The SpringHawkeye 26
Communication Studies professor creates award-winning documentary.
Contents Spring 2026
Editor-in-Chief
Scarlett West
Staff Writers
Hanna Lewis
Natalie Tankersley
Scarlett West
Photographers
Prof. Katherine Dudley Blair
Dr. Amanda Gentry
Prof. Christianne Grist
Dr. Heath Hooper
Roger Perry
Natalie Tankersley
Scarlett West
Dr. Earl Kellett
Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor of Christian Studies
Melissa Baskin
Chair, Department of Communication
Studies, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Faculty Advisor
FB @comstudiessu
IG @comstudiessu
Front cover photo by: Natalie Tankersley
Table of contents photo by: Scarlett West
Back cover photo by: Scarlett West
Communication Studies
Faculty Member Creates Award-Winning Film
COB Hosts First Entrepreneur Seminar 4-5
10-11 9 8 6-7
Dr. Enoch Jacobus Wins The Hawkeye Faculty Award
Chorale Tours over Spring Break
COB Faculty and Students Serve Overseas in Ireland
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 design. Issuu.com is the digital publishing platform used for distribution.
Communication Studies Faculty Member Creates Award-Winning Film
When Katherine Dudley Blair, Professor of Communication Studies, was initially asked to make a documentary about Safe Haven Ranch, she rejected the idea. The making of a feature film is timeconsuming and costly. It was going to require extra work on her part that took her away from her everyday life. She did not feel like she was qualified nor prepared to create a full documentary, but God never calls the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Safe Haven Ranch, founded by Jason and Ginger Slaughter, is a private community of homes where children can grow, learn, and excel in a Christian environment. They focus on raising the children with Christian values and making a positive impact in their lives. Oftentimes, they save children from less-than-ideal circumstances. The Safe Haven Ranch team all agree that they have been called to take care of the children who have known great suffering and have no place to call home.
Being a former foster parent herself, the mission of Safe Haven Ranch has always resonated
with Blair. Despite her commitment to not working on this film, she kept feeling called back to the idea. “Weeks led to months with prayers after prayers of me trying to talk God out of it. When I finally threw my running shoes out the window, God provided everything needed to make it happen,” Blair told her classes before she showed them the trailer for the documentary.
The documentary called Making Room: Faith in Action focuses on the mission of Safe Haven Ranch. It includes children who have been saved through the organization, adults who have gotten involved, and the overarching story of God’s faithfulness to the fulfillment of His mission for His people. It reminds the rest of the world to look for those who have no one looking out for them.
While the documentary has not been released, it has been submitted to multiple film festivals. In December 2025, Blair learned the documentary won the Silver award in the documentary category for the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival, a huge honor. Currently, the film is under contract with Angel Studios and will begin streaming on their platform soon. It has also been nominated for the most inspirational documentary at the International
Professor Blair prepares for an interview scene.
Jason and Ginger Slaughter are the founders of Safe Haven Ranch, a community for children who need a home. Students are raised in a Christian environment by adults who love God and want to give these children a good home.
Christian Film and Music Festival 2026.
Blair has been able to share her filming experience with her students, providing them with a practical example of faith in action as well as insight into filming a documentary. From her initial hesitation to filming the documentary to her reluctant obedience, Blair showed how God qualifies those He calls rather than calling the qualified. Blair has encouraged her students to pursue the things that God calls them towards even when they do not feel prepared. Her experience with this documentary has inspired her students.
Filming has wrapped, but the mission of the documentary has not stopped. Safe Haven Ranch continues to save children and give them a place to call home. When asked about the documentary and whether it will be successful, Blair said, “I hope I didn’t let God down, and you see His goal being honored throughout the documentary.” She certainly has not let down the students at Shorter University who have been inspired through her work and her story about Safe Haven Ranch.
By: Natalie Tankersley
Photos submitted by: Prof. Katherine Dudley Blair
God never calls the qualified. He qualifies the called.
Bibles were buried under the four corners of the ranch house to ensure the home was constructed on a Christian foundation.
Dr. Enoch Jacobus Wins The Hawkeye Faculty Award
Dr. Enoch Jacobus, Professor of Music Theory, is the winner of the 2026 The Hawkeye Faculty Award.
The awards process begins when students nominate their favorite professor. Each professor must meet three criteria: be passionate about teaching, be an inspiration to students, and be someone who supports the mission of Shorter University. Once nominations close, The Hawkeye magazine staff chooses the winner.
Students who nominated Jacobus said that it is evident he displays these qualities and more. “Just by looking at his syllabus the first day of class, Dr. Jacobus’ passion for teaching is obvious. It was the most thought-out, intentionally put-together syllabus I have ever seen, complete with Scripture and even life advice. He has woven the concepts of important life lessons into the structure of his assignments, tests, and classes each week. Dr. Jacobus truly wants us to learn more than just music theory in his class,” said Ella Ballard, a senior ecology and field biology major. Outside of class, students love that Jacobus truly cares for them. “Dr. Jacobus is an inspiration to me especially, because of the way he treats us.
He encourages us to set up a one-on-one meeting with him the first week of the semester, so that he can get to know us better. He cares that much. All of this points to the fact that he supports the mission of Shorter University. Dr. Jacobus wants us to experience the transforming love of Christ through his class, our studies, and our interactions with him,” said Ballard.
Jacobus has been an instructor at Shorter University for 10 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Asbury University, a Master of Music in Music Theory (with Composition) from the University of Louisville, and a Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of Kentucky.
By: Scarlett West
Photos by: Prof. Christianne Grist
Prof. Donny Elkins, Assistant Professor of Theatre, (left) looks on as Dr. Enoch Jacobus performs at the Faculty Gala.
Dr. Jacobus performs with Prof. Sue Gaukel, Chair of the Department of Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Dance and Associate Professor of Musical Theatre.
“Dr. Jacobus wants us to experience the transforming love of Christ through his class, our studies, and our interactions with him.”
- Ella Ballard Senior Ecology & Field Biology
“Dr. Jacobus has a magical ability not found in too many in his profession. He can challenge students to their limit and motivate them all the way there. Especially in a subject as notorious and difficult as music theory, he grabs your attention and does not let go. You typically share quite a few laughs along the way.”
- Evan Wyatt Junior Music Education
Students love the way Dr. Enoch Jacobus connects with them both in and out of the classroom.
Dr. Jacobus is a man of many talents and often performs in student productions.
COB Hosts First Entrepreneur Seminar
During the fall semester, the College of Business (COB) hosted their first Entrepreneur Seminar, which featured four professionals who had made their own way in their respective fields.
The panel included Jarrod Johnson, owner of the Smoothie King in Rome; Holly Lynch, president of the Season Events; Greg Plimpton, owner and CEO of Cabins for You; and Kristin Whatley, owner of Lotus Skin and Brow. Instead of meeting for classes, the College of Business students met in the chapel to receive advice and ask questions of seasoned professionals. The questions focused on how to start now to prepare for their career and also how to launch a business.
“Start early. Fail early. Figure it out early,” Johnson recommended when asked about his best advice for college students. He reminded everyone that it was okay not to know what they were going to do when they got to college. He said the important thing was to start acting now. Entrepreneurs do not wait to become qualified to start their business. They become qualified through doing the work.
“The second you stop pushing is the moment someone will pass you,” said Whatley. She reminded everyone that running a business of her own was difficult and resulted in many late nights and early
mornings. While starting a business could seem like an easy choice, Whatley impressed upon the students that it was not a decision that could be made overnight. It is a deliberate choice that lacks the safety of working for an established company. She finished by reminding students that pursuing their passions may be difficult, but it would be worth the effort.
Dr. Heath Hooper, Dean of the College of Business and Associate Professor of Sport Management, said the idea of the seminar originated out of the entrepreneurship class when the students started to ask questions that only an entrepreneur could answer. Students from the entrepreneurship class took charge of the event from creating questions to helping moderate the discussion. The event was a huge success. Around 160 students attended the panel, and the majority stayed after the hour long seminar to ask more questions and seek more personalized advice. The College of Business looks forward to making this panel an annual event in the fall and to opening it up to the rest of Shorter’s student body.
By: Natalie Tankersley
Photo by: Dr. Heath Hooper
Students in the College of Business connect with local business leaders to learn about entrepreneurship.
Chorale Tours over Spring Break
The Shorter University Chorale spent spring break on its annual Chorale tour, visiting churches and schools across the region to perform and engage with local communities.
The chorale is directed by Dr. Bryan McDonald, Tenured Associate Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Coordinator of Music and Worship Leadership. McDonald teaches courses related to ensemble direction, worship studies, and choral conducting, all of which intersect during the tour.
The Chorale Tour serves several purposes, one of which is to encourage churches. During each visit, the students perform prepared repertoire while also leading congregations in worship. Members often read Scripture and share personal testimonies, offering encouragement while giving audiences a glimpse into life at Shorter University.
Another goal of the tour is to reach high schools students. By performing for students and music educators, the chorale demonstrates the possibilities of studying music at the collegiate level. “They get to see what it’s like to major in music or be a part of music in college as a viable option,” McDonald said. “It’s an important thing.”
The tour also provides opportunities to share the gospel in school settings. During the past semester, the chorale performed The Conversion of Saul, a piece depicting the biblical story of Saul’s transformation into the Apostle Paul. Understanding the narrative is essential to grasping the music, and McDonald said the message of the gospel is evident even when that is not the stated purpose of the performance. In this way, chorale members serve as ambassadors for both Shorter University and their faith.
One of the most valued aspects of the Chorale tour is the sense of community it builds among members. McDonald cited research showing that making music together engages multiple parts of the brain and fosters emotional connection. “When we make music with one another, it not only lights up both parts of our brain, but it also makes us feel closer to one another,” McDonald said. “This is true in congressional singing.”
Tour life differs from classroom rehearsals, where students tend to remain within familiar social
Chorale students showcase their talent during spring break tour.
circles. While traveling, chorale members spend extended time together, forming deeper relationships while working toward a shared purpose. Freshmen connect with seniors, and students from diverse backgrounds build friendships that strengthen both their college experience and their bond within the ensemble.
McDonald said his favorite part of the Chorale tour occurs at the end of each night during a reflection time known as “highs and lows,” when students share moments they found meaningful or challenging. Over time, he tracks these reflections to observe students’ growth in faith and self-awareness. What often begins as surface-level reflections gradually develops into deeper reflections about authentic worship, personal growth, and meaningful connections with audiences. “These small seeds of faith go a long way,” McDonald said, both for chorale members and the communities they serve.
By: Hanna Lewis
Photo by: Roger Perry
COB Faculty and Students Serve Overseas in Ireland
Every spring semester, the College of Business (COB) offers a spring break mission trip abroad to students, faculty, and staff. This year, they traveled to Ireland.
Mr. Clay Gentry, Assistant Professor of Marketing, and Dr. Amanda Gentry, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Business Administration, began this annual trip in 2023. Dr. Gentry shared that her inspiration came from a mission trip she took to Costa Rica while in college. That experience opened her eyes and inspired her to begin a similar organization at Shorter University. The first two trips she led at Shorter were to Ghana, Africa, with six to eight students participating in each trip. Now, on their third trip, 25 students traveled to Ireland.
The Gentrys shared that they plan these trips 18 months in advance. Dr. Gentry expressed that she and Mr. Gentry both felt a strong call to Europe and that the Lord kept bringing Ireland to their minds. Their purpose follows the command of Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV), which says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Dr. Gentry revealed that the trips
contribute to spiritual growth not only for the students and those they minister to, but also for Mr. Gentry and herself. They have always been on the move for Jesus, and she shared that growth in faith does not stop.
Dr. Gentry said the trips are designed to help students grow as Christian leaders, continue the growth of God’s Kingdom, and learn how to portray Christ in everything they do. Daily walking with God and showing God’s love through actions are powerful ways of representing Christ every day.
One idea that was emphasized was the question, “How can you have a true Biblical worldview if you’ve only been in one place?” In other words, if someone has only lived in the United States, their understanding of a Biblical worldview may be limited without experiencing different cultures. While Christianity is freely practiced in the United States, there are countries where talking about the gospel is restricted or even illegal.
In addition to sharing their faith, the group
The Gentrys enjoyed the Blarney Castle and Gardens.
While in Dublin, the group saw the Papal Cross in Phoenix Park.
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participated in many exciting new experiences. They learned how to care for sheep, how to make scones, how to perform several dances, and enjoyed visiting numerous historical sites.
The group’s tour guide also grew in his own faith during the trip. He said Shorter students changed his entire perspective on his faith in a very positive way. He expressed how amazed he was by the group, noting how different these students were compared to other tours he had previously guided.
Amy Skrgic, a sophomore pre-nursing major, said, “I saw God move in a lot of quiet but powerful ways. Through conversations, moments of connection, and even the small acts of kindness we experienced, it felt like He was constantly present. There were times where I just had to sit in awe of His majesty and glory.”
Moving forward, the Gentrys would like to encourage others to join them for next year’s mission trip. This year’s students made a great impact on people’s lives by helping others grow stronger in their faith. The Gentrys hope even more students will take part in future mission trips.
The group visited the Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden.
Scarlett West
Photos submitted by Dr. Amanda Gentry
Downtown Galway was a fun place to visit.
Cong Abbey is located in the Cong Village, an historic site in Ireland.
“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”
Psalm 145:18 (ESV)