Montevallo Today, Fall 2014

President’s Message Dear Montevallo family: As we prepared for the new academic year, we thought about specific themes consistent with what we do, which is to provide our students with the resources they need for life. We measure our success by the smart, balanced and prepared graduates who leave our gates each year and enjoy productive, enriched lives.

Therefore, we have selected, “Smart, Balanced, Prepared” as our Founders’ Day theme.

Smart — The size of our freshman classes has increased significantly during the last three years, but we have not compromised our admissions standards to accomplish this. Three of our students recently participated in the Washington Center Internship program. Thirty-eight student researchers presented at the XVII Annual Undergraduate Research Day. Ten of those were chosen to represent UM at the Southeastern Regional COPLAC Conference. One of our students was chosen as the Peach Belt Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Another will present her research paper at a national convention in Chicago in November.

Balanced — Montevallo continues its deep devotion to the study of the liberal arts. Teaching students how to think critically and creatively leads to richer, fuller lives.

Our students and alumni are civically engaged and community minded. In 2013, the University was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes institutions of higher education that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Here are just a few examples of why UM was chosen for this award: the UM Organic Community Garden rented 22 community plots for the summer 2014 growing season; this summer, the donation plot/summer harvest plot produced hundreds of pounds of fresh produce for donation to Shelby Emergency Assistance, bringing the donation total to more than 3,000 pounds since June 2011; more than 525 students from 33 campus organizations completed service projects at 51 job sites during UM’s annual Big Event; the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee raised money for Make-a-Wish Foundation; our student-athletes participated in the Tour De Cure bike race and Habitat for Humanity; all 39 members of the baseball team participated in the Field of Angels event. The team also participated in the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Our students are also active in the Best Buddies program, Backpack Buddies and other meaningful programs focused on assisting underserved citizens.

Prepared — Montevallo graduates find employment in a myriad of professions. One of our alums, Dr. Mark Brandon, was recently named Dean of the School of Law at the University of Alabama. Our graduates enjoy impressive placement in medical, law and professional schools. This summer, all of our students who applied for admission to professional schools received an interview. Of those, three were accepted to pharmacy schools, three to medical schools, three to veterinary schools, and one to dental school. Three students have been accepted to graduate programs in chemistry. Just recently, I encountered alumni who finished graduate school at institutions such as Princeton, Vanderbilt and MIT. Clearly our students are prepared — not for just a living, but for life.

As our loyal and supportive alumni, we hope you take pride in the accomplishments of your fellow Falcons. Please know that your continued financial support ensures your alma mater will continue to graduate Smart, Balanced, Prepared citizens.

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for all you do for the students we serve.

MONTEVALLO TODAY Vol. CIV, No. 3 Fall 2014 Montevallo Today (ISSN 1052-3634) is published three times a year by the University of Montevallo, Alumni Affairs/University Relations, Reynolds Hall, Highland St., Montevallo, AL 35115. Periodicals postage paid at Montevallo, AL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, send address changes to Montevallo Today, Station 6215, P.O. Box 6000, Montevallo, AL 35115. To contact the Alumni Affairs office, please call 205-665-6215. Text, photographs and graphic images included in this publication may not be reproduced without written permission from the editor. The University of Montevallo does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or in the provision of services.

Montevallo Today

University of Montevallo alumni magazine PUBLISHER

Gary Johnson gjohnson5@montevallo.edu

EDITOR

Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’00, MBA ’13 bunttr@montevallo.edu

ASSOCIATE EDITOR & CLASS NOTES EDITOR

Marsha Littleton littletonm@montevallo.edu

ALUMNI EDITOR

Tracy Payne-Rockco ’94, M.Ed. ’98 paynet@montevallo.edu

COPY EDITOR

Diane Kennedy-Jackson kennedyd@montevallo.edu

PHOTOGR APHERS

Matt Orton, Brittany Headley ’14, Kiera Hood ’15, Wendy Johnson ’17, Cindy Kostelecky, Corey Nolen, Tracy Payne-Rockco ’94, M.Ed. ’98, Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’00, MBA ’13

DESIGNERS

Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’00, MBA ’13, Sarah Reimer ’14, Hannah Stein ’14

CONTRIBUTORS

William Crawford ’03, Rachel Daniel ’09, M.A. ’12, Hannah Gentry ’14, Wesley Hallman, Billy Hughes, Cindy Tidwell ’94

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION UMNAA President — Michael Malone ’69 President-Elect — Laurl Self ’94 Past President/Parliamentarian Jim Methvin ’73 Alumni Council Representative Mary Lou Williams ’69 Admissions Representative Greg Embry ’96 Faculty Representative Carolyn Miller-Kirby SGA President Rachael Swokowski ’15 UMNAA Vice Presidents Matt Arnold ’93, Barbara Bonfield ’58, Wadia B. Josof ’79, Toni Leo ’80, Jalete Nelms ’90, Keith Shoemaker ’98, Warwick M. Woodall ’82 Members at Large Barbara Bradford ’56, Lewis Brooks ’88, Mary Louise Dabbs ’56, Tiffani Humphries ’98, Patrick McDonald ’01, Terra Miller ’06, Megan Randolph ’06, Diane Ray ’68, Stephanie Shaw ’93, David Thomas ’97, Susan Vaughn ’71, Cornelia Watts ’77, Chris Willis ’07, Virginia Young ’84 Ex-Officio John W. Stewart III, Julie Harbin ’00, Tracy Payne-Rockco ’94, M.Ed. ’98

In this Issue

page 5

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University honors Eugene Sledge

An effort is underway to honor the memory of the late Eugene B. Sledge, professor of biology at UM from 1962–1990, with a three-part campaign to improve the biology program at the University of Montevallo. Plans include an endowed chair in the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics, an endowed scholarship for a biology student and an outdoor classroom.

16 Alumni Profile

Resia and Lewis Brooks, a husband-and-wife team of educators in Shelby County, talk about their family, their careers and their philosophy regarding education and success.

22 Olympics Day adds new features

Photo by Brit Headley ’14

page 16

OLYMPICS DAY

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page 22

A Greek alumni reunion has been added to the festivities surrounding Olympics Day, providing a new opportunity for alumni from UM’s sororities and fraternities to reconnect.

Events will be held over Founders’ Day weekend, Oct. 9–11.

A schedule appears on page 23.

Departments 4 Campus News

18 Class Notes

12 Guest Essay

22 Alumni Activities

13 Sports

28 Annual Fund

16 Montevallo Profile

30 Professional Spotlight

On the cover Pandora Jones (foreground on cover) and other members of a kinesiology class enjoy kayaking on University Lake during a summer session at UM. The lake has become a popular spot for recreation since improvements were made in 2013.

PHOTOS: MATT ORTON

|Campus News|

|Academic chair endowed| Thanks to a generous gift from Michael and Donna Grainger, the University of Montevallo has established its first academic endowed chair in the Michael E. Stephens College of Business. The SCOB received the commitment of $500,000 to endow the Michael J. and Donna H. Grainger Endowed Chair in Business and Accounting.

Michael Grainger, who received his undergraduate degree in accounting from UM in 1973, said, “The University of Montevallo has a rich tradition of providing a high quality, affordable education that prepares students to succeed professionally and personally.

As an alumnus, I know the importance of the education and unique experience the University of Montevallo provides.

Along with my wife Donna, we have been able to see how individuals can make a profound difference on the University and its students.”

Grainger is a member of the board of directors of the University of Montevallo Foundation and the advisory board of the University of Montevallo Michael E. Stephens College of Business.

Stephen Craft, Dean of the College of Business, noted, “Mike and Donna Grainger have shown tremendous leadership in their support of the Stephens College of Business. Mike Grainger was the first person to step up four years ago when we needed financial support for a newly formed Center for Professional Practice.

Mike and Donna’s support has been transformative in the lives of countless students. This new endowment to support a professorship will touch students for generations to come.”

University President John W. Stewart III recognizes the impact this gift has on supporting UM faculty. “Endowing a chair provides the University the capability to attract and retain top talent to work with our students. The

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Montevallo Today

higher-education landscape is quite competitive, and we want to ensure our students have access to learn from the best. We are grateful for the generosity and dedication of the Graingers to our talented faculty and the entire UM family.”

The gift to the University comes as the “Grainger Challenge” to support the Stephens College of Business.

The Graingers will match all gifts and pledges made to the College of Business at a 2-to-1 ratio.

As an incentive for recent graduates to begin giving back to their alma mater, the match will be 3-to-1 for any graduate since the year 2000. The match timeline starts now and concludes at Homecoming 2015.

Grainger has guided a number of companies to financial success. After working with Price Waterhouse & Co. from graduation until 1980, he joined Coble Systems Inc., a privately held truck transportation group, as chief financial officer. After assisting in the sale of most of the group in 1986, he remained involved in mergers and acquisitions as a consultant until 1990.

In 1990, Grainger joined Ingram Industries Inc. as vice president and controller. In 1996, the company spun off its largest subsidiary, Ingram Micro Inc., a wholesale computer distributor located in Orange County, California. Grainger became the chief financial officer and part of the management group that completed what was at that

time the largest technology company initial public offering (IPO). In 2000, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer. During his time at Ingram Micro, the company’s revenue grew from $12 billion to $33 billion in more than 50 countries.

Grainger retired in 2004, and he and Donna moved back to Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville. He remains involved in business, serving on the boards of directors of Ingram Industries Inc., ScanSource Inc., a publicly traded information technology distributor, and Belkin International, a computer and consumer electronics connectivity and accessories supplier.

Grainger also has been able to become the student of history he always wanted to be. He is the chairman of The Civil War Trust, a national nonprofit organization that is the leader in the preservation of America’s Civil War battlefields. In addition, he is a member of Tennessee’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and sits on the board of the Tennessee Historical Society.

|Montevallo and Marines celebrate American hero at commencement| The memory of Eugene B. Sledge, professor of biology at UM from 1962– 1990 and author of a landmark book on the Pacific theater in World War II, will be honored with a three-part campaign to improve the biology program at the university he served.

Sledge, who served in the 1st Marine Division, 5th Marines during World War II, was only 19 when his company landed on Peleliu, a tiny island held by the Japanese. After 30 days of constant brutal combat, more than 60 percent of his comrades were injured or killed. After the taking of Okinawa months later, fewer than half of the Peleliu veterans were still unhurt. By then, Sledge had earned the nickname “Sledgehammer.”

After the war, Sledge returned to the U.S. and eventually earned the

Professor Eugene B. Sledge

Ph.D. in biology from the University of Florida. He came to UM in 1962 and taught until his retirement in 1990.

His most enduring contribution was his account of his experiences in the Pacific, With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. Published in 1981 and critically acclaimed, the book is still in print and widely read in military circles. It is a survivor’s testimony of an experience that relatively few lived to tell.

As part of its series on unsung heroes, The History Channel produced a documentary, Sledgehammer, based on Sledge’s experiences, and he was featured prominently in the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

Sledge died in 2001 after an extended illness, but during his years at UM, he shared with generations of students his lifelong interest in living creatures, especially birds.

At spring commencement, the University welcomed another Marine, Gen. Frederick M. Padilla, who delivered the commencement address. A career Marine, Padilla is the director of operations with Plans, Policies and Operations at Marine Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

Like Sledge, he also has served in the 1st Marine Division, 5th Marines.

No stranger to forward positions, Padilla participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia as well as in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His personal decorations include

Maj. Gen. Frederick M. Padilla

the Legion of Merit (with Combat V and two gold stars), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with gold star), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with gold star) and the Combat Action Ribbon (with gold star).

Padilla gave the graduating seniors guidelines for navigating the pathways of life including hard work, honor, service and avoidance of distractions. He encouraged them to “make Sledgehammer proud.”

With respect to Sledge’s dedication to the study of biology, UM is planning to endow a chair in the Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics support an endowed scholarship for a biology student who exemplifies Sledge’s character and work ethic, and create an outdoor classroom for the study of biology. This outdoor classroom will be located in the courtyard of Harman Hall.

Anyone wishing to honor this American hero by contributing to this scholarship may contact UM’s Office of Advancement at 205-665-6215 or at giving@montevallo.edu.

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www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Campus prepares for new developments|

Construction is underway at the site of the new UM softball field, located in Orr Park.

The intramural field, located near the baseball field, is being transformed to host UM’s new track and field program.

The intramural field is being relocated to an area near the soccer fields behind the McChesney Student Activity Center.

To better accommodate art students, a new 3-D complex is currently under construction.

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Montevallo Today

|UM named College of Distinction|

Softball field rendering

Track & field rendering

3-D complex rendering

For the third consecutive year, the University of Montevallo has been named a College of Distinction.

Montevallo is the only public university in Alabama to receive this recognition for 2014-2015.

Founded in 1999, Colleges of Distinction is a web-based guide for high school juniors and seniors seeking a school that is nationally recognized and highly recommended by professionals in the field of education. Colleges and universities are nominated for participation by high school counselors and must excel in four distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes.

The methodology to select a school includes both qualitative and quantitative information. Interviews are conducted with college admission experts, faculty and staff at each accepted college, administrators at other colleges and high school counselors. Also considered are graduation rates, classroom size and other statistics that reflect the four distinctions.

“Montevallo was selected for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success,” stated Colleges of Distinction founder Wes Creel in a letter noting UM’s inclusion for 2014-2015.

In order to engage students, the University of Montevallo offers a variety of learning experiences such as undergraduate research, study abroad and study away, internships and more. Learning is frequently “hands-on,” and faculty work with students to develop not only as scholars, but also as responsible and productive citizens.

Graduates of Colleges of Distinction are recognized both by graduate schools and employers as being well prepared for the next step in their careers, and placement records are high. Alumni also tend to remain engaged long after graduation.

“We are very pleased to be included in this prestigious ranking,” stated UM President John W. Stewart III. “In their deliberations, Colleges of Distinction assigns tremendous weight to the enterprise of teaching and learning. Many of the institutions they include are elite, private colleges. As Alabama’s public liberal-arts university, Montevallo stands as a unique model for quality and affordability in higher education, offering a small, private-college experience for the cost of a state institution.”

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www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Richard named director of athletics| Mark Richard has been named director of athletics at the University, the ninth full-time AD in school history.

Richard, who has 26 years of collegiate sports administration experience, just completed his fifth year as the director of athletics at Gannon University, an NCAA Division II institution in Erie, Pennsylvania.

“The University of Montevallo is proud of our athletics legacy and our thousands of athletic alumni,” said UM President John W. Stewart III. “I am confident Mark will build on that legacy to make our athletics program one of the best in the Peach Belt Conference. Mark’s impressive background is an asset to our 13 NCAA Division II teams and the coaching staff. Mark brings to our campus the leadership we need to continue our focus on the aca-

demic success of our student-athletes, increasing graduation rates and developing our student-athletes to be leaders in our communities.”

The Meadville, Pennsylvania, native and former Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) studentathlete is no stranger to the South. His experience includes 10 years as an associate/senior associate director of athletics at Auburn University and three years as assistant director of athletics for compliance at Vanderbilt University.

“I am grateful for this incredible opportunity to lead an outstanding NCAA Division II program,” Richard said. “I look forward to working with a proven coaching staff and talented student-athletes at the University of Montevallo. The University has a reputation for strong academics and

a commitment to a dynamic student experience. I am excited to be the next director of athletics at the University of Montevallo.”

|Peters joins College of Fine Arts| The University recently welcomed Steven J. Peters as the new dean of UM’s College of Fine Arts. Peters comes to Montevallo from Friends University, a private liberal arts college in Wichita, Kansas, where he had served as dean and professor in the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education since 2010. Prior to his time at Friends, he had been associate dean and professor of theatre in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University in Detroit. He also has held teaching and administrative positions at Wichita State University in Kansas, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

“Building on a distinguished career in college theatre as a teacher and director, Peters

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Montevallo Today

has held increasingly responsible administrative positions at respected institutions large and small, public and private,” noted Suzanne Ozment, provost and vice president for academic affairs at UM. “We are delighted to welcome him as the new dean of fine arts and are confident that the energy, creativity and vision he brings to the role will serve us well.”

Peters has received a number of awards and honors for excellence in the fine arts as well as in teaching. He has served on numerous arts councils and other organizations and has directed more than 50 theatrical productions.

Peters earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and theatre from Ouachita University, a master’s degree in theatre arts from Baylor University and the Ph.D. in fine arts from Texas Tech University.

|Ford publishes research| Sherry Ford, associate professor of communication studies, has coauthored a paper published recently in the peer-reviewed Journals of Gerontology that explored the relationship between Internet use and depression in older, retired Americans. Her coauthors include Phoenix Center Chief Economist George S. Ford, Shelia Cotten (Michigan State University) and Timothy Hale (Harvard University).

Internet Use and Depression Among Retired Older Adults in the United States: A Longitudinal Analysis finds that use of the Internet reduces depression in the elderly by as much as 34 percent. Since depression affects between five and 10 million Americans aged 50 and older, with almost eight percent of the aged population reporting current depression, these findings offer a tool to help reverse these numbers, thereby also reducing

the financial cost to treat those suffering from the condition.

The Internet offers older Americans a chance to overcome the social and spatial boundaries that are believed to fuel depression. Theoretically, Internet usage by older adults enables them to maintain contact with their social networks, exchange social support and gather information to help them make decisions, all of which enhance well-being.

“As an interpersonal communication specialist,” says Ford, “I am thrilled to see additional evidence for the value of maintaining close ties with significant others. This study in particular indicates that for seniors, especially those who live alone, Internet use facilitates connection to social networks when those connections may otherwise diminish. As I like to say to my students, ‘That’s powerful stuff!’”

|Williams leads summer mural project| The Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement sponsored a summer camp, directed by Collin Williams, professor of art at UM, for local students who were entering 5th through 12th grades and who were interested in creating art in a community setting.

The goal was to provide input into a mural design promoting preservation and protection of Montevallo’s natural

Photo by Brit Headley ’14

resources. This mural was painted on the wall of the Subway building facing McDonald’s in Montevallo. Throughout the duration of the camp, campers visited many of Montevallo’s natural resources.

As an example of the concept behind this project, the Montevallo Recycling Center was given an artistic facelift during the summers of 2012 and 2013 by University of Montevallo

Professor of Art Collin Williams and the students in his Community Art classes. (See Montevallo Today, Fall 2012, cover and page 3) Funded by CAWACO Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc., the camp consisted of three sessions spanning the first three weeks in June. Instructors included university faculty, staff and students.

|Campus News|

|UM offers new graduate degree online| Beginning in Fall 2014, the University of Montevallo is offering a new graduate degree. The Educational Specialist degree in Instructional Technology has been created to address identified regional and national needs as the use of technology in schools and other educational settings continues to grow. In the 21st century it is no longer sufficient for schools, hospitals and other businesses to rely on selftaught employees to assume the role of technology leaders for their organizations. There is an increased demand for highly trained individuals who are responsible for technology planning, budgeting, implementation, policy development and training, and this new offering from UM was developed to address that need.

“For years, Montevallo has delivered a quality program for the development of leaders for Alabama’s schools,” notes Anna McEwan, dean of the College of Education. “Launching a program that focuses on technology leadership seemed to be a natural extension for us. The fact that the program is loosely aligned with the essential skills that comprise the Certified Educa-

tion Technology Leader (CETL)TM certification exam is a bonus for our graduates.”

The innovative program is designed to meet the requirements of working professionals in a variety of settings, but will focus on preparing technology leaders for P–12 schools and school district offices. Participants will acquire the advanced knowledge and ability to integrate technology into the pre-kindergarten through high school curriculum. The program of study will include courses on characteristics of 21st century learners, technology tools, mobile technologies, support for collaborative learning online, legal and ethical uses of technology and strategies for teaching effectively in the information age.

Montevallo’s Ed.S. in Instructional Technology will be relevant for prospective and practicing instructional leaders, teachers, instructional designers, multimedia specialists and training developers and directors in schools, businesses, industries, government agencies, or other settings where professional development and lifelong learning take place. Assignments will

allow degree candidates to apply what they are studying. They will identify targeted areas of needed improvement within the school, district, or organization in which they work. Then, using a variety of applied methodologies, they will conduct research and present ways their findings can be used to improve student comprehension, customer service and educational delivery.

UM is well positioned to offer the Ed.S. in Instructional Technology. The two faculty members assigned to the new program hold doctoral degrees in Instructional Technology and have 12 years of combined experience as technology specialists in local school districts. Both are members of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Alabama Educational Technology Association (AETA), and both actively serve as professional consultants to schools and school districts.

The degree will be delivered entirely online and may be completed in five or six academic terms. To be eligible to enroll in this advanced degree program, an individual must hold a master’s degree in any discipline.

|Upward Bound turns 50|

participants come to campus to receive academic instruction in core subjects and enrichment classes, tutoring, mentoring, cultural enrichment and a myriad of other opportunities to assist them in successfully graduating from high school and earning a baccalaureate degree.

Many of the students who participate in Montevallo’s Upward Bound Program go on to participate in other post-baccalaureate TRIO programs like Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars Program. In fact, several have gone on to earn the doctoral degree including Terrance Brown of West Blocton, director of vocal studies at the University of North

Alabama, and Tracy Payne-Rockco, director of alumni affairs at UM, who was a member of the first class of Upward Bound students in 1986.

2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the federally-funded Upward Bound Program. Since 1964, more than 2 million students nationwide have participated in this TRIO program that began as an effort to increase educational opportunities for first-generation and/or lowincome high school students.

Addie Crutcher served as the first director of the program at the University of Montevallo in 1986. Montevallo now has two Upward Bound grants and serves 120 high school students from Bibb, Chilton and Shelby counties. Program

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Montevallo Today

Addie Crutcher

UM students presented at the Southeastern Regional Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Conference, held in Montevallo this summer. Pictured are from left: (front row) Christopher Hightower, Lindsay Hodgens, Andrea Willard, Gregory Roth; (back row) Perrin Windham, Rebecca Leach, Brittany Headley, Marguerite B. Little. Not pictured: Amanda Grace Fowler and Cherisse Pittman.

|Students excel in Undergraduate Research| The Undergraduate Research Program was active during the spring semester, awarding travel grants to assist several students in attending discipline-specific conferences to present their research projects. These conferences are beneficial to all the researchers, particularly those with graduate school in their future. Students traveled to such locations as Atlanta, New Orleans, Nebraska and Troy, Alabama.

UM’s own Undergraduate Research Day saw 38 students participating with the mentoring of 25 faculty members representing all four colleges. For the first time in the 17-year history of UR Day, presentations were judged, and monetary awards were given to the most outstanding projects.

The Southeastern Regional Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Conference was held at Mon-

tevallo this year, and 10 outstanding students who presented at UR Day gave their presentations at this event. It was a gathering of the best research students from University of Virginia College at Wise, University of North Carolina at Asheville, New College of Florida, Georgia College and State University and the University of Montevallo.

The 8th Annual Run for Research rounded out the spring semester. Spectators around campus cheered for the 50 runners, some of whom wore costumes, as they ran the course to raise awareness of undergraduate research and celebrate a successful year for the program.

Cynthia Tidwell, professor of chemistry and coordinator of undergraduate research, commented, “As always, we appreciate very much the faculty who invest their time and expertise in working with the students participating in our

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undergraduate research program and our alumni who give back to our program financially, as well as those who donate time, expertise and resources to working with the students.”

Photo by Wendy Johnson ’17

Runners compete in UM’s 8th Annual Run for Research. Costumes were optional. www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Guest Essay|

|Prepared for anything: my Montevallo journey|

BY HANNAH GENTRY ’14

My time at Montevallo shaped my life in more ways than I can count. I was able to travel, prepare for graduate school and make friendships with students and faculty members that will last a lifetime.

Even though I only graduated a few months ago, I truly miss my days in Comer and Jeter (finally UMOM!) and my nights in Brooke. I’m always looking for reasons to be back on the bricks.

I started Montevallo in the fall of 2010 and had no idea what direction I wanted to take. One morning after a French class, Dr. Stacey Ayotte asked me if I had considered being a French major. That stopped me in my tracks. I loved French, and I was good at it—but what do you do with a French degree?

I decided to just follow my heart and immediately declared my new major. I soon found another passion in history and turned to Dr. Clark Hultquist, a fellow Francophile, to be my mentor.

Every year at Montevallo, I found reasons to love it more. During the summer of 2012, my reason was travel.

I have always believed that learning outside the classroom is important, but that summer I got to experience it on a completely new level. In May, I went to Havana, Cuba, with (UM) President John Stewart, history professor John Bawden and six other students. Before our departure, we learned about Cuban history and culture, and when we arrived in Havana, we got to experience it all.

From eating rather questionable ham sandwiches in government restaurants, to visiting Hemmingway’s home, to seeing bullet holes in the walls of the Museum of the Revolution—we really became a Montevallo family.

In July of the same summer, I studied in Paris with Dr. Rosa Stoops.

The trip combined my love for French and history with in-depth study of 2,000 years of the City of Light. Yes, speaking French to Parisians was intimidating,

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Montevallo Today

and yes, there were lots of blank stares.

But there were also encouraging moments—like getting into museums for free after being mistaken for a French student.

Learning about the history of Paris in class was one thing, but going into the streets and seeing what textbooks describe was another thing entirely.

I fell in love with France and knew that I had to go back. I spent the next year figuring out how to make it happen. With lots of help from Montevallo faculty members, I decided to go on an independent study abroad trip to Tours, France. I enrolled in the Institut de Touraine for a month of classes in July 2013. Being in Tours was completely different from being in Paris with my Montevallo safety net. In Tours, I was on my own to make arrangements for housing, tuition, travel—everything.

Montevallo definitely prepared me to tackle those challenges.

In my upper level French classes, I finally started to understand what I could do with a French degree besides travel. French is an official language of the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross and FIFA, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As I was weighing my career options and looking into graduate schools, I took a class with Dr. Ayotte called “Methods in Foreign Language Teaching.” I thought I couldn’t love French any more than I already did— until I taught it. I had always loved tutoring, but this class made me realize that I was born to teach.

In September, I will be moving to the Versailles region of France to teach English in French schools for the academic year. In 2010, I never would have imagined moving across the Atlantic on my own, but now I feel prepared for anything, thanks to the education and practical experience I gained from Montevallo. I was also recently accepted into the MA program in French Language Learning at Purdue University, where I received a fully funded fellowship. I make the move to Indiana in the fall of 2015. I plan to continue my education and earn my Ph.D. to teach French.

All of my experiences at Montevallo—being a member of the Greek community, getting involved in SGA, working on campus, completing the Honors Program and even spending my last College Night as a “green” member of the College Night Committee—made me who I am now. I’m confident about moving to France, and I feel very prepared for graduate school because I know that I have the entire Montevallo community behind me. I might be leaving Montevallo behind for now, but I know that I’ll always come back home.

|Sports Updates|

|Student athletes raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation| The UM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) raised a record $3,825.97 this year during its fundraising drive to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the national community partner for committees across the nation at NCAA Division II institutions.

The committee’s efforts to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation received a boost last October when the NCAA announced that it will match all funds raised by the group up to $1,000 per school, meaning the total contribution to the foundation is $4,825.97.

The Montevallo SAAC hosted several events throughout the year to

encourage donations. They sold Make-AWish stars during the Falcons’ men’s and women’s basketball season, which were on display during game days at Trustmark Arena.

Pablo Martell, UM’s SAAC president and a member of the Falcon baseball team, said the committee takes pride in its involvement with the MakeA-Wish Foundation. “I had a chance to meet a Make-A-Wish family at our conference meeting last year,” said Martell.

“When you see someone overcoming a challenge or hardship when they’re granted that wish, it’s a big deal to the family.”

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|Athletes named to PBC Honor Roll| The University athletic department featured a school record 119 student-athletes named to the 2013-14 Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll.

The Honor Roll recognizes all student-athletes at the 14 Peach Belt Conference member institutions who had a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the academic year. Each student-athlete receives a certificate from the Peach Belt Conference office.

The Honor Roll has been divided into four groups: Gold Scholars, whose GPAs are from 3.75 to 4.00; Silver Scholars, whose GPAs are from 3.50 to 3.74; Bronze Scholars, whose GPAs are from 3.25 to 3.49; and Presidential Scholars, whose GPAs are from 3.0 to 3.24.

The women’s tennis team had the highest percentage of team members represented on the Honor Roll, with all eight members of the team making the list.

Volleyball was second with 92 percent of its roster making the Honor Roll.

Women’s soccer saw 80 percent of its roster represented; baseball was fourth on the list with 64 percent of its team members on the list; and women’s cross country/women’s track and field rounded out the top five with 62 percent of its roster represented.

www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Matsunaga named PBC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year| In-Mi Matsunaga, a standout runner on UM’s cross-country team for four years and on the track and field team for three years, was named the Peach Belt Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2014. This is the highest academic award the PBC offers.

Matsunaga, a native of Enterprise, Alabama, recently graduated from UM summa cum laude with Superior Academic Achievement honors in the Michael E. Stephens College of Business.

She is a three-time PBC Gold Scholar on the conference Presidential Honor Roll and was named to the Capital One/ CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 team following her senior season.

On the trails and track, Matsunaga was named first-team All-Conference in 2011 and second-team in 2013. She holds

|Wood named Freshman of the Year| At the conclusion of the 2014 women’s golf season, UM freshman Elaine Wood was honored for her outstanding play and was named the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. However, Elaine’s connection to Montevallo far predates her standout freshman year.

The Spanish Fort native is a second generation Falcon, as her father, Chuck Wood ’85, was also a member of the golf team during his time at Montevallo.

“When I first started recruiting Elaine and found out that her dad was a golfer at Montevallo and a graduate from the business department, I thought she would be a great fit here.

She understands what Montevallo is all about,” said Montevallo head women’s golf coach Justin Pratt.

“Coming into the year, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot,” said Wood. “I just showed up to practice every day and gave it my all, and I was happy with the results.”

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Montevallo Today

Showing remarkable skill during her freshman year, Wood finished in the top 10 in five of the seven tournaments played by the women’s golf team. Of those five top 10 finishes, she finished in the top five twice. She led the team to a second place finish in the conference and was selected to participate in the 2014 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf South Region Tournament. She was only the second women’s golfer in Montevallo history to be invited to the region tournament, finishing tied for 14th, making the most birdies of anyone in the tournament and narrowly missing an invitation to nationals.

To top off her freshman year, Wood won the 82nd Women’s State Amateur Championship at North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa in June, becoming the first Montevallo golfer to win that title.

the second-fastest 5K time in school history and the fifth-fastest 6K time in school history. She has seven top-five finishes in her cross-country career. In track and field, she finished sixth in the 1500 at the 2014 PBC Championships.

“I’m honored to receive the award on behalf of Montevallo,” said Matsunaga. “I’d like to thank the Peach Belt Conference for selecting me for this prestigious honor. It’s incredibly rewarding to be recognized after four years of hard work, but I could not have done it without the support of my coaches, teammates, trainers and administrators.”

Matsunaga becomes the second UM athlete in the last three years to be named the female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Anna Garrison received the honor in 2012.

|Baseball alums Fulmer and Davis go pro| Two University of Montevallo baseball alumni, Will Fulmer and Devon Davis, signed contracts with professional baseball organizations this spring, and both have already been promoted within their respective organizations.

Will Fulmer was drafted by the New York Mets in the 22nd round of the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, the Falcons’ highest selection in the program’s NCAA Division II era. He has since been called up to the Mets’ Class A short season affiliate in the New York-Penn League, the Brooklyn Cyclones, in Brooklyn, New York.

He began his professional career with the Mets’ Gulf Coast League affiliate in Port St. Lucie, Florida, hitting .333 and driving in four runs. He earned the promotion soon after a 3-for-5 performance with a double against the Miami Marlins’ Gulf Coast League affiliate June 24. Fulmer drove in two runs and scored one run in the game.

Fulmer was 4-for-21 in his first eight games with the Cyclones, who play at the scenic MCU Park on Coney Island.

Will Fulmer, Falcons’ award-winning second baseman, was drafted by the New York Mets after a stellar fouryear career at Montevallo.

At UM, Fulmer was recognized frequently by the Daktronics NCAA Division II Southeast Region and the Peach Belt Conference. In his senior season, he hit .380, scoring 62 runs with five home runs and 45 RBIs. He stole 19 bases in 22 attempts. The secondbaseman set school records in runs scored in a career (203) and at-bats (801) and second in the history of the baseball program at UM with 278 career hits.

Davis, a lefthanded pitcher who signed with the Devon Davis, leftChicago White Sox handed pitcher for the as an undrafted free Falcons, signed with agent, started his cathe Chicago White reer with the White Sox shortly after Sox’ Arizona League graduating from UM. affiliate in Phoenix.

In his first professional He didn’t allow a appearance, he struck run while striking out five of the six batout eight in 3 2/3 ters he faced. innings in a pair of relief appearances in Arizona before earn-

15

ing a promotion to the Great Falls Voyagers, the White Sox’ rookie affiliate in Great Falls, Montana, in the Pioneer League. Davis, who struck out five of the six batters he faced in his first appearance in professional baseball, gave up just two hits in two appearances.

He struck out five while allowing one hit in two innings against the Seattle Mariners’ Arizona League affiliate and struck out three and allowed one hit against the Texas Rangers’ affiliate. He owns a 2.08 earned run average in three relief appearances with the Voyagers.

During his career at Montevallo, he struck out 64 batters and issued 55 walks in 53 appearances. In 2012, during his time at UM, Davis was named an All-Star in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League, playing for the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Said Falcons baseball coach Chandler Rose, “This opportunity couldn’t happen to a better young man. During his three years here, he was exactly what you hope for in your student-athletes.

He has always been an extremely hard worker, and it’s great to see his hard work and perseverance pay off.” www.montevallo.edu/alumni

Power couple, Lewis and Resia Brooks balance careers, family, hobbies and community involvement on a daily basis.

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Montevallo Today

|Montevallo Profile| Your home: Pelham, Alabama Your Hometowns: Lewis: Hueytown, Alabama

Resia: Mobile, Alabama Tell us about your family and how you met: Lewis: We have two sons, Jordan (21) and Justin (19). We actually met through a mutual friend at a school carnival.

Not long after that meeting, Resia was completing her administrative degree and served as an intern at my school where I served as the assistant principal. This gave us an opportunity to get to know each other. Resia then left the school system to pursue her doctorate at Auburn University, and we kept in touch as friends. The relationship blossomed into what it is today.

What are your professions?

Lewis: Assistant Superintendent of Administration and Pupil Services for Shelby County Schools; Resia: Principal, Forest Oaks Elementary School, Shelby County Schools.

What is your secret for success?

Our secret to success is simple: faith and family first. Treat everyone with respect. Approach every situation with great humility. And finally, give more to the world than you take away.

What is the best advice you have received?

As a couple, the best advice that we have received is: through all of the things that you are doing, find ways to spend quality time together. We keep things in perspective, and we enjoy a weekly date night.

Favorite mottos?

Lewis: Be great TODAY. Resia: Do all things with love.

Please tell us about your educational foundation: Lewis: BS in Physical Education from UM in 1988, M.Ed. in Education Administration from UM in 1999, Ed.S. in Education Administration from UM in 2003 and Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from Samford University in 2010. Resia: BS in Elementary/Middle School Language Arts from UM in 1997, M.Ed. in Education Administration from UM in 2001 and Ph.D. in Reading Education from Auburn University in 2006.

How did Montevallo affect your career path?

Lewis: I was impacted by the many professors that demonstrated a personal interest in my success as a person. The UM faculty made me feel that my future was the most important thing to them.

Photo illustration by Brit Headley ’14 and Hannah Stein ’14

Resia: When I entered the College of Education, I had so many knowledgeable and passionate professors who motivated and encouraged me. I recall having a conversation with Dean Terry Roberson, who encouraged me to pursue my doctorate in reading education. I never forgot that conversation, so once I graduated with my masters degree in Education Administration, the very next day I moved to Auburn to begin my doctoral program.

What are your favorite Montevallo memories?

Lewis: My fondest memories have always been the times that I spent with my teammates from the basketball team. I also cherish the many friendships that were developed at UM, some of which are still in place today.

Resia: My favorite memories of Montevallo involve spending time with friends and sorority sisters, serving as a Montevallo Master and working closely with Dr. McChesney. I remember Dr. McChesney and Mrs. McChesney inviting me into their home to enjoy dessert while they offered words of encouragement. That really meant a lot to me.

What is a typical day for you?

Lewis: A typical day for me entails working with local school administrators on any challenges or issues that they may encounter. I usually have several meetings with the district senior leadership team. I am also involved with a number of agencies throughout the county that support our students.

Ultimately, my day is filled with problem solving. Every day brings about a new challenge.

Resia: I begin my day greeting students as they arrive at school, and I visit each class before the school day begins.

Throughout the day, I am planning, organizing, leading and monitoring in a variety of areas. I am usually working with teachers to assess instruction and to monitor student progress. I enjoy listening to the students read to me and share what they are learning.

What are your hobbies?

Lewis: Coaching youth basketball, I still play some, as well, in men’s leagues. I also enjoy collecting music, particularly jazz records and CDs. Resia: Love photography, cooking and reading.

How do you balance everything?

We both love staying busy; however we make time to step away from the everyday grind. We love to travel, so we have been to a number of cities and countries. Wherever we go, we always visit schools. We simply love our profession, and we are always researching ways to become better.

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www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Class Notes| 1951

1971

Betty Jean Foxhall Tucker, of Linden, recently had a book, On a Darkling Plain: Stories of the Great Depression, published by Livingston Press. The collection of 10 short stories recalls life during the hard times brought on by that era.

Lonnie J. Edwards Sr., M.Ed. ’74, of Atlanta, delivered the commencement address at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he had received an associate’s degree prior to coming to UM. Lonnie is the retired assistant superintendent of the DeKalb County school system, one of the largest public educational systems in Georgia. He also is a nationally recognized author, motivational speaker and spokesperson for the Mississippi Community and Junior College System.

1952 Mel Dorrough Robinson, of Montevallo, received the Rosamon Henderson Service Award from the Birmingham chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) at that organization’s recent annual banquet. This is the highest membership award accorded by the NSAL. Mel is president and CEO of MPR Inc., a company that rents and leases buildings. Her son, Mark Dorrough Robinson ’82, works with her in the company.

1966 James Scott, a retired crime scene technician from the Pembroke Pines, Florida, police department, has recently published two illustrated children’s books, The Sourface Kids and Candle Mountain. James and his wife, Cheryl Hare Scott, reside in Birmingham.

1969 Sharon Freeman Laborde, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, has announced the release of her new book, Murder at Canterbury Faire, introducing a character whom she describes as a “Miss Marple” of academia. Sharon says, “Merryvale College in central Alabama will seem familiar to readers and bring back memories of college days. This is a fast-paced mystery.”

1972 Jeanne Andrews, of Titusville, Florida, was recently inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

From 1974 until her retirement in 2008, she served Astronaut High School at various times as a physical education teacher, coach, dean of students and assistant principal. During her career, she was named Cape Coast Conference Coach of the Year five times, Florida Coach of the Year four times and was designated Coach of the Year by the Florida Athletic Coaches’s Association. Her volleyball teams won one state championship, five conference championships and a number of other titles. Her softball teams won one state championship, three conference championships and several other high rankings. Astronaut High School honored Jeanne by naming their field the Jeanne Andrews Softball Field, and in 2006, she was inducted into the Astronaut High School Hall of Fame. She also has started an organization, Jeanne’s Kids, to raise funds to help local students and families who are down on their luck.

Same Sweet Girls turn 70

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Montevallo Today

Don Chance, the James C. Flores Endowed Chair of MBA Studies and a professor in the LSU Department of Finance, received the LSU Distinguished Faculty Award at a ceremony held in April. According to the Office of Academic Affairs, this honor “recognizes faculty members with sustained records of excellence in teaching, research, service and/or any combination of the three.” Don was name UM’s Alumnus of the Year at Homecoming in 1999.

1983

1973

Ralph Stevens, of Vestavia Hills, has joined TekLinks as sales manager for commercial markets. The company, located in Birmingham, is a service provider of integrated technology solutions.

Gordon Welch and wife Elaine reside in Selma where Gordon teaches music at Wallace Community College Selma and serves as organist and choirmaster at Church Street United Methodist Church. He continues to direct the community presentation of Messiah! during the Christmas season and serves as an active judge for the Distinguished Young Woman program of Alabama.

1974 Billy Cannon M.Ed. ’76, UM’s director of admissions emeritus, won the bronze medal at the National Masters Racquetball Association’s National Tournament, held recently in Raleigh, North Carolina.

1975 Tom Walker, founder and CEO of the American Village in Montevallo, was named 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Women’s Committee of 100 for Birmingham. This recognition is awarded to individuals who “actively exemplify humanitarian qualities and show a commitment to improving the quality of life in Alabama, and have made an impact on the lives of others.”

1982 Mary Jane Garing Wood M.A., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, retired in 2013 after a 33-year teaching career that included Talladega County schools, Selma city schools, Judson College and Hattiesburg High School. She was named Teacher of the Year at Hattiesburg High for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Earl Goodwin has been appointed associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Alabaster.

1984 Jim Purcell M.Ed. was recently named commissioner of postsecondary education in Rhode Island. He had previously served as Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education.

1987 Cheryl Naugher has accepted the position of coordinator of finance and accounting with the Shelby County Board of Education. She had previously served as accounting manager for the Shelby County Commission and local school auditor for the Shelby County Board of Education.

Jeff Smith, of Alexander City, recently took the reins of Tallapoosa Ford, a dealership previously owned by his father. After selling his Birmingham glass business in 2005, he worked with the dealership, completing the rigorous process of becoming an official Ford dealer earlier this year. Jeff’s son, Chace, is a senior at UM.

1988 Renae Guy Carpenter, of Thomasville, is the director of social work for the Alabama Department of Public Health. There have been five directors of this program since its inception, and Renae is the third Montevallo graduate to hold that position.

1989 Rick Davis M.Ed.’94 has stepped down as head baseball coach at Hoover High School near Birmingham. In his 20-year tenure with Hoover, his teams won 610 games, reached the state playoffs 16 times and won one state championship.

Rick was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this year. (See Class Notes, Montevallo Today, Spring 2014.) He plans to continue teaching

physical education and coaching freshman football.

Ray Driver of Jacksonville, Florida, recently was named Lawyer of the Year by the Jacksonville Daily Record. Ray is a partner in the corporate law firm of Driver, McAfee, Peek and Hawthorne.

1999 Greg Lee recently became a Realtor with ARC Realty in Birmingham.

©

Afi Wiggins M.Ed. ’01, of Hutton, Texas, is an evaluation analyst/ supervisor with the Austin Independent School District Department of Research and Evaluation.

1992 Sheila Simmons has accepted the position of girls’ basketball coach at Easley High School in Easley, South Carolina. For the past 11 years, she had served as the women’s basketball coach at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia, where her teams compiled a record of 99-33 and were ranked in the NAIA Top 25 every season. She also had served as athletic director at Brewton Parker since 2008.

1993 David Phipps has joined the staff of Birmingham Magazine as account executive.

1994 Dennis Joe Blackmon, of Nashville, Tennessee, is the accounting manager over grants and payroll at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. He had previously been a legislative auditor.

Kristi Sayers M.Ed. has been named principal at Oak Mountain High School in Shelby County.

Previously the professional development supervisor for the county schools, she has served in education for more than 25 years.

1995 Ben Wiggins M.Ed. has been named principal of Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Georgia. He comes to Oconee from Pelham City High School in Georgia.

1996 Bill Cleveland M.Ed., Ed.S. ’01, superintendent of Homewood city schools near Birmingham, received the 2014 Outstanding Administrator Award from the Alabama Music Educators Association for his commitment and support of music education.

He recently delivered the commencement address at Samford University’s School of the Arts, encouraging seniors to invest in people’s lives by forming relationships.

Orton, director of UM’s photo lab emeritus, recently received the APEX Award of Excellence for an ad they designed for the Stephens College of Business. The ad, “Where do you see yourself?” featuring Ruwaldt Viljoen ’11, MBA ’12 was published in the Birmingham Business Journal and Alliance magazines. According to the APEX 2014 judges, “The awards were based on excellence in graphic design, quality of editorial content and the success of the entry in conveying the message and achieving overall communications effectiveness.”

Brandon named dean at UA

2002 Brent Byars M.Ed. ’07, Ed.S. ’12 has been named principal at Thompson Intermediate School in Alabaster. He had previously served as principal at Creek View Elementary School.

She received the Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where she was a graduate research and teaching fellow. She also received the Nathan E. Johnson Memorial Scholarship for academic success and potential success in the field of educational research statistics and evaluation.

2003 Lawson “Russ” Cofield M.Ed. was recently appointed principal of the Shelby County College and Career Center. He has served in education for more than 14 years, most recently as assistant principal at Shades Valley Technical Academy.

2000 Joshua Jones, an attorney in Pensacola, Florida, was recently selected as a Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star, an honor granted to only two percent of Florida lawyers. He also has had several short stories and essays published and is a partner in the film production company, Thigh High Productions, based in San Francisco.

Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt MBA. ’13, Montevallo Today editor and UM’s senior graphic designer, and Matt

2004 Kendall Hayes Jackson M.Ed., of Thorsby, has been named assistant principal at Oak Mountain High School in Shelby County. She previously taught English at Thompson High School in Alabaster.

2005 Jake Wells has been added to the coaching staff of Louisiana Tech University’s baseball program. He was hired as an assistant coach by his former coach at UM, Greg Goff, who is the head baseball coach for the Bulldogs. He had previously served as coordinator of camps and volunteer assistant coach at Mississippi State University.

Antonio Williams has been named principal of Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery. In his 10 years as an educator, he has held positions as a classroom teacher, academic administrative assistant for federal programs and instructional assistant. Antonio comes to Sidney Lanier from Hayneville Middle School in Hayneville where he was principal. He recently completed the doctoral program in educational leadership, policy and law at Alabama State University.

2006 Johnna Headley Blackerby recently opened Columbiana Eye Clinic, assuming ownership of that business from Dr. Stancil Handley, a longtime optometrist in the area. Johnna had worked part-time in the clinic while she attended high school and

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Mark E. Brandon ’75, who grew up in Birmingham, has been selected as dean of the University of Alabama School of Law. He had served as a professor of law at Vanderbilt University since 2001, specializing in constitutional law. He also held a secondary position in the department of political science.

After graduating from UM with a degree in history, Brandon earned the juris doctor from the UA School of Law in 1978, a master of arts in political science from the University of Michigan in 1986 and a doctorate in politics from Princeton University in 1992. His career path began with two years as an assistant attorney general for the State of Alabama and included work with Legal Services Corp., two law firms, and teaching positions at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Michigan before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt.

Brandon has authored two books, Free in the World: American Slavery and Constitutional Failure, published

by Princeton University Press in 1998; and States of Union: Family and Change in the American Constitutional Order, published by University Press of Kansas in 2013. He also has authored a number of book chapters and journal articles.

He is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the State Bar of Michigan.

Brandon is a second-generation Falcon. His mother, Pat Brandon, graduated from UM in 1951.

www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Class Notes| college and after completing professional school at UAB. Amber Deline M.Ed. is the new girls basketball coach at James Clemens High School in Madison. She had previously served in that same position at Oneonta High School where she led that program to two consecutive state 4A championships in 2013 and 2014. She was named 4A Coach of the Year by Alabama sports writers in 2013.

Baseball. Devon, a left-handed pitcher, was named an All-Star in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League in the summer of 2012.

Lake, the Kings reside in Cullman where Sarah is the assistant manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Skylar is the band director at Vinemont High School in Vinemont.

Weddings 1983

1935 Adelle Isbell Edmondson, 98, of Columbiana, died June 4. She was a secretary, retiring with 29 years of service with the Shelby County highway department.

Jeff Rease and Lesa Hymel were married May 24 at Oak Alley Plantion in Louisiana. After a honeymoon trip to Aspen, Colorado, the

1937

Brandt Montgomery has accepted the call to begin a new ministry as chaplain of Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, Louisiana. He had been curate at Canterbury Episcopal Chapel and Student Center at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Births

2010

2000

SheMia Jackson Wilson Ed.S. has been named principal of Pickens County High School in Reform.

SheMia and her husband, Andre Wilson, also serve as youth ministers at Voice of Truth Ministries in Greensboro.

James Bessette MBA was one of four recipients of Birmingham Business Journal’s 2014 C-Suite Awards in marketing. As director of university relations at UM, he guided the university’s re-branding effort in 2011.

Margaret Blevins recently earned the MFA degree from the Memphis College of Art in Memphis, Tennessee.

2013 Josh Womack, a Huntsville native, is an educational leadership consultant with Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity.

2014 Heather Buckner has accepted the position of managing editor of the Times-Journal in Fort Payne. She had been editor of The Alabamian at UM for two years and will be working for another former Alabamian editor, David Clemons ’03, who is the editor and publisher of the Times-Journal.

Devon Davis recently signed a professional baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox in Major League

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1934 Hazel Cumbie Roach, 101, of Geneva, died July 2. She was a retired teacher.

2007

2012

Deaths

Reases reside in Birmingham where Jeff is an art director and a portrait and wedding photographer.

2012 Mary Catherine Hawley and Brandon Clay Thornton were married April 26 at the Old Country Church at Tannehill State Park.

After a honeymoon trip to Costa Rica, the couple resides in Pelham.

Mary Catherine is a preschool teacher for a private school in the Hoover area, and Brandon is an electrical engineer with the Southern Company in Birmingham.

2013 Sarah Elizabeth Lifer and Skylar King ’12 were married Sept. 14, 2013, at the Culllman Church of Christ. Members of the wedding party who are UM alums included Sarah’s Delta Gamma sisters, Sara Beth Dye ’14, Courtney Haynie ’13, Madison Jones ’13 and Bekah Lifer ’14. Groomsmen were Skylar’s Alpha Kappa Lambda brothers, Matt Chance ’12, Jordan Miller ’13, Ian Shippy ’14 and Josh Skelton ’12. After a honeymoon on Smith

Montevallo Today

Aimee Carroll Beddingfield and her husband, Nathan, welcomed their son, Hudson MengQiu, to their home in Southside Aug. 9, 2013. Hudson, 2, is from China’s Henan Province. He was welcomed home by big sister Henley and big brother Griffin. Aimee is the assistant director of Southside Baptist Church preschool.

2003 Candance Peppers Heflin, 03, and Mike Heflin ’99, celebrated the birth of their first child, Vivian Marie Heflin, Feb. 19, 2013.

Annie Laurie Beckham Williams, 98, of Selma, died March 29. She had served as a counselor with the Alabama Department of Youth Services and the Selma city school system.

1939 Augusta Wynn Stewart, 95, of Windermere, Florida, died Nov. 26.

1940 Lorraine Coleman Gowder, 95, of Spanish Fort, died March 31.

1942 Annie Mae Tunstill Christopher, 95, of Sunnyvale, California, died May 30. She was a retired teacher.

Mary Ruth Siegfried McKinney, 93, of Huntsville, died April 11.

She was a substitute teacher for many years.

Mildred Driver Terry, 93, of Huntsville, died April 8. She was a retired teacher with 26 years of service.

1945 Jane Mahala Harrell, 90, of Huntsville, died July 9. She was a retired medical technologist.

Edna Inez Coyle Stone, 90, of Huntsville, died May 31. She was a retired teacher with more than 30 years of service.

1947 Joyce Eloise Smith Downing, 88, of Snellville, Georgia, died March 8.

Betty Ireson, 88, of Hernando, Florida, died May 11. She taught chemistry and physics at Graham High School in Bluefield, Virginia, for 43 years.

1948 Bettie Florence Stovall Rosenbaum, 87, of New Orleans, died July 7. She was a dietician and an artist.

1949 Doris Jean Donovan Bearden, 88, of Columbia, South Carolina, died June 20. Mary Lou Daughtry Loftin, 86, of Mobile, died Dec. 27.

1950 Bettey Roves Allen Callaway, 86, of Selma, died May 1.

Martha Elizabeth Josey Windham, 85, of Tuscaloosa, died June 17.

1954 Jessie Marie Kelley Miller, 81, of Fayette County, Tennessee, died Feb. 20.

1957 Segie Thompson Reed, of Pensacola, Florida, died July 15. She was a retired teacher.

1961 Elizabeth Angeline Waites, 73, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died Sept. 15, 2013. She was a psychotherapist, counselor and author.

1962

1966 John Houston James Jr., 70, of Birmingham, died May 5. He managed several businesses in the Birmingham area prior to retiring to care for his aging parents.

1972 Doris Elizabeth Perry, 67, of Birmingham, died July 30.

She had worked in computer programming, banking, the United Methodist Church and the travel industry.

1973 Gloice Ophelia Alfano, 87, of Birmingham, died July 12.

She was a retired teacher.

1974 Teresa A. Cain, 61, of Reardan, Washington, died April 13. She was employed by IBM for more than 20 years.

1975 James B. Curtis, 77, of Florence, died May 19. He was a retired Alabama state trooper.

Truman J. McLeod M.Ed., of Childersburg, died Sept.

22, 2013. He was a teacher and coach at Childersburg High School, retiring with 36 years of service.

1977 Don Reese Aldred, 58, of Hoover, died June 9. He was a retired firefighter and paramedic with Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and was the owner of Wildlife Consulting Services.

Bobby Jo Ashworth, 74, of Birmingham, died April 8.

She was a retired teacher.

Ronald S. McElveen, 67, of Pinson, died May 29. He was employed with BellSouth.

1963

1982

Tommy B. Sexton Sr. M.A., 84, of Little York, Indiana, died May 20. He taught chemistry, physics and biology at Austin High School in Austin, Indiana, for 33 years prior to his retirement in 1988.

Cindy L. Kinser, 55, of Sylacauga, died June 7. She was retired from the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

1986 Judy Kay Johnson M.Ed. ’92, 72, of Birmingham, died

Styres adds Tony to list of achievements

July 24. She was an artist, photographer and commercial art instructor at Bessemer State Technical College.

She was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Kermit A. Johnson. Dr. Johnson was president of the University of Montevallo from 1968-1977.

When the 2014 Tony Awards were handed out recently, Jason Styres ’06 of New York City was a happy person. Binder Casting, for whom Styres is a casting associate, saw the musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, receive Tonys for Best Musical, Best Director of a Musical, Best Book and Best Costume Design.

Tony Awards are given by the American Theatre Wing to celebrate excellence in the theatre.

Styres had been tasked with finding the best person for each role in the show, not necessarily the biggest names in the business. One client won awards from Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle for Best Actor in a Musical, and another won the Best Featured Actress in a Musical from Drama Desk.

In addition to his casting duties, Styres also occasionally teaches classes as a guest artist at Ridor University in New Jersey.

Binder Casting has cast more than 70 Broadway shows including The Lion King, The Music Man, The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast and Chicago. Styres says the company’s founder cast the show in which UM alumna Rebecca Luker ’84 met her husband, actor Danny Burstein.

Styres, who was Purple Leader for College Night 2006, remains in touch with other UM alumni in the New York/New Jersey area. Remembering his days at Montevallo, he said his professors in the BFA program at UM gave him great tools to work with and handson experience that have benefited him greatly in his career. He went on, “The well-rounded liberal arts education I received at Montevallo was a gamechanger for survival in New York.”

1992 Marcus Anthony Bryant, 40, of Calera, died Dec. 21. He was a realtor with Keller Williams Metro South in Alabaster.

2006 Jamell Bryant Ed.S., of Leeds, died May 30. He was a teacher at Huffman Academy.

2013 Elizabeth Ruth Johnson, 24, of Atlanta, died March 29.

Condolences To the family of Newton C. Neely, 77, of Florence, South Carolina, who died June 29.

He was a professor emeritus of communication arts at UM, teaching from 1979 to 1999.

To the family of Marcia Sears, 86, of Montevallo, who died April 13. She was an instructor of foreign language from 1963-1964.

She also had served as editor of the Shelby County Reporter for a number of years and was the first woman to head the Alabama Press Association.

To the family of Reuben Triplett, 79, of Montevallo, who died June 12. He was an associate professor emeritus of social science at UM, teaching from 1962 to 1989.

To Meredith Tetloff, assistant professor of social work at UM, on the death of her son, John Oliver “Ollie the Brave” Tetloff, 7, on July 24. The university family and the Montevallo community had banded together to support “Ollie” in his fight against neuroblastoma.

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www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Alumni Activities|

Olympics Day For 47 years, many University of Montevallo alumni have returned to their alma mater to participate in Olympics Day, held in August until 2013. Significant changes occurred in 2013, including adding a second day to the event and moving the date to coincide with Founders’ Day weekend in October. In addition, the UMNAA partnered with UM’s athletics department, reaching a new constituency in both participants and volunteers.

The partnership with the athletics department proved invaluable with the assistance of both coaches and student athletes. Nick Moeller, assistant sports information director, will lead the efforts for athletics this year. He says, “Olympics Day and Coming Home Weekend, as a whole, provides a great opportunity to honor Montevallo’s past accomplishments while showcasing the current success of this prestigious university.” While the intent may be to bring alumni back to campus, it is also a valuable opportunity for current student athletes to connect with those alumni during the weekend’s activities.

According to Mike Malone ’69, UMNAA president, the move to Founders’ Day weekend, another strong tradition at Montevallo, would bring more alumni back to campus, providing them with a second “homecoming” in the fall.

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Montevallo Today

Matt Arnold ’93, chair of the Special Events Committee in charge of overseeing Olympics Day Coming Home Weekend, agrees with Malone that, “Transitioning the Olympics Day activities to coincide with Founders’ Day is going to be a fantastic new tradition at UM.” He adds, “It will draw more alumni than ever and give folks even more of a reason to come back home for a visit!”

Many golfers who have been playing in the Olympics Day golf tournament for years were pleased with the change in dates, as the weather was pleasant and much cooler. Paul Doran ’68, who oversees the golf tournament, says “This golf event is unique in that it allows the men and women who attended Alabama College and/or the University Montevallo to maintain that Montevallo connection.

In many cases, alumni will reconnect with their alma mater as they come back to either play golf or participate in the various events that are open to them.” It is hoped that even more golfers, no matter the skill level, will come out and participate in this year’s tournament that will conclude with the awards dinner at University Lake.

The Hope Bryant Smith Memorial 5K Run and Fun Run, coordinated by the Alumni Junior Board, continues to be a popular event at Olympics Day Com-

ing Home Weekend. The proceeds from this run benefit the scholarship by the same name. Runners who are interested in signing up for this race can register on Active.com, as well as on the form provided by UM. A Greek alumni reunion has been added to this year’s Olympics Day Coming Home Weekend, providing a new opportunity for old friends from UM sororities and fraternities to reconnect.

Stephanie Shaw ’93, a member of the UMNAA board, is helping coordinate this event. She said she is “excited about the addition of a Greek Alumni Reunion event to the schedule for Olympics Day – what a great opportunity to start a new Montevallo tradition!”

Olympics Day and Coming Home Weekend is packed full of events for everyone – no matter the skill level. The UMNAA and the Athletics Department hope for a large showing of alumni, friends, current students and parents at the various events throughout the weekend.

Check the schedule on the opposite page for more details about opportunities to participate during the weekend of October 9–11. For more information, contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at 205-665-6215 or the Department of Athletics at 205-665-6600.

Schedule of Events Thursday, Oct. 9

Founders’ Day | Various locations

10 a.m.............................Class representatives meeting...................................................................Reynolds Hall 11 a.m..............................Founders’ Day Convocation .....................................................Palmer Hall Auditorium 3 p.m...............................UMNAA Board Meeting.................................................... Merrill Room, Reynolds Hall 6 p.m...............................UMNAA Alumni Awards Dinner (by invitation)..........................Anna Irvin Dining Hall 7 p.m...............................Life Raft Debate.........................................................................Palmer Hall Auditorium

Friday, Oct. 10

Olympics Day Golf Tournament | Golf Course and UM Lake

10:30 - 11:30 a.m............Friends of Athletics & Alumni Golf Tournament registration.....................Golf Course 11 a.m. - 12 p.m..............Grab & go lunch (included with registration or $10 separately).....................Golf Course 12 p.m.............................Two-person Scramble Shotgun Start...........................................................Golf Course 4:30 - 5:30 p.m...............Social (included with golf registration).................................................................. UM Lake 5:30 p.m..........................Dinner (included with golf registration or $25 separately)................................... UM Lake

Friday, Oct. 10

Book Reading, Archives Display & Reception | Carmichael Library

1 - 3 p.m..........................Book reading by Mike Mahan & Archives Display by Carey Heatherly

Saturday, Oct. 11

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Olympics Day | Various Locations

7 - 7:45 a.m.....................Registration for 5K Run & Fun Run/Walk/Stroll............. Student Activity Center (SAC) 8 a.m...............................Hope Bryant Smith Memorial 5K Run & Fun Run/Walk/Stroll....... Designated Course 8 - 9 a.m..........................Registration for all Olympics Day events.................................................................. SAC 9 a.m...............................Tennis Match with the Falcons..............................................Check-in at Tennis Courts 9 a.m...............................Disc Golf Tournament..........................................................................Disc Golf Course 9 a.m...............................Corn Hole Toss Tournament..........................................................................SAC Quad 9 a.m...............................Family-friendly games & activities...................................................................SAC Quad 10 - 11:30 a.m.................Brunch & Awards Ceremony (included with registration or $10 separately).....SAC Quad 3 - 5 p.m..........................Greek Alumni Reunion (tickets may be purchased for $10)....... Student Retreat Center 5 p.m...............................Tailgating........................................................................................................ Soccer Field 5 p.m...............................Women’s Soccer............................................................................................Varsity Field 7:30 p.m..........................Men’s Soccer.................................................................................................Varsity Field

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To register: www.montevallo.edu/olympics To register for Hope Bryant Smith Memorial 5K Run: www.Active.com For more information, contact Tracy Payne-Rockco (alumni) at 205-665-6215 or paynet@montevallo.edu or Nick Moeller (athletics) at 205-665-6600 or nmoeller@ montevallo.edu

www.montevallo.edu/alumni

|Alumni Activities|

SHELBY COUNTY BENEFIT BASH

Above: Wayne Seelbach, provost and vice president for academic affairs emeritus, his wife Ginger, along with alumni and friends enjoy Nathews family BBQ while playing a friendly game of bingo. The event raised nearly $2,000 for the Emma Dean Nathews Scholarship designated for a Shelby County student attending UM. Above right: Dr. Stewart and Freddie Falcon visit the Benefit Bash.

SENIOR DAY

Korey Wilson, Anna Beth Shelton and Mary Kate McLaurine await their Steel City Pops and Zaxby’s lunch at Senior Day sponsored by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.

SPRING SOIRÉE

A major fundraiser for the Alumni Junior Board is the silent auction at the Spring Soirée, held this year at Good People Brewing Company.

Below left: Meg Denson ’08 and Kelly Curry ’08 check out artwork at the auction. Below right: Jason McCleney ’06, Nick Kopp ’02 and Joel Harris ’04 enjoy the social aspect of the Spring Soirée.

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Montevallo Today

Photo by Wendy Johnson ’17

NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK WITH THE BIRMINGHAM BARONS ­– JUNE 26

Jefferson County Alumni and Young Alumni join together to enjoy a night of Barons baseball at the new Regions Ballpark in Birmingham. Above left: Jahzmin Young ’09, Jennifer Wycoff M.Ed. ’00, Erica Tabb ’02 and Cedric Norman ’09 are all smiles as they cheer on the Birmingham Barons. Above right: Alicia McDonald Smith ’06 (along with soon-to-be Clara Smith) and Kevin Smith ’06 win a prize for the couple showing the most UM spirit at the Barons game.

MATT ORTON RETIREMENT

Photo by Kiera Hood ’15

After 23 years of service as director of the photo lab at UM, Matt Orton has retired to his home in Iowa. Alumni and friends gathered to honor Matt and wish him well at a retirement party held July 18. Most of the photographs used in Montevallo Today over the years were taken by Matt and his talented student assistants. Pictured at left are Matt (in red shirt) and alumni, some of whom traveled long distances, to celebrate his career achievements at UM.

|Alumni Activities|

Tracy Payne-Rockco, director of alumni affairs, and Mike Malone, UMNAA president, present food donations collected at the summer board retreat to Director of the Counseling Center Josh Miller and Coordinator Rachel Haase. The UMNAA also presented a check in the amount of $1,000 to purchase needed supplies for the on-campus food pantry.

|UMNAA Board Retreat| When the UM National Alumni Association Board of Directors met for its annual retreat in July, members of the Junior Board and a representative of the UM Foundation Board were in attendance, as well. This was the first time in UM history that representatives of all three boards had come together in a meeting, and when the reviews were in, all agreed that this confluence was very beneficial and greatly needed.

Joe Howard, UM Foundation Board treasurer, began the agenda by presenting information on how all three boards are connected, both historically and financially.

Wadia Josof, UMNAA treasurer, followed with further details.

Committees met during a working lunch catered by Chart-

wells’ Falcon Foods dining service.

Dessert was a congratulatory cake recognizing the endowment of the Young Alumni scholarship.

The official UMNAA board meeting rounded out the afternoon.

This meeting included presentations

by President John W. Stewart III and University Advancement staff members Brenda Knight, Scott Dillard, Gary Johnson and William Crawford.

As a service project, all board members were asked to bring food items to help stock the UM student food pantry. Several boxes of food were collected, and the Alumni Association also voted to provide a $1,000 monetary contribution to the Counseling Center to assist with the needs associated with maintaining the pantry.

Above right: Laurl Self listens to Joe Howard’s UM Foundation presentation.

Right: Julie Harbin, president of the Junior Board, presents President Stewart with the funds to endow a scholarship.

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Montevallo Today

|Junior Board endows scholarship| When the UM Alumni Junior Board of Directors held their recent Spring Soirée and Silent Auction at Good People Brewing Company in Birmingham, it resulted in a big win for the UM Junior Board Scholarship Fund.

The taproom manager at Good People, alumnus Joel Harris, welcomed the Soirée with a pledge to donate $1 to the scholarship fund for each “adult beverage” purchased during the event. The actual total reached $473, but Harris rounded up the figure to an even $500. These funds, along with the proceeds from the silent auction and donations, brought the scholarship to the endowment level.

The concept of a young alumni scholarship was born in 2007 and formally adopted by the Junior Board in 2008. The first successful fundraiser had just concluded, and there were significant funds remaining at the end of the financial year. In an effort to do something meaningful with the balance of the funds, the Junior Board devised a plan to endow a scholarship as a way to unite young alumni in achieving a grand goal and show that every dollar counts. At the time the scholarship was initiated, the minimum endowment was $10,000; however, the minimum was increased

Members of the Alumni Junior Board celebrate the endowment of their first scholarship with a congratulatory cake at the UMNAA board retreat.

to $25,000 soon afterwards. UM’s young alumni accepted the challenge, and the process of working toward endowing the scholarship has helped shape the Junior Board’s fiscal direction and purpose.

Julie Harbin, president of the Junior Board, said, “It is an honor to present this check to Dr. Stewart, officially endowing the UM Junior Board of Directors Scholarship Fund. I am so proud and thankful for all of the members, past and present, who worked tirelessly to make this scholarship endowment a reality. It was truly a labor of love.”

Joel Harris presents a check in the amount of $500 to Jeff Purvis, president-elect of the Junior Board.

|UPCOMING EVENTS| Oct. 28 5-7:30 p.m.

Nov. 7 6-8 p.m.

Nov. 10 7 p.m.

Soccer Tailgating hosted by the Alumni Jr. Board UM Soccer Field Huntsville Area Alumni Event, Under the Radar, Huntsville Jefferson County Alumni Art Auction Homewood Library UM vs. UA Basketball Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa Pre-game reception: 5-6:30 p.m.

(registration required; please see montevallo.edu/alumni)

Nov. 16 12:30 p.m.

“Cabaret” Reception & Performance Reynolds Theatre

(registration required; please see montevallo.edu/alumni)

Photo by Kiera Hood ’15

Sept. 23 6 p.m.

|Annual Fund chairs share why they give|

“I give to the Annual Fund because I benefit from what Montevallo has afforded me, and by giving, it allows me to contribute to the university’s ongoing growth and development.” Marcus Kennedy ’07 – Annual Fund alumni chair

|UMNAA AWARD DEADLINES| Nov. 1

Nominations for Homecoming 2015 Awards: Distinguished Alumnus Award, Nathalie Molton Gibbons Alumni Achievement Award, Nathalie Molton Gibbons Young Alumni Achievement Award (submit nominations online)

Dec. 1

Alumni Leadership Scholarship (apply online)

To recruit students who have outstanding records of leadership; to reward excellence in leadership among UM students.

|OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST| Like us on Facebook:

Follow us on Twitter: Request to join us on LinkedIn:

University of Montevallo National Alumni Association University of Montevallo Young Alumni UoM_Alumni University of Montevallo Alumni Group

With an understanding that not all of our alumni can make it back to campus or local venues for our events, we are making an effort to meet our alumni where they are, so we are Hitting the Bricks!

If you work at a setting with several other UM alumni and would be interested in coordinating a brown bag lunch or similar gathering, please contact Tracy Payne-Rockco at paynet@montevallo.edu or call the alumni office at 205-665-6215.

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Montevallo Today

“It makes a real difference in the quality of our students’ education.” Associate Professor of Management Harry Hamilton – Annual Fund faculty chair

“I feel it’s important to give to the annual fund because the money is used for a variety of needs of the university which includes scholarships to students as well as repairs and renovations to buildings.”

Director of Upward Bound Sharon Gilbert – Annual Fund staff chair

|Phonathon students reach out to alumni|

Student callers are the voices of the University to alumni all over the nation, speaking with approximately 25,000 alumni and friends each year. These students hail from as far away as Chicago to as near as Montevallo, and each one helps connect alumni to their alma mater. They provide a first-hand perspective on events and happenings at UM and listen to the reminiscences of those who graduated in the past, keeping Montevallo fresh in the minds and memories of students from years gone by.

These students work throughout the academic year and part of the summer, updating contact information, thanking alumni and friends for recent gifts and securing new donations.

Last year, student callers raised nearly $40,000 for the University, helping UM retain top-notch faculty, offer the latest in technological advances, provide outstanding student-support services and award hundreds of scholarships.

They take pride in the difference they make for their University.

UM alumni are encouraged to consider making a gift to Montevallo when they are contacted by a student caller. These donations contribute to the success of the University and its students, present and future. If you miss the call, you may visit www. montevallo.edu/giving or call 205665-6215 to make an impact at the University of Montevallo.

A gift every year makes a difference every day.

|Tree farm benefits scholarship| Matt Embry ’01 had a dream of owning and operating his own Christmas tree farm, and that dream came to fruition when his first crop of trees matured in time for Christmas 2011.

Sadly, Embry died in a traffic accident earlier that year.

Embry had learned about tree farming from an older friend whom he had helped since he was 12 years old. This friend helped him establish Matt’s Christmas Tree Farm, and after he graduated from UM and was employed by Honda in East Ala-

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bama, he continued to cultivate and prepare his trees for harvesting.

Embry’s family continued his business after his death. All proceeds from Matt’s Christmas Tree Farm go toward the Matthew Russell Embry Memorial Scholarship at the University of Montevallo, created in his memory. The family selects the recipients based on character, conduct and service.

Matt Embry’s brother, Greg Embry ’96, is director of admissions at the University of Montevallo. www.montevallo.edu/alumni

BOBBY E. HOPPER ’87 Director of missions, Bethel Baptist Association in Linden, Alabama

What aspects of your education at Montevallo prepared you to become an author? Montevallo history professors made me realize that an event in history never happened if it was not documented or “written down” by someone. History and English (our form of communication) are vital for the survival of any people. I never envisioned that I would be someone that would “write down” for someone to read.

TINA MOZELLE BRAZIEL ’95 Poet and director, Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop

Words of wisdom you would offer current students: Make your course of study as interdisciplinary as possible.

Revel in what elective classes teach. I took only one class in creative writing while at Montevallo, but all of my studies have fed my poetry. For example, the two pottery classes I took at UM taught me more about the creative process than years of graduate study in poetry.

DOT MOORE ’52 Curriculum specialist, Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education, retired

Recent accolades: My book, Oracle of the Ages, Reflections on the Curious Life of Fortune Teller Mayhayley Lancaster, received the award as the best book of local history for the State of Georgia. In 2013, I was chosen as a Senior of Achievement for Montgomery, Alabama.

What was your favorite aspect of Montevallo? When I was a student, the college was very small, yet, it was broad-minded in its attitudes toward the world. It encouraged creativity and gave me many opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. My favorite aspect of Montevallo related to its smallness. In its small classes and club activities, it was willing to confront the issues that we were facing at that time; for instance, racial segregation and the rise of women in a new world of acceptance.

What was your favorite aspect of Montevallo? There was always creative activity at UM: someone playing guitar on the quad, a Raku fire at the 3D building, a fraternity practicing for a step show, elaborate theme parties, College Night, students directing films, potluck dinners. That constant activity was inspiring.

DEMITA WILLIAMS ’05 Project coordinator

Recent accolades: I helped edit and publish my pastor’s book and had one of my poems used in a local play.

Words of wisdom you would offer current students: To embrace the idea that at Montevallo they are more than just a number, they are a face, meaning the professors are very personable. Not only will they help you succeed, but they want you to succeed.

If you would like to nominate someone for the Alumni Profile (located on page 16) or for the new Professional Spotlight, please email us at today@montevallo.edu. The next profession to be featured will be civic leaders.

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Montevallo Today

|Professional Spotlight: Authors| BOBBY JOE SEALES ’67 President, Shelby County Historical Society Inc., and director, Shelby County Museum & Archives

Words of wisdom you would offer current students: “History never written is soon forgotten” is my motto. We get Falcon Scholars and history majors who choose to do an internship with the Shelby County Museum & Archives. I emphasize the importance of utilizing all of the resource materials we have available to strengthen their love of history.

MADISON JONES ’10 Instructor of English, Point University

How did Montevallo affect your career choice? As a freshman, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I did know that I wanted to pursue an interest in literature. I didn’t go to college because I wanted a job.

Rather, I went because I wanted to learn and grow. My time at Montevallo kindled those interests; the rest followed.

What was your favorite aspect of Montevallo? One of the most important aspects was the development of long-lasting friendships — many of which are currently involved in the preservation of Alabama history — and the principles upon which the country was formed.

What was your favorite aspect of Montevallo? I met my wife Jane while studying at the University of Montevallo.

She was majoring in English and history, and we hit it off discussing the literary canon. I’m convinced that without the oratory finesse I gained from studying the humanities — and a couple of those poems I memorized for Jim Murphy’s class — I couldn’t have ever pulled that off.

GENE BALDWIN ’51 Major, United States Air Force, and Academic Advisor, Navy Supply Corps school, retired

Bobby is known throughout Shelby County for his signature top hat.

SHARON FREEMAN LABORDE ’69 Secondary English teacher, retired

What aspects of your education at Montevallo prepared you to become an author? Life experience, broad reading, a sense of history, an eye for detail and an understanding of universal themes in literature are all part of the successful writing process.

In other words, authors benefit greatly from a liberal arts education. My years at Montevallo provided that background and influenced my work as a teacher and as an author.

Words of wisdom you would offer current students: My advice to current students is to take courses that are outside your comfort zone.

Be open to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and never be afraid to back up and start over.

What aspects of your education at Montevallo prepared you to become an author? The total Montevallo experience was the essential element to my writing. My first book began and ended on campus.

Even though written as fiction, it was a definite expression of that environment on me personally.

Much of my history is rooted there — and this definitely came through in A Matter of Destiny — including the F-94 campus buzz job in May 1952 after my engagement to my future wife.

These authors are but a sampling of the many talented writers produced by the University of Montevallo. Others have been featured in previous issues of Montevallo Today.

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www.montevallo.edu/alumni

Where am I? Do you know where this photo was taken? Visit www.montevallo.edu/montevallo-today for the answer and to see more information from this issue.