E loise a n d T ed W hise n h u n t
A Good Fit B y P eggy C o z art
It was 1997 or so when Eloise and Ted Whisenhunt got a first, unknowing glimpse into their future. The recently married, young graduate students had accompanied Eloise’s father on a driving trip through north Georgia. Like so many, they were surprised Georgia even had mountains, let alone that they were so close to the Atlanta metro area. During a stop in Young Harris, the couple—with plans for teaching careers—remarked what a dream college town it was and went on their way, not really thinking much about the town or Young Harris College again. They returned to school in Florida, earned their degrees and secured teaching positions at Judson College in Marion, Ala., where they spent 11 years. While at Judson, they met a transfer student from
Young Harris College, still a two-year institution at that time. A few years later, relatives bought a house in nearby Sautee Nacoochee, allowing the couple to spend some time in the beautiful area.
Eloise and Ted Whisenhunt
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Perhaps these encounters were just enough to pique Ted’s interest when he came across a YHC job posting just as the College was making the transition to a four-year program. He applied, got the job and was thrilled. However, “It was a perfect fit and the worst timing it could be for me,” said Eloise, who was in the final throes of completing her dissertation. Despite imperfect timing, they made the move, though Eloise admitted to examining the local grocery store before making the commitment to leave the tiny town of Marion. “I checked out the cheese aisle,” she said. Ted was hired to serve as associate professor of art and chair of the Department of Art while Eloise began doing adjunct work at YHC and other area colleges. In August of this year, Ted was named dean of the Division of Fine Arts, and Eloise joined the YHC faculty full time as a lecturer of English and director of the study abroad program. Both grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham—they actually met at summer camp when she was 15 and he was 16. Both went to Birmingham Southern College and each expresses a strong appreciation for their small, liberal arts college experience. “The peer pressure was to make good grades, to write that ‘A’ paper, to succeed,” Eloise recalled. Ted added, “I think it helped me. With smaller classes, I had somebody looking out for