insurance administrator to human resources of the manager, all providing free services to GemThe Alumni Magazine of JacksonvilleHills State University deserving children with Medicaid or ALL- Vol. XIII, No. 2 KIDS insurance. Additional details about the JSU President dreams the center has and the ones they fulfill William A. Meehan, Ed.D., ’72/’76 are located on page 12. Vice President for Institutional Many patients at Erlanger Hospital in Advancement Chattanooga, Tenn. are also benefiting from Joseph A. Serviss, ’69/’75 a JSU alumnus thanks to the skills of Dr. Alumni Association President Stephen Brackett. The feature story on page Sarah Ballard,’69/’75/’82 15 tracks Brackett’s life from his decision to Director of Alumni Affairs and Editor attend JSU to his current life as a hospital Kaci Ogle, ’95/’04 resident. Art Director With a “STEP” in the right direction, Mary Smith, ’93 JSU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences Staff Artists Dr. William A. Meehan, President Strategic Teaching for Enhanced Professional Erin Hill, ’01/’05 Preparation Program (page 18) is succeeding Rusty Hill in helping licensed RNs obtain higher Graham Lewis Dear Alumni, education goals while still fulfilling personal Copyeditor/Proofreader and occupational duties. Sybil Roark tells Gem Erin Chupp, ’05 In this issue, JSU alumni in healthcare how she returned to JSU for her master’s in Gloria Horton professions and the College of Nursing and nursing while working and raising children. In Staff Writers Health Sciences are highlighted as one of this article she explains how she searched for “a Al Harris, ’81/’91 the outstanding sectors of Jacksonville State quality education” and why JSU had “the best Anne Muriithi University. This group represents a strong program for [her] needs and desires.” Photographer force in the university’s service mission to These inspiring stories, as well as many Steve Latham communities throughout Northeast Alabama. more, can be found throughout this issue of Our alumni and students work at Sarrell Gem of the Hills and every day throughout the Sarrell Regional Regional Dental Centers in Anniston, Heflin world. Thank you for the positive impact you, and Talladega. Jeffrey A. Parker, a marketing as JSU alumni, have on countless people and Dental Center professor at JSU says the center only hires organizations. “the best and the brightest, which normally Sincerely, means they are from JSU.” Our alumni work 12 in positions ranging from dental assistant to William A. Meehan, President Thriving in the Midst of Trauma Departments On the cover: Dr. Stephen Brackett 2 Gamecock Talk 15 8 News 10 Pioneer Spirit 12 Sarrell Regional 15 Cover Story 20 Sports 22 With Alumni 18 A Step Ahead 24 AlumNotes 41 Capital Campaign News Gem of the Hills is published by the Division of 49 Honor Roll Institutional Advancement, 700 Pelham Road North, The life of a JSU grad working to Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602. save the lives of others. © 2006 Jacksonville State University Phone: 256-782-5404 Alumni AssOciatiON EXecutiVE OFFicers: Sarah Ballard, ’69/’75/’82, president; Pam Fax: 256-782-5502 Young, ’77, past president; Don Killingsworth, ’99/’01, vice president; Chris Reynolds,’85, treasurer; Email: [email protected] Nancy Turner, recording secretary; Kaci Ogle, ’95/’04, executive director; Alan Renfroe, ’88, assistant Website: www.jsu.edu/alumni director. GAMECOCKtalk com/mba/research/rankings/rankings. accredited only 500, and we are in the top CCBA asp; simply search the site using the name half of that 500.” Named Jacksonville State University. According to the surveys, students The book features eleven ranking lists expressed satisfaction with JSU’s program Top 10% of the top ten schools in categories ranging and praised the school’s administration. One from best academics to best career prospects. of all student wrote, “It has a good vision and is The rankings are based on The Business Princeton Review’s surveys of students focused.” Another said JSU’s professors are attending the schools profiled in the book “well-read, detail oriented, and dedicated.” Schools and on institutional data obtained from And another said the faculty has “good Jacksonville State University’s College the schools. The Princeton Review surveyed experience in the fields in which they teach.” of Commerce and Business Administration 16,000 business school students, asking Says Fielding: “I am very happy about was named in the top ten percent of all them to rate their schools on several topics the recognition of our program as a high business schools in the United States for the and to report on their experiences at the quality business program. This makes our second consecutive year by the Princeton institutions. students’ degrees more valuable, and as a Review’s Best 237 Business Schools According to editors, “The College of (Random House/Princeton Review), now Commerce and Business Administration at result, they have a better chance of getting available for business school applicants Jacksonville State University offers a small, the job they want.” nationwide for 2007. predominantly part-time AACSB-accredited The Princeton Review is a New York The Princeton Review, known for its MBA program that students praise for its City-based company known for its test-prep annual college rankings based on surveys of convenience, affordability, and “personalized courses, education services, college and students attending the schools it profiles, attention.” grad school admission services, and books praises JSU’s business program for its According to Dr. William T. Fielding, published by Random House. Among them convenience, affordability and personalized dean of JSU’s College of Commerce and are Best 162 Medical Schools and Complete attention. JSU’s two-page profile includes Business Administration, the ranking adds Book of Graduate Programs in the Arts and information about academic, student life, further weight to the college’s accreditation admissions, and career and placement through the prestigious AACSB (the Sciences, also just published in updated programs. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools 2006 editions. The Princeton Review is not The online version of JSU’s profile can of Business). Fielding said, “Among 7,000 affiliated with Princeton University be viewed at http://www.princetonreview. business schools worldwide, AACSB has or ETS. Each year, the JSU 60’s Group (those graduating or attending between the years 1960-69) host a Spring Fling. This year, they have decided to open up the event to any member of the JSU family, regardless of the years you spent at JSU! Come out and enjoy the fun, sun and surf with other JSU alumni at the Phoenix V amenities such as tennis courts, hot tubs, indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, exercise room, and BBQ grills, to name a few! The Phoenix V is centrally located approximately 5 miles east of Highway 59. Contact the office of alumni affairs at 800-231- 5291 ext. 5404 for more information. Gemof theHills Retired JSU Mourns Loss of INTERESTED IN BEING AN Employee Dr. Effie W. Sawyer ADVISOR FOR YOUR FRATERNITY OR SORORITY? Loses Her Dr. Effie W. Sawyer, author of The First Hundred Years: The History of Battle with Jacksonville State University, 1883-1983, If so, please contact died December 18, 2006 in Meridian, Cancer Eddie Banks-Crosson∆ at Mississippi. Ω (Information taken from Margaret Anderson’s A native of Kemp County, 800-231-5291,A ext. 5491 article in the Jacksonville News) Mississippi, Dr. Sawyer was employed 256-782-5491 or by Jacksonville State University as the Carol Smith, who worked as support executive secretary to Presidents Dr. [email protected] services coordinator in the College of Houston Cole and Dr. Ernest Stone. � Dr. Sawyer attended evening classes and ∑ Commerce and Business Administration at Jacksonville State University for 14 years, completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Your assistance will passed away January 11, 2007. general business with two minors, English Tbe greatly appreciated! and economics. In 1984, she received O Ms. Smith was a well-loved resident the honorary doctorate presented by JSU Z of Jacksonville. Carol’s friend Kenneith Calvert remembers working in charitable President Dr. Theron E. Montgomery. organizations with her. “Carol did so much Dr. Sawyer spent over two years researching university records, exploring The student alumni volunteer work that we could give her the committee at JSU, title of ‘Miss Volunteer of Jacksonville,’” said through photo archives, and interviewing College of Nursing Calvert. “So many groups will miss the extra faculty members to chronicle the history and Health Sciences greatly values the hands and feet she provided.” of the university in The First Hundred Years: The History of Jacksonville State Nursing Alumni Born in Bluffton, Ohio, Carol received and would like to University, 1883-1983. Her experience as a bachelor’s in education from Bluffton request assistance a faculty member and student provided from former students in the development of College. She worked as a home economist a personal glimpse into the growth the Alumni Newsletter. If you are interested in for Ohio Power Company and later served and changes of the university from its participating with the newsletter, please send as district director for Camp Fire Girls in a 150 word summary containing highlights of beginning as the State Normal School to a Albuquerque, N.M. She was a reservationist accomplishments, promotions, outstanding teaching college to the current university. achievements, speaking engagements, for Braniff Airlines in Dallas and Kansas She included biographical portraits of each advances in education, or involvement in City, Kan., and worked for the U.S. of the university’s presidents, countless community activities in which you have Government at Sandia Base and White engaged as a practicing nurse. Submission photos, personal letters, and financial Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Later and contact information is below: records of the institution.