The Hawkeye Spring 2025 by The Hawkeye magazine

The Hawkeye Spring 2025

College of Business students and professors participate in a mission trip to Ghana.

THE HAWKEYE Spring 2025

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Scarlett West

STAFF WRITERS

Mckenzie Livingston

Natalie Tankersley

Scarlett West

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lori Black

Katherine Dudley Blair

Katherine Cash

Dr. Amanda Gentry

Brianna Johnston

Kaitlyn Laramie

Ryland Murray Shorter Public Relations

Natalie Tankersley

Dr. Earl Kellett

Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences & Professor of Christian Studies

Dr. William Mullen

Chair, Department of Communication Studies & Professor of Communication Studies

Melissa Baskin

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies & Faculty Advisor

Communication Studies

@comstudiessu

Cover photo by: Dr. Amanda Gentry

Table of contents photos by: Natalie Tankersley and Scarlett West

Back cover photos by: Scarlett West

04-05

In Loving Memory of Catherine Rowan

Catherine Rowan, a sophomore pre-nursing major and proud member of Zeta Tau Alpha, passed away on March 10, 2025. To honor Catherine, The Hawkeye staff dedicates this magazine to her memory.

6-7

FCA Holds Student-Led Night of Worship

Hawks On Mission Celebrates Its Fifth Annual Day of Service

8-9

Students Choose Andrea Moss for The Hawkeye Faculty Award

Shorter Students Published in the Walnut Branch Magazine 12-13

14-15

Business Faculty and Students Serve Overseas in Ghana

Students Produce New Short Film: Rough Day

The Hawkeye magazine is a student-produced publication from the Department of Communication Studies at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia. Adobe Indesign is used for the magazine design. Issuu is the digital publishing platform used to distribute the magazine.

In Loving Memory of Catherine Rowan

Shorter University students suffered a devastating loss this semester because of the passing of beloved friend and classmate, Catherine Rowan. She was a sophomore pre-nursing major. On March 10, 2025, it was discovered that Catherine had passed away in her sleep in her dorm room. As the news began to spread throughout the campus, it was as if a dark cloud had settled over everyone. The somberness persisted throughout the week as vigils were held, memorial services were put together, and games were played in her honor.

Rowan’s dream was to become a pediatric nurse and work for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta when she graduated. As someone who was intimately aware of the impact that health problems had on families, she frequently told her friends about her plans for taking care of the family as well as the children. Rowan was inducted into the Nurse’s Honor Guard at her celebration of life service.

While her ambitions kept her busy, Rowan was never too busy for her friends. She was a proud member of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries and the Line Dancing Club. She loved to attend Shorter University’s theater performances and hated to miss a student life event. As time passed, friends of Rowan often gathered to share fond memories of her and talk about their relationships with her.

Hannah McDuffie, a senior psychology major and member of Rowan’s Bible study group on campus, had recently offered Rowan a place as a bridesmaid in her wedding. “Catherine was more excited than anyone else that I was getting married,” McDuffie said. “She made me feel so loved and cherished. I was so blessed to be able to love her, too.”

Rowan joined her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, in September 2024. She had recently been installed as the Vice President of Academic Achievement and Vice President of Administration. Her love for her sorority and pride in her sisters was apparent whenever she talked about them. “Catherine finally ‘running home’ was a long time coming,” current Zeta Tau Alpha President Natalie Tankersley remarked. “Catherine had been attending our events for a whole year before we finally got to bring her home. It didn’t take long before she was the center of everything. I loved her so much. I will spend the rest of my life trying to love people as honestly as she did.

“When I called her about giving her a ‘bid,’” Zeta Tau Alpha’s previous Vice President of Recruitment Lindsay Chisenall, a senior elementary education major, said, “she was so excited. Since she was a ‘snap bid,’ I reminded her that the other girls wouldn’t know what ‘bid’ they received until they opened their envelopes, and she would need to

Mattie Day (left), a senior marketing major, and Rowan (right), a pre-nursing major get ready for ZTA’s semi-formal event.

Photo by: Natalie Tankersley

act surprised. She promptly informed me that she was an experienced actress. I knew then that she was going to fit in.”

Jordan Kierbow, a junior elementary education major and Rowan’s big sister in Zeta Tau Alpha, posted on social media in remembrance of her. “My sweet little Catty-bug, the brightest ray of sun, the smile you need to see every day, the center of our Kappa Chi chapter, the laugh you need, and the princess everyone loves,” she wrote. “Heaven got a little sweeter when you entered those gates.”

“Catherine was an incredible friend. She always made you feel like you were the most interesting person in the room. Our chapter will never be the same without her,” Tankersley said in a statement to the student body at Rowan’s memorial service. “She was the best of us. Our open motto is to seek the noblest. Catherine was everything a Zeta Tau Alpha member was meant to be. We miss her.”

Shorter students are not the only ones missing Rowan. Mr. Chris Cole, Shorter University’s postmaster, was good friends with her. “She used to appear at the corner of my service window and just say ‘hey’ out of the blue, and I would jump like she had scared me. We’d give each other a hard time for a few minutes, and then poof, just like magic, she’d be gone,” he recalled. “She used to come in on Fridays and give me a hug to hold her over until she could come see me again on Mondays. I miss her,” said Cole.

Above all, Rowan had an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. Always quick to remind her friends of their connection through Christ’s sacrifice, her love for God was present in every part of her life. At her celebration of life service, Rowan’s church notes from the day before were on display. Her final written words were “I am not in charge of the door. God is.” Through every challenge, Rowan put her trust in God’s plan over her own. This is her legacy at Shorter University. She taught her friends to love one another better, to cling a little tighter, to take more than enough pictures, but most of all, she reminded us that God’s plan will always be so much greater and grander than our own.

By: Natalie Tankersley

Tau Alpha celebrate the success of the 2024 Big Man on Campus pageant. Photo by: Kaitlyn Laramie

Catherine Rowan (left), a sophomore pre-nursing major, and sophomore communication studies major Natalie Tankersley (right) enjoy Zeta Tau Alpha Valentine’s Day. Photo by: Katherine Cash

FCA Holds Student-Led Night of Worship

Shorter’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) hosted a men’s and women’s night of worship. Both had a great night of worship, student testimonies, and guest speakers.

The goal of FCA is to lead every coach and athlete to pursue a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The organization seeks to do this through outreach events and intentional discipleship. At Shorter University, FCA has come alive with new student leadership and the support of Liz Barnes, FCA area representative, and Shorter Head Football Coach Zach Morrison.

Over the past two years, Barnes and FCA Intern Katie Jones, a junior Christian Studies major, have assembled a student leadership team consisting of nine current Shorter University students, including student-athletes. Barnes’ and Jones’ vision for FCA is to foster a culture of faith and discipleship among the university’s athletes. To achieve this, the leadership team organizes events, hosts discipleship groups, and aims to engage students across campus with the gospel.

This year’s worship nights were the second of their kind and are well on their way to becoming a Shorter FCA annual event. When asked about the worship nights’ impact on students, Jones said, “I’ve seen the ministry foster a sense of community, spiritual growth, and unity among athletes and their teams. These nights serve as a reminder that faith isn’t just something practiced in isolation but is meant to be shared with others. God made us for community, and we need each other.”

Each worship night was led by a worship team and featured student testimonies. For the women’s night, junior biology major Claudia Loyola and junior psychology major Katrice Ferrell took the stage to share their stories of how the Lord has moved in their lives. They were followed by Assistant Professor of Biology Andrea Moss, who shared a brief message about Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. When asked about the impact of Moss’ testimony, Barnes said, “When we were thinking of potential professors to speak, we unanimously agreed on Professor Moss. She walks into a room and exudes the light and love of Christ in the most peaceful, gentle way possible. The way the Lord spoke through her at our annual Women’s

Claudia Loyola, a junior biology major, leads worship at FCA Women’s Night of Worship. Photo by: Natalie Tankersley

Night of Worship was awe-inspiring. Moss’ love for the Lord, her passion for speaking, and the details of her day-to-day life exemplify her love for everything she does. Having a professor who pours into students’ daily lives is a beautiful demonstration of her love for them.”

For the men’s night, senior biology major Keaton Brown and senior interdisciplinary studies major Jourdan Rachel shared their testimonies. They were followed by Head Baseball Coach Wes Timmons and Assistant Baseball Coach Craig Folds, sharing how the Lord has worked in their lives through baseball. Rachel said it was very impactful for him to share his story with his peers. He said, “It is a blessing to share my testimony on campus. We never know what someone else is going through. Just being able to talk about what God has done in my life is so good. There’s the saying ‘our past is here in the present to help someone’s future,’ and I believe that is true.”

When discussing the impact of the worship nights on campus, the Shorter FCA leadership team expressed how the community of these nights continues to encourage and impact their friend groups and teams. Jones expanded on her earlier comments by saying, “These worship nights have become a space where individuals, regardless of their athletic background, come together and openly share their faith in a welcoming and supportive environment.”

By: McKenzie Livingston

Shorter University students participate in the Men’s Night of Worship. Photo by: Christopher Moses

Catherine Rowan (right), a sophomore pre-nursing major, and Ava Pangelinan (left), a sophomore Christian Studies major pray together at the worship night.

Photo by: Natalie Tankersley

Keaton Brown, a senior biology major, shares his testimony. Photo by: Christopher Moses

Students Choose Andrea Moss for The Hawkeye Faculty Award

Andrea Moss, assistant professor of biology, wins The Hawkeye Faculty Award for 2025. This award is special to the Shorter faculty because students nominate and choose each year’s winner. Winners of this award must meet specific criteria to be considered for the honor. Professors must be enthusiastic about their subject area, inspire their students, and support the mission of Shorter University.

Moss is from Rockmart, Georgia, and teaches microbiology, botany, and upperlevel plant science classes at Shorter. Moss graduated from Shorter with her bachelor’s degree and from the University of Hawaii in Hilo with her master’s degree. She has served as a professor at Shorter for four years and is an inspiration and comfort to all who meet her.

Dr. Clint Helms, Dean of the Ware School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Professor of Biology, has known Moss since childhood and now serves as her supervisor. He described Moss as a wise, insightful, funny, and witty individual. “Wisdom is the application of God’s truth in everyday life, and she portrays the deep meaning of this quote in an exceptional way,” said Helms.

Other students echoed this sentiment about Moss’ incredible display of faith. An example of her connection with students and her strong display of faith was the response she received when serving as a guest speaker for one of the Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s worship services this year. Student athletes were filled with excitement and cheered when learning Moss would be the guest speaker for the service. Students said Moss’ faith is inspirational, that she shows the love of God to all she meets, and that she serves as a wonderful role model for her students.

By: Scarlett West

Photo by: Shorter Public Relations

“Her extreme passion for teaching is evident in her patience, engagement, support, and investment in her students. Professor Moss looks at her students and sees nothing but potential, capability, and possibility.”

Mia Alexander Sophomore, Biology major

“Ms. Moss’ positive attitude and outlook make the classroom a positive and inclusive environment for all. She listens to students’ opinions and encourages them by using her knowledge and the Word of God. She has helped me grow stronger in my faith in Jesus Christ and has also supported me in every step I take toward my future career and education.”

Emily Mitchell Biology and Ecology/Field Biology double major

Photo by: Lori Black

Hawks On Mission Celebrates Its Fifth Annual Day of Service

Hawks on Mission celebrated its fifth year of service to the Rome community with 252 students, faculty, and staff participating this year.

Five years ago, Christian Studies alumni Bethany Purdue and Sydney Holden had a goal to create an event that focused on unity within the community at Shorter through service to the Rome area. The day of service has expanded each year as more campus organizations and sports teams work together to serve the local community. Over the years, the event has become a tradition on campus, and students look forward to serving together and spreading the Gospel.

While many students joined forces to serve through completing tasks and manual labor, others headed to the streets to spread the good news of the Gospel to those in need. Students prayed over business owners and other people they met. “It was more than just a day of service,” said Ava Pangelinan, a sophomore Christian Studies major. “It was an intentional effort to live out our faith and impact people positively for Christ. We keep praying for these people and for God to move in their lives long after Hawks on Mission ends.”

Each year, student-leaders continue the tradition of service and leadership. This year, the team was led by senior communication studies and Christian Studies double major Mckenzie Livingston and senior marketing major Brent Brown. Under the guidance of Dr. Brent Baskin, Department Chair of Christian Studies and Professor of Christian Studies and Youth Ministry, students not only had a chance to serve others but to also lead their peers in service to others. “Hawks on Mission helps fulfill the mission of the school by serving our local community and providing leadership development for our students. The team of 14 students led by Mckenzie and Brent has done an outstanding job preparing our students to go out into the community to share the love of Christ and to lend a helping hand,” said Baskin.

What started as a dream for two students has now become one of the largest events that students are heavily involved in at Shorter. Purdue’s and Holden’s goal of unifying the university through being the hands and feet of Christ has been reached and expanded on as the event continues to grow.

By: Natalie Tankersley

Members of the women’s soccer team work in a garden at Safe Haven Boys Ranch. Over 250 students participated in Hawks on Mission this year.

Photo by: Katherine Dudley Blair

Shorter Students Published in Walnut Branch Magazine

Anna Roberts, a junior English major, and Natalie Tankersley, a sophomore communication studies major, had their poems published in the Walnut Branch magazine based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Tankersley is a disciplined, prolific, and passionate writer. She has been seriously writing since her seventh-grade year and was first published in the ninth grade. She has been published 15 times and hopes to get published more in the future. Her poem, Definition of You and Me, focuses on the romantic longing between artists who are in love and use each other as muses for their art pieces. She wrote this poem based on her own experience with romance and hopes to inspire artists not to be afraid to use their talents in artistry to create pieces that show their significant others how much they love them. Tankersley described her poem’s meaning as “mutual longing realized, satisfaction within a relationship, and having unrealized romantic needs met.” This piece is great for hopeless romantics and artists who wish to create for their loved ones.

Roberts is an imaginative and “spontaneously inspired” writer, focusing more on the deeper, less romantic emotions. Her poem, Screaming, is a slightly fictionalized version of her experience as a loud kid. She described her poem as “the haunting history of being loud” as well as gothic and jarring. This poem is about herself, how she grew up as loud child and was reprimanded for it. Eventually, she decided to quiet herself until a near-miss car wreck suddenly made her realize that she did not want to suppress her true personality. She hopes to inspire readers to stay authentic and embrace the things that make them unique. While writing, she found that poetry best fits how she wishes to portray her thoughts.

Both women would like to inspire those who wish to be published with their own works. “Don’t submit where there’s a paywall. Don’t take rejection personally. Make sure your works fit the guidelines. Go back and review your works for things to fix, and have fun! Take baby steps and slowly build your confidence.”

By: Scarlett West

Natalie Tankersley (left), a sophomore communication studies major, and Anna Roberts (right), a junior English major, are also college roommates.

Photo by: Ryland Murray

Business Faculty and Students Serve Overseas in Ghana

Faculty and students in the College of Business (COB) returned to Ghana in West Africa to educate and empower business owners over spring break. In March of 2024, the team went to Ghana for the first time to educate local business owners. After seeing a large need there, Dr. Amanda Gentry, Assistant Director of Business Administration and COB Global Experience Director made the decision to return this year.

For two weeks, seven undergraduates, two graduate students, and two professors, in partnership with Global Experience, put their faith into action. They hosted seminars in each village where students were able to teach business owners about the strategies and business lessons they had learned in college.

Caroline Sivills, a sophomore business major, was overwhelmed with nerves before they left. This mission trip was her first time to travel outside of the United States as well as on a mission trip. After their first seminar, a girl came up to Sivills. “She was just filled with so much joy,” Sivills recalled. She spent two hours with the younger girl, dancing and laughing. It was only after they returned to their rooms that night that Sivills learned how incredible the girl really was. She was covered in bruises, and both professors had noticed one around her throat that resembled a hand print. “My heart just sank in my chest,” Sivills said, tearing up. “How could I not have noticed?”

Typically, the team did not revisit any of the villages in order to help as many people as possible, but this time they made an exception. They returned to the first village, and Gentry watched as the girl ran straight for Sivills. “It was beautiful to see how much of an impact Sivills had made in just a few hours,” Gentry said. “She loved Caroline. That much was clear.”

Sivills was overwhelmed by the experience, but she knew she wanted the girl to have something to remind her that she had people who cared about her. “I gave her a bracelet with Psalm 29:11 on it. ‘The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace,’” Sivills recited. “I wanted her to remember that after we left.”

While working with Global Experiences, the Shorter team began the process of getting the girl to safety. “God knows more than we do,” Gentry said. “We thought we were going to educate and empower business owners, but God had another mission in mind for us.” Shortly after the team arrived back on Shorter’s campus, they heard from their contacts that the girl made it to safety where she would be taken care of and have access to an education.

Caroline Sivills, a sophomore bushiness major, shares the love of Christ to a child while in Ghana.

Photo by: Dr. Amanda Gentry

Kirk Cannon, a freshman sport management major, gives piggy back rides to children.

Photo by: Dr. Amanda Gentry

The students who returned to Shorter were not the same people they were when they left. “It gave me a new perspective on how much I take for granted,” Sivills said. “The people we met and served didn’t have nearly as much as we did, but they were so happy and full of love. These people don’t even get one meal a day, and they were still so happy. It opened my eyes to my own selfishness.”

Gentry noticed the change in her students as well. Before the trip, she challenged the students to find a word of the day that they would share at the end of night. At first, these words revolved around superficial things like fun or excitement. The students looked forward to visiting tourist attractions, and the ministry and lectures were just a side note. As the trip progressed, the words started to shift to things like service and faith as the students began to change their perspectives. “It was about more than just seeing the sights,” Gentry said. “It was about being the hands and feet of Jesus.” While the students were busy working for the Lord, the Lord was busy working on them.

Many of the students who participated in the trip this year look forward to the next one. “If you’re even considering going on a mission trip,” Sivills said, “just risk it and go. Those two weeks felt like an eternity before we left. While we were there, I didn’t want to leave.”

What started as a mission to educate local business owners ended as an intervention to save a young girl. Students found themselves in the middle of one of God’s grand plans. Their expectations of the mission trip paled in comparison to what God had in store for them.

By: Natalie Tankersley

Karis Eccleston, a sophomore sport management and computer information systems double major, loves working with children. Photo by: Dr. Amanda Gentry

Shorter business students and faculty pray with one another and with residents of Ghana during their trip. Photo submitted by: Dr. Amanda Gentry

Students Produce New Short Film: Rough Day

This semester, the Department of Communication Studies offered Production taught by Professor Katherine Dudley Blair, Professor of Communication Studies. Students in the Production class walked through the process of pre-production and production, including holding auditions, designing props and wardrobe, finalizing locations and paperwork, and, finally, filming shots. This semester’s work will be edited in Blair’s Post-Production class offered in the fall semester of 2025.

This semester’s production was Rough Day, a short film written by Gavin Gilreath, a junior theatre major with a minor in digital production. The short film featured the main character, Pete, who entered a café and sat at the same table each time. When he found someone sitting in his seat and he also interacted with a new waitress, Pete faced the reality of having a bad day. However, this changed by the end of the film. Gilreath wrote the script during last fall’s Scriptwriting class, which Blair also taught. The progression of the digital production courses are designed to educate students on each aspect of the filming process. Whether working on advertisements, film sets, or social media videos, this experience has various applications to diverse working environments.

Each student in the Production class was assigned a role. Roles included Director, Producer, Director of Cinematography, Production Designer, First Assistant Director, and Sound Engineer. The designation of roles allowed the students to take ownership of the production, as Blair worked as a supervisor. Roles were chosen based on prior experience and students’ interests. “The practical aspects of this class are amazing. This is real-world experience students

Rough Day Crew

Ambria Ludwig, Producer, Communication Studies

Gavin Gilreath, Writer, Theatre

Hannah Rose, Director, Psychology

Rasmus Berg, Cinematographer, Communication Studies

Daphne King, Production Designer, Theatre

Andre Mills, Sound Engineer, Criminal Justice

Kameron Probst, First AD, Communication Studies

Prof. Katherine Dudley Blair, Production Supervisor

Taliyah Ford (left), a junior theatre major, Jackson Bell (right), a freshman theatre major, and Gavin GIlreath (back), a junior theatre major, rehearse a scene for the production, Rough Day. Photo by: Brianna Johnston

will be able to use. Being able to work on a project and having it completed displays their work in a tangible way. This work can be shown in their portfolio one day,” said Blair.

For the first nine weeks, class periods were used to hold table reads, scout locations, continue editing the script, and finalize paperwork. Students had the opportunity to learn about the equipment and methods for film, lighting, and design on a production set. During this time, the crew gained valuable experience in film and soft skills that would be helpful in any future career. Hannah Rose, a sophomore psychology major with a digital production minor, said this class gave her “a new appreciation of people who work in this field. I have learned the importance of teamwork and how to better communicate with others. People not communicating and not showing up can lead to the production falling apart. Understanding the importance of community is important in anything,” she said.

Students also held a non-union casting call, where Shorter students auditioned to be cast in the film. Actors included junior theatre major Taliyah Ford, freshman theatre major Jackson Bell, and Gilreath. When asked about writing the script and its impact on his education, Gilreath said, “When I started writing this story, I wanted it to be about how God loves us despite whatever we go through. About halfway through writing the script, I started doubting the story, worrying that it would not be good enough. I had to realize that God was allowing me to glorify Him through the writing of this story. Instead of worrying if it was good enough, I had to ask myself: ‘Is this glorifying the Lord?’ This idea shifted my entire mindset, especially for acting. For the script, it helped me discern what I should add or what I should take away. For my acting, I’ve started to worry less and less about my own personal performance or how it is perceived. Instead, I do my best to focus on what I do to glorify God.”

By: Mckenzie Livingston

Hannah Rose (left), a sophomore psychology major and director of the production, discusses a scene with Professor Katherine Dudley Blair (right), Professor of Communication Studies and the short film’s production supervisor. Photo by: Brianna Johnston

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28: 19-20 (NIV)