UNIVERSITY of MOBILE
Fall 2019 Volume 12
Making an Impact! It Happens All the Time
M E S S A G E F RO M T H E P R E S I D E N T From time to time in education there is a “Back to the Basics” push. You can’t get any more basic than the ABCs. The mission and purpose of the University of Mobile can also be summed up in this manner. The “A” stands for Academics. At this university, we pride ourselves on offering the very best academic programs, taught by a world-class faculty in recently renovated high-tech facilities. The university has nearly doubled the number of academic programs, started its first doctoral programs, expanded facilities, added technology, and focused on the “prac-ademic” model that allows our students to take classroom knowledge into practical learning experiences like a student-run marketing agency, professional recording studio, international travel and missions, museum internships, local church service and more. The “B” stands for background. The university strives to provide a community for our students outside of the classroom. Through opportunities such as student life events, residential life, varsity and intramural sports, chapel, Focus Fridays, and much more, our students have endless opportunities to connect with their peers to develop life-long friendships and memories. Finally, and most importantly, the “C” stands for Christ-centered. It’s the Christ-centered mentoring aspect of the University of Mobile that ensures our students get more than just a degree. This Christ-centered focus shapes our approach to both the academic and background experience. The University of Mobile is a family, with dedicated faculty and staff who work together for a common purpose: to educate and mentor students. We truly believe that we are advancing “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose.” We are committed to being a premier Christ-centered academic community providing comprehensive liberal arts and professional programs to distinctively transform the world and prepare graduates to pursue their professional calling. In practical terms, that means our graduates are serving Christ each day, literally throughout the world, in businesses, hospitals and clinics, churches, schools, courtrooms, seminaries, athletic fields, mission fields, the military and more. There is no greater mission. In Christ,
Lonnie A. Burnett, PhD President, University of Mobile
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TORCHLIGHT | Fall 2019
Fall 2019 • Volume 12 • Issue 1
ENGAGE When you think back on your college years, what made the biggest impact on your life? Sure, you remember that time you pulled an unexpected A out of a class. And when you totally bombed a test after pulling an all-nighter. Then there are the recurring nightmares of missing a final while you frantically search for the class you never attended – well, they have to end sometime, don’t they? These are common memories for the common experience of higher education that resonate with most college graduates. But if you are a University of Mobile graduate, your college experience was far from common. When you recall your college years and think about the impact they have had on your life, chances are it’s not the questions on a test or the content in a textbook that comes to mind. It is the people. This issue of the TorchLight tells the stories of some of those people. You will learn how faculty and staff engage students in the classroom, in the hallways, on the athletic field – and why it matters. They are stories of impact. There is the youth minister and entrepreneur whose one-time instructor is his “best friend in life.” The “Mama Bear” nursing professor whose former students filled a church with laughter, tears and praise during her memorial service. The coaches whose first priority is for student-athletes to know “they are loved with an unconditional love by God the Father.” But even more important than “what” they do or “how” they do it is the “why” that ignites their passion to teach, coach and serve at this Christ-centered university. What is really unique about the University of Mobile is that this isn’t a sometime occurrence – it’s an everyday occurrence.
University News ............................................... 4 Rams Round-Up ............................................... 8 It Happens All the Time .................................. 10 Understand the Past ....................................... 18 Expect a Suprise ............................................. 20 The Advocates ................................................ 22 Fine Arts, Fine Future .................................... 24 Retrospect ....................................................... 26 A World of Possibilities .................................. 28 Coming Home ................................................. 36 Find Your Voice ............................................... 38 Dreams Do Come True ................................... 41 A Different Perspective ................................. 42 Coffee and Community ................................. 44 A Willing Spirit ................................................ 47 Class Notes ..................................................... 48
President | Lonnie A. Burnett, PhD
Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations | Lesa Moore Editor | Kathy Dean Graphic Design | Heath Vester Writers | Tommy Ankerson, Michael Dumas, David Haney, Amber Kelley, Jessica Sawyer, Martha Simmons, Grace Thornton, Heath Vester Photographers | Dan Anderson, G.M. Andrews, Joe Emer, Brett Meister, Trey Taulbee, Katie West Editorial Office University of Mobile, TorchLight 5735 College Parkway Mobile, Alabama 36613 Phone: 251.442.2497 Email: torchlight@umobile.edu TorchLight is published by the University of Mobile Office for Marketing and Public Relations and is distributed free of charge to alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university. Issues may be viewed online at umobilemagazine.com Postmaster: send address changes to Office for Marketing and Public Relations, University of Mobile
It happens all the time. Cover Photo by Katie West/ Residential Life Coordinator Abbie McAuley ’17, left, and UM President Lonnie Burnett ’79 help freshman Chloee Garrad move into Karlene Farmer Faulkner Hall. umobile.edu 3 3 umobile.edu
RECENT UNIVERSITY NEWS 4
TORCHLIGHT | Fall 2019
New Mural Celebrates UM
shuffle board and ping pong, and comfortable furniture to this new student area. Student Life staff offices are nearby, as is the newly renovated library.
Hobby Lobby Founder to Speak at Scholarship Banquet
From a slice of pizza to the Mobile skyline to a briefcase, a new mural at the University of Mobile is made to represent everyone. One of the newest additions to the University of Mobile’s campus is an 18-by-22-foot mural in a new student life area in Bedsole Commons. UM’s creative director, Heath Vester ’16, and graphic designer Amanda Pritchard designed the mural and painted it. Each square contains a different image that represents UM, college life or the Mobile area. The mural gives students the opportunity to engage on a different level and link themselves to one or more of the images, according to the artists. “I love that the city of Mobile has interesting murals that represent our city’s history and culture. Now UM is able to represent our history and culture through a mural. Murals are interactive art that everyone can glean meaning from. I think students, staff and faculty will enjoy it for years to come,” says Pritchard. Vester says, “The mural brings life to the Bedsole Student Commons. The mural is now another iconic landmark for the university. Along with things like the Ram statue, the Great Commission Globe and Lyon Chapel, the mural is a new touchpoint for the life of UM students. For me, murals celebrate. The mural celebrates our history, our future and what it means to be a college student at the University of Mobile.”
Hobby Lobby founder David Green is the keynote speaker for the 14th annual University of Mobile Scholarship Banquet on Oct. 1. Tickets are on sale for the university’s signature event that raises scholarship funds for UM students, while bringing a speaker of national prominence to the Mobile community. David Green built retail giant Hobby Lobby from humble beginnings, with a $600 loan to purchase a molding chopper. Today, Hobby Lobby is the largest privately-owned arts and crafts retailer in the world, with sales totaling more than $5 billion in 2018. “We believe it is by God’s grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured. He has been faithful in the past; we trust Him for our future,” Green says. General admission tickets are $150 and may be purchased now at umobile.edu/banquet or through the University of Mobile Advancement Office at 251.442.2587 or advancement@umobile.edu. Sponsorships start at $1,500. Higher-level sponsorships include an opportunity to meet David and Barbara Green during a VIP reception prior to the banquet, with priority seating at the event.
Along with the mural, UM has added a pool table,
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New Degrees Offered The University of Mobile’s rapidly expanding academic program is growing again with the addition of nine new degrees, giving students even more options as they enrolled in fall semester classes that began Aug. 19. New bachelor’s degrees were added in pre-health biology, financial mathematics, sport administration and exercise science. New master’s degree programs have started in ministry, educational instructional design and technology, early childhood development, nursing executive leadership and nursing education.
who work in some of the world’s best-known high-tech companies. The students were part of the Good Work Agency at UM, where Allred serves as director. Good Work Agency is a student-run marketing firm that helps churches, non-profits and small businesses be more effective online. This gives students the opportunity to work in a marketing firm environment before graduating.
In addition, a new Master of Athletic Training will start summer semester of 2020, pending approval by CAATE, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Classes are held Mondays through Thursdays, with “Focus Fridays” free for students to focus on community service, study, internships, travel or whatever interests them. UM’s unique academic schedule has been recognized in education journals nationally and in the United Kingdom. Additional programs are in process. The university has nearly doubled the number of academic programs since 2016, started the first two doctoral programs, expanded facilities, added technology, and focused on “Prac-ademics” experiences that allow students to take classroom knowledge into practical learning experiences like a student-run marketing agency, professional recording studio, international travel and more.
Silicon Valley Trip Inspires Business Students A trip of a lifetime sent University of Mobile students back to Mobile feeling encouraged, inspired and more equipped to be business professionals. Five students in the School of Business and Katie Allred ’12, assistant professor of software and development and digital media, went to Silicon Valley May 14-18 to meet Christians
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Students met with Christians who work at Facebook, Abide and Instagram. Sophomore Avery Wilhite says the trip, “Showed me that not only the academic tools that I gain during college are important, but the spiritual tools are important too, as they help equip me for ministry.” McCall Smith, senior, left San Francisco inspired. Smith says, “I came back to Mobile with a fresh take on technology, business and Kingdom building.”
UM Recognized Among Best in Nation The University of Mobile is among the 100 Best Small Colleges in the nation and is the #5 Best Regional College in the South, according to College Consensus, a college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews.
Residence halls earned top honors as well, when AffordableSchools.net named UM among the 30 Best College Dorms in America. The college ranking site selected the nation’s “most inviting yet affordable” college dorms based on cost, amenities and facilities, aesthetic appeal and social scene.
Lance urged graduates to continue to be teachable, transparent, tenacious and trusting in their journey through life. He based the address on Mark 10:13-16.
UM offers suite-style or private-style rooms with free internet and cable, automated laundry, 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour security and a new dining service that has earned rave reviews from students. For details, visit umobile.edu/student-life or call Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
The University of Mobile School of Nursing offers one of the top 10 online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, according to a new ranking by Top RN to BSN, an online information source for current and prospective nursing students.
Grads Encouraged to be Lifelong Learners
Online RN to BSN Program Named Top 10 in Alabama
UM’s online RN to BSN Program is among 10 Best Online RN to BSN Nursing Schools in Alabama, according to toprntobsn.com. Information about UM’s online RN to BSN Program, as well as other healthcare degrees, is at umobile.edu/school of nursing. “The way that the University of Mobile differs from other programs is its rolling admissions and its commitment to education,” according to Top RN to BSN’s website.
The University of Mobile Class of 2019 received diplomas May 11 as commencement speaker Dr. Rick Lance encouraged graduates to pursue a lifetime of learning. “Learning does not end at graduation – it accelerates,” said Lance. The executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and treasurer of the Alabama Baptist Convention delivered the commencement address. Graduates were honored during two ceremonies held at Cottage Hill Baptist Church, instead of the one outdoor ceremony originally set for the UM campus that was moved due to rain. Approximately 250 graduates received diplomas. The prestigious Weaver awards were presented to two outstanding graduates: Nathanael Clay Carroll received the William K. Weaver Excellence Award and Jessica Elizabeth Strenth received the Annie Boyd Parker Weaver Excellence Award. The honorary Doctor of Humane Letters was awarded to John Roger Breland.
Fall Preview Days Announced Fall Preview Days for prospective students will be held at the University of Mobile on Sept. 20, Oct. 14 and Nov. 22. Preview Days include a campus tour, dorm tour, meeting current students and faculty, exploring majors, learning about scholarships and financial aid, and more. A $2,000 scholarship is available to new traditional undergraduate students who schedule a campus visit, apply for admission, and enroll at UM. This scholarship awards $250 per semester up to eight consecutive semesters attended. Only one UM Visit Scholarship is available per person. To register for a Preview Day or schedule a personalized and private tour of UM, visit umobile. edu/visit. To schedule a school, church or other group tour, call 251.442.2222.
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RAMS
round-up By David Haney Photo by Dan Anderson
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Mike Jacobs Named Athletic Director The founder of University of Mobile’s baseball and softball programs and head coach of UM baseball, Mike Jacobs, is the university’s new athletic director. The UM Athletic Department is one of the largest in the NAIA, with 18 varsity sports. Jacobs remains head coach of the baseball program and enters his 31st season in that role. In 2011, the baseball field at UM was named Jacobs Field in his honor. Assisting AD Mike Jacobs are associate athletic directors Alison Cook and Brian Person ’02. Cook enters her third season as head coach for the university’s softball program and Person starts his 13th season as head coach for the women’s soccer program. Joining the department are Head Men’s Basketball Coach Darnell Archey and Sports Information Director David Haney ’16. Archey previously served as assistant coach for the University of South Alabama men’s basketball program from 2013-2018 and, since April, was assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Archey was part of two NCAA Final Fours as director of basketball operations from 2009-2013 at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Haney returns to the UM athletic department after working for the Mobile BayBears professional baseball club as social media manager, promotions coordinator and public address announcer from 2017-2019. Previously, Haney assisted UM’s athletic department as a work-study employee while attending classes.
Renovated Pharr Gym The action returns to H. Austill Pharr Gymnasium this fall after renovations took place beginning last
winter. Renovations include new lighting, better WIFI and, most notably, brand new flooring with new designs and updated logos.
UM Athletics Back in Action Several athletic programs started their season in August and several more will begin theirs later this semester. Men’s and women’s soccer started their seasons at home with scrimmage games on Aug. 13. Women’s Soccer, led by Head Coach Brian Person, hosted NCAA Division 1 school, Nicholls State University and the men’s soccer program, led by Head Coach Daniel Whelan, hosted Bethel College. The university’s volleyball program, led by Head Coach Jon Campbell, also began their season in August, participating in the Evangel University Tournament on the road in Springfield, Missouri on Aug. 15. Men’s and women’s cross-country teams, led by Head Coach Andy Canegitta, are in the middle of their season with the SSAC Tournament Nov. 2. Men’s and women’s golf, led by Head Coach T.J. Jackson, start their season Sept. 23. Complete schedules are at umobilerams.com.
Keep Up with UM Athletics Never miss any games, news, and the latest Rams information by following University of Mobile Rams social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; visiting the website at umobilerams.com, or calling the UM Athletic Department office at 800. WIN.RAMS.
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IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME By Kathy Dean | Illustrations by Amanda Pritchard
“Their mentoring helped me to grow and become stronger in my faith while attending UM, but most importantly after I graduated and as I continue to move forward with life.” - Alexia Washington ’17 & ’19
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If a natural or man-made disaster strikes the gulf coast of Alabama, the person in charge of the military response is University of Mobile alumnus Brian Naugher ’92. The reason he has this tremendous responsibility is due in large part to Dr. Jane Byrd, professor of management in the School of Business. “If it were not for the grace of God and that He put a burden on Dr. Byrd to mentor me as a freshman in 1987, I would not have had the success that I have,” Naugher said. His 30-year career in the Alabama National Guard has taken him on multiple deployments in support of operations in Afghanistan and Kuwait to fight the Global War on Terrorism (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraq Freedom), and he has held numerous command and staff positions at all levels. He also serves as a member of the Marshall County School Board and Marshall County Child Advocacy Center. Many of his military and leadership principles were derived from Dr. Byrd’s classroom and life lessons. “I was an average student when I started attending Mobile College and did not understand how to study, prepare term papers and properly prepare for and take a college-level exam. After the first paper and exam, Dr. Byrd recognized this and I had one of what was to become many of her ‘talks.’ She taught me the skills I needed to be a successful student. If it were not for her, I would not have graduated from college and would not have had the opportunities in life that I have,” said Naugher, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from UM, followed by a master’s degree from the United States Army War College. “There is no mistaking that Dr. Byrd truly cared about her students and would always go above and beyond to help a student if they were willing to put forth the effort, as many others do at UM. She truly embodies the ethos of the University of Mobile,” he added.
“It’s not that ‘my major changed my life,’ it’s that ‘a faculty member or this person at UM changed my life.’ It happens all the time,” Burnett said.
Authentic Community It’s common for students to say they knew UM was the right choice as soon as they stepped foot on campus. It just felt right. They belonged. That’s not as odd as it may seem. “I think it’s not just the fact that there’s an atmosphere or climate of care and concern, but that it’s genuine and authentic and plays out in day-to-day interactions. There’s a consistency in who the faculty, staff and administrators are and how they live that out in working with and relating to our students,” said Dr. Buddy Landry, chair and associate professor of marriage and family counseling in the School of Allied Health, College of Health Professions.
Dr. Cassidy Cooper | Photo by Trey Taulbee
“We have a community,” said Dr. Cassidy Cooper, associate professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We exist within the larger dominant culture, but we attempt to employ and instill slightly different values in ourselves and our students, like service to and for others, cooperation over competition, etc. Part of how we do this is through small classes, which allow the faculty to connect with students and influence them in more personal ways.”
UM President Lonnie Burnett ’79 said stories like Naugher’s are common. umobile.edu
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For example, weekly chapel allows the community to come together to worship, “but it also gives us the opportunity to share the same experience and discuss questions of faith, doubt, love and scripture in and outside of the classroom and between disciplines,” Cooper said. The need for authentic relationships is grounded in who we are and how we were created, according to Landry. “Theologically speaking, I’m a big believer that God created us for relationship; with Him, first and foremost, and then with one another. God created us as social creatures,” Landry said. “We learn in relationship. We develop, we grow, we become – in relationship.” Landry said there is research in the counseling field that indicates a person’s progress is linked more to a positive therapeutic relationship with the counselor than the particular approach to therapy the counselor uses. This has applications in non-clinical fields as well, particularly in an environment such as the University of Mobile where relationships are a vital part of the learning experience in helping students become the men and women that God created and intended them to be. But it’s not only students who benefit – faculty and staff are also in the process of becoming the people God intended them to be. “As Scripture tells us, ‘as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ The relationships that faculty and staff have with our students – the questions they ask and the things they teach us – help us to grow, too,” Landry said.
Coaching for Life “When I first started looking for colleges to attend after high school, UM was on my list, but was not one of my top picks,” said Alexia Washington ’17 & ’19. She tried out for the volleyball program “and immediately, I fell in love with the girls who were on the team at the time and just the overall atmosphere that was present at UM.
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“I figured that I would have the ‘basic’ player-coach relationship” with coaching duo Jon and Amber Campbell. (Jon is head volleyball coach and Amber is assistant coach.) It turned out to be so much more than just that,” Washington said. “As coaches, of course they care about your performance in the classroom and on the court, but most importantly, they also care about your spiritual well-being. This had a tremendous impact not only on me, but on so many others as well. Their mentoring helped me to grow and become stronger in my faith while attending UM, but most importantly after I graduated and as I continue to move forward with life.” She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration and works at the accounting firm Crow Wilkinson Constantine Singleton & Morrow while studying for her CPA exam. Washington is among many current and past volleyball student athletes who view the Campbells as “Coach Mom and Coach Dad.” Melody Fillingim ’12 and husband Byron ’16 get together with the Campbells for meals and advice that ranges from coaching to organizing their children’s church program. Sherry McWilliams ’17 said the Campbells helped her build a 6A volleyball program to have strong team values and a high level of respect and integrity, just as they instilled in her at UM. Current junior Megan Hart said the Campbells encourage the entire team in their walk with Christ “which creates a wonderful program to be part of.” Amber Campbell said she and Jon are committed to mentoring, providing encouragement and guidance, correction when needed, and doing all they can to prepare their students for whatever the next day brings. “Our goal is that they know they are loved by us but, more importantly, they are loved with an unconditional love by God the Father. Scripture calls it discipleship – being disciples who make disciples. That’s who Jon and I strive to be,” Campbell said.
Alexia Washington and Coach Amber Campbell | Photo by Katie West
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Danny Chancey, left, and Ben Kiser Photo by Katie West 14 TORCHLIGHT | Fall 2019
Mama Bear
Seeing Potential
They called her “Mama Bear.” Jenelle McElroy ’00 & ’08 was so much more than their professor in the School of Nursing. When McElroy died suddenly July 28, just a few weeks before she was set to return to UM as associate professor of nursing and simulation coordinator, alumni shared on Facebook how she impacted their lives.
Danny Chancey ’79, now director of transfer recruitment, was teaching education courses as an adjunct instructor when Ben Kiser ’13 was a student. “I was in a weird funk in my life, introverted, had few friends, and needed to come out of my shell,” Kiser recalled. Chancey said “Ben was not reaching potential, and I kept him after class to challenge him to reach his potential. For Ben, that equaled caring and concern, and we’ve grown from there.” Although Kiser was the age of Chancey’s sons, they shared a lot of common ground.
Nursing students with Jenelle McElroy, center.
“Mrs. Jenelle McElroy was more than a nursing instructor and educator. She was a mentor, friend, encourager, a light in any room and, most importantly, a believer in Jesus,” wrote Jordan Johnson ’17. “I am incredibly thankful beyond words for the many laughs, tears, wisdom, late nights, life advice and nursing education she bestowed upon me over the years. I really would not have become the nurse I am today without her loving, kind, compassionate nature always pushing you toward excellence when you thought you could go no further.” Amanda Leach ’15 said her “nursing school mama” was a cheerleader, advisor/mentor and friend. “Her love and passion for nursing and caring deeply were a light to so many through the journey of nursing school. She pushed us to excellence so that she could count on us to care for her family one day. She prayed me through nursing school. She did so much for so many, and I’m so blessed to have known her. I know she’s dancing with Jesus right now, but I wish I could hug her one last time and tell her what a difference she made in my life,” Leach wrote.
“His family has a poultry farm and I was raising chickens at the time; he loves fishing and my son was an avid fisherman; he was going into education to make a difference and I always hoped my being in education did as well; he was a youth minister and I had been a youth minister,” Chancey said. Today, Kiser is youth minister at Daphne United Methodist Church and part owner of Clear Capital Partners, a merger and acquisition firm that flips daycare centers. Though there is over 30 years between them, the relationship forged during a pivotal time in Kiser’s life transcends age. “I would consider him my best friend in life,” Kiser said. “He saw a lot of potential in me, potential that even I didn’t see. A mentor helps you see the hope inside yourself. He did that.”
Tell Your Story Did someone at the University of Mobile see potential in you that made a difference in your life? How have you used that experience to impact others? Share your story at umobile.edu/why and you may be featured in upcoming blogs, social media and publications.
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THE OTHER SIDE OF MENTORING By Kathy Dean
I always thought of mentoring as a one-way street. Something that flows in one direction, from the top down. A pouring into a student’s life, like water from a pitcher.
I didn’t realize until my son died how the students I mentored had woven themselves into my own life. How the relationship I always thought of as top-down is, instead, knit together.
The number of students I have had the opportunity to mentor at the University of Mobile is far fewer than the number faculty will impact, even over the space of a semester. Mostly, they are students who have worked part-time or had internships in our Marketing & Public Relations Office, where I have served on staff more than 25 years.
When the fog cleared and I could look back on that first year, after cancer surprised us and took my precious 21-year-old son, among the people who helped me stand when the world crumbled around me were these very students I had mentored.
While each student was special, there were a few where the mentoring relationship really clicked. When they walked across the stage at graduation, I admit to having a bit of pride in the small part I played in their accomplishments. We kept in touch after they graduated, and it was wonderful to see them soar. My role continued to be that of occasional long-distance mentor, or maybe favorite aunt. Listening, praising, giving a bit of unsolicited advice, cheering them on.
They answered my 2 a.m. text. They cried with me. They talked with me. They listened to me. They were there for me. Over the years since they graduated, when I wasn’t paying that much attention, these college students grew into women who had the strength and capacity to be the hands and feet of Christ in my life. That’s the other side of mentoring.
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DR. MATTHEW DOWNS UNDERSTAND THE PAST By Grace Thornton
Photo by Katie West
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Matthew Downs says the first thing he asks every new class is simply this — “Do you like history?” “They can tell me ‘no’ — that’s totally fine,” he said. “But what I want them to know and take away is that we all have a past — I do, you do, Mobile does, and Alabama does. If we don’t understand the story of who we are, we miss something.”
they engage the community with projects such as organizing the historical archives for the Spring Hill Avenue Temple and, with colleague Michael Robinson, associate professor of history, cleaning the Africatown graveyard, which is the resting place of some of the survivors of Clotilda, the last known U.S. slave ship.
Downs’ own story is this — he’s loved history all the way from when he was really young. He’s loved it so much that, for a long time, he didn’t realize he was allowed to choose it as a career — it felt more like a hobby. “My grandfather and dad loved it and encouraged us to think of history as something you investigate,” Downs said. They took field trips to the library, battlefields, anywhere that had a story to uncover. And when it came time to choose a career path in school, Downs went pre-med. “I thought there was a difference between what you liked to do and what you did as a career,” he said. “But as I got into it, I didn’t really like biology, math and science all that much, so I decided to take history classes for fun.” The rest, as they say, is history. The magnetic pull of the past broke his pre-med plans. Now three history degrees later, he’s an associate professor of history and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Mobile, a place where he can teach his students to understand God’s plan better by understanding the past. “I want my students to get a sense that their past is important and that it’s essential to understand it to move into the future,” Downs said. “I try to really stress empathy, to understand someone’s point of view. You may have experiences completely alien to people in history, but try to put yourself in their situation and ask, ‘Why did they make the decisions they made?’” To open those conversations, his classes watch movies and documentaries, read documents and have discussions and debates. They take field trips like Downs used to take with his family. And
Whether you’re planning to be a history teacher, a nurse or a CEO, learning to put yourself in other people’s shoes is important, Downs said. Heather Williamson, a UM junior history major, said Downs’ classes have helped her feel more prepared for work and life. “I know one day I will take each and every skill he has given me in the classroom and apply it to my future,” she said. “He is an inspiration to me and the future work I want to give the world.” Cody Floyd, a UM junior public history major, said Downs’ teaching style has made him think differently about history. “The thing that makes Dr. Downs so phenomenal is that he takes that raw interest that we history geeks possess and he molds it into something refined and professional,” Floyd said. “He doesn’t just explain to his students what happened — history deserves much more emphasis than that. Instead, Dr. Downs provokes his students into asking questions and putting ourselves within the context of what we’re studying so that we might understand why things happened and what it means for the greater world.”
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DR. KAREN DENNIS EXPECT A SURPRISE By Grace Thornton
Photo by Katie West
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Karen Dennis says she vividly remembers the day when she realized all the things she had been trained to do weren’t enough. Her nephew was struggling to read, and it seemed no one could help him. Dennis, a young teacher at the time, decided to give it a shot — and she couldn’t help him either. “He has dyslexia,” she said. “I had everything that I learned in school, and I thought I was a great teacher, but I could not teach my baby nephew the things he needed to know. It wasn’t working.” That agonizing moment changed her and set her on a path — she wanted to learn all she could so that she could help everyone read, regardless of his or her struggle. “It started my passion,” Dennis said. She earned her master’s with an emphasis in reading at Harding University. While she was there, her nephew, who was going into the third grade by then, went to a summer camp that she and her classmates held — and he learned to read. “He was the success story of the camp,” Dennis said. “I was so proud of my classmates and knowing that we could make a difference.” And ever since then, she’s followed her passion for helping people read and enlisted others to share in it with her. That’s a lot of what Dennis does in her role as assistant professor of education at the University of Mobile — she engages people and then encourages them to engage others. “I’m not afraid to ask anyone to be involved,” Dennis said. “It’s kind of the joke around here that I’ll ask anybody — and if I haven’t yet, I probably will.” That goes for the book talks that she and her students do in the local schools — they go in dressed up like book characters, then read to the children. In years past, Dennis has persuaded other faculty and staff, including the president, to participate, too.
Dennis herself has been Raggedy Ann, the Grouchy Ladybug, Ramona Quimby, Pippi Longstocking and, her personal favorite, the mouse from “If You Give a Mouse a Brownie.” That one really surprised the children, she said — they’d heard the cookie version, but not the brownie one. She likes to be a surprise. In her own classes at UM, her students never know what to expect. “In my class, I’m constantly modeling what I’d want them to do in their own classes,” Dennis said. “It’s different every time they come in. Some days it’s yoga, or we take a song and rewrite it to make it a teaching tool. I don’t just lecture — I want them to internalize it and give it back to me.” She wants them to get all the tools they need — but get them through experience. She herself loves learning that way. When she’s not teaching, she’s painting murals at local schools and has even started trying her hand at some renovation and design projects in her spare time. She pulls that zest back into her classes — and it shows, her students say. LaDanika York, a UM senior, said Dennis’ classes “go by so fast.” “She’s teaching all the standards we need to know, but she makes it fun through the experiences we have,” York said. “Every semester I’ve had things I’ve taken back to the classroom where I teach pre-K.” Dennis said she loves hearing that. That’s why she went back to get her Ph.D. in cognition and instruction — so she could be a teacher of teachers and connect the art with the science of teaching reading. She wanted to be part of the solution and teach that to others. “It’s not just teaching them stuff; it’s about life, about helping them live life. My mom always told me to be the change — and that’s what I hope to do,” Dennis said. “That’s what brought me to the University of Mobile. Here I can teach what I love, and I get to do it from a Christian perspective. It’s a dream job.”
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The Advocates Dr. and Mrs. Phillip L. Shouppe Scholarship Fund By Kathy Dean
22 TORCHLIGHT | Fall 2019
Phillip Shouppe was always supportive of anything his wife, Sally, did. So when Sally joined the University of Mobile athletic department as administrative assistant 12 years ago, the university gained more than a dedicated employee. The Rams also gained one of their most faithful, enthusiastic supporters.
“From Day 1, these two invested in our university and its student athletes. Together, they were some of the strongest advocates for our student athletes and two of the most giving people I have ever met,” said Dr. Melissa Thomas ’97 & ’01, associate professor of kinesiology in the School of Health and Sports Science, College of Health Professions. A much-loved chiropractor in Mobile for over 30 years, Phillip served as the Rams team chiropractor and “he adopted those kids,” Sally said. While she coordinated game management for athletic events, Phillip was in the stands to cheer on student athletes he knew by name. He was a regular speaker in Thomas’s kinesiology class where he taught athletic training students about reading X-rays and the benefits of chiropractic care for athletes. On weekends, when the Shouppes traveled and went hiking, biking or paddleboarding, Phillip always wore a University of Mobile t-shirt. He told Sally it was so people would stop and talk with him about the university – Phillip loved people and he loved to talk about UM.
In September 2018, the Shouppes took their support a step further. They met with UM’s advancement office to set up the Dr. and Mrs. Phillip L. Shouppe Scholarship Fund, an endowed scholarship that would benefit student athletes. “Through my job, I’ve seen so many kids come through the university where athletics gave them a chance for life, a chance to make something of themselves. Athletics is their opportunity to get a college degree,” Sally said. On June 20, 2019, Phillip died at the age of 64. His death was sudden and unexpected, the result of a heart attack followed by sudden cardiac arrest. “Losing your spouse – losing Phil – is like losing half of you. Your spouse is who you tell everything to and share everything with,” Sally said. The family requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Dr. and Mrs. Phillip L. Shouppe Scholarship Fund. Sally said she is glad they established the scholarship fund together, and she hopes the fund will grow to provide even more support for student athletes. “This is a permanent thing that will always honor Phil,” she said. “For me, it’s that something he cared deeply about is going to continue. His whole profession was helping people. And this is a way we can continue to help people.” Contributions may be made to the Dr. and Mrs. Phillip L. Shouppe Scholarship Fund at the University of Mobile, 5735 College Pkwy., Mobile, AL 36613 or online at giving.umobile.edu. For more information or to create an endowed scholarship, call the Office for Advancement at 251.442.2587.
“We were in Animal Kingdom a few years ago, and Phil had on a UM t-shirt,” Sally recalled. “A girl came running up to us and about knocked us down to tell us she had gone to UM.”
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FINE ARTS, FINE FUTURE By Martha Simmons
Mural at Mobile Convention Center | Photos by Katie West
The University of Mobile’s art department is growing and making an impact, with the addition of two new Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in a program that has more than tripled the number of art majors from a decade ago. In addition to the Bachelor of Arts in art, UM now offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art. Phillip Counselman ’01, associate professor of studio art and chair of the art department in the Alabama School of the Arts, said the BFA is a valuable degree. “Many of our graphic design students get jobs even before they graduate. Our graphic design majors take positions as entry level designers and creative directors. Our studio majors are prepared for further studies in graduate programs,” he said. Counselman credited Megan Cary, associate professor of graphic design, with designing the
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new Bachelor of Fine Arts programs and introducing new technology and equipment to the graphic design program. “The BFA degree is the academic and professional standard for artists and designers,” Cary said. “It offers more extensive coursework in the academic area of interest. For both studio artists and graphic designers, that means they spend more time in the studio creating work, gaining practical experience through internships and building a portfolio of work to prepare them for a professional career in their field, or going on to graduate school. “Most of our majors are employed in their field within three months of graduation due to their professionalism and experience,” Cary said. “In fact, several of our students accepted jobs in their field before they finished their finals this past May.” Jacob Burkhardt is looking forward to finishing his senior year at UM and graduating with a BFA in graphic design.
“I’ve always loved art and computers, so when I learned about graphic design in high school, I thought that it would be a perfect fit for me and that I would enjoy learning the processes behind it,” Burkhardt said. “When I first started at UM, I didn’t quite know the job path that I wanted to go down, but I knew it would be design.” Cary showed Burkhardt all the career paths available to graphic designers, and now he is hoping to land a job as a concept artist, and eventually freelance. Burkhardt finds fulfilment in the warm and caring environment of UM. “A favorite aspect of my studies is the community within the visual arts department,” Burkhardt said. “It’s really great having other artists around you bouncing ideas off of each other and getting to see the diversity in art styles of your fellow classmates. There is also a variety of art classes that really gets you to try a lot of different mediums of art such as design, drawing, ceramics, sculpting and more.
“The professors are great and really care about their students,” Burkhardt continued. “They inspire their students to get involved in the community by creating opportunities for them to create and put artwork in public areas around Mobile. They’ve gotten students to help create art that has gone in local museums, and create murals such as the one in the Mobile Convention Center. The professors are constantly looking for ways to get their students involved in the community in a fun and creative way.” Counselman added, “Our students are full of creative energy. We strive to help them develop so they are able to think critically and solve visual problems. We teach students their artistic voice is important and encourage them to engage.” For more information about bachelor’s degrees in art, studio art and graphic design, visit umobile.edu/asota or call Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
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RE TRO SPE C T By Kathy Dean
College changes you. Whether you called this place Mobile College or the University of Mobile, your college experience played a huge role in shaping how you view the world, what you value, who you are. The people you lived with, ate with, studied with and learned from each had an impact. You were part of a community. You learned how to think, how to collaborate, how to survive failure, how to celebrate success in this community. When you think back on the pivotal moments of your college years, it’s not the test grade you remember. It’s the choir you sang in, the team you played on, the mission trip you took, the all-night study session with friends. Your community. You still belong.
The first Mobile College choir started a musical legacy that continues today through more than 20 ensembles in the Roger Breland Center for Performing Arts in the Alabama School of the Arts.
Shared experiences like Project Serve, a campus-wide day of service, are part of building a strong community. Faculty, staff and students spread out to more than 60 locations in the Mobile area to volunteer at schools, sing to nursing home residents, organize food pantries, and be the hands and feet of Christ.
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Dorm life has changed through the years – dorm mothers have retired and new residence halls like The Timbers feature apartment-style living with private rooms, shared living room and kitchenette. Plus, on-campus living includes free internet and cable, automated laundry, 24-hour fitness center and 24-hour security. What hasn’t changed are the lifelong friendships that are created.
It was 1979 when the 76-member Mobile College Touring Choir made their first international trip with a week-long tour of England and Scotland. Today’s musical mission trips include tours such as the 2012 Jamaica trip pictured here, where RamCorps and Welsh Revival spread the message of Jesus Christ through music – and did construction, lawn maintenance and cleaning for a Baptist church in Montego Bay.
Remember the day you moved onto campus for the first time? Some of the first faces new students see are the faculty and staff who help them unload their cars and carry an amazing amount of dorm life necessities to their rooms. Here, School of Education faculty help make the first-day transition a little easier.
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A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES By Amber Kelley 28 TORCHLIGHT | Fall 2019
International travel often changes who we are. It challenges us to consider new perspectives, helps us interact with those who are different from us, and leaves us with special memories of missed trains, delayed flights and new foods. At the University of Mobile, travel is in our blood.
Travel is Tradition
Surrounded by current students and a couple of alumni in Paris, France, Barbara Brousseau was reminded just how strong the UM community is. “This trip reminded me and the students that there is value in community. To say, ‘I am a UM Ram’ means something. It opens doors. This community is genuine,” says Brousseau.
It’s part of the University of Mobile experience, from the choir tours led by music professor Dr. Kenneth Bergdolt throughout the United States and Europe, to the international tours of this summer led by professors and students. Ensembles from the Roger Breland Center for Performing Arts in the Alabama School of the Arts traveled throughout the southeastern United States. RamCorps toured in France and New York City, and Voices of Mobile toured in England and Romania. Students went to Israel with Professor of Humanities Ted Mashburn, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Even when you graduate, you are still a part of a deep-rooted community.
Students went to Paris with Associate Professor of French Barbara Brousseau. Students backpacked in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe on Youth Hostel Missions (YHM). Along the way, current University of Mobile students met alumni who are making their mark worldwide.
Katt Smith ’17 lived in Paris for two years and was in her final weeks in France when the UM group was touring. Smith attends and serves at Emmanuel International Church of Paris where Parker Windle ’04 is pastor. Brousseau also met up with Ember Langley ’15, who is in the process of moving to Paris. Lexi Kilsdonk ’19, just moved to Paris, as well. Brousseau is connecting these alumni to each other. Smith spoke to the six students accompanying Brousseau about what it’s like to live abroad, the benefits and the challenges.
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These students were reminded that living abroad isn’t a far-fetched dream, at least for University of Mobile students. Brousseau says, “Our alumni can end up anywhere on the planet.” Dr. Lonnie Burnett, UM president and a member of the Class of 1979, believes that international travel is important. “International travel exposes our students to diverse cultures. With the world increasingly moving to a global economy, such opportunities are invaluable,” Burnett says. John Matheou, senior, traveled the United Kingdom and Ireland on YHM this summer. Reflecting on his trip, Matheou says, “In all, my perspective of the world has changed completely. I have a new sense of courage and boldness for the gospel, and I’m excited to take it back home. I have four new best friends from my University of Mobile Youth Hostel Missions team that I honestly never thought I would love as much as I do.” As Mashburn walked the streets of Israel with the UM team, he was enriched by the students making connections between the scriptures and historical sites.
“These students will never forget seeing the Sea of Galilee, the Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount and many more sites,” says Mashburn. Mashburn traveled as a student himself and believes that travel is important to a student’s education. Travel even encouraged Mashburn to teach. As a student, he traveled to England, Austria and Italy. The summer of his senior year was especially transformative, as a he worked in Liberia and West Africa.
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“Travel might just be the best form of education. Why? Because when one experiences something personally, one never forgets. Travel made me a better student, better Christian and a better person,” says Mashburn. Jess Strenth ’19 traveled to England and Romania with the Voices of Mobile and also came back home with a renewed passion to share the gospel. “I am reminded that across the globe we serve One King. The story is the same in over 6,000 languages. His image is the same in over 8 billion people. And we all have the same calling – to share the gospel with all,” says Strenth. Thomas Rawls, senior, was among 29 students who went on the RamCorps trip to France. He says it was great to spend time with bands from different countries and experience different cultures. Rawls says, “It was incredible to get to share the differences in our upbringing and societies, all the while focusing the conversations on my relationship with God and how He has changed my life.” At the University of Mobile we are distinctively driven – driven to expose our students to the world, different cultures, new experiences and endless possibilities to live out their Great Commission calling anywhere in the world.
The World is Your Classroom By Heath Vester
College is a transformative time for most. It is an opportunity to learn new things, meet new people and develop independence from your past. For me, college was just that – a time to go and explore new parts of the world, meet new people and make new friends. Although I grew up in Mobile and practically went to college in my own back yard, the University of Mobile gave me the world as my classroom.
culture and immerse ourselves in the language. I wanted to really experience Paris. While the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are amazing, I wanted more. We explored neighborhoods outside of the main tourist hotspots, visited small cafes, and made friends with the people we met. By the end of the trip, Paris felt like home. It also energized me, inspired me, and fueled my creative spirit. My senior year, I applied for Youth Hostel Missions. Our goal was to build relationships and share our faith with other travelers we met along the way during our three-week backpacking trip through Europe. Our journey was full of historical sites, dinners with strangers, lots of coffee, and heartfelt conversations. We traveled from Rome to Florence to Grindelwald, Switzerland to Munich, to Prague, to Berlin, and finally to Amsterdam.
First, I traveled to India with the School of Christian Studies. Our goal was to partner with an organization to survey water wells in rural villages. This trip opened my eyes to underdeveloped communities and sparked compassion for the people. It pushed me out of my comfort zone. It made me think about the world in a different way. It gave me a new respect for other cultures and showed me that we are more connected and have more in common than what separates us.
In each city we met people from all around the world, all with different world views. It showed me that the world is a much smaller place than you think. It taught me to find common ground with people who live on the opposite side of the world. The experiences you have while traveling are ones that can change your life. I have learned so much about the world and myself by taking advantage of the opportunities I had in college at the University of Mobile. International travel expanded my world, deepened my faith, and sparked a new sense of adventure that continues to push me out of my everyday routine.
The following summer I traveled to Paris with French studies. Our goal was to experience the
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At the University of Mobile we are distinctively driven – driven to expose our students to the world, different cultures, new experiences and endless possibilities to live out their Great Commission calling anywhere in the world.
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Proud to Be a Ram! As a new academic year begins at the University of Mobile, I think about my days as a student athlete and the many wonderful people that I crossed paths with. It makes me proud to not only be a graduate of one of the Best Small Colleges in the nation, according to College Consensus, but to see the Christian impact that is shown in our community each day. I believe every graduate of the University of Mobile can say they are a better person professionally and spiritually because of their time at UM. The university’s vision statement talks about being “a premier Christ-centered academic community providing comprehensive liberal arts and professional programs to distinctively transform the world.” The founders of our university over 50 years ago would be proud of what the University of Mobile is today. I want to encourage our alumni to continue to be part of YOUR university. Attend our annual scholarship banquet on Oct. 1, come to the many performances presented by the Alabama School of the Arts, or support the Rams athletic program. You can follow the University of Mobile Alumni Facebook page and UM’s flagship social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I look forward to seeing you at the University of Mobile! Go Rams! R. Thomas “Tommy” Ankerson Jr. Class of 2001 President, University of Mobile Alumni Association Update your information at umobile.edu/alumni • Make a donation at umobile.edu/giving
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COMING HOME A L L I E RATC LIFF ’1 5 By Kathy Dean
On The Bridge trip to Boston, from left: Abby Taylor, Allie Normand Ratclliff, Kelcie Kinchen Stokstill and Kalia Jones.
Allie Normand Ratcliff is coming home. And she’s inviting all of her University of Mobile family to come home, too. The 2015 graduate is UM’s new director of alumni programs. She has returned to her alma mater to handle alumni relationships, coordinate the university’s Ambassadors program for student leaders, and develop special alumni events. “We are focusing on bringing our alumni back home and encouraging them to return to campus and be involved with the University of Mobile. Allie brings a lot of energy and passion to her role and will be a good catalyst for growing that alumni
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support,” said Dr. Bruce Earnest, vice president for advancement. This new role marks Ratcliff’s return to the university where she served in 2015 as enrollment counselor, then in 2017 moved to the role of director of student experience in the Office for Student Life. In that capacity, she was responsible for all student life events for both current and prospective students, including preview days, Ram Rush, athletic tailgates, concerts and more. From July 2018 to August 2019, she served as director of admissions for another alma mater, Mobile Christian School, before returning to UM on Aug. 26.
Ratcliff said she is excited about the opportunity to build on the sense of community that UM graduates experienced as students. “The University of Mobile is definitely home for me. It always has and always will be. A sense of community is one common denominator that those of us who graduated from this place we dearly love have in common. It’s such a huge thing – if you graduated from this place, it really molded you into the person you are,” she said.
“Back in the day, they had signups for the Bridge trip at midnight or 12:30 a.m. The location wasn’t announced until a minute before, and it was a mad race, with everybody running and hoping to get to sign up. This time the signup location was in the women’s bathroom in Weaver Hall. A ton of people from all over campus were running straight for the bathroom, and everyone crowded in. It was so loud, and it was pure chaos, and it was awesome!” Ratcliff took a year-long break between her junior and senior year to participate in the Disney College Program, and alumni can expect to see some of that Disney magic in future alumni programming. “I worked in food and beverage. I learned a lot about customer service and working long, hard hours. It shaped me into the worker that I am. I’m very Disney-minded, making sure that no matter what I’m doing, it’s the absolute best, that customer service is top notch, that I’m making people happy and creating unforgettable experiences,” she said.
“It will be fun connecting with people and finding out more about our alumni and what they have been up to since graduation. I am looking forward to keeping alumni informed about what is happening in the University of Mobile community, and creating new events for alumni to get connected.” Ratcliff graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in communication, with concentrations in marketing and public relations. As a University of Mobile student, she served as a cheerleader, resident assistant, and on the Ram Rush committee. Among her most memorable experiences is The Bridge trip to Boston over fall break, where she was part of a team of students who helped a church with outreach projects. While the actual experience was eye-opening and exposed her to life outside the Bible Belt, one aspect she remembers most is the race to be among the first to sign up for the limited number of spots on the team.
Although husband Wes is not a UM grad, she says he has attended so many UM events that he has earned the title of “honorary grad.” They dote on their rescue dog, Chipper, who will be expected to attend UM alumni events as well. Ratcliff said her time at UM, both as a student and employee, have taught her important lessons beyond those learned in her major. “It taught me the importance of slowing down and taking time to invest in people – no matter how small you think the act is, whether it’s going to lunch in the cafeteria or grabbing a coffee at Commons Grounds on campus, taking the time be present with the people you are around. The University of Mobile taught me that it’s not all about me,” she said. For more information about alumni events at the University of Mobile, visit the website at umobile.edu/ alumni, call the Office for Advancement at 251.442.2587, or email Allie at aratcliff@umobile.edu.
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FIND YOUR VOICE Chris James ’15
By Michael Dumas Photo by Brett Meister
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During his freshman year at the University of Mobile, Chris James was a wallflower, someone so quiet one of his classmates wondered if he could speak at all. Then music helped him find his voice, and God amplified it so people around the world could hear it.
“That’s just how much he cared about us becoming better people as we were getting ready to step into life,” James said of Hughes. “He cared about every one of us, and it was an experience I know for a fact that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.
Now in his third year as the announcer for the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, James has learned that risk is worth the reward, especially when you let a higher power organize your steps at every crossroads.
“RamCorps was everything.”
A drummer since he was a young boy, James used to ride his 4-wheeler to church to perform for the congregation, which included his grandparents. He performed through high school, and that’s when his life’s path began to take shape after he was introduced to the university’s RamCorps visual brass and percussion ensemble. The Pensacola native had his choice of colleges in Florida, based on his academics and musical abilities. He had long assumed his percussion skills were nowhere near good enough to join RamCorps. But he and his mother came to Mobile anyway. And when they sat down with RamCorps director and chair of the music department, Associate Professor Kenn Hughes, they were surprised to learn that he had already drawn up James’ admission paperwork, complete with a music scholarship. “It was almost as if he knew RamCorps was where I needed to be,” James said. Fast forward to a RamCorps trip to Jamaica when James was a sophomore. He and his fellow musicians were at a small hotel in Montego Bay when the subject turned to the fact that James had not yet been baptized. He’d given his life over to Christ the year before, but hadn’t dipped his head in the symbolic baptismal waters. So, after a challenge from Hughes, James said, “If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right now in this hotel pool in Jamaica.” So he did.
In addition to making music while in school, he’d eventually announced games for all the University of Mobile sports teams. So after graduating in 2015, James applied for work with all the major southeastern sports teams, even the Harlem Globetrotters. His godfather, Glover “Action” Jackson, had been a star Globetrotter in the ’90s, so James figured, why not try and join the production? The 22-year-old reached out to the team’s show producer persistently for more than a year before being granted an audition. They flew him to Atlanta for the tryout and James flourished, only to be beaten out at the end by an older, more experienced candidate. So he did what he always did in times of uncertainty; he found a quiet place and prayed. He asked God to reveal His plans, and whatever they were, to arrange James’ steps accordingly. A few months later, the Globetrotters’ new hire was out, and James was in. During his second week with the team, the awestruck young man found himself in New York’s Madison Square Garden, announcing a professional basketball game before thousands of fans. “You watch NBA games on TV and you never think you’re going to end up in all these NBA arenas, let alone have your voice ring throughout the rafters,” James said. “Going through this whole process really showed me I had a lot of perseverance to see something all the way through, and that God kept His word that if this was what He wanted me to have, He’d order my steps to accomplish it.”
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DREAMS DO COME TRUE Chelsey Sayasane ’19 | By Kathy Dean The University of Mobile is where Chelsey Sayasane found confidence in the Lord, and in herself. It’s also the place that prepared her to land her dream job, even before she graduated. As co-host of Studio 10, WALA Fox10TV’s morning lifestyle show, each weekday morning Sayasane introduces the regional viewing audience to the people, places and events that make the Gulf Coast community special. It’s a highly coveted spot, one that typically goes to professionals who have been in the television field for years. Sayasane was tapped for the position in January of her final semester, spending the last few months of college juggling a high-profile full-time job while completing her major in communication.
Photo by Joe Emer
Long before she stepped into the television spotlight – even before she was in the spotlight as Miss University of Mobile 2016 – Sayasane was putting the spotlight on people in need. As a college student, she started the “Coats of Many Colors” ministry to provide winter, rain and business coats to the homeless. That sparked her first brush with the television industry. While delivering coats in Bienville Square, a public park in downtown Mobile, Sayasane had an impromptu Facebook Live interview with a local news anchor who saw the activity and stopped to check it out. The interview brought attention to the ministry, allowing it to expand. Now Sayasane brings attention to the good that others are doing in the community. “I truly believe that the Lord knows the desires of our hearts. If we let Him order our steps, even our biggest dreams can become a reality. I am forever grateful for my time at the University of Mobile,” she said.
Photo by Trey Taulbee
Dreams do come true.
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Many of the happiest and most successful people attribute their prosperity to a shift in perspective. Whether it was just meeting someone with different life experiences or surviving a crisis, there’s always a different way to look at things, which can help you grow into the person God meant you to be. Growing up in rural Cullman, Alabama, Stephen Edwards knew the logical step after high school was college, but he wanted to enroll somewhere other than the local junior college. Which brought him to the University of Mobile. A self-described “lazy student,” Edwards’ only plan for the future was to worry about it later, and while he did well in his classroom, it wasn’t until he took Philosophy 101 his sophomore year that things started to come together in his mind. That was when he met Dr. Ted Mashburn, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of humanities. Edwards — who has found contentment leading humanitarian efforts in some of the world’s most impoverished and war-torn countries — says Mashburn was one of the more excited teachers he ever had at the university. He remembers the professor challenging his students to ask questions and think for themselves. “He didn’t have a specific place that he wanted to get you to,” Edwards said. “I just remember him having high expectations of the engagement of his students.” Mashburn shared tales of living in Israel in the 1970s, and his belief that for someone to fully understand themselves and their own culture, they needed to spend a significant amount of time overseas, immersed in a different culture. In other words, to change their perspective — a concept that would change the course of Edwards’ life. The following summer, he took his first international trip, to Ecuador. Edwards was intrigued by the variety of people and cultures he was exposed to, so after graduation in 2009 he moved to central Africa for a few years,
volunteering and scratching together enough money to pay his bills. A friend referred him to a job with a refugee resettlement agency in Nashville, so Edwards moved back to the States. It was the first time he’d learned about the lives of refugees, why they migrated and the situations they fled to seek better lives elsewhere. “It’s probably the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had,” he said. Studying ethics at the University of Mobile, he’d learned about the concepts of justice and mercy, and over the next three years helping refugees through the World Relief organization, his passions crystallized. By following his heart, and the initial sage advice of Mashburn, Edwards learned his skill set included the ability to be adaptable no matter his circumstances. He’s not overwhelmed by his surroundings, whether he’s working on small islands in the Caribbean or Mediterranean seas, or in Amman, Jordan, where he currently serves as the grant manager for World Vision International’s Syrian Response office. The challenge, Edwards said, is maintaining the balance between work and empathy. Ultimately, you have to do your job, but when it means helping meet the basic needs of some of the most vulnerable people in the world — most of whom are fleeing conflict and extreme poverty — it can be tough to keep everything compartmentalized. Luckily, he’s made friends all over the world, many of whom are as fulfilled as he is in their work. “Encountering a different way of thinking, a different worldview, a different mindset, whatever that may be, teaches you about yourself,” Edwards said. “It can certainly be a hard experience for some people going overseas, but it doesn’t have to be. “Breaking out of whatever bubble you always have been in is a good way of understanding yourself better.” umobile.edu
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COFFEE & COMMUNITY Tori Acker ’17 | By Jessica Sawyer When Tori Acker graduated from the University of Mobile in 2017 with a degree in intercultural studies, she landed in a career that allows her to bridge the gap between cultures. Based in Alabaster, Alabama, her Vessel Coffee Co. started with a renovated trolley and desire to create a community. “Food and drink is a commonality in cultures, and coffee especially so,” said Acker. “You can have someone from a cold climate culture and a warm climate culture sit down together over a cup of coffee and have at least one thing in common.” Though Vessel Coffee Co. is a growing for-profit business, she also has plans to begin a nonprofit. “I’m hoping to start a nonprofit to work potentially both domestically and internationally with other nonprofits, using the coffee industry as a common theme,” she said. Acker’s sights are set on more than the coffee business and nonprofits in the future. Thanks to her experiences at the University of Mobile, she is inspired to use her coffee company and knowledge as a way to go into the mission field. “Going through the intercultural studies major, I definitely learned a lot about the different cultures, the commonalities and differences between them, and what ministry looks like around the world,” she said. “I saw a lot of different guest speakers who were bivocational in the mission field. They had another job while in the field, and that helped be a catalyst for my idea of starting a business.”
Photos courtesy of Tori Acker
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A Willing Spirit Joan K. Williams Scholarship By Jessica Sawyer
Being a public servant isn’t the only form of public service which Butler, Alabama, Mayor Mike Williams performs. Williams is also the senior executor for The Ernestine L. Lenoir Charitable Trust. His sister, Patricia Williams Harris, acts in a capacity as his co-trustee. Together, they mutually decide on worthy projects for qualified 501(c)3 charities. The trust was set up by Ernestine “Sis” Lenoir who worked at a hospital with Joan K. Williams, the mother of Mike and Patricia, beginning in the late 1950s. It was a working relationship that turned into a lifelong friendship. The Williams siblings and their parents considered Ms. Lenoir as a close family member. Williams said, “We collectively participated in holiday events and we even vacationed together. Also, ‘Sis’, my mother and I are all Atlanta Braves fans, so they were my Braves buddies.” Thanks to the University of Mobile’s music department, nursing students at UM will now have a chance to further their education through the Joan K. Williams Scholarship Fund.
“I had been utilizing UM’s bands for Butler Fest and I have hired ‘Voices of Mobile’ for Butler Fest and Christmas events, too,” Williams said. “Because of this exposure and after speaking with ‘The Voices’ bus driver, I considered an endowment at the University of Mobile. I consulted with my sister, Patricia, and we decided to proceed. “Focusing on the education of young people is one The Lenoir Trust’s main goals,” Williams said. “Our mother was a registered nurse and a surgical nurse. My sister and I have a soft spot for nurses.” The generosity of the Lenoir Foundation and the willing spirit of the Williams family goes a long way to helping alleviate future student debt for deserving students. The UM scholarship is just one of 27 endowments the trust has at four universities in Alabama. Williams said The Lenoir Trust looks forward to working with the University of Mobile in regard to future endowments. “Scholarships are our preference because, when we first started this, our hope was that some of the young people who are recipients might reminisce later in life and remember that, at a point in their life, someone did something nice for them, so they’d like to ‘pay it forward’ and do the same for someone else,’” said Williams.
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CLASS NOTES 70s
David Nelson ’70 (Math) retired from UOP Honeywell Co. after 25 years. He has been married to Sarah Nan Nelson for 51 years, and they have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Brenda Carlisle ’73 & ’97 (Psychology, Marriage & Family Counseling) serves as Resource Development Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama. She has been married 45 years to Dennis Carlisle, an architect, and they have one daughter, Laura Carlisle, who is an attorney in New Orleans, and one dog, Sophie, and two granddogs, Tucker and Annie. She is a member of Ashland Place United Methodist and serves on the Board of Directors of The Joseph Project Food Pantry; is former member, Board of Directors of Family Promise of Coastal Alabama, and the Board of the YWCA of Mobile.
Stacie Greene ’97 & ’18 (Psychology) serves as a teacher at Hollinger’s Island Elementary, Mobile County Public School System. She has two children who attend the University of Mobile and play on the men’s soccer team. Brandi Lowe ’98 (English) is a Corporate Compliance Officer at Mobile County Health Department. After she left UM, she went on to law school at Cumberland in Birmingham. After graduation, she took a job with the State of Alabama and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for nearly 15 years. She has recently transitioned to the corporate world. She was married to DeWayne Lowe in 2003 and they have an 8-year-old daughter.
Elizabeth Walker ’79 (Music) serves as a Program Supervisor for the State of Alabama DHR. She is married to Robert Walker and lives in Mobile, AL.
Emmett Foley ’99 (Mathematics) has joined Huffstetler and Co. as a Certified Residential Appraiser.
80s
Bernadette Fidler Bailey ’86 (Nursing/ Biology) is a retired RN who spent a third of her career as a travel nurse for high risk L&D and O.R., and as an RN Preceptor in both units. She’s an Army mom who has five kids and three grandkids. She is also a published poet on Google Books, having thus far written three books.
Kelly Waller Scheetz ’99 (Spanish) is a Spanish teacher at Franklin High School in Williamson County, TN. She serves as President of the TN Foreign Language Teaching Association and National Director of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. She has two children with her husband, Ray: Barret, 13 and Arden, 10.
90s
Scott Seale ’91 (Business & Computer Science) is an Application Engineer at Eaton Corporation in Orange Beach, AL.
Dwayne Norman ’00 (Religion) has been named Senior Pastor at Campbellsville Baptist Church in Campbellsville, KY. His wife, Amanda Norman ’00 (Business), serves as a homemaker for their family.
Henderson Stace ’92 (Business) has been named Special Education Teacher at Cherokee County School District in Canton, GA. Ginger McNamara ’96 (Business) started a new position as Marketing Consultant at BIS Designs. She also was the still photographer on “Run the Race” with executive producers Robby Tebow and Tim Tebow, and still photographer and casting director on “Let There Be Light” with director Kevin Sorbo. Both productions are Christian drama films. 48
Amy Merryman ’96 (Elementary Education) has been named Assistant Principal at Lott Middle School in Citronelle, AL.
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Dana Watson ’00 (Sociology) serves as COO of Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries. He and Ashleigh Watson ’01 & ’06 (Early Childhood/Elementary Education) were married on May 23, 2001 and together they have four daughters: Aubreigh, Emma, Olivia and Isabella. Dana received a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama, and master’s
degrees in Christian education and ministry-based evangelism from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ashleigh also completed her master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Mobile in 2006. She taught school for many years, but recently started a career as a Realtor in 2017. Nathan Creitz ’02 (Religion) serves as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in West Islip, NY. Marzetta Thames Delmore ’02 (Organizational Management) is a Statistician with Mobile County Public School System. She is happily married to her best friend, with three wonderful kids. Sam Driver ’02 (Business/Accounting) is a Shareholder/Partner at Johnson, Slaughter, Driver & Northcutt, PA. He lives in Loxley, AL with his wife, Beth, and their two children: Grant, 16 and Anna-Katherine, 14. Jessica Snow ’04 (Sociology) and Zach Snow ’04 (Music) have 6 children and live in the Birmingham area. They homeschool their kids and run a successful piano tuning business. Jessica teaches ESL to kids in China. Zach has been with FIS global for 10 years as a Systems Engineer and now a Systems Administrator. Their son, Isaac, is the 2019 State of Alabama Chess Champion and represented the state in Orlando, FL, in August. Jessica and Zach just celebrated 16 years of marriage in May. Donna Beuk ’06 & ’08 (Nursing) has been named Dean and Professor, College of Nursing at University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Michele Dyson ’06 (Elementary Education) is a 1st grade teacher with the Dallas County School System in Alabama. She married Brett Dyson in 2014 and has two daughters: Ava, born February 2016, and Lynleigh Grace, born March 2019. Chanda Westry ’06 (Business) is Regional SHE Manager at Ecolab. Joseph Camp ’08 (Education) is married to Danielle Camp and resides in Mobile, AL where he is self-employed.
and Reynolds and lives in Georgetown, TX with her husband, Richey. Dean Logan ’08 (Sociology/ Psychology) is the Head Soccer Coach at Gulf Coast Texans Soccer Club. He is married to Fani Chifchieva. Tonya Fulmer ’09 (Business) works at CPSI as a Level II Business Analyst. She is married to Brian Fulmer. Siree Jones ’10 (Business) started a new position as Business Owner of 413 Logistics LLC. Chandler McCulloch ’10 (Athletic Training) serves as an Athletic Trainer at Fleming Rehab and Sports Medicine. He is married to Carly McCulloch ’13 (Intercultural Studies) who serves as an Administrative Assistant with Prism System. Kaleb Heffner ’11 (Athletic Training) opened his own baseball training facility that specializes in a unique way of throwing that actually uses the body in anatomically correct ways. It is called Velocity Farm Baseball. He is married to Alexandra Heffner and has a son, Maddox (who is almost 2) and another little boy on the way in September. Nick Weaver ’11 (Worship Leadership) is the worship pastor at East Brent Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. He is married to Bryley Weaver ’12 (Elementary Education) who teaches 4th grade at RC Lipscomb Elementary School. Lacey Bussie ’12 (Biology/Education) is Department Chair and Science Teacher at Robertsdale High School, Baldwin County Public Schools. She and her husband, TJ, married in June 2012 and welcomed a baby girl, Lela Nicole in March 2018. Lacey was awarded Teacher of the Year at Robertsdale High School for 2018-2019. Michael Casey ’12 (Worship Leadership) was named Relationship Manager at Morris Integration. Patrice Corbin ’12 (Nursing) has been named Moderate Sedation Nurse PACU at Providence Hospital in Mobile.
Emily Ferguson ’08 (English) is Senior Content Marketing Specialist with Reynolds umobile.edu
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Kris McAuley ’12 & ’17 (Communication/ Business Administration) serves as Quality Control Coordinator at Springhill Medical Center. He and his wife, Paige ’12 & ’17 (Nursing), live in Saraland, AL where Paige serves as a nurse with Mobile County Public Schools. George L. Nelson Jr. ’12 (Business Management) started a new position as a Sales Professional at Cooper/T. Smith. Monica Townser ’12 (Sociology) is employed with Alabama Cooperative Extension System as a Regional Extension Agent for Mobile & Baldwin counties. She offers numerous programs to underserved rural areas in the field of Community Resource & Economic Development and Human Diet & Nutrition. Ashley Caples ’13 & ’17 (Psychology/ Political Science/MFT) serves as a Childrens’ and Adolescents’ Therapist at AltaPointe. She is pursuing licensure under the guidance of Dr. Jim Minton. Anna Williams Clark ’13 (History) is the Program Director for the Youth Advocate Program.
Jordan, welcomed a son, Colt, in June of 2017. Tabitha Pierce Rainwater ’14 (Education) graduated with a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Central Missouri. Jake Rainwater ’14 (Theology) graduated with a Master of Divinity in Biblical Languages from Midwestern Seminary and began doctoral work at Midwestern Seminary in August. Their daughter, Harper Mae, was born in July 2018. Tabitha currently teaches in Kansas City, KS, while Jake works as the Assistant Registrar at Midwestern. They also have a Great Dane named Scotland. Halie Crane ’15 (Education) and Logan Crane ’15 (Worship Leadership) are expecting their first child, due November 2019. Logan serves as Worship Pastor for Highland Park Baptist Church. The couple lives in Muscle Shoals, AL. Caleb Godfrey ’15 (Worship Leadship-Church Ministry) is currently serving as the Worship Pastor at Arab First Baptist Church. Christopher James ’15 (Managerial Entrepreneurship) serves as Announcer, Emcee, DK for the Harlem Globetrotters and lives in Cantonment, FL.
Joshua Dailey ’14 (Worship Leadership) serves as Head of Event Staffing and Technical Services with Labelive. He and his wife, Cary Dailey ’14 (Communications), live in Franklin, TN where she serves as Student Administrative Coordinator for Journey Church Franklin.
Joel King ’15 (Music) has joined Moffett Road Baptist Church as Associate Pastor of Worship.
Katelyn Hughes ’14 (Worship Leadership) serves as a Worship Leader at Redemption Church. She married Kendon Hughes ’16 (History Education) in December 2016, and now they reside in Saraland, AL where Kendon serves as a Social Studies Teacher with Saraland Middle School.
Hannah Gibson ’16 (Psychology) serves as a Ministry Leader at Praying Pelican Missions. Her husband, Elijah Gibson ’15 (Communication), is the Pastor of Worship and Young Adults at McLean Bible Church.
Drew Meanor ’15 (Theology) is a Student Leader, Front Desk Receptionist and a Barista at Midwestern Theological Seminary.
Casey Page ’14 (Athletic Training) has been named Assistant Director of Ticket Operations at Auburn University.
Matthew Jordan ’16 (Theology) is Youth Director at Enterprise First United Methodist. He married Mary Evelyn Jordan on June 16, 2018, and recently celebrated their Goldendoodle’s 1st birthday.
Sarah Peoples ’14 (Elementary Education) serves as Athletic Director/PE Coach at North Mobile Christian School. She and her husband,
Jesus Morales ‘16 (Music) serves at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, VA as the Director of Instrumental Music, and also works
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at Immanuel Christian School as the Band and Orchestra Director.
actually the first couple to officially get married on University of Mobile’s campus.
Morgan Norris ’16 (Leadership & Cultural Studies) is Director of Children & Family Ministries at Troy First Baptist Church. She and her husband, Casey, live in Union City, TN, and are expecting their first child in June. Barbara Scott ’16 (Political Science) graduated Spring 2019 from University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Master of Public Administration. She serves as Office Manager for National Guard Association of Arkansas. Sydney Dixon ’17 (Athletic Training) is a second-year student in the three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Samford University. Connor Hogan ’17 (Accounting) has joined COUNTRY Financial as an Insurance Agent. Hannah Vester ’17 (Biology) serves as Clinical Research Coordinator at Coastal Clinical Research. She married Heath Vester ’16 (Graphic Design) on Nov. 17, 2017, and they have been adventuring and traveling ever since! They have two dogs and Heath serves as Creative Director at the University of Mobile.
Logan Moore ’17 (Mathematics) and Victoria Woodruff ’18 (Nursing) were married March 30, 2019. Logan is a Compliance Analyst for Employee Fiduciary and Victoria serves as a NICU nurse at Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile.
DEATHS Mary McGinley King passed away May 23, 2019. She was a member of the charter class of Mobile College. Jenelle Sheppard McElroy ’00 & ’08 (Nursing) passed away July 28, 2019. She was a long-time nursing professor at UM and was returning to the university for fall semester as Associate Professor of Nursing and Simulation Coordinator.
BIRTHS Lee Johnson ’05 and Carey Boone Johnson ’99 had their 4th child, Carleigh Jane, Oct. 17, 2018. She joins brothers: Landon 16, Carter 12 and Reid 6.
WEDDINGS
Update Your Alumni Info! Go to umobile.edu/alumni to update your profile, volunteer, view university events, request a transcript and meet your Alumni Board of Directors. Catch the latest alumni news on our University of Mobile Alumni Facebook page.
Jami Carter ’12 (Business) married Michael Brannon March 9, 2019 and currently resides in Birmingham, AL. Jami is the owner of Jami Leigh Carter Art. Michael’s parents were
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5735 College Parkway Mobile, Alabama 36613
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