From the President
The Fall Semester is off to a great start, as we have started our 152nd year at Shorter University.
Shorter’s well-qualified, Christ-centered faculty and staff continue to embody our mission of Transforming Lives throughChrist as we welcomed back over 1,000 students.
We continue to move forward with projects, including a brand-new weight room. As our Athletics Program continues to grow, our current weight room is becoming too small. We want to expand that area to help comfortably accommodate our growing programs.
All of our projects would not be possible without generous donors who continue to show us support. We appreciate all they have done for our University and what they are continuing to do.
This magazine serves the purpose of providing an update to all Shorter University supporters. We want you to see what our campus is doing, how we are supporting our students, how excellent our programs are, and most of all, we want to show you how we are continuing our mission of Christ-centered higher education,
We ask you to continue to support our University as we move forward. Please pray that student lives will be transformed by the power of Jesus Christ.
Make plans to join us at our upcoming events. Homecoming Weekend will be November 1-2, and we are inviting all Shorter University Alumni to join us. The Seventh Annual President’s Gala will be on December 5, and we are welcoming Hollywood Star, Kevin Sorbo as our guest speaker.
In Christ,
Dr. Don V. Dowless President
1,322 TOTAL ENROLLMENT
892 TRADITIONAL STUDENTS
158
40+
HAWKS ON MISSION SETS RECORD ATTENDANCE
Hawks on Mission Day set record attendance for their fourth annual Day of Service. 330 volunteers Shorter University students, staff, faculty, and alumni spread throughout Rome completing different service projects.
This Day of Service was started in 2021, by two students who had a passion for giving back to their community. Hawks on Mission has continued to grow and has become another way for all Shorter University personnel to minister to our local community.
Shorter University’s concept of Transforming Lives through Christ, includes the lives of students, staff, faculty, and the local community.
This year, volunteers were able to help with various projects at Johnson Elementary School, Unity Christian School, Restoration Lindale, the Hospitality House, North Broad Youth Center, Harbor House, United Way, Restoration Rome, Loving Others Ministry, Chieftains Museum, C.A.B.S Autism and Behavior Specialist, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, as well as serve local Rome residents.
“It has been a great privilege to watch Hawks on Mission
Day grow at Shorter,” said Dr. Don Dowless, Shorter University President. “This Day of Service is a wonderful privilege for our students, employees, and our alumni to give back to the community. At Shorter University we hope that students’ lives are transformed through Christ, and they can then go out and help by being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.”
ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT
Alumnae Bethany Purdue Mull (‘23) and Sydney Holden (‘23) are the founders of Hawks on Mission. The Day of Service was started in 2021 when these students had the desire to show the love of Christ in Rome and put their passion to work.
The Advanced Production class spent the spring semester recreating Survivor with unique Shorter University twists on the reality show.
We sat down with Professor Katherine Blair, who teaches the class and directed the show, to get the inside scoop about the show and the efforts behind it.
“Advanced Production is a course where students create short films, act as crew members and audition actors, all while using a student-written script. Last semester, I decided to challenge the class and go a different direction. This was our first attempt at creating a reality series; hence the title ‘First Attempt’ for the title. The Survivors (cast) had to meet with me and be approved for the show. The crew members worked with cameras, sound, and props.
The experience was unique in that the cast learned so much about themselves and their abilities beyond what they thought they could do. The crew was challenged with filming whatever happened because it was not scripted. There were no rehearsals, and the crew had to keep up with the Survivors. One of the funniest moments came in episode four when a box of donuts blew off the table and the box itself flew right into the challenge area, and we just went with it. The students learned teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills.”
- Katherine Dudley-Blair Professor of Communication Studies
MEDICAL AND DENTAL SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE
Over the past five years, Shorter has had an 84% medical school acceptance rate and a 90% dental school acceptance rate.
The Ware School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics helps prepare students to take their next steps after graduation, preparing them for the future.
Over the last few years, alumni have been accepted into programs at the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee, Mercer University, Augusta University, the University of Alabama Birmingham, Georgia Tech, and Johns Hopkins University.
RENOVATED LABS
Ware Hall now has state-of-the-art labs; these first-rate facilities better prepare our students for their careers. This project was a part of the SUForward Campaign. See more about this campaign on page 20.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
The Ware College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics hosted its fourth annual Science Olympiad competition. One hundred and thirty-five middle school students flooded the campus with simple machines, handmade rockets, and amazing displays of scientific prowess in February.
The Science Olympiad focuses on improving the quality of K-12 science education by increasing opportunities within the sciences, creating a technologically literate workforce, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers.
The newly renovated Ware Hall was put to the test as middle school students utilized the classrooms and labs, testing their displays.
It is an honor for Shorter University to be able to host one of the regional events and give back to the community. Shorter University students, staff, and faculty volunteered to help with the event.
BLESSING OF THE HANDS
The Ben and Ollie Brady School of Nursing is committed to training quality nurses who love Jesus Christ.
Shorter’s nursing students receive rigorous training and are fully equipped to serve the needs of our community.
This past spring, twenty-six students graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Each BSN graduate takes part in the Nursing Pinning Ceremony.
The ceremony is a celebration of a student’s completion of Nursing School and honors their transition into their new profession.
The ceremony is a special tradition for Nursing Students across the nation, but Shorter’s ceremony has an extra special part.
At the end of the ceremony, nursing graduates stand in front of their loved ones, holding out the hands that will soon serve others, and they are then prayed over.
A faculty member leads the group prayer, but other guests are encouraged to take part in this blessing.
This is the last step in preparing our students before they graduate and head out to serve their local communities.
HEALTHCARE GRANT
Shorter University is honored to have received a grant of $150,000 from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation.
The Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation is a supporting organization that primarily provides financial support to the health care ministry of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
The foundation holds charitable assets in which funds are expended in the form of grants supporting health care needs that benefit organizations within Georgia.
In 2024, the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation was able to award $8,417,791 to 81 organizations across Georgia. Over the last nine years, the foundation has been able to make a difference in 5,007,575 lives.
The University has been impacted by this $150,000 grant for many years, and this year we were fortunate to receive the additional $50,000 for nursing student scholarships.
“Shorter University is grateful to have received this grant again,” said Dr. Dowless. “We are blessed to be a part of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and to work alongside the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation. Our University is thankful for the foundation helping us move forward.”
OUTSTANDING TEST SCORES
After Nursing Students have recieved their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), they undertake professional licensure to offiically start their Nursing Career.
Graduates must take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to get their license.
The NCLEX pass rate for 2023 was 85.71% and 92.31% for 2024. Our four-year NCLEX pass rate average is 84.73% .
6,000 MILES FROM THEIR CLASSROOMS
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE TRIP
In March of this year, two Shorter University professors took their class on an extraordinary experience trip, almost 6,000 miles from their traditional classrooms.
The group headed to Ghana for business leadership opportunities and a chance to share the love of Christ while there.
Dr. Amanda Gentry, Assistant Professor of Business, and Dr. Michael Ross, Department of Sport Management Chair and Associate Professor, were the leaders of this experience.
“I was so proud of our students, to see how grounded they were in their faith, and watch that come to fruition throughout Ghana,” said Dr. Ross. “It was more than we could have anticipated, and it has been so fun to see our students once we got back and to see how their perspectives have changed. This is a passion project for us, not only for our students to be able to see other parts of the world but also to gain a deeper perspective on things that matter.”
A NEW HOME
For many years, the College of Business was located across the street from the main Shorter University campus. Last year, the lower level of the SheffieldThompson building was renovated to house the College of Business, allowing easier access to classes for students.
The College of Business had their first full semester in their new location this past spring.
These two professors saw this as a unique learning opportunity for their students and made the trip a reality.
“When I first came to Shorter, I recognized an opportunity to empower the lives of our students through the development of a Global Experience Trip, said Dr. Gentry. “Therefore, I developed a program that blended the aspects of a study abroad trip with the purpose of a mission trip. Students get the opportunity to travel globally and develop a robust worldview while also gaining academic credit for their work.”
The team consisted of ten people, including the two professors, six students, and two community members. While in Ghana, the team had the chance to visit various local businesses, a local school, and even went sightseeing.
The Shorter University College of Business will be hosting this trip annually and will be returning to West Africa in 2025. Please keep them in your prayers.
MOVING FORWARD
The Thornwood Campus is home to the School of Education, as well as the Ben and Ollie Brady School of Nursing. Many students flood this campus every day for class and parking areas were unable to accommodate the student vehicles.
The University recognized the need and began the Parking Lot Project which added additional parking on the Thornwood Campus. The lot was finished over the summer, and now provides students ample places to park.
Now that we are well into the fall semester, staff, and faculty have noticed the impact of the new parking lot. Students are speaking about the difference the lot has made in the new semester, and staff and faculty can echo that.
“The new parking lot on the Thornwood Campus has been extremely beneficial as we kick off a brand-new semester,” said Dr. Dana King, Dean of the School of Education. “Our other lots were at capacity and overflowing due to our continued growth. We welcomed 47 new students to the School of Education this semester and cannot wait to see how God uses them for His glory in our local schools. Our local school districts, including Rome City, Floyd County, Bartow County, Calhoun City, Gordon County, Chattooga County, Polk County, Darlington Schools, and Unity Christian School, have been vital in supporting our growth and welcoming our students for field experience and clinical practice this year. All in all, it is a great day to be a Shorter University Teaching Hawk!”
TAKE FLIGHT
The Shorter University School of Education has a variety of innovative programs, including the “Take Flight: Interns as Teachers,” also known as TFIT.
TFIT is an initiative to help meet workforce demands of our partnerships districts, including Rome City and Floyd County Schools.
Students in TFIT are seniors who have been rigorusly vetted in areas such as content knowledge, professional dispositions, and pedgagogical skills.
Qualified students may accept jobs as teachers, paraprofessionals, or long-term substitutes during their student teaching experience.
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
School of Education undergraduate students are spread throughout the local community completing their clinical practices.
This past spring, 42 seniors completed their clinical practices in several partnership districts including Rome City, Floyd County, Calhoun City, Gordon County, Bartow County, Polk County, and Chattooga County.
PARAPRO PROGRAM
The School of Education has a variety of innovative programs to help meet the needs of our neighboring school districts. Along with the TFIT program, they also offer the Paraprofessional to Teacher Pathway.
This program allows students to complete courses in the evening and online to earn teacher certification while serving as paraprofessionals.
It allows graduates to double their salaries upon graduation as they move from a paraprofessional position to a certified teacher position.
FACULTY HIGHLIGHT
We highlight Dr. Dana King, Dean of the Shorter University School of Education.
Dr. King is a Shorter University Alumnae, and graduated with her Bachelor of Education in Middle Grades Education in 1993. She obtained her Master of Education in Interrelated Special Education from Kennesaw State University in 2004, and recieved her Doctor of Education in Teaching and Learning from Liberty University in 2012.
Dr. King has been at Shorter for many years, first serving as a Professor and now the Dean for the School of Education.
“It is an honor to have Dr. King here at Shorter,” said Dr. Dowless. “Dr. King exemplifies the mission of advancing God’s kingdom through the ministry of Christ-centered higher education. As Dean of the School of Education, she has led her faculty to establish the premier Teacher Education Program in the state of Georgia. She is passionate about working with her students to fulfill their calling to be teachers in our community.”
SCHOOL OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
SOLD OUT CHORALE ON TOUR
The Shorter University Chorale has started a new tradition and has been hitting the road for Tour each Spring Semester.
During the beginning of Spring Break, the Chorale ministers in local churches.
This past spring, they headed throughout Northeast Georgia and even made one stop in Tennessee. Their tour spanned over five days, and their stops included Rome, Ringgold, Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Calhoun, and Chattanooga.
The Chorale will be back on tour in the Spring of 2025.
PIANO PROJECT
The Shorter University Edith Lester Harbin Music Department began a three-phase project in 2019 that helped refresh its Piano program.
The first phase of the project focused on practice rooms, and phase two included installing new hammers on Brookes Chapel’s Shigeru Kawai Concert Grand.
Phase three began in 2023 and had the goal of fully rebuilding the Steinway Concert Grand. This piano holds a prominent place in Brookes Chapel and was given in 1982.
The newly rebuilt Steinway Concert Grand Piano was delivered to campus earlier this semester and returned to Brookes Chapel.
The Shorter University Theatre department has been busy presenting phenomenal musicals. Over the last year, they have put on a variety of musical theatre performances and have sold almost every single ticket.
In January, they put on Gianni Schicchi. In early April, they performed Doctor Faustus. Each performance was a hit, and left the crowd in awe.
The group anticipates a stellar year and has recently released its 2024-25 Season Schedule.
This year, the group will be performing Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing, Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Roger Bean’s The Marvelous Wonderettes.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE!
FACULTY HIGHLIGHT
We highlight Dr. Bryan McDonald, Director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of Music and Worship Leadership.
Dr. McDonald has served since 2006 in various positions as worship pastor, conductor, vocalist, and educator. Before coming to Shorter, he served as adjunct music professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary teaching in the areas of worship, conducting, and voice.
“It is an honor to have Dr. McDonald as a Professor here at Shorter,” said Dr. Dowless. “He does an excellent job directing the Choral Activities and is passionate about leading his students to fulfill their musical callings. Dr. McDonald strives to help us fulfil our mission of Christcentered higher education.”
ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS
NEW ATHLETIC TEAM
In April, it was officially announced the addition of a new athletic program, Men’s Wrestling. We are glad to see the athletics program continue to grow as this will be the twenty-first sport offered here at Shorter University.
The Athletics Department has been hard at work preparing for the new athletics team and is excited to welcome a brandnew coach to help initiate the program.
Andrew Colborn is the Head Wrestling Coach for the new team. Colborn brings years of experience to the program.
“I am very excited to have been named Head Wrestling Coach at Shorter University,” said Coach Colborn. “I first off want to thank President Dowless, and Athletic Director Richard Hendricks for this opportunity and for believing in my vision for the Shorter wrestling program. I am looking forward to working with the wrestling student-athletes as well as the campus community. Above all, I am grateful God has blessed me with this new journey.”
CONFERENCE CAROLINAS
Shorter has officially began its competition in Conference Carolinas this academic year.
The new conference brings new competition to our athletic teams. It allows us to play teams of similar size and ability, making it an equal playing ground.
Visit goshorterhawks.com for Athletic Schedules, Rosters, and News. Or scan the QR code below.
Conference Carolinas Members: Barton College
Belmont Abbey College
Chowan University
Converse University
Emmanuel University
Erskine College
Francis Marion University
King University
Lees-McRae College
University of Mount Olive
North Greenville University
Shorter University
Southern Wesleyan University
University of North Carolina at Pembroke Young Harris College
COMPLETED PROJECTS
RENOVATED LABS THORNWOOD PARKING
BEN BRADY FIELD
GYM FLOOR
FUTURE PROJECT
WEIGHT ROOM
Our current weight room is too small for our growing athletic programs. The new weight room will be a two story, 8,000 sq ft addition to the Winthrop King Centre.
The first floor will be dedicated to heavy weight equipment with a training turf that will accomodate our current needs as well as provide a space for future growth. The second floor will provide additional training, classrooms, and office space.
SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE SUFORWARD CAMPAIGN OR TO MAKE A GIFT!
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT
We highlight Shorter University Alumni, Dr. Joe Tanner. Dr. Tanner graduated from Shorter in 1968 with a degree in Elementary Education.
Dr. Tanner resides in Villa Rica, GA, where he has served as the Pastor for Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for the last 17 years. This year, Dr. Tanner celebrates his 60th Pastoral Anniversary.
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church recently celebrated its 175th Anniversary. The church has been serving the community of Villa Rica, Georgia since July of 1849. Their first building was destroyed by a storm in 1913, but four months later its current building was dedicated. Many improvements have been made since then including a paved parking lot, a play yard, and a free-standing fellowship hall.
Dr. Tanner has been an outstanding Shorter University Alumni. He has served on our Board of Trustees since 2016.
“Dr. Tanner loves this University and we are honored for him to be an alumni, as well as a Board of Trustee member,” said Dr. Don Dowless. “Dr. Tanner is a wonderful example of an alumni who loves their school, who loves Jesus Christ, and who shows their continuedsupport. We appreciate all Dr. Tanner does for our University and his community.”
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT
We highlight Shorter University Alumni, Dr. Jeffrey Rice. Dr. Rice graduated from Shorter in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry.
During his time at Shorter, he was involved in Delta Sigma Phi, Shorter Orientation Staff, and Residence Life. He also enjoyed trips to Ossabaw Island with the science faculty and classmates where they bonded in God’s creation.
After graduation, he worked as a Lab Professor for Georgia Highlands College and as an Admissions Counselor for Shorter University. He then went on to study at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated in 2018 with his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Rice completed his residency at Oklahoma State University Pediatrics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2021. He now works as a Pediatrician at Warren Clinic Pediatrics Springer. He says that Shorter has helped him keep a faith-based approach to medicine with all of his patients.
Dr. Rice was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumni Award in 2021.
“Dr. Rice exemplifies what it means to be a Shorter University Alumni, said Dr. Dowless. “We are proud to see all he has accomplished since graduating from Shorter, and we appreciate his continued support to his alma mater.”
PRESIDENT’S GALA
The President’s Gala is an annual event hosted by Shorter University. This event is a special night for our guests to come together and celebrate the impact they are helping us make in the lives of our students. All proceeds from the event go to the Student Scholarship Fund.
Hollywood star, Kevin Sorbo will be the featured speaker at Shorter University’s 2024 President’s Gala on Thursday, December 5.
Sorbo is a committed Christian who shares the love of Christ through his movies, his charitable efforts, his speaking engagements, and his personal life.
Kevin Sorbo is best known for his roles as Hercules in the television series Hercules, the Legendary Journeys, as Captain Dylan Hunt in Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, as Professor Jeffrey Radisson in the film God’s Not Dead, and has been a driving force in Hollywood for over three decades.
In 1997, during his tenure as the strongest man in the world, Sorbo suffered three strokes resulting from an aneurysm in his left shoulder. He tells the compelling story of his grueling recovery in his book, True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life. The recipient of numerous professional awards, Sorbo was honored by Movie Guide for “Most Inspirational Performance of the Year” for What If. His tremendous performance in God’s Not Dead, which was dollar-for-dollar one of the most successful Hollywood films ever, transformed and refocused the Hollywood star. Speaking publicly as a stroke survivor inspired him to talk more openly about his views on life. Passionate almost to a fault, in 2019, Kevin was the third-highest fundraiser for pro-life causes in America.
Continuing in his dedication to advancing the gospel, Sorbo directed and starred in the feature film, Let There Be Light, which he co-produced with his wife, Sam, and Dan Gordon. The team’s second movie together, Miracle in East Texas, hits theaters this fall. The Sorbo’s homeschool their three children in Florida.
HOMECOMING
All Shorter University alumni are invited to come back to The Hill and join us for Homecoming Weekend. It is going to be a weekend full of alumni receptions, sporting events, and fellowship. The weekend events are now complimentary, thanks to our generous Homecoming Sponors.
So gather your fellow alumni, bring your families, and join us on The Hill for “Falling for Shorter.”
To RSVP for your complimentary weekend, please visit shorter.edu/ homecoming or scan the QR code!
HEY ALUMNI,
Whether you graduated four years ago or forty, you can look back and see the impact that Shorter University made in your life. It could have been a professor who prepared you for your career, a person you met who is now your spouse, or a scholarship you received that allowed you to graduate debt free.
While it is fun to reminisce, we are now calling you to commit to #SU4Life. This commitment allows you to impact the lives of students who are just like you. You could be the reason a student receives a scholarship. You could be the reason a student’s life is transformed by Christ. Or you could be the reason a student comes to Shorter University.
Join us in committing to #SU4Life and impact your life, current students’ lives, the lives of future generations. Make an eternal impact for Jesus Christ.
As the Director of Alumni Relations, I love connecting with Shorter University alumni. Whether you need assistance, want to know what is new on campus, or want to update us on your recent accomplishments, I am here to help.
INVEST IN THEIR PLANNED
Planned giving allows anyone to make a substantial income or financial status. It is a way to level the playing philanthropist and make a difference. And it provides
- A planned gift allows you to shape your own legacy mission.
- It allows you to make a far bigger impact than annual
- A planned gift allows us to continue our mission far difference today.
Talk with our Office of University Advancement about that lasts. Contact Dr. Ben Bruce at bbruce@shorter.edu
THEIR LIVES
PLANNED GIVING
contribution to Shorter University — regardless of playing field, giving everyone a chance to become a provides significant financial benefits to you as well. legacy — all while helping us to achieve and expand our annual gifts of cash. far into the future, even while it helps make a about how planned gifts can help you build a legacy bbruce@shorter.edu or 706-292-3900.
