Alumni News

1979 Graduated Highlands College with a certificate of Ministry Leaderships, with a focus on Outreach. She is emplyed by ACE Cheer Company marketing and administration.

1982 Ken retired from internal medical practice after 30 years. His family celebrated with an extended RV vacation out west.

1995 Just started his 17th year as the Athletic Director of Vanguard College Preperatory School in Waco, TX. His twin sons, Caleb and WIll, are about to turn nine years old.

1996 Recently moved to a new home in Washington, D.C. In his third year as Director of Federal Affairs for General Motors. 2001 We welcomed Clark Henry Minner to our family on September 2nd. He joins Grace (5) and James (2.5). We live in Lexington, KY.

2004 Shanleigh is approaching 6 years as Special Projects Manager with Vaco in Memphis, TN.

2004 JMeredith Hocutt Wright (class of 2004) and her husband Jody welcomed their 3rd child, Landon Leigh to the family on April 23, 2021. Thomas (5) and Wellesley (3) are very excited to have a baby sister.

2005 Kendall and Harris Hagood welcomed Betty Louise Hagood in to the world at 12:57 pm on July 12, 2021! We could not be more smitten with our 10lb little angel. 2007 Julia recently accepted the position as Director of Admissions at TA. She is married to William Phifer and have two children, Ruth (2) and William (5 months).

2007 Tyler successfully defended his dissertation in Spring 2021 and will receive his doctorate in Education from Arknsas Tech University in May 2021. Also, he was recently hired as the principal of Beene Junior High in Beebe, AK..

2008 James Wales Cargile born August 3, 2021 to Turner & Cody Cargile. Turner is the Director of LIFEE program at Arts n Autism in Tuscaloosa, AL.

2008 Starting her 5th year teaching art at TA. Currently teaching preschool, lower school and middle school art. Recently got engaged to Sayres Harbin (‘08).

2008 Ashley Williams Shirley and Tyler Shirley eloped on July 11, 2021 in the Bahamas surrounded by their immediate families. The bride and groom exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean in Great Exuma’s Moriah Cay National Park after being chauffeured by boat.

Tyler received his associates degree from Shelton State and is the Owner of Shirley Fabrication, LLC. Ashley received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Information Sciences for Advertising with minors in Business and Art with a specialization in Graphic Design from The University of Alabama and is a Sales Representative for RFMS, Inc. The couple will reside in Tuscaloosa, AL..

2009 Married Warren Van Heyst on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the Church of Bethsesda by-theSea in Palm Beach, FL. She is now working at Apple as an Engineering Program Manager in Artificial Intelligence. 2011 Engaged to Srikant Das and planning a wedding in Little Rock, AK on December 11th, 2021.

2012 Claire is employed with Ryan Law, LLC in Tuscaloosa, AL where she is enjoying her second year of practicing law. Claire focuses her practice in civil defense litigation, working primarily in Education Law, Employment Law, and Samll Business Litigation. She and her husband, John David, are excitedly awaiting the arrival of their first child due in Spetember 2021.

2013 Since being on The Voice, Emma Caroline has recorded and released her first single, titled “Lie”, since living in Nashville. She sings at all types of venues around Nashville and has appeared in various publications nationwide. Emma Caroline continues to write her own music and is currently in the studio working on more new songs that will be released soon. 2017 / 2018 Trey Graduated TCU this spring with a double major in entrepreneurship and management. and is now working in a sales role for Graphic Packaging International in Memphis, TN. Lele Goldsmith and Trey are TA highschool sweethearts and are now engaged to be married on June 4, 2022!

2020 Kevin started at Clemson University in the Spring of 2021. He is majoring in Education(Science & Math Path/Middle Grades) and minoring in Modern Languages(Spanish) He is a member of the Clemson Tigers Football Team.

Thank you to each alumni who contributed to this year’s magazine. We love hearing the great things our alumni are accomplishing professionally and personally.

Be sure to join our Facebook group Tuscaloosa Academy Alumni to stay up to date with all things TA!

You can reach us by emailing alumni@tuscaloosaacademy.org