would then study more specialthink this is an outstanding opportunity that offers ized engineering courses, such as thermodynamics, many of the top students in northeast Georgia a fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes, and endifferent path to earn an engineering degree from gineering economics.

Georgia Tech.”

Mechanical engineering is the largest underFor more information about the dualgraduate program at Georgia Tech, and graduates degree program, contact the Piedmont Adwork in a variety of industries, including transportamissions Office at 800-277-7020 or e-mail tion, telecommunications, electronics, bioengineersnimmo@piedmont.edu. ing, and manufacturing. The degree is also an entry into other fields outside of engineering including business, law and medicine.

TOP STORIES

PC and Georgia Tech team up for engineering dual degree

Conference to examine agrarian issues The fourth annual conference on Religion and the Liberal Arts will be held Feb. 18-19, at the Piedmont Athens Campus. The 2011 conference is titled “Saying Grace: Food, Justice and Sustainability.”

“Everyone who eats engages global issues of justice and sustainability, whether we are aware of them or not,” said Barbara Brown Taylor, who will deliver the keynote address on Norman Wirzba “Is the Bible Green?” The conference will feature a series of workshops designed to examine ways to make faithful decisions regarding food.

The guest speaker will be Norman Wirzba of Duke University, author of “The Paradise of God: Renewing Religion in an Ecological Age.” Wirzba has also written and edited books on agrarianism and its applications to economics, politics, education, medicine and art. The conference will also feature the music of Mississippi singer and songwriter Kate Campbell.

For more information or to register, visit www. piedmont.edu/rc or call Brandy Aycock at 706-7788500 extension 1170.

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Education Dean Jane McFerrin retires Since Dr. Jane McFerrin retired at the end of June as Dean of the School of Education, she finally has time to contemplate what life might have been like had she pursued her original career choice—as an airline pilot.

Growing up in Lakewood, Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie, McFerrin said she had two career paths in mind. “I was taking flying lessons with my father and had thoughts of becoming an airline pilot. I think there was only one [female pilot] in the country at the time. I know my parents would have supported me, even though in the 1960s women were not encouraged in that profession.”

McFerrin did fly solo in a Piper Cub, an experience she recalls vividly. “I remember every second of it, but I remember the moment of landing more than anything,” she said.

When her family moved, McFerrin set piloting aside and instead became interested in teaching special education classes after spending time with her mother, who volunteered at a preschool for children with disabilities. “I used to go with her, and that became another love. I felt a great affinity for working with the children and began to see that as a career path,” she said.

After earning a degree in special education from Kent State, McFerrin taught in Youngstown, Ohio, before moving to Georgia in 1970 to teach special education classes for the Atlanta City Schools. She earned a master’s degree from Georgia State University and then moved to Cleveland, Georgia, where she still lives today, to teach special education at Habersham Central High School.

She began her 29-year career at Piedmont teaching part-time as an adjunct professor while completing a doctorate from the University of Georgia. Then Piedmont President James Walter offered her a full-time position in the education “department.”

“It was a very small program, basically just me and another professor, Dr. Bill O’Connor,” McFerrin said. “We were the whole department. At the time the entire college faculty could meet in one of the classrooms of Daniel Hall.” The college enrollment at the time was about 400 students, and McFerrin said there were usually between 10 and 20 students majoring in education.

Those were penny-pinching times in the history of Piedmont, and McFerrin recalled that professors did not have telephones in their offices “for fear we might make a long-distance call. That made scheduling student teachers difficult, and if you received a call, say from your doctor, a student brought you a note. But those were very lean years, and on the

Dr. Jane McFerrin’s 39 years in education includes 29 years at Piedmont College and 12 years as the first Dean of the School of Education.

positive side Dr. Walter brought the college through difficult financial times.”

In 1994, the School of Education offered its first graduate program for teacher’s seeking a master’s degree in early childhood education. In 1995 the college added graduate programs in middle grades, secondary, and special education and recently added music and art education. The college also began offering education specialist degrees and last year offered its first doctoral program in education.

From just a dozen education majors in 1981, the college now has about 1,800 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate education courses.

The faculty, too, has grown from just two people to 39 full-time professors.

Part of that growth has been due to the “cohort model” that Piedmont has developed to offer graduate education courses to working teachers at school systems across much of north Georgia. The classes are taught in the evenings at the schools where the teachers work, and the classes focus on educational problems that are specific to

Dr. Jane McFerrin, left, reminisced with some of her former students who gathered for a special reception during Alumni Weekend in April.

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each location.

McFerrin said “that program actually began with a conversation between Dr. Cleere, Dr. Hilton Smith, and me. The original plan was to go to Rabun County and offer some classes there because people had trouble getting to the campus in Demorest. We started very small, and I think the reason the program has grown to more than 50 locations is that every department here, from the library to financial aid, has lent its direct support and worked out a model so the students feel very supported.”

One thing that has not changed at Piedmont over the years has been the dedication of the faculty, McFerrin said. “The faculty—and many are still here—are highly qualified, and I have great admiration for the work they are doing. They were, and still are, genuinely interested in student success.

For many of the students, particularly in the early 1980s, they were first-generation college students, and they were beginning a new life, a new path. It was something that wouldn’t have been open to them if Piedmont College were not here.”

Surprisingly, McFerrin does not hold the record in her family for longest time spent teaching at Piedmont. That honor goes to her husband, Dr. David Greene, whom she met at Piedmont and who retired in 2007 after teaching English at the college for 37 years. McFerrin understands that kind of attachment. “Piedmont is the kind of place that just becomes a part of you,” she said. “In recent years there have been so many wonderful changes to the physical plant, but the bottom line is the people. There is something about the students and the relationships you build with the students. The faculty truly believes in the mission of the school.

It’s just a unique place that you can’t get out of your system.”

President Ray Cleere, left, and Provost James Mellichamp treated retiring School of Education Dean Jane McFerrin with a roast of sorts during a luncheon held with the Board of Trustees in May. Students who had known Dr. McFerrin during her time as a professor and dean recalled their experiences. (Below) Dr. Jane McFerrin shares a laugh with fellow deans Dr. John Misner (left) and Dr. Steven Nimmo prior to Baccalaureate services in May.

COLLEGE LIFE

Fall kicks off with freshmen/alumni

As part of Freshman Orientation, students were welcomed to campus with a cookout sponsored by the Alumni Association and the Office of Student Life. Pictures and people left to right: Jeremy Bishop (’07), and his sister Summer Bishop Poole were among the alumni and friends on hand to greet freshmen when they arrived for the start of the Fall 2010 semester. Justin Whittaker practices multitasking, while Yosheika Hubbard (above right) and friend Chalis Snowden kick back and relax. Maddy Haymore and Jaclynn Campbell share a laugh during the cookout field games. Matt Desing (’02) and John Ahnen (’02) were among the alumni present. Sky Ross tries to get a “wave” started.

Bluegrass grows at Arrendale Amphitheater

Henry ‘Doc’ Johnson keeps the Mountain Music and Medicine Show moving at the first Piedmont Bluegrass Festival. The day featured groups from across northeast Georgia for broadcast on Georgia Public Radio.

Piedmont theatre professor Henry Johnson brought his alter ego, Doc Johnson of the Mountain Music and Medicine Show, to the Demorest campus in June for a daylong bluegrass festival.

Johnson leads the old-time medicine show, which is a regular feature on Georgia Public Radio, usually recorded at the Holly Theater in Dahlonega.

The festival held at the new Arrendale Amphitheater featured 11 bands from northeast Georgia and western North Carolina. They included the Buzzard Mountain Boys, John Oliver & Carmel Ridge, the Solstice Sisters, Curtis Blackwell & the Dixie Bluegrass Boys, Mountain Hoodoo, Blue Billy Grit, the Foxfire Boys, the Musselwhite Family, Hawkproof Rooster, American Honey, and the Wild Turkeys.

Set in Dahlonega during the gold rush, the Medicine Show has won three GABBY awards from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters for the best locally produced radio program in the state.

For more information about the Mountain Music Medicine show and links to performances, visit www. mmmshow.com.

Natalie Crawford, director of marketing for the Piedmont theaters, said the college hopes to make this festival an annual event to highlight the musical talent of the Blue Ridge area.

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Caribbean comes to Demorest with A1A’s beach music The scent of the Caribbean was in the air July 24 when the Atlanta band A1A brought the sounds of Jimmy Buffett to the Arrendale Amphitheater.

A1A founder Jeff Pike has performed Jimmy Buffett hits since 1989, and in 1992 he and the band were tops in the Margaritaville Records battle of the band. The band has been on the road ever since showcasing a concert composed of Buffett’s music and beach music from all eras. Named for Florida’s Highway A1A and Buffett’s 1974 hit album, A1A had fans dancing in the aisles and almost feeling the sand between their toes.

(Below left) Buffett fans Dr. Bob Cummings and Sugar enjoy the music.

PC celebrates 30th annual Earth Day Students, faculty and staff celebrated Earth Day April 22 with a variety of environmentally themed events held on the quad in Alumni Park.

Student clubs, local vendors, and local organizations participated with educational booths on everything from car maintenance to recycling and jewelry making to lead testing in toys.

Throughout Earth Day, a student band played live music, and drama students presented a fashion show of clothes made from recycled materials.

Other events included tree planting, fern sales, jewelry sales, Angus cattle presentation, open mic, and a seedling giveaway.

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COLLEGE LIFE

Nurses train for real ‘disaster’

Senior student nurses Shae David and Gracie Faulkner are intent as they focus on placing a crash victim on a backboard.

Above, theatre professor Henry Johnson adds a little fake blood for Abby Bruce while Casey Jones looks on. Senior student nurse Caroline Alonge checks the blood pressure of a ‘victim’ during the disaster drill.

Senior student nurses responded to a simulated plane crash during Piedmont’s third annual disaster drill, held with local emergency services in April. Junior nursing students with realistic wounds provided by the college theatre department helped to simulate the crash scenario. The senior nursing students were then called on to treat and triage the wounded. Assisting with the drill were the Habersham County EMS and EMA agencies, 911, Habersham County Medical Center, the Demorest and Cornelia fire departments, Demorest Police, and the college maintenance department.

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Bill Loyd of Community Bank and Trust, right, presented the H.M. Stewart Award of Excellence to Piedmont graduate Cally Dunnett during baccalaureate services May 6. The annual award is presented to the graduate with the highest grade point average.

Dunnett earned a bachelor of arts degree in music and completed her degree in three years with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She is the daughter of Dara Lavallee of Gainesville and Jimmy Dunnett of Suwanee.

Douylliez earns national FTE religion scholarship Jacob L. Douylliez of St. Marys has been selected to receive a 2010 Fund for Theological Education (FTE) Undergraduate Fellowship.

Headquartered in Atlanta, the FTE is a national, ecumenical nonprofit organization dedicated to finding and supporting tomorrow’s Christian leaders—pastors and theological educators who serve the common good. The fellowship recognizes students with leadership gifts and the desire to explore ministry as a profession.

With the award, Douylliez will receive a $2,000 scholarship for tuition, education expenses, or selfdesigned ministry experience. On June 16, he flew to Boston for the 2010 FTE Leaders in Ministry Conference at Boston University School of Theology.

Rabun student receives Robertson Kindness award

Sophomore Casi Best of Tiger has been awarded the annual Michael and Emily Robertson Kindness Award for the 2009-10 school year. The award is given to a Piedmont student “who demonstrates kindness to others through his or her actions within the Piedmont College Community.” Best is a 2009 graduate of Rabun County High School and was one of several RCHS Foxfire students recognized nationwide for their efforts to raise money to provide funeral expenses for Rabun County resident Sammy Green, whom Best had interviewed for a Foxfire article. Pictured from left, are Piedmont President Ray Cleere, Chaplain Ashley Cleere, Casi Best, and Provost James Mellichamp. Best is the daughter of Nawana and Avery Lawrence of Tiger.

ACADEMIC NEWS

Dunnett earns top academic award

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‘Trillium’ blossoms with student works “Trillium,” an online magazine featuring art, photography, poetry and short stories by Piedmont College students and faculty, published its second issue this past spring semester. Pictured are the Trillium staff members, front from left, Erin Black, Caitlin Delvasto, Brandi Mattox, Marissa Littleton, and Vicky Jones. Back row, Julie Woods, Louis Cassamajor, Carol Martin, Brian Simmons, and Gwen Smith (Not pictured is Emanuela Curtale.)

Go to www.piedmont.edu/art/trillium to view the current issue.

Robinson receives Jack Kent Cooke scholarship Katie Robinson, a freshman theatre major from Cornelia, has been named a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship recipient, one of just 40 college freshmen selected nationwide.

Robinson, daughter of Carol Robinson and Jeffery Robinson, both of Cornelia, has previously participated in the Cooke Foundation Young Scholars program while attending the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Mass. In 2008 she attended the JKCF advanced mentoring program at Yale University, a weeklong seminar on theatre conducted by actor Christopher Liam Moore, founder of the Cornerstone Theatre Company in Los Angeles.

Robinson plans to major in theatre at Piedmont and is also interested in theatre education. “I’d love to do musical theater and also early childhood education because I love working with kids,” she says.

“I thought I was too impatient to be a teacher, but I’ve had opportunities to work with younger kids, and seeing how innocent and blunt and oblivious to being censored a little kid can be, it makes me happy.”

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was established by the former owner of the Washington Redskins to assist exceptional high school and college students studying worldwide.

PCT’s ‘Trojan Women’ depicts timeless agony of war Piedmont College Theatre performed Euripides’ “Trojan Women” at the Swanson Center Black Box Theatre in November. Bill Gabelhausen, chair of the Piedmont Theatre Department, directed the play, written in 415 B.C., about the fate of the women of Troy at the end of the Trojan War. The play portrayed war through the ages and the aftermath that the characters must face.

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ACADEMIC NEWS PCT presents ‘Miss Firecracker’ and readies new season

Religion author John Dominic Crossan lectures here

Piedmont students, from left, Brandon Mahaffey, Kate Meents, Stephanie Bignault, Shannon Webber, and Dillon Nelson rehearse a scene from ‘The Miss Firecracker Contest,’ presented this past April.

The Theatre Department presented “The Miss Firecracker Contest” April 15-18 in the Black Box Theatre of the Swanson Center for the Performing Arts and Communications.

The play by Beth Henley and directed by professor John Spiegel is a dark and witty comedy about a young woman who attempts to reconstruct her unstable past by competing in a local beauty pageant.

“Miss Firecracker has been a fun and comedic journey. The play itself is about coming to terms with ourselves and others’ images of us,” Spiegel said. “It is a combination of light humor, witty language, and serious drama.”

The cast members included Shannon Webber, Dillon Nelson, Stephanie Bignault, Brandon Mahaffey, Kate Meents, and Heather Thomas. For seniors Webber, Nelson, and Thomas, this was their final performance for the theater department as students.

The 2010-2011 theater season includes performances that theater department chair Bill Gabelhausen describes as ambitious and challenging. The line-up includes drama, trag-

edy, comedy, and romantic genres.

PCT starts its season with “The Elephant Man” by Bernard Pomerance under the direction of Bill Gabelhausen. The play tells the story of John Merrick who is taken to the London Hospital from the side shows of the Victorian era by Dr. Frederick Treves so his deformity can be studied. The production, for mature audience members, will be performed at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, and at 2 p.m., Oct. 3, on the Mainstage Theater.

The second performance of the fall season is “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling. John Spiegel will direct the play set in Truvy’s beauty salon on Chinquapin, Louisiana. It tells the story of women who revel in their personal triumphs and overcome life-changing hurdles. The production will show at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 18-20, and at 2 p.m., Nov. 21, in the Black Box Theater.

The first performance of the spring season will be “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare.

The drama, directed by John Spiegel, relies on the audience’s imagination of a boat filled with royalty that shipwrecks on an island with a father, daughter, and strange creatures. The production will be performed at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 17-19, and at 2 p.m., Feb. 20, on the Mainstage Theater.

The final performance of the PCT season is an adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The play takes characters back in time to uncover mysteries of their neighborhood and society. The performances will take place at 7:30 p.m., April 7-9, and 2 p.m., April 10, in the Black Box Theater.

Theologian and author John Dominic Crossan presented a series of four lectures examining the theme of “God and Violence: The Normalcy of Empire and the Ambiguity of the Bible,” Sept. 10-11 at the Demorest campus.

The event was co-sponsored by Piedmont and the Education for Ministry groups at Grace-Calvary Church in Clarkesville and the Church of the Resurrection in Sautee Nacoochee.

The first lecture, titled “Civilization and Empire,” was presented Sept. 10, and on Sept. 11, Crossan presented talks on the topics of “Bible and Power,” “Jesus and God,” and “Apocalypse & Violence.”

Regarded as one of the leading historical Jesus scholars in the world, Crossan is the author of 25 books including “The Historical Jesus,” “Jesus: A RevolutionShannon Webber, Stephanie Bignault, and of Heather Thomas. ary Biography,” “The Birth Christianity,” and “Who Killed Jesus?” Born in Ireland in 1934, he was educated in Ireland and the United States and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959. He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites, from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest from 1957 to 1969. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and taught there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies and lives in Clermont, Fla.

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May and July Graduation Scenes

The sidewalks may have been sizzling, but the students walking across the stage at of the Johnny Mize Athletic Center were cool in their black robes and mortarboard caps as they collected their diplomas at the end of the spring and summer semesters.

In all, some 874 graduates of the Class of 2010

were added to the alumni rolls as President Ray Cleere and Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas A. “Gus” Arrendale III presented diplomas.

The graduates included students earning bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of science in nursing, master of business administration, master of arts, master of arts in teaching, and edu-

cation specialist degrees.

Retiring Piedmont School of Education Dean Dr. Jane McFerrin spoke to the graduates at the May Commencement, while former U.S. Congressman and candidate for governor Nathan Deal of Gainesville delivered the July address.

Piedmont named in top tier of U.S. News college ranks U.S. News and World Report magazine has released its annual ranking of the nation’s colleges and universities, with Piedmont College ranked in Tier 1 among regional universities in the 12 Southeastern states.

The magazine each year ranks colleges based on some 16 criteria related to academic excellence, including class size, retention rates, graduation rates, faculty qualifications, financial aid, and other factors. Colleges are also grouped in four categories based on their size and mission. These include national universities, such as the University of Georgia; national liberal arts colleges; regional universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, including Piedmont; and regional colleges that offer mostly undergraduate degrees.

In this year’s ranking, Piedmont tied with Kennesaw State University and Valdosta State University in Tier 1. Only three Georgia colleges were ranked higher among the regional universities in the Southeast.

“This year’s ranking provides us with a great deal of satisfaction, because a lot of hard work by all of our faculty and staff is reflected in this report,” said Piedmont Provost Dr. James Mellichamp. “It is easy to see the improvements on campus in the new buildings and facilities, but it is harder to see the work that goes into improving the curriculum and making sure that students are getting the education that they come here for. Even in tough economic times, we have maintained our small class sizes and done the myriad other things to ensure that our students succeed.”

Biology professor Dr. Carlos Camp, left, and juniors Kevin D’Antignac and Heather Edwards study anatomy using a computer-enhanced Smart Board at the campus in Demorest. The college was named by U.S. News and World Reports in the top tier of regional universities in the S outheast.

President Ray Cleere said he was also pleased with the college’s placement in Tier 1. “These ranking don’t tell the whole story, but when students and parents are looking for a college, they often start with this report,” Cleere said. “We are glad to be recognized and hope students will look at everything Piedmont has to offer, both here in Demorest and in Athens.”

Mellichamp said that in years past, Piedmont

had been listed with the smaller regional colleges, but since it now offers a variety of graduate degrees, including a doctoral program in education, it competes in the ranking with many much larger institutions. “Our enrollment is now about 2,700 students, and they compare us to universities with 10 times that number,” Mellichamp said. “That makes it all the more satisfying to be in good company with the likes of Kennesaw and Valdosta.”

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Piedmont weathering current

economic hard times...

While the national and state economies continue to recover slowly, the effect on institutions of higher education has been pronounced over the last three years. The Journal sat down with Piedmont President Ray Cleere to see how the college is weathering the economic winds.

Q continued How is the College holding up with the economic instability?

A We are in an excellent position, with careful planning, to stay the course. We have held

tuition down for our students and families with no increase for the third year in a row.

On the spending side, for the second year we have not had salary increases for faculty and staff, but we have also avoided layoffs and furlough days. At the same time, we have taken advantage of lower land and construction costs when the funding is available. This has allowed us to build two new dorms in the last two years and purchase land for new intramural athletic and practice fields. We have also been able to resurface the athletic field with artificial turf in anticipation of a new lacrosse team, which will save us maintenance money in the long run.

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Q But there are still needs?

A Yes, absolutely. Our annual fund income has seen a marked decrease. This fund, which is made up of gifts from hundreds of donors, provides scholarships and helps purchase computers and other technology that may not be budgeted for, and aids all of our academic and athletic programs. These gifts are important because they allow us to augment each student’s experience here at Piedmont.

Q Ashowyouwouldlookyoutoward retirement in 2011, like to leave Piedmont fiscally?

A With a robust endowment and an excellent annual fund year. We have not had to make

too many concessions to the economy thanks to our admissions staff and the job they have done in bringing in record freshman classes each of the last two years. Additionally, we have taken on a large expansion of our workstudy program, which helps students and in turn has led to a great improvement in our retention rate.

Q What kind of ways can people now give to Piedmont…anything new recently?

A Well, we have just rolled out a new Charitable Gift Annuity program. This allows our

supporters to give a donation and receive payment monthly with an excellent rate of return, for the life of the donor. Additionally, they get great tax benefits right away.

Q How has the economy affected the College’s ability to carry out its mission?

A Inoftena down economy, not surprisingly, people opt to go back to school to earn either

their first degree or a higher degree. We have another near-record enrollment this fall, which reflects that.

‘Critical Thinking’ program gets new logo

Cultivating

Seth Daigle

Senior Seth Daigle, a graphic design major from Gainesville, was the winner in a campuswide contest to design a new logo for the college’s Quality Enhancement Program (QEP).

QEP is a five-year program focused on inspiring critical thinking among PC students through a series of problem-solving initiatives. This year’s theme is “The Butterfly Effect” named for the mathematical idea that small changes in the initial conditions of many systems can have a large influence in the final outcome. Graphic arts students in Athens and Demorest were challenged to create a logo that reflected the goals of QEP and that conveyed “growth, energy, and positive change” and incorporated the message “Cultivating Curious Minds.”

Daigle, who will graduate in the upcoming De-

Curious Minds cember commencement, said that while designing the logo, he was inspired by the Nautilus shell. The shell starts with a small chamber that is built upon until it reaches nature’s desired size. “I thought this was a fantastic means by which to illustrate intellectual and social growth of students and the inherent energy they possess,” he said.

The new logo will be used by QEP in a variety of ways especially on their new website used to promote the goals of critical thinking. QEP director Dr. Teresa Secules said the site will be used to let the campus know about critical thinking events and as a resource for those looking for help with critical thinking. Go to www.piedmont.edu/qep to view the site.

Also in the spring semester, students were sur-

veyed to gather topics that they would be interested in hearing about. The responses were categorized, and the categories concerning understanding the world, understanding how the world operates, and how to make the world a better place received the most votes. The Butterfly Effect was announced as the fall 2010 theme. “The idea is, if the students hear the same theme, they will have a variety of perspectives on it,” said Secules. “Having different perspectives is a type of critical thinking.”

For the fall semester, QEP is hosting three events, including a discussion forum on the book “Deep Economy” by Bill McKibbin in September; a Career Day in October; and an “Imagining the Future” competition in November in which students propose ideas for community service projects.

New Dorm Construction

Brittany Way, right, helps Amylee Woodall move into Plymouth Hall, which opened to students Sept. 10. The newest residence hall on the Demorest campus houses 47 students in suites of two rooms and a bathroom, with one room for the resident director. The weather vane placed atop the cupula is a shallop made by local sculptor David Walls. A shallop is a small boat used to move cargo from larger ships to shore. The stainless steel weather vane is a 1:6 model of Captain John Smith’s shallop, in which he mapped the Chesapeake Bay in 1608. Like its sister dorm, New Bedford, which opened last year, Plymouth Hall reflects Piedmont’s long connection to New England and the Congregational churches that helped the college grow during its first years.

15

ATHENS

Smith joins Athens library staff Nikki Smith has joined the staff at the Athens Campus as a reference and instruction librarian.

Smith will be working in the afternoons and evenings, Monday through Thursday, along with Joe Schneider, Joey Carter, and library student assistants.

She is a native Georgian and a long-time resident of Athens. Her most recent positions have been with the Cobb County Public Library system and the Gwinnett County Public Library system.

Her responsibilities will include providing reference assistance and research instruction, both inperson and virtually.

School of Nursing looks to expand Athens-area nurses who want to earn a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from Piedmont may have a few more options in the future.

The Daniel School of Nursing currently offers a program for registered nurses in the Athens area to earn a BSN degree. Dr. Linda Scott, Dean of the School of Nursing, said the RN-to-BSN program is called a “hybrid” program because students attend some classes each semester and do the bulk of their course work using computer-aided study while in contact with professors online.

Scott said the college is also considering offering a similar program for Licensed Prac-

tical Nurses (LPNs) to earn a BSN degree in Athens and looking at the possibility of expanding the pre-licensure program currently offered in Demorest to the Athens campus.

“We’re also looking at offering a master’s degree in nursing in the future,” Scott said.

“This would be attractive to nurses who want to enter nursing education and administration.”

The School of Nursing as a whole is growing and this year enrolled its largest junior class ever, with 40 students. For the third year in a row, Piedmont nursing school graduates have had a 100-percent pass rate on their board certification test.

Sigma Alpha Pi

16

The Athens Campus chapter of Sigma Alpha Pi, a national leadership society, inducted new members in April. Pictured, front from left, are Lisa Brown, Kyndal Quiggle, Randell King, Tamara Daniels, and Fredreshia Johnson; middle: Christina Schmelzle, Lauren Repetto, Roberta Prather, Monica Burch, and Tynesha Terrell-Rowland; and back: Tequilia Perkins, Andrew Mauldin, and Dawn Ferry.

Alumni challenge set for Annual Fund, service Piedmont’s annual fund raising drive is under way, and the race is on to see which alumni classes will be able to claim the largest percentage of donors. Will it be the alumni from the 1930s, the ’40s, ’50, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, or the 2000s?

The Fund for Piedmont is one of the most important ways you can help current and future students. Gifts to the fund are combined to support scholarships, work study programs and to supplement activities on campus from the classrooms to the athletic fields. Almost as important as the amount raised is the number of alumni who contribute to the Fund for Piedmont. That is because many foundations that give to Piedmont base their own contributions on how well our alumni—the people who know Piedmont best— support the mission of the college.

This year, you will be able to track that percentage on the alumni website at www.piedmont. edu/annualfund. By making a donation of any

size—remember it is a challenge for percentage of donors—you can help your classmates win.

And because we recognize that it is especially hard for recent graduates to think about the Fund for Piedmont when you have a million other new responsibilities vying for your time, we’ve created the 10-4-10 program. We are asking all new alumni to consider a $10 donation each year for 10 years. It may not sound like much, but when everyone pulls together, it all adds up to a lot of support for students.

Of course, the 10-4-10 program is flexible.

You can give any amount you choose, and you can even designate your gift for any area of the college, whether a particular school, major or athletic program. For more information visit www.piedmont. edu/alumni.

Community Service Challenge This next challenge goes out to all alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends as the college’s qual-

ity enhancement team has embarked on a year-long effort to demonstrate how small actions can create a big impact (see article below). The challenge is for the Piedmont community to log 10,000 hours of volunteer work. The PC alumni are hoping to log 1,000 of those hours.

We know PC alums are serving their communities through volunteer activities. Your individual service hours can help meet the alumni goal and the overall goal of 10,000 hours. What a great way to be involved with Piedmont whether you are nearby or far away. Just report your service hours to Brandy Aycock at baycock@piedmont.edu or log them using the link from the home page www.piedmont. edu/alumni. You can also call your hours into Brandy at 706-778-8500, ext. 1170.

So, ALUMS, there are two CHALLENGES on the table. Let’s show the classes of 2011 thru 2014 that ALUMNI ROCK!

The Butterfly Effect

Ann ual Fun d 20 10-1 1

How What We Do Affects Our Community, Our World The collegewide theme for the 2010-11 academic year is “The Butterfly Effect: How What We Do Affects our Community, our World.” The theme was chosen to help promote critical thinking on campus. Pursuing a common theme gives students perspectives from different disciplines on the same big idea while simultaneously developing a deeper knowledge base from which to do some real critical thinking. If students run into the same theme in different places and from different angles they are likely to start making connections and comparisons and asking questions. Students start doing more of the work of thinking. As alumni and friends, you are part of Piedmont, and we wanted to include you in this year’s theme.

The term “butterfly effect” comes from a 1952 Ray Bradbury science fiction story, “A Sound of Thunder,” and from Edward Lorenz’s research in meteorology. First published in the early 1960s, Lorenz’s research led to the development of chaos theory, which refers to the occasional huge effects of even the tiniest actions, often unintended or even unknown, but also unpredictable when they pop up.

Chaos theory is now used not only in meteorology but also in finance, economics, management, sociology, and throughout mathematics and science to describe complex systems and to make predictions. Closer to home, in Piedmont classrooms for example, something professors say may have totally unexpected effects on the students.

Gifts large and small made to the annual fund have an immediate impact on the campus and students. Many times we do not fully realize the lasting effect until the student leaves and touches many more lives with what was learned here at Piedmont.

www.piedmont.edu/annualfund

ATHLETICS

B.J. Cofer

Soccer/lacrosse field gets a new face

18

Workers from Athletic Construction Inc. lay down the new artificial turf covering the soccer pitch. With its new rubberized surface, the field will be home to the men’s and women’s soccer teams and, in 2012, to a new men’s lacrosse team. In addition to the surface, fencing has been added to protect spectators during play.

Spring Sports Recap

Softball earns bid to national tourney The women’s softball team claimed the Great South Athletic Conference tournament title in dramatic fashion, having to come from behind in three consecutive games to finally down LaGrange College for the trophy.

In the title match, the teams were tied 3-3 in extra innings when Rebecca Renfroe wrapped up a storybook day at the plate, leading off the bottom of the eighth inning with her second solo homer of the game to give the Lady Lions the walk-off 4-3 victory.

Getting the win on the mound for PC was junior pitcher B.J. Cofer, who went all eight innings for the Lady Lions, allowing just two earned runs on five hits while fanning five. Cofer was also named the 2010 GSAC Tournament Most Valuable Player for her efforts, having thrown every tournament inning for PC. With the GSAC title, Piedmont received an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament and a trip to Newport News, Va. Their winning streak was finally stopped by Christopher Newport University in 3-2 heartbreaker in the first round of the regional tournament, as CNU rallied in the late innings and won with a walk-off single.

Finishing with a record of 29-12, Piedmont’s 2010 season was highlighted by a 16 game winning streak that saw the Lady Lions bat .389 as a team and shut down opposing offenses as the pitching staff posted a 0.76 ERA. Terry Martin was named the Coach of the Year for guiding the team to the regular season and tournament titles.

Cofer was named the GSAC Pitcher of the Year after allowing only 18 earned runs in 24 appearances. The junior posted a season ERA of 0.90, a mark that was good enough for seventh in the nation. The opposition managed just a .208 batting average against the Woodstock, native, who led the conference in strikeouts with 107.

All-Conference picks included Cofer; outfielder Raley White; catcher Michelle Crandall; and freshman shortstop Megan McClain, who hit .378 and whose 10 triples ranked second in the nation for NCAA D-III. The GSAC All-Freshman Team included Renfroe, Jamie Dennis, Jennifer Wormley and Megan Kesler. Five Lady Lions were named to the GSAC All-Academic team, including Cofer, Crandall, White and teammates Emily Cheek and Nikki Eastman.

Taylor Morgan

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Das is Player of the Year; Wood returns to coach tennis The men’s and women’s tennis teams are looking to rebuild in 2011 and have tapped just the person to help them do it. Shane Wood, who guided the tennis teams for eight seasons from 1999 to 2007, is returning to coach at his Shane Wood alma mater after three seasons as the head men’s tennis coach at Jacksonville University.

A player for Piedmont in 1993-94, Wood was selected to re-establish tennis, which had been a club sport for three years, as a varsity squad in 1999.

His teams proceeded to win a combined nine Great South Athletic Conference titles, including seven straight men’s titles from 2001 to 2007 and women’s titles in 2004 and 2006. Woods earned six straight GSAC Coach of the Year titles on the men’s side and two as the women’s coach.

At Jacksonville, Wood continued the winning ways he established at PC by guiding the women’s team to the best season in program history, going 20-5 while recording only the second ever NCAA appearance for the women’s side of the JU tennis program.

“I feel very blessed to have the chance to come back to Piedmont,” said Wood about his recent hiring. “I gained a great deal of invaluable experience while coaching at JU, but the opportunity to come home to PC was one which I could not have passed up. I’m looking forward to working with the great people and student-athletes around the program once again.”

Among the returning men at Piedmont are junior Moses Das, the 2010 GSAC Co-Player of the Year. Das never fell in GSAC singles competition

Junior Moses Das was a perfect 5-0 in GSAC play this past spring, without giving up a set.

this season, donning a perfect 5-0 mark at the top singles slot. The Ellenwood native also won every conference singles match he played in straight sets.

The men’s team will look to improve on its overall 2-15 record and 1-5 conference tally. The team fell 5-0 to Maryville College in the semi-finals of the GSAC tournament, played at Piedmont’s Burgen Tennis Courts.

The PC women finished their season just under the .500 mark with a record of 6-11 and 2-5 in the conference. The women fell to Spelman College at the GSAC tournament, with senior Tyler Baldonado and junior Jennifer Granlund combining for the team’s lone victory at the top doubles spot.

In the GSAC awards, Andrew Peck was named to the GSAC All-Academic team, as were Baldonado and Granlund and teammate Emilie Garner.

Senior Jennifer Granlund will help anchor the rebuilding women’s tennis team.

Manderano tapped as lacrosse coach Peter Manderano, who led Lassiter High School to the Class AAAAA championship game this year, will be the innaugural coach for the new men’s lacrosse team.

Manderano, a veteran of seven seasons as a Georgia high school lacrosse coach, begins his PC career fresh off a five-year stint at Lassiter where he guided the Trojans to a state championship and two state runner-up finishes.

“After an extensive national search with several fine candidates being interviewed for the position, Peter Manderano stood out as the right man to become the first lacrosse coach at Piedmont College,” said Athletic Director John Dzik. “Peter’s outstanding lacrosse background and coaching ties in the sport throughout the state of Georgia make him

the perfect candidate to lead our program as it embarks on a Division III lacrosse experience.”

During his tenure at Lassiter, Manderano mentored three All-Americans while also tutoring multiple All-State players. The three-time Cobb County Coach of the Year also developed three county Players of the Year throughout his five seasons as head coach.

Manderano compiled a record of 77-23 at Lassiter, including a 13-4 playoff record good for a .765 post-season winning percentage.

Piedmont becomes just the second D-III school in the state of Georgia, along with Oglethorpe University, to formally add men’s lacrosse.

Reinhardt College (NAIA) and Mercer University (NCAA D-I) also recently added the sport.

Piedmont baseball entered the GSAC baseball tournament as the host and the number two seed, but saw their championship hopes end with losses to Maryville College 8-6 and Huntingdon 6-3.

In the first game, the Lions fought back from a five-run deficit in the fourth to come within one run of knotting the score, but the rally fell just short as PC dropped the two-run decision to Maryville.

Contributing to PC’s comeback was Kevin McConnell, who blasted a two-RBI double before John Duke added another RBI of his own.

Maryville would post a score in the eighth to hold off the fighting Lions’ late-inning rally and take an 8-6 victory. Taking the loss on the mound for the Lions was Spencer Shelton, who finished 3-6 on the season. Shelton struck out seven over seven innings of work.

In the second-round loss to Huntingdon, the Lions took an early one-run lead but could not hold on as Huntingdon grabbed the 6-3 decision.

Piedmont struck first with a Kevin McConnell sacrifice fly in the top of the first to take a 1-0 advantage only to see Huntingdon score three runs of its own in the bottom of the second. The Hawks would add on three more scores in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to five.

The Lions chipped away at the Hawks’ advantage as Scott Haddock knocked a seventh-inning RBI single to score teammate Zac Stein. Haddock would later score to pull the Lions within three, but Huntingdon then held PC scoreless down the stretch for the 6-3 win.

On the mound, Dusty Black took the loss for Piedmont, going six innings and allowing six runs on 12 hits. The junior also struck out two as he moved to 5-4 on the season.

The Lions finished the season with an overall 21-21 record and were 4-5 in GSAC play. PC placed a conference-best five players on the All-Conference team and also posted the largest group on the All-Academic team with 11 Lions earning the honor. Taking spots on the All-Conference team were pitchers Spencer Shelton and Dusty Black, as the two hurlers combined for 104 strikeouts over 125 innings of work. Joining them was outfielder Daniel Rivera, who hit .311 in this his senior season while stealing nine bags and batting in 29.

Utility man Curtis Cornett also made the grade as the second-year player batted .377 while collecting 29 RBIs. Rounding out the selections was designated hitter Kevin McConnell, who played in all 37 games for the Lions, posting a team-high 42 RBIs with five homers while slugging close to .600 on the season.

Shelton and Rivera joined nine other Lions on the All-Academic team including sophomore Matt Bolt, shortstop Scott Haddock, senior Zach Kunz, catcher Zac Stein, and senior Jared Vermilya. Pitchers Alex Beebe, Caleb Cochran, Matt Collins, and Ed Cook were also a part of the conference-leading 11 players to earn the academic honor.

Dusty Black was one of five Lions named to the GSAC All-Conference Team.

Head baseball coach Jim Peeples picked up his 200th career victory this season in a 7-5 win over DePauw University.

ATHLETICS

Baseball Season Recap

PC men earn sportsmanship award Piedmont’s men’s athletics program has been awarded the inaugural Great South Athletic Conference Institutional Sportsmanship of the Year Award. The honor, based on the votes of all male student-athletes within the GSAC, is the first of its kind in the conference.

With the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year, two types of GSAC sportsmanship awards, individual and institutional, were created to award institutions and individual student-athletes within the conference who exemplify the best qualities of sportsmanship. According to the conference, sportsmanship is defined as a commitment to excellence through an atmosphere of fair play that demonstrates respect for teammates, coaches, opposing student athletes and coaches, officials, and fans.

21

Shelton signs with White Sox After a stellar four-year career that included a trip to the 2008 NCAA National Tournament, PC baseball standout Spencer Shelton has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox organization. Shelton was sent to Bristol, Tenn., to begin his professional career with the Bristol White Sox, Chicago’s Rookie Appalachian League affiliate.

Shelton made his debut out of the bullpen on July 16 on the road against the Princeton Rays inducing a groundout and two fly-outs to keep a clean sheet for the Sox during the seventh inning.

Just two days later, the righty made his second appearance on the mound for Bristol again coming out of the pen to pitch two and a third, collecting a

pair of strikeouts while not allowing an earned run for the second consecutive time.

Shelton was a starter on one of the most dominant staffs in recent memory at Piedmont as he struck out 88 batters during the Lions’ 2008 run to the Great South Athletic Conference championship and NCAA National Tournament. The 2009 GSAC Pitcher of the Year won 18 games over his four seasons in Demorest and tossed 270 strikeouts in over 298 innings of work.

A three-time GSAC All-Academic Selection, Shelton also took home All-Conference honors in his final three seasons while being named to the GSAC All-Freshmen team in 2007.

Spencer Shelton

Golf teams to join GSAC in 2010-11 season Piedmont has been selected to host the first Great South Athletic Conference tournament for men’s and women’s golf, which will be held at The Orchard in April 2011.

The GSAC voted to add men’s and women’s golf as league-sponsored sports beginning with the upcoming 2010-11 athletic season. The approval came at the annual Athletic Directors’ meeting in May held in Atlanta. Previous Piedmont teams have competed intercollegiately as non-conference teams.

Participating on the men’s side will be Huntingdon, LaGrange, Maryville and Piedmont. Schools with women’s golf teams include Huntingdon, Maryville, Piedmont and Spelman.

Lee Glenn, the Director of Golf at Piedmont, will serve as the GSAC sports chair for men’s and women’s golf.

The men’s golf team wrapped up its spring season with a 12th-place finish among the 17 teams at the Emory University Spring Invitational. The team improved 15 strokes on the final day to edge Roanoke College by a single stroke.

Senior Clifton Barton, this year’s team Low Medalist with a 75.1 average, wrapped up a stellar career with a 37th place finish in the 100-golfer field with a 80-79--159. Additionally, he earned a spot on the All-State team for the Georgia Cup marking the second consecutive honor for the senior. The Georgia Cup recognizes men’s NCAA Division III golf in the Peach state.

David Strader finished tied for 43rd with a score of 84-76--160 while freshman Jeff Ledford posted a final round team-best 73 (89-73--162) to finish in a tie for 55th. Trey McConnell posted a 79 in the first round (79-87--166) to finish tied for 67th.

The men’s golf team was honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America with the organization’s All-Academic Team award. Piedmont is one of only 23 NCAA Division-III institutions from across the nation to earn the honor out of more than 420 member schools. Barton and David Strader also received individual honors as GCA AllAmerica Scholars The women’s golf team wrapped up its 200910 season with a fifth-place finish at the Hunting-

don College Spring Invitational at Prattville Country Club. The Lady Lions carded a 36-hole total of 356-362--718 to finish just two-strokes behind NCAA Division I Tennessee State University.

Freshman Maria Carter led the team with a 8986--175 which was good for 12th in the field of 37 golfers. Classmates Kimberley Tucker and Cayla Banks posted an 84-94--178 and 86-93--179 respectively. Bethann Rogers also picked up a top-20 finish with a 97-89--186 to round out the PC scoring.

Senior Ashley Rutledge wrapped up her career with a score of 105-104--209. PC’s team score of 718

also made its way into the records book as the third best ever 36-hole team score.

The Lady Lions earned their first top-25 national ranking this year, breaking into the Golf World Division III national poll at the 25th spot.

The poll is conducted by the National Golf Coaches Association.

Maria Carter was the team low medalist with an average of 87. Cayla Banks, Kinsley Smith, and Kimberly Tucker were right behind with averages of 90.3, 90.8, and 90.9, respectively. Bethann Rogers was in the fifth spot with a 92.1 average.

(L to R): Megan Carr, Ashley Rutledge, Kimberley Tucker, Cayla Banks, Maria Carter, Bethann Rogers, Kinsley Smith, Head Coach Dusty Rogers.

(L to R): David Strader, Josh Murphy, Trey McConnell, Taylor Gary, Andy Armson, Jeff Ledford, Tyler Roberts, Clifton Barton, Noah Nettleton, Head Coach Dusty Rogers.

22

The Demorest and Athens campuses are not the only places that PC students gather for classes.

In fact, the college’s tag line, “Two Campuses— One Tradition of Excellence,” could be expanded to include 46 campuses.

That is how many cohort classes will be meeting this fall semester, says Dr. Marilyn Berrong, Dean of Graduate Studies. The cohort program, which began in 1995 with one class meeting in Rabun County, has now grown to include more than 850 students meeting across the state. “We now have cohorts as far north as Murphy, N.C., down to Henry County and across the state from Paulding County, near the Alabama line, to Elbert Count at the South Carolina line,” Berrong said.

The cohort model has proven successful because working teachers can take classes in the evening at the school or system where they teach. All of the teacher/students at one location take the same group of courses together as one “cohort,” typically meeting one to two nights a week during the school year and three days a week during summer semesters. Students attending the cohort classes can earn MA degrees in early childhood, middle school, and secondary education, as well as EdS degrees.

The college’s new doctoral program is also offered as a cohort on both campuses.

Berrong said the college is conducting a pilot cohort class this fall at the Athens campus that may make it even more convenient for teachers to attend.

Called a hybrid cohort, the class will meet once a week on Saturdays, with the rest of the coursework conducted online. “Many teachers, especially coaches, cannot meet in the evenings during the school year, and this will help them out,” Berrong said. Already 17 students in Athens have signed up for the hybrid cohort, “so it looks like something we will be able to continue,” she said.

Two new cohort coordinators have recently joined the Graduate Studies office. They are Dr. Kathy Breithaupt, who covers much of northeast Georgia; and Dr. Joan Jordan, who covers Henry County and Atlanta. They join coordinators Dr.

Mike Moody in Gwinnett, Walton and Barrow counties; and Dr. Gary Lemmons in Cherokee County and northwest Georgia. Dr. Berrong continues to serve as the coordinator for Gilmer and Lumpkin counties and North Carolina.

For more information about the cohort classes and the location of upcoming cohort classes, contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 1-800-2777020, e-mail grad@piedmont.edu, or visit on the web at www.piedmont.edu/grad.

Dr. Marilyn Berrong

Retirement Income You Can Count On! Charitable Gift Annuities

piedmont College now provides Charitable Gift Annuities that can benefit you with guaranteed income for life.

How does tHis work?

• • • •

Minimum of $10,000 in cash or securities Immediate Tax Deduction Minimum Age - 65 At death the remainder goes to Piedmont College examples of rates 65 - 5.5% 80 - 7.2% 70 - 5.8% 85 - 8.1% 75 - 6.4% 90+ - 9.5% A s of Sep tem b er 2010

GRADUATE STUDIES

Cohorts expand, add coordinators

For More Information Contact Brandy Aycock or Justin Scali

706.778.3000

www.piedmont.edu

23

ALUMNI & FRIENDS 24

Alumni honor four at awards luncheon The Alumni Association recognized four graduates at its annual Awards Banquet held during Alumni Weekend April 16-17 in Demorest.

Eric Williams of Rome; Donald Hitt of Culpeper, Va.; Jane Higdon of Atlanta; and Octavius Mulligan of Demorest were all honored for achievements in their careers and service to the college and their communities.

Joe Piper of Gainesville presented the association’s Distinguished Alumni Award to classmate Eric B. Williams. Since graduating in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology, Williams has devoted his career to working with chronically mentally ill adults in the Rome-Floyd County area. He is currently the on-site counselor at an adult community in Rome designed for potentially homeless and disabled residents, and he serves on the RomeFloyd County Taskforce on homelessness, which works to prevent homelessness and provides services and support. He serves as chairman of the Homelessness Resource Fair, which coordinates the work of 32 local agencies and ministries that serve the homeless.

Donald R. Hitt of the Class of 1980 received the association’s Excellence in Education Award, presented by Doug Johnson of Cornelia. Hitt has taught secondary English for 28 years in Virginia and also teaches speech and drama, and coaches forensics. While under his supervision, teams have won numerous district, regional, and state championships and including 11 state forensics championships, five state theater championships.

Joe Piper (’95), left, presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to Eric Williams (’96).

Jane Higdon received the Alumni Service Award, presented by Deloris Mullins of Dacula. A member of the Class of 1970, Higdon has served on the Piedmont Board of Trustees since the fall of 1992, working with the audit, building and grounds, development, investment, nominations, planning, and student affairs committees. She has also served on the presidential search committee. Currently, she is the chairman of the investment committee and a member of the audit committee. Higdon majored in business administration and helped to organize the first Business Fraternity. She retired from the banking industry in 2007.

Martha Cantrell of Clarkesville presented Octavius Mulligan, assistant principal at Habersham Central High School, with the Pacesetter Award, which recognizes alumni who exhibit outstanding achievement early in their careers. Mulligan graduated in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in early childhood education. He also has earned a master’s and education specialist degree from Piedmont and currently is a member of the first doctoral class. A Hall County Teacher of the Year in 2004, Mulligan was cited in one nomination for his “dedication and passion for the kids you serve.”

Deloris Mullins (’58), left, presented the Alumni Service Award to Jane Higdon (’70).

Martha Cantrell (’80, EdS’10), left, presented the Pacesetter Award to Octavius Mulligan, pictured with his wife, Marlo (’93) and son, Sydnee.

Alumni Weekend

Alumni got together April 16-17 for two days of events, meetings, reunions and luncheons. The annual Coach Cave Memorial Golf Tournament, held at The Orchard Golf and Country Club, attracted 92 players and helped raise some $6,000 for the Cave Athletic Endowment. Other events included alumni soccer games and a tour of a local vinyard.

25

ALUMNI & FRIENDS 1950s Celeste Durham Wilson (’53) has published “The Wheels on the Truck Go Round and Round,” the biography of the late Jean (’53) and Charles Banks Caudell about their life growing up in rural northeast Georgia during the Depression years.

Written with wit and humor, the book even explains why Charles and Jean were married at the Banks County Jail.

1960s Gary Coker (’63) and June Bottcher Coker (’64) recently retired and moved to Greensboro.

After Piedmont, Gary attended Western Michigan University and Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. They each have had long careers in education, serving as teacher, principal, and college professors. They have three sons and three grandchildren.

Mike Smith (’67) lives in Atlanta and is working as a freelance writer and small business advisor.

He previously worked in research and development management, engineering and telecommunications.

You can find him at www.gulfshorewriter.com or on LinkedIn and Facebook.

(Above) Gary (’69) and Mary Stephenson (’68) of Toccoa, celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary on July 30, 2010.

1970s Jan Bellamy Bertang (’78) is director of the Head Start/Pre-K center in Banks County for Ninth District Opportunity. She worked for Banks County Schools since 1978, retiring in 2010. Jan served for many years as principal of Banks County Elementary School. In 2010 she was named Banks County Schools’ Administrator of the year.

Charles Michael “Mikey” McFarlin (’79) is an independent environment, safety and health manager working for Shaw/Stone & Webster Construction at the James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, N.Y. His next assignment in October will be as site coordinator and radiation protection manager for Lancaster Services, Inc., at the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant in Homestead, Fla. 1980s Doug Thacker (’82) was named the Banks County Middle School Teacher of the Year. Doug and his wife Sharon live in Mt. Airy.

Deborah Carpenter Clark (’85) has lots of news for 2010. In August she took first place in the Buckhead Toastmasters’ Table Top Competition, and in November she will be playing Lady Bracknell in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the Walton County On Stage Theater in Monroe.

Pam Segers (’86) has joined the North Georgia Technical College faculty as a criminal justice professor. She has 23 years of experience in investigation and security and also served as an adjunct professor at Piedmont.

(Right) David Foster (’88) and Leslie Hyde were married Aug. 7, 2010, in Cornelia. David is employed by Habersham Electric Membership Corporation (HEMC) as the manager of marketing and member services.

1990s Todd McDuffie (’90) has been named District Engineer for the 21 counties in northeast Georgia making up District One. He has worked for the Georgia Department of Transportation since 1984, holding multiple positions in the Traffic Operations Department and Maintenance Division. Before being named District Engineer, he was the Interim District Engineer and District Maintenance Engineer.

Michael Williams (’91) is the new principal at Banks County Elementary School. Michael also serves as president of the Piedmont College Letter Club.

Michael Duncan (’92) has been named senior vice president and commercial lender for Verity Bank in Winder. He is also a graduate of the Georgia Bankers Association School of Banking at the University of Georgia and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Keith Scott (’96) is the Software Development Manager with Wright Medical Technology, located outside Memphis, Tenn. Wright is a global orthopedic medical device company specializing in the design, manufacture, and marketing of reconstructive joint devices and biologics.

Jason P. Smith (’96, M’04) has been named head coach of the men’s soccer program at Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, N.C. Jason served 12 seasons as head men’s and women’s soccer coach at Piedmont and most recently spent four years as coach of the Atlanta Silverbacks.

Rachel Parr (M’98, EdS’07) of Athens was selected from 103 math and science teachers nationwide to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., where she will meet President Obama and receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

2000s Suzianne Green Pass (’00) and Blake Pass, current master’s student, welcomed a baby girl, Taber Blakeleigh Pass, on March 11, 2010. Taber has many family members who attended or are attending Piedmont, including her aunt and uncle Corey (’02) and Glenda Green Bline (’02), uncle Devin Pass (current student and employee),

Sanders named to ‘P’ Club Sports Hall of Fame The Piedmont Athletic Letter Club has named Dr. F. Stuart Sanders of Demorest as an honorary member of the college’s sports Hall of Fame. Sanders, who has served as the college’s team doctor for 18 years, was inducted during the club’s annual breakfast held as part of the April 17 Alumni Weekend celebration. Sanders, who practices internal and sports medicine in Demorest and has served as a U.S. Olympic team doctor, thanked the “P” Club and trainers and coaches at Piedmont, who he said “make my job easier. I appreciate President (Ray) Cleere and the college for providing nice treatment facilities where our athletes can be treated appropriately.”

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Justin Scali (M’05), left, presented the ‘P’ Club Hall of Fame award to Dr. Stuart Sanders, pictured with his wife, Lynn, and son, Jordan.

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ALUMNI & FRIENDS (Continued)

(Above) David White (’03) married Jessica Wilson April 24, 2010. Jessica graduated from Toccoa Falls College. The two live in Graysville, Tenn.

David is an acting coach, a voice talent, and is acting professionally. He recently created SKEVS, an online sketch comedy show.

Keith Bryant (EdS’05) is the new principal of Carmel Elementary School in Woodstock, Ga. He served as principal at R.M. Moore elementary school for two years. He also served as assistant principal at Hasty Elementary School in Canton for three years and at Chapman Intermediate in Woodstock for four years. Keith is currently working on his doctoral degree from Piedmont.

Justin (M’05) and Katie Wood Scali (’06, M’07) welcomed a daughter, Eva Anne Scali, born April 11, 2010.

Melissa Umphlett (EdS’05) was chosen as teacher of the year at A.L. Burruss Elementary School in Marietta for the 2010-11 school year. She is an ESOL and EIP teacher working with kinder-

garten through fifth grade students.

Anthony Baldridge (’06) is a PhD student at Georgia Tech studying organic chemistry and has earned several fellowships, including a Student and Teacher Enhancement Program (STEP) Fellowship, through which he works with faculty at Marietta High School to mentor younger students competing in science fairs. In 2008 he received recognition as the most outstanding teaching assistant in chemistry.

Charlie (’06-07) and Rebecca Utz Harris (’04 M’07) announce the birth of a daughter, Catherine Elizabeth, June 4, 2010. She has one sibling, Charles-Nelson “Chuckie,” age 3.

Saul Olvera (’06, M’08) was recently appointed to serve as Education Advisor to North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue on the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Committee, established to assess and redirect public schools for optimum student success. He is in his third year of teaching business at Macon Middle School in Franklin, N.C. Ashley Rittenour (’06) and Eric Michael Tedder were married March 13, 2010. Ashley is employed as the quality assurance investigation coordinator at WuXi AppTec, Inc., a leading global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device research and development company located in Marietta.

Jacque DeMarrais (’07) married Jordan Young on May 9, 2010. Jacque graduated from North Georgia College and State University in May 2010 with a doctorate in physical therapy. She recently moved to Greenwood, S.C., where she works as the lead pediatric physical therapist for Self Regional Healthcare.

Danielle Bailey Miller (’07) and Jeremy Miller (’99) are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary in October 2010. They recently settled in Athens, where Jeremy is working as the head carpenter and designer at Athens Creative Theatre.

Danielle is program coordinator for Rose of Athens Theatre. The Millers will also be acting in two touring productions around Georgia this theatre season.

(Above) Sarah Jean Miller (’07, M’10) was married May 22, 2010, to Lewis Edward Kroll.

Maja Ostojic (’07) of Bosnia and Herzegovina married Teofil Gavric on June 27, 2010, in Sarajevo.

Lynn Rambo (EdS’07) was named the Teacher of the Year for both Barrow County Performance Learning Center and Barrow County High School.

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and great-grandpa Theodore “Earl” Tench, who attended Piedmont 1945-46 and 1949.

Robert B. Page (’01) was recently named assistant professor of biology at Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala. Robert earned his master’s degree in behavioral and evolutionary ecology from the University of Louisiana in 2003. He then worked at Washington and Lee University for two years, performing research on population and conservation genetics. In 2009, he earned his PhD from the University of Kentucky in genomics and comparative endocrinology.

Skye Tyler (’01) recently moved back to Georgia and is now working in Savannah as the Education Coordinator for the local non-profit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Savannah Area, Inc. Skye develops, markets and presents workshops on a variety of financial literacy topics. Previously she worked as a database administrator for General Physics Corporation in Groton, Conn.

Allen Sharpe (M’02) is the new men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Sharpe was named 2010 ACCC North Division and District 12 Coach of the Year.

Bryan Crawford (’03, M’06) is a Community Technical and Adult Education automotive technology instructor at North Paulding High School.

He will be teaching the high school students about the design and operation of motor vehicles as well as giving instruction for diagnosis and repair of common automotive problems. He has worked full time in auto parts sales and product development for the last 13 years.

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(Continued)

She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree from Piedmont in Athens.

Kyle Anderson (’08) and Jennifer Osborne (’08) were married June 12, 2010, at the Congregational Church of Washington in Washington, Conn.

Ryan and Elaina Craven Cochran (’08) announce the birth of a son, Samuel Asa Cochran, April 23, 2010.

Jessica Powell (’08, M’10) is working in marketing and as a sales account executive for The Atlanta Beat women’s professional soccer team.

Shon Rand (M’08) is in his second year at Randolph-Clay High School, Cuthbert, where he teaches 10th grade English.

Michael F. Mansfield Sr. (’09) has been awarded the Southeast Region Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He was one of seven recipients from the Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee area selected by a panel of judges made up of business, academic, and community leaders.

Mike is CEO of Mansfield Oil Company in Gainesville.

Joy Parham (’09) and Robert Rittweger (’07) were married April 17, 2010, in Snellville. They met when they were students at Piedmont and were engaged shortly after Joy’s graduation.

Tim Suda (’09) started a new job in June as an admissions advisor for Piedmont College. He will be advising out-ofstate students. During the fall semesters, Tim will be traveling to states up the East Coast to attend college fairs.

Katie Cummings (’10) is working as a research specialist at Yerkes National Primary Research

Center at Emory University.

Elizabeth Nylander (’10) married Justin Brumbelow on June 26, 2010, in Gainesville. The two met while Elizabeth was attending Piedmont and married shortly after she graduated this past May. In December, she will begin her masters in music education from North Georgia College and State University.

(Left) Heather Thomas (’10) and current student Patrick Rose were married May 14, 2010, in Hall County. Heather works for Windstream Communications in Baldwin.

‘Elephants on Parade’ picks Freeman Gainesville Middle School art teacher Mitch Freeman (M’05) was one of seven Americans who joined artists and celebrities from around the globe in painting 200 fiber glass baby elephants to benefit Elephant Family, a nonprofit agency dedicated to enabling wild and captive Asian elephants to thrive within their natural habitats.

The wildly painted elephant sculptures filled the parks, squares and street corners of London in May before Sotheby’s auctioned the elephants in July. New York and Milan also will host the Elephant Parade, giving the sculptures a bicontinental audience. Elephant Parade London 2010 aims to raise 1 million euros to preserve the Asian elephant.

Freeman said it is no coincidence that his international debut comes in the form of an elephant, which is the Gainesville school district’s mascot.

Left to Right: Eva Scali, daughter of Justin (M’05) and Katie Scali (’06, M’07); Jonas Fried, son of Regina Fried (‘07) and Mat Fried (‘07); Reilly John Cox, son of Anthony (’02, M’03) and Jennifer Cox (’02, M’03); Samuel Asa Cochran, son of Elaina (‘08) and Ryan Cochran

Bibs for Babies

Is there a new little Piedmont Lion in your house? The Alumni Association has a special—and useful—present for you, a bib featuring the PC lion cub.

The Young Alumni Committee of the Association came up with the idea to congratulate proud parents and showcase Piedmont pride. Heather Malick, chairperson of the Committee, noted that the Committee “wants to stay involved and connected with other alumni and share the happenings of alumni. Anyone who knows of an alumnus having a baby can spread the news through the Class Notes or by contacting the alumni office.”

The Alumni Association is also working with and supporting current students this year with events such as the Freshmen/Alumni Cookout and Senior Send-Off. The Association is also working with students on service projects including this year’s Relay for Life and the 1,000-Hour Volunteer Challenge, as well as working to increase alumni participation in the annual fund.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors is led by 23 directors elected by the alumni body for a three-year term. The directors elected as officers serve a one-year term in the position. For more information about the Alumni Association, visit the Piedmont website at www.piedmont.edu.

Collins saves Piedmont history

Raymond Collins (’58) of Cleveland presented his alma mater with a special gift recently: five thick scrapbooks of news clippings, brochures and booklets, all related to Piedmont College over the past 25 years. A member of the Alumni Board, Collins said he had been saving the PC memorabilia from board meetings and other events in a box over many years and then organized them by year. Pictured with Collins are Susan Mills, left, and Brandy Aycock of the Alumni Office.

OBITUARIES The Rev. Dr. Robert Haldane (Honorary Doctor of Divinity 1982) of Danvers, Mass., died April 6, 2010. He was 82. He was a founder and active member of the NACCC. Rev. Dr. Haldane served churches in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, and California. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Civil Air Patrol following 28 years of service, 18 years as chaplain. He was active in Masonic organizations, served on boards and committees of church, interfaith, and community civic organizations, and was the author of numerous books and magazine articles.

1930s Lou Anna Puckett Stowe (’36) of Monroe died March 14, 2010. She was 94. Mrs. Stowe’s teaching career spanned more than 40 years before her retirement in 1980. While at Piedmont, she played basketball all four years. Survivors include her sister, Mary Alice Puckett Santora (’39).

1940s Madge McDowell Davis (’40) of Donalds, S.C., died June 25, 2010. She was 92. Mrs. Davis was a second-grade teacher and retired from the Abbeville County (S.C.) School District in 1982.

Hulon F. Farmer (’47) of Suwanee died April 19, 2010. He was 95. Mr. Farmer was a U.S. Army veteran and served in WW II. He retired from the Gwinnett County School System in 1978, having served as teacher, principal, and visiting teacher. He was a member of the Gwinnett County Association of Educators Hall of Fame and, in 1998, was named Citizen of the Year by the Gwinnett Council for Seniors.

William Lewis “Pat” Hallford (’47) of Clarkesville died June 17, 2010. He was 88. Mr. Hallford was a U.S. Army veteran and served in the European Theater during WW II. In 1946 he played professional baseball with the New York Yankees organization, backing up Phil Rizuto as shortstop.

During his business career, Mr. Hallford operated manufacturing plants in Canada and Iran. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Southerland Hallford (’50).

Winnie Murphy Hicks (’47) of Clarkesville died July 16, 2010. She was 85. While at Piedmont, Mrs. Hicks was editor of The Yohanian. During WW II she interrupted her studies to work as a welder in the shipyards of Brunswick, Ga. She taught Adult Basic Education at the Lee Arrendale Institute in Alto. Mrs. Hicks is survived by her husband of 61 years, Dr. L.G. Hicks Jr., whom she met at Piedmont.

John M. Hood (’43) of Birmingham, Ala., died May 14, 2010. He was 90. Mr. Hood was a U.S. Army veteran having served in both WW II and in the Korean War. He had been a teacher and principal in Helen, before careers with the Georgia.

Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Muriel Watkins Ross (’43) of Ball Ground died July 5, 2010. She was 89. Mrs. Watkins taught school for many years.

Naomi Perry Stambaugh (’41) of Rock Hill, S.C., died August 6, 2010. She was 88. Mrs. Stambaugh taught high school French in Georgia and North Carolina, and she taught in the Rock Hill system for 20 years. Survivors include her husband, Rex Stambaugh (’41).

Althea “Peggy” Rice Carr Waters (’48) of Glen Ridge, N.J., died June 27, 2010. She was 83.

While at Piedmont, Mrs. Waters was president of the junior class, treasurer of the senior class, and a member of The Torch of Piedmont. She taught English at Glen Ridge High School from 19601985. Her first husband, Westmoreland Carr (’48) taught mathematics at the same school during the same time. Mr. Carr died in 1992. Survivors include her husband, Jim Waters; and brother and sister-inlaw, Ken (’61) and Marilyn Hoffman Rice (’60).

James F. Bailey (’49) of Jacksonville, Fla., died Aug. 20, 2010. He was 85. Mr. Bailey served in the U.S. Navy. He was the retired publisher of Jacksonville’s “Financial News & Daily Record.”

1950s Bruce Blasingame (’52) of Thomson died April 13, 2010. He was 81. Mr. Blasingame served in the U.S. Marines from 1946-48. He retired from the McDuffie County Board of Education following a career as a teacher, coach, and administrator. Mr. Blasingame was a radio announcer for the Thomson High School Bulldogs football team and was instrumental in starting Little League Baseball in McDuffie County.

Early in 2010 Mr. Blasingame was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Thomson Rotary Club. Survivors include his wife, Lora Lancaster Blasingame (’51).

Maybelle Gailey (’53) of Alto died July 13, 2010. She was 97. She was a retired teacher, having taught for 37 years in Hall and Habersham counties, and she was the pioneer teacher for special education in Habersham County. Ms. Gailey was a Habersham Retired Education Association Emeritus Teacher, awarded to current members who have reached the age of 90. Survivors include her niece, Jane Ferguson (’65).

W.H. “Dub” Jones (’54) of Gainesville died August 18, 2010. He was 85. Mr. Jones served in the U.S. Navy during WW II as a radio operator.

At Piedmont he was vice president of his senior

class and played basketball and baseball. In 1983 he was inducted into the P-Club Hall of Fame. An accomplished athlete, Mr. Jones played in the military baseball league and in the Industrial League for the New Holland Mill baseball team. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, playing for a short time in the minor leagues. He founded the Old Timers League, a group dedicated to the men in northeast Georgia who played baseball for the area mills. He served as teacher and coach at Riverbend, East Hall, and North Hall high schools and served two terms on the Hall County Board of Education.

Ruth Butts Tomlin Phillips Smith (’57) of Walhalla, S.C., died May 9, 2010. She was 89. Mrs. Smith was a retired educator, having taught in Toccoa and South Carolina.

1960s Eunice Free Hulsey (’65) of Cleveland died April 23, 2010. She was 76. Mrs. Hulsey retired as a second-grade teacher in the White County school system. Her husband, Telford Hulsey (’54) died in 1995. Survivors include her brother Lloyd Free (’50), brother-in-law Clay Strange (’61), and sisterin-law Joyce Hulsey Bowen (’68).

J. L. Henry (’66) of Franklin, N.C., died March 11, 2010. He was 71. From 1967-71, Mr. Henry was a science teacher and basketball coach at Piedmont.

Mary Lee Ayers Steele (’60) of Toccoa died July 22, 2010. She was 90. Mrs. Steele retired from the Stephens County School System in 1983 having taught at Merritts, Toccoa Falls, and Toccoa elementary schools. In 1965 she was the Stephens County Star Teacher.

2000s Larry B. Townsend (’07) of Bogart died May 23, 2010. Mr. Townsend attended Piedmont in the Neighborhood Grant Program and was Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for The Commercial Bank in Athens.

2010s Tracy Lee Tompkins Jr. of Hull, a student at the Athens Campus, died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010. He was 27. Originally from Commerce, Mr. Tompkins was a veteran of the United States Army, serving two tours in Iraq. He was attending Piedmont College in Athens working toward a bachelor’s degree in business. Memorials may be made to the Fund for Tracy Lee Jr. at the Pinnacle Bank in Monroe.

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