Carillon magazine Vol. 8 No. 2, Summer 2011

VOL. 8 our | NO. 2History | summer 2011

our mark on the world OU’s Global Imprint

Touch the world | 6

reaching out | 12

around the world | 19

alumni updates | 241 SPRING 2011 | CARILLON

contents

editor Renee vary staff Writer CHLOEY MAYO ’10 contributors BROOKE BOURDÉLAT-PARKS ’95 LINDSEY CARROLL AUSTIN GILLIS ’01 BARBARA BESSMER HENRY ’85 Sydney Mobley Moss ’59 LANCE OZIER ’01 PHILIP PEROUNE CHELSEA REED ’13 LINDA SANDERS SCARBOROUGH ’65 KELLY HOLLAND VRTIS ’97

photographers ARMANDA COLSON ’11 JEFFREY DIEDRICK ’12 CHLOEY MAYO ’10 CHELSEA REED ’13 JEFF ROFFMAN One moment more photography Cover photo ARMANDA COLSON ’11 design em2

Carillon is published twice a year for alumni, friends, and family of Oglethorpe University.

Oglethorpe, founded in 1835, is a private, liberal arts college.

Cover During a spring break service trip to Guatemala, Oglethorpe volunteers work with the Association of Mayan Women/ Traditional Medicine.

Photo Above Oglethorpe welcomed spring with a Holi color festival, sponsored by the Student Government Association.

“Holi is celebrated as a harvest festival as well as welcome festival for the spring season in India.

Sprinkling colored powder or colored water on each other breaks all barriers of discrimination so that everyone looks the same and universal brotherhood is reaffirmed.”

(About.com) The festival was part of the campus-wide celebration of India’s art and culture, inspired by the OU Museum of Art’s current exhibition. (See page 36.)

Speak Out We’d love your feedback on this issue as well as what you might like to see in upcoming Carillons. E-mail: rvary@oglethorpe.edu or call 404-261-1441.

2 CARILLON | summer 2011

6

12

14

17

19

37

5 did you know? | 6 From one side of the world to the other | 6 touch the world | 10 international pioneer | 12 if i don’t, who will? | 12 reaching out | 19 around the world 22 boundless endeavors | 24 alumni | 30 class notes | 34 our community | 38 our mascot Summer 2011 | CARILLON 3

did you know?

38 20

President Schall shares a quiet moment reading with a Guatemalan boy during Ou’s first international spring break service trip, cosponsored

by Oglethorpe’s Center for Civic engagement.

global

By Lawrence M. Schall

Oglethorpe suffered an immense tragedy over winter break with the death of student Erik Downes while traveling in Costa Rica. Erik was a junior, premed student and passionately involved in all things Oglethorpe. I knew Erik well, and he was an exceptional young man.

The tragedy has brought us closer to Erik’s family, and it is easy to see from where Erik’s uniqueness came.

This past spring I traveled to Guatemala again, but this time with 10 Oglethorpe students, Spanish Professor Viviana Plotnik, two staff from the Center for Civic Engagement, and my wife, Betty. I certainly get to spend a lot of time on campus with students, but living with them for a week is a whole different ballgame. They worked harder and studied more intensely than you can possibly imagine. I could not have been prouder of each one of these young men and women if they were my own children. Our trip was part of the growing international program at Oglethorpe and was our first international spring break service trip. We lived and worked in a remote area of Guatemala, each student staying in a different family’s home. The trip included Spanish lessons all morning followed by a series of different service projects in the afternoon, from teaching English to carrying 100pound bags of natural fertilizer halfway up a mountain to nourish young coffee plants. None of us will ever drink a cup of coffee again without appreciating the sweat equity required to produce it.

4 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

Oglethorpe has 20 partnerships with universities around the world, including new partnerships in Austria and Italy.

ogletHorpe goes

president’s letter

I have just finished my sixth spring at Oglethorpe, and I have seen few more beautiful sights than our campus in the spring. The year has been a very good one for the university, with record enrollments, record giving, the hiring of a new provost/vice president of academic affairs after a long and successful national search (you’ll meet her in the fall), the hiring of three new faculty, and a host of new cocurricular and curricular initiatives.

In 2010, 38 OU students studied abroad for a semester or year in Oxford (england), Germany, monaco, ecuador, Spain, Italy, heBO (hague), Argentina, France, Japan, and in a multicountry global seminar.

Students at Oglethorpe have more and more options to learn abroad.

While we were in Guatemala, Professor Ron Bobroff was in Russia with students studying Russian history and culture and volunteering at an orphanage (see page 6). Three Oglethorpe graduates are just finishing their year in Hyderabad, India, working in the social business sector as part of our new IDEX Fellowship Program, in partnership with Gray Matters Capital in Atlanta (see page 14). We have just selected more than 35 fellows for the second class, who will leave for India this summer. Included in the group are three more OU grads, as well as recent graduates from schools such as Emory, Dartmouth, UGA, UVA, Wake Forest, Georgetown, and Spelman.

The Nike Foundation has become our newest partner in this amazing venture.

57

57 international and study abroad students will study at Oglethorpe during 2011.

37

In 2011, 37 students will study abroad in countries including Austria, Argentina, Iceland, and the Netherlands; one student embarked on a “Semester at Sea” to study Islamic cultures one country at a time.

60 in24 5 for81

Oglethorpe has more than 60 nonpartnership independent study abroad connections with universities in 24 countries around the world, including new ties to universities in Australia, New Zealand, India, Africa, and Canada.

during 2010–11, fall, spring, and summer semesters, Ou Study Abroad developed, created, helped to direct, and provided guidance for 5 short-term trips (for credit) for 81 students, to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Russia, northern Spain, and Oxford (england).

i certainly get to spend a lot of time on campus witH students, but living witH tHem for a week is a wHole different ballgame. tHey worked Harder and studied more

5-7

On average, 5–7 OU students study at Oxford University each semester— the second largest university representation at Oxford.

intensely tHan you can possibly imagine.

I love to travel. I have learned more about myself and other people in my time abroad than I could have ever learned at home within my zone of comfort. I think I have learned more about my own country from traveling away from it than I could have ever learned at home.

An essential part of an Oglethorpe education in 2011 and beyond, as evidenced by the emphasis on study abroad in our strategic plan, is the opportunity for students to spend time living and learning in another culture and country. In this issue, we highlight some of those experiences, both of current students and past. Enjoy.

2011–12

In 2011–12, trips are planned to India, Scotland, France, Greece, and other destinations. The focus next year will be thematic, including spiritual and sacred journeys and mysteries, and urban art and architecture in select cities.

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 5

| TouCH THE WORLD

lacrosse touch the world |

Moscow is not known as a spring break hot spot.

Nevertheless, a group of Oglethorpe students, led

by Dr. Ronald Bobroff, Russian historian and

Through a partnership with the Peacework Development Fund, Dr. Bobroff was able to design Oglethorpe’s first comprehensive, multidisciplinary service trip to Moscow. “I was really looking forward to making this happen at Oglethorpe,” shared Bobroff, who has visited Russia many times. “Service is such an important part of who we are here…it just made sense.”

professor of Modern European History, journeyed this year to Moscow to spend their spring break working in one of the city’s many children’s homes.

The OU students were assigned a mathematics classroom in a Moscow orphanage to refurbish.

With gloved hands, they spent a week scraping paint, spackling, and treating the walls. The students stayed in the children’s residences, eating borscht and shchi soups in the dining hall.

“It was certainly no five-star hotel, but it was comfortable and well kept up,” said Beth Cleary ’12. “Our week there only taught us that the effort that went into the orphanage also went into making these kids into well-prepared,

For the past few years, the Russian government has campaigned to change the worldwide image of the Russian orphanage, as well as the basis behind the number of children without parents. As a result, the orphanages have begun to evolve, and the colorful walls, abundance of toys, and accommodating orphanage staff tell the story of an institution now well served—one that is a far cry from the stereotypical, underserved images of the past.

According to Dr. Bobroff, who authored Roads to Glory: Late Imperial Russia and the Turkish Strait, the Russian family has suffered from the cyclical effects of alcoholism, abandonment, and a failed economy for years. Official estimates reveal that there could be as many as one parent in each Russian household who suffers from alcoholism, rendering them unable to care for their children and causing widespread abandonment. The Russian Education Ministry estimates that more

(Top) Jeffrey Diedrick ‘12 (right) befriends a Russian orphan. (Bottom) Despite the Russian winter, the OU group took time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Moscow.

From One Side of the World to the Other

By Chloey Mayo ’10

well-adjusted adults. We were simply short-term visitors, and we felt loved and appreciated the moment we walked in the door.”

than one million children are housed in state institutions, and many more are living homeless on the streets. In Moscow many orphanages are home to children who suffer from developmental and emotional disorders that can be traced back to alcohol abuse and long-term institutionalism.

Oglethorpe’s students visited one of these orphanages that catered to children with special needs and learning disabilities. The orphanages operated under the philosophy that by getting a child’s hands working, the mind will follow. Most of the children’s free time was spent not in front of the television, but with various trades and crafts, teaching them to work with their hands and to be resourceful.

Dr. Ronald Bobroff and Jan Sexton ’12 brave scaffolding to repair the dilapidated walls of a Russian orphanage.

6 CARILLON | summer 2011

“They are equipped with the skills to support themselves after they graduate from the orphanage program, and some even go to technical school,“ noted Cleary. “But I would like to see if it is feasible to get some of these kids into college....It really hits home when you see these great kids and amazing sights and you realize that the reason you are even in [their] country is because of your own school. I’ve never felt limited in my endeavors, and I wish the same for them.”

“For me, this is more than an interesting or even educational spring break trip,” said Bobroff.

“Every time I’ve ever been, I’ve used it as an opportunity to research—to take away from Russia. But this time I’m giving back.”

Before leaving the United States, the student group raised funds to buy supplies for the renovation work. In fact, they successfully raised more than their goal, and presented the orphanage with a cash donation from the residual funds. Dr. Bobroff, who traces his roots back to Russia, plans to return to Moscow in another two years with a different group of students.

“It’s like cultural diplomacy in a way,” said Dr. Bobroff. “It is an important way for people to understand each other. The students visiting the orphanage and accumulating their own resources in order to get the job done shows that there are people who care about each other—from one side of the world to the other.”

summer 2011 | CARILLON 7

| TouCH THE WORLD

touch the world |

Petrels in Guatemala

On teaching and learning: Florian describes himself as “somewhere in between a student and a professor,” who is always learning—even from his students. “I find that OU students are especially curious and creative,” says Florian. “They bring their own interests to class, and it opens up new directions of thinking for all of us.

The variety of topics they come up with and the ways in which they respond to them are thought-provoking and really change your perspectives. For instance, last semester a student in my German language class presented a project on African-German history. As the final part of his project, he had written poetry, in German, as a personal response to the stories he had read, incorporating his own experience as a child living in Germany. It sometimes feels like an exchange program happening in the classroom.”

During Spring Break, a group of OU students, faculty, and staff traveled to a remote part of Guatemala for the university’s first international service learning experience. The volunteers stayed with Guatemalan families and spent their days teaching English in schools and working with several coffee cooperatives and the Association of Mayan Women.

On what he likes best in the United States: “The food culture!...Being here in the United States, especially in the South, I have discovered a whole new world of food cuisine. Never in my life have I seen such an immense diversity of food,“ said Florian, who also teaches a “Consuming Cultures“ class, in which he and his students compare German and American cultures through representations of food in visual media. “My absolute favorite dish is shrimp and grits....I could have that every day! I see food as a language. It touches upon every part of culture, and cooking and eating are wonderful ways to start a conversation between people from different cultures.”

OU volunteers share a laugh with Guatemalan girls while trying to translate the lyrics to a song.

Armanda Colson ‘11 gets to know a member of her Guatemalan host family.

On the OU German Bakery: “I started the OU German Bakery and international cooking nights on campus because I wanted to create a space for students to literally get in contact with German and other cultures in a social and sensual way, as well as to share their own food stories.”

What is your most memorable experience at OU?

Herr Siedlarek Dishes… on Shrimp and Grits?

By Chloey Mayo ’10

College professors often try to “break the ice” with their students.

But Florian Siedlarek, Oglethorpe’s adjunct lecturer in German, opted instead to “break bread” through his international cooking nights. After spending a year stateside, Florian talks about his love for cooking and his own international experience at OU.

8 CARILLON | summer 2011

“The other day I received an e-mail from an Oglethorpe student who was in my introductory German class last semester and is currently doing his study abroad in Dortmund. He told me that he had just been to the Carnival in Cologne, which really is a crazy spectacle, and about all the other things he has already explored in his short time in Germany. He wrote that his experience went beyond everything [he] expected. This touched me because, I think, this is exactly what study abroad programs are all about: not only leaving your home country, but leaving the comfort zone of your mind and becoming a pioneer, daring to explore new possibilities in your own thinking.“

On life after Oglethorpe: “I really enjoy teaching. I like the conversations that come up in class, the interaction between students, and the exchange of ideas that is encouraged here at Oglethorpe. When I return to Germany, I plan to teach a German culture class at Dortmund University. But before I leave the U.S., I’d like to ‘hit the road’ and see the country. A road trip through the U.S. has always been a big dream of mine. I have mixed feelings about leaving Oglethorpe. I will miss the wonderful people I have met, both on and off campus. Yet I am so grateful for this experience and am eager to make use of it at home. This past year has changed my way of thinking.“

Communicating Across Cultures Throughout her life, Dr. Seema Shrikhande has been a communicator.

Originally from India, Oglethorpe’s associate professor of communication and rhetoric speaks four languages and has traveled the world over. So she knows a thing or two about cultural fusion.

Dr. Shrikhande was born and raised in Bombay, where she earned a master’s degree in economics. In the late 1980s, she moved to the U.S., earned her PhD, and began a career in higher education. At the time, Dr. Shrikhande was surprised by how little Americans seemed to know about her culture. “I didn’t expect people to know a lot about India, but I was still taken aback with…the overall lack of awareness and

By Chloey Mayo ’10

interest in other parts of the world,” she said. “But that has changed since the late ’90s. Between outsourcing and Bollywood, India is much more a part of the cultural consciousness in the U.S.” Dr. Shrikhande now teaches an under graduate class in globalization in the media, bringing her cultural experiences and observations into the classroom.

She has always been fascinated by the media and its role in society, and recently returned from Mumbai for a semesterlong sabbatical during which she explored the globalization of magazines and cable channels.

changed. There are now shopping malls in many cities, with stores packed with American brands. American fast food places are ubiquitous. The last time we were there, my son was thrilled to be able to watch the NBA games.”

Dr. Shrikhande encourages her son to be proud of his Indian-American background.

“I want him to know about his heritage,” she said. “We [wanted] him to learn Marathi (my native Indian language), which he speaks quite well. Every time he visits India, he gets better at it. We have tried to teach him about the culture, but it is his decision how much he will hold onto and pass on.”

“I go back [to India] every two years or so,” said Dr. Shrikhande. “Each time I visit, I am struck by how much things have

summer 2011 | CARILLON 9

touch the world |

| TouCH THE WORLD

“EX-UNDERGROUND SOLDIERS TACKLE REGISTRATION — Gunnar Bjune, Rolf Ottesen, Leif Haug and Odd Johnsen, veterans of the Norwegian Army who participated in the underground movement while Nazi forces occupied the country, cast interested glances at the registration papers of Oglethorpe University. The four Norwegian veterans are scholarship students at the university.”

– Atlanta Constitution

Oglethorpe: International pioneer

By Chloey Mayo ’10

Su How Hwa, from Shanghai, China, was an exchange student at Oglethorpe in 1947. Now living in Houston, Tex., Mr. Hwa returned to the OU campus in 2010 for the first time in more than 60 years. He is pictured in the Oglethorpe archives room in the basement of the Weltner Library.

In the globalized classroom of present-day Oglethorpe, it’s difficult to imagine a campus without faces from around the world.

Not surprisingly, Oglethorpe led the way during the emergence of international student programs, welcoming some of the first university international students in Georgia in the 1940s.

According to Oglethorpe trustee and archives volunteer Fred Agel ’52, Oglethorpe’s first documented international students were former soldiers—four Norwegian World War II veterans who received scholarship awards offered by Oglethorpe to former students of Norwegian colleges. In 1946 the Atlanta Constitution wrote, “Gunnar Bjune, Leif Haug, Rolf Ottesen and Odd Johnsen, who during the war years secretly carried time bombs, Molotov cocktails and dynamite against the invaders of their native land, today will walk in the bright Georgia sunshine along the quiet paths of Oglethorpe University, this time armed with American textbooks, slide rules and pencils.”

10 2011 10 CARILLON CARILLON || summer SPRING 2011

Kendall Weisiger, Oglethorpe’s treasurer and assistant to then-President Philip Weltner, had worked to establish the scholarships and extended the invitation to the young men in an effort to cultivate goodwill and understanding between nations in the wake of World War II. At the time, Weisiger was also an active Rotarian in Georgia, and had founded the Rotary Club of Atlanta’s Educational Foundation 22 years earlier.

Georgia’s Rotary was known for providing scholarships to local students, but Weisiger also was passionate about extending the aid to students abroad. Not long after Oglethorpe hosted the four Norwegian veterans, Weisiger convinced the Georgia Rotary to expand their educational programs to include students from overseas, much like the scholarship he established at Oglethorpe. The 61 Rotary Clubs of Georgia went on to host international students from Norway, Holland, and China at local Atlanta universities, via the Georgia Rotary Student Program, which continues today, 65 years later.

Recruiting Around the World

By Philip Peroune

International students contribute to the global perspective on campus through their language, culture, and the personal experiences they share in the classrooms and across the OU campus.

Recruitment of international students is increasingly important to maintain a global perspective and diversity both in the classroom and across campus.

Oglethorpe increased international recruitment, focusing on geographically and culturally diverse areas around the world.

In 2010 Oglethorpe increased international recruitment, focusing on geographically and culturally diverse areas of the world. Admissions representatives have recruited in England, seven Middle Eastern countries (Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Jordan), Honduras in Central America, and Caribbean islands Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. When traveling to these countries, admission staff reconnect with individuals who are already familiar with Oglethorpe University, and reach out to new prospective students and school administrators who are unfamiliar with all that Oglethorpe offers.

Oglethorpe’s Atlanta location is one of the major selling points to international students, since most want to study in a culturally diverse city that offers an international flavor that will complement the educational experience. In some parts of the world, students are primarily looking at established fields of study, such as medicine, law, and engineering. However, as the global landscape is changing, students are increasingly realizing that a truly global education is well-served by pursuing an education in the liberal arts.

Norwegian veteran Odd Johnsen, one of Oglethorpe’s first exchange students, graduated from Oglethorpe in 1947. He was voted “most handsome” in his class.

Among the many international students welcomed to Oglethorpe this year, Anders Hardmeier and Anton Birch-Tyrberg are Swedish students in the Georgia Rotary Student Program, which shares some history with Oglethorpe, going back more than 60 years.

These recruiting treks around the world help Oglethorpe establish a presence in these countries and highlight, face-to-face, the value of the quality liberal arts education provided at Oglethorpe.

summer 2011 | CARILLON 11

| Reaching ouT

reaching out |

If I don’t, who will?

By Chloey Mayo ’10

Clad in a crisp gray dress shirt and herringbone vest, the young Eritrean student flashes his signature smile and boldly urges every passerby in the student center to apply for Oglethorpe’s IDEX Fellowship for Social Enterprise in India.

“Don’t you want to make a difference in another part of the world?” Awet Woldegebriel ’14 is the picture of confidence, but he wasn’t always this collected or assured. The son of an African tailor and housewife, Awet arrived at Oglethorpe with childhood memories of life-changing wartime upheaval—a journey that brought him clear across the world and left him more mature than his 20 years.

Awet’s Journey Since the early 1960s, the African country Eritrea has fought a decades-long war over its independence with its southern neighbor, Ethiopia. In 1993, the countries agreed to a peaceful separation that led the region into a state of “no war, no peace”—with the outbreak of war a constant possibility. During the peak of one of these upheavals, a little more than 10 years ago, seven-year-old Awet fell victim to the realities of the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict.

Originally from Eritrea, Awet’s father had made a comfortable living in the prosperous country of Ethiopia, where Awet was born. Just months before the war began, Awet’s father immigrated to the United States for more business opportunities and a brighter future for his family. Meanwhile, Awet continued to live in Ethiopia with his two older sisters.

“My sisters raised me,” remembers Awet, who is the youngest of 11. “My oldest sister, who was in her early twenties at the time, took care of us as if we were her own children.”

One evening, Awet and his eldest sister headed home from the market and encountered Ethiopian soldiers who demanded to see his sister’s identification. Her family name immediately belied her Eritrean descent, and the soldiers began to forcefully take her to prison. “My sister had so much courage and love for me that she told them she was not going to jail without taking me.…I was the youngest in the house and we were much too close for me to be separated from her.”

Their captors allowed Awet and his sister to stay together, and they spent two days in jail before they were released. “We were so afraid. But even at my young age, I wanted to protect my sister. I felt responsible for her. We were responsible for each other.”

12 CARILLON | summer 2011

After their release, Awet and his family thought life would return to normal in Ethiopia. But, that night, Ethiopian soldiers approached their home with guns drawn, wielding batons. “They told us we had three days to get ready to be ‘removed,’” recalls Awet. “It was the scariest thing because even though our family is originally from Eritrea, my home was Ethiopia. I was so scared and confused.”

The soldiers had decided to bus people of Eritrean descent to the border, fearing they would side with their home country’s military. Awet recalls being led by armed soldiers to a bus full of displaced Ethiopians of Eritrean descent.

“I could never forget one old woman who went mad on the bus. I witnessed her son get shot and killed right in front of her as a result of an altercation with one of the soldiers.

They had pushed his mother, and he was defending her. I remember wiping the fog off the bus window… just in time to see the shooting. It was heartbreaking. The woman screamed and cried for her son the whole way.”

Nearing the border, everyone was ordered off the bus to cross over on foot. Armed soldiers and military tanks faced them from both sides. Awet recalls vowing at that moment to never return to Ethiopia. “I just remember holding my oldest sister’s leg for comfort. That place was no longer my home, and I had nothing left there.”

Home Is Where the Heart Is They walked on a desert plain for hours, sleeping overnight huddled together to deter coyotes. The women sang, and everyone shared what little food they had. Finally, they arrived at their “destination.”

Awet and the other refugees were welcomed by Eritreans who shared what they had. Luckily, Awet and his siblings could communicate; their father had insisted they learn the language of their family. Awet immediately felt at home.

Awet with two of his sisters.

By the time he was 10 years old, Awet says he got used to hiding in closets and watching out for the police. As the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict developed, he and his sisters moved through Kenya, where they faced more harassment from Kenya’s military. During this time, he developed a stronger sense of self, a responsibility to his family, and a responsibility to his new home country, Eritrea.

Eventually, after living in Kenya as refugees for six months, Awet and his sisters were finally reunited with their father in the United States. “We did not always know the people around us,” explains Awet. “But we always felt that there were people who had our best interests at heart, so I view Eritrea as my home now. I don’t have a longing to see my birthplace, but I do have a longing to take the knowledge I learn back home to Eritrea.”

Now a premed student also studying international relations, Awet plans to become a doctor and a microfinancier to help Eritrean war veterans start their own businesses.

“I don’t believe in aid,” says Awet. “I think it cripples people. I guess that’s why I’m so big on social enterprise and businesses that help people to help themselves. I think Oglethorpe helps a lot of young people to do that, and I plan on returning to Africa when I finish my education. It’s my duty. If I don’t, who will?”

Chloey Mayo, a 2010 Oglethorpe graduate, works in her alma mater’s public relations office.

She spends much of her time photographing and writing about campus life for the OU Blog (www.oglethorpeblog.org). At OU, she ran both track and cross-country while pursuing her bachelor’s in communication and rhetoric studies. summer 2011 | CARILLON 13

| REACHING ouT

REACHING ouT |

“In less than a year, these fellows have bridged the international divide and not only crossed geographic barriers, but also cultural, age, and personal ones,” explained Sreeratna Kancherla, director of the IDEX program. “The fellows worked in predominately Muslim communities, [and] a few of [them] learned Hindi… [they] all wore Indian clothing daily to the schools…so that they could assimilate better into their environment.”

IDEX: A Year Later

By Chloey Mayo ’10

OU alumni Corin Deans ’09 and Shanelle Ebanks ’10 are now back in the United States, set to attend graduate school in the fall. Seven fellows in the inaugural IDEX cohort have chosen to remain in India longer, including Oglethorpe alumna Ember Melcher ’09, who is working as a consultant for Medium Healthcare Consulting.

Finding Their VOICE

Three Oglethorpe alumni and seven other recent college graduates embarked almost one year ago on an international adventure with a mission. This small group of postgraduates spent nine months in Hyderabad, India, pioneering the IDEX Fellowship in Social Enterprise, a program that is managed by Oglethorpe University and sponsored by Gray Matters Capital. The fellows were each assigned to work in one of the country’s “affordable private schools,” which serve children whose families earn just a dollar a day.

The IDEX fellows were tasked with developing unique economic and educational programs that would benefit the schools and would be sustainable, lasting long after the fellows departed. They wasted no time in fulfilling their mission. In just nine months, the fellows progressed from young academics to seasoned professionals, creating social business models and concepts that improve academic quality, bookkeeping, marketing, and extracurricular programs.

The fellows created programs such as the Beyond the Classroom Fund, which provides financial subsidies for nonacademic extracurricular activities, and Forward Thinking, which aims to combat the rising dropout rate in secondary class students. Through a partnership with Junior Achievement India, IDEX fellows ran personal development sessions with high school students to encourage and inspire them to plan for their futures. At one school, a fellow designed a “word of the day” program and an interschool spelling bee.

One fellow even created an intramural cricket league, pushing cultural boundaries and introducing a Muslim community to a new idea of recreational sport by teaming the young athletes—male and female—side-by-side in competitions. The league was at first met with criticism, but soon gained the personal and financial support of both the community and some professional women’s cricket players, who lent their expertise and advice to the students.

Oglethorpe Becomes Member School of the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation

By Chelsea Reed ’13 Imagine that a book affected you so much that it not only changed your life, but also moved you to change others’ lives. That’s what happened to activist Ginny Carroll after reading Half the Sky

by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn.

14 CARILLON | summer 2011

After only a year, the IDEX Fellowship has commanded the attention of several international nonprofit and for-profit organizations. The Nike Foundation commissioned IDEX to pilot a summer camp exclusively for Indian girls. IDEX fellows Averil Spencer, a Dartmouth College graduate, and Emory University graduates Allison Gross and Ilana Shushansky were selected to head the summer camp and given the responsibility to create an overall concept and curriculum, including the goal of English immersion.

The program, conceptualized by the three fellows, is called VOICE (Vital Opportunities in Creative Expression) and is an English language program that reached more than 400 young girls. The program’s goal is to help campers (who are more likely to be sent home during the summer or to work as laborers) to understand gender issues and develop spoken English skills through immersion in the English language. In addition to the academic components, VOICE also will offer field trips to multinational companies and a free dental and eye care clinic for all campers.

The Nike Foundation’s overall effort is called the Girl Effect, which is “essentially investing in girls and women in order to bring families, communities, and nations out of poverty,” according to Ilana. “All of the projects they invest in are somehow connected to or working toward this same mission.”

Featured in Oprah’s Book Club, Half the Sky tells the stories of gender injustices around the globe, such as little girls being trafficked in sex slavery, women selling their bodies to support their families, and sex-selected abortion. Carroll was appalled by these crimes against females, while moved by the book’s message to eradicate the atrocities by educating women. She decided that she had to take action. As a sorority member of Alpha Xi Delta, she realized she was connected to millions of women through a network of sororities, the National Panhellenic Council. She founded the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation to recruit and unite sororities from across the nation in this cause.

A larger, second cohort of fellows will journey to India this summer. Thirty-plus new fellows (including Malika Whitley ’11, Alex Clark ’11, and Deborah Lubbe ’08) were selected among hundreds of applicants from around the world.

These fellows hope to use the VOICE concept to develop a nonprofit social enterprise. They plan to offer training to others so that the program can be used as a year-long course in schools around the world. “We modeled our camp program to be like a ‘camp in the box’ idea so the curriculum can be used throughout India and later adapted for Africa and developing countries,” said Allison. “We would love for this program to eventually expand to include boys in the conversation about gender equality, as educating boys about this will have a long-term impact on the decisions they make as brothers, husbands, and fathers. There is so much potential with a program like this, and we are eager to take it forward and build partnerships to have greater impact toward girls’ empowerment.”

Director Kancherla views VOICE as evidence that the IDEX fellowship is working. “The VOICE project and others that fellows conceptualized is exactly the objective of this fellowship—to create entrepreneurs who are innovating to solve world problems.”

OU alumna and IDEX fellow Ember Melcher ’09 takes a break with girls who play in a coed cricket league, an IDEX venture for the Indian students. Emory graduate Ilana Shushansky connects with a young child in one of India’s affordable private schools. She remained in India to help lead the VOICE summer camp.

Former Oglethorpe University Greek Advisor Amy Vasinko (also a member of Alpha Xi Delta) learned about the foundation at the most recent annual meeting of Association of Fraternity/ Sorority Advisors. She saw potential for the foundation to be a unifying collaboration for Oglethorpe sororities. Vasinko presented the idea to the Oglethorpe Panhellenic Council (OPC), the governing body of the three sororities on campus that provides both programming and support, and the members immediately got on board with the initiative.

In March, OPC announced Oglethorpe as a member school of the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation. OPC hopes to cultivate sororities’

interest in the cause by facilitating a discussionbased book club about Half the Sky. It also plans to raise awareness about the foundation by hosting fund-raisers and collaborating with the greater OU community, specifically the Oglethorpe Women’s Network.

“Sororities originally began as a support system for women in higher education, which had traditionally been a man’s world,” said Vasinko. “Participating in the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation is a chance for Greek women to give back to the core values of education, service, and sisterhood that inspired their sororities’ original founders.”

summer 2011 | CARILLON 15

| REACHING ouT

REACHING ouT |

brent of all trades

By Kelly Holland Vrtis ’97 Stockbroker, Peace Corps volunteer, United Nations spokesperson, writer, journalist, actor, model. If anyone ever doubted an Oglethorpe education can take you anywhere, they’ve never met Brent Latham.

A member of the class of 1997, Brent Latham landed a job with Smith Barney after graduation, but quickly tired of office life and signed up with the Peace Corps. The assignment took him to Honduras, where he worked with a microfinance project in the hills just north of the El Salvador border. As you might expect, the experience changed his life. After Honduras, he knew he could never return to the future on Wall Street that he’d once envisioned.

But he had no idea what the future had in store for him.

After working as a model and later as host for a local MTVstyle show, Brent decided to study international relations and development at Georgetown University, receiving a master’s degree in foreign service. He took a job as the director of a small nongovernment organization (NGO) in Peru, working to help families too poor to afford the costs of basic school for their kids.

He later received a Fulbright scholarship to study at Instituto de Empresa in Spain, earning an MBA in nonprofit management.

After getting married, Brent moved to Senegal with his wife. There he worked as a freelance correspondent for Voice of America, which grew into a job with the United Nations as spokesperson for the West Africa office about the transition of the Bakassi Peninsula from Cameroon to Nigeria.

All this time, Brent was closely following and blogging about his first love, soccer. Having played at Oglethorpe and also semiprofessionally in Honduras, he was interested in translating this passion into a paying job. ESPN hired him to cover tournaments throughout Africa, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“There’s a connecting power to what I do—revolving around the game we love—that makes it a joy to travel and meet new people,” says Brent of his coverage of the global sport.

His work with ESPN continues in Guatemala City, where he now lives with his wife and two children. He calls Guatemalan soccer matches and hosts a sports weekly show. And if that’s not enough, he also covers soccer for Guatemala’s largest newspaper, La Prensa Libre.

So what about those degrees in foreign service and nonprofit management? “My first love, after family and soccer, is still nonprofit work,” says Brent, who volunteers for a U.S.-based NGO that builds soccer fields for underprivileged areas in the region. “Opportunity is the scarcest commodity, but if I ever got the chance to manage a development program, and I could do it in a way that I could support my family, that’s really my calling.”

But Brent admits those opportunities are yet to emerge long term, so for the time being, he’s enjoying his “backup” career more and more.

Kelly Holland Vrtis ’97 lives in Dallas, Tex., where she is the marketing communications manager for The Container Store. She currently chairs the Alumni Communications Committee for the Alumni Board.

He’s refining his skills as a journalist and writer—he’s nearing completion of his first novel, which documents a specific point in time in a village in the countryside of a Latin American nation. The town rests gently on the cusp of sudden modernity after centuries of isolation.

The work explores how the lightning-fast pace of change in today’s world tears at the fabric of tradition, through the lens of a character who is determined to live that process in reverse for his own sake. Brent is also working on producing a new Guatemalan television project and has even tried his hand at acting in a movie to be released at the end of the year.

“There are plenty of opportunities at OU to reach out and learn about the world,” he notes. His advice for current students? “Take advantage of as much as possible at Oglethorpe to expand your horizons as far and fast as you can.”

Outside a referendum center in Shendi, River Nile State, Sudan, Sarah Carter ’06 is pictured with (left to right) colleague Bill Hassall, Carter Center CEO Dr. John Hardman, and Justice Joseph Warioba, the former prime minister of Tanzania and a judge on the East African Court of Justice. Dr. Hardman and Justice Warioba were members of the Carter Center leadership team for the delegation that observed the recent referendum in self-determination in South Sudan.

Going in Peace Sarah Carter ’06 is finishing her master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution at American University’s School of International Service. Through the course of her studies, she has had the chance to travel all over the world.

In the summer of 2010, Sarah studied democracy and development in South Africa at the University of Cape Town and interned at a local NGO that advocates on behalf of immigrants and refugees, People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression, and Poverty (PASSOP). At PASSOP she spearheaded the Starvation Alleviation Campaign, aimed at providing immediate relief from hunger for residents of the De Doorns townships and Zimbabwean refugees in the De Doorns refugee camp north of Cape Town.

In January 2011 Sarah volunteered as a short-term election observer for the Carter Center during the South Sudanese referendum on independence. She spent three weeks in both northern and southern Sudan, visiting polling centers and reporting on the election process.

Currently Sarah is conducting original research for her thesis on the peacemaking activities of The Elders, an independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering, and promote the shared interests of humanity. In March 2011 Sarah traveled to London to conduct research at the Elders’ headquarters, meeting with the CEO and staff.

16 CARILLON | summer 2011

summer SPRING 2011 2011 | CARILLON 17

| around tHe world

reacHing out |

tHe patH to arise

By Brooke Bourdélat-Parks ’95 “education is the movement from darkness to light,” according to philosopher Allan Bloom, who could have been referring to Andrew Shahan ’00 and his efforts in New Orleans’ Ninth ward. Andrew is the founder and school leader of ARISe Academy, a charter school that opened in August 2009 to serve elementary students in an area devastated by hurricane Katrina. The opening of ARISe Academy is the culmination of Andrew’s journey—from Georgia to New York to Guatemala and finally, to New Orleans.

After graduating from Oglethorpe, Andrew spent a year substitute teaching. A psychology major, Andrew discovered a talent for teaching and pursued a master’s degree at North Georgia College and State university. After graduation he taught special needs students with behavioral problems, who were unable to function in regular classrooms. Knowing that behavior affects academics, Andrew used his training in psychology to develop strategies to reward students for proper behavior. he went on to

do similar work in Brooklyn, New York, and again at a new charter school in harlem that is part of the national Knowledge Is Power Program for underserved communities.These were students who might have been left behind in a typical school setting. But, with the help of Andrew and others, many of these students were ultimately able to pass state tests and win scholarships to prestigious college-preparatory high schools.

given eyeglasses. (After all, if you can’t see well, you can’t read!) Andrew also recruited his former Oglethorpe roommate, Tom Namey ’02, to help. Since a school is often judged by its website, Andrew realized he needed to make ARISe’s website outstanding.

Tom, an accomplished visual designer who runs his own firm, Namey design Studios, donated his time to create an attractive, wellorganized website for the academy.

while in New York, Andrew became intrigued by Spanish, the language spoken by many of his students. In 2006 he journeyed to Guatemala to work at the American School of Guatemala, which offered a very different experience. For the first time in his career, Andrew worked at a privileged school, with plenty of resources (and even a swimming pool!). Students were high achievers and would be successful in life.

Andrew has plans to add a doctor to the staff. within a few years, the school will serve three-year-olds through eighth grade and will offer parenting classes. Since many parents themselves are young and uneducated, Andrew believes that parenting classes will go a long way to help support the school’s students. Indeed, the school has become the center of the community.

In 2008 Andrew was awarded a fellowship to spend a year writing a charter and planning for a new school in New Orleans. his plan was accepted, and he was awarded an existing school building at which to implement his plan. Andrew describes the school, at the time, as one of the worst in New Orleans and likely one of the worst in the united States. ARISe Academy is located in a depressed area with no banks and no grocery stores, where 100 percent of students receive free lunches. One of Andrew’s first steps was to meet with and convince the parents of the school’s 220 students that their children were about to become part of an elite academy.

In less than two years, Andrew has delivered.

The cafeteria has been retrofitted to ensure students get hot lunches. more than 50 students have been

Andrew credits his work in Georgia, New York, Guatemala, and New Orleans for giving him a global perspective. while social programs offer food, shelter, and clothing, he believes education represents true opportunity no matter where you are in the world.

Brooke Bourdélat-Parks ’95 lives in Colorado Springs, Col. She works at BSCS, a nonprofit organization, doing science curriculum development, professional development for teachers, and educational research.

scott zannini: mountain man

By Linda Sanders Scarborough ’65 A ’96 Ou graduate and newly inducted Athletic hall of Fame member*, Scott is hooked on the sport of mountain climbing. For him, the physical demands of the sport, the sheer joy of seeing the world from 17,000 feet, and the opportunity to travel and meet people from around the world all combine for an unbeatable experience.

scott Has His Head in tHe clouds. literally.

Scott first became interested in climbing through casual conversation with a friend who was heading to Kenya to climb Kilimanjaro, which eventually became Scott’s first goal. After months of training—including some stadium stair runs at hermance—he joined a small group of climbers and reached the Kilimanjaro summit on February 26, 2006. “The entire experience in Africa was incredible, and it remains my favorite trip,” says Scott. “It was incredibly rewarding, fun, tough, and exactly the challenge I needed.”

Subsequent trips, like those to Russia (mt. elbrus) and South America (mt.

Aconcagua), have provided Scott with a unique view into other cultures.

Local guides have shared stories about their countries’ history and about their own lives, and Scott has explored major cities along the way, like moscow, Nairobi, Lima, Santiago, and mendoza in Argentina.

The climbing teams bring together people from diverse countries for 5 to 15 days. Camping and climbing in extreme climate conditions build a great sense of camaraderie and pride in reaching the summit. ultimately, the climbing trips are the culmination of months of individual training and days of additional training by the guide teams.

“The three goals of any trip are to get off the mountain safely, have fun, and reach the summit (in that eXACT order),” emphasizes Scott. “Based on that, my major success in climbing is that I have returned home safely and have never been in serious danger on a mountain.” So far only one mountain summit has eluded him: mt. Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside the himalayas. during his two trips there, he experienced acute mountain sickness due to the altitude and had to turn back. “ultimately, I think I will go back for a third attempt,” Scott admits. “Aconcagua is quickly becoming my ‘personal everest,’ and the unsuccessful climbs have made me realize how passionate I am about climbing.” day-to-day, Scott is a senior technical recruiter for Principal Solutions Group in Atlanta, and he self-finances his climbing adventures. his 2012 agenda includes mt. Orizaba in mexico and mt. denali in Alaska. he wants to save enough eventually for a trip to Antarctica to climb mt. Vinson.

Scott writes two blogs about his climbs that contain more fascinating details about the trips:

http://aconcagua2011attempt.blogspot.com http://www.humanedgetech.com/expedition/scott

* See page 26 about Scott’s induction into the OU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Linda Sanders Scarborough graduated in 1965 and was a math and physics major. She worked for AT&T in information technology until her retirement. She serves on the Alumni Board and volunteers at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alliance Theatre.

18 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

19 CARILLON | FALL 2010

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 19 FALL 2010

Around the world |

International Athlete: Ky’Laine Rogers ’14

By Chloey Mayo ’10 Ky’laine Rogers talks fast, but she moves even faster— on the basketball court and in life.

At the tender age of 18, Ky’laine’s athletic dexterity has earned her a spot on the Virgin Islands’ National Women’s basketball team, affording her travel opportunities of which athletes years her senior can only dream.

Ky’laine, who is now a forward on the Oglethorpe women’s team, first started playing ball in seventh grade. “Everybody was like, you’re so tall, you should play basketball,” jokes Ky’laine as she bounces a basketball on her knee. “So I just tried it and it was fun.”

| Around the world

OU Men’s Basketball abroad

This spring the Oglethorpe Men’s Basketball team wrapped up their postseason with a weeklong excursion to Costa Rica that mixed competition, culture, and volunteering in an overseas teambuilding experience. The Stormy Petrels played three professional games during their trip, including matchups against the Costa Rican national team and the Costa Rican First Division runner-up (a victory!). The team is pictured here at a Costa Rican shelter for disadvantaged youth while volunteering their service.

trip of a lifetime

By Lance Ozier ’01

For Cornell Longino ’95, a first-class trip to Australia was a once in a lifetime— and a life-changing—experience.

Cornell with Gayle King (left) and Olivia Newton John (right).

By the age of 16, the 5’11” forward was playing for the Virgin Islands Junior Olympic team, where she led the Under-17 Caribbean Basketball Confederation with 51 rebounds. At 17 she was moved up to the Women’s National team, where she is currently the youngest player to compete on the Virgin Islands’ adult team. Last year was her first season “playing with the big girls,” who compete in the Central American and Caribbean Games, a precursor to the Pan-American and Olympic Games.

Due to her young age, her first season was mostly a learning experience. But this summer, she plans to return to the Virgin Islands in better shape and with more opportunity to play. The team has only two weeks to practice together before their five-games-perweek season starts, so their coaches expect their players to be in excellent condition before they board the plane to the islands.

“You don’t want to be unprepared—you might embarrass your whole country. And because we’re a women’s team…we’re already battling for respect,” said Ky’laine. “We’re trying our best to do the best we can so we can keep the sport. We’re all here for our country…it’s amazing how we are able to work together for a cause.”

The rising sophomore and art major shone on the Oglethorpe court and on the track during her freshman year, breaking several OU track records, including the Women’s 200-meter. This summer she’s working out with a trainer to secure her place for next year’s V.I. team. “You have to fight to keep your spot. There is always someone out there trying to take your place. [The players on my team] are tough and most graduated from D-1 and D-2 schools. They have a lot more experience than I do, but I am hoping to show the country that I belong here.”

Last year Cornell Longino’s wife, a children’s book author, was invited to one of Oprah Winfrey’s “ultimate viewer” show tapings, later revealed on-set as the epic “Ultimate Australian Adventure.”

Both Cornell, a senior consultant with SIS, UC, a financial software consulting firm in Duluth, Ga., and his wife, Tamika, were shocked to learn they would be traveling to Australia with Oprah.

Their up-close and personal trip included a cruise on the Sydney harbor with Oprah’s gal pal, Gayle King, and a day at Olivia Newton John’s Gaia Retreat and Spa, where the superstar posed for photos and serenaded them with songs. (Cornell got in on the action, leading the crowd in “Summer Nights” from Grease!)

Other characteristic Oprah surprises included U2 and Jay-Z concert tickets, a Bon Jovi performance, and visits from Aussies Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Hugh Jackman, and Russell Crowe.

Oprah made a final unannounced visit to the Sydney airport to say goodbye, shake each person’s hand, and challenge them “to be their best selves.” In the spirit of Oglethorpe (and Oprah), to make a life, a living, and a difference, Cornell and Tamika have since organized a benefit for homeless families to assist them in transitioning to independence. Life’s greatest gifts often come by way of the things we choose to share with others, and the “Ultimate Australian Adventure” has become the gift that keeps on giving.

Recipient of the 2010 Young Alumni Award, Lance Ozier ’01 is a research associate with the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching. He also coordinates education programs for Project Morry, a youth development program, and teaches at Teachers College, Columbia University, and the City College of New York.

Show Your Petrel Pride Going on vacation? Visiting somewhere unusual? Take the Carillon on the road and snap a photo of yourself with our award-winning magazine together at your destination. The most spirited pics will be featured in the next issue!

Submit your photos online via ePetrel: alumni.oglethorpe.edu

20 CARILLON | summer 2011

summer 2011 | CARILLON 21

boundless endeavors |

| boundless endeavors Today Davis works as enterprise development director for Relief International/ EnterpriseWorks in Washington, D.C. A humanitarian nonprofit agency, Relief International provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, development assistance, and program services to vulnerable communities worldwide. EnterpriseWorks combats poverty by helping small producers and other entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses that create jobs and increase productivity, market opportunities, and incomes.

The Broach Approach

By Kelly Holland Vrtis ’97

As a foreign exchange student in Poland in the early 1990s, (Wayne) Davis Broach ’96 was fascinated by the country’s progress toward a fully democratic government and a market economy. He observed small businesses jump-starting the economy and generating employment, while relying on very limited resources. For him, that translated to potential for the international aid and development field to create more stable growth by using more businesslike approaches to stimulate countries’ existing resources: its people and ideas.

“For me, the most important aspect of [our] work is to provide the tools and resources for people to work their way up to the middle class,” says Davis. “The middle class and small and medium enterprises are the engines of economic growth and provide a stabilizing counterbalance to entrenched economic and political interests.”

After graduating from American University with a dual MBA/MS in development management, Davis went to work for a firm that invested in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing markets. Over the next eight years, he worked throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia, investing in SMEs that lacked access to traditional forms of capital but were led by skilled entrepreneurs and had growth potential.

This approach generated financial returns to investors but also led to developmental impacts, such as employment, training, and new opportunities for suppliers.

Rodney drinkard ‘92: the real thing

By Austin Gillis ’01 The Coca-Cola Company provides refreshment to practically every corner of the world, selling its beverages in more than 200 countries. Any business with that type of global presence requires top-notch security.

Davis oversees RI’s social enterprise portfolio, which provides financial services such as loans, insurance, and savings opportunities in seven countries throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia—as well as numerous other social enterprise ventures with strong social or environmental impacts.

He also develops new ventures through private-public partnerships and innovative finance structures, like the carbon market.

“For those that want to make a difference in the world, good intentions and access to resources can get you some of the way some of the time,” Davis notes. “When for-profits provide goods and services that have a social benefit, or when nonprofits employ business models to pursue their goals,…the organization’s good intentions are translated into a service that their target market demands, as well as a revenue stream to cover costs and lead to long-term sustainability.”

Davis Broach demonstrates the benefits of household water filters in West Africa.

Davis takes in the local culture in Penang, Malaysia.

Not surprisingly, working with The Coca-Cola Company has taken Rodney all over the world. He has traveled to more than 60 countries and visited places ranging from large cosmopolitan cities (including London, Paris, and Tokyo) to remote outposts (Easter Island, the Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan, and Parintins, Brazil, a city located on an island in the Amazon River). These international travels have given Rodney the opportunity to interact with different cultures—and he believes Oglethorpe helped prepare him for this. “My liberal arts background helps me comprehend the cultural, political, and economic issues that may be influencing the environments where I operate,” explains Rodney.

Vancouver Olympics, and the 2002 and 2010 World Cup finals.

Rodney has also had the privilege of meeting many world leaders and dignitaries, including Nelson Mandela, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and more recently, Philippines President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III.

As part of the security team, Rodney must prepare for occasional unstable situations. While he is typically able to use local resources to avoid instability, his travels have taken him to countries in crisis. In such instances Rodney relies on his law enforcement training to stay flexible while using available resources to mitigate threats.

“Each culture I experience provides a unique memory,” Rodney recalls, marveling at the breadth of his international travel.

“Whether it is meeting entrepreneurs in remote parts of Africa or experiencing the thriving marketplaces in China, I continue to be amazed at the diversity of the world.”

What’s more, Rodney has found his international travels to be personally enriching. Rodney has sampled local cuisine from places most people have only read about. He has been able to indulge his love of photography by snapping photos all around the globe. And his travels have allowed him to teach his children firsthand about the many cultures of the world.

Fortunately for The Coca-Cola Company, Oglethorpe’s own Rodney Drinkard is a part of that international security team.

Rodney graduated from Oglethorpe in 1992 with a degree in business administration and behavioral science. After a stint with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, where he gained experience in law enforcement and investigations, Rodney joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1996. He now serves as their security manager for top executives.

22 CARILLON | summer 2011 SPRING 2011

However, Rodney’s job is much more than dealing with crisis.

While working for The Coca-Cola Company, he has witnessed historic sporting events, including the Beijing Olympics, the

Austin Gillis ’01 was president of his junior and senior classes at OU and a member of Delta Sigma Phi. He is now an attorney with Green & Sapp LLP in Atlanta and is an OU Alumni Board member.

summer 2011 | CARILLON 23

alumni

alumni

dear Friends, From abu Dhabi to Zurich, Oglethorpe alumni are making a life, making a living, and making a difference in our world. This issue of the Carillon highlights just a few of our fellow Stormy Petrels doing big things in distant places. Our alumni may be found in locations all over the world, but we have one thing in common—we all received an outstanding education at one of america’s distinguished liberal arts colleges.

Today Oglethorpe’s student body represents more than 30 nations. In addition to having international classmates on the campus, Oglethorpe students have more opportunities than ever before to extend their education beyond the United States. Through a growing global network of partnerships, agreements, and for-credit, short-term trips sponsored by the university, Oglethorpe offers an exciting array of opportunities for international travel. Students can explore a culture, examine archaeological ruins, witness political decision making firsthand, research museums throughout the world, document ecological problems, or sharpen language skills.

1

Congratulations, 2011 Alumni Award Winners!

But Oglethorpe students and alumni don’t have to board a plane for faraway lands to have a global experience; international opportunities can be found right on campus. The Conant Performing arts Center features performers of international renown, and the Oglethorpe University Museum of art exhibits art from around the world—most recently modern and contemporary Indian art from the collection of alumnus Donald Rubin ’56 and his wife, Shelley.

during alumni weekend, ogletHorpe university Honored outstanding alumni and faculty at tHe annual awards ceremony. ing on numerous boards and chairing countless events.

Remember that wherever you go, you will always remain a member of the Oglethorpe family, and you can always come home to Peachtree Road.

Anna Blacklidge Breton ’02

With best wishes,

Yetty Levenson Arp ‘68 was

Randy Roberson ’97 President Oglethorpe University alumni association

presented with the Talmage Award, given to a graduate who contributes time, talent, or fi nancial resources to one or more programs of the univer-

of Mableton, Ga., was awarded the Young Alumni Award, presented to a graduate from the last 10 years who has shown leadership and inspired other young alumni through participation in career, public service, volunteer, or continuing education activities. Anna has worked for the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center and the American Red Cross, and now works in marketing at Chick-fil-A. She

2

Anna Blacklidge Breton ’02 & Lucy Lindsey Smith ’59

3

2011 alumni weekend petrel palooza 1 Petey entertains at the reunion’s picnic on the quad.

2 Alumni gather for the Salamone Alumni Soccer Tournament.

3 Carolyn Frangimore ‘64 and husband Charles with Linda Sanders Scarborough ‘65. 4 A future Petrel makes friends with Petey.

5 Tamika and Cornell Longino ’95 and Andy Schutt ’95 and Kirsten hanzsek Schutt ’95 at the Alumni Awards Ceremony.

24 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

4

5

sity and/or is distinguished in the business or professional world. Yetty, an accomplished real estate salesperson, is affi liated with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty.

In 2010, she was elected to the Atlanta Board of Realtor’s prestigious Multi Million Dollar Club.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Yetty has made her alma mater a major priority in her life, serving as a member of the Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2010 and the President’s Advisory Council from 1984 to 1996. She has been active in the Atlanta community for decades, serv-

continues to serve her alma mater as a Chi Omega Fraternity chapter advisor, member of the Young Alumni and Advancement Committees, class agent, donor, and volunteer.

Lucy Lindsey Smith ’59 of Atlanta was awarded the Spirit of Oglethorpe Award, presented to a graduate who lives by the Oglethorpe motto “Make a life.

Make a living. Make a difference.” and demonstrates the attributes of a liberal arts education by exhibiting creativity, purposefulness, and a commitment to improving the quality of his or her community.

Lucy has dedicated her life to educating Atlanta’s youth, serving as a devoted science and math teacher in the area for years. She was part of a national science education effort during the early 1960s, in response to the fi rst Russian space launch, and eventually spent decades developing science curriculum. She began teaching seventh- and ninth-graders the sciences on television, and was a member of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters and American Women in Television and Radio. Lucy served on the National Board of National Science Supervisors Association and was president of the Georgia Science Teachers Association.

After her “retirement,” Lucy helped found the Assistance League of Atlanta in 1982.

Since then, the Atlanta nonprofit has served the city’s homeless and indigent and provided academic scholarships to Oglethorpe and other Georgia colleges.

In 2009 more than $420,000 was distributed to the Atlanta community, and members volunteered more than 45,000 hours in philanthropic programs. After almost 30 years of service, Lucy continues to contribute an average of 40 volunteer hours each month toward the cause.

dr. Victoria “Vicky” weiss was awarded the School Bell Award for her lasting contributions to the field of education.

Vicky has been a part of the Oglethorpe community for more than 30 years, sharing

her talents in numerous roles.

Over the years, she has served as an English professor, the director of several programs, vice president for university relations, and interim provost.

She retired in 2011.

As the university’s fi rst core director, Vicky led the faculty effort to revise the core program at Oglethorpe and secure an endowment fund for it. With the help of a major challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she left the classroom for a time to raise

dr. Victoria weiss the matching funds needed to endow the core program. The $1.2 million raised purchased supporting materials for the OU library and formed an endowment fund that supports faculty learning in order to keep the core curriculum as a vital part of the Oglethorpe experience in perpetuity.

Securing these endowment funds for the sequenced, interdisciplinary, writingintensive core program at OU has put the program at the forefront of efforts to reform general education nationwide.

As a result, Vicky has had the opportunity to serve as a consultant to other colleges and universities in both the U.S. and Canada.

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 25

our History alumni

alumni

Alumni Award Winners, Cont’d

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Bryan Kenna ’01 currently holds several OU career records in baseball. During his OU baseball career, he was selected as SCAC First Team All-Conference, NCAA Division III All-South Honorable Mention, SCAC Pitcher of the Year, and Oglethorpe Male Athlete of the Year. He holds the OU career records in starts (39), wins (18, tie), innings (283), complete games (19), and ranks in the top 10 in lowest ERA, lowest opposing batting average, fewest walks per nine inning average, and strikeouts. Off the field, Bryan was a Presidential Scholar and inducted into both the Beta Omicron Sigma Oglethorpe Business Honor Society and Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. Bryan earned a bachelor’s of science in accounting, cum laude, in 2001 and a master’s of business administration from Northwestern University in 2007. After working at PricewaterhouseCoopers and The Boston Consulting Group, Bryan most recently landed at Ashworth College in Norcross, Ga., as part of a rotational program with Sterling Partners, a private equity fund.

Erik Viberg ’99 was a fouryear starter on the OU Men’s Tennis team at #1 singles and doubles. He finished his freshman year with a 15-3 singles record. A notable win was beating one of the best players in the country from Emory University. He was recruited to play NCAA Division-I tennis after his freshman year, but he felt at home at Oglethorpe.

Erik went on to be a three-time All-SCAC selection, a four-time team MVP, and team captain his last three years. Erik is now

26 CARILLON | summer 2011

Members of the Class of 1961 gathered during Alumni Weekend 2011 to celebrate their 50th reunion. Their weekend began at the Lanier House with a celebratory dinner, hosted by President Larry Schall and his wife, Betty Londergan, and continued with many hours of sharing laughter and memories.

a finance manager at AT&T, and he earned a master’s of international business from Georgia State University in 2005. He remains active in the Atlanta community, attending Peachtree Presbyterian Church, playing golf, and playing on ALTA tennis teams.

From left to right: Eric Viberg ’99, Terra Winthrop ’96, Scott Zannini ’99, Bryan Kenna ’01

Terra Winthrop ’96 is a legendary OU Women’s Soccer player. In 1993 Terra played in 15 games and scored six goals with two assists. In 1994 she played in 18 games and scored 20 goals with four assists.

Terra was named to the First Team All-SCAC. In 1995 she scored 19 goals with 10 assists.

She averaged 2.67 points per game, which placed her as 10th all-time in SCAC history.

She was named to the SCAC Second Team. In three seasons she played in 51 games, scoring 45 career goals and dishing 16 assists for a total of 106 career points. After relocating to Florida, Terra completed the Police Academy in 2000 and became a deputy sheriff.

She was promoted to corporal and works in a high school as a school resource officer, which allowed her to get involved in sports and developing student athletes. She has coached soccer and softball at the high school and has shared her experience at Oglethorpe with seniors. To date, three of those students have graduated from Oglethorpe.

Scott Zannini ’99 was a two-time SCAC all-conference performer. He was a three-time SCAC player of the week, team captain during his senior season, and an NCAA-nominated “Prospect to Watch” in Division III. He recorded four, five-hit games. Upon graduation, Scott was in the top 10 of several

Oglethorpe University offensive school records, including career batting average, single season batting average, walks, runs, and plate appearances.

Scott is now a senior technical recruiter for Principle Solutions Group in Atlanta.

1968–69 Men’s Basketball Team Based on their previous season, the Oglethorpe coaching staff believed that the ’68-’69 team was destined for success. They did not disappoint. Returning were All-American Candidate Mike Dahl ’69, J.P. Bruzek ’69, Jim Hoggarth ’69, Earl Blair ’69, Ernie Crain ’70, Doug Cole ’69, Jerry Lee ’70, and Willie Sheats ’72. They were joined by transfers John Poag ’70 and David Hansford ’70, along with freshmen Randy Lee ’72, Randy Walker ’72, Gary Tassin ’72, Otis Ward ’72, and Terry Schell ’72. The team was led

by Head Coach Bill Carter ’59 and Assistant Coach Tommy Norwood ’64.

With a 22-4 record, the team was ranked in the top 20 teams in the country and was invited to play in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional Tournament in Norfolk, Va. There Oglethorpe defeated Old Dominion and then Mount Saint Mary’s to win the championship game 7456. Four Petrel starters were named to the Regional All Tournament Team: Earl Blair, Ernie Crain, Willie Sheats, and Mike Dahl, who also was named the tournament’s MVP. Unfortunately, the Petrels’ first opponent at the Nationals was Kentucky Wesleyan, the previous year’s national champion. OU led most of the game, but Kentucky Wesleyan overcame the Petrels’ lead and went on to win the National Championship once again.

One of Oglethorpe’s finest, the 1968-69 Men’s Basketball team finished the season with a 24-5 record and ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation.

Pictured are (front) Eula Rodgers Ginsburg ’61, Wilfred “Whitey” Leblanc ’61, Edloe “Penny” Jones ’61, Tony Paredes ’61, Silas Moore ’61, (back) Belle Turner Lynch ’61, Joe Soldati ’61, Martha Laird Bowen ’61, and Marc Weinberg ’61. Also attending the reunion, but not pictured, were Troy Childers ’61, Murphy “Roger” Couch ’61, Wayne Dobbs ’61, and Ronald Knopf ’61.

The Class of 1961 Celebrates 50 Years Tony Paredes ’61, Marc Weinberg ’61, and Edloe “Penny” Jones ’61, joined by OU Trustees O.K. Sheffield ’53 and Fred Agel ’52, participated in the Golden Petrel Ceremony during this year’s commencement. The Golden Petrel Society honors alumni who graduated 50 years ago or more. Belle Turner Lynch ’61 and Martha Laird Bowen ’61 also attended.

This “Umby” cartoon ran in the October 7, 1960, issue of the Stormy Petrel. Ronald Knopf ’61 (pictured) was the resident cartoonist during his Oglethorpe days. Mr. Knopf recently donated a collection of his original cartoons to the Oglethorpe University Archives.

The following is a short excerpt from the essay “Oglethorpe University Class of 1961: A Fiftieth Anniversary Historical Remembrance,”

by J. Anthony Paredes, PhD ’61. The author is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Florida State University, and now lives in Atlanta.

Read his full essay at http://www.alumni.oglethorpe.edu/paredes.

We were a small graduating class. There were fewer than 50 of us. Yet, the Oglethorpe Class of 1961 produced at least three college professors, two physicians, two professional Boy Scout executives, two psychologists, a university athletic coach, a corporate executive and successful entrepreneur, a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, a Georgia Commissioner of Corrections, and a chair of the Oglethorpe Board of Trustees. Sadly, some of us would not live to see our fiftieth anniversary.

At Alumni Weekend 2010 I heard a panel of current students speak.

As they talked about their academic majors (we didn’t have real “majors” in our time), fraternities, career maneuvering, the current

grading system, and other passing problems of the present, I realized just how different Oglethorpe had become in the last fifty years. But I also listened to the students talk about their amusement with the student folklore tradition of elephant bones buried on campus (there is historical truth in that), their fondness for Oglethorpe’s offbeat eccentricities, their “sense of social obligation” (to use President Agnew’s phrase [Yamacraw 1959, page 12]), and their respect and appreciation for “the Common Core” curriculum. In these things, the students reassured me that the ethos, the spirit, the heart, the soul of Oglethorpe endure—that our beloved old Oglethorpe still lives. For that I am very grateful and proud. And I told them so.

summer 2011 | CARILLON 27

alumni

alumni

A Look Back

with Evelyn Silverman Katzman ’29 mrs. evelyn Silverman Katzman ’29 as pictured in her senior Yamacraw yearbook photo and during a recent visit with Alumni Relations director Barbara Bessmer henry ’85.

mrs. evelyn Silverman Katzman ’29 turned 103 years old this year on New Year’s day. She lives in Providence, R.I., where she has happily resided for most of her adult life. evelyn has enjoyed visiting with schoolchildren in an elementary school across the street from her assisted-living home, a beautiful 100-year-old brick building overlooking the Providence harbor. Called “Auntie evelyn” by the students, evelyn laughingly recalls one little boy who also sweetly called her “an antique.” when she was a child, evelyn was a self-admitted “Army brat” who moved from base to base throughout the united States. when she was a teenager, her family was stationed at Fort mcPherson, where she attended Girls high School in Atlanta and later, Oglethorpe university. She took the train and streetcar from the base all the way to the end of the line at Oglethorpe every day for classes. with few women attending classes at the time, there were no women’s residence halls on campus. evelyn also recalls when the university agreed to alter some restrooms to accommodate the growing number of women students, who also successfully petitioned the dean to install a large mirror in the women’s restroom so the ladies could fix their hair and tidy up after classes.

evelyn fondly remembers President Thornwell Jacobs as a tall, stately, brilliant man who cared about students’ education. She also recalls signing up for a science lab course, held in a building with a fancy French name (Poulet hall). But, instead of a nice building like hearst or Lupton, Poulet was in the woods and shaped like a chicken coop— hence its nickname!

our autHors Over the years Oglethorpe university has been home to many budding and established writers. during this year’s alumni weekend, a new section in the Philip weltner Library was dedicated to showcase the work of our Oglethorpe authors. According to librarian Anne Salter, approximately 75 books already line the shelf, the earliest dating back to 1917. The growing collection includes volumes from Thornwell Jacobs, as well as more recent writers. during the dedication, Oglethorpe’s alumni, faculty, and student authors shared their passion for writing and their experiences in publishing.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Allen Goodwin ’73, coauthor of The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America’s Deadliest Hotel Fire.

“The gathering was larger than I’d anticipated, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Oglethorpe authors attending. I expect the group will grow.”

After graduation, evelyn worked as a journalist for Southern Banker, an Atlanta finance publication. But, while on vacation in Providence, R.I., in 1933, a friend convinced her to quit her job and move north. She found a job with Cherry and webb, a large department store, where she wrote advertising copy, fashion, and news using the pen name “Susanna in the women’s world.” This led her to a position as a copywriter and layout artist for another large Providence department store, The Outlet, where she was selected to advertise products on the radio under the pseudonym dorothy Kent.

In 1948 evelyn met and married her husband, Leo, and left the journalism world to become a housewife and assist with her husband’s career in sales. Active in their community with both the American Cancer Society and a local literacy program, evelyn says they had a “beautiful life” together.

’14 Charles Boyd

Gray Stone Society The Gray Stone Society, named for the signature granite that forms our historic campus buildings, recognizes Oglethorpe University’s most generous donors, whose giving has reached historic levels and provided a foundation of support. On February 9, 2011, a donor wall on the fi rst floor of Hearst Hall was dedicated to recognize and honor the inaugural members of the Gray Stone Society. The entire Oglethorpe University community gratefully thanks these donors for their philanthropic commitment that has served to sustain and strengthen this institution.

The family of Steve ‘40 and Jeanne Schmidt ‘42 with President Schall and Board Chairman Jack Guynn.

Alumni Board President Randy Roberson ’97, Alumni Board member Jodie Sexton Goff ’01, and Alumni director Barbara Bessmer henry ’85 hosted a group of alumni and three grandchildren of Thornwell Jacobs, former Oglethorpe President, for dinner in Boston in the spring. Alumni enjoyed hearing stories from the Jacobs family about their grandfather’s days at Oglethorpe. Pictured with Randy, Barb, and Jodie are Alan Zwicker ’05, Sarah hunter Conley ’85, Charles Field, Shaniece Broadus Criss ’02, henry Field, and Carrie Lee henderson.

please cHeck alumni.ogletHorpe.edu for our next scHeduled events.

28 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

All attending authors signed copies of their books and received a commemorative bookmark.

Allen Goodwin ’73

alumni gatHerings Petrels in the Smyrna/ Vinings area of Atlanta held a quarterly networking event earlier this year at a local tavern. Petrels in attendance included Kiley Ryba Arnold ’99, Penny Anderson ’01, Jeremy Greenup ’99, Austin Gillis ’01, Richard Bakare ’03, dani Stellin Benner ’01, Sarah Bowers Tintle ’04, Rebecca Bowers Conners ’99, mark delong ’03, Susie Polyak Findley ’99, Ashley Zimmerman hamilton ’01, derek Rasmussen ’02, Jody Stephenson ’03, missy Roedenshiner waggoner ’99, Greg wallace ’09, Brian wright ’01, and Jennifer whyte ’99. The Alumni Association events committee hosts networking events on a quarterly basis in different areas of Atlanta.

After learning about the winecoff tragedy from his father, Goodwin began researching the 1946 Atlanta hotel fire while still a student at Oglethorpe. Now a public relations professional, Goodwin was one of a number of alumni authors who spoke at the dedication. Among them was Charles Boyd ’14, a current student, who relayed his experience of self-publishing his science-fantasy novel, Mountains of the North, impressing the audience with his early accomplishment.

Anonymous (2) A Friend of Oglethorpe University The CF Foundation Miriam H. and John A. Conant Mr. Ralph L. Dempsey ’29 Mrs. Virginia Dempsey ’27 Mr. R. E. “Red” Dorough Mr. and Mrs. William A. Emerson Georgia Independent College Association The Goizueta Foundation

Harland Charitable Foundation William Randolph Hearst Mr. Eugene W. Ivy ’49 Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith Lanier II Lettie Pate Evans Foundation Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Mr. John Thomas Lupton Belle Turner Lynch ’61 Mr. Benjamin F. Moore ’52 The Rich Foundation

Mr. Mack A. Rikard ’37 and Family Dr. J. Mack Robinson The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Mrs. Jeanne Fuller Schmidt ’42 Mr. Stephen J. Schmidt ’40 The Tull Charitable Foundation Emily and Ernest Woodruff Foundation Robert W. Woodruff Foundation

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 29

our History

class notes our History

Class Notes 2

1 1940s John Goldthwait ’43 published two more novels this past summer through the publishing company Xlibris, a print-on-demand house.

His books are Falling Back to Earth and This Ungodly Crew.

1960s John Kuiken ’62 and his wife, Rosa Maria Valdes Kuiken, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 28, 2010.

They have three children and six grandchildren. They now reside outside Las Vegas, Nev. J. Cabot Gupton ’63, married to Bobbie Dexter Gupton’63, never thought he would visit 54 countries. In 1967 he was selected for a special assignment to work in Tokyo, serving American military families who had sons in the Boy Scouts. Later his career took him to Europe, where the Boy Scouts were in 15 countries. For eight years he made sure the military families received good scouting experience with emphasis on historical events in their host countries. His experience at Oglethorpe often came alive

30 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

4

3

when visiting places like Rome and Athens.

1970s 1 Robert “Bobby” B. Baker Jr. ’79 joined Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, as a partner on January 1, 2011. Commissioner Baker completed his third term as a statewide elected member of the Georgia Public Service Commission at the end of 2010.

1980s 2 Bob Martinez ’82 shared Christmas photos of his granddaughter, Eve Leila Cruz, who was born on April 11, 2010. He and his wife, Yvette, are proud grandparents.

Debbie Morgan Foresman ’83 began work on July 19, 2010, as senior labor attorney with the Staff Judge Advocate’s Office in Fort Belvoir, Va. In that position, she represents the Garrison and more than 120 tenant organizations, including the DeWitt Community Hospital. She also represents the Garrison of Fort A. P. Hill. She represents the army before the EEOC, Merit Systems Protection Board, and Federal

6

7

9

11

8

10

12

Labor Relations Authority, as well as other tribunals.

Dr. John Marshall ’83, a boardcertified physiatrist, recently joined the team of physicians, surgeons, and therapists at Carolinas Center for Surgery in Morehead City, N.C. A physiatrist is a rehabilitation physician who has special medical training in nerves, muscles, and bones. Dr. Marshall will treat a range of neuromusculoskeletal problems, from sore shoulders to spine issues, working with physical therapists and spine surgeons.

Tom “Swannee” Johnson ’88 received a master’s of science degree in organizational management and leadership from Springfield College School of Human Services. Tom is managing director of James’ House LTD, a nonprofit organization providing housing, educational, and counseling assistance for populations in need in Tampa, Fla.

1990s 3 Erin Canney Whittemore

’91 and her husband, Stewart, welcomed their second child, Andrew Stewart, born September 1, 2010. Their oldest child, Owen,

5 is in kindergarten and is so happy to have a baby brother. The family lives in Auburn, Ala. 4 Lori “Lu” Green Leroy ’95

wrote her first book, The Inadequate Conception, From Barry White to Blastocytes: What your mom didn’t tell you about getting pregnant.

5 Trishanda L. Hinton

Treadwell ’96 was elected to the partnership of Atlanta law firm Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP, effective January 1, 2011.

6 Jonathan Correia ’97 was

recently deployed to operation Pacific Partnership on board the USNS Mercy Hospital Ship. Jon served as an operating room RN while the ship was in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore. He also spent time ashore in Cambodia, training their corpsmen in

combat casualty management.

Jon is an LT in the Navy Reserves and is normally assigned to the 4th Marine Logistics Group in Marietta, Ga. Jon also works as a consultant with Encore Health Resources, where he is currently assigned to the St. Louis University Hospital project.

Laura Williams Hawkins ’97 and Barry C. Hawkins announce the birth of Chloe Grace Hawkins.

7 Katie Trucksis Thompson ’97,

Trevor Thompson, and big sister, Evie, are happy to announce the birth of Graham David Thompson on July 5, 2010. Our happy little guy is a delight and a blessing!

8 Dani Stellin Benner ’99 and

Chris Benner ’01 are thrilled to announce the birth of Preston Christopher, born April 7, 2011, at 11:00 p.m. on the dot. He was

8 lbs., 1 oz. and 22 in. of pure love (20 hours of labor later)!

9 Missy Roedersheimer Waggoner ’99 and Deke Waggoner welcomed the birth of their son, Roedy Robert Waggoner, on December 16, 2010. Roedy was two weeks early and weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz. and measured 20 in. long. Missy, Deke, and Roedy live in Kirkland, Wash.

2000 10 Mandy McDow Flemming

’00 and Matthew Flemming are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Sloan Elizabeth, on June 3, 2010. Sloan is constantly entertained by her older brothers, Jackson and Cooper, and proves to be a perfect third child.

Thirteen days after Sloan’s birth, Mandy was ordained as an Elder in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church. She contin-

ues to serve as the Minister of Christian Education and Spiritual Formation at Saint Mark UMC in Atlanta.

Lindsay Burgoon Matthews ’00 and her husband, Jay, welcomed a baby boy, Kai Brenton Matthews, to their family in August. He has been a joy to their lives, offering constant smiles and giggles.

Kevin Woolf ’00 was promoted to partner with the law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where he has practiced since 2003. Kevin’s practice continues to focus on real estate development and leasing.

2001 11 Helena “Milagros” Perez Jennings ’01 and Jason Jennings announce the birth of their son, Nicolas John Jennings, on October 21, 2009. They are so happy!

2002 12 Rebekah Ager ’02 married Matt Giaraffa of St. Louis, Mo., on August 14, 2010, in an outdoor ceremony and reception at the Chatfield Botanic Gardens near Denver, Colo. Oglethorpe alumni in attendance were maid of honor Julie Greenwell ’01, bridesmaid Jill Orlando Patrick ’02, and Emily Gudat Trimble ’02. The couple honeymooned in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., and while there were able to meet up with Megan Wallace Jenkins ’02 and David Jenkins ’02 and their daughters.

Rebekah works at Worldwide Partners, Inc., the largest global network of independent advertising agencies, as an account executive and global meeting planner. Matt works for Qualmark as senior design engineer. The couple resides in Denver and has SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 31

class notes

13

15

17

19

14

16

18

20

a six-month-old Labradoodle, Dillon. In their free time, they can be found somewhere in the mountains, either on bikes or snowboards.

2002

Fla., and won Best Presentation.

Her article was subsequently accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Case Studies.

Amber is currently working to complete the CPA exam. She continues working with Progress Energy as a senior business financial analyst.

13 Melissa Conrad ’02 was hon-

ored in October as one of Georgia Trend magazine’s “40 Under 40: Georgia’s Best and Brightest.”

Melissa is the associate director for Georgia STAND-UP, a “Think and Act Tank for Working Communities” in Atlanta, Ga. She has served with the organization since its inception in March 2005. Her work is mainly focused on directing the policy goals and grassroots leadership education work of the organization.

14 Amber De Lucenay ’02 completed her MBA in international business and corporate social responsibility from University of South Florida – St. Petersburg in August 2010. As part of her studies, Amber worked with a small coffee cooperative in Guatemala.

She led business seminars for the leaders and women in the community and completed a business plan. Amber presented her article on process improvement at a Clute Institute conference in Orlando, 32 CARILLON | summer 2011

15 Amber De Lucenay ’02 and Aaron Wooldridge were married November 12, 2010, at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Fla. Oglethorpe alumni in attendance included Kim Leung Williams ’03, Erin Sellers Newkirk ’03, Michael Newkirk ’01, David Hernandez ’01, and Hannah Grisar ’99. Amber and Aaron live in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., with their two Labs.

16 Jonathan Turley ’02 is cur-

rently working in Baghdad, Iraq.

This summer he will head back to Beijing, China, where his family is currently living. He hopes to pass through Atlanta in July or August 2011. Jonathan has two children, Christopher Cortez (pictured) and daughter Sofia Cortez, who is almost three.

2003 17 Katie Harrison Garner ’03 and Corey Garner ’05 are excited

to announce the birth of their second child. Millicent Katherine Garner was born on October 11, 2010, and weighed 8 lbs., 12 oz. and measured 21.5 in. long. She was welcomed by her big brother, Harrison, who turned three in August.

18 Nick Chahwala ’03 was

nominated for a Grammy® Award this year for his work on Katy Perry’s best-selling album, Teenage Dream. Nick recorded, arranged, and engineered the guitars, bass, and sound effects for the “Circle the Drain” single.

2004 19 Mary “Katie” James Cofield

’04 and her husband, Matt, welcomed their first child, Parker, into the world in July 2010. The new family currently lives in Sierra Vista, Ariz., where Matt is serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca. Katie is cherishing the blessing of being able to stay home with her son.

2005 20 Catherine Lawler Jackson ’05

and Patrick Jackson announced the birth of their son, Henry Augustus Jackson, on December 5, 2010.

22

21 2006

Yasmin Epple Clark ’06 and Daniel Clark are excited to announce the birth of their second child. Loudon Daniel Clark was born on April 17, 2010, weighing 6 lbs., 11 oz. and measuring 19 in.

He was welcomed by his big sister, Saskya, who turned four in March.

2007 Emily Eagan Macheski-Preston ’07 graduated cum laude from the Walter F. George School of Law in May 2010. While in law school, she was a member of nationalwinning oral advocacy teams and was named Best Overall Individual Advocate in the 2010 Charleston National Constitutional Law Competition and one of the Top Five Best Individuals at the 2010 Emory National Civil Rights and Liberties Competition.

Emily is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is an associate at Coleman Talley, LLP, in Valdosta, Ga. Jordan “Alex” Johnson ’07 was licensed as an attorney in June 2010 and now works at Gillis and Creasy, LLC. He also was the 2010

Republican nominee for Georgia State Senate District 41.

Rachel Morris Chou ’07 graduated from Georgia State with her master’s of arts in teaching in summer 2010, with a focus in middle grades mathematics and science education. She accepted a job for the 2010–2011 school year with Fulton Science Academy Charter Middle School in Alpharetta, Ga., teaching sixth grade mathematics. She is also the school’s math Olympiad coach.

24

23

25

21 Rachel Morris ’07 married Eugene Chou, a Georgia State University graduate, over the 2010 Labor Day weekend at a cabin in Ellijay, Ga.

2008 22 Sarah Summerfield Darby

’08 and her husband, Brian Darby, welcomed their first child in July 2010. Hazel Michelle was born at home, and the new family is living happily in their hometown of Canton, Ga. Sarah

is enjoying staying home with her daughter.

23 Nathan Tyre ’08 was married to Alexandria Rizzo on March 6, 2010, at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta. Oglethorpe alumni in attendance were Matt Brisendine ’08, Jason Cree ’08, Tony Thompson ’08, Joe Damour ’07, Brian Gomez ’08, Veronica Kulwicki ’07, Kyle Luedtke ’07, and Sarah Nania ’11. Nathan and Alex are currently living in Santa Maria, Calif.

24 Nathan Tyre ’08 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force on October 26, 2010. Nathan is stationed at Vandenberg AFB in Calif. for missile combat crew training.

25 Sam Murray ’08 was

recently hired by Saudi Oil Refineries & Petrochemical Joint Venture Company as their administrative systems specialist to work on-site in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council region for the next two or more years.

Submit your class note via ePetrel: www.alumni.oglethorpe.edu

IN MEMORIAM Melba Connell George ’42 on September 2, 2010 Lillian Willoughby Savage ’42 on December 22, 2010 Mary Webb Tyner ’42 on October 18, 2010 Robert A. Dillard ’43 on March 16, 2011 Mary Pinkard Smith Dillow ’45 on March 8, 2011 Etta Giddens Bates ’48 on November 9, 2010 Grace Albert Jones ’49 on January 21, 2011 James Baker ’50 on February 1, 2011

John Fisher ‘51 on November 9, 2010 Ray Harmon Fennelle ’54 on February 13, 2011 Lawrence Lippman ’54 on April 7, 2011 Edward McDade ’57 on November 9, 2010 William B. “Bill” Christian Jr. ’59 on January 11, 2011 Mary Ellen Crim Hester ’59 on October 15, 2010 Gladys Baldwin Wallace ’61 on January 13, 2011 Daniel Cowart ’64 on February 17, 2011

Michael McQueen ’65 on February 18, 2011 Lee Ayers ’68 on November 3, 2010 Katherine George Henderson ’68 on December 24, 2010 Ralphton Edward Warlick ’70 on December 16, 2010 Arthur Howell ’72H Emeritus Trustee on November 25, 2010 Ruth McLaughlin Morgan ’77 on January 22, 2011 Velma Jeanette Taylor Hainline ’78 on January 15, 2011

Janet Perreault Betts ’82 on October 25, 2010 Arlis Head ’83 on January 6, 2010 James F. Wilhelmy ’83 on January 8, 2011 Scott Albert Johnson ’84 on December 11, 2010 Sandra Lea Yates Bashore ’98 on January 8, 2011 Joel Goldberg ’00H Emeritus Trustee on November 4, 2010 Mark Stephens Former Trustee on December 1, 2010

summer 2011 | CARILLON 33

our Community

our Community

Setting the Course: Katie Sobush ’00

OU Students, Alumni Present at Psychology Conference

By Sydney Mobley Moss ’59

When Katie Sobush moved to Atlanta for college, she thought public transportation would be readily available and a car unnecessary.

Imagine her surprise when she learned that the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station was not exactly across the street. Perhaps this influenced her interest in biking, an activity that is now part of both her personal and professional lives.

Katie graduated from Oglethorpe with a degree in sociology and credits courses in urban life and sociological theory with directly influencing her life’s direction. A community planner at Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Katie works to encourage their employees to walk, bicycle, take transit, carpool, vanpool, telecommute, and work compressed schedules. For example, Katie supports new biking commuters who may be intimidated by the traffic by pairing them with experienced riders to guide them to the best commuting route.

To encourage alternative commuting choices, the CDC reimburses employees for public transportation expenses, provides preferential parking to carpoolers, offers lockers and showers for employees who bike or walk, organizes events to facilitate clean commuting, and participates in national clean air events. Consequently, more than 20 percent of CDC employees, on any given day, do not drive to work alone. To honor their efforts, the CDC received a 2009 Clean Air Campaign PACE award and was named a Best Workplace for Commuters in 2010.

While Katie briefly considered trying competitive cycling, she quickly realized during her first race that competition was not for her. She prefers to enjoy—and protect—the scenery, not cross a finish line.

Sydney Mobley Moss ’59 is a retired SunTrust banker. She and her husband, Jack, live in Flowery Branch, Ga., and enjoy traveling. Sydney serves on the Alumni Board as a member of the Communications Committee.

34 CARILLON | summer 2011

prize for her research. Brittany’s paper explored transphobia, a form of sexual prejudice directed specifically toward transsexuals.

Words to Live by

By Chloey Mayo ’10

Dr. Mario Chandler (above), associate professor of Spanish, is vice president of the College Language Association, a national organization that promotes English and foreign language scholarship. Next year, after 15 years of involvement, Dr. Chandler will become CLA’s president.

For Dr. Chandler, the CLA is more than just a resume filler. “I joined the organization as a graduate student, having discovered a safe haven for my scholarly passions in Afro-Hispanic literary and cultural studies,” recalls Dr. Chandler. “As a budding teacher-scholar interested in making the connections between traditional peninsular Spanish scholarship and African diasporan thematics, the College Language Association was a godsend for me.”

According to Dr. Chandler, the CLA was founded by a group of African American scholars in 1937 as a networking and researching tool for scholars of color who were unable to gain access to the more well-known and mainstream scholarly organizations. These academics, who were interested in English and foreign language scholarship, focused on themes relating to the Black Diaspora. The organization now has an internationally diverse membership that includes Oglethorpe’s very own Dr. Jay Lutz and German lecturer Florian Siedlarek.

Earlier this year Oglethorpe psychology students and recent graduates presented their research at the 2011 annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) in Jacksonville, Fla. SEPA is one of the largest psychology associations in the U.S. and is the southeastern regional branch of the American Psychological Association. All submissions to this conference represent high-caliber original research and were peer reviewed by experts in the field.

Brittany Weiner ’12 won the award for top undergraduate research paper on minority issues, titled “Attitudes towards transsexual parenting.” She presented her paper orally as part of a special session for award winners and received a $250 cash

Other students who presented their work include the following: • Livia Balaban ’12, “The relationship between public self-awareness and trait compliance” • Alexandra Buonanotte ’10, “The effect of guided and self-guided meditation on mood” • Ashleigh Grizzle ’10, “Potential limitations of contact: Examining contact’s effect on disability prejudice”

Etherington ’10, “Effects of reinforcement on intrinsic motivation” • Brittany Weiner ’12, Morghan Brandon ’13, Jolinda Powell ’12, and Tiffany Zimniak ’13, “Coping and its relationship to perfectionism and test anxiety.” This study was selected as one of the best submissions and was showcased on the first night of the conference in a special “SEPA Sampler” session along with other highly rated research projects.

“The psychology major in general prepares me quite well for grad school,” said Brittany. “The psychology professors are amazingly encouraging and supportive of my research (and everyone else’s as well).

Whenever I have an idea, they’re always willing to make time for me to discuss it and help me put it into action.”

Did you know?

Headquartered at Oglethorpe University, the International Time Capsule Society was established in 1990 to promote the careful study of time capsules. As the site of the famed Crypt of Civilization, which the Guinness Book of World Records calls “the first successful attempt to bury a record of this culture for any future inhabitants,” Oglethorpe is a fitting location for time capsule study.

“One of my most memorable experiences with the CLA… was earning one of the study abroad scholarships that the organization offers annually to students and budding scholars,” said Dr. Chandler. “That scholarship allowed me to travel to Spain to do research on the subject of blacks in Golden Age Spanish literature, which became the basis of my doctoral dissertation.”

Dr. Chandler encourages his students to join and apply for scholarships and literary competitions sponsored by the CLA. “The CLA community not only validated the connections that I was making, but more importantly, it exposed me to veteran scholars who would become my mentors.”

“I’m especially interested in social psychology,” said Brittany, a psychology major. “After completing the transsexual parenting study, I immediately [looked] for ways to decrease prejudice toward these minority groups. I am currently in the process of conducting my honors thesis, in which I am trying to reduce prejudice toward gay men.”

• Rebecca McAlister ’11 and Nicholas

The four ITCS founders, time capsule experts from across the United States and Europe, include Dr. Paul Hudson ’72, Oglethorpe historian, professor, and prolific author and lecturer about Atlantaarea history.

Dr. Paul Hudson ’72

ITCS researches and consults extensively about time capsules. It also strives to document time capsules throughout the world and has set up a time capsule registry. The society estimates there are approximately 10,000 capsules worldwide, most of them lost. This ambitious project is a continuing process and considered to be one of ITCS’s most important functions. The ITCS database will serve to remind future generations of existing capsules so they are not forgotten or lost.

summer 2011 | CARILLON 35

our community

our community

Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest:

congratulations, class of 2011!

Modern and Contemporary Indian Art from the Shelley and Donald Rubin ’56 Collection

tHe 2011 commencement ceremony Honored tHe class of 2011 and recognized tHe outstanding acHievements of tHe following students and faculty.

In recent years modern Indian art has shed the label of merely “decorative” to become a genre that is recognized the world over for its high economic and aesthetic value. As a result of India’s developing economy, international interest in modern Indian art has developed the once overlooked art into a sought after, multimilliondollar market—one that has made its way to the Oglethorpe university museum of Art. Since march, OumA has hosted more than 50 works from 28 of India’s most famous artists, including Francis Newton Souza, Sakti Burman, and Seema Kohli. The exhibit features modern and contemporary Indian artwork from the personal collection of Ou alumnus donald Rubin ’56 and his wife, Shelley, who founded the Rubin museum of Art in New York City.

News media gathered during the exhibit’s opening weekend to hear from curator dr.

Rebecca m. Brown. The exhibit includes Kamal mitra’s Meditation, 2007 (pictured).

“modern and contemporary Indian art has long been considered simply derivative of european and American art,” said dr. Rebecca m. Brown, the exhibit’s curator, “but this show allows us to see that it has its own concerns and stands on its own as an important contribution to what modern

art is—globally. These artists address important questions about what it means to be South Asian but also about what it means to be human— broad, important questions we all can relate to.” with imagery from all walks of life, from the poorest citizens to dynamic deities, the works of Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest focus on India’s people. There are individual characters gazing at the viewer, men and women inhabiting spaces both urban and rural, kneeling bodies meditating and praying. Religious diversity in India’s culture is on full display here as well, as many of the works feature symbolism from both traditional polytheistic religions as well as Christianity.

The exhibit is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and wownow.com. The Oglethorpe university museum of Art is open Tuesday– Saturday, from noon to 5:00 p.m. and is located on the third floor of the Philip weltner Library. more information: museum.oglethorpe.edu.

extended tHrougH september 4!

Brittany Prince ’11 and Nathaniel Goldman ’11 were awarded the James edward Oglethorpe Award, presented to the man and the woman in the senior class who, in the opinion of the faculty, realize most fully the aims of an Oglethorpe education in terms of scholarship, leadership, and character.

Christopher hendrix ’11 was awarded the Sally hull weltner Award, given annually in loving memory of Sally hull weltner. She was the wife of dr. Philip weltner, Oglethorpe’s president from 1944 to 1953. The award honors the student in the graduating class who has attained the highest level of scholastic achievement with the greatest number of hours in course work completed at Oglethorpe. dr. Karen Schmeichel, a biology professor at Oglethorpe since 2006, received the 2011 Vulcan materials Company Teaching excellence Award, sponsored by the Vulcan materials Company and presented annually to a member of the faculty who demonstrates a high level of commitment to teaching, student success, and campus life.

Oglethorpe Board of Trustees Chair Jack Guynn (left) and President Schall (right) stand with the 2011 honorary degree recipients: dr. Richard wrangham, a harvard university professor and renowned anthropologist; dr. Linda Bierds, an award-winning poet; and Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed. Among the distinguished guests at this year’s commencement was Ambassador Andrew Young ’90h, who presented mayor Reed with his honorary degree.

dr. Leah Zinner received this year’s Lu Thomasson Garrett Award for meritorious Teaching. dr. Zinner has been an assistant professor of Social Psychology at Oglethorpe university since 2008. The award was established in 1994 through a generous endowment gift to the university from the late Lu Garrett ’52 and her husband, david Garrett Jr. mrs. Garrett was an Oglethorpe university alumna, member emerita of the Board of Trustees, and Oglethorpe university honorary degree recipient in 1994. Selection of the winner is made by a committee of students, previous faculty award winners, and alumni.

carillon magazine takes Home tHree industry awards Oglethorpe’s Carillon magazine received three awards for publications excellence at the 2011 annual conference of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in New Orleans. Competing in a pool of almost 1,000 applicants, the magazine earned the CASE Special Merit distinction in each category for which it was nominated: Improvement in Design; Magazine Publishing Improvement; and Alumni Magazines I (the category for institutions with 5,000 or fewer students). CASE is an international association that serves its member educational institutions and their staffs in development/fund-raising, alumni relations, communications, and marketing.

36 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 37

our mascot

petey perpetuated petey tHe stormy petrel Has endured and endeared tHrougHout tHe years. let’s take a look!

1

1 early drawing. 2 The recently retired Petey shakes his tail feathers.

3 Yamacraw cartoon (1962). 4 In action (circa 1991). 5 drawing from the Yamacraw (1923). 6 Petey worked out in more recent years.

7 Present-day Petey logo.

3

2

birds of a featHer Last semester was a flurry of feathers with the arrival of Oglethorpe’s new Stormy Petrel mascot. The new and improved Petey debuted during a basketball game and immediately went to work, rallying his fellow Stormy Petrels to victory. Petey has become a friendly (yet intimidating, when necessary) presence both on and off campus.

Petey’s makeover even has the approval of an expert. According to dr. Roarke donnelly, associate professor of biology, past versions sacrificed biological accuracy for an imposing mascot, while the new Petey blends the two. “he doesn’t look like a wimp, yet he shows the plumage coloration and bill shape common to all petrels. The tube on top of the bill is a particularly nice touch because these birds must use them to shed excess salt from the sea.…It’s a big improvement over the last mascot costume and a nice blend of biological fact, whimsy, and school spirit.”

4

5

Nescit Cedere!

6

7

do you Have a petey memory?

Visit ePeTReL online (www.alumni.oglethorpe.edu/peteyperpetuated) to share your story!

38 CARILLON | SummeR 2011

SummeR 2011 | CARILLON 39

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Atlanta, GA 30319 PERMIT No. 523

4484 Peachtree Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30319 www.oglethorpe.edu

4484 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, Georgia 30319 www.oglethorpe.edu

Coming back to campus Blast from the Past wasThenever easy. annual Masqueradethis Ball of 1950 was held in October, and students who

attended were to dress in costume. The fall of 1950 saw several other student celebrations, one of which was the Boar’s Head Fat-Man Thin-Man basketball game on November 16. All participants and attendees were charged a twenty-five cent admission fee and were encouraged to dress in burlesque fashion, as it was the theme for the game. See more of Oglethorpe from the Revisit your college days with the newly digitized Yamacraw yearbooks— 1950s on page 24. now online. Go back in time and reminisce about your old coaches, professors, and even that cutie you were going steady with senior year.

library.oglethorpe.edu/yamacrawyearbooks.html