PIEDMONT COLLEGE
journal
FALL 2013 | Volume 6 Number 2
LILLIAN E. SMITH CENTER NOW PART OF PIEDMONT COLLEGE
PIEDMONT COLLEGE
Contents
journal 8 President James F. Mellichamp
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Vice President for Advancement Amy Amason
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Director of Special Projects and Community Relations William S. Loyd Director of Public Relations David Price Graphic Design Specialist Regina Fried Director of Development Justin Scali Associate Director of Alumni Relations Katie Porter Coordinator of Development Services Debbie Zimmerman
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England Swings!
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Snakes!
Piedmont Singers perform in London and Wales.
Student Bryan Hudson’s research project tracks snakes by radio.
Bridge to Europe 6 German-American leadership
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Third class postage paid at Gainesville, Georgia Published Semi-Annually
Athens Nursing Graduates 8 First class from Athens Campus earns
Advancement staff.
Colton Bryant 20 Student wins international business
Legacy
Historic retreat and literary works become part of Piedmont College.
Postmaster
Lillian E. Smith: Civil Rights 12 Movement Leader
Send Address Changes to: Piedmont College Institutional Advancement P.O. Box 429 Demorest GA 30535
competition.
Hall Gift 24 Dining Families’ donation brings folks to the
their BSN degrees.
10 Lillian E. Smith Center and
Clayton author one of first to speak out for Civil Rights.
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Dragon Boat Race Students win Lanier contest in surprising upset.
Music, art, and theatre events greet families.
New Staff 19 Amason and Porter join Institutional
foundation meets at Piedmont.
Published by the Office of Institutional Advancement
Freshman Family Day
table.
Athletics 26
Highlights from the fall sports season.
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Golf Tourney Winners
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Class Notes
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Obituaries
President’s Message
CONNECT
Dr. Mellichamp prior to a performance at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.
This past spring, I traveled across Russia, mostly by train, playing seven organ concerts in six cities over 15 days. At each performance, I sought to make a connection—reaching across language and geographic barriers with the universal language of music. The audiences and I both left convinced that the music had spanned the divide that separates people. As this issue of the Piedmont Journal shows, recent developments at the college have also brought different people together—locally, nationally, and internationally: Lillian E. Smith, a noted Georgia writer, dedicated her life and her ground-breaking books to help span the divide between people who shared a common geography but still lived worlds apart. In September, the Lillian E. Smith Center Foundation donated all of its assets to Piedmont College. This major gift will provide the students, faculty and staff of Piedmont College an invaluable link to an extraordinary person who worked to bring all people together. Germany and the U.S. came together this summer when 50 young leaders from both countries met on the Demorest campus to learn about leadership. The Atlantik-Bruecke, which means Atlantic Bridge in German, made Piedmont College its home base for visits in northeast Georgia and Atlanta. The Piedmont Singers crossed the Atlantic to visit London and Wales and to perform at Brunel University during the International Congregational Fellowship. The 45-voice Piedmont Singers delighted the international audience and helped celebrate the college’s 112 year affiliation with Congregational churches in the U. S. Twenty student nurses from all across northeast Georgia came together for a common goal—to be the first to earn BSN degrees at the Piedmont Athens campus. Their success was marked with a special pinning ceremony in July, the first of many. A singular Piedmont MBA student, Colton Bryant, took the top prize in a simulated business competition against thousands of students from around the globe. Piedmont student athletes also continue to win on the playing field as well as in the classroom. Our volleyball team had the second highest team GPA in the nation among all NCAA D-III schools. Our women’s soccer team traveled “across the pond” this summer to practice and play some of the top clubs in England and Scotland. Piedmont College faculty, staff, and students are building bridges and crossing wide divides to become competitive navigators in this complex and challenging world. I hope you will enjoy reading about the varied ways that the Piedmont experience is preparing our students to be successful and productive Georgians, Americans, and Global Citizens.
Dr. James F. Mellichamp
England Swings! Piedmont singers tour england and wales Almost 400 years after the Pilgrims left England for America, some 50 Piedmont College students and faculty returned to the United Kingdom to learn about the roots of Congregationalism. The group was invited to London to perform at Brunel University during the International Congregational Fellowship, a meeting of Congregationalists from around the world held every four years. This year’s meeting included delegates from 16 different countries, and the 45-voice Piedmont Singers were invited to celebrate the college’s 112year affiliation with Congregational churches in the U.S.
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(Right) The Piedmont Singers performed an impromptu concert in the ruins of Tintern Abbey.
(Left) This Rotherhithe Street pub on the Thames was called the Shippe Inn when the English Separatists known as the Pilgrims gathered there to board the Mayflower bound for America. It is also adjacent to Saint Mary’s Church, where Mayflower captain Christopher Jones is buried.
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England Swings! The Piedmont group arrived in Cambridge on July 28 for a 10day tour of England and Wales, and not surprisingly, music and singing made up an important part of the trip. At Westminster Abbey they attended the Choral Evensong, a performance that has been held each evening largely unchanged since the time of Henry VIII in the 16th century. Later in the week, the Piedmont Singers performed the Evensong concert at Wells Cathedral, considered one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe. Begun in 1175, the cathedral is known for its unique scissor arches. Also in Cambridge, the group toured Kings College Chapel, where the BBC has broadcast the annual Nine Lessons and Carols each Christmas since 1928. This service is the basis for Piedmont’s own Service of Lessons and Carols, which has been performed in the college chapel for the past 24 years.
in Winchester Cathedral, burial site of many of England’s Saxon kings. The trip also interwove elements of Piedmont’s long history with Congregationalism, said Piedmont Chaplain Dr. Ashley Cleere. While in London, they visited the church where the captain of the Mayflower is buried and shared communion from a chalice dated 1620, the year the ship set sail for the New World. The group visited the port town of Southampton, where the Mayflower began its voyage. That city also was home to Congregationalist Isaac Watts, prolific writer of renowned hymns, including Joy to the World, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and Our God, Our Help in Ages Past. “Piedmont has a long association with Congregationalism, a tradition brought to America by the Pilgrims,” Cleere said. “The college maintains a close affiliation today, providing scholarships to Congregational students from across the country and promoting a breadth of religious expression. This trip was an excellent way for our students and faculty to learn more about those —Dr. Wallace Hinson Congregational roots.” Piedmont In Wales, the Piedmont Singers Singers director Dr. Wallace Hinson performed the Evensong concert said it was “truly a life-changing at Brecon Cathedral, which dates experience to sing in some of to 1093, and afterward sang with the great historic churches of members of the world-renowned England and Wales. To perform Brecon & District Male Voice Choir. in services and concerts in these They next traveled to Hampshire, historic venues, singing some of England, to perform a noon concert the same choral pieces and service
‘The students were excellent representatives of the college ... and I could not be prouder of them.’
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music that has been heard in these majestic buildings for hundreds and hundreds of years, has been a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the students and for me. The students were excellent representatives of the college and the country. I could not be prouder of them.” Brittany West, a senior music student from Dahlonega, said Tintern Abbey, where the Piedmont Singers were moved to break out in an impromptu concert among the ruins, was the most memorable of all the sites. “The surrounding mountains were just glorious. There were a lot of lingering spirits you could feel there. It is a very calming place,” she said. Stonehenge was equally mysterious. “The stones are really awesome, and to think that no one knows who put them there or why,” she said. West said the countryside in England and Wales was also a surprise. “The mountains were huge and rolling, bigger than the ones here. And there were herds of cattle and blackface sheep.” She also enjoyed the food, particularly Eton Mess, which is a dessert of strawberries, meringue and cream, as well as the steak and ale pie, a type of pot roast with a pastry top. West will graduate in December, and during her four years as a member of the Piedmont Singers the group has toured the Southeast and Midwest. Despite a touch of jet lag after the England trip, though, she said it was “definitely the most memorable tour I’ve made while at Piedmont.”
(Above) Bryan Hudson (left) and crew measuring a snake that does not want to be measured, the first step in the data collection process. (Lower right) A dab of superglue is all that is needed to hold the tiny radio transmitter onto the hognose snake. (Upper right) In the field, the students use a directional antenna and radio to listen for the ‘ping’ of each transmitter.
Snakes! The eastern hognose snake is a bit of a rarity in these parts, and not a lot is known about their overwintering habits. That could change, thanks to a research project by senior Piedmont biology student Bryan Hudson of Roswell. Hudson, with help from a number of Piedmont biology students, attached tiny radio transmitters to six hognose snakes to track their movements in the Wilson Shoals Wildlife Management Area in Banks County. Hognose snakes, also known as
puff adders for their habit of hissing when disturbed, are harmless snakes that feed mostly on toads. Hudson said by tracking their movements for several weeks in the fall, he hopes to learn how large a range the snakes use, when the snakes hibernate, and whether, like many other species, they hibernate individually or in groups. The snakes, which were caught in the Wilson Shoals WMA, were tagged with transmitters and released where they were found. Every day for the next several weeks, Hudson
and the other students have located the snakes with a radio direction finder and recorded the location data. Hudson hopes to publish the results of the study, which is part of an independent research project. Assisting in the project are Sam Thomas of Jefferson; Abby Atkinson of Homer; Katie Faith of Simpsonville, S.C.; Jenna Hoffman of Dawsonville; Spencer Braggs of Dalton; and Seth Klepal of Loganville.
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Gov. Nathan Deal met with the Atlantik-Brücke Young Leaders to kick off their stay at Piedmont College. Pictured, from left, are Piedmont German Professor Monika Schulte, President James Mellichamp, Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal and Gov. Deal, Atlantik-Brücke Chairman Friedrich Merz, and Piedmont Trustee John Foster.
BRIDGE to EUROPE Piedmont College became part of a “bridge” to Europe in July as 50 participants in the Atlantik-Brücke Young Leaders conference met on campus to learn about the differences and similarities among U.S. and German leaders. Atlantik-Brücke, which means Atlantic Bridge in German, is a private, nonpartisan organization formed in Germany in 1952 that has organized meetings of young leaders from both sides of the Atlantic since 1973. The conference alternates each year between the U.S. and Germany. Last year’s meeting was in Hamburg, and this year the group chose Demorest as its home base to visit sites in northeast Georgia and Atlanta. The group, which included business men and women from across the U.S. and Germany, began their week with an introductory dinner at Piedmont’s Swanson Center, where Friedrich Merz, chairman of Atlantik-Brücke, and Piedmont President James Mellichamp welcomed the visitors in English and German. (Among his many hats worn at Piedmont, Mellichamp has previously taught German.) On Monday morning, the group met in the Stewart Hall auditorium to hear an address from Georgia Governor
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Nathan Deal, who noted that his first trip abroad after taking office had been to Berlin. Deal said Germany is the seventh largest export market in the world for Georgia companies and Georgia is the second largest importer of German goods. Some 380 German firms now have offices in Georgia, including Porsche, which is building a new $100 million headquarters in Atlanta. At a time when Georgia lumber companies have been hurting because of reduced demand for housing, Deal said the state’s pine tree farmers have developed markets in Germany to sell pelletized wood as a carbon-neutral fuel. Also on Monday, the group held “World Café” meetings at Piedmont to discuss a variety of topics, including youth unemployment, the widening gap between the rich and poor, innovation and entrepreneurship in the U.S. and Germany, and the effects of social media on business. Monday afternoon, the group heard from Peter Wittig, Germany’s permanent representative to the United Nations, and from Stuart Eizenstat, who served as a domestic policy advisor for President Jimmy Carter and as Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs for President Bill Clinton. Eizenstat is also a former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union.
Become a member
Many people have played key roles in the transformational growth of Piedmont over the last decades— and many more will be needed in the future. The Legacy Society is a circle of valued friends who have made Piedmont part of their estate plans and who wish to encourage Participants in Atlantik-Brücke discuss international issues during a ‘World Café’ held in the Nielsen Hall dining room.
others to follow their example. There is no minimum gift amount, and you may request anonymity. If you have already desig-
Tuesday through Thursday, the conference sessions moved to Atlanta, where the Young Leaders toured CNN, met with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and met with Thomas Fisher, former District Director of the U.S. Immigration Naturalization Service. While in Atlanta they also called on former President Jimmy Carter, Fifth District Representative John Lewis, and former Governor Roy Barnes. President Mellichamp said that hosting the Young Leaders conference at Piedmont was a coup for Habersham County. The college’s involvement began with a student intern program in which three Piedmont students worked in Germany last summer through the American Chamber of Commerce Internship Program. Monika Schulte, Assistant Professor of German at Piedmont, met Atlantik-Brücke chairman Merz and proposed Piedmont as the site of the Young Leaders’ next conference. “Representatives from Atlantik-Brücke toured the college and decided it would be ideal for the 40th anniversary of the Young Leaders Conference,” Mellichamp said. Several area businesses also contributed to the success of the Young Leaders conference, including the Habersham Chamber of Commerce, Habersham Medical Center, Walmart in Habersham County, and Duane Hartness State Farm.
nated Piedmont as a beneficiary of your estate or if you would just like more information, contact Bill Loyd at 706-778-8500, extension 1170, or email bloyd@piedmont.edu. The Legacy Society is one way to show your commitment to Piedmont’s future and its mission of academic excellence within a culture of community and service.
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Piedmont Graduates First Athens Nursing Class
The first School of Nursing BSN graduates from Piedmont’s Athens campus include, from left, Taylor Marie Satterfield of Nicholson, Elizabeth Lynn Burns of Gainesville, Kelly Maureen Maller of Lawrenceville, Jessica Lynn Snodgrass of Bogart, Tiny Shanee Stephens of Athens, Elizabeth Anna Stapleton of Statham, Jennifer Caitlin Morris of Athens, Macy Anna Thompson of Watkinsville, Jennifer Jackson Redmond of Athens, Mireille P. Sterling of Lawrenceville, Jessica LaRay Pardue of Dahlonega, Ashlie Elizabeth Wheeler of Statham, Brandy Michelle Whitaker of Franklin Springs, Sarah Elizabeth Stuckey of Madison, Amanda Mantovani Kovach of Athens, Lindsay Elizabeth Lowery Rossetti of Athens, Christa Rae Wilson of Nicholson, Marla Ann Farrell of Hull, and Brad M. Bulla of Athens. Not pictured is Sheri Beasley Fields of Athens. Also earning their BSN degrees from the Demorest campus were Pattie F. Bray of Cornelia and Hallie LeAnn Gilleland of Mt. Airy.
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n a special ceremony held July 24, some 20 Piedmont
students received their nurses pins, becoming the first to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from the Athens Campus.
Dr. Linda Scott, Dean of Piedmont’s R.H. Daniel School of Nursing and Health Sciences, presented each new graduate with a pin bearing the School of Nursing seal. Piedmont opened its School of Nursing in Demorest in 1999, and the Georgia Board of Nursing approved the program in Athens in 2011. Both campuses offer a Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (BSN) degree with tracks for first-time nurses and those holding LPN and RN degrees. This fall, Piedmont began offering Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees at both campuses. The MSN program includes two tracks for nursing education and nursing administration. The education track prepares nurses in the role of clinical educators for health care facilities, and it provides the background needed for entry-level teaching of nursing. The administration track prepares nurses to assume top-level management positions in a variety of settings throughout every sector of
the health care industry. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based leadership, measurement of quality outcomes, technology for patient care, and organization and financial management. The Master of Science in Nursing degree may be completed in two academic years by attending full time, or in three academic years for part-time students.
Amanda Mantovani Kovach of Athens receives her nurse’s pin from Dr. Linda Scott, Dean of the Piedmont College R.H. Daniel School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Kovach was among the first students to earn a nursing degree from the Piedmont Athens campus.
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LILLIAN E. SMITH CENTER AND LEGACY
now part of Piedmont College A major gift from the Lillian E. Smith CENTER Foundation provides Piedmont College with unique educational opportunities, according to President James Mellichamp. In September, the Foundation donated all of its assets to Piedmont, including 150 wooded acres near Clayton, where Smith lived and wrote her groundbreaking novels during the early days of the Civil Rights movement. In addition to the property, the gift includes six buildings that were part of the former Laurel Falls Camp, a nationally recognized camp for girls that Smith’s family opened in 1920 and operated until 1948. Also part of the transfer are the copyrights to Smith’s
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written works, including her most famous novel, Strange Fruit. Mellichamp said the college is now working on a strategic plan to determine how the property will be used in the future. “Obviously it is a fantastic place for faculty, students, staff, and alumni to hold meetings and retreats,” he said. “It is a wonderful outdoor laboratory for the natural sciences, photography, and other subjects. And then there is the literary connection to Lillian Smith herself. We plan to reissue some of her writing and involve the English faculty and students in those projects along the way.” Assisting as a consultant for the strategic plan will be Craig Amason, who was the first director for Andalusia, the historic Milledgeville home of another Georgia author, Flannery
O’Connor. Like Andalusia, the Smith Center is already part of the Southern Literary Trail, along with the former homes of Margaret Mitchell, Carson McCullers, and Alice Walker. The Southern Literary Trail was organized by a number of literary sites in the Southeast to promote interest in area writers. Lillian Smith attended Piedmont College for one year in 1915, and Mellichamp said that while he was familiar with her books, he was only vaguely familiar with the camp near Clayton when asked to join the board of directors of the Foundation in 2011. “On my first visit, it was obvious to me even then that this was a special place that would complement what we do at Piedmont,” he said.
(Left) Lillian Smith’s library, which appears just as she left it when she died in 1966. (Above) Like a stone sentinel, a fireplace from the Laurel Falls Camp playhouse stands over Lillian Smith’s gravesite (Above, right).
Since 2011, Piedmont has conducted several annual “Maymester” classes at the Smith Center, during which students staying at the center have studied social issues, environmental science, environmental ethics, geology, and nature and creative writing. The Smith Center Foundation board was already looking for ways to preserve the property by merging with another institution, and Piedmont was the natural choice, Mellichamp said. The Smith Foundation and Piedmont boards began talks last year, and on Sept. 7, the Smith Foundation made the final vote to transfer its assets to Piedmont. “The only restrictions are that we must keep the name in some capacity, honor the original educational
intentions of the Foundation, and preserve the original buildings and Lillian Smith’s gravesite, which is on the property,” he said. After the camp closed in 1948, the property was used as Smith’s residence and a family retreat until 2000, when Smith’s niece, Nancy Smith Fichter, and her husband, Robert, opened it as an artist’s retreat called the Lillian E. Smith Center. Nancy Fichter said she expected the retreat to be attractive mainly to writers, but over the years it has been home to a number of musicians, painters, sculptors, actors, directors, and choreographers, as well. Fichter said on average visitors would stay for about two weeks, taking advantage of the solitude of the camp to focus on their art.
(Above) Piedmont professor Dr. Tim Menzel talks with students during last summer’s Maymester biology class conducted at the Smith Center.
The rustic buildings, constructed of stone and wood in the 1920s and ‘30s, include two small cabins, a commons building with kitchen, and Smith’s home during the last decades of her life, which houses a small museum. Like a time capsule, the home appears just as it did when Smith died in 1966. Similarly, Smith’s extensive library remains just as she left it and reflects the range of her interests in social justice, art and education. “If we had been looking for a facility like this, we would have been hard pressed to find one,” Mellichamp said. “For this to just fall from the sky is really unbelievable.”
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L
illian Smith was said to be the first woman to wear short hair and skirts up to her knees in Clayton, Ga., but that is only one small manifestation of what she herself described as the “rebellions� inside. Smith used her literary talent, progressive ideas, and brave spirit to shake the very cultural bedrock of the mountains in which she lived for 50 years. Lillian Eugenia Smith began her life among seven siblings in 1897 in Jasper, Fla. Although her family was wealthy at her birth, World War I brought trade restrictions that eventually led to the failing of the family business, forcing them to move into their summer cottage on Screamer Mountain in Clayton. Her father, inspired by the tourist trade,
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LILLIAN E. SMITH
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT LEADER founded an inn on their property that he later converted into a camp for girls. Lillian, proceeding from education and affluence, was deeply affected by the poverty and ignorance that she found in Appalachia, recounting later that the experience brought her “close to a very deep depression.” Smith first took a teaching position north of Clayton in Dillard. Anxiety mounted for her there as, at 17, she struggled to gain confidence and authority as an educator. She left her post to further her education at Piedmont College in Demorest. The area of northeast Georgia was, indeed, poverty stricken, but despite the fact that much of Piedmont’s student body relied on the barter of farm goods for tuition, Smith was surprised and refreshed by the quality of education she discovered there. It was this academic fellowship that drew her out of her depression. She made fast friends with professor and Harvard graduate Wendell Brooks Phillips, who shared a refusal to avoid taboo subjects such as evolution and social injustice. This friendship consequently had a great impact on her life and writing. Time off from school to work at the family inn exposed Smith to negative attitudes that existed against the native “poor whites,” and her heart was tendered toward them. Smith grew to develop relationships with the locals, realizing their humanity despite their stereotypical mountaineer behavior, and she eventually endeavored to enlighten them. But first, her restlessness led her to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Md., in 1917. She was only there for a year before a wartime sense of duty led her back to the
mountains, where she participated in the Student Nursing Corps. After cease fire agreements were drawn up, Smith became a school principal in the neighboring community of Tiger. Through involvement in the lives of students, her understanding of the socioeconomic status of Appalachian residents was expanded. Smith refocused her efforts toward music at the Peabody Conservatory in 1919, but upon graduation, she discovered that her inclination toward music was less classical than creative; this led her away from seeking employment as a pianist. Instead, she traveled to Huchow, China, where she taught music for three years. These travels, no doubt, expanded the lens through which she viewed the humanity of all races. In 1925, Smith returned home to tend to her parent’s failing health. By default, the work of the girl’s camp fell into her hands. Smith was disenchanted with the fact that the girls were simply there to participate in activities like horseback riding and handicrafts. She believed that there was work to be done to abolish stereotypes and prejudices against those of all walks of life, including mountain people. In 1932, in a message to her counselors, she said, “Unless we produce behavior changes in children, we have done nothing.” Smith used this time to lead workshops and dialogue about personal growth. By the 1930s, Smith had
By Beth Loveland
experienced life in the North, the South and abroad, which must have greatly contributed to her views against the racial injustices she witnessed in the mountains. She began to speak out against Jim Crow laws, saying “segregation is spiritual lynching.” In 1944, Smith penned a highly controversial novel called Strange Fruit about interracial relationships. The novel was met with
Photo by Tim Lytle
much scorn, such as that from former Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge, who referred to it as a “literary corncob.” Smith’s activism continued to blossom despite the criticism over the next several years. She is now known as one of the first voices of the Civil Rights movement. She pursued a correspondence with Martin Luther King Jr. that lasted for many years, and her allegiance to him held fast until her death. Even atop Screamer Mountain, Smith promoted unity by holding interracial assemblies in her home. In 1949, she published a (Continued on Page 37)
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Graduation scenes from May and July Commencement 1 Mellisa Brown McCall
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of Hartwell (MAT ’11) added an EdS degree in May.
2 Part of a Piedmont
family, Joi Campbell (’81) celebrates her EdS degree at July Commencement with son-in-law Kyle Waldon and daughters Emilee Waldon (’11, MA ’12) (left) and Jackie Campbell, a current Piedmont junior.
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3 Nick Sridej of Dacula
and family celebrate his BA degree in Mass Communications at the May Commencement.
4 Aubrey Tidwell (’12) of
Lawrenceville was back in cap and gown in July to receive an MA degree in middle grades education.
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5 Sonya Leckman and
family of Marietta were among the celebrants at May Commencement. Sonya earned a BA degree in English.
Piedmont students take Lanier title
The Piedmont dragon boat rowers included Stanton Collins, Evan Sanna of Australia, Drew Long of Lilburn, Mason Riza of Ravena, Texas, Stone Kelly of Milton, Danny Jazrawi of El Salvador, Viola Terschluse of Germany, Chasity Baker of Demorest, Beth Phillips of Baconton, Morgan McCalla of Loganville, Alyssa Spagna of Bogart, Megan Kearney of Smyrna, Katie Mercardante of Watkinsville, Salima Grieg of Athens, and Amanda Blackwell of Covington.
A team of 15 Piedmont College students topped Georgia Tech, UGA, University of North Georgia, Clemson, and Kennesaw at the 18th Annual Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival, held Sept. 14, at the Lake Lanier Olympic Venue in Gainesville. The Piedmont team—made up mostly of freshmen—was the surprise winner, finishing the 250-meter race in front of 7,000 screaming fans at 01:09:20, almost two full seconds ahead of the number two team from UNG. In all, 13 collegiate teams were entered in the race. In modern dragon boat racing, which has been a competitive sport since 1976, teams of up to 20 rowers, a drummer and a steersman paddle the long Chinese-style canoe-like boats. This year’s event was sponsored by the Hong Kong Information Center in Atlanta. “It was unbelievable— awesome!” said German professor Monika Schulte, who helped organize the entry. Schulte said many members of the team were commandeered the day before and had only about a half hour of instruction before the race. That coaching came from a prime source, though, Piedmont sophomore Stanton Collins of Gainesville, who is competing to row flatwater kayak for the U.S. Olympic team in 2016. Collins, now ranked 14th in the world in twoman kayak at the 200-meter and 1,000-meter distances, said the dragon boat win ranks up there with his more competitive wins. “For dragon boat racing, I’d say this was my favorite,” he laughed. Collins has participated in dragon boat racing for some six years with the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club. “We just went over basic technical things,” Collins said. “There is not much you can do in one day. There was one other person in the boat who was an experienced paddler, and I told everybody to just follow us and do what we did.” FALL 2013
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5th Annual
Freshman Family Day Freshmen and their families gathered on campus Oct. 5 for lunch with faculty members at the Arrendale Amphitheater, a performance by the Cantabile singers, and a sneak preview of Pippin by members of the theatre department.
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Dr. Steve Nimmo, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, addresses the crowd of freshmen and family members who gathered at the Arrendale Amphitheater for the start of Freshman Family Day 2013. (Left) What is a family gathering without food? (Right) President James Mellichamp welcomed the freshmen families for the day. (Below right) Jessica Rutledge of Lawrenceville and her mom, Patty, were among the freshmen and family members enjoying Family Day.
(Facing page) Lydie Koffi of Monroe talked about Residence Life at Piedmont. Pearl Oppenheimer (center), her cousin Benjamin Harper and mom Candice Oppenheimer, all of Maysville, took in the art show at the MasonScharfenstein Museum of Art during Freshman Family Day.
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The Piedmont College Annual Fund represents a critical component in delivering a rigorous academic challenge to our students, building excellent educational and extracurricular facilities, and providing a top11 faculty. Alumni Park/Congregational Circle 21 notch
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Piedmont College continues to make our education as affordable as 13 Fitness Center possible to many families, while at the same time maintaining high 23 academic standards.
14 Art Gallery 24 25 15 Bookstore Support of the Annual Fund is also a vital factor in providing scholarship assistance and support to our deserving students. This year, Piedmont 16 Wetlands Park 26 College has awarded more than $8 million in scholarships! 27 17 Martens Center 18 Grill on Georgia Street 28 29 19 Wallace Residence Hall 20 Swanson Residence Hall 18
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Join fellow Piedmont College alumni and friends
Johnson Residence Hall by showing your support Mayflower Residence Hall your gift today! Purcell with Residence Hall Mize Athletic Center and Museum Walker Athletic Fields You can give a gift by Loudermilk Stadium using the enclosed Plymouth Residence Hall envelope or online. New Bedford Residence Hall The Retreat
www.piedmont.edu/giving
new staff Amy Amason of Milledgeville has been named Vice President for Advancement at Piedmont College. Amason comes to Piedmont from Georgia College, where she has served as Vice President for External Relations and University Advancement since 2004. In her new position, Amason will head up Piedmont’s offices of alumni affairs, marketing, communications, and fund raising for the Demorest and Athens campuses. With more than 30 years of fundraising experience, Amason worked for 10 years at Arizona State University, where she served as Vice President of the University Foundation. She has also served as Vice President of Development for The Phoenix Symphony and worked in alumni affairs at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. Amason holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and earned a bachelor of business administration degree in finance from Washburn University. “As Piedmont continues to grow, the importance of strategic planning by the Office of Institutional Advancement grows as well,” said Piedmont President Dr. James Mellichamp. “We are already making long-range plans to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Piedmont College in 2022, and the foundations that we lay down today will be critical to the health of the college in the decades to come. Amy’s experience in every area of institutional advancement will help us plan for that future and turn those plans into reality.” “I am looking forward to working with the faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Piedmont College on ways to support the institutional vision,” Amason said. “The strategies we design and implement will be important to the future vitality of Piedmont College.”
Katie Porter
(’10, MA ’11) of Gainesville has joined the Piedmont College Office of Institutional Advancement as an Associate Director of Alumni Relations. Porter previously worked in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. In her current position, Porter will work with Director of Development Justin Scali on projects involving alumni, including events such as Alumni Weekend, the Coach Cave Golf Tournament, Alumni Association meetings, and she will work with the Alumni Association Board of Directors. While an undergraduate at Piedmont, Porter was a standout member of the women’s soccer team, named to the All-Conference Team for four years and Freshman of the Year in 2006.
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Glo-Bus
BESTING THE WORLD’S TOP BUSINESS ‘MOGULS’
Y
ou would think that after running a highly successful international camera company for 20 years, Colton Bryant (’13) would have a few more gray hairs. But the recent Piedmont grad from Milton looks none the worse for wear after besting the world’s top business moguls. Bryant, who earned his bachelor of arts degree in business last May and is now enrolled as an MBA student at Piedmont, won the worldwide Glo-Bus Business
week. Participants are judged in five key areas, including the company’s net revenue, earnings per share, return on equity, credit rating, and image. Acting as CEO, Bryant and the other competitors must make hundreds of decisions in areas including spending on research and product design, setting prices, hiring and firing, obtaining loans, and spending on everything from advertising and marketing to charitable donations. At Piedmont, professor Charles Nichols’ business classes have been participating in the simulated competition for some seven years as part of the Strategic Management class. “This is a capstone class for seniors to evaluate their knowledge of different business theories,” Nichols said. “I like the Glo-Bus simulation because it is very realistic to the business world.” At the end of the 10-week Piedmont course, Bryant and his partner, Andy Waldrop, were the class winners, besting the other 15 students. Then in May, GloBus held a challenge match, called BestStrategy Invitational, for all the top teams at institutions around the world, and 119 teams entered. This time, the 10-year business marathon was compressed into 10 days. Bryant, who worked alone for the BestStrategy Invitational, said he spent three to four hours each day examining the simulated reports and making decisions that a CEO have weeks to contemplate. At the end would At the October meeting of the Board of Trustees, Dr. John Misner, of the simulation, though, he came out on top Dean of the School of Business (left), and Board Chairman Thomas A. with an overall score of 102, compared to the ‘Gus’ Arrendale III (right) presented Colton Bryant with the Glo-Bus nearest competitor, a team from Binghamton international Grand Champion Award. University in New York, with a score of 85. Bryant’s main strategy for winning might Simulation competition this past summer, competing sound familiar to many a CEO: “My strategy was simply to initially against some 34,000 business students in concentrate on building a low-cost camera to underprice more than 30 countries. The simulation, created by Dr. the competition,” he said. Arthur A. Thompson Jr., professor emeritus of business Dr. John Misner, Dean of Piedmont’s Walker School administration at the University of Alabama, pits students of Business, said the Glo-Bus simulation brings together all from around the world in a competition to see who can of the real-world problems that a CEO would have to face. build the most successful digital camera business and “The students see the effect of their decisions. If they want become the top CEO over a simulated 10-year period. to raise market share, they may have to decrease prices, but Bryant explained that during the regular competition, what does that do to their profit? It really does test that Glo-Bus simulates one year of business decisions in one corporate balancing act.”
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friends of the arts Help support Piedmont College’s Fine Arts programs by becoming a Friend of the Arts.
Friends of the Arts can attend special receptions following on-campus performances and art exhibits.
Your membership will help promote music, theatre, and the visual arts on campus and throughout the northeast Georgia community. Funds generated by the Friends of the Arts through memberships and donations will be used to provide local concerts, theatrical performances and art exhibits, as well scholarships and opportunities for student travel.
How to Join Visit www.piedmont.edu/FOTA for information on how to join online, or contact Justin Scali at 706-778-3000 ext. 1530 or email jscali@piedmont.edu
Gold $1000+ • Four tickets to each theatrical and musical performance •R eserved parking at music and theatre performances •S pecial reception after a performance •N ame recognition in Fine Arts performance programs Tax-deductible contribution, according to IRS rules, actual receipted donation
amount will be $260 less than donation amount.
Silver
$500 - $999
• A pair of tickets to each theatrical and music performance •R eserved parking at musical performances • Special reception after a performance •N ame recognition in Fine Arts performance programs Tax-deductible contribution, according to IRS rules, actual receipted donation amount will be $180 less than donation amount.
Bronze
$100 - $499
• Name recognition in fine arts performance programs •R eserved seating at musical and theatre performances
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1
2
3 1 The Swanson Center stage is not
quiet during the summer, as North Georgia Theatre at Piedmont presented two shows, My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, and The 1940s Radio Hour. Pictured (top, from left) are Moleek Simmons, Britt Hensley, Ashley Campbell and Oli Merritt, with special guest Gabe Russo as the Chairman of the Board.
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2 Every song in The 1940s Radio Hour brings
back a memory. Pictured (left, front) are Tyler Dale, Erin Gathercoal, Moleek Simmons, Ashley Campbell, (back) Justin Gilleland, Nick Sridej, and Jacob McKee.
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4 3 Oli Merritt and Gabe Russo in Sinatra.
4 Erin Gathercoal sings in The 1940s Radio Hour.
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7
8
With all the color and energy of its 1970s roots, Pippin tells the age-old story of a youth seeking his place in the world, even if that youth happens to be the son of Emperor Charlemagne.
5 (From left) Zachary Turner, Tamara 6 Jeremy Douylliez (right) as Pippin Rainwater, Shelby Whitehouse, Zach Smagur, Jessica Williams, Jamie Doublet, Kordai Harris, Caroline Harmon, Shelby Myers, and Matt McClure.
8 Levi Doublet, a freshman from
7 Nic Johnson, Whitni Coke, and Ben Cisse as
‘The Leading Players.’ Pippin was presented by Piedmont College Theatre on the Swanson Center Mainstage. FALL 2013
Demorest, and senior Katie Robinson of Cornelia in a scene from Pippin.
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S
A gift for the Piedmont dining hall
arah and Allen Smith of Cornelia recently presented a beautiful and unique gift to Piedmont College in memory of Margaret Ballard, Katheryne Lunsford, Hank Rowe, and Dean Westbrook. With members of their respective families on hand, President James F. Mellichamp accepted the hand-crafted, 21-foot cherry banquet table for use in the college’s “Fireside Dining Room.” Each of the individuals honored by the memorial gift had college connections as long-time friends, employees, or graduates of the school. “These individuals were more than just friends to us,” Sarah Smith said. “We considered them to be vital parts of our own extended
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family. Our most vivid and lasting memories of Margaret, Katheryne, Hank, and Dean were centered around our dining room table, where family activities are typically defined and where special events are celebrated. We couldn’t think of a more appropriate memorial gift to the college than a huge dining table around which the Piedmont ‘family’ might gather, enjoy friends and fellowship, while celebrating memorable occasions.” Pictured with Sarah and Allen Smith (left) and Dr. Mellichamp (right) are members of the families of Margaret Ballard, Katheryne Lunsford, Hank Rowe, and Dean Westbrook.
new student center underway
Construction work on The Commons, a new student center on the Demorest campus, continues apace, with completion set for the fall of 2014. The 58,000-square-foot center is going up at the intersection of Georgia Street and Laurel Avenue in Demorest, across from Wallace Hall. The two-story building will include dining facilities, a fitness center and gymnasium for intramural sports, group study rooms, a banquet and conference area, bookstore, and offices for student services and student organizations.
PIEDMONT COLLEGE 7th ANNUAL RELIGION & THE LIBERAL ARTS CONFERENCE
the DIGNITY of DIFFERENCE Being Christian in a Multi-Faith World speakers Barbara Brown Taylor Butman Professor of Philosophy and Religion Piedmont College
Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan President Claremont School of Theology
Tammi J. Schneider
Professor of Religion Dean of Arts and Humanities Claremont Graduate University
February 28 & March 1, 2014 in Claremont and Pomona, California
FALL 2013 | The piedmont college journal For details, visit www.piedmont.edu/RC
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Coach Stephen Andrew, Kelsey Schaffernoth, Hayleah Waters, Marjorie Hammond, Meghan Heim, and Megan Hatfield take a break during a tour of the Scottish countryside.
Marjorie Hammond and Sarah Hill with a bagpiper in Gretna Green, Scotland. The town, founded around 1612, is famous throughout the U.K. as a wedding spot.
Soccer women tour Scotland The Piedmont women’s soccer team got a taste of international play this summer as 12 members of the squad traveled across the pond for an 11-day trip to practice with and play against some of the top clubs in England and Scotland. For head coach Stephen Andrew, a Falkirk, Scotland, native, the trip was a homecoming. The Lady Lions landed in Manchester, England, on July 18 and toured the grounds of Liverpool FC, one of the English Premier League’s most storied clubs.
the most serious practice we’ve ever had during my two years playing for Piedmont. Everyone was working hard and trying to get everything out of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.” On Sunday, July 21, the team played its first game of the trip, facing Everton FC in an evening match in Chester. “We lost 3-0, but some of our opponents were trying out for the English national team,” Miller said. “Shortly after our game, we heard news that the royal baby had been born! It was such a cool experience to witness the country’s “This whole experience has been reaction to this historical wonderfully eye opening and something and monumental event.” The group made that I’m sure no one will forget,” Miller the scenic drive to said. “We were so blessed to have such Scotland on Monday great people surrounding us on this trip.” and on Tuesday morning headed to Stirling University for a training session and The next day it was off to a a tour of Falkirk. In the evening they training session with the Liverpool played their second game against Academy coach, one of three such sessions that the team held, including Stenhousmuir and won 2-0, with goals one session with a coach from from Cydney Goodwin and Meghan Heim. “After the game, the other team Manchester United, the 2012-13 was kind enough to serve us drinks Premier League champions. Junior and snacks,” Miller said. “Everyone Kelley Miller of Murrayville said the we’ve met has been great and the food Liverpool workout was “probably
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has been even better.” On Wednesday, July 24, the team attended a professional soccer game, featuring Hibernian FC of Scotland versus Malmo FF of Sweden. “Our seats were mere yards away from the action, and the atmosphere was unlike anything we’ve ever experienced,” Miller said. “People were singing chants and shouting left and right, but after two Malmo goals, fans began leaving. Hibernian ended up losing the game 7-0.” Thursday found the team in Glasgow for a tour of Celtic Park, home of the legendary Celtic Football Club, and a game against the Celtic women’s team. “Although we lost, we were able to play against some of the best Scottish international players and experience a higher level of soccer,” Miller said. Afterward the team attended a match between Celtic FC and Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany. “This whole experience has been wonderfully eye opening and something that I’m sure no one will forget,” Miller said. “We were so blessed to have such great people surrounding us on this trip.”
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For the latest updates on Piedmont athletic action, go to www.piedmont.lions.com
1 Laura Goodwin of Snellville leads all Lady Lions with 14 goals on the year, as the team made its way into the Great South Final Four with a 1-0 win over Greensboro.
4 Megan Hatfield, a freshman from Dacula, is second in goals scored, with seven on the year for the women’s soccer team.
2 Freshman Carrie Ruis of Gainesville led the women’s cross country team to a third-place finish in the USA South Conference.
5 With nine goals, Vincent Thomas of Blairsville led the men’s soccer team in scoring this year. The Lions finished the season with a first round loss at #1 seed Methodist University in the USA South tourney.
3
6
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3 Heather LaPrade of Acworth prepares a set for Jennifer Opper of Clearwater, Fla. The volleyball team posted a school NCAA-era record with 27 wins.
6 Freshman Cody Parker of Clarkesville paced the Lions to a third place finish in men’s cross country USA South championship. Parker finished 7th overall, earning first-team All-Conference honors.
Fall Sports Highlights
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Women’s Lacrosse In its first year, the women’s lacrosse team that shone on the field also performed in the classroom, recognized for carrying the nation’s second-highest team GPA in all of NCAA Division III. The effort earned Piedmont the Merit Squad distinction from the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), one of just nine teams in all the NCAA to earn that honor. Pomona-Pitzer College (California) led all of Division III
with its team GPA, though Piedmont followed closely behind, and Wesleyan (Connecticut) closed out the top three in Division III. Led by USA South Coach of the Year Emily Jacquette, the Lady Lions finished last season with a 12-4 overall record, one of the best such records for any first-year, Division III program in history. 2013 began with a nine-game winning streak for Lady Lion lacrosse, as the squad outscored its opponents by an average of 16 to 5
before their run came to an end in the USA South semifinals. PC owned a top-25 scoring defense throughout the season, allowing fewer than eight goals per game and also posted a top-30 winning percentage among all Division III teams. In addition to the academic awards, the IWLCA named Alexis Narducci of St. Johns, Fla., to the AllRegion squad after she led the team with 59 goals this past spring.
Caldwell earns ABCA Gold Glove The American Baseball Coaches Association released its 2013 All-American teams, with Piedmont’s Kevin Caldwell earning a spot on the list as a Rawlings Gold Glove award-winning pitcher. Caldwell is the program’s first nationally recognized Gold Glover and third regional winner in Piedmont’s NCAA era, which began for baseball with the 2004 season. Caldwell, who graduated in May, joins
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former teammates Zac Stein and Curtis Cornett, who both earned Gold Glove regional recognition. Standing just outside the nation’s top 10 in games started this past season with 13 nods, Caldwell never committed an error at his position in 2013 and collected 31 assists and 13 putouts in the field. This is the second season that Caldwell has posted a 1.000 fielding percentage, also doing so in 2010, his first season playing for
head baseball coach Jim Peeples. “This is a great honor for Kevin to be recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association as the top fielding pitcher in the country,” said Peeples of his gold glover. “As a defender, Kevin was excellent, and my coaching staff and I are really proud of him for this honor. It is a great way for him to finish off a stellar career, in addition to all the other records he set in his time at Piedmont.”
Pride Award
Athletic Director John Dzick (left) presented Jasper Lee with the Piedmont Lions “Pride Award” at the P-Club meeting this past spring. A longtime photographer, Lee volunteers his time making photos of all Piedmont sports teams, which can be found on the athletic website at www. piedmontlions.com. Jasper and his wife, former Piedmont Vice President for Administration and Finance Delene Lee, can also be counted on to be in the stands at home and away games, cheering on the Lions.
Kevin leaves Piedmont as the winningest pitcher of the storied program’s NCAA history, having tabbed 23 victories in his four years with the Lions, highlighted by a 9-2 record during the 2011 season that helped PC to a national tourney appearance. The Loganville native’s ninth win came as he struck out eight in an eight-inning, lights-out performance against Salisbury University in his NCAA debut start during that run, earning himself All-Tournament honors at the regional.
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COACH CAVE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT WINNERS
W
inners of the annual
30
Jared Patterson of McDonough, and
Doug Magness, Joe Ingram, and
Mike Salmon of Flowery Branch.
Robert Ingram.
The second-place team included
The annual tournament is
Richard DeMore of Cornelia, Brandon
named for the late Leon O’Neal
PiedmonTt College Coach Cave
DeMore of Demorest, Trent DeMore
Cave, who served as a coach and
Memorial Golf Tournament had
of Mt. Airy, and Mike McCall of
athletic director at Piedmont from
family ties, as the first-place team
Clarkesville, who came into the
1948 to 1983. This year’s tournament,
included the grandson of Coach
clubhouse with a 53. With a score of
sponsored by the Piedmont College
O’Neal Cave, Robert Baker, the son of
54, the third-place prize was claimed
Alumni Association, raised some
Niles and Kathy Cave Baker of Locust
by Chris Dietzel of Monroe, Mike
more than $6,000 for the Coach
Grove. The team shot a 51 in the four-
Roeser of Atlanta, Reid Mullins
Cave Athletic Endowment.
man best-ball tournament held at the
of Dacula, and Richard Stansell of
Orchard Golf and Country Club. Also
Clarkesville. Also at 54, the fourth-
on the winning team were James and
place team included Mike Grizzel,
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| Fall 2013
Watch the Piedmont College Alumni website for information about next year’s tournament.
inners of the 2013 Coach Cave Memorial Golf Tournament were (from left) James W Patterson, Robert Baker, Jared Patterson and Mike Salmon
(Above) Mike Roseer of Atlanta and Reid Mullins (’59) of Dacula line up a shot.
Matt Henson of Atlanta watches a short iron shot roll toward the cup.
(Left) John McQueen and Jermome Smith of Atlanta celebrate McQueen’s eagle chip.
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CLASS NOTES Dan DeFoor (’53) and Joynie Jones DeFoor of Jacksonville, Fla., celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary June 20. Dan and Joynie met at Piedmont, and after Dan graduated, he joined the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division as a tactics and weapons instructor. He later earned a business degree from the University of Georgia and worked for 35 years with The Prudential Insurance Company in Jacksonville. Joynie earned an associate’s degree from Florida Junior College in Jacksonville and played oboe with the First Coast Pops. They are both involved in church work at the First Methodist Church. Grady Starnes (’53) and Annie Hawkins Starnes (’53) are living in Duluth. Grady recently published a book titled Brain Damage about their family’s emotional struggle and experiences as they worked to help their son overcome a major brain injury. Grady previously has written three other books, Summer at the Resort, Year of Deceit, and Where Were the Fat People, a memoir of growing up during the Great Depression. Charles Michael McFarlin, CSE, (’79) is currently the safety manager of D.C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant of in Bridgman, Mich. Jessica Elizabeth Shirley (’97) of Clayton has been named secretary/data clerk at Rabun County Primary School. Jeremy Miller (‘99) and Danielle Bailey Miller (‘07) and their daughter Verona Bailey Miller are living in Athens and celebrated their seventh wed-
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ding anniversary in October. Danielle is the Associate Artistic Director of Rose of Athens Theatre, as well as a drama teacher at the Athens location of Masters Academy of Fine Arts. This October, Danielle performed in Savoring the Brew: A Taste of Shakespeare’s Women, written by former PC theatre professor Mary Emily O’Bradovich. The show was directed by PC Theatre alum, Dillon Nelson (‘10) and produced by former PC Theatre professor Rick Rose. Danielle will also direct a local touring production this fall with Athens Creative Theatre. Jeremy is designing/building sets and acting at the Historic Morton Theatre and Athens Creative Theatre and recently added the role of technical director with the Buford Theatre and Community Center. Jeremy recently closed an original show, Jeremy and Friends present: Psychosis of the Psock, a quirky collection of original songs, monologues, and scenes performed with zany puppets. Dr. Dionne M. Rosser-Mims (’99), associate professor in the College of Education at Troy University’s Covington campus, has been awarded the Wallace D. Malone, Jr. Distinguished Faculty Award. Dionne joined the Troy faculty as an adjunct professor in 2005 and then as a full-time faculty member in 2007. Previously she has received the Troy University Global Campus World Class Leader Award in 2010, and the Global Campus Hector Award in 2008. Dolores Williams (MAT ’00) has been named Teacher of the Year at Newton College and Career Academy in Rockdale County. Williams began teaching in 1998, after making a career change from the business world, where she worked
for 20 years as a supervisor at Hercules (now FiberVision). Deciding to follow in her mother’s footsteps, Williams began working as a paraprofessional and quickly moved to teaching math at Newton High School. She worked at Alcovy High School before transferring to the Newton College and Career Academy in 2010. She earned a degree in 1997 in computer science from Mercer University and her MAT degree in secondary math in 2000. She also earned an EdS degree from Valdosta State University in 2006. Skye Tyler Evans (’01) recently earned a master of science degree in education from Capella University, specializing in training and performance improvement. Skye graduated with distinction, earning a 4.0 GPA. Terry L. Hill (’01) of Tallahassee, Fla., has been named chair of the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) Sponsorship Committee. He also serves as the chair of the Florida State University Family Connection Advisory Council (FSU FCAC) Development Committee. Katie Deal Wright (’02) is touring the country in a show titled Katie Deal in Today, Tomorrow & Forever: A Tribute to Patsy Cline. This is Katie’s third time touring as the late country music legend. When she is not on the road, Katie is writing and recording songs which can be heard at www.katiedeal. com.
CLASS NOTES Nick Kastner (’03, MBA ’06), a former financial and interactive marketing executive in Gainesville, has been named marketing manager, a new position within the Mike Cottrell College of Business at the University of North Georgia. Nick will direct marketing strategies for the college, Cottrell MBA Program, the BB&T Center for Ethical Business Leadership, and the Center for the Future of North Georgia. Nick previously worked at Red Clay Interactive, a digital marketing agency, and served as an adjunct instructor of management and marketing at UNG’s Gainesville campus. He also serves on the faculty of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management. Bryan Schroeder (’03) is the Director of Stewardship and Outreach for the Georgia Conservancy, a statewide environmental organization. Founded in 1967, the Conservancy works for clean air and water, land conservation, coastal protection, and sustainable growth. Pamela Barnes (’04) has been named director of first-year experience at Bainbridge State College. She previously served as senior academic adviser and adult learning specialist, developing a comprehensive program that promoted student success, retention, and graduation. Earlier this year, she earned a master’s degree in education from Valdosta State University, specializing in adult education and workforce development, and she serves as chair of the board of directors for the Bainbridge Little Theatre.
Justin Gregory (’04) has been named the Training Administrator and SRT Administrator for the AthensClarke County Police Department. Michael Wilson (MAT ’04) of Monticello is teaching history at Jasper County High School, where he also serves as an assistant football and basketball coach. William “Scooter” Dryden (MAT ’05) of Kennesaw has been named Teacher of the Year at Brumby Elementary School, where he teaches art. William also recently earned an EdS degree from Kennesaw State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UGA after serving in the U.S. Navy for six years. “I’ve been drawing and painting since a young kid and even throughout the military,” he said in a recent Marietta Daily Journal interview. “I didn’t think I could pursue (a career in art) until I took a chance and it’s been wonderful. (Teaching) is current, it’s relevant and it’s fun and that’s what it’s grown into for me,” he said.
Gary Grollman and his nationalrecognized tennis academy. He is also the head pro at Westport Tennis Club. Kristen Sanders Oster (BSN ’05) of Colorado Springs, Colo., is a captain in the U.S. Air Force, serving as the Element Chief for a pediatric clinic, which recently earned the highest rating of any clinic in the Department of Defense. She plans to begin working on a master’s degree in health science with a concentration in international health. Heather Casper Williams (’MA ’05, EdS ’10) has been named Teacher of the Year at Kennedy Elementary School in Barrow County. Heather teaches second grade and has taught at Kennedy for 12 years. Cindy Jones (MAT ’06) of Commerce has been named Teacher of the Year at Madison County High School and for the Madison County School System. An agriscience teacher since 2005, Cindy also received the 2012 North Region Young Farmer Chapter of the Year award and this year earned the Georgia Young Farmer Advisor of the Year award, the 2013 Distinguished Service Award from the Madison County’s Cattlemen’s Association, and was named Rotarian of the Month by the Madison County Rotary Club.
Charlotte Floyd Durden (MA ’05) has been named Teacher of the Year at County Line Elementary in Barrow County. Charlotte teaches first grade and has taught at County Line for 11 years.
Rachel Holland (BSN ’07) of Athens earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree and is now the Valve Clinic Coordinator for the structural heart program at Athens Regional Medical Center.
Jonathan Kerch (’05) has been named the women’s tennis coach at Lincoln Charter School in Lincolnton, N.C. Jonathan comes to Lincoln with more than eight years of full-time coaching experience, including time in the Atlanta area while working under
Stephanie Austin-Campbell (’08, MBA ’10) has joined Piedmont College as a graduate recruiter for both the Demorest and Athens campuses. She also serves as an adjunct instructor for Athens Technical College in the Business and Public Service Division.
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CLASS NOTES Leah Della Torre Hampton (’08, MBA ’10) has been named head coach of the Maryville College softball team. Hampton recently completed her third season as head coach of the Eastern Nazarene softball program in Quincy, Mass., within the Commonwealth Coast Conference. At Nazarene, her teams set 18 school records including most runs scored (180), runs batted in (153), putouts (628), assists (265) and best fielding percentage (.938). Amanda Hendrix (‘08) has been named Director of Enrollment Services at Tallulah Falls School. This summer, Amanda
was invited to visit Baotou, China, as a keynote speaker at an educators’ conference. While in Baotou, she and two Tallulah Falls School representatives visited nine middle schools and high schools and set up partnership agreements with five of the schools. Shon Rand (’08) of Bowman is teaching English in Abu Dhabi public schools. He and his wife welcomed their first child in April.
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Kyle Zack (’08) of Atlanta has been named vice president of operations at DentalPost.net, an online resource for dental employment services. Kasey Lynn Bozeman (’09) of Midway is in her second year as the UGA County Extension Agent, overseeing 4-H and Youth Development in Liberty County. She was recently recognized as an Outstanding New Extension Professional by Epsilon Sigma Phi and earned a National 4-H Educational Award at the Galaxy IV Conference held by the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals. Adam Perillo (’09), MAT ’11) of Alpharetta is teaching elementary special education in Hall County and is currently working on a gifted endorsement. Michelle Broderick (’10) has been named head softball coach at Social Circle High School, where she led the team to a record of 26-7, a region championship, and a spot in the state playoffs. A four-year standout for the Lady Lions, Broderick spent two years teaching in South Korea and Thailand before returning to teach in the U.S. Marlee Barbour Fleming (’10) and husband Ryan announce the birth of a daughter, Maizee Emerson Fleming, born Sept. 7.
Ian Layer (’11) of Demorest is working on an MPA/JD dual degree master’s in public administration and policy at the University of Georgia.
Patrick (’11) and Heather Thomas Rose (’10) of Lawrenceville announce the birth of a son, Emmett Graham Rose, June 3, 2013 Molly Brianne Atkinson (’12) and Ben Larkins were married Dec. 15, 2012. Molly is now enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens and working on a PhD in chemistry. Karen Carl (EdS ’12) is principal at Free Home Elementary School in Canton, which won the 2013 School Bell Award presented by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. The honor is presented to 10 schools in Georgia each year in recognition of outstanding programs in the area of curriculum and organizational leadership. Karen joined Free Home Elementary in 2012 after starting her career with the school district in 2006 as an assistant principal at Hickory Flat Elementary, followed by three years in the same role at Sixes Elementary School. She previously worked in the Cobb County School District for 19 years as a teacher and instructional lead teacher. Theresa (Torey) Poole (’12) of Toccoa and Jared Vermilya (’09) of Toccoa were married Sept. 21, 2013 in Bryson City, N.C. Ashley Leanne Prince (’12) and Michael Barry (’11) were married in December 2012 and are now living in Wahiawa, Hawaii. Sarah Joy Smith (’13) of Toccoa and Dustin Craig Edmonds of Shelby, N.C., were married May 25, 2013, at First Alliance Church in Toccoa.
CLASS NOTES Friends Thomas A. “Gus” Arrendale III, chairman of the Piedmont College Board of Trustees, received the National Humanitarian Medal from the American Humane Association for his work as president of poultry producer Springer Mountain Farms. The AHA commended the company’s commitment to the humane treatment farm animals. Springer Mountain Farms produces chickens raised on a vegetarian diet without the use of antibiotics, steroids, growth stimulants or hormones.
Congratulations to eight Clarke County School District ‘Teachers of the Year’ who have Piedmont school ties: Laura Allen (MAT ’01) Cleveland Road Elementary School
James Eugene (Gene) Sutherland Sr. of Jonesboro, a member of the Piedmont Board of Trustees, has been named to the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority by Gov. Nathan Deal. Sutherland is chairman of the board of Sutherland’s Foodservice, Inc. and currently serves on the governing board of Woodward Academy, AgriTrust of Georgia, Georgia Agribusiness Council, and the Atlanta Produce Dealers Association.
Athletic Director John Dzik presented Gary Stephenson (’69) of Toccoa with the P-Club’s “Lions Pride Award” for his dedication as one of the Lions’ greatest fans. Despite his limited mobility, Stephenson and his wife, Mary Stephens Stephenson (’68), can usually be spotted at most Piedmont athletic home games.
Lori Slover (’02) Whit Davis Elementary School Donna Moseley (MA’06) Alps Road Elementary School Amy Boardman Rejmer (’08, MA ’11) Clarke Middle School Aaron Stinson (EdS ‘13) Coile Middle School Beverly Taylor (MAT ’97) Winterville Elementary School Shantana Williams (MA ’07) Timothy Road Elementary School Carrie Yawn (MA ’11) Barrow Elementary School Valery Hendry of J.J. Harris Elementary Charter School was named the district-wide Paraprofessional of the Year and is a current Piedmont student.
1930s
Clementine “Clemmie” Lord Purcell (’39), formerly of Gainesville, Ga., died Oct. 10, 2013. She was 94. Originally from Commerce, Mrs. Purcell taught at Dawsonville and Jefferson schools and served as librarian at Cherokee High School and in the Gainesville City School System for several years. She was an active member of the Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Beta Sigma Phi and Friends of the Library.
1950s
Peggy Joyce Oliver Lattanzi (’52) of Gainesville, Ga., formerly of Smyrna, died July 20, 2013. She was 82. Mrs. Lattanzi was a 1948 graduate of Clermont High School, a 1952 graduate of Piedmont College and received a master’s degree from Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn. She was employed with the Cobb County School District for 30 years. Mrs. Lattanzi was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, A.D. “Joe” Lattanzi (’51). A longtime supporter of Piedmont College, she was a longtime member of the P-Club and Alumni Association. William Phillip ‘Bill’ Sands (’56) of Clarkesville, Ga., died Oct. 5, 2013. He was 79. Born in Lanett, Ala., he attended Young Harris College and graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Piedmont, where he was a standout baseball
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Obituaries
and basketball player. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Georgia. Mr. Sands retired in 1987 from the Habersham County School System, where he taught driver’s education for 22 years and coached baseball. He was inducted into the Piedmont Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. Active with the Piedmont Alumni Association, he was presented with the Alumni Service Award in 2007, especially for his work planning the annual Cave Memorial Golf Tournament (which his team frequently won). Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Florence Whisenant Sands of Clarkesville and son Phillip “Phil” Sands of Helen.
1960s
Guerry Strickland (’61) of Dunwoody, Ga., died Aug. 25, 2013. He was 77. Born in Carnesville, Mr. Strickland enlisted in the Navy and returned home to attend Piedmont College. He then began a 31-year career with the Georgia Power Company. Laura Jane Jenkins Whitaker (’65) of Cornelia died March 20, 2013. She was 80. Born in Newberry, S.C., Mrs. Whitaker was a school teacher for 33 years and retired as a librarian from Baldwin Elementary School. After graduating from Piedmont, she earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Georgia. She was a member of Cornelia United Methodist Church and enjoyed painting, cooking, and knitting, and she was an avid story teller. Survivors include her husband of 61 years, W.R. “Richard” Whitaker of Cornelia.
1970s
Jimmy Garner (’77) of Clarkesville, Ga., died Sept. 17, 2013. He was 72. He was retired from Habersham EMC, having started his career as a lineman and retired as a manager. After retirement, he worked for nine years at the Unicoi State Park gift shop. He served with Habersham County Auxiliary for six years and volunteered with Sharing and Caring for a number of years. Mr. Garner was a veteran of the United States Navy and served two tours during the Vietnam conflict.
1980s
Eunice Bell Ferguson (’80) of Alto, Ga., died Sept. 21, 2013. She was 78. Born in Banks County, she graduated magna cum laude from Piedmont and was a member of the Torch. She was retired as an accountant with Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon Corporation in Cornelia.
2000s
Kelly Finch Borders (MA ’00) of Powder Springs, Ga., died Aug. 21, 2013. She was 43. Mrs. Borders earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island and was an elementary school teacher for the Cobb County School Systems. Sandra Evans Alexander (MA ’05) of Athens, Ga., died Oct. 9, 2013 at age 61. Originally from Greensboro, N.C., Mrs. Alexander worked at L. Richardson Hospital for many years before beginning a 27-year career in education for the Elbert and Clarke county school systems. Retiring in 2013, she was the 2003 Teacher of the Year for Elbert County and the 2006 Teacher of the Year at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School in Clarke County.
LILLIAN E. SMITH Friends
Arnold Franklin Burton, 67, of Cornelia, Ga., died April 30, 2013. Born in Hall County, Mr. Burton worked in the Piedmont College Maintenance Department and was retired with 28 years of service. Walter Alexander Denero, 79, of Athens, Ga., died Oct. 20, 2013. Dr. Denero served as a professor of public administration from 19972000. Born in Syracuse, N.Y., he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1959 and in 1965 accompanied Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with other religious leaders for the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. He left the priesthood and in 1968 moved to Athens, Ga., to earn a master’s degree at the School of Social Work and later a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Georgia. He then served as director of the Athens Model Cities Program, a federal program designed to improve inner cities. In 1975, he began a 22-year career at UGA, becoming the founding director of the J.W. Fanning Leadership Center. He served on the boards of numerous Athens-area civic organizations, and in 1997 received the Outstanding Georgia Citizens Award. Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Sharon Blattner Denero, who served as director of the Piedmont Athens campus.
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT LEADER
Billy Thompson Hardman, 87, of Gainesville, Ga., died Oct. 18, 2013. Born in Colbert, he served in the U.S. Merchant Marines in World War II and attended Piedmont College and Mercer University. Hardman was Georgia’s first tourism director, the first president of the Southern Travel Directors’ Council (now Travel South USA), chairman of the Travel Industry Association of America (now U.S. Travel Association), a key player in development of the Georgia World Congress Center, and the architect of the Southeast Tourism Society (STS).
(Continued from Page 13) second work, Killers of the Dream, in which she contrasts the attitudes of acceptance and (Cont. from pg 21) hate in white families. She was working out the notion that hate is easily perpetuated by those at an economic disadvantage, but despite this disadvantage, acceptance can still be fostered to bring about positive change. The novel drives toward the final statement, “The climate of poverty and illiteracy, of malnutrition, of no play and uncertain work, is a better climate for hate than love, but both can grow in it.” Lillian Smith began a battle with cancer in 1950 that she lost in 1966, but not before responding to the historic 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education that outlawed state-sponsored segregation by writing Now Is The Time. She continued to use her writing to advocate compliance with the ruling for the remainder of her life. Smith was honored posthumously with induction into Georgia Women of Achievement in 1999 and again by the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2000. The Southern Regional Council established the Lillian Smith Book award in her honor in 1966. For more information, visit the Lillian E. Smith website at lillianesmith.org or Georgia Women of Achievement at georgiawomen.org.
Hoyt LeCroy of Clarkesville, a long-time friend and supporter of Piedmont College died on Nov. 4, 2013. LeCroy was an iconic figure nationally in band and music education, and a faithful Friend of the Arts. He served as a Fellow in Music Education, percussion instructor, and band director at Piedmont from 2010-2012.
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Non-Profit U. S. Postage PAID Gainesville, GA Permit #47
Alumni Weekend 2014 is April 4-6!
of reunions, food, and fun in Demorest April 4–6. Plans are still underway, so for a complete schedule of Alumni Weekend events or to RSVP, go to www.piedmont.edu/alumni.
Office of Institutional Advancement P. O. Box 429 | Demorest, Georgia | 30535
friends are invited to three days
Piedmont College
Piedmont College alumni and
SAVE DATE! let ’ s celebrate !
at
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