Inside a day that put students on the job across Atlanta’s business community
FROM OGLETHORPE TO THE OLYMPICS
Nic Harris ’12 on protecting Team USA in Milan
CLASS NOTES
Alumni milestones, achievements and updates from across the years
1 Letter from the President
4 Oglethorpe Goes to Work Day: Connecting liberal arts students to Atlanta’s future
8 10 Questions with One Petrel
9 Oglethorpe Day success
9 ‘ The Declaration at 250’ highlights civic education and democratic foundations
10 Training future chemists through chemical synthesis
12 Retiring faculty
13 Special Agent Nic Harris ’12 protected Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games
14 Educating the next generation of justicecentered leaders
16 The making of a museum professional
17 Class Notes
21 From the archives
EDITOR: Michelle Geiger
CONTRIBUTORS: Chris Sweigart ’03, Grant Utter, Valeri Cruz ’23, Heather Neal, Sarah Lewin ’13
DESIGN: Niki Walker
PRINTING: Wallace Graphics
Carillon Magazine is published twice a year for alumni and friends of Oglethorpe University. Founded in 1835, Oglethorpe is a private liberal arts college.
On the cover: Oglethorpe students admire the art at the High Museum, a host site for Oglethorpe Goes to Work Day.
Below: All smiles for Oglethorpe Day! Anne Atalay ’07 and Emily Heend ’07 soak up the energy and good company at The Harvey.
LEADERSHIP IN THE MAKING
One of the most hopeful places on our campus is a room filled with first-year students who are beginning to see themselves as leaders. They are learning how to listen closely, communicate clearly, and step forward with confidence. I see this each time I gather with the President’s Leadership Fellows, a program that invites a small cohort of new students to intentionally develop their leadership muscle early in their Oglethorpe journey.
When I speak with them, I encourage them to think of leadership as something they practice, not something they wait to earn. The skills they are developing include owning a room, communicating with purpose, and building trust. These skills will serve them in their professional, personal, and civic lives. Just as important, I remind them to learn from one another. The relationships they form within this fellowship are as formative as any lesson or speaker.
At a recent gathering, the students heard from Lauren Howard ’08, chief revenue officer at Conservice, whose leadership story is rooted in perseverance and perspective. Lauren shared how her grandparents, Cuban immigrants, modeled resilience in the face of adversity. From them, she learned a lasting lesson: while circumstances may change, no one can take away your education or your grit. She spoke candidly with students about the importance of communication and problem solving. She encouraged them to say “yes” to opportunity and take thoughtful risks as they build their careers.
Those conversations come to life on April 14, when the President’s Leadership Fellows will present their capstone projects during a poster session and program completion ceremony. For me, this moment represents something important. It is the first intentional introduction of these students to the wider world of influential alumni, trustees and community leaders. It is a chance to celebrate their growth and affirm that their voices belong in rooms where ideas are shaped and decisions are made.
As we celebrate these students, we are also looking ahead with the launch of our strategic planning process. While we prepare for our bicentennial, this work will focus on four pillars that define the Oglethorpe experience: academics; career preparation and readiness; the arts; and athletics. Together, these pillars reflect our commitment to preparing graduates who think critically, communicate effectively, and lead with purpose.
This work is made possible by a community that believes in our students. The success of Oglethorpe Giving Day 2026, which surpassed expectations and drew support from alumni across the country, underscored that shared belief. Your generosity creates opportunities that shape lives.
With Alumni Weekend and Commencement this spring, I’m looking forward to the campus once again being filled with Petrels reconnecting and celebrating the relationships that define this university. Thank you for the many ways you continue to invest in Oglethorpe’s students and its future.
Kathryn McClymond, Ph.D., (she, her, hers)
President, Oglethorpe
University
Learning to listen, ask questions and lead, students participated in interactive sessions with alumni. Drawing from his own Oglethorpe journey, Chandler Rierson ’13 (far left) speaks with students about leadership in practice.
A BEE-UTIFULLY FUNNY SHOW
Future spelling champions took the stage as Oglethorpe University Theatre brought “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” to life—a fast paced, heartfelt musical comedy filled with big laughs, bigger personalities and plenty of spelling bee surprises.
OGLETHORPE GOES TO WORK DAY: Connecting liberal arts students to Atlanta’s future
By: Valeri Cruz ’23
This spring, Oglethorpe’s second-year students stepped out of the classroom and into professional workplaces all across Metro Atlanta. Members of the Class of 2028 headed to some of the region’s most influential organizations—from global corporations to community-driven nonprofits.
It was the first-ever Oglethorpe Goes to Work Day, a new initiative designed by the university’s Career Development office. It showcased one of the many ways that Oglethorpe connects its liberal arts mission to Atlanta’s dynamic economy.
As President Kathryn McClymond has emphasized in her recent LinkedIn reflection, Atlanta employers are searching for a particular kind of talent: critical thinkers, persuasive communicators, curious problem solvers, and adaptable learners. These are hallmarks of a liberal arts education, yet employers and students don’t always see the alignment clearly.
“Many students have a hard time envisioning themselves in a professional environment or understanding where to begin in their career development process,” says Karlie Burrell, interim director of Career Development. “Networking opportunities like these help students understand that nobody’s career development process is linear.”
Alumni empower the next generation of leaders
Throughout the day, students toured workplaces, met professionals, observed real projects and asked the kinds of questions that transform uncertainty into clarity. For Ashley Reyes Rosales ’28, her visit to Grady Health System allowed her to explore a workplace community committed to caring for people. Learning about Grady’s mission and connecting with OU alumna and Grady Health Foundation President Joselyn Butler Baker ’91 reaffirmed her aspirations to pursue a career in pharmacy and contribute to medical advancements that can save lives.
“Grady allowed me to see how possible it is to contribute to that drive, as well as Joselyn’s enthusiasm for what she does, gave me motivation to push through all the obstacles and want to continue to pursue my aspirations,” said Reyes Rosales, a chemistry student.
At several career sites, Oglethorpe graduates stepped forward to greet students, eager to show how their own OU experience shaped their careers. At The Coca-Cola
Company, five alumni—including Debbie Bachmann ’02, now director of customer marketing—took time to share their individual paths.
“I jumped at the chance to meet and talk with them,” Bachmann says. “I hope to see some of them again someday as an employee of The Coca-Cola Company.”
More than 20 job sites spanned a full cross-section of Atlanta’s economy, including sponsors Atlanta Gas Light and The Coca-Cola Company. These employers all had alumni and employees ready to share their stories with students: Chick-fil-A, Inc., Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Emory University School of Law, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, EY, Grady Health System, Global Payments, The Nature Conservancy, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Braves, Georgia Film Academy, Jonathan W. Johnson, LLC, Academy Theatre, Global Payments, HiEd Success, Marsh & Oliver Wyman Actuarial, Inc., Georgia Swarm Professional Lacrosse, International Rescue Committee, and Cox Family Office.
“From critical thinking and relationship-building to adaptability and service, so much of what I learned at OU continues to show up in my career every day.”
— April Tesmer ’99
The value of an Oglethorpe liberal arts education
While the industries varied, employers echoed a consistent message: today’s most critical workforce needs aren’t just technical, they’re human. They require the ability to analyze, adapt, collaborate, communicate and lead through ambiguity. Oglethorpe students, shaped by discussion-driven classes and interdisciplinary inquiry, arrive with these competencies already in motion.
These site visits also reinforced how strong employer partnerships produce strong student outcomes. At Chickfil-A, Inc., students were greeted by several alumni who served on a panel discussion. April Tesmer ’99, a senior financial consultant and proud OU alumna, was one of those, and her message to the students was clear.
“From critical thinking and relationship-building to adaptability and service, so much of what I learned at OU continues to show up in my career every day,” she said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back, pay it forward and remind students that their education is not just preparing them for a first job, but for a lifetime of growth, impact and purpose.”
Tesmer’s experience reflects what many Atlanta employers already know. Liberal arts graduates bring versatility and depth to the workplace, qualities that matter more than ever in a rapidly changing economy.
National data support what Atlanta’s employers are seeing firsthand. Surveys from national college and employer associations consistently show alignment between the outcomes of a liberal arts education and the competencies employers consider most essential. Critical thinking, communication, and analytical problem-solving top the list year after year.
Oglethorpe’s own numbers reinforce that success: 92% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within a year of graduation.
92% of OU grads are employed or enrolled in graduate school within a year of graduation.
Liberal arts graduates bring versatility and depth to the workplace, qualities that matter more than ever in a rapidly changing economy.
Analytical thinking, clear communication and creative problem-solving are precisely the skills that Oglethorpe students cultivate every day.
A day with lasting impact
Oglethorpe Goes to Work Day accomplished what it set out to do: help students make meaning of their education in real-world contexts, and help employers discover the talent developing in their own backyard.
This event is just one example of the university’s expanding commitment to integrate career readiness with the rigor and breadth of the liberal arts. Additional mentorship programs, employer partnerships, internship pipelines and alumni engagement initiatives continue throughout the year.
As President Kathryn McClymond emphasizes, the qualities Atlanta employers most need — analytical thinking, clear communication and creative problemsolving — are precisely the skills that Oglethorpe students cultivate every day.
What is one thing that really makes your day?
Seeing my dogs! I have two dogs: a labradoodle and a goldendoodle.
What do you value about the education you received at Oglethorpe?
It was very well-rounded. It helped me to enjoy non-science classes. I met one of my best friends in the music and culture class. Core classes made me think differently, which made me a better critical thinker and a more well-rounded person. It exposes you to constructive challenges in the classroom because there is room to disagree.
What’s one item on your bucket list?
I want to go to Fiji sometime. There’s no particular reason, but it is just a place I have always wanted to go to.
TEN QUESTIONS WITH ONE PETREL
Dr. Jeffanne Millien ’08
Dr. Jeffanne Millien ’08 has been guided by purpose and service in her work. As an Oglethorpe student, she volunteered in New Orleans with the university in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina—an experience that left a lasting impression and ultimately shaped her path. Today, she specializes in general surgery at Ochsner Health New Orleans, after earning her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. In these questions, Dr. Millien reflects on her journey and her calling.
Which Oglethorpe tradition is your favorite?
I really liked Stomp the Lawn because it was one event where all the nerds (that includes me!) came out. It was a fun way to de-stress and not think about college. Also, I felt proud of the campus and how beautiful it was!
What’s your favorite Oglethorpe memory, so far?
When we went on our New Orleans volunteer experience, I met people at OU that I would not normally hang out with. It was nice to do something nice with good people, and we have that shared experience.
What’s a quality or skill that distinguishes you, or that you’re most proud of?
I think it is my open-mindedness. I remember in college, regardless of who I was with, I got along with different people. Someone in my biology class was from Sri Lanka, and she was Muslim, and I enjoyed getting to know her and learning about her family traditions. It was nice to be welcomed by people from different backgrounds and to make new friends.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Desserts. I love sweets! I love a German chocolate cake or a red velvet cake.
What does “Make a life. Make a living. Make a difference.” mean to you?
Whatever calling you choose to do, or wherever you are in life, you leave it a little bit better than before you came. You are making a life and making a difference.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Patience is learning how to act while you wait.
Who were a few of your favorite professors and/or classes and why?
Dr. John Nardo’s statistics class – I hate statistics, but he made it fun! I liked all my science classes. I took a class with Dr. Vicky Weiss, and she found no edits for my paper, and it was the best day ever!
CELEBRATING OGLETHORPE DAY
On Oglethorpe Day, Feb. 11, the campus community came together for a celebration filled with inspiration, connection and plenty of school spirit. The celebration began with a special presentation from Joselyn Butler Baker ’91, president of the Grady Health Foundation and an Oglethorpe University Trustee. Speaking to an engaged audience of students, faculty and staff, Baker reflected on how her
Oglethorpe education helped shape her remarkable career.
Petrels across the country showed their Petrel Pride in a big way during OU Giving Day, which took place as the community celebrated on campus. This year’s Giving Day shattered expectations, making it one of the strongest demonstrations of community support in recent university history. THANK YOU!
24 hours of giving
$304,072 DOLLARS RAISED
265 donors
9 CHALLENGES OFFERED AND MET
26 states represented by donors
‘The Declaration at 250’ at Oglethorpe highlights civic education and democratic foundations
By: Chris Sweigart ’03
Oglethorpe University marked the semiquincentennial of the United States this year with a two-day academic conference examining the nation’s founding principles and the growing need for civic and historical literacy.
Held at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, “The Declaration at 250: What is living and what is dead in our founding principles,” brought together students, faculty, alumni and visiting scholars for a series of panels and lectures. The conference was organized to note the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“The semiquincentennial gives us a chance to step back from daily politics
and focus on the ideas that shaped the American experiment,” said Joe Knippenberg, professor of politics at Oglethorpe. “If we want students to be informed citizens, they need a deeper understanding of the Declaration of Independence, our constitutional framework, our history and the debates that continue to shape public life.”
This year’s program expanded that mission by linking Constitution Day to the national conversation surrounding the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. Sessions explored questions about liberty, self-government and the challenges of teaching those concepts in a changing civic landscape.
This project is supported by Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through appropriations made by the Georgia General Assembly. The event was further supported by generous grants and gifts from the Jack Miller Center, the Institute for Humane Studies and alumnus Bill Gower ’68.
University leaders said the conference reflects Oglethorpe’s broader commitment to a liberal arts education grounded in critical inquiry, civic engagement and historical understanding.
CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS Training future chemists through
By: Grant Utter
In Dr. David Laws III’s chemistry lab at Oglethorpe University, undergraduate students are growing into scientists by working on research with important applications to the medical field. Through hands on involvement in the synthesis of a complex natural compound connected to cancer research, Emily Menéndez ’26, Ben Van Doorn ’27, Keimarya Rivera ’26, and CJ Rona ‘27 are gaining important insight about the scientific process. They have learned that scientific discovery—big or small—is the result of persistence, careful experimentation, and the temerity to forge ahead through uncharted territory.
Under Dr. Laws’s mentorship, the students are working toward the complete, artificial synthesis of eucommicin A, a natural product originally found in the leaves of the Du-zhong, a tree native to China. Early scientific studies have shown the compound to have selective activity against cancer stem cells. These cells are believed to play a key role in tumor recurrence and resistance to treatment.
But eucommicin A occurs naturally in only trace amounts, and the process for extracting the compound requires a lot of time and resources.
“The yield from each of the leaves is just so incredibly small,” Van Doorn explains. “On top of that, we need the equivalent of a wheelbarrow full of the extract for any sort of meaningful study.”
To study it seriously and to explore how its structure might be modified to improve activity, scientists must make it in the lab.
That challenge is what makes the work both demanding and meaningful. In Dr. Laws’s lab, students can’t rely on prescribed experiments. They are synthesizing complex molecular structures from simple starting materials, adapting published methods, and troubleshooting when reactions don’t behave as expected. Along the way, they are learning how chemists work in the field.
“It’s a trial and error kind of experience,” Rona said. “Sometimes the thing that should have worked doesn’t. But building resilience to that kind of thing has been really helpful to me as a scientist. Those aren’t failures. It’s part of the process.”
Each student contributes to a different part of the larger synthesis. Rivera and Rona have worked on forming a key molecular scaffold essential to eucommicin A’s structure. Menéndez and Van Doorn have focused on strategies that allow sensitive parts of the molecule to survive later steps in the synthesis. Across the lab, students rely on advanced techniques like using a Schlenk line, column chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze results and decide what comes next.
What distinguishes the experience, students say, is the balance between instruction and independence. “There was teaching and explicit guidance as I learned new techniques,” Menéndez said. “But then I was free to adjust what we’d tried and improve it. That’s when it felt like real science.”
That kind of autonomy is rare for undergraduates, and it’s amplified by Oglethorpe’s scale. In a small lab environment, students gain hands on access to instrumentation and responsibility for decisions that might be deferred to graduate students elsewhere. “You’re not waiting your turn,” Van Doorn said. “You’re doing the work.”
The stakes of that work extend beyond the lab. By contributing to research connected to a broader scientific goal, students see how their efforts fit into a larger scientific conversation. They are learning techniques, but also developing judgment, persistence, and confidence.
Those skills are shaping their futures. Menéndez will begin a PhD program at the University of Georgia. Rivera plans to pursue doctoral study in bioanalytical and organic chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, building on additional research experience gained through a competitive summer program. Van Doorn and Rona—still in their third years at Oglethorpe—also plan to pursue doctorates in chemistry. For all of them, the transition feels less like a leap and more like a continuation.
At Oglethorpe, their work in Dr. Laws’s lab did more than teach them chemistry. It gave them the experience, perspective, and confidence to see themselves as scientists who are already contributing to work that matters.
John C. Nardo, Viviana Plotnik
With gratitude and admiration, we recognize faculty members whose teaching, mentorship and service have left an enduring mark on Oglethorpe. As they close one chapter and begin another, we celebrate their lasting impact and wish them every happiness in the years ahead.
DR. JOHN NARDO
After 26 years at Oglethorpe, Professor of Mathematics
John C. Nardo is retiring. He joined the faculty in Fall 2000 and became a familiar presence on campus, known for clear instruction, an office full of shark memorabilia, and a willingness to step into the spotlight when students invited him.
For Dr. Nardo, teaching was always central. He built pathways as well as proofs, including establishing Oglethorpe’s actuarial science program and helping students prepare to become licensed actuaries—work that paired careful problem-solving with real-world opportunity.
He received two of the university’s highest honors: the Vulcan Materials Company Award for Teaching Excellence and Leadership and the Lu Thomasson Garrett Award for meritorious teaching. Students also fondly remember his famously “kick-ass hashbrowns” at EggsAM each semester, and he was the advisor of Omicron Delta Kappa for a number of years.
Scan the QR code to the right to watch Dr. Nardo reflect on his time at Oglethorpe.
DR. VIVIANA PLOTNIK
After more than 31 years of service, Dr. Viviana Plotnik, professor of Spanish, retired last fall from Oglethorpe University. Known for her curiosity and rigor, she urged students to look closely, think globally and challenge their assumptions—then return to campus ready to speak with greater precision and listen with more care.
Named the Frances I. Eeraerts ’76 Professor of Foreign Language for 2023–2025, Dr. Plotnik showed students how language connects to lived experience. Her courses and scholarship explore 20th- and 21st-century Southern Cone and Central American narrative, and the intersections of literature, film, politics, human rights and gender in Latin America.
Her work took her and her students beyond campus. She presented at Sorbonne University in 2023 and earlier spoke in Quito, Ecuador, on memory and political activism in Argentine fiction. In 2016, she published two scholarly papers on childhood, memory and collective responsibility under Argentina’s military dictatorship.
She also led students abroad, including in Barcelona, where the city itself became the classroom. Over three decades of service, she remained a steadfast advocate for students and their ambitions.
Out Loud
Oglethorpe University welcomed Pulitzer Prize–winning poet and writer Jericho Brown to campus on March 19 as the featured poet for Oglethorpe Out Loud, an annual poetry event that highlights contemporary creative voices. Now in its third year, the program has expanded students’ and the broader Atlanta community’s exposure to poetry. Brown read selections from his work to a packed Library Atrium. A recipient of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for The Tradition, Brown’s writing explores themes of race, sexuality, masculinity, identity and society’s growing tolerance for violence. The collection used his proprietary poetic form, the “duplex,” blending elements of the sonnet, the ghazal and the blues. A generous endowment gift from Professor Leah Hughes ’88 sustains the Oglethorpe Out Loud program, making it possible for students to benefit from the experience every year.
SPECIAL AGENT NIC HARRIS ’12 PROTECTED TEAM USA AT THE 2026 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
By: Michelle Geiger
Fresh off completing the rigorous Diplomatic Security Service Basic Special Agent Course, Nic Harris ’12 has been sworn in as a Special Agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)—the federal law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State. This spring, he headed to Milan, Italy, to support Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, serving as a Field Liaison Officer with primary responsibility for the speed skating team.
DSS special agents are unique in the federal landscape: they are both sworn law enforcement officers and diplomats. Their mission blends global security operations with the State Department’s broader diplomatic goals, creating the conditions for diplomacy—and international events like the Olympics—to take place safely.
In Milan, Harris joined roughly 100 DSS agents embedded across Team USA sports, coordinating closely with the U.S. Consulate, Italian authorities, and interagency partners. The work is intentionally discreet. Agents blend seamlessly into the environment, providing security, stability and peace of mind. And behind the scenes, they’re constantly connected—able to relay information at a moment’s notice to the DSS Joint Operations Center at the U.S. Consulate General in Milan.
“Working with DSS colleagues from across the world, partner agencies, and the Italians. It’s a unique opportunity to help protect Team USA,” said Harris.
Harris’s path to DSS includes several years in the Navy Reserves and active duty, and service as a police officer after relocating to St. Louis. He credits Oglethorpe with helping prepare him for his work.
“Oglethorpe gave me the skills to be successful,” Harris says. “The curriculum was a lot to take in, but it fostered the critical thinking I use every day securing U.S. foreign policy. Oglethorpe was great for me.”
Kathryn Henderson ’17, assistant vice president of advancement, says that Harris’s career exemplifies how a liberal arts education prepares students for success in dynamic careers.
“A liberal arts foundation equips students with the ability to think deeply, respond quickly, and apply a wide range of skills to complex global challenges,” Henderson said. “Nic’s career is a powerful example of how Oglethorpe graduates thrive in roles where judgment, communication, and analytical insight truly make a difference.”
Once an aspiring professional soccer player who trained under Coach Jon Akin at OU, Harris fondly remembers his time spent playing soccer.
“Nic was a wonderful young man and a standout forward for us,” said Akin, head coach of Oglethorpe University Men’s Soccer. “He was one of the fastest, most athletic players I have ever coached. I am so proud of his service to this country, and he continues to make the soccer program very proud.”
Harris recalls that time well and thought he might have been a pro soccer player. “Being on the team was really rewarding,” he says. “It’s where I crafted a lot of my leadership, reliability, and sense of discipline.”
Harris has also brought those same qualities to the global stage—carefully ensuring Team USA competed safely and confidently in Milan.
Nic Harris ‘12 was in Milano Cortina Feb. 6-22 for the 2026 Winter Olympics, protecting Team USA. Below are photos of him as part of the Men’s Soccer team at OU.
Educating the next generation of justice centered leaders
By: Michelle Geiger
Oglethorpe University has deepened its commitment to justice, leadership and community transformation through a new partnership with The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center). A global force for advancing Dr. King’s enduring legacy of justice, peace and nonviolence, The King Center shares Oglethorpe’s commitment to education committed to service and civic responsibility.
Oglethorpe is currently the only university in Metro Atlanta engaged in a partnership of this kind, underscoring the institution’s distinctive dedication to shaping leaders who can navigate—and improve—a complex world.
“I am honored to join with Oglethorpe University as an academic partner in advancing my father’s enduring legacy of peace, justice and transformation. The King Center and Oglethorpe share a long-standing connection rooted in education and service, and we are deeply grateful for the leadership of Dr. Kendra A. King Momon, whose vision and steadfast commitment have helped make this meaningful collaboration a reality,” said Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
The King Center Scholars Program
This year, four Oglethorpe students were selected to participate in The King Center Scholars Program, an eight-month experiential learning program grounded in the Nonviolence365® (NV365) philosophy. Throughout the program, students receive training, participate in discussions with The King Center’s expert practitioners, and undertake a research or creative project culminating in a written product. Scholars will also participate in at least one volunteer activity and have opportunities for public engagement.
For many students, the Scholars Program reshapes not only how they understand conflict and leadership, but how they envision their purpose.
Hoa Quynh Nguyen ’28, a biology major on the pre-nursing track, shared that the experience has reframed her entire approach to service.
“I hope to use what I’m learning about Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence to reframe service as justice-centered care,” she said.
She hopes to bring conversations about health equity and mental health awareness to campus through student organizations, guided by her belief that future healthcare providers carry a moral responsibility to advance dignity and justice.
Working alongside students from other institutions has also deepened her understanding of nonviolence in practice. Weekly discussions became spaces for reflection and growth, allowing her to see nonviolence not as abstract theory, but as a disciplined approach to leadership defined by empathy and action.
For senior politics major LaShawn Brown ’25, the fellowship has offered a grounding sense of clarity amid the transition toward life beyond college. “Nonviolence isn’t just a strategy—it’s a principle that begins within yourself,” Brown reflected. That internal shift, he believes, is essential not just for emerging leaders but for people at all stages of life. “Change can be slow and gradual, but before anything shifts externally, it has to start internally,” he said.
Collaborating with peers from other universities expanded his perspective and reinforced the importance of listening across differences.
Economics major Jourdan Russell ’28 expressed a similar sense of collaboration. “The King Center Internship program invites students to explore how nonviolence as a theory and practice can be applied to contemporary issues to effect change,” she said. “I have been educated, challenged to think deeply, and granted space to consider how I can solve issues in my community.”
(left to right)
Hoa Quynh Nguyen ’28, LaShawn Brown ’25, Jourdan Russell ’28, Tunmise Salako ’28
For Tunmise Salako ’28, a psychology major and business administration minor, the fellowship has reshaped her entire understanding of conflict resolution. Before joining the program, she approached conflict forcefully, believing that being right was enough. Over time, she learned that meaningful resolution requires patience and active listening.
“I now understand that I cannot attack someone’s ideas and expect peace in return,” she reflected. “The King Center Fellowship has taught me that true change and meaningful resolution come from respect, education and compassion. That is something I plan to carry with me in every space I enter, long after the fellowship ends.”
Expanding academic pathways
The King Center Scholars Program is one component of a broader and growing partnership. Oglethorpe and The King Center are currently working toward offering Nonviolence365® credentialing beginning in Fall 2026, with Oglethorpe serving as the institution of record for academic certification. This collaboration will make Oglethorpe one of the first universities to embed Dr. King’s philosophy into an academic credential accessible to students and community leaders.
In addition, Oglethorpe’s Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program will introduce two new Dr. King–focused special topics courses in Fall 2026. These courses will explore nonviolence as an ethical, civic and community-engaged practice, further connecting classroom learning with social transformation.
The partnership will also expand opportunities for faculty engagement, with possibilities for jointly taught courses, guest instruction from King Center staff, and the designation of Senior Faculty Fellows whose scholarship aligns with the Center’s mission. Faculty fellows will gain virtual access to King Center archives and resources, enabling new forms of research, community engagement and public scholarship.
A shared vision for community impact
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gabriel Barreneche described the partnership as one rooted in shared purpose. “This collaboration reflects our deep commitment to advancing Dr. King’s vision of justice, equity and peace,” he said. “Together, we will create opportunities for learning and dialogue that inspire meaningful change in our communities.”
As this partnership grows, so does the community of students and educators embracing Dr. King’s vision. The lessons learned are already shaping how Oglethorpe students lead, on campus and beyond. Together, Oglethorpe University and The King Center are building pathways for thoughtful leadership anchored in action, understanding and hope for a more just future.
THE MAKING OF A MUSEUM PROFESSIONAL
By: Grant Utter
When Sophia Sobrino ’24 talks about her work at the High Museum of Art, she speaks with the confidence of someone who already knows what it means to care for objects, interpret them and bring them to life for the public. That confidence did not arrive by accident. It was built, piece by piece, during her time as a studio art major working inside the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art.
“Being able to work so closely with the museum’s permanent collection in such a hands-on manner really did prepare me for the practical experience of working in the museum field,” Sobrino said. “Getting that experience day in and day out of actually working with the objects, understanding them on a more in-depth level really did help prepare me for where I’m at today at the High Museum.”
Now serving as Coordinator of Gallery Learning at one of the country’s most respected art institutions, Sobrino works with the High’s docent program and public-facing educational initiatives. The role draws directly on skills she began developing as an undergraduate, like speaking with visitors, interpreting artwork and helping audiences connect with what’s on the wall.
That preparation came through sustained, meaningful work at Oglethorpe’s teaching museum. As a curatorial intern, Sobrino contributed to multiple special exhibitions, including Contrapunto, which was the result of a donor-funded internship provided by donors Shelley and Donald Rubin ‘56 (H)’13. It focused on contemporary Latin American artists. She helped develop the exhibition and, once it opened, led bilingual tours for visitors.
“Being able to speak confidently in front of visitors, speaking about work, engaging with it, engaging audiences with what’s on the wall has really been invaluable,” she said. “I really do think that it launched that trajectory for me.”
Her work extended well beyond tours. Sobrino assisted with exhibition design, handled artworks, and even worked directly alongside artists during installation. For one exhibition, galleries became active studio spaces.
“We transformed these galleries into essentially a working artist studio,” she said. “Being able to work with the artist hands-on directly—putting paint on the pieces, putting gold leaf flakes all over—was really important.”
Just as critical was the mentorship she received. “I really did feel that my voice was heard, that my input was valued,” Sobrino said of her time at OUMA. Faculty and museum staff supported her
not only during her undergraduate years, but as she prepared to enter the field. “They were guiding me through every step of the process…even as I’ve been working in the museum industry.”
Although Oglethorpe’s museum studies minor was formalized after Sobrino graduated, her experience closely mirrors the curriculum now offered through the program. The minor emphasizes museum theory alongside applied learning, continuous access to a professional collection, and engagement with Atlanta’s rich network of cultural institutions.
“We were able to learn about theory, but also use what we learned in class and apply it,” she said. “That twofold experience of both the theoretical and the practical, that real implementation, is something you just can’t get anywhere else.”
For Sobrino, the result is not abstract. It is a real job, at a major museum, doing work that matters. “Oglethorpe set me up for success,” she said. “It laid those paths out for me. And I feel confident going in any direction because it set me up for that.”
Scan the QR code to hear alumna Sophia Sobrino ‘24 share how her undergraduate museum experience at Oglethorpe prepared her for her next step in her career at the High Museum of Art.
We’re proud to celebrate the noteworthy achievements and life changes of fellow Petrels. The list below includes several submissions from the last six months.
Rick Agel ’72 and friends gathered this spring to cheer on Oglethorpe University basketball and 55 years of friendship among alumni.
Drew Findling ‘81, owner of The Findling Law Firm, has been named to the Forbes’ list of America’s Top Lawyers.
Zac Moretz ’90 recently celebrated 20 years as a Board Certified Specialist in Commercial Real Estate Law by the N.C. State Bar, one of only 7 in the Charlotte metro area. His firm also celebrated Moretz Law Group, PA’s 22nd anniversary. He is also a 20-year Rotarian and is proud to serve as the president of Concord Rotary Club.
Jennifer Bozeman Whyte ’99 was appointed chief accounting officer and principal accounting officer, effective March 1, at Global Payments, Inc.
Ashish N. Thakur ’99 was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Wellstar Health System Foundation.
Mariyandi Strachan ’06 recently graduated with her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in human services administration from Nova Southeastern University. Mariyandi currently resides in the Bahamas and returns to Atlanta
often to visit the lifelong friends she made during her time at OU.
Rachel Maddux ’07 has published a memoir called Life Expectancy. It is a millennial coming-of-age book on growing up mortal in the American South at the turn of the 21st century.
CLASS NOTES
Rachel Renz Mattair ’07 has launched her own homebirth midwifery practice in Austin, TX, after working for several years in a group setting. She is also working towards completing her certification in craniosacral therapy.
Andrea Vinson Williams ’08, ambassador with the national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer, was honored with a feature on the NASDAQ Tower in Times Square for her advocacy during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. As co-founder of BeastRob, she continues to lead national awareness efforts and community initiatives inspired by her father’s battle with colorectal cancer.
Michael Willis ‘09 has written a chapter of the book Routledge Handbook of Media and Intelligence, which has just been published. If readers are interested in security studies, communications, intelligence studies, and/or espionage, they might be interested in it. Willis is currently a Surface Warfare Officer and Lieutenant in the US Navy Reserves and received his M.A. in security studies from Naval Postgraduate School in 2025.
CLASS NOTES
Kimberly O’Dell ‘10 has opened up a Paris Baguette, the neighborhood bakery with a global following, in Vinings, Ga.
Alec Prince ’11 is pursuing a Ph.D. in counselor education and practice at Georgia State University. He was recently awarded the National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation’s Minority Fellowship for Doctoral Mental Health Counselors to support his clinical work and research with the LGBTQIA+ community.
Will Carter ’12 published a memoir, Getting Better, with Running Wild Press, as the story of the first seven months of recovery after suffering a brain injury and stroke as the result of a car accident during his senior year of high school. His play, Broken, is receiving a reading at Stage Plays Theater in March.
Nicole Kang ‘13 is a 2025-2026 studio artist-in-residence for Midtown Alliance’s Heart of the Arts program and shares her studio with Charity Hamidullah. She will install a public art piece through this program during her residency. In June, Kang’s children’s book illustration for the Alliance Theatre was released with a launch party at the High Museum. The book will be adapted into a musical that is set to open next May. Recently, Kang and her family celebrated her son Noah’s Baek-il (100 Days)!
Ben Robertson ’13 has been promoted to associate principal at Shear Structural, a women-owned structural engineering practice headquartered in Atlanta, providing dedicated structural engineering services throughout the Southeast.
Johann Hassanally ’14 was inducted into the Delta Air Lines Chairman’s Club, the highest award that can be received by the top 1% of employees. Hassanally is a Delta Air Lines flight attendant who resides in Las Vegas, NV, and spends time in Salt Lake City, UT, as an instructor training flight attendants to maintain their qualifications to fly. He trained new hire flight attendants in Atlanta, GA, before relocating to the West Coast to continue working with the training department.
Emily Christian ’16 and Ellie Alfonso ’25 recently connected through Emily’s sister’s Pilates studio that Ellie manages, later realizing they were both in the same family line in the Chi Omega sorority at Oglethorpe. The two alumnae happened to be working together in an entrepreneurial opportunity miles away from each other. Emily owns the company Launch and Co. in New York City, and Ellie is a general manager at House of Pilates in Hoschton, GA.
Samantha Dixon Gaskins ’16 and husband Chase Gaskins welcomed their first baby, Erin Brooke, on Jan. 8, 2026.
Nick Muntean ’16 has been promoted to senior project director at The Hardy Group.
Joseph Johnson ’17 has been awarded a Samuel Flagg Bemis Dissertation Research Grant from the Society for the Historians of American Foreign Relations to support research at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, for his dissertation project, entitled “Moving Mountains: Project Plowshare, Peaceful Nuclear Explosions, and US Foreign Policy, 1952-1977.” He has also received support from the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy with the John Votaw Endowed Research Award and the Richard Immerman Research Award. Further support has also come from the Temple University College of Liberal Arts in the shape of the Richard K. Davis and Karen L. Rylander-Davis Research Award and the Research Award for Advanced Doctoral Students. These grants have allowed him to complete research across the United States, including international archival work in Panama. He was also invited to share his work with the History Department at Oglethorpe University.
Liliana Esquivel ’18 has accepted the position of General Counsel to the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. The GMCC is a state executive agency that regulates the medical cannabis industry in Georgia.
John Lane ’18 will be joining Oglethorpe as a lecturer in Core and philosophy. He studied philosophy at OU under Dr. Amanda Printz Whooley and will now be working alongside her.
Bradley HarperFirchow ‘19 was matched in Family Medicine Residency at Cheshire Medical Center Dartmouth Health.
Delaney Abood ‘19 has been matched in Neurology at University of Florida Health Jacksonville.
Benjamin Hopper ‘19 is excited to share that he recently matched into a Neurology residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. It’s been especially meaningful to see several fellow Oglethorpe classmates from the Class of 2019 reach this milestone as well. Hopper shared that he is grateful for the foundation Oglethorpe provided and proud to see so many of his classmates pursuing careers in medicine.
CLASS NOTES
Kaley Lackey ’19 was promoted to director of operations at Meeks Impact Law in Cumming, GA.
Melody Weckel Confer ’20 has been selected as a 30 Under 30 recipient by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta. This distinction is given to inspiring individuals who are shaping Atlanta’s nonprofit community. She is the member engagement specialist for Professional Photographers of America, a non-profit member association for professional photographers based in Atlanta, which has allowed her to connect with the creative community here and around the world as she supports photographers running profitable, sustainable studios.
(photo left) Manny Portillo ’20 was recently recognized as Outstanding Voice in 2025 Diversity in Business Champions Awards by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The article features his role as co-chair of marketing for the Young Professionals Board of HOPE Atlanta, and highlights his commitment to amplifying voices, advancing inclusion, and supporting the city’s efforts to prevent homelessness.
CLASS NOTES
Sydney Roberts ‘20 works in awards strategy at Netflix. She has just finished the successful Oscar campaigns for KPop Demon Hunters, All the Empty Rooms, and The Singers.
Caitlin Marshall ’21 has started a new position as a project archivist at the Atlanta History Center.
Sarah Taphom ’22 married Thomas Whalen on October 12, 2025. Fellow Oglethorpe alumni Madison Myers ’23 and Dani Lindmier ’22 were in attendance.
Trinity Chism’24 is a master’s candidate in applied anthropology at the University of Memphis. She has conducted community-based research locally and globally in Sicily, Italy. Trinity begins her Ph.D. in communication at Georgia State University this fall.
Jamie Weiss ’22 has joined the staff of Georgia Tech’s Office of Student Achievement (OSA) as Academic Program Coordinator II.
Whether you’ve started a new job, received a promotion, launched a business, gotten married, welcomed a new addition to your family, or achieved a personal milestone, we want to celebrate with you.
Zuri Johnson ’23 has been accepted into the Milestone Circles program at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. Milestone Circles is a 12-week program that provides entrepreneurs with the access, resources, and knowledge they need to grow. She will be using this program to scale and support her business, Zuri Connects.
Kaitlynn Alford ’24 works with the South Fulton Police Department as a Crime Scene Investigator, responding to various types of crime scenes and documenting the scene through photography, evidence collection, and evidence processing. Alford has officially completed all the requirements for a Georgia Post Crime Scene Technician Certification.
Rebecca O’Neill ’24 will start at the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine this fall to earn her doctor of medicine degree.
Your stories help keep the Oglethorpe community connected and inspired. Submit your Class Notes today to be featured in upcoming alumni communications. Visit oglethor.pe/classnotes.
The man behind Goslin Hall
By: Sarah Lewin ’13 Interim Director and University Librarian
In the spring of 1946, Roy N. Goslin was working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Out of nowhere, he heard his name called over the speaker system. This wasn’t normal. Nobody was supposed to know who worked in the labs. The voice on the line belonged to Dr. Philip Weltner. His question was simple: Why hadn’t Goslin accepted his offer to teach at Oglethorpe University yet? By the fall of that year, Goslin was on campus as a professor of physics and mathematics.
Goslin arrived at Oak Ridge in 1944 after completing an extensive 90-day clearance process. This was necessary to obtain the security level required for his work. The laboratory had been central to the Manhattan Project, and its operations remained under strict control even after the war ended. Goslin later emphasized that his research focused on isotopes rather than destructive weapons. Still, the environment placed him close to one of the most consequential scientific efforts of the twentieth century. His office partner was Frank Oppenheimer, brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Over the course of his career, Goslin maintained professional ties to national laboratories and received many consulting contracts, collaborating with Nobel laureates and U.S. department heads. When possible, he often brought Oglethorpe students with him on these trips.
Goslin, born in 1904 and raised on a Nebraska stock farm, had no plans to become a physicist at first. He began studying engineering in college, but later realized studying mathematics and physics were his true passions. After teaching at Auburn University, he completed doctoral research at Ohio State under unusual circumstances tied to his classified work. The degree, however, was never formally awarded. It was something that stayed with him.
From the Archives
During Spring Commencement in 1970, Oglethorpe’s Trustees surprised Goslin with an honorary doctorate. During the same ceremony, they announced that they would name a new science building after him. Goslin later admitted that he felt close to fainting while being bestowed these honors.
Dedicated on October 20, 1971, Goslin Hall cost $500,000, funded by federal and foundation grants. It replaced the science facilities previously scattered between Lowry Hall and a 1950s temporary chemistry building. For decades, Goslin Hall served as the center of scientific inquiry at Oglethorpe.
When asked in 1980 about the university’s future, Goslin did not speak about research credentials or national laboratories. He spoke about students and campus life. He hoped Oglethorpe would remain a place where people knew students “individually and professionally,” and where faculty and students shared “a sort of camaraderie.”
Roy N. Goslin died in 1987. In 2019, they changed, expanded, and updated the building named after him. The I.W. “Ike” Cousins Center for Science and Innovation looks different from before. Yet, beneath the glass and steel lies the story of a scientist. He once worked in one of the world’s most secret laboratories, yet later devoted nearly four decades to a small, liberal arts university characterized by close relationships and a strong sense of community. He may have been anonymous at Oak Ridge, but at Oglethorpe, he was anything but.
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WHERE ALUMNI MEET THE NEXT GENERATION
Alumni played an important role in this year’s James Edward Oglethorpe (JEO) Scholarship Weekend, returning to campus to conduct interviews with prospective students and connect with and engage these scholars. The JEO Scholarship—Oglethorpe’s prestigious four-year, full-tuition award—recognizes high-achieving high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional academic promise and a strong commitment to contributing to campus life. Each year, alumni volunteers are recruited to help evaluate finalists, and despite this year’s snow day reschedule, an impressive number of alumni turned out to support and uplift the next generation of Petrels.
