FALL 2023 | REINHARDT.EDU
of Learning, Serving, and Leading
RU 140
Continued Legacy
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L et t e r f r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t
Around Reinhardt
LYNDA BLACKMON LOWERY
Ken White Courtyard Dedication Reinhardt Outdoors Green Zone Program Theatre Recognition Makalani Jefferson
CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND PAGES 6-7
The magazine of Reinhardt University VOLUME 29 | ISSUE 1 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND EDITORS Suzy Alstrin Johnson Bowles Paige Bronner Molly Lathem Stephanie Owens Mark Roberts. Ph.D..
12 RU Alumni
Beatrice Blalock ’23 Elizabeth Gibson ’10 Lindsay Harris ’22 Michael Goodroe ’16
18 RU Academics
DESIGN Lure Design
Humanities Grant Nursing Excellence New Academic Structure New Scholars Program Cherokee Voice Project Noyce Scholarship Honoree
UNIFICATION THROUGH ART
TONY WELDON ’79 PAGES 16-17
22 RU Faculty
Publishing Dr. Martha Shaw Joel Langford Retires Coach Bedard Wrestling Hall of Fame
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Finney Suzy Alstrin Lifesong Photography Santiago Romero Molly Lathem UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TEAM Mark A. Roberts, Ph.D. President
38 In Memory
Walter May, Ph.D. Dean of Students
34 SPORTS
John D. Miles, Ph.D. Provost & Vice President, Academic Affairs Stephanie Owens, M.ACC. Vice President, Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer
ON THE COVER
Jeffrey Pourchier, M.B.A. Director of Athletics
Reinhardt Celebrates 140 years with a Continued Legacy of Learning, Serving, and Leading PAGE 26
Jennifer Prine, B.S. RU ’01, M.A. ’13 Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management Johnson Bowles, MFA Vice President of Advancement, Marketing, and Communications
DEAR REINHARDT UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY,
With the Reinhardt Magazine, the university community members vividly see how purposeful engagement provides tangible evidence of our values to learn, to serve, and to lead.
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o celebrate our past, the feature article highlights pivotal early leaders that laid the foundation for the university’s success. It is fitting to honor the institution’s founders even as the Reinhardt learning community sets a definitive direction for the future with a new strategic plan, “Widening the Fields of Endeavor: Advancing the Vision of Reinhardt University.” With three over-arching strategic initiatives — 1. Ensuring a Constructive Culture, 2. Enriching the Learning Environment & Living Community, and 3. Establishing a Vital Institution — Reinhardt is poised to make positive strides into the future. The stories herein also illustrate that Reinhardt realizes, daily, its mission — to educate the whole person with challenge and care, and its vision — to be a university where diverse talents grow together. Indeed, through inspiring accomplishments, I am certain that your philanthropic spirit will be ignited, your pride in alumni accomplishments will grow, your faith in the academic mission will be bolstered, and your Reinhardt athletic Eagle Spirit will take flight! I know that the publication of the Reinhardt Magazine brings you as much joy as it brings to me. I, further, trust that you will join me in supporting the great things that are happening. Together, we move Reinhardt University toward its fullest potential. Onward in the Real Work,
GET CONNECTED Keep up with all that’s happening with the Reinhardt weekly online newsletter: The Reinhardt Eagle. Visit Reinhardt. edu/reinhardt-eagle to read and/or register for a weekly email update. 2 | REINHARDT | FALL 2023
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Around Reinhardt
Campu s Ne ws an d Happenin gs STU D E NT AF FAI R S
C. Ken White ’61, HON ’21 honored with Courtyard Dedication The outdoor plaza in front of Reinhardt University’s Hasty Student Life Center is now named after 1961 alumnus Dr. C. Ken White. A unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees approved the recognition of White for his steadfast service and contributions in support of the student body. A plaque marks the site and attests to his generosity.
The Reinhardt Outdoors program kayaked a section of the Cartecay River near Ellijay, Georgia in September. The trip started calmly, but took a challenging turn near the end, with several Class II and Class III rapids.
Dr. Walter May (above, left), Dean of Students, joined students for the trip. Other outings this school year will include a trip to Amicalola State Park to have a zipline adventure over the treetops and hike to the top of the tallest waterfall in Georgia, and in the spring to paddle with manatees along Florida’s Crystal River, hike undisturbed coastal areas and camp under the stars.
Originally, the Ken White Student Center stood on this site. Ken White’s name has been a familiar one over many decades. A champion to meet the needs of the university, Ken White’s name is proudly displayed on the football field, indoor athletic facility, music center, and atrium in the Falany Performing Arts Center – all of which were made possible through his generosity. Reinhardt President Dr. Mark Roberts announced at the dedication, “Today we recognize Ken White’s lasting impact over 40 years as a trustee and tireless benefactor of the university. The plaque will be affixed to a stone in what will be recognized as the Ken White courtyard for generations to come.”
President Mark A. Roberts, Ph.D., and Dr. C. Ken White stand with the dedication plaque.
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Green Zone Program Garners Support from Student Veteran
Reinhardt Outdoors is part of the Office of Student Activities and provides students and other members of the university community with a variety of excursions. Participants are taught how to enjoy the experiences safely and with respect for the environment, as well as learning ways to be active members of the outdoor community. The kayakers say it was a great way to spend a Saturday!
Scott Wade '23 graduated with magna cum laude honors and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art with a minor in creative writing just before his 55th birthday. Wade was one of only three seniors nominated for non-traditional student of the year. A wounded veteran, he served 12 years of active duty and received over 20 service medals and commendations. While at Reinhardt, he was active with campus veteran events along with advocating for veteran resources, services and support systems. Wade assisted in the development of Green Zone Training at Reinhardt, which educates teachers on how to talk to, teach, and support student veterans. In the past year, nineteen faculty and staff completed training and are Green Zone certified. Wade has a particular affinity for photography. He served as a Naval Intelligence Photographer, working with Special Forces units to take intelligence photographs, and also served as an official photographer for the State Department. He was involved in military operations during the Gulf War, including Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort. He also served in Somalia, Yugoslavia, and was recalled to active duty after 9/11. After an honorable
WHAT IS
GREEN ZONE?
discharge due to multiple military injuries, Wade managed a large security company and photographed celebrities and bands. For a slower pace and to tend to his injuries, Wade moved to northern Georgia. With the encouragement of his mother, he received vocational rehabilitation services from the Veterans Administration and enrolled at Reinhardt University. “Reinhardt offers a friendly, small classroom environment that’s very conducive for veterans. It’s much more comfortable to be in a class with interaction and individual attention from teachers who are willing to go above and beyond,” Wade says. “The students have also been great and are very open.” One of Wade’s teachers inspired him to minor in creative writing. He’s now turning declassified parts of his life stories into a fictional book with a main character skilled in interpreting body language and intelligence gathering. He’s also considering pursuing grad school. Wade hopes to stay involved in campus veteran services after graduation. “I hope the Green Zone continues on, because it’s a great university and I would encourage veterans to come here.”
As a way to support and give back to those who have sacrificed for others, the Green Zone initiative supports student veterans by designating locations recognized as “safe places.” The program helps faculty and staff provide supportive services necessary to ensure that veteran students are successful in their academic pursuits, adjust to the campus environment and eventually transition to civilian employment.
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Around Reinhardt
Campu s Ne ws an d Happenin gs
Reinhardt University heard a message of inspiration last February from Civil Rights movement legend, Lynda Blackmon Lowery. Lowery has spent her life fighting for equality and has inspired others to do the same.
DELIVERING A MESSAGE OF
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Raised in Selma, Alabama, Lowery was only seven years old when her mother needed blood but was turned away from a “whites only” hospital. She died 15 minutes before “colored” blood arrived by bus from 96 miles away. Lowery says when that happened, she immediately vowed to make a change. Even as a child she knew that 15 minutes cost her mother’s life. “In 15 minutes, you can build a world, you can bring change, or in 15 minutes you can break down whatever you desire… and make it even better or worse for yourself and others,” she told the Reinhardt audience. At age 13, she heard Dr. Martin Luther King speak, inspiring her fight against segregation and prejudice. At age 14, in May of 1965, Lowery protested on what is now known as “Bloody Sunday.” Tear gas was deployed, and a sheriff’s deputy beat Lowery and other peaceful marchers. Despite 35 stitches and a total of nine arrests, she joined Dr King’s voting rights march a few weeks later on her 15th birthday. Lowery was the youngest person to walk every step of that 54-mile march from Selma to the capitol steps in Montgomery, Alabama. Later that year, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “I’m happy and proud because I went to jail, not for hurting anybody, not for taking anything
Lowery with various members of the athletic department.
from anybody, but for what I believed in,” Lowery explained. When asked about violent protests currently in the news, Lowery replied, “I am a person from a nonviolent movement. I can tell you nonviolence works.” She recalls the impacting words of Dr King, “You can get anybody to do anything with steady, loving, confrontation.” Lowrey is a recipient of the 2018 Freedom Flame Award in honor of icons of the Civil Rights Movement. She’s also received awards for her memoir, “Turning 15 on The Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Voting Rights March.” Her book became the basis for a live gospel musical which has been performed in sixteen states.
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Around Reinhardt
Campu s Ne ws an d Happenin gs THE ARTS
Anna Snider, who placed 2nd overall for the Musical Theatre Initiative and Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominee, Casey Thomas, in “Sweet Charity.”
Reinhardt Theatre Receives National Recognition
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he Reinhardt University Theatre program received a remarkable number of awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) in 2023. The KCACTF is a national theater program that encourages, recognizes, and celebrates the excellence of work produced in university and college theatre programs. Each year, it analyzes the work of approximately 18,000 students across the country and awards national recognition for excellence. Sixteen students and faculty were recognized this school year, with the spring 2023 musical production of “Once” receiving seven awards. “It is rare that we get this many, especially for sound design, stage management, and faculty,” says Professor Austin Harleson. “It was very flattering, and I’d like to recognize it was a team effort. We had a lot of moving parts that we wouldn’t normally have in a traditional production, especially because actors played a lot of their own instruments in the show and the staging was a bit different.” Those who are nominated move on to participate at the annual regional KCACTF festival. At the regional festival in February 2023, KCACTF invited Reinhardt to perform a scene from “Sweet Charity” at their closing awards ceremony, which Harleson described as, “brilliant!” Bella Scarcella advanced to the semi-final rounds for the Irene Ryan award, and Kasper Streams advanced to the semifinals for stage management. Anna Snider placed 2nd overall for the Musical Theatre Initiative and performed a solo piece in the closing awards ceremony.
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2022-23 REINHARDT THEATRE KCACTF NOMINATIONS & CERTIFICATES OF MERIT SWEET CHARITY Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominations Bella Scarcella Casey Thomas Nomination for Student Stage Management Kasper Streams TWELFTH NIGHT Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominations Julian Schwarz Makena Fosdick Certificate of Merit in Direction Austin Harleson LOVE/SICK Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominations Maddie Ross Alexis McCone Certificate of Merit in Scenic Design Morgan Brooks ONCE Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominations Nate Grisham Bella Scarcella Nomination for Student Stage Management Percy Ware Nomination for Student Sound Design Kasper Streams Certificate of Merit in Direction Austin Harleson Certificate of Merit in Musical Direction Kimberly Markham Certificate of Merit in Scenic Design Morgan Brooks
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Around Reinhardt
Campu s Ne ws an d Happenin gs
THE FALANY The Falany Performing Arts Center continues to support and uplift the institution and community by hosting world renowned artists, student performances, and enriching events such as the Bluegrass Festival. The Falany also hosts educational field trips, outdoor concerts, and the annual Santa Experience. Throughout the 22/23 Season, over 14,000 guests attended performances in Flint Hall and the University Theatre.
MUSIC THEATER EXPERIENCE New during the 22/23 Season, The Falany provided a free Music Theater Experience for local children during the summer, bringing performing arts education to the spotlight. ART GALLERY Another new feature at The Falany includes an art gallery, located on the upper floor in The Falany’s atrium. During the 22/23 season, four installations rotated through the art gallery, bringing vibrancy to the venue. 2023-24 SEASON During the annual “Sneak Peek” of the 23/24 season, over 1,050 guests attended the four sessions throughout the day. Guests were treated to a video presentation of the upcoming season, and those that joined with a Patron Membership were given the chance to purchase 23/24 Season tickets in advance. While at “Sneak Peek,” guests spent time with friends planning which concerts to attend and taking photos at The Falany selfie wall and were treated to a catered reception. There was so much excitement for several shows, including “The Lettermen” and “The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Christmas,” that select performances sold out to Patrons that night. Reinhardt University and the entire Falany Performing Arts Center team thanks each of you for allowing us to bring the arts into Cherokee County, and are extremely grateful for your time, support, and friendship. We look forward to seeing you during the 2023/2024 season!
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PERCUSSION PLAY
THE ARTS
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akalani (Mack) Jefferson’s passion for music and the education he has received at Reinhardt is evident on his face as he expands on the experience that brought him—and keeps him here. Jefferson says that Reinhardt’s percussion ensemble feels like family. “I know everybody personally in the ensemble. We’re all great friends, and we play really well together. It’s that family aspect that drew me in and keeps me here.” Jefferson’s journey in music started while in middle school, first playing saxophone, and then moving to percussion. The fact that percussionists are required to play a variety of instruments such as timpani, marimba, xylophone, world percussion instruments, snare, drum set and more appealed to him. “I wanted more of a challenge, and for me, that challenge was percussion.” When it came time to go to college, Jefferson decided to follow a music path. Starting college at Kennesaw State University (KSU), Jefferson didn’t find what he was looking for in their music program. “It felt like we were all pieces of a puzzle, but we didn’t fit into the same puzzle.” He wanted the space to dig into his craft and grow into the musician and educator that he aspires to be. “I don’t want to feel like a number, I want to be a member of a program. I can
do that here.” After transferring from KSU, Jefferson feels encouragement and support from his professors and appreciates the challenge from the Reinhardt program that allows him added opportunities. “Here I can go and talk with my teachers if I have a question, I can even go and talk with Dr. Tarrant (the Dean of the School of the Arts) if I have a question.” Jefferson already feels the growth happening
“It’s that family aspect that drew me in and keeps me here.”
in his professional life as well as his academic life. “I have been able to dig in over this past year not only with my playing but with my teaching.” Working with Dennis Naughton at Sequoyah High School, Mack is the Battery Coordinator in the Marching Band program. He also assists with the North Georgia Youth and Wind Symphony where 80 students from all over North Georgia come to practice and perform on the weekends at the Falany Performing Arts Center. “It’s amazing to watch and be a part of it” Jefferson says. As a student who is learning to be an educator, Mack expressed that the challenge and care that his professors take not only in the music that he is teaching in the high
school, but in his own learning process as well, is substantial. “Having someone there in front of me telling me that this part I am teaching is okay to do, and if everyone is learning fast enough, give them more. And as the kids ask for more, I have learned that they are getting better.” Over the summer, Jefferson marched in Drum Corps International, which is considered “Marching Music’s Major League” and next year has already been contracted to be part of the tech/educational staff. He was the only percussionist from Reinhardt selected to go. An all-around musician and community member at Reinhardt, Jefferson is currently in the pep band, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble and the trumpet ensemble. He also serves as a Resident Assistant on campus and enjoys the social opportunities that being a part of living on campus affords.
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RU Alumni
To learn more about events, alumni gifts and more, visit reinhardt.edu/alumni
W
hile studying at Reinhardt, and for many years before, Beatrice Blalock ’23 worked as a paralegal. She loved working in public defense but wanted to make a switch to a local level of politics and government. Since driving past campus in 1996, she knew someday she would attend Reinhardt University. Once her family was raised, she was able to focus on herself and her education. Blalock’s dream became a reality. And in her senior year at Reinhardt, she spent three months at the Georgia State Capitol for a noteworthy internship. Blalock served as an intern in the offices of State Representatives J. Collins (R-District 71) of Carroll County and Bill Werkheiser (R-District 157) of Evans County. Blalock commuted five days a week and says it was worth it. Collins and Werkheiser are Chairs or Chairpersons of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee and the Industry and Labor Committee. Her work focused on establishing meetings, tracking of accounting, observing the process of laws being made in the legislative session, and utilizing her paralegal background to conduct research projects for policy analysts.
The Capitol internship exposed Blalock to all types of government jobs. She’s particularly interested in lobbying and her favorite part was networking, “I got to meet a lot of people. I was able to ask how they got to where they were. It gives you an idea of what you need to do as well. They seem to love lobbying and have fun while believing in what they’re pushing.” Blalock graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and a minor in international relations. She says being in her 40s and around good people helped her succeed, “This was such a good experience. Being older is a benefit because maturity helps with focus level. I didn’t feel out of place. I don’t think I would have been able to survive at a large school. The students were wonderful to me, and I adore my advisor. He inspires me.” Blalock also highlighted her Reinhardt experience of visiting the Houses of Parliament in London during a summer school trip to London. She looks forward to finding an exciting new opportunity after graduation, “I’m not expecting to be rich and famous, but I want to be able to leave this earth and leave even the tiniest mark and know I did well.”
Older student Beatrice Blalock ’23 graduated from Reinhardt with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and a minor in Reinhardt’s celebratory international relations. “Being older Springbecause Day 2022 washelps complete is a benefit maturity with focus level.”music, pies and goats! with rides,
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CAPITOL DREAMS
B E AT R I C E B L A L O C K ’ 2 3
ELIZABETH GIBSON ’10
Reaching New Heights in Diverse Talents “Reinhardt helped me personalize my education to reach my career goals.”
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ot only is alum Elizabeth Gibson ’10 an emerging researcher, author and award winner in the field of biochemistry, she still makes time for her passion for music at her local church and taking flying lessons on the side. Gibson came to Reinhardt as an undergraduate because she didn’t want to choose between studying music and biology, a choice that other schools might require. Her professors worked together to create a schedule that allowed her to major in sacred music while filling course requirements for a bachelor’s in science and preparing her for admission into pharmacy school. Outside the classroom, Gibson stayed busy as a piano and organ player, Campus Ministries intern, and Reinhardt Admissions Captain. While taking potential students on tours around campus during her time as a captain, Gibson enjoyed sharing her unique experience. “I loved being able to tell my story of my dual science and music pathways,” said Gibson. “I want others to know that Reinhardt helped me personalize my education to reach my career goals.” After Reinhardt, Gibson went on to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Lipscomb University and a PhD in Pharmacology from Vanderbilt University. Her work at Vanderbilt contributed to the first antibacterial drug approved in the last 20 years for urinary tract infections. She’s now working to find medications to help treat cancer without decreasing a patient’s quality of life with side effects. She has traveled to New Orleans and Washington, D.C. to present her research, and is the author of a chapter in the book, “Antimicrobial Resistance in the 21st Century” (Springer Cham, 2018). When she’s not in the lab, Dr. Gibson spends her time mastering new instruments, including the dulcimer, banjo and accordion. She is also now working to obtain her private pilot license. Dr. Gibson is the fulfillment of Reinhardt University’s hope for our alum—that they use their diverse talents to impact the world in positive ways.
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RU Alumni L I N D S AY H A R R I S ’ 2 2
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indsay Harris, Intelligence Unit Manager at the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, is one of the ten honorees of residents under age 40, considered to be emerging leaders over the next decade. Nominee criteria include professional achievements, professional goals, and community activities. Harris recently earned her Master’s in Public Administration through Reinhardt University’s Executive Command and Leadership Program. Previously, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kennesaw State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. For over five years, Harris has been employed by Cherokee County after serving as a criminal intelligence analyst at the AtlantaCarolinas High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Desiring to bring her intelligence function to the local level, Harris has worked to build what is now known as the MultiAgency Criminal OKEE COU ER TOP Intelligence Unit, which serves all jurisdictions IN within Cherokee and Pickens HONOREE Counties through digital forensics, E R O F O M M C investigative support, and crime analysis. She has received numerous awards and commendations for her work in the intelligence field. She is also a proud wife and mother of two children. “It is an honor to be named as one of Cherokee County’s Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals,” said Harris. “Five years ago, I was hired by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office. Through hard work, dedication, and a strong academic foundation, I now manage an entire unit of highly skilled professionals who continue to provide valuable intelligence and keep Cherokee County the great county that it is. I am grateful for all the support from Reinhardt University’s Executive Command and Leadership program, the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, and my family.” B
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MICHAEL GOODROE ’16
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Q: How old will you be next year? A: I will be bigger and stronger. Reinhardt University graduate, Michael Goodroe might have had uncommon answers to questions when he was young, but this uniqueness helped him overcome obstacles throughout his life. He also credits Reinhardt as helping him become the success he is today.
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ichael Goodroe was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. He had poor motor function, did not test well, and struggled with social skills. His parents were told he couldn’t go to school and had no chance for an independent life. Fortunately, his parents didn’t accept those limitations. They set achievable goals and activities. One by one he met them. “My life has always been the tortoise and the hare. I was always leaps and bounds behind everybody else, but despite it all I gained a sense of persistence. I learned to never give up no matter what I wanted to achieve,” Goodroe explained at a seminar, “I thought I could achieve greatness, that I could be anything I wanted, and I set out to do just that.” After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of West Georgia, he enrolled in night classes at Reinhardt University where he earned a Master of Business Administration in 2016. He wanted to learn the business side of owning a comic book company and Reinhardt was the ideal place for him to attain that goal. “Reinhardt University provided me with an amazing opportunity,” Goodroe says, “I dedicated time and energy
“I thought I could achieve greatness, that I could be anything I wanted, and I set out to do just that.” to every class.” For 18 months, he applied the instruction in each class to his fictional comic company, including learning marketing, finance, and human resources. “I learned so much in this program, and it introduced me to the realities of owning my own business one day.” His mother Joane Goodroe added, “It was a wonderful experience because that’s when it became obvious he had a strength in speaking… when he would do a class presentation he stood out.” Michael Goodroe agreed, “When I finished the program, I was prepared to add motivational speaking to my work life and began working on my book, ‘What Autism Gave Me, A Devastating Diagnosis to a Triumphant Life.” His heartfelt memoir was published in 2018 and still receives rave reviews.
It documents Goodroe’s obstacles, objectives, and accomplishments in a powerful reminder that the will to achieve is stronger than any diagnosis. He reinforces the notion that attitude is a better predictor of success than IQ: Have a mindset that you believe you can improve and have supportive people around you to help you succeed and you will. Goodroe is now 35 years old and works in healthcare data processing in Woodstock, Georgia. He is also a motivational speaker, sings publicly, and has a third-degree black belt in karate. Joane Goodroe wants people to know, “No matter what you’re up against, there’s hope. There’s hope for everybody. It’s not the challenges that define you, it’s getting around those challenges. You don’t have to be good at everything to
be successful.” She also emphasizes how vital it is for parents to get their children tested for disabilities and find a workaround before frustration sets in. A diagnosis prompts schools to make accommodations such as longer testing time and help with notetaking. She says Reinhardt University was very helpful in understanding his way of learning and meeting his needs. “He’s made it to something I could never have imagined. He’d been pigeonholed as having a low IQ and I want people to see he has the ability. He’s a better public speaker than most people. It’s just amazing.” Michael Goodroe concluded, “I am grateful for the support and encouragement I received from Reinhardt University’s professors.” In turn, Reinhardt is grateful to have been a part of Goodroe’s life journey. REINHARDT | FALL 2023 | 15
RU Alumni TONY WELDON ’79
UNIFICATION & UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ART
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ince graduating from Reinhardt in 1979, Tony Weldon has encouraged the unification and understanding of all people and their backgrounds. He spreads his message through art. Weldon chose Reinhardt in 1977 after entering an art show and was offered a scholarship. “I got to go to Reinhardt which was a good experience. It’s a good way to learn how to be on your own, how to manage your time, and get your work done. It’s a good place to grow up.” Weldon later earned a Fine Arts degree from Ringling College of Art and Design. For a while, Weldon enjoyed doing drawings for medical books and advertising for Home Depot but wanted his art to tell stories. Harley-Davidson Art provided an outlet for his digital art to tell a story worldwide. But as he learned more about his family
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heritage, and the tribulations of his great-grandmother being a full-blooded Cherokee, he found his true passion. “That got me started doing more Native American art trying to tell the story of the Native American people, all different tribes and how they’re just like everyone else. They have families. They have love. They have dreams. They have to work. And family is just very important to them.” He hopes to see a nation where all tribes are unified, as no background is any more important than another. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian has one of Weldon’s graphite illustrations in its permanent collection. Two other drawings are a permanent part of the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA. Some of Weldon’s paintings can be seen at High Country
Art in Ellijay and other works are displayed at the Red Cloud Indian Arts Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL. Weldon’s fondest memory of Reinhardt is of the camaraderie in the art classes and of his professor Curtis Chapman. At a reunion in 1989, he says Chapman offered the opportunity to have an art show on campus, and that became his first one. Weldon also became a guest teacher for a week, which gave him a taste of teaching art. Weldon now lives in Florida, teaches part-time at the Art Institute of Tampa, and still does lots of painting. He has words of encouragement for students, “Always draw. There’s always time to do a drawing, even just a quick sketch. If you don’t use it, you will lose it, that’s the honest truth. And always be open to new ideas. Don’t take any criticism personally. It’s just somebody’s opinion. And most of the time it’s very helpful.” This November, Weldon looks forward to National Native American Heritage Month when he will be the featured artist for the City of Tampa. He’ll also help set up Tampa’s exhibit for that event which showcases the background of tribes including the Seminoles and Cherokees. REINHARDT | FALL 2023 | 17
SPECI A L A DMISSIONS SECTION
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“I’m elated to receive this prestigious NEH grant and to have the opportunity to create classes that will engage Reinhardt students in our local environment.”
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MINOR
Dr. Donna Coffey Little
Reinhardt receives National Endowment for Humanities Grant
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National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Connections Grant has been awarded to Reinhardt University and will be used to create a new environmental studies minor that will integrate the humanities and biology. The minor will focus on the ecosystems of North Georgia and the interactions between nature and culture in Southern Appalachia. For instance, students will take a class on the ways that the Cherokee people used plants as medicine. Professors Dr. Donna Coffey Little and Dr. Zach Felix are co-directors of the grant. The minor is called “HERE: Humanities and Environmental Studies” and will consist of a sequence of five HERE classes. The acronym HERE emphasizes the fact that all of the classes will have an experiential component. Students
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will visit sites such as Reinhardt’s own Burgess Arboretum, the experimental chestnut grove at Flint Farm, and the Staraland Conservation Area on Pine Log Creek. The first courses will be offered in the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. Coffey Little is looking forward to being able to make this concept a reality saying, “I’m elated to receive this prestigious NEH grant and to have the opportunity to create classes that will engage Reinhardt students in our local environment.” For instance, in spring 2024 she will teach a course called Forest Lore in which students study forests from the perspective of mythology, history and botany. Reinhardt University is one of only five grantees in Georgia to receive this award.
Nursing Students Exceed State and National Averages Since the inception of the Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences in 2018, Reinhardt nursing students have exemplified excellence with a 92.5% pass rate of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Three of the seven classes have a 100% pass rate. Small class sizes and facultystudent relationships are credited for this remarkable accomplishment. Both percentages are well above state and national averages. In addition, every 2023 graduate received at least one job offer. This fall, The Cauble School of Nursing and Health Sciences launched its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. The 5-semester 100% online program prepares graduates to work in the field of nursing education. Assistant Professor of Nursing, Kimberlin Zelinsky explains the program’s approach to entrance requirements, “We recognize that the quality of a student and the quality of a future nurse is more than just GPA or standardized test scores. We also consider other aspects of a student’s
potential when we make entrance decisions. We recognize and educate the whole person and work hard alongside them to reach our high standards to achieve such high pass rates.” Graduate Casee Disharoon ’23 is a testament to the benefits of small group learning and the care of the instructors, “I never imagined having this kind of relationship with the faculty. It makes me emotional because I succeeded due to their help and encouragement.” Teaching methods at Reinhardt are also committed to real-life clinical experiences. The program offers experience in a diverse range of healthcare facilities and environments. Students are in a hospital setting in their first semester. The clinical experiences range from community settings to large metro trauma centers. Students even complete a full rotation in critical care and emergency nursing, which isn’t provided by all nursing programs. Zelinsky encourages anyone undecided in their career to consider nursing. “Nurses are in high demand. There are so many career opportunities in a huge variety of settings. The sky is your limit if you become a nurse.”
RU’s New Academic Structure The new school year introduced the start of a new structure of academic schools.
Dr. Linda Morgan continues to lead the Cauble School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Dr. Joe Mullins leads the McCamish School of Business and Professions as well as all online degree programs.
Dr. Fred Tarrant is over the School of the Arts, which includes Communication and Media Studies, Theatre, Music, and Art.
Dr. Ken Wheeler heads the College of Humanities, Sciences and Technology, which houses the Price School of Education.
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R U Ac a d e m i c s
New Scholars Program supports extraordinary students
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he Emily Dickinson poem, “I Dwell in Possibility” resonates with Dr. Amy Cottrill, the director of Reinhardt’s new Scholars Program. “Is there anything better than that? It is so hopeful. Sometimes we shut down options in our own minds before we even attempt them in the world. When I hear President Roberts’ description of Reinhardt as a place “where diverse talents grow together,” I hear possibility. One of Reinhardt’s great strengths as a school is that the students are not all cut from the same cloth. My hope is to be able to work with everyone: students, faculty, and staff, to build a Scholars Program that supports and attracts students who see and value the different ways people
Cherokee Voice Project
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“My hope . . . to build a Scholars Program that supports and attracts students who see and value the different ways people are talented and are energized by those differences. environment.” Dr. Amy Cottrill
he University received a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant for the Cherokee Voices Project. Jeff Bishop, the Director of the Funk Heritage Center and Professor of Public History at Reinhardt, developed the project with a goal of transcribing thousands of claim documents filed by citizens of the Cherokee Nation, prior to the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. Andrew Jones, Ph.D., a Post-Doctoral Teaching Historian at Reinhardt University, has been leading the Cherokee Voice Project since August of 2022. The grant allowed Jones and Bishop to hire three interns to help with this extensive process. RU Seniors Kamille McKinney, Sydney Murray, and Christopher Walker, along with Jones, shared their research to a wider audience 20 | REINHARDT | FALL 2023
are talented and are energized by those differences.” The new Scholars Program is focused on supporting extraordinary students whose academic, talents, engagement, and life experience position them for leadership at Reinhardt and beyond. In addition to receiving scholarships, this highly select group will meet regularly to reflect on the work they are doing, ask questions of each other, offer support, and make decisions about how they want to invest their time and energy in the future to make the most of their opportunities at Reinhardt. This academic year, 36 students were selected after a highly rigorous process of application, essay writing,
at the Georgia Associate of Historians (GAH) annual conference at Valdosta State University. The findings include insight into the agricultural production by Native Americans, and what they owned and wanted reimbursement for such as land, livestock, and tools. Stories of how the Cherokee Indians arrived in Georgia, and their forced relocation are also being discovered. “There aren’t a lot of accounts from the Cherokees themselves, so these claims give us a native voice, or an indigenous perspective of the removal period,” says Jones. “One thing that shocked me is when we realized the Cherokee lived in places like Shoal Creek and Lost Mountain Creek, two communities walking distance to campus… It’s not just about the past, but where we are today. Part of the roots of this place are the indigenous people who came before us and were forced by the Georgia government, and
N OYC E SC H O L A R S H I P
and interview. Each student received one of the following scholarships: Presidential, Sharp, Diverse Talents, Goizueta, and Lettie Pate Whitehead scholarships. Dr. Amy Cottrill, Director of the Scholars Program, describes the hopes for these students’ experiences, “As they move through their four years, the questions about the future become different, so we also want to offer support for thinking about life after Reinhardt. That involves learning to tell the story of your education and connecting the dots in a meaningful narrative that helps you understand the significance of your education and what you have to offer various communities in the future. It is about making meaning out of experience.”
RU Seniors Christopher Walker, Kamille McKinney, and Sydney Murray.
by the federal government, to abandon their homes to make way for white settlement,” explained Jones. Jones and the students will spend the remaining months of the ‘22-23 school year transcribing and digitizing more claims. The transcriptions were then transferred to the Trail of Tears Association website. They hope their work will continue to be used by future scholars to understand the history of Cherokee life in Georgia.
Macain Pharr
MAJORS: Math and Secondary Mathematics Education Macain Pharr, a junior and dual major in math and secondary mathematics education was awarded the coveted Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship. He says he is grateful to have learned of the scholarship opportunity that improves pathways for qualified STEM teachers from his professors and for the assistance they gave him during the application process. As an award recipient, Pharr will attend seminars and conferences to help prepare him for his chosen field. The Noyce Scholarship program seeks to increase the number of STEM K-12 teachers to teach in high-need school districts. His ideal position after graduation is to work at his alma mater, Cherokee High School, or at his middle school, (Teasley Middle School) which both meet the Noyce Title 1 requirements. Previously a commuter from Canton, the twenty-thousand-dollar award allows Pharr the financial ability to live on campus this year. He looks forward to being in the middle of everything and enjoying the campus more. A natural athlete, Macain played baseball with the Eagles for two seasons but is now focusing on his academics while also playing in a golf league. “I love math and I can get a scholarship from something that I love” Pharr says. He’s grateful to have found that opportunity at Reinhardt, “When I hear ‘Home,’ I think of Reinhardt. When I hear ‘Family,’ I think of the Price School of Education. Reinhardt is where my success becomes our success.”
“I love math and I can get a scholarship from something that I love.”
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R U Fa cu l t y BERGMAN PRIZE WINNER
PUBLISHING
Laura Newbern ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
Master of Fine Arts in Creative writing
Little Secures Publishing Deal for Her First Novel Dr. Donna Coffey Little PROFESSOR
Master of Fine Arts in Creative writing
Dr. Donna Coffey Little is anticipating the publication of her first novel. Titled “Wofford’s Blood”, it is being published by Mercer University Press in the fall of 2024. This adds more publishing success to the MFA faculty who are all published authors. The book is historical fiction, telling the story of real-life characters and their family who lived in North Georgia in the 19th century. The real-life Wofford family was of mixedrace white and Cherokee. It follows a teenage boy who goes back and forth between his white father’s settlement and his Cherokee mother’s village,
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pulled between what each wants him to become. The boy’s two best friends are also mixed race - one is a cousin who is half Cherokee, and the other is African American and Cherokee and is enslaved by the Woffords. It follows their choices in the years leading up to the Trail of Tears, when the cousin remained, identifying as white, while the main character chose the Trail of Tears and embraced his Cherokee identity. Dr. Little is planning for a four-book series that will follow what happens in their lives, the choices they make, and the outcomes. Writing is a passion for Dr. Little. Trying to balance writing with teaching, she has to make an effort to set aside time, but also makes writing worthwhile for her students. “I have to carve out time since I have a fulltime job. I try to set my schedule so I have time to write. My happy place is doing the writing. It’s also good for my students. I’m able to give them examples from my writing process and show them my drafts and how they evolve. It helps them as writers to see what I’m doing. It helps them accept that things don’t always come out perfect the first time.” Dr. Little did extensive research on Cherokee culture and history to ensure the accuracy of her book, including relatives of her characters, “I’ve tracked down descendants of a lot of my characters. It’s been fun because sometimes they give me information like family stories, but sometimes I give them information they didn’t know.”
Changes Press recently announced the winner of its Bergman Prize. Poet Laura Newbern, an adjunct Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing professor at Reinhardt was chosen out of nearly 1,200 submissions. The Changes Book Prize awards $10,000 and a publishing contract to the author of a first or second collection of poems in the spring of 2024. The winning poet also receives national distribution, publicity, and a book launch event in New York City. Newbern won for her second collection of poems, titled “A Night in the Country.” Her first poetry collection, “Love and the Eye,” was a finalist in the same competition last year when the prize was first debuted. Being the winner is an especially exciting honor Newbern says because the judge was poet Louise Glück, whose honors include the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Pulitzer Prize. Previously, her first book was selected by Claudia Rankine for the Kore Press First Book Award, and she was also the recipient of a Writer’s Award from the Rona Jaffe Foundation. Newbern says she enjoys the summer residency at Reinhardt due to its intimate workshop setting and lively schedule of visiting writers. She added, “I see the students’ work getting sharper and gaining the tools to become better critics of their own efforts.” The poet says her third book is underway and that she’s her own biggest critic.
Shaw Earns Education Pillar Award for her work with children’s choirs
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he Good Shepherd Clinic presented Professor of Music Dr. Martha Shaw the Clayton County Education Pillar Award for 2023. The award recognizes Shaw’s 29-year commitment to children’s choir and her work with Spivey Hall. Her work with children representing 19 counties to perform with her has led her to the establishment of three choirs at Spivey Hall, including one that is one of the best in the country. She accepted the honor at the Pillars Fundraiser, which helps fund healthcare provided to the medically uninsured at the Good Shepherd Clinic. Shaw reflects, “The most important thing that I intended to do with this choir was to create beautiful people at the same time that we were creating beautiful music.” She continues, “For the community to recognize that we have done that, and that we have contributed well to the education of children of Clayton County, just thrills me and is more than I could have asked for.” Shaw is known for positively influencing students, serving the underserved, and bringing about positive changes to Clayton County, Georgia. Over the years, the Spivey Hall Children’s Choir has performed with the Atlanta Symphony, at the Vatican, Carnegie Hall, on The Great Wall of China, in the Beijing concert hall, and
The Young Singers of Flint Hall recorded four CD’s. Their biggest accolade is the American Choral Director’s association where under Shaw’s direction, they’ve performed at national conventions three times. Not only does Dr. Shaw inspire excellence in singing, but she teaches them life lessons every week. “I encourage my children to be people who love making themselves the best they can be,” she explains, “We train character and integrity, and teach success in life. They know how to meet people, travel, and roll with the unexpected. They are the most marvelous kids. They’re kind, thoughtful, caring, smart, fun, and funny. I train them as if they’re my own. I have kids with good hearts. I’m not looking for a perfect voice, I’m looking for a good heart.” Dr. Shaw has been teaching for 42 years, with the last 11 years as Choir Director at Reinhardt.
With enthusiastic support from Reinhardt trustee Dr. Austin Flint and his wife Bea, Dr. Martha Shaw has started a children’s choir hosted by Reinhardt University, The Young Singers of Flint Hall. Flint Hall, the concert hall in the Falany Performing Art Center, is named in honor of the Dr. Austin and Bea Flint family. The Flint Family bestowed the generous contributions to Reinhardt University for the hall and its custom pipe organ. Performances for the Young Singers of Flint Hall (YSFH) will be at the FPAC: Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 7:30pm, and Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased through the Falany Performing Arts Center webpage located on the Reinhardt University website.
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R U Fa cu l t y
J
oel Langford, Director of Library Services at Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center, retired last spring after 38 years of dutiful service at Reinhardt University. Langford humbly recounted upon his time at RU, describing his role as taking place behind the scenes. He is appreciative whenever he receives a thank you note from a grateful student or faculty member. “To get some recognition is affirming we are doing what we need to be doing. But we don’t care about having big glory,” Langford said. “Big glory,” however, is something Langford
deserves after helping the University flourish for almost four decades. Langford started his career at Reinhardt in 1985 after receiving his Master in Librarianship at Emory University. He appreciated that Reinhardt was small, friendly, and felt that it was a beautiful place to begin his career. Reinhardt’s affiliation with the Methodist Church also appealed to Langford, as his father was a Methodist minister. As time passed, Langford further grew connected to the campus when he met and married his wife, Sheila, Reinhardt alum class of 1991. He and Sheila planted their roots in
Reinhardt Librarian Joel Langford Retires after 38 Years of Dedicated Service
the surrounding area of the campus and made it their home. In the 1990’s, Langford gained the unofficial title of University Historian. The university president at the time, Floyd Falany, asked him to make a presentation to the Cherokee Historical Society on the history of Reinhardt College. “At the time, we had one section of one shelf with unorganized archives material in boxes,” Langford explained. “So, I did that presentation, and as time went on, I started delving more into the history, grew the archives, and did more in-depth history and presentations.” Today, Langford leaves
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behind an extensively detailed archive of Reinhardt’s records, none of which would have been possible without his efforts in research and conservation. What Langford finds most endearing about Reinhardt are the challenges the school overcame in its early years, as well as the vision of Captain Reinhardt and Colonel Sharp for the children of the area. Despite fires and natural disasters, the school persevered. “It’s just amazing that the school grew from what was basically an elementary through high school into a university over time, up here in the back woods of northern Georgia.”
Over the years, Langford oversaw renovations and major transitions in the library. He recounted that one of the biggest changes he experienced was in technology. He guided the move from paper materials like books, magazines, and card catalogs, to standalone computers with monthly floppy disk updates. Eventually, Langford even helped the library implement the more complex technology that is commonplace today, such as the internet, e-books, online research databases, and more. When asked to recount one of his most memorable moments on campus, Langford described the day when the Gordy Hospitality House was brought to campus in 1991. Transported in three separate pieces, the house was physically relocated from Piedmont Road in Atlanta to the campus of Reinhardt. Langford says it was quite an exciting event, as he saw the house being transported while having lunch at the Gordy Dining Center. He also mentioned that he enjoyed being a part of Reinhardt’s transition from a two-year college to a four-year college, to a university, the growth of degree options, and the tripling of enrollment. What is Langford’s vision for Reinhardt’s future? “I want to see it continue to grow. It’s been amazing the last 15 or 20 years, but I’d like to see us grow and have not just a state or regional, but a national reputation as a good school.” Upon retirement, Langford plans to travel west to visit national parks with his wife and catch up on his reading. “Librarians are too busy to read, so I have a stack of books at home waiting for me to retire.” Langford is a fan of Mark Twain, who wrote his favorite quote, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” Reinhardt University is sincerely thankful for Langford’s dedicated service and wishes him the best in his retirement.
Wrestling Hall of Fame
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einhardt Wrestling Head Coach, Jeffrey Bedard was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Georgia Chapter in April 2023. This honor recognizes his lifetime of service to the sport of wrestling and his dedication to all the student athletes he has guided over the years. His successful career includes coaching on the club level, high school level, and collegiate level, consistently producing great wrestlers who win titles. Coach Bedard’s history in the sport began as a youth wrestler. He went on to become an All-American National Champion in college. He wrestled while serving in the military, becoming a Freestyle World Military Champion and three-time U.S. Armed Forces Champion. Coach Bedard started Reinhardt’s program, turning it into a powerhouse that finishes in the top 10 every year with the highest finish being ranked #3 in the nation in 2020. Other accomplishments include coaching 23 All-American Athletes and 34 Academic All-Americans, being named Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year five times, and being named twice as the NAIA National Coach of the Year.
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RU 140
Reinhardt Celebrates 140 years with a Continued Legacy of Learning, Serving, and Leading The Reinhardt University beloved and experienced today stands on the shoulders of the institution’s founders, past leaders, educators, students, alums, community members and donors. Over the course of 140 years, so many people have contributed to the success of the institution that it is near impossible to narrow the list to a few who have made a lasting impact to highlight in one article. If for only the sake of space in these pages, here are several leaders whose impact continues to be felt every day.
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140
Reinhardt Celebrates years with a Continued Legacy of
Learning, Serving, and Leading The Reinhardt University beloved and experienced today stands on the shoulders of the institution’s founders, past leaders, educators, students, alums, community members and donors. Over the course of 140 years, so many people have contributed to the success of the institution that it is near impossible to narrow the list to a few who have made a lasting impact to highlight in one article. If for only the sake of space in these pages, here are several leaders whose impact continues to be felt every day.
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REINHARDT’S FOUNDERS
The Reinhardts and Sharps Reinhardt’s establishment was born from compassion and service to others after the Civil War when few opportunities for education existed for those suffering in profound poverty. It started with two families, the Reinhardts and Sharps, and a vision.
The Reinhardts and On the early success of the Sharps were from the school, Bowling Yates North Georgia. writes: “In 1900 Waleska Augustus Reinhardt’s had a population of 170. father Lewis W. Because of this limited Reinhardt (for whom population, only limited Augustus the school is named) patronage for Reinhardt Reinhardt settled in the area in the might have been expected. But mid 1830s and established a in 1900 the enrollment was 215.” church, Reinhardt Chapel. Both However, even in the midst of John and Augustus served in the school’s growing popularity, the Civil War; John attained the the economic panic of 1893 hit rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and Augustus Reinhardt hard, and Augustus the rank of Captain. he lost his real estate fortune. The conception of a school in The school building they created Waleska began around a fireside survived, but growth of the chat in 1883, with John Sharp, school seemed difficult without Augustus Reinhardt, Mary added space. John Sharp passed Jane Reinhardt Sharp (sister of away in 1896, but years later, Augustus), and Ramsey Colquitt Mary Jane Reinhardt Sharp, a Sharp (young son of John and former schoolteacher herself, Mary Jane) present. was determined to do what she With a mission in mind and could to help the school she loved passion in heart, Augustus survive. She donated her family Reinhardt appealed to the North farm to help sustain the school Georgia Conference of the where her son Ramsey Sharp had Methodist Church to explain become president. The gift was plans for a school and to ask their momentous and helped grow the support by appointing a preacher school into a college. In fact, the and teacher to lead the school, core of the campus that is now backing it himself with a salary Reinhardt University was once offer of $1,000. The Conference the Sharp farm and is due to the agreed. A graduate of Emory generosity and service of Mary University, Reverend James T. Jane Reinhardt Sharp. Linn was sent as the first teacher and the school opened its doors in January of 1884 as a grammar (elementary) school and academy (high school).
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oday, the Price School of Education continues in the vein of service and learning that was top of mind in that first fireside conversation of the need for educating all children. This year, the Price School celebrated the successes of its twenty-five graduates, all of them having secured teaching positions by the start of the 23-24 school year—many of them in Cherokee County.
RU 140 PHILANTHROPIST AND TRUSTEE
Samuel C. Dobbs: Leading by Example
Samuel C. Dobbs, a name well recognized today as the namesake of the Samuel C. Dobbs Science Hall, Reinhardt’s oldest existing building, paved the way for Reinhardt’s progress.
The Sharp Scholarship program, named in memory of co-founder Mary Jane Reinhardt Sharp, is given annually and is the second highest academic award that can be obtained. According to current Reinhardt University President Dr. Mark A. Roberts, “Sharp Scholars engage in a cohort experience where they can network and partner with university leaders — who become their mentors — during their time at Reinhardt. With their mentors, they engage in meetings and discussions about their interests, map a plan for their time at Reinhardt and create personal and professional goals... Sharp Scholars have tremendous opportunity to build on their experiences, extend networks of connections and relationships, and gain a certification that translates well into their professional lives.”
With the road paved by leaders and donors such as Samuel C. Dobbs highlighting the importance of math and science in the multifaced foundations of learning, Reinhardt has created the successful Cauble School of Nursing thanks to generous contributions by the Cauble family and this year created an articulation agreement with Kennesaw State University for an expedited bachelors to masters degree program. This program will increase STEM-prepared individuals for current workforce needs.
Dobbs was the nephew of Asa Candler, founder of the Coca-Cola Company. He grew up on a farm in west Georgia. When Candler bought the formula for what would eventually become Coca-Cola, Dobbs helped mix syrup and fill barrels. He worked his way from being a salesman to sales manager and eventually became the company’s president. As a supporter of Methodist higher education, Dobbs took an interest in Reinhardt, joining the Reinhardt College Board of Trustees in 1923. He was named president of the Board in 1927, and he remained an active member of the Board until his death in 1950. During his association with Reinhardt, he was a generous contributor supporting operations, and the establishment of several endowments. In addition to regular financial contributions to Reinhardt and active involvement, Dobbs contributed to many other projects across the campus including financing the construction of a new science building of native stone said to be fireproof in 1926. “The S.C. Dobb Vocational School,” as it was originally known, was furnished with modern scientific equipment and laboratories. The building still serves as the main hub for science classes and laboratories.
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Burgess (middle, right) with three students on graduation day.
Samuel C. Dobbs, as the Chairman of the Board of Reinhardt offered Dr. J. Rowland Burgess the job as president of Reinhardt University in 1943 at a time when the institution suffered from the economic effects of World War II. Burgess recounts Dobb’s offer in his autobiography: “If you will take the presidency of Reinhardt College and do what has to be done to keep it alive, I’ll pay the deficit every year as long as I live, and I will leave the school $200,000.” Rowland Burgess did just that, and much more.
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uch is the case of 2023 graduate Rafael Pais who moved across the Atlantic Ocean to play soccer while earning a degree at Reinhardt. Pais is from Switzerland, and during the last school year alone, was one of 55 international students from 22 countries currently attending the university. Pais says a heavier course load at Swiss universities doesn’t allow time to play a competitive sport. Reinhardt University offered him the opportunity to be on the Eagles soccer team while getting his degree. Without ever visiting Georgia, Pais enrolled. Less than six months later the midfielder was named Offensive Player of the Week by the AAC. Twice he made the all-conference team. Moving around the world, with few supplies, no familiar faces, and English as a second language is not easy. However, Pais says the kindness of people at Reinhardt made all the difference in settling in, “I thought people back home were nice, but southern hospitality is unmatched. On my first full day on campus, someone I didn’t know took me shopping. I don’t know if that would have happened back home.”
THE 15TH PRESIDENT
J. Rowland Burgess Challenge and Care
Becoming immersed in Burgess’s writings, the common theme that rises to the surface in most everything he wrote is devotion to the greater good and hard work. That spirit is still alive in Reinhardt’s current educational ethos, “To Do the Real Work for the Good Life” and values of “Learning, Serving, and Leading.” In fact, the opening quote that Burgess used in the forward of his autobiography was a subtle remembrance of the mark he made. It was from the German Naturalist, Alexander Von Humbolt: “I would like to think that on my route I have left some trace of my passing.” Students and faculty who knew President Burgess during decades of his leadership attest to the fact the man was not separated from the ideals that he penned. Even though originally, Burgess thought that he was called into the ministry, the work he believed most in manifested itself in the role of president of Reinhardt College. He states in his autobiography: “It was very clear to me. ‘This is it! Here is your call! Your work can be beneficial to mankind and pleasing to God.” Burgess led in partnership, rolling up his sleeves and diving into work on a campus that he saw as a raw palette. As Dr. Mark A. Roberts states, “It is gratifying to know that all of us at Reinhardt continue to live under the shade of the trees that President Burgess planted, literally and figuratively.” In Burgess’s statement that he wrote in 1952 for the academic catalog, he asserts, “Reinhardt College seeks to serve, not only those in the immediate section, but also those from other communities, other states, and other lands.” This service that he seemed so devoted to developing at Reinhardt was a direct result of the love that he poured into that commitment. In 1971 he wrote, “I challenge you to join with me and let us everyone join together to prove the power of love to make Reinhardt a friendly place in which good men work together not just for their own peace and happiness, but for the peace and happiness of all men throughout the world.”
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“Reinhardt College seeks to serve, not only those in the immediate section, but also those from other communities, other states, and other lands.” – J. Rowland Burgess
One of the many trees Burgess planted on the Reinhardt Campus.
During his 28-year presidency, (1944-1973) Dr. Burgess planted more than 550 trees and 800 shrubs. According to Paul Pugliese, County Extension Agent of Cherokee County, the Burgess Arboretum is said to be one of the finest collections of plants on the Eastern seaboard. Reverend Dr. Robert Lee Crawford Sr. who graduated in 1973 recalls rolling his sleeves up alongside the president. “I was also able to work with Dr. Burgess and help plant some of the trees on campus. Reinhardt was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have gone there. It was a place that I could call home, and I was able to make lifelong friendships and memories.”
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In addition to visiting scholars throughout the academic year, the Gordy Hospitality House hosts summer gatherings and readings held in conjunction with the University’s lowresidency MFA program in creative writing.
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he vitality of these spaces, the learning inspired, and camaraderie imbued keeps the Gordy’s vision alive. Reinhardt University remains honored by their thoughtfulness and cherishes the involvement and generosity of the Gordys through their daughter’s (Nancy Gordy Simms, former trustee) continued support. Like Nancy Gordy Simms, so many current leaders, donors, faculty, staff and alumni continue to ensure Reinhardt’s success. Their good works can be witnessed in board rooms, offices, classrooms, and throughout campus. The names of Reinhardt champions are emblazoned on buildings, grounds, programs, and benches. They serve as markers of celebrations and hard-won successes over the last 140 years and reminders to all to work in the service of others.
Frank and Eveyln Gordy Love and Lasting Devotion In the early 1920’s, two young high school students, Frank Gordy and Evelyn Elizabeth Jackson, met at Reinhardt Academy. They didn’t date while in school, but years later reconnected with similar memories of their time at Reinhardt. Frank proposed where they met— Reinhardt University, in the very spot where the Evelyn Gordy Hospitality House sits today.
After Frank Gordy and Eveyln Gordy’s success in business via creating the largest drive-in restaurant in the world, The Varsity, the couple became faithful contributors to Reinhardt University. Even though Evelyn was very active in several different foundations, it was reported by the Atlanta newspaper that “Her first love, however, was for Reinhardt College. Before Mr. Gordy’s death, he and Evelyn funded the construction of the [W. Frank and Evelyn J. Gordy Center].” Evelyn’s loyalty to Reinhardt became a focus of her giving. She even donated their house that once stood in Atlanta on Piedmont Road, which they lived in for
fifty-three years. In October of 1992, it was moved to the place where it sits now as the Evelyn Gordy Hospitality House where events and guests can fellowship and stay on the campus grounds. Bishop Joel McDavid, in presiding over the dedication stated, “Evelyn has located her heart in two places—her home and Reinhardt College. Today in this dedication we are not talking about relocation—we are talking about blending those loves together in a common heartbeat. This house, with all of its beauty and all of its warmth, has been a home for her family. It has not lost its place of importance for her— only expanded.”
RU 140
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Every year, students gather in the Gordy Center for the annual International Culture Festival. Last spring, thirty-five countries were represented by students and faculty, showcasing food, drinks, dancing, musical performances, and informational displays. This annual event is an excellent community gathering of the university’s diverse talents and cultures.
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RU Sports
GO EAGLES | Follow us on
TRAINING THE
NAVY SEALS WAY WO M E N ’ S S O CC E R
The Reinhardt women’s soccer team members completed an elite training program led by retired Navy SEAL Jason Kuhn and his company Stonewall Solutions. The program, “The Fundamentals of Winning,” is a nationally recognized training system utilized by professional athletic programs such as the Atlanta Braves.
The program teaches Navy SEALS methodology used to enable high performance in stressful combat situations. Along with psychological training, the players engaged in rigorous physical challenges such as log carrying and tire flips. One of the team captains, Aryn Parrish ’24 reacted, “Working with Jason Kuhn was a moving experience. He taught us vital lessons to apply not only on the field but in life as well. I really enjoyed his emphasis on “controlling the controllable.” That is something that will stay with me for years to come.” Co-captain Ella Higdon ’24 said, “Being mentally tough and having the right attitude can help inspire your team to be the best team it can be. Every time we compete, we should try to be the best version of ourselves not just better than our competition.”
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CHEERLEADING SQUAD Standing (left to right): Tyler Ingram, Lanie Roland, Hanna Ward, Kaylin Jinks, Jonathan Paramore, Victoria Cantrell, Bella Krauth, Kyra Lightner, Gabe Anderson. Kneeling: Katrina Jernigan, Olivia Kirby, Alexis Griffith.
CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY (CHEER)LEADER
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shining example of diverse talents and learning, serving, and leading can be seen in Eagle athletes such as those cheering for our football team. Three males and four female cheerleaders are also wrestlers and softball players. One example Tyler Ingram ’24 from Rome, Georgia is a wrestler. He also is making his mark as a leader on campus, in the community, and in the athletic arena as well. In the classroom, Ingram is a psychology major who hopes to earn a Master of Business Administration at Reinhardt and work in Human Resources. Around campus, in addition to being an athlete, he is a resident assistant, served three years with the Student Government Association (including as president), and was on the leadership teams of Campus Ministries and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Ingram has wrestled since he was a freshman and recently joined the
cheerleading squad. He says he has a great time cheering at football games, and the training and body movements help him stay conditioned for wrestling. The wrestling team ended up last season placing third at the AAC championship tournament on February 18, in Marietta, as well as several athletes placing nationally and being named NAIA All-Americans and NWCA scholar allAmericans. Ingram had a record of 13-6. Through the religious-based organizations he has gotten involved in on campus, Ingram has found connections with other students he might not have known otherwise. He says, “I pray over everyone who attends and hope to make them feel welcome. The weekly events at Reinhardt give everyone a place and a presence where their burdens, struggles, and pain can be dropped, and they can be with God.
Through FCA I have seen an increasing number of athletes who want to follow God and be in his presence.” As SGA President, Ingram says, “I really enjoyed SGA because I got to make so many connections with faculty, staff, and students by giving speeches, and representing students. I enjoyed all of us coming together weekly to get feedback and have conversations about how we can better Reinhardt and make students’ lives better.” Ingram gives credit to other athletes on campus for getting him involved in each of his activities and wants to be encouraging to other students, “When I was a freshman, I only did wrestling, but I wanted to do more and become a better person and be more open but didn’t know where to go or what to do. It took other leaders reaching out to me to suggest trying new things… Everyone on campus is very welcoming. Reinhardt is like a family.” REINHARDT | FALL 2023 | 35
RU Sports
SOAR
GO EAGLES | Learn more about our teams at reinhardteagles.com
Reinhardt Eagle Athletics
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or the third time in the history of Reinhardt University Athletics, the Eagles brought home the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy. The award recognizes the AAC team with the most successful all-around sports program for the year 2022-2023. Reinhardt won four regularseason championships in football, softball, and men’s and women’s lacrosse. Fifteen other Eagles’ teams also had outstanding seasons, finishing in second to fifth place. “This award honors the remarkable achievements and dedication of our amazing student athletes, our incredible coaches, and our talented staff,” said Director of Athletics Jeffrey Pourchier. “We are very proud and thankful to receive this award as it recognizes the overall strength and depth of our athletic program. To have so many teams compete at the NAIA Championship events is truly outstanding.”
Reinhardt Wins 2022-23 Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy
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IN MEMORIAM
Alan D. Allen Robert D. Andrew
IN LOVING MEMORY Of Friends and Loved Ones of the Reinhardt University Family
Wilmer D. Bentley Jackson P. Braddy Ann Bradshaw Robert D. Brantley Sadie R. Bryan David D. Carden Breanna L. Chadwick Charles K. Cobb, Jr. Bob Conner Barbara B. Cox James D. Crawford Markey L. Crowe Bennie Darnell Philip Dorris Glenn Florence Laura J. Fountain
Honoring Board Members Cobb & McClure
Louise W. Fronebarger
Charles K. Cobb, Jr.
A. G. Harvey
A longtime Reinhardt Trustee and friend, Charles K. Cobb, Jr. passed away on August 21 at age 88. Mr. Cobb was an active member of our Board of Trustees for 50 years, joining in 1976 during his father’s term as Vice Chairman to honor a cause that his family cared so deeply about. In addition to his Trusteeship, he served on Reinhardt’s Executive Committee and the Finance Committee, eventually serving as Chairperson. At the time of his death, Mr. Cobb had established plans for Cobb Park on campus, signifying the pride that he felt by being such an integral part of Reinhardt’s legacy.
George McClure
Mr. Cobb and his family’s love and commitment to Reinhardt have been an essential part of Reinhardt’s growth and overall history. Mr. Cobb was born in Canton, the son of Charlie K. Cobb and Alice Enloe Cobb. He graduated from Canton High School, Darlington School, Georgia Tech ‘56 (Senior Class President), Harvard Business School (MBA), and Woodrow Wilson College of Law (JD ‘68). He proudly served for three years as an officer in the US Air Force in Germany. Reinhardt will forever be thankful for the Cobb family.
It is with deep regret and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of George McClure. Mr. McClure was a lifelong resident of Cherokee County and served as an ex-officio member of the Reinhardt University Board of Trustees. Mr. McClure was a strong advocate for Reinhardt through his contacts in the business community and civic organizations and he shared his expertise through his service on the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Mr. McClure was instrumental in establishing the Water Treatment Facility for Reinhardt’s campus, which allowed us to expand residence life. The facility is thus named in his honor. The Reinhardt community has lost a dear friend.
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Kalah R. Gill Marsh G. Green Paul Hawley Martha Jane Hendrix Mary Johnston George A. Jones Louann Jones Doris A. Jones Steve A. Kirk Martha J. Lancaster Richard K. Marion Robert F. McDowell Jr. Jackie McEntire Neil B. McGahee Ruth McIntire Sven G. Mossinger
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ur students benefit from academic and extracurricular programs that are engaging, challenging, and personal — making the Reinhardt experience an investment that yields positive returns in their lives long after graduation. Together, with your support, we can continue to offer the richness of a broad, liberal arts education coupled with specific professional preparation found in cocurricular enrichment opportunities, challenging research projects, rewarding service initiatives, exciting internships, and life-transforming studies abroad.
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Reinhardt’s nursing program offered experiences in the classroom and in the clinical setting that have prepared me for my career after graduation. My professors believed in me, and they gave me the extra boost of confidence I needed to know that I could go through the rigorous nursing program.”
CHECK | Payable to Reinhardt University Mail to: Office of Advancement | Reinhardt University 7300 Reinhardt Circle | Waleska, GA 30183
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STUDENT: FACULTY RATIO
98.6%
OF REINHARDT STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID
92%
OF STUDENTS WERE EMPLOYED OR STARTED GRADUATE SCHOOL WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION
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Every professor I’ve encountered has been committed to helping students learn and apply what they have learned beyond the classroom.” Sal Castillo ’24 REINHARDT | FALL 2023 | 39
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