’Southern A Publication for Alumni and Friends Summer 2007 Volume 33, Number 2

Football Returns to ’Southern BSC begins NCAA Division III era

BSC Birmingham-Southern College Editor’s Note What a difference a year makes, but mission far from over by bill wagnon

What a difference a year makes. It seems like an eternity to me now, but it was only 15 months ago that the college’s USPS 087-600 Board of Trustees voted to transition the intercollegiate athletics program from NCAA Division I to non-scholarship Division III. That announcement came less than three Dr.G. David Pollick, President months after two of our students were arrested for conspiracy and arson of nine rural Carl Bailey, Chair,Board ofTrustees Alabama churches. In August 2006, the college welcomed a smaller than usual freshman class of 292 students. ’Southern magazine is published three times a year in late spring, What a difference a year makes. summer,and fall by the Office of Alumni Affairs and the Office of August 25, 2006: “The solution to our structural problem is going to be primarily Communications at Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama 35254. Non-profit postage paid at B’ham., AL Permit enrollment. Enrollment, enrollment, enrollment.”—BSC President David Pollick in his No. 2575. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Alumni Affairs, third annual State of the College address to the campus community. Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box August 24, 2007: “Well, you were nothing short of amazing! Led by Sheri Salmon 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254; telephone 205/226-4909; or [Dean of Enrollment Management] and her wonderful staff, we got better in every way. access at www.bsc.edu/alumni. Our ’Southern Ambassadors were living examples of why we all believe in the students and graduates of this college. Admissions, while examining every aspect of their Editorial Offices: operation, opened their minds to the change and growth that was essential to success. 15 Stockham Building And the faculty and staff took up the challenge, visiting with prospective students in 900 Arkadelphia Road person, on the phone, and via the computer, in many cases numerous times. And our Box 549004 Birmingham, AL 35254 coaches, the veterans as well those leading programs for the first time on our campus, were Phone: 205/226-4921 so focused that you didn’t even realize it when you blew by the goals that had been set for Fax: 205/226-4931 your teams. A world-class performance. … The Alumni Association set as its goal for this E-mail: [email protected] year to provide 500 new student referrals to admissions. They provided 600!”—President Pollick in his fourth annual State of the College address. Editor: Bill Wagnon, Vice President for Communications What a difference a year makes. August 25, 2006: “There is no doubt that we are in a challenging period for fundraising. Managing Editor: Patricia Cole, Communications Specialist While we have been the grateful beneficiaries of some large and generous bequests … these naturally are unpredictable. In contrast, annual gifting had become more difficult Art Director: Tracy Thomas ’92, Associate Director for Communications--Publications even before we entered this transitional phase, indicating that much work needs to be done to reverse that trend.”—President Pollick. Contributing Writers: August 24, 2007: “Well, the good news is that enrollment is not the only thing growing Sarah Barbee, Associate Director for Athletic at the college. Fundraising for the academic programs and athletics is growing as well. … Media Relations Last year was one of the most successful fundraising years in the college’s 151-year history. Martha Boshers, Director of Major Gifts and Gift Planning Patricia Cole, Communications Specialist … And while all of this is great news, securing the future with our alumni has also been a Carol Cook Hagood ’70, Communications Specialist major goal. … And not at all surprising, alumni participation in events on campus and Linda Hallmark, Communications Specialist around the country increased. … ”—President Pollick. Barrett Hathcock, Communications Specialist What a difference a year does make. Record freshman enrollment. Alumni and friends Benjamin Lewellyn, BSC Student pledging their support to the college. A new beginning in Division III athletics and the Fred Sington, Assistant Athletics Director numbers and kinds of scholar-athletes it is attracting to our campus. for Media Relations It’s nice to be able to celebrate some exciting times at the college with this issue of Peter Starr, BSC Student ’Southern. Yet, there is still much work to be done. As President Pollick reminded us in Bill Wagnon, Vice President for Communications this year’s State of the College, “Today, we should all be proud of what was done this last Photography: year in the critical areas of enrollment and advancement. But you won’t be seeing any Billy Brown Matthew Mielke banner behind me that says, ‘Mission Accomplished,’ although you might hear the more Wynter Byrd Dee Moore Fred Sington accurate, and certainly more eloquent, words, ‘This is not the end. It is not even the Patricia Cole John Consoli Bill Wagnon beginning of the end. But, it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’” College Archives The day before school started for the fall 2007 term, a faculty member told me that he’s Lisa Harrison Geoff Knight Office of Athletic Media Relations never seen such a buzz about the campus. For the first time in his nearly quarter of a Randy Lee Submitted Photos century here, everyone—faculty, staff, students, and alumni—is pulling in the same direction. www.bsc.edu What a difference a year makes. Send news of alumni weddings, births, and deaths, and other ClassNotes material to Carol Cook Hagood at [email protected] or 205/226-4913. Bill Wagnon Vice President for Communications Inside ’Southern ’Southern magazine / Summer 2007 / Volume 33, Number 2 A Publication for Alumni and Friends

Feature

22 Are you ready for some football? Birmingham-Southern enters new era of intercollegiate athletics; football team BSCDepartments retakes field after 68 years

2 Community News 13 Faculty News 16 Student News 38 Alumni Affairs 48 Philanthropy 52 Athletics 58 ClassNotes 77 ’Southern Voices

On the Cover Birmingham-Southern is playing football again for the first time since 1939 with a slate of 10 games this fall. Shown are (from left to right) Chandler Bares, a sophomore quarterback from Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Tony Myers, a sophomore wide receiver from Alabaster; and Tay Walker, a junior wide receiver from Birmingham. Find out more about the football program and Division III athletics beginning on page 22. Cover photograph by Geoff Knight.

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New students arrive among new construction, football Birmingham-Southern welcomes its largest freshman class in school history

freshman class and an outstanding group of transfer students.” About 120 of the new students will be playing one of BSC’s seven new NCAA Division III sports, supporting the college’s move to D-III athletics as a major step toward its long-term plan to grow and sustain enrollment at about 1,800 students in the next few years. BSC Provost Dr. Kathleen Murray, however, emphasizes that the academic integrity of the college will not be compromised by this planned growth. “We have made a commitment to maintain the 12-to-1 student-to- faculty ratio throughout this process,” she says, “and we are doing so this fall without increasing the number of adjunct faculty. And, as our enrollment continues to grow in BSC's large group of new students, including a record freshman class, fill the Bill Battle Coliseum floor for the the future, we will add full-time Opening of School Convocation on Move-In Day Aug. 25. faculty accordingly.” The spring semester on the Hilltop 326 last fall, which included 292 In May 2006, the college’s Board ended in the midst of much freshmen and 34 transfers. Overall of Trustees announced that the anticipated change for the coming enrollment is expected to grow from athletics program would move from fall. Three large construction 1,207 last year to about 1,315. The the NCAA Division I level to non- projects, the acquisition of an freshman class included 14 National scholarship NCAA Division III, apartment complex, a new major Merit Scholars compared to six last citing both financial and philo- course of study, one football team, year; 60 percent of the freshman sophical considerations. It also six other additional new sports, and class was male students compared to announced that it was reviving the three months of summer later, the 36 percent last fall. Additionally, the football program, which last took opening of the new school year academic profile of the freshman the field in 1939, along with the heralded the untold excitement. class was virtually unchanged over addition of six other sports for men Classes began Aug. 29 with more previous years in terms of high and women. Other new sports than 500 new students, including school grade-point average and include men’s and women’s indoor the largest number of new freshmen average ACT and SAT scores. and outdoor track and field and in Birmingham-Southern history. “This is a significant accom- men’s and women’s lacrosse. The school-record 452 freshmen plishment for our college, our Pollick says that while an increase were joined by 54 transfer students. Admission Office, and our coaches,” in enrollment was expected with the Another three freshmen and 25 says Birmingham-Southern President additional sports, there are several transfers enrolled in January for the Dr. David Pollick. “We set lofty other factors intertwined that are spring 2007 term. goals and many people worked helping the college forge ahead with The 506 new students compares to diligently to bring in a record its plan for growth.

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“We knew that a Division III honors track in international as Spanish language, environmental athletics program would be attractive business has been added to the issues, and community service. to those outstanding young men and curriculum as well, and other majors An important piece of the plan for women who wanted to stay in which will appeal to today’s students growth includes continued support Alabama to continue their athletics are under consideration. by alumni and friends, and Pollick careers beyond high school, but A prelude to the new Urban says that enrollment is not the only couldn’t before,” he says. “Now they Environmental Studies major was thing growing at Birmingham- can, and they are, and on top of that offered to new BSC students in a Southern. Fundraising for the they are doing so in a high-quality pilot two-week summer course academic programs and liberal arts academic environment. project in August. About 20 new scholarships, as well as for athletics, But we also knew we had to make students enrolled in the Ecological is growing as well. our campus environment, our on- Disasters and Human Health “Our alumni and friends campus living arrangements, our Course, which allowed the students contributed almost $17 million in academic programming, and even to arrive at their new school two the past fiscal year that ended May our scholarship offerings attractive weeks prior to the traditional move- 31, including major gifts in support as well, and those are just some of in date. of academic and interdisciplinary the seeds we are planting that will Dr. Pamela Hanson, associate programs that are at the heart of our ultimately grow Birmingham- professor of biology at BSC who institution, including international Southern for the future.” taught the course, says it was study and travel and service learning, Among the seeds that have been appropriate and well timed, noting among other initiatives,” he notes. planted and nurtured over the past the growing interest in urban “Major gifts also have been received several months are construction environmental studies and a number to provide scholarships, specifically projects that welcomed the new and of grant proposals in the works. The to provide need-based support to returning students in various phases. initiative was completely faculty make sure we are able to welcome The new donor-funded Admission driven, says Provost Murray, and students who qualify to come to Welcome Center, located just east of grew out of discussions concerning Birmingham-Southern, but have the Striplin Fitness and Recreation student retention. significant financial needs. Center as you enter campus, will be “The project allows its 20 “And our annual giving from ready for occupancy by the Office of freshman participants to interact alumni continues to be strong as Admission staff in early September. with five or six faculty members, as well, with unrestricted annual gifts It will serve as the front door to the well as provides an extra two weeks from alumni in the past two years college for prospective students and to adjust to college life and get a being the second and third highest their parents and other visitors. jump start on the academic climate in the past decade. Gifts to the Phase one of the new Football at ’Southern,” she explains. Parents Fund have set all-time Complex also will be completed in The students received an Interim records the past two years, as well, the fall. term credit for completing the growing by 152 percent.” The completion of the first phase course. of the donor-funded Urban In January, Birmingham-Southern Environmental Park, which will purchased the adjacent and recently serve as a place of recreation and renovated Hilltop Terrace Apart- leisure for students, as well as an ments and have enclosed them outdoor laboratory for the new within the college’s gates. Renamed Urban Environmental Studies major, Hilltop Village by the students, the is under way as well. (More details apartments provide an additional on these projects, as well as 375 beds for students and include a photographs, are located elsewhere swimming pool and club house, in the Community News section.) which will eventually be home to a The new Urban Environmental convenience store. In addition to Studies major was formally offering a more independent living approved by the faculty in the spring environment for students, the Current BSC students (in gold T-shirts) welcome this first- and will officially become a part of apartments also offer theme housing year student as he enters campus to move into his new the curriculum in fall 2008. An for those interested in subjects such residence hall home.

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Now?”, she used a current cell Faculty award winner delivers phone commercial as a metaphor for the day by asking graduates Birmingham-Southern’s which voices they could hear right now. In addition to the praise of Commencement address, family and friends, she encouraged them to “listen for all the voices that two honorary degrees awarded have enabled and empowered you to reach this milestone in your lives.” Then citing the voices of Mr. Rogers, the five women involved Dr. Bill Nicholas, James A. Wood Tuan told us, ‘to think of Einstein. in Moses’ childhood, Truman Professor of History, addressed the For it is in the moments when we Capote’s The Grass Harp, and others, Birmingham-Southern class of 2007 stand back up in the face of that she wove together a message during the college’s Commencement failure that the lesson truly begins.’” encouraging graduates to listen for ceremonies May 26. In addition, Nicholas told the voice of God and for the Nicholas was named the BSC graduates about the unexpected voices within to help them write Outstanding Educator of the Year for happenings that accompany each of their own stories well. She also the 2005-06 academic year in our lives and advised them to use asked them to “remember to listen recognition of excellence in all their BSC education to carry them to your pain, your panic, and the aspects of teaching. The award through difficult times. “A liberal things that are scaring you right includes a cash stipend and an arts education teaches us that you now. God’s voice is present to invitation to speak at the next year’s cannot control the world around remind you that even in times of Commencement. you, but you can control your pain, you are not alone.” He delivered the keynote address response.” Birmingham-Southern also at the 148th event at the Boutwell Birmingham-Southern’s presented an accomplished husband BSC’s 2005-06 Outstanding Auditorium in downtown Commencement Day began with the and wife with honorary degrees Educator of the Year Dr. Bill Birmingham when Birmingham- Baccalaureate Service that morning during Commencement in Nicholas, who is James A. Southern conferred 306 bachelor’s at First United Methodist Church recognition of distinguished careers Wood Professor of History, addressed the 2007 graduating degrees, 21 master’s degrees (the in downtown Birmingham. and service to the college. class during this year’s largest graduate class in the college’s Rev. Libba Stinson, a member William Cabaniss of Commencement. history), and two honorary degrees. of the BSC Board of Trustees and Birmingham, former Alabama In his address, Nicholas urged pastor of Grace United Methodist senator and former U.S. Ambassador graduates to expand their learning Church in Auburn, delivered the to the Czech Republic, received an and interests beyond their degrees Baccalaureate address. Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. and shared with everyone his dream In her sermon, “Can You Hear Me He served in the Alabama House of of playing the piano for an audience. “If a professor at BSC was able to change your life in the last four years, I can almost guarantee it is because of a part of their life that brought in a fresh perspective, a different angle or edge,” he said. Nicholas also related several stories and anecdotes, including a reference to the persistence, repeated failures, and eventual success of Albert Einstein told by guest lecturer Dr. Li Fu Tuan. ‘“When we are discouraged by the memory of our own academic failures, it helps,’ Rev. Libba Stinson, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Auburn, delivered the sermon during the Baccalaureate. Stinson (center) is pictured with BSC President Dr. David Pollick and Provost Dr. Kathleen Murray prior to the service. 4 / ’southern COMMUNITYNEWS

Representatives from 1978-82 and in the Alabama Senate from 1982-90. A leader in the Birmingham business To become the first of its kind in state community for many years, he is BSC to offer new Urban Environmental former owner of Precision Grinding Inc., a successful steel plate Studies major processing and metal machine business. Catherine Cabaniss, gifted Birmingham-Southern, in a outdoor teaching will also serve as a artist and wife of William Cabaniss, progressive step toward a greener place of recreation and leisure for received an Honorary Doctor of campus, will offer a new Urban students. Humanities degree. She aggressively Environmental Studies major Architects are working to design the represented the work of other beginning fall 2008. The program, the lake to capture storm water runoff, American artists within the first of its kind in the state of Alabama, which is a major threat to this state’s ambassador’s residence during her will focus on the study of the urban aquatic ecosystem, Duncan said. husband’s three-year term in Prague, ecological environment and how Alabama ranks No. 1 in the United introducing artists and their work to people live in and interact with the States for aquatic biodiversity. Storm the citizens of the Czech Republic. environment. water runoff greatly impacts this In the late ’90s, she joined a group The new major was developed population. of women to form the Alabama through the work of the Environ- “We can show the rest of the country Committee for the National mental Studies Committee chaired by an example of how to deal with storm Museum of Women in the Arts, a Dr. Scot Duncan, BSC assistant water runoff in a way that is coalition of women who believe in professor of biology. Like other aesthetically pleasing,” noted Duncan. the importance of the creative environmental studies programs, it will The new major and Urban contributions of Alabama’s female include courses from across the liberal Environmental Park further advance artists. arts curriculum on ethics, politics, and the college’s commitment to grow societal issues, and not just science. enrollment to about 1,800 over the Duncan says urban environments are next few years. quite messy, and it is important to “Providing curricular offerings such find ways of making urban centers as the Urban Environmental Studies healthier for the natural ecosystems major that are built first and foremost that sustain life. upon a common foundation in the Approved by faculty vote earlier this liberal arts, but that also are attractive year, the innovative course of study and useful to students and society, is will become an integral part of the an important part of our overall Urban Environmental Park, currently growth strategy,” said BSC Provost Dr. under construction on the west side of Kathleen Murray. campus near the old fraternity row site The Urban Environmental Studies and the intramural fields. Phase I, major is initially funded by a Receiving honorary degrees during which is nearing completion, includes Community Foundation of Greater Commencement were William and a plaza, terraced seating for the Birmingham grant awarded to the Catherine Cabaniss. intramural fields, irrigation, and college that will be used to seek out landscape design. Phase II will include and hire a program director. A search development of a lake/plant wetland is under way, with hopes to have the and boardwalk. When completed, this director in place by fall 2008. urban oasis conducive for hands-on

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two-thirds of the time in religious life and one-third of the time as a Q&A personal counselor in the college’s then one-year-old Counseling Center. In the early ’80s, I became An interview with BSC’s recently the counseling center’s director and divided my time between serving retired dean of chapel there and serving as chaplain. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to perform weddings, baby blessings, funerals, and baptisms; I have Editor’s Note: ’Southern magazine developed weekly worship services recently sat down with Dr. Stewart and given sermons; and I have Jackson, who retired June 30 as dean of helped develop the Service-Learning chapel after 28 years of service to Interim at BSC. I’ve worked with the Birmingham-Southern. During those Service-Learning program each year years, he served as the heart of campus either locally, nationally, or life, offering pastoral ministry to all internationally. I also directed BSC’s members of the college and in all faith New Student Orientation 12 years traditions. A native of Birmingham, and led the college’s former Youth Jackson received a bachelor’s degree Ambassador Program. from Auburn University and both master of divinity and doctor of Q. What were your strategic and ministry degrees from the Candler faith goals as a chaplain? School of Theology at Emory University. A. My goals were pretty simple. I Here are his reflections on his career sought to be true to myself and my and accomplishments. faith and to connect to all parts of the college. I wanted to be vitally related to everyone on campus— Q. How and when did you first Jackson, standing, with longtime chapel from those in the President’s Office receive your calling to ministry? colleague Sue Powell. and the trustees to the maintenance A. I think of anyone’s calling as a staff and students. long conversation that begins before BSC’s great reputation, and I always we are ever born. Among the topics wanted to work with college Q. What unique personal or in my conversation that have been students and be a part of their lives professional strengths do you important and sacred to me are: as they matured into adults. When a feel you brought to BSC? growing up in the United Methodist position for chaplain opened at BSC A. I think my strongest ability is to part of Christianity; John Wesley’s in 1979, I called and talked to Mike be a good listener. I also have a balanced emphasis of scripture, Harper, who was my former youth great love and affection for the tradition, experience, and reason; director and the college’s departing people of BSC and the institution balancing personal piety and social chaplain. He told me there was only itself. justice; being married and having one day left to apply. I drove from children, and now grandchildren; Atlanta the next morning and turned Q. How did your role as a the grace of the sacraments; and the in my résumé at 8:15 a.m. The day chaplain change over the years power of forgiveness. after that, Dr. [Neal] Berte (former as more types of faith were BSC president) called me for an integrated into the life of the Q. What interested you in interview. college, and how did you face bringing your ministerial work that challenge? to BSC? Q. What have been your primary A. Most students at BSC are from a A. Before I came to BSC, I was a duties over the years? Christian experience. I am among member of the North Georgia A. My initial appointment was those who think we are enriched Methodist Conference and served working as the chaplain of the when we get outside of our three congregations. I knew about college. This meant that I worked traditions to learn about others.

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Jackson sings to a little orphan girl during a Service-Learning Interim trip to Zimbabwe, Africa.

that thought was pretty new and just starting to gain credibility. Dr. Berte was very open to it. And Bob Slagter also was very supportive. We thought, rather than just teaching students about service, what if they were actually doing it, while reading And I believe the key to that is Most also are respectful of others. about it? The college’s first service- respect. I’ve had little difficulty But students are growing up during a learning project was in 1985, where talking to anyone about their time of defensiveness among I took two BSC students, along with religion as long I was being religions. Fanatical fundamentalism a church group, to Florida for a respectful. Also, I grew up in a time is now a part of all the major Habitat for Humanity project. Then when significant adults taught me to religions. Fortunately, there are in 1988, we were ready to take our “get over myself” and realize that I places like BSC that challenge first trip to Zimbabwe, Africa. Since was not the only one in the world, students to have a faith that seeks then, we’ve done numerous projects nor the only perspective. understanding. overseas.

Q. Who among the campus Q. What have been your most Q. What will you miss most community influenced you memorable experiences? about BSC? the most? A. I have met so many wonderful A. I will miss the people. Many A. It would take the rest of this people through my travels, in have allowed me to be a pastor to edition of ’Southern to list them all. churches, on the campus, and them, and I will never forget them or I know I was deeply appreciative of locally. Of the thousands of that sacred privilege. late BSC French Professor Diane conversations I’ve had with students, Brown. She taught a lot more than I remember one in particular. I was Q. What are your plans for French; she taught about life. She talking to a group of students about retirement? was a well-respected and tenured their calling in life and what they A. I’ll be working full-time with faculty member who worked with would do after college, and one United Methodist Pastoral me to create the Service-Learning student said, “You know, college is Counseling, which is a counseling program, along with Dr. Bob Slagter the real world. It’s just not the program for pastors, church [professor of political science]. Late whole world.” Seeing student minds members, and the public.I’ll work Mathematics Professor Dr. Natwarlal and hearts grow in relationship to with married couples, families in “Bos” Bosmia was a beautiful person service around the world has been transition, and people undergoing to be around. He loved God, loved deeply gratifying to me. great stress. Our central office is in people, and loved family. He would Birmingham and I’ll also be working often arrive on campus at 2 a.m. to Q. What have been your major out of offices in Gadsden and begin his day. I have and do accomplishments during your Huntsville.I’ve been doing this sort appreciate the servant leadership of career? of work for more or less 30 years Dr. Neal Berte and the courage of A. With the support of Kristin and will be able to focus completely people like Terry Goodrick, Tom Harper [service-learning director], on it now. In terms of my Gibbs, the late Barbara Lester, Bill Sue Powell [administrative assistant connection with BSC, I am a big Nicholas, Bob Shelton, Joe Dean, to Jackson], and many others, we supporter of Rev. John Richardson and so many more. established the Service-Learning and his ministry here as the program at BSC. In the ’20s, there chaplain, and I will remain Q. What are your thoughts on was a popular motto which stated connected to the college through the the strength of the religious “education serves.” The thought was relationships I have made over the community at BSC? that students are not just in college years. The people on campus I’ve A. I believe the religious to learn to make more money. They worked with are special to me and community is very strong at are also here to make something of I’ll never forget them. Birmingham-Southern. The themselves and their communities. majority of BSC students believe in What fell into my lap was the God and prayer, and most students opportunity to organize it and call it come from Christian traditions. service learning. In the early ’80s,

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Alumnus named to lead New campus construction campus ministry efforts at projects continue in Birmingham-Southern various phases

Birmingham-Southern is undergoing one of the biggest years of construction in its history as the college’s The Rev. John Richardson, a 2000 summa cum three large projects continue. laude and Phi Beta Kappa Birmingham-Southern (Top photo): Phase I of the college’s new Urban graduate and a United Methodist minister, has been Environmental Park area is near completion as named the new chaplain at BSC. He replaced contractors finish installing the plaza, seating longtime Dean of Chapel Dr. Stewart Jackson arrangements, irrigation, and landscape design. Phase II who retired this summer after 28 years of of park construction will include development of a service to the college. lake/plant wetland and boardwalk. The park is located Richardson assumed his new position July 1 on the west end of campus adjacent to the residence hall after serving three years as associate pastor of quad. It will serve as both a place of recreation and First United Methodist Church in New Albany, leisure for students, as well as an academic laboratory Miss. Prior to his ministry in New Albany, he for the college’s new Urban Environmental Studies was circuit minister for the Stokesley Circuit of major. the British Methodist Church as part of a one- (Middle photo): The new Admission Welcome Center year exchange through the British-American was set to be finished Sept. 10. When completed, the Ministry Program. center will be the new home for the college’s Office of His chaplaincy training includes serving at Admission. Located near the main campus entrance and Northside Hospital in Atlanta; Hospice just east of the Striplin Fitness and Recreation Center, Atlanta; United Methodist Children’s Home in the facility will serve as a formal point of entry for Decatur, Ga.; and Children’s Hospital in prospective students and their parents and other visitors Birmingham. A proficient musician, to campus. The center also is across the street from the Richardson also has held positions across the one-stop Student Services Building, where prospective South as a music leader and pianist in camping students can get questions answered about financial aid. and youth ministry, including summers at (Bottom photo): Phase I of BSC’s new athletics Camp Sumatanga in the North Alabama complex is well under way. Phase I of construction on Richardson Conference of the United Methodist Church the athletics building includes a training room, locker and Blue Lake Camp in the Alabama-West Florida room, and weight room for the football program. The Conference. athletics building and practice field are scheduled to be Following graduation from BSC, he earned his completed in early September. The state-of-the art master of divinity at the Candler School of Theology competition field also will be complete by the end of at Emory University, where he received the prestigious September and the eight-lane regulation track Woodruff Fellowship, its top scholarship. He was surrounding the field will be finished in November. ordained an Elder in Full Connection in June 2006 by Phase II of the project will include a stadium, offices the Mississippi Annual Conference of the United and additional locker rooms in the athletics building, a Methodist Church. press box, and a concession area. Richardson originally is from Hattiesburg, Miss., and is a fourth-generation BSC graduate. His wife, Jasmine Hodges of Thomasville, Ala., is a 1999 magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa BSC graduate.

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BSC receives accolades from national college guides

Birmingham-Southern has received praises recently from The Princeton Review and the Fiske Guide to Colleges. According to The Princeton Review, the Master of Arts in Public and Private Management program at BSC is an outstanding business school. The New York- based education service company selected the school for inclusion for the first time in its 2008 edition of Best 290 Business Schools. The Princeton Review recommends the college’s MPPM program to its readers and Web site users as one of the best places to earn a master’s in business. It compiles the book’s ratings and ranking lists based on institutional data it collects from the schools and its surveys of more than 19,000 students attending the schools profiled. The guide will be available in bookstores Oct. 9. Birmingham-Southern also is one of the nation’s “best value” undergraduate institutions, says The Princeton Review. The latest edition of its book America’s Best Value Colleges, which profiles 165 colleges chosen for their excellent academics, generous financial aid packages, and/or relatively low costs of attendance, commends BSC for “its rank among the nation’s best (and virtually always in the state of Alabama) in percentage of all graduates accepted to dental, health, and medical-related programs.” The publication also includes a three-page profile on each college with information on academics, admission, financial aid, student body, and campus life. The list is available at www.princetonreview.com. In addition, Birmingham- Southern is included in the 2008 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. The college is one of 26 private institutions chosen as “best buys” based on the quality of academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance. The 24th edition of the book is available in bookstores and online.

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Three new members join Birmingham-Southern Board of Trustees

Page Terry Watts Birmingham-Southern welcomed three new members to its Board of Trustees this summer, one of whom is a BSC alumnus. New trustees are G. Ruffner Page Jr. of Birmingham, president psychology from Vanderbilt University and completed a of McWane Inc.; Bill Terry of Birmingham, a partner in Highland graduate degree at the University of Virginia’s Darden School Associates Inc.; and John Watts of Huntsville, founder and of Business. resident manager of Evans, Watts, and Schrimsher Wealth Terry has worked in the financial services industry since 1981 Management Group of Wachovia Securities. and specializes in serving healthcare clients. Prior to co- The elections were approved at the annual meetings of the founding Highland Associates, he worked at the Investment North Alabama and Alabama-West Florida conferences of the Management Consulting Group of Interstate/Johnson Lane United Methodist Church. Securities, advising a national client base of primarily retirement In addition, longtime board member Carl Bailey of plan assets. He graduated from Davidson College with a Birmingham, retired president of BellSouth Telecommu- bachelor’s degree in philosophy and is a chartered financial nications, was elected the new chair of the board, replacing analyst. James Stephens of Birmingham, chair of EBSCO Industries Inc., Watts, a 1986 Birmingham-Southern graduate, specializes in whose term ended. providing customized investment solutions for high net worth Page joined McWane in 1993 and worked in several aspects individuals and is fully engaged with local merger and before being named president of the company in 1999. Prior to acquisition activity in partnership with the Capital Markets McWane, he held management positions at National Bank of Group of Wachovia in Charlotte, N.C. He remains active at BSC Commerce, the Remington Fund, and Bankers Trust Co. in New serving as the vice president of athletics on the BSC Alumni York and Atlanta. He earned a double degree in philosophy and Board, of which he is past president.

Honors Day Pollick attends Annapolis Group 2007—Birmingham- Southern alumna Jill meeting to gauge validity Balch Coon (center) of college rankings presented the 2007 Honors Convocation Birmingham-Southern President Dr. David Pollick was among a address April 26. Coon, a 1992 BSC group of 80 liberal arts college presidents who met this summer to graduate and formally endorse the development of an alternative format for director of education assessing commercial college rankings. and programs for At the annual meeting of the Annapolis Group, held in June in the nonprofit Baltimore, Md., members announced a new Web-based initiative that organization ENACT Inc., gave a speech entitled will provide more interactive and meaningful ways to aid students “You’re the Inspiration,” where she shared how and their parents in the college selection process. The organization she was inspired by faculty and peers as an said it planned to work closely with the National Association of undergraduate student at BSC and how she is Independent Colleges and Universities and other education groups inspired by the students that she works with every day. In her current position at ENACT, she that have begun creating a similar tool to provide prospective uses creative drama and drama therapy students with more candid information. techniques to teach social and emotional skills The Annapolis Group is an association of about 115 of the nation’s to New York City public school students and leading national independent liberal arts colleges. The member their families. Shown with Coon are BSC institutions meet annually to share mutual interests and information President Dr. David Pollick and Provost Dr. that will strengthen their respective educational programs. Kathleen Murray.

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Birmingham-Southern College Calendar of Events BSC president September 7-28 Plot Influential Art Exhibition, a national invitational receives high ratings printmaking exhibition, M-F, 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m., Durbin Gallery, Doris Wainwright Kennedy Art Center/Azar Art at national media Studios, reception on opening day at 5 p.m., 205/226-4928. conference September 20-23 Miss Julie Theatrical Production, an updated translation written by BSC Professor of Theatre Alan Litsey, Sept. 20-22 at Birmingham- 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m., BSC College Theatre/ Southern President Theatre One, 205/226-4780. Dr. David Pollick set the bar high for a September 21 Black & Gold Preview Day for high school seniors, campus, number of guest 205/226-4696. speakers at the 2007 September 22 Destination: Pluto Planetarium Show, 2 p.m., Robert R. How Colleges Can Meyer Planetarium, 205/226-4771. Obtain National and Regional Publicity September 30 Mildred Allen Faculty Recital (voice), 2:30 p.m., Hill Recital conference held in Hall, 205/226-4950. June in Baltimore. Pollick Pollick’s October 5-26 Lisa Michitti Art Exhibition, featuring paintings by the 1993 participation in the BSC graduate and artist/designer, in conjunction with the session “Communicating in a Crisis” Sloss Artists Iron Pour, M-F, 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m., Durbin Gallery, Doris Wainwright Kennedy Art Center/Azar Art earned him the honor of being the Studios, reception on opening day at 5 p.m., 205/226-4928. conference’s highest-rated speaker. Of the 106 ratings of his talk, he pulled 96 October 6 Family Day, campus, 205/226-4922. “excellent” marks. The annual conference, sponsored by October 6 Football Homecoming vs. DePauw University, 1:30 p.m., the marketing consultancy firm Keith Regions Park in Hoover, 205/226-4912. Moore Associates, brings together more than 200 media relations and October 7 William DeVan Faculty Recital (piano), 2:30 p.m., communications professionals from Hill Recital Hall, 205/226-4950. colleges and universities across the October 11 EcoFest VII, to benefit the college’s Southern Environmental country to receive insight from key Center, 6:30 p.m., WorkPlay multimedia complex, higher education reporters, editors, Birmingham, 205/226-4934. freelance writers, and producers, as well as campus leaders and campus news October 13 Fall Preview Day for prospective students, campus, professionals. 205/226-4696. As noted on individual conference summaries, Pollick gained an attentive October 20 Ring World Planetarium Show, 2 p.m., Robert R. Meyer audience right after a previous speaker Planetarium, 205/226-4771. shared a true, heartwarming story November 2-30 John Lytle Wilson Art Exhibition, featuring paintings by the about thoroughbred racehorse Barbaro. artist/instructor from Tallahassee, Fla., M-F, 8:30 a.m.- A recent note to Pollick and the Office 4:45 p.m., Durbin Gallery, Doris Wainwright Kennedy Art of Communications stated, “You took a Center/Azar Art Studios, reception on opening day at 5 p.m., difficult time slot, following a truly 205/226-4928. moving story, and captured the audience’s complete attention. That’s November 8-11 Taming of the Shrew Theatrical Production, a classic comedy almost an impossible task, but you did by William Shakespeare, Nov. 8-10 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 11 it so comfortably.” at 2:30 p.m., BSC College Theatre/Mainstage, 205/226-4780.

November 10 BAMA Concert, featuring violinist and BSC First Lady Karen Bentley Pollick with guitarist Paul Bowman, 7:30 p.m., Hill Recital Hall, 205/226-4950.

All college events can be found at www.bsc.edu.

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Estes appointed vice president for administration at Birmingham-Southern

Lane Estes, executive assistant to discipline, and personal integrity, combined with that the president of Birmingham- knowledge of Birmingham-Southern, will serve this Southern College since 1998, has college well,” said BSC President Dr. David Pollick in been appointed the institution’s making the announcement. vice president for administration. A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Estes holds a bachelor’s In his new duties, Estes oversees degree in business administration and a master’s degree the college’s bookstore, in education, both from the University of Tennessee. cafeteria/food services, campus Prior to joining Birmingham-Southern, he was police, construction, facilities and marketing director for Host Communications from events, human resources, 1993-98, and business, compliance, and library research Estes landscaping, operations, post assistant for the Southeastern Conference from 1991-93. office, printing services, and He is a member of the board of directors of the Southern Environmental Center areas. Homewood City Schools Foundation and Campfire USA. “Lane has gained invaluable practical knowledge of In 1997, Estes was named to the Birmingham Business many facets of the college while serving as executive Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40.” assistant to the president, and his professionalism,

BSC faculty and student art exhibited in Czech Republic, First Lady performs at opening ceremony

Art work by Birmingham-Southern faculty and students was exhibited during the annual Pilsen Liberation Festival in the Czech Republic in May, and the opening ceremony featured a performance by BSC First Lady and violinist Karen Bentley Pollick. Entitled “Birmingham-Southern College—A Southern View,” the exhibit was part of the ongoing cooperation between BSC and the Institute of Art and Design of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Czech Republic. The exhibit also honored the sister city relationship between Pilsen and Birmingham. Pollick and Louisiana State University professor of cello Dennis Parker performed at the May 6 opening of the exhibit in the University Gallery. The duo was in the Czech Republic May 6-13 for an “American Spring” musical tour. BSC faculty and students whose art was included in the exhibit were Natalie Andrews, a senior art-painting major from Franklin, Tenn.; Steve Cole, professor of art; Kendel Gordon, a senior art-studio major from Trussville; Jim Neel, assistant professor of art; BSC First Lady and violinist Graham Ritchie, a senior art-sculpture major from Mobile; Kevin Shook, assistant Karen Bentley Pollick and professor of art; Cooper Spivey, instructor of art; and Pamela Venz, associate professor of cellist Dennis Parker perform art. at the opening of an art exhibit Pollick introduced the artwork to the Pilsen and Czech dignitaries gathered at the featuring works by BSC faculty opening. Jan Vicarˇ of Prague, who taught at BSC as a visiting professor of music in 2006, and students in Pilsen, Czech introduced Pollick and Parker, who performed Vicarˇ ’s “Homage to Fiddlers,” which was Republic. composed in Birmingham in 2006 while Vicarˇ was teaching composition at BSC. The duo then performed several concerts throughout the Czech Republic, in addition to collaborating with the Wind Ensemble of the Prague Castle Guard Band at Zbiroh Castle. The art exhibition at the University of West Bohemia was the third in a series of 12 / ’southern exhibitions of American artists on the occasion of celebrations of liberation of the city of Pilsen by American troops and the end of World War II in Europe. FACULTY NEWS

“One example illustrates the Dr. Bob Slagter: challenge. The college was giving full scholarships to some students mixing politics with sports on the basis of their athletic ability, but was unable to do the same thing for students based on academic by pat cole ability. With our transition to D-III, student-athletes will receive financial Dr. Bob Slagter has always been “The main focus of the FAR is aid on the same basis as equally at ease, whether standing in academic integrity,” says Slagter. all other students and will front of the classroom or seated on a “Less formally, I served as the liaison be committed to academic bench at a ballgame. between BSC’s athletic and academic achievement and athletic As professor of political science programs to ensure that both competitiveness in the and outgoing chair of the components of the college attained great tradition of athletics Department of Political Science, the best possible degree of mutual at BSC.” Economics, and Sociology at understanding of the other’s Originally from Birmingham-Southern, Slagter also perspectives, demands, and needs. Chicago, Slagter received is an avid sports fan and has served The position let me interact with his bachelor’s, master’s, as the faculty athletic representative many individuals in the BSC and doctoral degrees from for the college at the National community to achieve a workable Southern Illinois Association of Intercollegiate level of understanding.” University, all in political Athletics (NAIA) level, and then later And working with people is science. Prior to college, during BSC’s affiliation with the something that Slagter enjoys. he served 14 months in NCAA. Having a personality type that the Vietnam War as a U.S. Slagter “I love sports and probably have reflects both grace and humor, he Army combat medic. spent more time playing basketball helped steer the college through the After returning and working in during my life than any other difficult transition period last year construction for several years, he activities except sleeping and when the move from Division I to earned his degrees and began his reading,” says Slagter. “I also Division III athletics was announced teaching career at BSC. appreciate the positive impact by the Board of Trustees. “The “One of my professors in college athletics can have as a part of the overwhelming majority of BSC had attended graduate school in the college experience.” faculty were in favor of the move,” South and knew about BSC,” says Slagter will be on sabbatical Slagter remarks. Slagter. “He suggested that I contact during the spring 2008 term and “Birmingham-Southern is in a very the school and apply for a teaching recently relinquished his position as unique position in American higher position that was open.” faculty athletic representative. Dr. education. In 1999, the college Slagter has worked hard as a Randall Law, assistant professor of made a necessary decision to leave professor—while traveling and history, will lead BSC into its the NAIA after winning two national raising his daughter single- inaugural season this fall as a championships in basketball and handedly—to become a noted expert member of NCAA Division III and one in baseball during the previous on social, economic, and political the Southern Collegiate Athletics 10 years. BSC committed to NCAA subjects in Thailand and their Conference (SCAC). D-I affiliation and achieved success interaction with Japan and the Slagter says he is proud to have both athletically and academically, United States. He also gained served as one faculty voice that and reached full compliance and expertise in American politics, most upholds the college’s traditional membership on schedule. As both a notably at the national level, and an liberal arts values and the well-being liberal arts institution and one of the interest in the competence in of its student-athletes. He received smallest colleges competing at the teaching of research methods for the title of faculty athletics D-I level, BSC faced issues involving political science and sociology. representative in 1997 by then-BSC the compatibility of D-I member- He believes serving in the Vietnam President Dr. Neal Berte because of ship with the mission of the college War is what piqued his interest in his availability and willingness to and financial strain. (Continued on next page.) serve.

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studying Asia. “When the Vietnam intriguing historical and cultural War ended, there just wasn’t a lot of situations. “I’ve had some Three BSC faculty academic opportunity in that area,” wonderful students over the years,” members awarded he says. “I kept that interest alive he expresses. “Their academic though, and in 1990, I spent a ability, collaborative work, and endowed summer in Thailand as a Fulbright- engagement in subjects that are Hayes Scholar. Then in 1993, I interesting to me and to them have professorships received another Fulbright been terrific to watch.” Scholarship to study in Beijing, Slagter has especially kept a China, for a year.” watchful eye for the past decade on Three Birmingham-Southern In 2000, and after two years of how BSC’s student-athletes perform professors in separate fields have writing, Slagter published Modern in the classroom. He’s had help been named to endowed chairs at the Thailand: a Volume in the Comparative though in more recent years from an college that were made possible by Societies Series. “I never dreamed I important academic measurement previously established individual would end up publishing a book in created by the NCAA. The Graduate donor gifts. BSC faculty are sociology and not political science, Success Rate (GSR) measures the appointed to endowed professorships but the impetus to explore new academic success of student athletic in recognition of their high level of topics from the perspectives teams among the D-I institutions service to the college through provided by multiple disciplines is each semester based on a four-class teaching, research, or advising. completely natural at BSC,” he average. The statistics have shown Dr. Stephen Craft, associate conveys. “The daily contact with repeatedly that BSC is the premiere professor of marketing, was professors and students in sociology, institution in Alabama when it appointed to the Elton B. Stephens psychology, economics, and political comes to its student-athletes Professorship in Marketing. Craft science provides a constant succeeding in the classroom and will hold the endowed chair in honor intellectual challenge for me.” earning their college degrees. of Stephens, the late BSC alumnus Slagter has gained intensive “The GSR has revealed that the and trustee member who was a experience traveling abroad, having college has been doing a great job prominent businessman and led students on international travel over the years in regard to the grade- philanthropist and founder of and service-learning interims point average of our student- EBSCO Industries. Craft joined the throughout his 22 years of teaching athletes,” he notes. “The main college’s faculty in 2004. at BSC. He is credited as one of the challenge for the college this year Dr. Bill Nicholas, professor of founders of the Service-Learning will be the sheer number of students history, was appointed to the James program at Birmingham-Southern in being admitted, with the addition of A. Wood Professorship in History. the mid-’80s, along with former BSC new sports. However, the college’s The endowed chair is named in Dean of Chapel Dr. Stewart Jackson. newest athletic conference, the honor of the late Dr. Wood, a 1907 “The opportunity to travel with SCAC, and D-III competition in Birmingham College graduate (a students to Zimbabwe, Brazil, and general, should allow both returning parent institution of BSC) and a Bolivia in pursuit of learning and and new athletes increased physician. Before her death, his service has been one of the most opportunities for academic success widow, Kathleen Wood, presented a rewarding aspects of my life here,” and enrichment. The new athletic generous gift to BSC to establish the says Slagter. “These shared affiliation will allow student-athletes Wood Room in the college’s Rush experiences with students are unique to enjoy the total BSC experience.” Learning Center/Miles Library. The to the learning environment at BSC.” In addition to his love of sports, room contains a collection of Wood’s In more recent years, his Interim teaching, travel, and study of Asia, books on American history. Nicholas projects have focused on Southeast Slagter is the majority partner of a has been a member of the BSC Asia in which he and several student private beach resort on a Thai island faculty since 1972. groups have visited Vietnam, in the Indian Ocean. His wife, Dr. Duane Pontius Jr., associate Cambodia, and Thailand to explore Daeng, is a native of Thailand. professor of physics, was appointed to the T. Morris Hackney Professorship in Physics. The endowed chair is a tribute to Hackney, who is a BSC trustee, philanthropist, and a prominent local business leader. Pontius joined 14 / ’southern the BSC faculty in 1999. FACULTY NEWS

DeVan performs internationally in spring tour

During the spring semester, Birmingham-Southern Artist-in-Residence William DeVan supplemented his role as a piano professor on campus to devote some of his attention to performing and conducting master classes in Europe, China, and parts of the United States. As a world-acclaimed Steinway artist and presenter, DeVan is recognized for his brilliant piano technique and his ability to give strong and convincing performances. His singular artistry earned him the distinction of being the first American pianist to win the prestigious “Vianna da Motta” Spieler competition in Lisbon, Portugal, and he is the founder of a concert series aimed at Spieler receives Outstanding introducing young children to classical piano music. He also has co-authored a book on DeVan Educator Award the solo piano works of Robert Schumann. During his spring tour, DeVan taught master classes, lectured, and Dr. Barry Spieler, professor of mathematics at Birmingham- presented concerts at the Music College of Qinghai University in Xining, Southern, was presented with the Outstanding Educator of the China, and at the Guangxi Arts Institute in Nanning, China. This was Year Award for 2006-07 during the college’s recent his third trip to China in as many years, and he has been invited to Commencement ceremonies. return to both cities to perform and lecture during the 2008 concert The award is given to an outstanding member of the BSC faculty season. Prior to his appearances in China, DeVan performed the Paris based upon recommendations by his or her colleagues. It premiere of the Piano Sonata No. 3 by American composer Lowell recognizes a faculty member who is characterized by excellence in Liebermann at the American Church in Paris. all aspects of teaching, including classroom performance, His tour also included stops throughout America with master classes scholarship, and student advising. The award includes a cash at the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile, a Steinway stipend and an invitation to serve as speaker at the following Classics for Children concert at the Avondale School in Birmingham, year’s Commencement. then two more Steinway Classics for Children concerts in Indianapolis, “Dr. Spieler is an exceptional educator who has earned the and two workshops for piano teachers in Chicago. In March, DeVan respect and admiration of his colleagues and his students,” says performed The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant with narrator J’miah BSC Provost Dr. Kathleen Murray. “I am delighted to be able to Nabawi at the Lucas Theater for the Arts in Savannah, Ga., as part of the recognize a faculty member who has had such a positive impact Savannah Music Festival, in addition to giving a master class at the on the lives of students.” Savannah Arts Academy. This is not Spieler’s first teaching award though. In 1998, he A native of Pine Hill, Ala., DeVan received his bachelor’s and master’s was voted the Omicron Delta Kappa Professor of the Year by BSC degrees from the Juilliard School. He also studied for five years in students. He was named the 1999 Alabama Professor of the Year Germany, receiving the Konzertexamen Diploma in 1979 from the by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. He has been the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. teaching piano at BSC for 27 years. In 2002, he was recognized for his work as the principle DeVan was introduced to Birmingham-Southern while a student at investigator of a National Science Foundation project, through Juilliard. “I entered and won the Lilly Mae Caldwell Competition that which he and his mathematics faculty colleagues at BSC BSC hosted one year and met several members of the music faculty, implemented a new computer-equipped classroom and made including the late William Baxter and Hugh Thomas,” he recalls. “Then major improvements to the college’s mathematics curriculum. in 1980, when I saw an announcement for a piano position at the A member of the BSC faculty since 1994, Spieler received his college, I applied.” bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and his master’s and This exuberant piano man plans to continue pushing the boundaries doctoral degrees from The Ohio State University. of live performance, playing concerts throughout the globe—wherever he is invited. “I particularly enjoy giving workshops and master classes, which allow me to meet other teachers from around the world.”

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Lydia Rice: Soccer standout striving for a goal twice as high

by pat cole

Playing sports has always been an integral part of Lydia Rice’s life. Since the age of seven, growing up in her hometown of Tupelo, Miss., she has participated in basketball, soccer, cross country, and even football. “Soccer is my main sport though,” says Rice, a sophomore. “But I like to play pretty much anything.” An outstanding high school soccer competitor, she was recruited by Birmingham-Southern for the Panther squad in 2006. She served as co-captain of the varsity soccer squad at Tupelo High for three years and played for the Mississippi United club team, which won the 2006 state championship. Rice was part of a select team that ranked 10th in the nation in the U-17 ranks in 2005 and was a finalist that same year in the U.S. Youth Soccer Association Region III Tournament. “I remember hearing about Birmingham-Southern for the first time when some people from Tupelo went there to visit,” she recalls. “Then, later, my sister mentioned BSC when she was looking at colleges to attend. The school was out of my comfort zone since I knew hardly anyone on campus, but I felt the Lord was leading me to BSC.” Rice (foreground) during competition. This 5-foot-6 central defender has definitely earned the respect of her “Besides her accolades, any team to her athletic achievements, Rice coach and teammates. Following member will tell you that Lydia is closed out her freshman year with a her first season at the college last the hardest working and most nearly perfect grade-point average of fall, Rice received a Big South competitive player we have,” says 3.95. She was valedictorian of her Conference All First Team award, Benji Walton, head women’s soccer high school class with a 4.0 GPA. was a unanimous choice for Big coach at BSC. “On the field, she is a She admits that balancing sports and South All Freshman team, and was born leader; off the field, she is a academics can be tough. “Time named defensive player of the year dedicated student.” management is the key,” notes Rice, for the Panthers. And rightly so, since in addition who is undecided on a major. “You

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just have to enthusiasm, are what she relied on game. Working as hard as I can for commit to getting after receiving the announcement my team, encouraging and expecting all the work done last summer that Birmingham- great things from teammates, between practices Southern would move from NCAA respecting the opponents, and or on the road, Division I to Division III athletics. playing up to my expectations and and sometimes, “Like many other student-athletes, I potential are all important to me. I you have to was disappointed about the also want my teammates to know sacrifice other transition from D-I, especially that I respect and appreciate them things you want because it was so unexpected,” Rice because of their talent and hard to do.” expresses. “But even with our work. They have helped me to grow Despite Rice’s transition to D-III, our team really as a player.” courteous, soft- wants to step up and send a message As the heart and soul of the spoken de- that we are still a high-quality Panther defense, Rice has just as meanor, she program and that we can compete great a passion for helping people repeatedly has successfully against anyone we play and desiring others to be happy. She proven to be a against. Trinity University will be a volunteered at the First Light fierce competitor challenging competitor for us this Women’s Shelter in downtown in the classroom coming season, and we will want to Birmingham this past spring and as well as on the beat our former conference intends to continue her service there field. Last season, opponent UNC-Asheville.” in the fall. she helped lead a On top of that big announcement, “I volunteered at the women’s defense that her team also had to adjust to a shelter as part of my Literature and allowed only 27 difficult coaching transition. Head the Social Experience class,” says goals and that Coach Keidane McAlpine accepted a Rice. “It ended up being a helped her team job at Auburn University right before meaningful experience in my life. I to its first-ever the start of the 2006-07 season, and had some really interesting victory over UAB his assistant, Nikki Smith, took over conversations with the women there in a 2-0 shutout. as interim head coach. Then, in and learned about the miscon- She is thankful January 2007, Benji Walton was ceptions a lot of us have about that Birmingham- hired to lead the Panthers. “I am certain classes of people.” Southern has proud of our team for working Rice also enjoys traveling and is provided her with together to play well and to battle considering working in a health- a consistent mix through the impending transition to related profession after graduating of challenges. D-III, plus the difficult season of from BSC. “I think what I’ve “BSC has given me adjusting to a different coaching probably learned more than a chance to play a situation than what we had anything is that the college high level of soccer, while still letting originally expected.” experience, and life, is what you me devote time to academics and Rice says her primary goals for the make it.” friends,” says Rice. “It’s a great next soccer season are to emerge as a school with a challenging academic leader on the field and to mature as Editor’s Note: Since this article was environment and which has many a player. “I believe that I have a written, Rice tore a ligament in her opportunities for travel, critical good awareness of the game and knee and will miss this season. thinking, and service learning.” good speed,” she says. “However, I Rice’s determination and think it’s important to play with dedication, coupled with her integrity as well as a love for the

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BSC Theatre program receives grant to take collaborative production Student actors Mac Smith and Kate Jenkins rehearse on to famous Scottish festival campus before traveling to Scotland.

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Birmingham-Southern recently performed an adaptation of August Strindberg’s classic 1888 play Miss Julie at the International Fringe Festival in Scotland, the largest arts festival in the world. The debut production, set in the American South and adapted by BSC Professor of Theatre Dr. Alan Litsey, opened with nine performances at the festival from August 3 to 11 at a venue in Edinburgh, Scotland. The 75-minute play, which is a new model for collaborative research and creativity, was supported by an Undergraduate Collaborative Research and Engagement Grant from the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. Six BSC students collaborated with three faculty members and one staff member on multiple aspects of the pre- production and production process. The unique project model includes as its distinct features teaching performances and discussions led by BSC students, a student/faculty study guide, a paper written by students and faculty on replicating the model, and a presentation at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in March. The “Miss Julie Project” marks the first of what BSC hopes will be many such projects focusing on themes that reflect the importance of human dignity in today’s culture and promises future partnerships with other ACS theatre programs. Litsey’s skillful translation was inspired by a passion to rediscover the issues and relevance of this classic play for contemporary audiences. “As it heightens the characters’ struggle to new levels of danger, Miss Julie renews its challenging examination of such issues as gender and social division, as well as the larger questions of realizing human dignity around the world,” he says. The play’s action was set inside the modern-day household of a wealthy Southern family. Miss Julie is the daughter of the wealthy businessman, a wild child who has just broken off her engagement. Other BSC faculty and staff who collaborated on the production included Theatre and Dance Department Chair Michael Flowers as director, Professor of Theatre Matthew Mielke as scenic designer and technical director, and Patti Manning as costume designer. The students who participated were Alex Brouwer, a senior from Fort Payne; Nikki Craft, a senior from Decatur; Kate Jenkins, a 2007 graduate from Vestavia Hills who portrayed Julie; Amanda Kramer, a junior from Alabaster; Mac Smith, a sophomore from Auburn who played the role of John; and Laura Spurgeon, a sophomore from Phenix City. The new adaptation will be introduced to the Birmingham-Southern audience and local community Sept. 20-23 in the College Theatre.

BSC student wins national New SGA music competition officers elected Timothy Beenken, who’s majoring in vocal for 2007-08 performance at Birmingham-Southern, won first place at the National Federation of Music Clubs competition in academic year men’s voice, competing against finalists from some of the top music schools in the country. Peter Starr of Atlanta is the Earlier this year, he captured titles at the state and new president of the Student regional levels, which advanced him to the national Government Association at competition in June. Contestants at the national level Birmingham-Southern for the 2007-08 academic year. submitted a taped recording of their songs. Starr Beenken was awarded a $1,000 cash prize at the state Starr, a junior history major, level and received $4,000 as the national winner. A was elected in the spring by student vote. His main goals Beenken junior from Vestavia Hills, he studies voice under BSC for the year are to restructure the way in which the SGA Professor of Music Dr. David Smith. uses its residual funds, to continue the trend of making

18 / ’southern STUDENTNEWS

BSC Fulbright Scholar to study in Hong Kong

Before Benjamin Marsh opened future aspiration of becoming a are more collectivistic, the big brown envelope in January clinical psychologist and college which yields a stronger that informed him that he was a professor. “I want to obtain a family bond than Western 2007 Fulbright Scholar, he wasn’t doctorate degree in clinical society,” he stated in his sure what he would do after psychology, be a practicing clinician, Fulbright proposal. “I am receiving his diploma at and teach on a college level,” he interested in knowing the Birmingham-Southern’s spring says. “I would also like to publish rate of child delinquency Commencement. But now, life has my poetry and other writings.” in Hong Kong and what gotten a little bit more interesting. The Fulbright Scholarship that culture may cite as the Beginning in August, Marsh began Program, funded by Congress and causes.” a year living and working at the honoring the late Senator J. William Marsh experienced two Hong Kong Institute of Education, a Fulbright, is a national grant other cultures during his public university-level school competition which sends 800 U.S. undergraduate career at dedicated to the preparation and students, scholars, and professionals BSC. He participated in Marsh professional development of abroad each year to study, teach, or two service-learning trips teachers. He will spend at least 20 conduct research in a wide variety of to Mozambique, Africa, and studied hours per week in the classroom academic and professional fields and abroad in London one summer. teaching and organizing language- settings. Grants cover travel and “These experiences left me with a related and cross-cultural student living costs for the academic year desire to learn and experience more activities for his Fulbright project. In and necessary tuition at overseas foreign places,” he says. “I pursued addition, he is taking courses in universities. the Fulbright out of personal Cantonese and Hong Kong/Chinese While going through an extensive curiosity.” studies, as well as English as a application process and interview to This summer, Marsh worked Foreign Language teaching methods. win the famous scholarship, Marsh locally, while diligently preparing for A native of Birmingham, Marsh sought placement in an Asian his year abroad. “Among my graduated in May after completing culture, which he felt would be preparations, I purchased a language his degree in psychology last beneficial toward his goal of CD and tried to learn a little December. He views the Fulbright specializing in marriage and family Cantonese.” scholarship as a doorway to his counseling. “Asian cultures typically lasting improvements to campus, and to work Top students recognized at annual with the SGA presidents of other Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education colleges to Honors Convocation establish discounts for students at local businesses and restaurants. Additionally, Starr plans to Birmingham-Southern hosted its 2007 Honors Day Convocation in support BSC athletics—particularly the new the spring to recognize the college’s top scholars. football program—by funding tailgating events and Graham Ritchie, a senior art-sculpture major from Mobile, received the providing funds for students who wish to attend Robert Hewlin Jackson Meritorious Scholarship Award. It recognizes the away games. graduating senior who has achieved the highest grade-point average Other newly elected officers for 2007-08, who during his or her four-year college career. also are juniors, are Trey Cotney, a business major Camille Spratling of downtown Birmingham is the recipient of the from Helena, first vice president; Laura Buckner, an Dyson-Wagnon Award for 2007. The award, named after former interdisciplinary sociology/political science major Birmingham-Southern staff members David Dyson and Connie Wagnon, from Hendersonville, Tenn., second vice president; recognizes a student in the college’s Master of Arts in Public and Private David Miller, an English major from Monroe, La., Management program who has achieved the highest grade-point average. treasurer; and Elizabeth Molony, a biology major Spratling, who graduated from the MPPM program in May, is employed from Hoover, secretary. by Birmingham-Southern as executive assistant to the president.

summer 2007 / 19 STUDENTNEWS

Kentucky student receives BSC’s top scholarship

Katie Sack, born in London and a resident of Louisville, Ky., received the 2007 McWane Honors Award to attend Birmingham- Southern. Sack This coveted four-year scholarship—awarded annually since 1980— provides full-tuition, plus an $11,000 annual stipend, and supports summer travel, internships, study-abroad programs, and special projects. It is the college’s top academic scholarship award. Sack, a straight-A graduate of Assumption High School in Celebrating the small- Louisville, intends to pursue a double major in psychology and town spirit—Amid songs, stirring Spanish at BSC and join the college’s cross country team. In high sound effects, and flashes of the Fourth of July, Birmingham-Southern student school, Sack’s honors included salutatorian; varsity letters in cross actors performed the college’s first-ever country and track; a commendation in the National Merit production of Eugene O’Neill’s classic Scholarship Program; Honor Roll, having earned a 3.99 grade-point comedy Ah, Wilderness! April 26-29 on average in the advanced curriculum; and a Scholar Athlete Award. campus. Taking place over the 1906 She also served as a class officer and was selected into Kentucky’s Fourth of July weekend in a quaint Governor’s Scholar Program. Additionally, she volunteered in her Connecticut town, O’Neill’s story follows community with Green Hill Therapy, where she helped disabled the lives of the Miller family and children with therapy sessions on horseback and worked with especially the Miller’s son, Richard, who developmentally disabled children in schools. is lovesick for a girl named Muriel Sack’s non-identical twin sister, Lexi, was high school valedictorian, McComber. A student company of 31 and both will be enrolled at BSC this fall as freshmen. Their mother was involved in the production, along with a 10-year-old guest actor. Unique to is a Methodist pastor. the production was an extensive change The McWane Honors Award is sponsored by the McWane Corp., a of sets using the College Theatre stage’s Birmingham pipe manufacturer. It is one of the most inclusive and lift-revolve mechanism and the recon- prestigious undergraduate scholarships available at any college or figuration of audience seats. Pictured are university in the United States. High school seniors are selected for Matt Adams, a sophomore from the scholarship based upon demonstrated merit, leadership, and Birmingham, who played the role of activism in the community. Richard, and Christina Johnson, a sophomore from Montgomery, who portrayed Muriel.

Sorority honors—The Birmingham-Southern Panhellenic Council received several regional accolades in April at the Southeastern Panhellenic Conference in Atlanta. The Panhellenic Council, the governing body of the college’s six national sororities, accepted the Order of Omega Award for Outstanding Chapter in the Southeast for the college’s Eta Xi chapter, a Public Relations Award, and the Gamma Sigma Alpha Award for sorority grade-point average in the Southeast region for the fifth consecutive semester. Shown with the awards (clockwise from top) are Whitney Anderson, Kadie Ann Duren, Laura Buckner, Joanna Philip, Sarah Grace Wilder, and Jeanne Sleadd.

20 / ’southern STUDENTNEWS

BSC student choir tours Central Europe, further fosters connection with Czech Republic

The Birmingham-Southern Concert Choir, conducted by Joseph Hugh Thomas Professor of Music Dr. Lester Seigel, completed a four-city tour this summer of the Czech Republic and Austria. The choir performed May 30-June 3 at churches and venues in the cities of Prague and Pilsen in the Czech Republic and in Vienna and Eisenstadt in Austria, including a performance for the U.S. Ambassador, officials of the Czech government, and foreign press at the historic Clam-Gallas Palace. The choir for this tour was comprised of 22 BSC students and six BSC faculty or alumni. Their program featured works by Czech and Austrian composers, including Petr Eben’s “Prague Te Deum 1989,” composed in commemoration of the establishment of the modern Czech Republic, and a selection of outstanding American works. The tour was planned in part to further the sister city relationship between Pilsen and Birmingham. The college established a relationship with the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen with the help of Dr. Jan Vicarˇ of Prague, who taught at BSC as a visiting professor of music in 2006. In addition to these public performances, the choir visited and performed in Terezin near Prague, which is the site of the infamous Nazi concentration camp. In anticipation of this stop, the choir performed three Czech folk songs by Gideon Klein, a well-known composer who was a prisoner of the Nazis, and who wrote these pieces while in the camp. The BSC Concert Choir poses just prior to its performance in the Karlskirche, a historic 18th-century church in the center of Vienna.

Capping an undergraduate career— Prior to attending Birmingham-Southern’s Capping Ceremony May 25, this group of graduating seniors was all smiles. From left are Casey Daniel, an English graduate from Hoover; Mary Ivey, an interdisciplinary sociology/political science graduate from Hoover; and Penney Patterson, an interdisciplinary psychology/ sociology graduate from Fairhope. In what has become an annual tradition, more than 1,000 graduates, cappers, and guests filled Bill Battle Coliseum on campus as graduates were capped by someone dear to them. The following day, the college’s 2007 Commencement ceremony took place at the Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham.

summer 2007 / 21 footbAre you ready for someall Birmingham-Southern enters new era of intercollegiate athletics; football team ? retakes field after 68 years

by pat cole & bill wagnon

22 / ’southern t’s a story that’s been told. And told again. And again and again. It’s been Iplayed out for the past 15 months in the local and national media. Legendary sports columnist Frank Deford. The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Christian Science Monitor. College Sports TV. The Birmingham News. USA Today. Inside Higher Education. And others. It’s been called “extraordinary.” “Bold.” “Unusual.” “An important statement for higher education.” After all, no college or university had been so “bold” since 1988. And only three have in the past quarter of a century. Birmingham-Southern had moved its intercollegiate athletics program from NCAA Division I to non-scholarship NCAA Division III, a transition that would better align the nationally recognized liberal arts institution with colleges and universities of similar mission, size, and financial resources.

the d-iii journey

Photo by Geoff Knight. begins FEATURES

“In 2006, Birmingham-Southern College, a small private school in Birmingham, Alabama, made what appeared to be a surprising decision. While the “One institution, Alabama’s Birmingham-Southern, college did not have a football team, it did compete has had to reject the myriad lures of Division I and quite successfully in other Division I sports. … The ‘move down’ to Division III. … Though athletic types board of trustees and board of the college voted to in Birmingham may fret about the school’s lower drop the school from Division I to Division III … national profile, they should not fret about quality of Birmingham-Southern came to the realization about competition. Division III is a bastion of old-school, college athletics that Washington & Jefferson College amateur competition … ” has been practicing since its first football team took the field in 1983—that when athletics and scholarship —A.G. Gancarski, The Greentree Gazette, November 2006. are on an even playing field, both aspects of the college experience benefit. ... ”

—Washington & Jefferson College Magazine, Spring 2007.

The 2007 Birmingham-Southern Football Team. FEATURES

“ … It is possible for a college to maintain a healthy environment for student-athletes while still keeping support of alumni, students, faculty, and the Evansville “ … And oh yes, this too. With the money saved from community. Consider Birmingham-Southern. With scholarships, a football team has been added at an enrollment of 1,300 and a Methodist affiliation, Birmingham-Southern, as well as four other new this small college in Alabama is similar to UE sports, male and female. Almost twice as many [University of Evansville] except for one detail: early students will actually play intercollegiate sports than last month, it dropped from Division I to Division III did before. Giving up athletic scholarships at athletics. Did this change decrease retention? Deter Birmingham-Southern greatly improved, yes, athletics alumni giving? Just the opposite. The freshman class at Birmingham-Southern.” has increased by nearly 50 percent, and alumni contributions are up.” —Frank Deford, National Public Radio and CNN/SI.com, January 10, 2007. —The University of Evansville Crescent online, February 16, 2007.

Historic Munger Bowl, site of BSC football until 1939.

hus the NCAA Division III journey for Birmingham- Southern begins. The time for talk is over. With much Tfanfare, Birmingham-Southern has begun its NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletics era.

summer 2007 / 25 FEATURES

a history of athleticssuccess

BSC supporters welcome the 2001 National Championship Baseball Panthers home.

he college’s long athletics aaaIn May 2006, the Birmingham- “We look like them—in terms of our aaa history includes 46 years as a Southern Board of Trustees voted to size and academic quality. We have Taaamember of the National transition the college’s inter- 1,300 students. We have a Phi Beta Association of Intercollegiate collegiate athletics program from Kappa chapter, just like 11 of the 12 Athletics, where the men’s basketball NCAA Division I to non-scholarship schools in our new athletics team captured national champion- Division III. Trustees cited both conference. What we did was very ships in 1990 and 1995, and the philosophical and financial reasons important in higher education in baseball team in 2001. for the transition. this country, and very important to aaaIn May 1999, the college aaa“One of the things we considered our college.” announced that it had applied for in the decision was which athletics aaaShortly after the announcement, membership in scholarship granting division is indeed the right fit for an the college accepted an invitation to NCAA Division I, the highest level of institution of our size, of our join the Southern Collegiate Athletic intercollegiate athletics competition. academic mission and quality, and Conference (highlighted elsewhere To meet NCAA requirements, sports of our financial resources,” then BSC in this feature), and sports were were added including women’s Board of Trustees Chair James T. added, including football, men’s and basketball, softball, and rifle, and Stephens said at the time. “Division women’s lacrosse, and men’s and men’s and women’s golf. III is compatible with the college’s women’s indoor and outdoor track Birmingham-Southern joined the mission and profile.” and field. Big South Conference, and won aaa“Birmingham-Southern just aaaBirmingham-Southern already is eight Big South Conference titles simply matches the profile of a seeing the benefits of the move to and competed in five NCAA Division III school,” says BSC Division III in terms of its plan to Division I tournaments. President Dr. David Pollick today. grow enrollment to about 1,800

26 / ’southern FEATURES

Varsity Sports d-iii facts

Birmingham-Southern provides its students with the & figures opportunity to participate in 21 NCAA Division III varsity sports. The college is a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. (from www.ncaa.org)

Men’s Sports Women’s Sports Total Members 443 (80% private, 20% public) Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross Country Cross Country Golf Average Institutional Football Indoor and Outdoor Track Enrollment 2,057 (BSC: 1,319) Golf and Field Indoor and Outdoor Track Lacrosse and Field Rifle Average Number of Sports: Lacrosse Soccer Men: 7.8 Soccer Softball Women: 8.6 Tennis Tennis BSC: 10 Men; 11 Women Volleyball NCAA-Sponsored Championships Opportunities Men: 13 sports Women: 14 sports students over the next few years. expected to start classes at BSC in National Collegiate: 9 sports aaa“Adding sports at the non- August, including a record 452 scholarship level allows many more freshmen. Of the new students, students to play varsity sports at about 120 will play varsity sports at Scholar-Athletes Men: 86,116 (58%) Birmingham-Southern than before, Birmingham-Southern. Women: 62,632 (42%) and also is one small part of our aaa“The move to NCAA Division III Total: 148,748 (100%) enrollment strategy that will allow has worked very well for us, and our us to grow in size similar to other coaches and student-athletes are national liberal arts colleges in the excited about the future,” says Dean. Average Number of country,” says Pollick. “This is my 15th year on the Hilltop Participants per Institution Men: 202.0 aaa“Division III sports are so and I can’t remember anything that Women: 146.1 attractive to young men and women has created more excitement on BSC: 344 (233 men; 111 women) in our state and across the country campus and in the community than who love to compete and want to our new football program. With balance that with a top-notch new programs beginning this year educational experience.” and next in lacrosse and track and aaaBirmingham-Southern Director field, we will have 21 sports teams of Athletics Joe Dean Jr. estimates and 350 student-athletes on our that about 344 students will play campus. Their energy and varsity sports at Birmingham- enthusiasm is inspiring, and Southern this academic year, about certainly we want to give them every 233 men and 111 women. That’s up opportunity to be successful both in from about 200 scholarship athletes the classroom and on the fields and when the college was fully operating courts. Our rich tradition of as an NCAA Division I program. excellence will continue as we move aaaSome 506 new students were forward.”

summer 2007 / 27 FEATURES

are you rea

just whatis “ re you ready for some football?” shouts Athletics Director Dean A at yet another gathering of division iii ? Birmingham-Southern alumni and supporters. Yes, football is back on the Hilltop. (from www.ncaa.org) Dean is not the only one enthusiastic as the college fields its The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, is a first football team in 68 years. voluntary organization through which the nation’s colleges and “BSC Football: Undefeated since Briana Williams, a universities govern their athletics programs and is broken up into 1939” proclaim the T-shirts that sophomore pre-pharmacy major from Forestdale, is three distinct divisions. have been selling briskly at the BSC ready for some football! Bookstore for over a year, and which Division III athletics features student-athletes who receive no are located near the BSC logo financial aid related to their athletic ability, and athletics tailgate tent also for sale. Billboards departments are staffed and funded like any other department in on the interstates leading into the the university. Division III athletics departments place special city proclaim that “Football is Back importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather at Birmingham-Southern.” Students than on the spectators. The student-athlete’s experience is of have been preparing tailgate plans paramount concern. Division III athletics encourages participation for months, and checking into travel by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities arrangements to select out of town available to students, placing primary emphasis on regional games. The Athletics Department in-season and conference competition. and the Alumni Association will entertain alumni before games with barbecue and entertainment. Phase one of the new BSC Football Complex is nearing completion on the northwest side of campus below the BSC Softball Park and adjacent to Interstate 59/20. Phase 1 includes a training room, locker room, and 2007 Football Schedule weight room. Turf on the practice field has been laid and the synthetic playing surface on the competition (All times central) field will be in place before October. A state-of-the-art eight-lane track Sept. 6 (Thursday) Mississippi College, junior varsity Legion Field 6 p.m. will encircle the field by late fall. Sept. 15 Rhodes College Regions Park Noon For the 2007 season, the new team Sept. 23 (Sunday) at Maryville College, junior varsity LaGrange, Ga. 1:30 p.m. will play home games at Legion Sept. 29 at Trinity University San Antonio, Texas 1:30 p.m. Field, Regions Park in Hoover, and Oct. 6 DePauw University Regions Park 1:30 p.m. Homewood High School. (Homecoming) Two BSC students were so Oct. 13 at Austin College Sherman, Texas 1 p.m. enthusiastic about the resurgence of Oct. 20 Centre College Homewood Field Noon football at BSC that they spent the Oct. 27 Colorado College Regions Park Noon spring semester writing a history of Nov. 3 at Sewanee Sewanee, Tenn. 1:30 p.m. Birmingham-Southern football for Nov. 10 at Millsaps College Jackson, Miss. 1 p.m. course credit (highlighted elsewhere in this feature).

28 / ’southern FEATURES

dy for some football?

Birmingham-Southern’s parent ‘unreasonable’ costs and GRIDIRON CLUB institutions—Southern University overemphasis in 1939. At President and Birmingham College—each Raymond Paty’s request, the trustees fielded football teams. According to said play that season, then no more. the 2007 BSC Football Media Guide, A supportive Hilltop alumni New Gridiron Club Birmingham College played varsity magazine declared, ‘ … football to support football from 1904 to 1917, with a [cannot] occupy a normal place in BSC football program 19-32-4 record (with no records the life of a student interested in the available for 1905). Southern fundamental curriculum … if a Birmingham-Southern alumni, fans, and friends who University fielded varsity football college is to be regarded as primarily would like to support BSC football can join the new teams from 1909-11 and 1915-16, a place of higher education [athletics Gridiron Club. Become one of the men and women posting an overall 3-16-11 record. should] be a normal incident in who are committed to the continued growth of BSC Following the consolidation of the every student’s life.’ Upon such a and the college’s football program. two institutions in 1918, Birming- predicate, the college shifted Head Coach Joey Jones and his staff recruited more ham-Southern compiled a 87-80-16 emphasis to intramural sports. A than 120 football players to Birmingham-Southern to record between 1918-39, winning few attempts to revive football went begin NCAA Division III play in September 2007. Dixie Conference championships in nowhere. … ” Coach Jones’ success as an All-SEC player at the 1932, 1934, and 1937. A perfect 9-0 Nowhere, that is, until now. University of Alabama under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant season in 1934 included a road Football is back at Birmingham- and his 125 career wins at Dora and Mountain Brook victory over Auburn. Southern College. high schools bring an added excitement to the Hilltop, Home games were played in Former University of Alabama and as football returns for the first time since 1939. Munger Bowl on the BSC campus. Atlanta Falcons star receiver Joey Fans can join at the following levels: The Panthers’ big rival game in those Jones was introduced as the college’s days with Howard College (now fifth head football coach on June 19, Samford) was played on 2006, and was charged with reviving Touchdown member: $100 Thanksgiving at Rickwood Field and the long dormant program. He left a Includes two season football tickets for all BSC home later Legion Field. Known then as highly successful high school games, a football media guide, and newsletters. the Magic City Classic, it was coaching career (Mountain Brook without a doubt the state’s biggest and Dora) to build a Division III football game each fall. In fact, it program at Birmingham-Southern. Corporate member: $500 Includes 12 season tickets for all BSC home games, a was BSC vs. Howard that dedicated After assembling a coaching staff, he football media guide, newsletters, and recognition in the new Legion Field in 1927. hit the recruiting trail. On Aug. 12, the “game day” program at home games. By the time the 1939 season 2007, he welcomed 126 players to kicked off, however, the BSC players the Legion Field turf (where the and coaches knew it would be their Panthers practiced during August last on the Hilltop. In November of before moving to the new on- Season tickets only: $50 per season ticket that year, the Panthers upset the campus facilities in September) for Season tickets are $50 each for five home games and heavily favored Howard Bulldogs 9-6 preseason workouts in preparation may be purchased in any amount. Season ticket in what would be the last of the first BSC football game in holders will receive one football media guide and Birmingham-Southern football game nearly seven decades—Sept. 6 newsletters. for 68 years. Football was scrapped against Mississippi College at Legion because of its costs and its influence. Field. Championship member: As 1958 BSC alumnus and Coach Jones recently discussed the gift in any amount journalist Don Brown would write revived BSC football program and Designed for BSC football donors who wish to support in his 2005 Forward, Ever: the 2007 season. Coach Jones and the BSC football program with a gift. Birmingham-Southern College at its Members will not receive season tickets unless Sesquicentennial, “A great tradition specifically requested, but will receive the football ran headlong into a brick wall of media guide and newsletters. FEATURES

Q&Awith Head Football Coach Joey Jones Interview by Fred Sington, assistant athletics director for media relations

Q. NCAA Division III football rules Q. How many student-athletes quarterbacks who we feel really good do not allow teams to wear full pads. arrived on campus for preseason about. I don’t know how we are What was the main focus of spring camp and what transfers or going to end up there, but it is going practice? newcomers do you expect to be to be a great battle. We have Drew significant contributors this season? Jackson, a transfer from Tennessee- A. “Our focus was purely about Martin; Joe Thigpen, a signee out of teaching the kids fundamentals and A. “We had 126 players come in on Crestview, Fla.; Chandler Bares, a introducing our offensive and the opening weekend. We feel real transfer from Rhodes College; David defensive packages. Obviously, we good about the numbers and the Howe from Montgomery Bell didn’t get too deep into it from the type of kids we brought in. Academy in Nashville; and Jake fundamental standpoint because we Offensively, Anthony Mostella Turing out of Sand Creek, Ga. didn’t have pads on. We can’t teach (transfer from Army), who was here blocking and tackling like you “I think we have three or four guys would want to. But for scheme who we feel like are going to be purposes, we got a lot in. We really good players for us on the probably got about 70 percent of offensive line. But we have got to what we would do on each side of find some guys who are going to fill the ball over the course of the in the rest and also back up. We spring. We felt like it was definitely need to find at least eight guys who useful.” can play.

Q. How many student-athletes “Defensively, I am real impressed participated in spring and what was with the secondary guys we have. I your overall assessment of spring think we are going to have depth in practice? the secondary, which really helps in that a lot of teams are pass happy. A. “We had 29 kids who we started Jones So now we can run a lot of nickel off with and we ended up with 27. I coverage with five defensive backs in think the kids had great attitudes this spring from Oneonta, and the game. I think we will have and work ethic. I challenged them Walter Arrington (freshman from enough depth to do that. Jerron to be the nucleus so that when we Bessemer Academy), who will be Mitchell out of Sparkman High got back in summer they could teach another running back/receiver, have School and Chase Brown out of the newcomers about what we want potential to be great players for us. Muscle Shoals are a couple of in practice. I think it went very well. Tony Myers, a transfer from The standouts who we feel good about in Obviously, we were glad to have a Citadel, has a chance to be a really the secondary. We have a lot of full slate of players this summer. It good receiver. numbers linebacker and defensive was hard to practice with 29 kids, line-wise. Defensive line-wise, we but I was excited about how they “I feel really good about our battle at are a little thin. I think we have practiced.” quarterback. We have five more defensive end types than we

30 / ’southern FEATURES

do interior guys. So we have to step up on the inside.”

Q. Talk about your offensive coaching staff and what type of offense BSC will run in 2007.

A. “Joel Williams is our offensive Offensive Line Coach Brad McAbee works with his linemen at Legion Field coordinator. We worked together at during preseason practice. Mountain Brook for three years. I feel good about his plan. I feel real He is the kind of guy the kids love, than anybody would ever imagine. good about him as a coordinator. and he teaches great technique. In “As far as our league goes, Trinity He is one of the best in the business. the secondary, Andrew Pace, who and Millsaps are obviously two He will coach the quarterbacks, and played for me at Mountain Brook powerhouses. They have done a I’ll coach the receivers. Hindley and played at Vanderbilt, is very great job traditionally and they have Brigham will be our running backs knowledgeable. He was one of those great coaching staffs and players. coach. He is doing a good job of guys who was a coach on the field at They are going to be the two that learning our system and has been Vanderbilt. He understands what is everybody is kind of gunning for at very eager to learn. Brad McAbee, going on up front as well as in the this point. I think it is a very good our offensive line coach, is no doubt secondary. We are excited about league and a good fit for a very good offensive line coach. He him. Dyer Carlisle, who coached at Birmingham-Southern’s mission. is the kind of guy who gets the Mississippi State and Southern Miss, There are going to be some great players playing hard and does a is going to coach the secondary with rivalries with Sewanee, Rhodes, and good job at getting the kids Andrew. We feel good about having Millsaps that are very near us.” understanding things. He keeps some gray hairs on the wisdom side things simple enough so they can on defense.” Q. The BSC Football Complex is progress. expected to be completed by spring Q. BSC will be playing in the 2008. Talk about the overall facility “Offensively, we are going to four- Southern Collegiate Athletic and how you think it will rank wides and very multiple. We will Conference. What are your thoughts among the nation’s top Division III also attach tight ends and get under about the overall level of football in programs and its advantages in center some. We are going to be very the conference and who are top tier recruiting. multiple in what we do, but our teams? basis will be out of four-wide.” A. “The facilities that we will have A. “I think when you talk Division will be as nice as we could present to Q. Talk about your defensive staff III in general, it’s going to surprise a a high school student who is looking and the type of defense BSC will lot of people in the type of talent to play football at a Division III employ this season. that you are going to see on the school. They have not held back on field. Fifteen years ago, Division III the type quality that they said they A. “Coach Eddie Garfinkle has done was probably what I would call a were going to do. We are going to a great job putting our defensive weak league. I think Division III is have a sprint turf field, a nice package together. He is a very probably getting the old Division II- stadium, coach’s offices, and fundamentally sound coach. I was type talent and Division II is getting meeting rooms. The weight room is very impressed with him in that Division I-AA-type talent. Things are 3,600 square feet and the locker area. Kelvis White, our defensive kind of trickling down. When you room will have over 120 lockers. line coach, is going to be an watch the films of these guys, We feel good about our facilities.” extremely good defensive line coach. Division III is a lot better football

summer 2007 / 31 division iii philosophy statement

(from www.ncaa.org)

Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students’ academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete’s educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-athletes and athletics staff. To achieve this end, Division III institutions:

Place special importance on the impact of compensation, professional development, athletics on the participants rather than on certification of coaches) should be integrated the spectators and place greater emphasis on into the campus culture and educational the internal constituency (students, alumni, mission; institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs;
Assure that athletics recruitment complies with established institutional policies and

Award no athletically related financial aid to procedures applicable to the admissions any student; process;

Encourage the development of sportsmanship
Assure that academic performance of student- and positive societal attitudes in all athletes is, at a minimum, consistent with constituents, including student-athletes, that of the general student body; coaches, administrative personnel and spectators;
Assure that admission policies for student- athletes comply with policies and procedures

Encourage participation by maximizing the applicable to the general student body; number and variety of athletics opportunities for their students;
Provide equitable athletics opportunities for males and females and give equal emphasis

Assure that the actions of coaches and to men’s and women’s sports; administrators exhibit fairness, openness and honesty in their relationships with student-
Support ethnic and gender diversity for all athletes; constituents;

Give primary emphasis to regional in-season
Assure that athletics participants are not treated differently from other members of the competition and conference championships; student body; and

Support student-athletes in their efforts to
Assure that athletics programs support the institution’s educational mission by reach high levels of athletics performance, financing, staffing and controlling the which may include opportunities for programs through the same general participation in national championships, by procedures as other departments of the providing all teams with adequate facilities, institution. Further, the administration of an competent coaching and appropriate institution’s athletics program (e.g., hiring, competitive opportunities.

32 / ’southern The Origin Students tackle of the first book on history Panther (Excerpted from Panthers on the of BSC football Gridiron: Football at Birmingham- Southern by Ben Lewellyn and Being in the right place at the right time gave two Birmingham-Southern students a rare Peter Starr.) opportunity to take on an original class project of historic significance. For years our athletic teams were History majors Ben Lewellyn and Peter Starr, under the direction of two BSC professors, simply known by their colors. penned a book this year entitled Panthers on the Gridiron: Football at Birmingham-Southern. Southern University was just the The 28-page book chronicles the history of the football program at Birmingham- purple and white; Birmingham Southern—from its inception at the college’s parent institutions (Southern University in College fans cheered on the “Old Greensboro, Ala., and Birmingham College)—to its last season on the Hilltop, which was Gold and Black.” in 1939. Birmingham College had been “Dr. Mark Lester [professor of history] approached me about the writing project at a playing football for twelve years meeting on campus last fall and asked if Peter and I would be interested in pursuing it,” before earning the name of the says Lewellyn, a senior from Hoover. “The three of us then talked it over with Dr. Guy Panthers. The occasion was the Hubbs [associate professor of library science and archivist], and Peter and I agreed to take 1916 Spring Hill game in Mobile. on the project as a contracted class under the two professors. We worked on the book In a game that The Birmingham during the entire spring 2007 term.” News would later call the best Having done some additional fine-tuning to their writing and research over the offensive work of the season, the BC summer, Lewellyn and Starr anticipate the book being published and distributed during team surprised everyone on game the early part of the BSC football season. The students will not benefit monetarily, but day by shutting out Spring Hill and will receive a 300-level history credit toward their major. scoring a whopping thirty-three “We wrote Panthers on the Gridiron to familiarize BSC football fans and current students points. During the one-sided affair, with the program’s past,” explains Lewellyn. “The book highlights special players and an anonymous spectator likened seasons and offers some drama to accompany the newly re-established football team’s the Birmingham team to a pack of return this year. panthers ripping through Spring “We used mostly primary sources for our research including campus and city Hill’s players like hungry beasts. In newspapers and Birmingham-Southern yearbooks. This meant spending a great deal of the next week’s edition of the time in the Birmingham Public Library microfilm room and even more time in the BSC Birmingham College Reporter, a sports archives. We also talked to two players from the 1939 team, Gus Noojin and Ben Royal.” journalist put it this way: The students believe they were especially suited to team up for the project. Both are members of Theta Chi fraternity and share a close friendship as classmates and as former An anonymous scribe, whose roommates. “Our talents and personalities were well-matched from the start,” says Starr, habitat is in the dense jungles of who is a junior from Atlanta and this year’s Student Government Association president. Mobile, becoming enthused “We’ve often proofread each other’s papers and have a familiarity with one another’s with to the extent of entire writing styles—strengths and weaknesses. forgetfulness of the sphere “We both feel grateful that Drs. Hubbs and Lester offered us this opportunity. They inhabited by mortals, mounted spent several long days revising the text with Ben and me, even after the spring term had to the ethereal skies ... finally fell ended.” with a resounding thud to For both Lewellyn and Starr, completing the book-writing project has created a great common English and sense of accomplishment and euphoria. rebounded to Mount Simile ... “The most intriguing part of my research was finding out that and in the height of his BSC had a perfect, undefeated, and untied football team in dementia likened the members 1934,” notes Lewellyn. “We were one of nine teams of Birmingham’s gridiron (including the University of Alabama) that accomplished that squadron to panthers, wild and feat in the nation that year.” carnivorous quadrupeds “The most valuable knowledge I gained doesn’t have to do camping in Africa, Asia and with the football program, but about the continued progress Ringling Brother’s circus. of Birmingham-Southern as an institution,” says Starr. “Learning the history of the program has led me to The account continues with a appreciate BSC’s present quality even more and to be description of the way the Gold and grateful for the men and women who have worked to get it Black “ran wild” last week and “ate there.” ravenously of the flesh offered in Panthers on the Gridiron: Football at Birmingham-Southern appeasement by the youths of can be purchased from the BSC Bookstore this fall at a cost Spring Hill.” The article ends with a of $9.95. Also, look for the book to be sold at Panther football games. charge to “Hail the Panthers!” The name stuck—despite the ridiculously inflated diction. FEATURES

Panther cheerleading squad re-emerges with football program

After being dormant for five years, Birmingham-Southern’s cheerleading program is back and its new squad ready to add some high-decibel excitement to BSC football this fall. The squad also will support the college’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and perform at special events. The last time the Panther cheerleaders added volume to BSC games was during the 2001-02 basketball season. “The cheerleading program was stopped before due to a lack of interest,” says Kyndall Waters, assistant athletics director at BSC and coordinator of the cheerleading program. “The addition of football is what really got it going again.” Presently, the college’s cheerleading squad is made up of a coed combination of six women and two men, along with Rowdy the Panther. Tryouts will continue this fall to add additional students to the squad. Ashley Byrom, a 2001 graduate of the University of Alabama, was named the new cheerleaders coach for Birmingham-Southern last spring. This summer, she and the squad attended the three- day Universal Cheer and Dance Association camp at the University of Alabama to learn the latest in cheers, chants, and fight-song routines. They returned with second-place and Most Improved trophies in the camp’s cheer competition. For BSC’s cheerleaders, preparing to get crowds of people—as well as players—pumped up for the games requires high energy and hard work. “The time commitment for cheerleading is not as strenuous as that of the college’s athletics teams, but the training and games can be demanding,” remarks Waters. “For that reason, we incorporate mandatory cardiovascular activities such as running and strength training into the practices.” The cheerleaders practice balance, cheers, dances, and formations two to four times a week for one to two hours per day. When the squad performs on the field and the court this academic year, they will don their new two-piece black uniforms with gold lettering and trim. Historically, the cheerleading program at Birmingham-Southern has been around a long time, and in more recent years, has been competitive. In 1988-90, BSC cheerleaders made it to the NCAA National Cheerleader Association competition three times, finishing 8th, 10th, and 13th respectively. “Once the cheerleading program becomes fully established, we want the team to begin competing again,” says Waters. The BSC cheerleaders will hold a clinic for area girls and boys ages 5-14 this fall to teach them the latest in cheers and chants. Participants also will have an opportunity to cheer at a BSC football game. Visit www.bscsports.net throughout the fall for more details about the clinic.

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bsc set to introduce the sport of lacrosse to campus, play begins in spring 2008

nless you’re from the the oldest team sport in North lacrosse not only northeast corner of America. Also, organizations like for recreation, but UAmerica—the country’s ours have helped to promote the also to settle breeding ground for lacrosse—you’re game even more.” disputes and for a probably only remotely familiar Lacrosse—a combination of the variety of rituals, with the sport and have hardly come elements of soccer, basketball, and including across men or women on a field hockey—is a field game typically communicating flinging a rubber ball in all played in the spring by two teams of with the spirit directions using a basket on a stick. 10-12 players on the field, each of world. The game But the game of lacrosse is gaining whom uses a long-handled stick was adopted by popularity in middle and high with a net pouch on one end to French settlers in Thomas Bonasera schools across the United States and carry or throw a small, hard ball into the late 19th increasingly among colleges and the opponent’s goal. century and was so well-liked that it universities all over the globe. Although the rules for lacrosse are quickly became Canada’s national Several high schools in the different for each gender, and the game. Birmingham area now offer the men’s roster is substantially larger, Birmingham-Southern, which sport as well. Now, it’s been added the game basics still apply. “The added a women’s lacrosse program to the sports offerings at in 2006, now fields 21 sports teams Birmingham-Southern. with the more recent addition of “We brought lacrosse to the men’s lacrosse which begins play in campus because it is one of the the 2008-09 academic year. fastest growing sports in the country Andy Bonasera, head coach for the and making rapid strides of growth men, and Thomas will lead the in the South,” says Joe Dean Jr., BSC college into its first lacrosse season athletics director. “We wanted to be in the spring of 2009. Both the on the cutting edge of this growth men’s and women’s lacrosse teams and provide students in the South major difference is that the men’s will play an independent schedule with an opportunity to play college game is full body contact—they wear for the first few seasons and then lacrosse closer to home and at an helmets and upper body pads,” transition to the Southern Collegiate institution of academic distinction, explains Emily Thomas, a New Jersey Athletic Conference once the which normally appeals to lacrosse native and head coach for women’s minimum number of required teams players.” lacrosse at BSC. “The women’s game joins the conference. Sports Illustrated magazine two is less contact and more a game of Some of BSC’s nearby competitors years ago named lacrosse as the finesse.” will be Sewanee in Tennessee and fastest-growing sport in America. Each game begins with a center the University of Dallas. Home And according to a spokesperson for face-off for men as in ice hockey and games will be played at the new BSC US Lacrosse, the national governing a draw for women likened to a football stadium. body of the men’s and women’s basketball tip-off. In men’s lacrosse, “Several Division I schools in the sport, lacrosse is steadily increasing the positions consist of a goalie, plus Southern region have already added in schools and communities at an defensemen, midfielders, and attack lacrosse to their sports offerings,” overall growth rate of 15 percent men, all in groups of three. says Thomas. “We feel fortunate to each year. “Lacrosse is a very Lacrosse originally was an be in their numbers.” appealing game,” says the indigenous game among Native spokesman, “and historically, it is Americans in Canada, who played

summer 2007 / 35 FEATURES

New track and field program off and running

he cross country program at Birmingham-Southern sprang to Tlife in 1997; now it is putting down even deeper roots. Next spring, the college’s inaugural indoor/outdoor track and field team of men and women will compete in the Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The team will practice and host meets on a state- of-the-art eight-lane regulation track that will be added around BSC’s new football field, currently under construction. The track is expected to be ready for use after the fall 2007 term. The team will hold its indoor BSC junior Forrest Boughner ran a 15:23 in the 5K track event at Auburn meets at off-campus venues. University as a freshman. Birmingham-Southern Athletics Director Joe Dean Jr. announced have, however, learned how to coach men, while the sprinters, jumpers, during the fall 2006 semester the a few of these technical events over and hurdlers are mostly a freshman addition of track and field. “Adding the years and can apply simple roster,” remarks Porter. “We expect men’s and women’s track and field aspects of training, but we’ll be that number to grow by the spring as to our athletics program is a natural bringing in outside help for the other sports end their seasons and move for us and one which will majority of the work.” several of those players join the track complement our excellent cross The coaches will be busy year- and field team.” country program,” says Dean. “I am round with practices, meets, and BSC’s first four years of track and excited that Lars Porter and Mark travel. The cross country races are field competition are under the Everett have accepted the challenges held in the fall, indoor track mandatory NCAA compliance of building a quality track and competes in the winter, outdoor period before becoming eligible for field program for Birmingham- track is in the spring, and extended postseason competition in 2011-12. Southern.” practices take place throughout the And, the sport of track and field Porter, head coach for cross summer. “We’re going to try to has some unique rules when it country and track and field, tabbed balance each track season with hard comes to competitions. As a three-time Olympian Everett this and easy races to enable students to Division III program, Birmingham- past January as the new assistant compete at their best,” says Porter. Southern will face SCAC competitors coach for both programs. A 2004 “We plan to grow the track and on a regular basis, but also attend Birmingham-Southern graduate, field program by simply bringing in the larger meets held at NCAA Porter was the college’s top male more numbers and better talent Division I schools, including long-distance runner in each of his every year. As our runners become Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia Tech. four years as a student-athlete. more competitive, it will be easier to “If any of our student-athletes are Everett was a 10-time All-American convince more students to join the talented enough to qualify for the at the University of Florida and was sport.” large national meets such as the a 12-time national champion. The men’s and women’s track and Penn or Texas relays, we will get “Our focus is on running since field teams currently consist of 35 them there,” remarks Porter. neither Coach Everett nor I have student-athletes, with recruitment “This is an exciting time to be a participated in technical events such still open. “The distance runners are part of Birmingham-Southern as the pole vault,” says Porter. “We primarily experienced upperclass- athletics, especially track and field.”

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New conference provides BSC with fresh start in athletics

Change fills the air at Birmingham-Southern as the and Trinity University of San Antonio, Texas. college officially transitions into the Southern Collegiate Eleven of the 12 institutions in the SCAC house Phi Athletic Conference (SCAC) this fall with the addition of Beta Kappa chapters, as does BSC. football. BSC is the 12th and newest member of the “The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference is NCAA Division III league, composed of some of the most comprised of some of the most prestigious liberal arts prestigious liberal arts colleges and universities in the colleges and universities in the nation, so we believe this nation. is a natural fit for Birmingham-Southern College,” says Birmingham-Southern’s SCAC membership will be BSC President Dr. David Pollick. “This is a group of effective for the 2007-08 academic year for the sports of institutions among which we belong in terms of our baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, academic mission and our intercollegiate athletics track and field, soccer, and volleyball. The Panthers will program. Our scholar-athletes can compete on the begin future SCAC participation in softball and men’s playing fields and courts while at the same time and women’s lacrosse in 2008-09. The college’s rifle preparing for extraordinary careers.” squad competes annually in the Southeastern Air Rifle The SCAC was founded and began operation with four Conference. member institutions in 1962 as the College Athletic “The addition of Birmingham-Southern College signals Conference. Membership reached a then all-time high of a message from our presidents that we are committed to eight in 1991 when the conference was renamed the providing an athletics environment for student-athletes Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The conference that reflects two important aspects—a first-class liberal celebrated its 15th anniversary as the SCAC during the arts education and the opportunity to compete with 2005-06 academic year. similar colleges and universities at the Division III level,” With headquarters in suburban Atlanta, the SCAC was said SCAC Commissioner Steve Argo during the 2006 formed to provide an association through which the announcement. “We are excited about the conference member institutions might encourage organized gaining Birmingham-Southern, and we look forward to a competition in intercollegiate sports among teams that long and lasting membership.” are representative of their respective student bodies. The SCAC currently consists of Austin College of Members of this conference share a commitment to the Sherman, Texas; BSC; Centre College of Danville, Ky.; overall quality of academic standards and educational Colorado College of Colorado Springs, Colo.; DePauw experiences at their schools. University of Greencastle, Ind.; Hendrix College of Under SCAC program guidelines, BSC will not be Conway, Ark.; Millsaps College of Jackson, Miss.; eligible for conference championships or post-season Oglethorpe University of Atlanta, Ga.; Rhodes College of play for the next four years. Memphis, Tenn.; The University of the South in Sewanee, For more on the SCAC, visit its Web site at www.scac- Tenn.; Southwestern University of Georgetown, Texas; online.org.

summer 2007 / 37 ALUMNIAFFAIRS

contained common elements from Soccer alum helps spread these different sports, so that students could learn the general innovative PE program abilities and skills in new, non- specific games. in Germany “That way, all children can engage in physical activity,” says Damm, who himself serves as a “playing by barrett hathcock coach” for a senior professional team in Germany. “Usually, when For one Birmingham-Southern While completing his studies, you play soccer, the ones who don’t athlete, a passion for playing a single Damm was introduced to the like soccer (or the ones who are not sport has turned into a passion for “Ballschule Heidelberg” (Heidelberg good at it) are left out. The next teaching multiple sports to children Ball School), an internationally week, though, others kids might across his native country. recognized PE program created by dislike the next sport offered.” German alumnus Thorsten Damm Dr. Klaus Roth. As he finished up The philosophy of the Heidelberg attended BSC from 1998 until 2000, his exams, Damm was asked by Roth Ball School is to reinvigorate a sense majoring in international business and Dr. Daniel Memmert, another of of physical activity for kids and playing soccer for coach Preston Damm’s professors, to join their everywhere, particularly the kind of Goldfarb. After graduating, Damm work at the University of free play embodied in an active returned to Germany and played Heidelberg’s Institute of Sport and culture of street games. The program professionally for 1. Fussball-Club Sport Science. also is designed to give kids a Kaiserslautern alongside famous “The original [Ball School] idea general sense of different types of German striker Miroslav Klose. was not to teach each game games and different types of skills After he returned to Germany, independently, but to find the before having to actually specialize Damm also studied business and similarities between sports games in a specific sport, potentially education at the University of like soccer, basketball, and so on,” reducing the risk of burnout or too Mannheim and physical education says Damm. early of a specialization. at the University of Heidelberg Based on tactical and technical “The participating children through a cooperation agreement similarities between the sports, the naturally don’t care about the theory between the two institutions. institute developed games that that is behind the program,” Damm says. “That is perfectly okay because they are supposed to have a lot of fun and enjoy what they are doing. [The program] might also be a good way of fighting against the lack of exercise, obesity, and so on. The most important thing still is to get and keep kids moving!” The institute offers the program to elementary schools as an extracurricular activity in addition to its regular PE classes. It also instructs club teams to offer this program to their kids. Among teams that are participating in the program are famous teams and former German championship winners like SV Werder Bremen (soccer), THW Kiel (team handball), Mannheim Damm at the Heidelberg Ball School.

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Come home this fall for

Damm in competition. HOMECOMING 2007 Eagles (ice hockey), and USC Heidelberg (basketball). The nonprofit sports institute also relies on the sponsorship of companies such as BASF, Capri Sonne (German Capri Sun), and the software Birmingham-Southern’snext Homecoming company SAP. will be held Saturday, Oct. 6. “I think the time at BSC prepared me in a really good way for what I’m Come celebrate the rebirth of football on the Hilltop, as the Panthers doing right now,” says Damm, who’s take on Southern CollegiateAthletic Conference foe DePauw a project manager for the institute. UniversityTigers at 1:30 p.m. at Regions Park in Hoover. “When you start a project, there is no routine or a ready-made way that you can just go along. It’s more like: Here are our goals—you go ahead and do it and get it done. At BSC, Please Note you had all the possibilities and all the help to get something done. Our nextAlumni ReunionWeekend What you established was up to you, though.” will be fall 2008. The institute currently supports international projects in Austria, Beginning in fall 2008,Alumni Reunion will coincide with the annual Brazil, Nigeria, Japan, China, and Homecoming football game. Not only will you join your classmates Chile—but none yet in America. and friends forAlumni Reunion, but you also will enjoy BSC football, “Just like in Germany, we want to Homecoming festivities, tailgating, and more! offer this as an after-school activity to keep kids active and safe at the Watch your mailbox and future issues same time, help working families, of ’Southern for more information. and develop skills and talents,” he says. “Since students achieve best Toget the latest news and info, be sure to update when they’re physically fit, we might even improve academic performance your contact information at www.bsc.edu/alumni/form-address.htm. through our PE program.”

For more information on the Heidelberg Ball School, feel free to contact Thorsten Damm at [email protected].

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Alumni Reunion Weekend 2007 “The Best of Times”

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As BSC graduates spread out across the world, they each share a common home in Birmingham-Southern, where the campus might have a few new buildings, but the BSC bond still is strong. It’s the place where you found your calling, the place where you made lifelong friends— the place where you had some of the best times of your life. This past spring, more than 650 alumni came back to visit during Alumni Reunion Weekend April 27- 28. They celebrated at class parties, receptions, lectures, a family festival, dinner on the quad, and more.

Lighting the skies— Alumni Reunion Weekend 2007 culminates with a grand fireworks extravaganza set to music.

Hilltop performance—Almost 150 alumni enjoy a performance by the Hilltop Singers during the Saturday Alumni Awards Luncheon.

Registering for reunion—Josh Vasa ’03 and Carrie Kramer Vasa ’03 report to the reunion registration desk for their nametags and materials and to greet friends and fellow alumni.

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Alumni achievers—BSC President Dr. David Pollick (left) congratulates Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipients (from left) Grover Robinson IV ’92 and Congressman Robert Aderholt ’87, and Distinguished Alumni Award recipients Elvin Hilyer ’60, Jean Prescott Pierce ’52, and Bob Clem ’67.

Budding van Goghs—A father and his children view the artwork created by children of alumni at the art camp during the Alumni Reunion Family Festival.

Just jump—Two little girls have a blast jumping in the inflatable Cinderella’s Castle.

summer 2007 / 41 ALUMNIAFFAIRS

A bittersweet sound—Dean of Chapel Dr. Stewart Jackson plays with the “Dill Pickers” during the Service Learning reunion honoring his retirement from the college.

Job well done—President Dr. David Pollick congratulates then-BSC senior, now assistant director of alumni affairs, Mallie Searcy on a successful Senior Gift Campaign.

Presidential honors—2006-07 National Alumni Association President Julie Lockwood ’92 speaks to alumni during the dinner on the academic quad.

Fish and hushpuppies—More than 350 alumni, faculty, staff, and students are treated to a tasty fish fry All smiles—Current BSC students join alumni on the grounds Saturday night. at the dinner on the academic quad.

42 / ’southern ALUMNIAFFAIRS Alumni travel to Italy with BSC professor

Spring Break 2007 was special for 12 Birmingham-Southern alumni who traveled to Italy with BSC Professor of Classics Dr. Sam Pezzillo. The group first traveled to the island of Capri and visited the famous “Blue Grotto.” They also visited the ruins of the Villa Jovis, a favorite villa of Emperor Tiberius. Visiting sites affected by the eruption on Mount Vesuvius, the group explored the ruins at Herculaneum before making their way down the spectacular cliff-hugging, serpentine roads of the Amalfi Coast en route to Experiencing Pompeii—Jo Anne ‘93 and Walter Garrett ‘67 were among the BSC alumni who visited Pompeii. Here, they are shown in front of an Pompeii. The remainder of the trip included visits ancient oven. to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Cathedral, and more classical sites in Rome, with an optional excursion to Florence.

Friends and family—One group of alumni traveling together included friends and family. (From left) Brian Cash ‘97, Maryann Loman, Kelly Williamson, Foster Williamson ‘97, Howard Williamson ‘71, and Harrison Walker ‘97 await the boat to Capri.

Tag! BSC is it—Have you seen those Birmingham-Southern license tags? For just $50, you can show your BSC pride by both displaying a BSC license tag and supporting the college. And $48.75 of that cost comes back to the college in support of the Annual Fund. BSC collegiate license plates may be purchased at any time, regardless of your tag renewal month. Due to confidentiality laws, Lemons in Capri—Italy is known for its the Department of Transportation does lemon and orange groves. On the island of not release the names of tag owners. Capri, (from left) Regina Cates ‘95, Barbara To receive gift credit, contact Maggie Simon, Melissa Shackelford ‘01, and Harriet McDonald in the Office of Annual Rejonis pose in front of a large lemon tree. Giving at 205/226-7737 or [email protected].

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BSC to offer variety of travel opportunities for alumni

Throughout the next year, Birmingham-Southern will offer many travel opportunities tailored specifically for alumni. Led by BSC professors and staff, these trips are packed with both adventure and education and include some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Spots for the trips must be made in advance, so don’t hesitate. For additional information, contact Lisa Harrison, director of alumni affairs, at 205/226-4912 or [email protected].

Argentinean Adventure: Buenos Aires March 20-30, 2008 Dr. Barbara Domcekova, associate professor of Spanish Dr. Janie Spencer, professor of Spanish Cost: $2,850

Spanish professors Barbara Domcekova and Janie Spencer will pack as many of this great South American city’s attractions as possible into this whirlwind visit. Travelers will experience an in-depth city tour and also will be able to explore on their own. Visitors will learn about the city’s history and culture through its many museums, art galleries, and elegant cafés, as well as trips to Buenos Aires’ multifaceted neighborhoods, from the exclusive Recoleta to colorful La Boca to hip Palermo Soho. Other activities will include tango lessons, fabulous shopping for antiques or leather goods, and sampling Argentina’s exquisite cuisine and spectacular wines. A non-refundable deposit of $150 is due by Oct. 15.

Springtime in Paris! March 21-March 30, 2008 (BSC spring break) Kim Thomas, director of the Foreign Language Lab and Academic Resource Center, and member of the Alliance Française of Birmingham Cost: $1,889 per person for Alliance members; $1,939 for non-members

Birmingham-Southern alumni are invited to join Alliance Française of Birmingham for a once-in-a- lifetime trip to Paris. During the weeklong trip, you’ll enjoy Paris a la carte! For those new to Paris, you will be free to hit the major sites: Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Centre Pompidou, which houses the National Museum of Modern Art. Veteran visitors may wish to explore such sites as Saint Denis, the tombs of the kings of France and the origin of Gothic style, and the Marais district, with its medieval and renaissance townhomes. A non-refundable deposit of $299 is due by Nov. 15. Final payment is due by Jan. 31, 2008.

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Exploring France—Provence and Paris May 14-24, 2008 Dr. Sam Pezzillo, professor of classics Cost: $3,985

This study tour of France will be conducted by Professor of Classics Dr. Sam Pezzillo, who will guide alumni through the Roman antiquities of Provence and serve as the overall tour host. He will be assisted by Karen Greene ‘85, veteran group traveler and organizer. The trip includes two nights in Aix, four in Avignon, and three in Paris, and will feature numerous sites of historical interest as well as ample time for individual exploration. Highlights include a visit to the Fragonard Perfume Factory, a tour of Avignon including the Papal Palace, a visit to Chateneuf de Papes with an excursion to the wine cellar, and trips to Vaison La Romaine and Orange to see the Antique Theatre. A deposit of $400 is required to reserve a space. Final payment of $3,585 is due March 14, 2008.

Exploring the Galapagos Islands May 29-June 10, 2008 Dr. Megan Gibbons, assistant professor of biology Cost: $5,395 per person

Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Megan Gibbons will lead this 13-day discovery expedition that will take alumni travelers from Birmingham to Ecuador for three days and then to the Galapagos Islands for another seven days. Passengers will tour the islands via a 20-passenger private yacht. Most days will include two moderate hiking excursions and at least one opportunity to snorkel or lounge on a beautiful beach with Galapagos sea lions. Participants also will see Galapagos penguins, frigate birds, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and other amazing animals found nowhere else in the world. A deposit of $1,000 is required.

Service Learning in San Francisco One week in late June 2008; specific dates to be determined Kristin Harper, director of service learning Cost: $1,250

The service project will be located at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, located in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. The project will be a miniature version of the college’s previous service learning program at the church. Participants will help serve meals at Glide, whose program serves over 1 million meals a year—three meals a day, seven days a week. Or, to put it in perspective, that’s 800 lunches in two hours. Housing will be provided at the Fort Mason Youth Hostel, which includes dormitory-style rooms with hall baths and a continental breakfast each morning. The location features beautiful views of San Francisco Bay. Transportation will be available via San Francisco’s historic streetcars, as well as by the city’s Municipal Railway (Muni) buses and cable cars.

summer 2007 /  ALUMNIAFFAIRS

River Run and River Dance! Dublin and the West of Ireland July 1-16, 2008 Dr. Sandra Sprayberry, professor of English Cost: $4,500

Led by Professor of English Dr. Sandra Sprayberry and Irish tour guides the Enrights, this alumni trip highlights Ireland’s rich cultural heritage and spectacular landscapes. Martin and Joyce Enright, an Irish music expert and archaeologist, respectively, offer personal touches not often found in standard group tours. This tour will allow visitors to explore the many activities available in Dublin while also experiencing the spectacular Gaeltacht region of Western Ireland, seemingly untouched by time or British culture. Our itinerary includes Dublin and the counties of Meath, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, and Galway. Activities will include guided museum tours; poetry, storytelling, and theatre experiences; tours of political, historical, and archaeological significance; ceili (musical pub sessions); and nature walks. A $300 deposit is due by Oct. 1.

Coral Reef Ecology in Roatan, Honduras July 19-26, 2008 Dr. Andy Gannon, associate professor of biology Cost: $2,500

Participants will spend a week with Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Andy Gannon visiting coral reefs and dolphins at the Institute for Marine Sciences on the island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean Sea. The trip will be a condensed version of one of the most popular of all BSC Interim trips—the month-long Coral Reef Ecology Interim project. Alumni will dive and snorkel on one of the most beautiful reefs in the world, and they will get to participate in lectures and lab exercises to understand what they are seeing down below, as well as in ongoing reef biodiversity and water quality monitoring projects. SCUBA certification is encouraged but not required, and everyone must be able to swim. A deposit of $150 is due Oct. 1.

Down Under: Australia and New Zealand Last two weeks in July 2008; specific dates to be determined Dr. Byron Chew, Monaghan Professor of Management Cost: Approximately $7,500

This trip to Australia is designed to familiarize participants with the unique history, culture, ecology, and economic environment of the land down under. The experience will include an examination of the region’s history and its cultural diversity, the magic of the Great Barrier Reef, the wildlife of Australia, and the excitement of the Australian and New Zealand economic and business environments. Of particular interest will be the external pressures that are shaping the economic future of Australia and New Zealand. Travelers will visit Sydney and the reef, in addition to a trip to the center of the continent.

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Recent alumna named assistant director of alumni affairs

Mallie Searcy, a Tuscaloosa native and 2007 Birmingham-Southern cum laude psychology graduate, has been named assistant director of alumni affairs at the college. She replaces Amanda Warren ’04, who is the new donor relations manager at BSC. Searcy’s past experience includes internships in the offices of Institutional Advancement and Student Affairs at both Birmingham-Southern and the University of Alabama. At both colleges, she researched annual giving, the cultivation of giving among students at peer and aspirant institutions, and the giving patterns of alumni; served as Senior Gift Campaign chair; and planned and organized student programs. As a student at BSC, Searcy was active as president of the Panhellenic Council, service-learning coordinator for First Light Women’s Shelter, and BSC liaison to the American Red Cross. She also was a member of numerous honoraries. Searcy In her new position at the college, Searcy says she’s looking forward to helping organize the upcoming joint homecoming and reunion in fall 2008, as well as coordinating alumni football events this fall.

Seven ways to get involved with your Alumni Association

If you’ve ever wondered how you might get more Serve on a reunion committee—Alumni Reunion connected to your alma mater, think about serving as an Weekend celebrates all alumni, whether they are Alumni Association volunteer. It’s a great way to reconnect celebrating special class reunions or not. We need alumni with friends and classmates, network, and give back to the to serve on class committees as well as on the Reunion place that gave you so much. Weekend planning committee. To volunteer, contact Lisa Here are seven ways that you can become involved: Harrison at 205/226-4912 or [email protected]. Assist with fundraising for the Annual Fund—The Become a chapter leader—With more than 40 Annual Fund is looking for volunteers who will sign designated alumni chapter areas in the United States, the fundraising letters and make phone calls soliciting their college needs leaders to help establish and implement classmates for annual unrestricted gifts to the college. For active chapters. For more information, contact Mallie more information, contact Maggie McDonald at 205/226- Searcy at 205/226-4908 or [email protected]. 7737 or [email protected]. Start an affinity group—BSC alumni share many Get involved in service and outreach—A new goal of similar interests and professions. Consider starting a group the Alumni Association is to provide more outreach and of like-minded alumni in your area. For assistance, contact service involving alumni across the world. If you are Searcy. interested in serving, contact Harrison. Recommend and recruit prospective students—We’re Serve as a member of the Alumni Board—The looking for prospective students who fit the BSC profile. Alumni Association is looking for leaders who want to help We need volunteers who will recommend prospective manage various areas of responsibility. If you like to lead students, attend college fairs, call applicants, and present and want to assist the college in this way, contact Harrison. Alumni Book Awards. To volunteer, contact Tyler Davis at No matter how you serve, we need you. Volunteer today. 800-523-5793, ext. 4681, or [email protected].

summer 2007 / 47 PHILANTHROPY

Flip that house: Distinguished couple turns rental house into charitable giving reward

A long history of giving

Dr. and Mrs. McCoy were among the earliest BSC donors to catch the vision of how deferred giving can both benefit Birmingham-Southern as well as meet some of their own long- term financial goals. Since 1989, the McCoys have jointly established two charitable remainder trusts and 10 charitable gift annuities. The remainder amount from a number of these gifts will fund the Walter C. and Dorothy H. McCoy Endowed Scholarship for Pre-Medical Education. Dr. McCoy received his bachelor’s degree from BSC in 1933 when he was only 19 years old. He also received a master’s in The McCoys 1935 from BSC. In 1938, he graduated from the Medical College of Alabama, and, in 1940, he received his medical degree from Dr. Walter and D’Anne McCoy are one busy couple. At age 94, he Tulane. He later did graduate work at Harvard University, after continues to work two days a week as the medical director of serving in the U.S. Army for four years. PlasmaCare. She still maintains a vigorous volunteer schedule McCoy then went on to practice internal medicine in private throughout the city, and they both enjoy working in their garden. practice and at various area hospitals for the next 47 years. He But when they decided earlier this year that they wanted to slow served much of that time as president of the medical staff at St. down just a bit and give up their Southside of Birmingham rental Vincent’s Hospital, retiring at age 80. property, the McCoys realized they could give it to Birmingham- The McCoys have seven children and 12 grandchildren. Their Southern as a charitable gift annuity—and still reap the rewards. grandson, Chris McCoy, attended BSC and graduated in 2000. Dr. McCoy ’33 purchased the house in 1974 as an investment Due to their previous service to BSC, the McCoys were property and turned it into a multi-unit rental. Some 33 years nominated by BSC and recognized by the Alabama Chapter of the later, the McCoys continued to enjoy the income stream it National Society of Fund Raising Executives as VIPs—Volunteers in generated, but were tiring of the maintenance requirements and Philanthropy. other hassles of property management. In 2001, Dr. McCoy received the Distinguished Alumni Award Realizing that the property had greatly increased in value and from the BSC Alumni Association for his career accomplishments, wanting to avoid capital gains tax, the McCoys began exploring community involvement, and contributions to the college. charitable options with Birmingham-Southern. They were happy Not only have the McCoys been consistently generous to BSC, to learn that a charitable gift annuity could be funded by the they’ve been consistently inventive with their generosity. But then, transfer of this property with the following results: when you’ve got places to go and people to see, you’ve got to plan

retention of an annual return similar to the income your giving wisely. produced by the rental property,

receipt of an income tax deduction, and For more information on planned giving—everything from setting up

avoidance of capital gains tax on the gift portion of the your charitable gift annuity to receiving financial advice—be sure to transfer. check the college’s Planned Giving Web site. It’s your one-stop shop for Most importantly, the McCoys would be able to make another all of your planned giving needs. Go to www.bsc.edu/advancement/ generous gift to BSC during their lifetime. planned.htm.

48 / ’southern PHILANTHROPY

How a Gift Annuity works

A charitable Gift Annuity is a contractual arrangement between the donor and Birmingham-Southern College. A donation is made of cash, marketable securities, or highly marketable real property in exchange for a fixed annual payment for the life of the annuitant (i.e., the donor or the person named to receive the payments). At the death of the annuitant (or second annuitant in the case of a two-life agreement), the remaining value of the gift passes to BSC.

A Gift Annuity saves taxes If a gift is funded with cash, a portion of each annuity payment will be free from both federal and state income taxes until the donor’s life expectancy is reached. If a Gift Annuity is funded with appreciated securities, the donor may be able to spread capital gains tax liability over their life expectancy.

A Gift Annuity can increase income A donor may be able to receive more fixed income from a Gift Annuity than from money market funds or CDs. Part of this income may be tax free, and the donor will be entitled to an income tax charitable deduction in the year that the annuity is established. Gift annuities are especially attractive in a low-interest rate environment, since this generally means a higher tax-free component. If securities are owned that provide little or no income, a Gift Annuity may provide an opportunity to unlock an investment while providing the college with financial resources.

How to obtain a free calculation of benefits If you would like more information on a charitable Gift Annuity with Birmingham-Southern College, call Martha Hamrick Boshers at 205/226-4978, or e-mail [email protected]. You can also prepare your own benefits summary online by going to BSC’s updated Planned Giving Web site at www.bsc.edu/advancement/ planned.htm.

summer 2007 / 49 The numbers are in ... and it’s time to thank BSC donors for their participation this year The Power of One--- the Impact of Many

$633,584 was contributed by BSC alumni in support of the Annual Fund

3,479 BSC alumni contributed to the Annual Fund between June 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007

$62,592 was contributed by parents of current students—setting another record

52% of the Class of 2007 contributed to the Annual Fund through the annual Senior Gift Campaign—the highest participation percentage of any senior class

$67,120 was contributed by BSC alumni in response to the Reunion Trustee Challenge—well exceeding our goal of $50,000

$761,000 THIS YEAR’S GOAL!

This year, Be The One who makes a difference. Support all of our students this year by contributing to the Annual Fund. Your gift will make an immediate impact on their education by supporting scholarships, faculty salaries, academic oneprograms, technology, athletics, and more. For more information, please contact: Maggie McDonald Director of Annual Giving Birmingham-Southern College 205/226-7737 BSC [email protected] www.bsc.edu/egiving

ATHLETICS

BSC Sports Hall of Fame inducts seven new members

The Birmingham-Southern Sports 88. He led BSC to 41 victories as the finishes and a TranSouth Conference Hall of Fame grew by seven names starting point guard his junior and title in 2000. Her final team in 2000 as six former athletes and one senior seasons and wrapped up his went 18-4-1, winning the NAIA former head coach were inducted career averaging 4.5 assists per game. Region XI title and advancing to the into the 26th annual class at a The Panthers captured two Southern NAIA National Tournament. Etka- ceremony in May. States Conference and NAIA District Shepherd was named the TranSouth Included in the 2007 class are 27 titles and went to the NAIA Conference and NSCAA South Mike Goggans (men’s basketball, National Tournament two times. Region Coach of the Year in 2000. 1980), Dr. Paul McCrary (men’s Mitchell played for the men’s Trost played men’s soccer from basketball, 1989), Jason Mitchell tennis team from 1995-98 under 1997-98. He helped BSC to two (men’s tennis, 1998), Chad Post Head Coach Ann Dielen and is the TranSouth Conference titles in 1998 (baseball, 1999), Lorrin Etka- only men’s tennis player to earn All- and 1999, the 1999 NAIA Region Shepherd (women’s soccer coach, American laurels in singles three Championship, and two 1990), Marcus Trost (men’s soccer, times. He also earned All-American appearances in the NAIA National 2000), and Alabama State Senator honors in doubles in 1996. During Tournament. He left the Hilltop James “Jabo” Waggoner (men’s his four-year collegiate career, with 40 goals, 26 assists, and 108 basketball, 1960/contributor). Bill Mitchell helped BSC land four NAIA points. Trost was BSC’s leading Legg, a 1985 BSC Sports Hall of National Tournament appearances, scorer in the NAIA National Fame inductee, was honored with earning a top 20 NAIA national Tournament, helping BSC reach the the Bob Strain Distinguished Service ranking. semifinals. He earned All-TranSouth Award for his outstanding Post was a top performer on the Conference honors in 1998 and contribution to BSC athletics during baseball team from 1996-99. He hit 1999 and was named NAIA All- his career on the Hilltop. .358 with 53 doubles, 10 triples, 25 Region and NSCAA All-American in Goggans played men’s basketball home runs, and 189 RBI, and stole 1999. for two seasons from 1978-80 under 97 bases during his career. He Waggoner, who is the current Head Coach Greg Walcavich. He currently ranks sixth in career senator for Jefferson and Shelby helped lead the Panthers to the batting average and home runs, third counties (the 16th District) in the NAIA District 27 title and the in RBI and total bases, and fourth in state Legislature, lettered in men’s school’s first-ever trip to the NAIA triples, steals, and steal attempts. He basketball from 1958-60. In his first National Tournament during 1978- was named All-TranSouth season, he helped the Panthers to a 79. He led BSC in scoring, averaging Conference and NAIA All-American 14-11 overall record in 1958-59 and 13.7 points per game and ranked in 1999 while leading BSC to the earned All-Tournament honors for eighth in the nation in field-goal TranSouth Conference title and to his performance in the Dixie percentage. He was voted team the NAIA World Series. Invitational hosted by Rhodes captain his senior year and was Etka-Shepherd was the first head College in Memphis. After recognized as a First-Team All- women’s soccer coach at graduating from BSC in 1960, he Conference and All-District Birmingham-Southern, starting the attended the Birmingham School of performer both seasons. program in 1994. She would coach Law and earned his juris doctor McCrary was a four-year letterman the Panthers for seven years from degree in 1964. His political career on the men’s basketball team from 1994 to 2000, posting a 66-49 began in the Alabama House of 1984-88. When his college career record. BSC averaged 13 wins a Representatives, where he served for ended, McCrary left the Hilltop as season over her final five years at the 17 years from 1966-83 before being the all-time assists leader with 544, helm, which included four elected to his first term in the Senate including a team-high 200 in 1987- TranSouth Conference runner-up in 1990.

52 / ’southern ATHLETICS

Hall of Fame inductees—The 2007 BSC Sports Hall of Fame honorees are (from left) Sen. James “Jabo” Waggoner, Chad Post, Marcus Trost, Bill Legg (Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award winner), Lorrin Etka-Shepherd, Jason Mitchell, Mike Goggans, and Dr. Paul McCrary.

Jerry Narramore, lifelong BSC athletics supporter and alumnus, dies

Jerry Narramore ’61, longtime contributor and BSC Sports Hall of Fame member, passed away June 10, 2007, at a Birmingham hospital. He was 71. Narramore was a 50-year supporter of BSC athletics, having seen—in person— more than 2,000 sporting events at the college. He kept the official scorebook for BSC men’s basketball for more than four decades. He was honored with the college’s Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award in 2001 and was inducted in the BSC Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He also served BSC as the house director of the New Men’s Residence Hall from 1975 to 1990 and was even the sports information director for the school in 1978-79. Narramore also did much of the labor involved in building the Striplin Baseball Field when the facility was established in the early ’80s. Narramore “As much as any BSC alum, Jerry Narramore exemplified the true spirit of excellence associated with Birmingham-Southern athletics,” said BSC Athletics Director Joe Dean Jr. “He served the college in many ways for over 50 years and was a wonderful friend to hundreds of athletes, coaches, and staff. Birmingham-Southern was Jerry’s life, and we will all miss his quick wit, selfless spirit, and having him at the scorer’s table during our basketball games.” While in college, Narramore played baseball and was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, graduating with a degree in business. Away from BSC, he worked as an investigator for insurance companies and attorneys, and for many years, he was a national steward for the Sportscar Club of America, traveling the country to serve as a race official and inspect race cars. The college held a memorial service in his honor.

summer 2007 / 53 ATHLETICS

BSC athletics adds men’s lacrosse

Athletics Director Joe Dean Jr. announced during the past academic year the addition of men’s lacrosse, which will raise the number of Birmingham-Southern sports offerings to 21. Andy Bonasera, previously of the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, was hired as BSC’s first men’s lacrosse head coach. Bonasera will spend the upcoming 2007-08 year recruiting student-athletes, and his squad will play as a full varsity team in 2008-09 as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Bonasera served as men’s lacrosse head coach at the Mount for two years and was an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Randolph- Macon College in Ashland, Va., for two years. A 2003 graduate of Roanoke College in Salem, Va., he was a four-year letterwinner and was the school’s first-ever four-time All- American, earning Honorable Mention honors in 2000 and 2001, Third-Team honors in 2002, and First-Team honors as a senior in 2003. “We are very excited about Andy Bonasera starting our new men’s lacrosse program,” Dean said. “Andy was an All-American player in college, and his head coaching experience gives him the skills necessary to build a quality lacrosse program for us here at Birmingham-Southern.”

Saturdays at 10 a.m. this fall on CW-21 (WTTO) and Mondays at 10 p.m. on WOTM, a local independent TV station offered by most Birmingham cable outlets The Birmingham-Southern Head Football Coach Joey Jones will be the featured guest of this 30-minute magazine-style format hosted by radio and television broadcasting veteran Kevin Henslee. The interactive weekly forum will examine the new football season at BSC Joey with in-depth conversation with Jones, insight from other coaches and players, game replays, special features on sports facilities, and other BSC-related activities. Jones The Saturday shows will precede the Inside Southeastern Football Show and air Sept. 22 through Nov. 17, excluding Sept. 29.

The Monday shows will follow the Hoover Football Show Show and air Sept. 24 through Nov. 19, excluding Oct. 1.

54 / ’southern ATHLETICS

Women’s golf finishes banner season at NCAA Regional

The Birmingham-Southern women’s golf team finished the Panther to capture the Big South Conference individual title, 2006-07 season winning five of 12 events, including the winning with a five-over 218. Freshman Sara Hunt finished college’s second straight Big South Conference Women’s Golf third, followed by recent graduate Shelley McGraw in fourth, Championship and a berth in the NCAA East Regional in Baton junior Jordan Hardy in sixth, and sophomore Karlin Beck in Rouge, La. 16th. BSC dominated the Big South Conference Tournament for the BSC concluded the banner season with a team aggregate score second year in a row by 14 strokes over second-place Coastal of 890 to finish 15th at the NCAA East Regional, hosted in May Carolina. Recent graduate Jill Stupiansky became the first by Louisiana State University. Stupiansky, McGraw, and Hardy garnered All-Big South Conference laurels while Stupiansky earned Big South Women’s Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second straight season. Head Coach Michele Drinkard followed suit, winning her second consecutive Coach of the Year award. The All-Conference trio combined for five individual victories during the season. Stupiansky, who led BSC with a 75.0 stroke average, won the UAB Beach Bash, Ann Rhoads Invitational, and Big South Conference titles. McGraw won the Birmingham-Tri-Match, and Hunt won the Lady Pirate Invitational. BSC garnered five team titles, winning the Birmingham Tri- Match, the Lady Pirate Invitational, and the UAB Beach Bash during the fall. The Panthers also finished fifth at the Lady Wildcat Invitational and ninth at The Derby at Auburn University, which involved top teams from the Southeastern, (From left) Karlin Beck, Sara Hunt, Jill Stupiansky, Jordan Hardy, Conference USA, Big 12, and Big East conferences. In the Shelley McGraw, and Head Coach Michele Drinkard are pictured in spring, BSC won the annual Ann Rhoads Shootout at the Bent front of the scoreboard at the 2007 NCAA Women’s Golf East Brook Golf Course as well as Big South Conference Regional at LSU’s University Club in Baton Rouge. tournaments.

Goal-keeping drills—Birmingham-Southern soccer counselors Christy Dettmer and Reese Feist teach ball-control skills to a group of youth in the Preston Gold- farb Excellence Through Fundamentals summer soccer camp held at the BSC Soccer Park on campus. More than 400 campers from around the Southeast attended one of the three weeklong camps directed by Goldfarb, BSC’s longtime men’s soccer coach. The college also offered summer sports camps in baseball, basketball, softball, volleyball, and track and field, as well as a Student Leaders in Service program and dance, music, and theatre camps.

summer 2007 / 55 ATHLETICS

BSC’s Clendenin named Big South Conference Freshman of the Year

Birmingham-Southern’s J.T. Clendenin was named the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year at the Big South Conference men’s golf pre-tournament banquet held in April at the Sheraton in downtown Birmingham. Clendenin won the BSC Spring Invitational with a nine-under 207. He also posted five top-10 finishes and was named the Big South Conference Golfer of the Week twice. Clendenin finished the year with the team’s top average, averaging 72.8 strokes per round. Sophomore Robert Lindstrom won two events during the season and finished second on the team with a 73.2 stroke average. Lindstrom captured the MacDonald Cup hosted by Yale University, helping BSC to a seventh-place finish. He later captured the Hal Sutton Intercollegiate title hosted by Centenary College in Shreveport, La. His two over- par 218 at the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate garnered him Big South Conference Golfer of the Week honors for the week of Sept. 28. The Panthers posted eight top-10 finishes in 11 events during the season. BSC wrapped up the fall with a third-place finish at the Buffalo Rock/Southern Showdown and opened the spring BSC Athletics Director Joe schedule with a second-place finish at the BSC Spring Invitational at Oxmoor Valley Golf Course on the Dean Jr. (left) presents J.T. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Clendenin with the Big South BSC closed the season out by hosting the 2007 PUPS Big South Conference Men’s Golf Championship at Conference Freshman of Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta. The Panthers finished seventh with a team aggregate score of the Year Award at the annual 928 in its final Big South Conference Men’s Golf Tournament. banquet in April prior to the 2007 PUPS Big South Conference Men’s Golf Softball marked by impressive wins, despite tough season Championship.

Three players from the 2007 Birmingham-Southern softball team earned post-season honors this season, as senior Heather Fox earned a spot on the All-Big South Conference First Team, senior Bethney Reynoldson was named Second-Team All-Conference, and senior Lindsay Creighton was named to the All-Academic squad. The team experienced an up-and-down season, but still notched big wins over in-state rivals UAB, Alabama A&M, South Alabama, and Alabama State, as well as Grambling State, Southeastern Louisiana, Georgia State, Alcorn State, Nicholls State, North Florida, Chattanooga, Jackson State, and Belmont. Additionally, in the Big South Conference, the Panthers picked up at least one win against every conference opponent and finished the season ranked fifth in the league standings. Two Panthers also broke BSC records this season as sophomore Danielle Honore’ broke the single-game RBI record this year with six RBI in two separate games, and Reynoldson broke two pitching Junior pitcher Bethney Reynoldson earned records: the single-game and single-season strikeout records. To Second-Team All-Big South Conference break the single-game record of 11 strikeouts, Reynoldson struck honors this season and broke BSC’s out 16 batters against Jackson State, and she also shattered the single-game and single-season previous single-season record of 151 strikeouts with 221 strikeout records. this season.

56 / ’southern ATHLETICS

BSC women’s tennis posts 25th consecutive winning season

Head Coach Ann Dielen and the Birmingham-Southern women’s tennis team wrapped up its 25th consecutive winning season this past spring, posting wins in five of its last six matches to finish 10-9 overall and 2-4 in the Big South Conference. Since the start of women’s tennis in 1983, the Panther women have never had a losing season. Recent graduate Casey Ragsdale registered a 13-5 singles record and a 4- 2 mark in the Big South, earning All-Big South Conference laurels. She teamed with junior Kate Lambert for a 7-7 doubles mark. Recent graduate Stephanie Boucher was named to the Big South All-Academic team. Ragsdale and Boucher were later honored with the Johnny Johnson Most Inspirational Senior Student-Athlete award at the annual BSC Athletic Honors Day. The Panthers fell 4-0 to Charleston Southern in the first round of the Big South Conference Tournament to close out the 2007 campaign.

Casey Ragsdale earned All-Big South Conference singles honors, posting a 13-5 single record at the No. 3 position for BSC.

Engler, Ray receive Big South Mauricio Engler had a 12-7 record at No. 1 singles for Conference honors in men’s tennis the Panther men’s tennis team in 2007. Recent Birmingham-Southern graduates Mauricio Engler and David Ray were honored at the annual Big South Conference Men’s Tennis Banquet in April prior to the conference’s 2007 championship tournament. Engler posted a 12-7 singles record and a 4-2 record in league play to earn All-Big South Conference laurels. Ray was honored as a Big South All-Academic selection. The Panther men struggled through a tough year, finishing the season 3-17 overall and 1-5 in conference play. BSC recorded wins over Martin Methodist, Liberty University, and Millsaps College. The Panthers wrapped up the season with a loss to Radford University in the first round of the Big South Conference Tournament in Radford, Va.

BSC sports schedules online!

For a complete listing of schedules for all of Birmingham-Southern’s Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Division III sports teams, visit the athletics Web site at www.bscsports.net.

summer 2007 / 57 CLASSNOTES ClassNotes

Methodist Youth and as executive ’68 secretary to the Montana Norton Dill of Birmingham, a Conference Board of Education. director of commercial and He was pastor of St. Paul’s United documentary films, was profiled in Methodist Church in Helena for 17 the April issue of Birmingham years. magazine. The profile cites Dill’s films Music in Their Bones: The ’65 Music and People of Sand Dr. Tennant McWilliams of Mountain (1999) and Kathryn: The Birmingham, former dean of the Story of a Teller (2004). UAB School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, has Catherine Rye Gilmore of relinquished that position to return Birmingham was included in the to the school’s faculty, citing his April 27, 2007, Birmingham desire, after a quarter of a century Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Glenn family gathers near Cape Town—At the of service in administrative roles, Hospitality.” The arts leader is Cape of Good Hope, wearing their BSC shirts, are (from for a return to full-time teaching president of The Metropolitan Arts left) Lisa Glenn ’06 ; her mother, Laura Whitehurst Glenn and writing. McWilliams joined Center and Virginia Samford ’78 of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and her sister, Katie Glenn ’11, the UAB faculty in 1974 as an Theatre. BBJ notes “she co- who is a freshman at Birmingham-Southern this fall. assistant professor of history. He chaired the $3 million fund-raising Laura and Katie Glenn recently visited Lisa in South Africa, also had served as department campaign to restore and renovate where she has been studying at the University of the chair, assistant vice president for the historical Clark Memorial Witwatersrand in Johannesburg since January, on a Rotary academic affairs, and interim Theatre as a multi-purpose arts Ambassadorial Scholarship she received last year. She senior vice president for University center for the Birmingham will complete her year abroad in December 2007. While in College, before being named dean Africa, Lisa will participate in the 2007 Rotary AIDS Hike community—now renamed the from Johannesburg to Durban (more than 1,000 km). The of SBS in 1990. Virginia Samford Theatre.” event raises money and awareness for AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children in Africa. ’66 Kirby Sevier Jr. is pictured in the Dr. Harry Mueller III continues to cover story of the June 8, 2007, work for Saudi Aramco in Dharan, Birmingham Business Journal. Saudi Arabia, and travels as often The article reports the expansion ’37 Birmingham Botanical Gardens as he can, having taken trips to of Sevier’s Birmingham law firm Tanzania and IndoChina last year. Emlyn Colmant Bode is working Library, in honor of the club’s Maynard Cooper & Gale PC into on a travel journal, combining her former president, the late Mary Ivy the Huntsville market. Its new many travel diaries into a volume Burks.T he book outlines Burks’ ’67 office there will be staffed with 14 Dr. F. Cleveland Kinney, professor, to be called Emmy’s ABC Travels: tireless efforts to preserve a attorneys who left Balch & senior associate dean, and Air, Boat, and Camper. At the age wilderness area in the Bankhead Bingham LLP’s North Alabama medical director at UAB, was of 90, she and her husband have National Forest. office in an amicable split. The recognized as a leader in area given up camping across the U.S., addition of the Huntsville group health care in the Feb. 9, 2007, Canada, and Newfoundland and ’44 brings Maynard’s attorney roster Birmingham Business Journal. are entertaining themselves with Rev. George Harper of Helena, to 175 and represents a significant The report notes that Kinney “has hundreds of slides, as well as Mont., was speaker at the 125th expansion for the firm founded by served in a variety of roles at UAB, happenings in their hometown of commencement of Rocky Sevier and others in 1984. helping to teach students in Richmond, Va., and visits from Mountain College last May and psychiatry and behavioral their large family. received an honorary doctorate of ’70 public service from the college. neurobiology, cell biology, and Dr. Robert Corley has been named ’41 Harper’s long career in the medicine, as well as playing a director of the Global and large role in the clinical affairs of The Belvedere Study Club recently Methodist ministry has been Community Leadership Honors the University of Alabama School presented a copy of John particularly concerned with youth. Program at UAB. Students in this of Medicine.” Randolph’s The Battle for He served as executive secretary program will be able to participate Alabama’s Wilderness to the of the National Conference of in special honors courses and

58 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

learning experiences relating to sponsored by the college’s Office global and community issues to of Church Relations and dedicated prepare them for leadership roles. to Dr. Roy Wells Jr. ’57, professor For the past 13 years, Corley, an of religion at BSC, who retired this AlumNews assistant professor of history, has past spring after 40 years of directed the UAB Center for Urban teaching at the college. Newsom Affairs. He has served on the was chosen to present the honors council of the UAB Honors inaugural lecture in part because Program since 1989. she was a student of Wells at BSC. The lecture series was Byron B. Mathews Jr. of New York established and endowed by shares entertaining news about his Bishop William Willimon, presiding dog “L’il Pup.” A video of the bishop of the United Methodist pooch won first place in a contest Church North Alabama Area, and March 27, 2007, was a special held in connection with a his wife, Patsy Willimon. day for members of the Moses Mayfield band: Paramount film, Year of the Dog. (vocals, guitar), (guitar), As winners, L’il Pup and Mathews ’72 Matthew Mayfield ’05 Will Mason ’07 (keys), (bass), and Wil Drake (drums). were flown to Los Angeles for a Dr. Donald Bruce Irwin, founder Matt Taylor ’03 Hans Ford ’04 That’s the day their first major label CD was released by Columbia meeting with Paramount and CEO of American Family Care, Records. representatives. L’il Pup also was a 25-year-old, Birmingham-based The Inside, recorded with producer Ben Grosse (Marilyn Manson, treated to prizes, including a day at chain of free-standing indepen- Fuel, Vertical Horizon), features a dynamic, according to the group’s L.A.’s poshest dog spa. dent health clinics, was named a Columbia Records Web site, that is “a balance of bare-knuckled rock finalist for Small Business Person combined with lush ambient textures.” If The Inside is about ’71 of the Year, Category 4 (76-500 anything,” says Mayfield, “it’s about forging connections—reaching Fr. David Lowell, executive employees) in the Birmingham out to people and connecting on a personal, emotional level.” More director of Raphael House, a San Regional Chamber of Commerce about the CD, including purchase information, is available online. Francisco shelter for homeless 2007 Small Business Awards The band first formed in 2002 as the Stewart-Mayfield Project, with families, has been presented a programs. American Family Care, members who had become friends at BSC. Playing to an ever more Jefferson Award, a recognition which now operates clinics in 13 devoted following, the group changed its name to Moses Mayfield. given to individuals making a Birmingham locations, as well as After two indie releases, the 2003 EP, Unified, and the 2004 full-length difference in their communities by three Huntsville clinics and two Enough to Let Go, the group marked a turning point with a sold-out the American Institute for Public each in Mobile and Montgomery, performance at WorkPlay in Birmingham, which was recorded on a Service. An article in the March has announced plans to double its DVD that attracted the attention of a rep at Sony BMG and led to the 18, 2007, San Francisco Chronicle operations within five years, as Columbia contract. details Lowell’s 21-year career at reported in the June 22, 2007, Live appearances, both as headliner and as opener for groups such Raphael House, an organization edition of the Birmingham as Switchfoot, The Fray, and My Morning Jacket, provide the group which also has won the San Business Journal. with the energy that fuels the CD. “Music is storytelling,” says Francisco Foundation’s John R. keyboardist Taylor, “and, to me, being a musician is being a part of May Award for making a Dr. Wayne Killion Jr. of that group that gets to tell the story.” difference in the community, Birmingham, president and CEO of among other awards received. Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co., recently was elected president of Dr. Carol Newsom, author and the National Insulation After nearly 30 years of practicing with a dear friend from vet school, Charles Howard Candler Professor Association, a trade association veterinary medicine in northeast has added three more cats to her of Old Testament at Emory representing the mechanical and Oklahoma, Dr. Mary Jane M. household, and is enjoying life in University, presented Birmingham- specialty insulation industry. Sepmeier has moved from an older home in the country that Southern’s inaugural Bishop’s Killion, who also holds an MPPM Claremore to Ada, Okla., with her backs into a 3,000-acre cattle Lecture in Faith and Ethics April degree from Birmingham- 11 cats, three dogs, horse, donkey, ranch—“like living in Wyoming,” 17, 2007, on the BSC campus. Southern, is a trustee of the and parrot. In Ada, she is happily she says. “The rest of the world is Her presentation, “Three Ways of college. working at a mixed animal practice insignificant once I get home.” Imagining Good and Evil: The Bible’s Internal Conversation,” was

summer 2007 / 59 CLASSNOTES

Hon. Samuel H. Welch Jr. of ’74 Monroeville was elected to Place 3 Thomas Bankston, general on the Alabama Court of Criminal director of Dayton Opera in Ohio, AlumNews Appeals last November, after served as a judge last spring in the serving the past 27 years as circuit 29th annual W. Cassell Stewart judge in the 35th Judicial Circuit, Vocal Competition held in which includes Monroe and Birmingham. Conecuh counties. Welch, a Republican, replaced Sue Bell ’75 Cobb, who was elected chief In December 2006, Dr. Clinton justice of the Alabama Supreme Anderson of Washington, D.C., Court in November. received his doctoral degree in community psychology and ’73 applied social psychology from the Last May, Sue Dill Grogan University of Maryland, Baltimore principal at Shades Cahaba, and County. Clinton has been her friend, Patricia Kendricks employed by the American Simpson of Birmingham, former Psychological Association for 19 assistant principal at Shades years. He is director of the Cahaba Elementary School, were Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual honored with the Birmingham Concerns Office in the Public Urban League’s Multi-Racial Interest Directorate. In May 2007, James E. Hicks of Dothan took part in a Friendship Award. Simpson now special ceremony honoring the memory of his daughter, has been promoted to the position ’76 the late Erin Kathleen Hicks ’07 , whose life was lost in a of principal at Edgewood In May 2007, David Buchholz of car accident during her freshman year at BSC. Elementary School. Rome, Ga., received a master’s of Erin Hicks was an AOPi pledge. Her father has said divinity from the Candler School of that he was touched by the supportive response he Douglas A. Theology of Emory University. received from the BSC college community, especially his Trant, a Bucholz is a member of the North daughter’s AOPi sisters. Recently, he established an practicing Georgia Conference of the United endowed scholarship in memory of his daughter, which attorney in Methodist Church. will be awarded annually to a member of AOPi’s Knoxville, freshman pledge class. The first recipient of this Tenn., for the ’78 scholarship, Katelyn Hancock ’10, was recognized at the past 29 years, Dr. J. Eugene “Gene” Lammers May event. has been was promoted last fall to the Members of the Birmingham-Southern community who named a ewly n would like to contribute to the Erin Kathleen Hicks Memorial fellow of the American College of created Scholarship may do so through the Office of Institutional Trial Lawyers, a group composed position of Advancement, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, of “the best of the trial bar from medical Birmingham, AL 35254. the United States and Canada.” director of Fellowship in the group, founded senior in 1950, is extended by invitation patient only “to those experienced trial safety and lawyers who have mastered the quality for Hospital and Clarian Health ’79 art of advocacy and whose Clarian Partners. Most recently, he was In May 2006, Kathryn Carter professional careers have been Health Partners in Indianapolis, medical director for the Senior Fowler joined the EDS Corp., marked by the highest standards charged with providing geriatric Health Center at Methodist based in Plano, Texas, as a of ethical conduct, medicine expertise and managing Hospital. He also is an adjunct customer sales executive in the professionalism, civility, and quality improvement initiatives clinical professor of medicine at Healthcare Division. collegiality.” within the Clarian hospitals and its the Indiana University School of partner institutions. Lammers has Medicine. served for 14 years with Methodist

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James M. Pool, an attorney with ’82 Maynard Cooper & Gale PC in Angela Birmingham, recently was listed in Fisher Hall AlumNews ’67 Birmingham Business Journal’s has been “Who’s Who in Health Care,” a named vice In the Wake of section published by the journal president of the Assassins, every five years, with the stated publications a new docu- purpose of informing readers of and special mentary by the top healthcare decision- projects at filmmaker makers in the area. the Birmingham Civil Rights Robert Clem Institute. Hall has been with BCRI ’67 wof Ne ’80 since 1993. She most recently Paltz, N.Y., Last May, Patricia Kendricks served as executive assistant to aired this Simpson of Birmingham, former the president and CEO. With this summer on assistant principal at Shades title change, and in her expanded Alabama Public Television to strong reviews. Cahaba Elementary School, and role, Hall will serve as the The film, which premiered at the State Archives her friend, Sue Dill Grogan ‘73, communications representative for in May, tells the story of former Alabama Governor principal at Shades Cahaba, were BCRI and will continue to John Patterson’s entry into politics following the honored with the Birmingham coordinate special projects, as assassination of his father, then Alabama Attorney Urban League’s Multi-Racial well as produce publications and General Albert Patterson. According to Dr. Harvey Friendship Award. Simpson now documents to support the H. Jackson III ’65, professor of history and head of has been promoted to the position institute’s ongoing programs and the Department of History and Foreign Languages of principal at Edgewood projects. at Jacksonville State University, the Patterson film Elementary School. is “a dandy.” In an Anniston Star column of June James I. Owens Jr. is president 13, 2007, Jackson remarks how this “remarkable ’81 and CEO at HomeTown Bank of documentary” helped him appreciate “the Betty Hawk recently was Villa Rica in Gainesville, Ga. He difficulties the man faced and how much he appointed division vice president formerly was senior vice president accomplished despite them.” of the Materials Resource Division and commercial real estate group The Patterson film and other ongoing projects of at the 3M Company in St. Paul, senior credit officer at Regions Clem’s were the subject of June 2007 interviews on Minn. Bank in Birmingham. WBHM radio’s Tapestry and APT’s For the Record, available online. Carol A. Herrmann-Steckel of ’83 Birmingham, commissioner of the Alfred F. “Buddy” Smith Jr. of Alabama Medicaid Agency, now is Birmingham has been named chair a member of the BSC Edward Lee of the Jefferson County Personnel Norton Board of Advisors. Board. Smith is a partner with the previously served as rector of Who Registry. This honor law firm of Bainbridge, Mims, Christ Church in Pensacola. recognizes his professional Bryan Polivka, chief learning Rogers, and Smith. accomplishments as a proven officer and divisional vice Craft O’Neal of Birmingham, chair leader in the regional healthcare president of the eLearning Group Col. Anthony Larry Steadman of of O’Neal Steel Inc., has been industry. Clark, a urologist, has of Laureate Online Education, Bedford, Mass., retired from active named to the Board of Trustees of practiced in Brookhaven with Dr. recently has published his first two duty Sept. 1, 2007, after nearly 24 Children’s Hospital of Alabama. Jeffery Boyd since 1996. novels. The Legend of the Firefish years of service in the U.S. Air O’Neal also serves on the boards (published March 1, 2007) and The Force. Upon retirement, he of The Birmingham Zoo, Emmet Cynthia Lamar-Hart of Hand That Bears the Sword planned to practice government O’Neal Library, and Birmingham- Birmingham, a shareholder at (published July 1, 2007) are the contract law. Southern, among others. Maynard, Cooper & Gale PC, has first two parts of a planned trilogy been named to the group and are available online. The final ’84 ’85 “Southern Women of Distinction” part of the trilogy, The Battle for Rev. Russell J. Levenson Jr. now Dr. Jeff Clark of Brookhaven, by the Southern Women’s Vast Dominion, is scheduled for is rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Miss., has been chosen as a Committee of 50. publication Jan. 1, 2008. Church in Houston. Levenson member of the Cambridge Who’s

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’86 ’88 Susan Beard Brouillette of In March 2007, Gov. Bob Riley Birmingham was named among appointed attorney Don Lambert the “Who’s Who” of area of Vernon as Lamar County district healthcare leaders in the Feb. 9, judge. 2007, edition of the Birmingham Business Journal. She is CEO of ’90 Alacare Home Health and Hospice, In March 2007, the Rev. Paul and she was named earlier to the Courtright Elliott was named BBJ’s “Top 40 Under 40” and “Top interim rector at St. Andrew’s in Birmingham Women.” the Pines Episcopal Church in Peachtree City, Ga. In 2005, Henry F. Sherrod III of Florence helped found Alabama’s Merle Whitehead Underwood of first organization for attorneys for Birmingham is proud that her employees, NELA-Alabama, an grandson, Brandon Pierce BSC alumni reunite in Washington State— affiliate of the National Employ- Underwood, is a sophomore at Callie Betancourt Daniell ’62 of Port Ludlow, Wash., (third ment Lawyers Association. He Birmingham-Southern. His family from left) learned earlier this year from a newspaper mention that her old college friend Henry King Stanford was elected to its executive board, history on the Hilltop is a strong Jr. ’61 had joined the growing number of BSC alumni in served as president of the group one, she says. Other family Washington State. With help from the Alumni Office, she during 2005 and 2006, and earlier members who are BSC graduates contacted Stanford and learned that he and wife Lois this year was again re-elected include his grandfather, Howard were living in Belfair, not far from her home. After friendly president. Linwood Underwood ’50; great- e-mailing back and forth, Daniell arranged a mini-reunion, great aunt, Jane Hood Newton including BSC classmate Sherrill Lamppin-Bohart ’62 of ’87 McConnell ’41; and great Seattle. Last May (as pictured above), the Stanfords, When contestants representing all grandmother, Mary Newton Daniell, and Lamppin-Bohart met at an inviting restaurant 50 states and the District of Underwood ’25. on the Bremerton waterfront for lunch and long-overdue Columbia gathered in Birmingham conversation. in May 2007 for the National ’92 Do you have college friends you’d like to see again? BSC AlumNet at www.bsc.edu/alumnet can bring you Chicken Cooking Contest, they The winter 2007 issue of Southern together in moments. If, like these alumni, you arrange a were entertained at The Theatre includes a profile of mini-reunion, be sure to send a photo to Restaurant at Culinard and enjoyed Michelle Ladd of Huntsville, a BSC [email protected] for ClassNotes. an elegant dinner planned by theatre major now employed in Culinard Director Anthony the film industry as a motion Osborne and Executive Chef capture fight director/stunt ’93 Don J. “Pete” Walker is senior Gray Byrum. woman/combat teacher. Ladd’s Dr. Julia Tyra Hemphill and officer/chief financial officer for film credits include Lord of the Michael Hemphill of Elliston, Va., American Village in Montevallo. In February 2007, Rebecca Gilman Rings, Return of the King; The are balancing a growing family He reports that another BSC of Chicago was elected to the Chronicles of Narnia; and Flags of (see “Births”) with interesting graduate on the American Village Council of the Dramatists Guild of Our Fathers. careers. She is “working at her staff is William “Billy” Stewart ’03, America. dream job of practicing family who is an interpreted programs Rev. Matthew Irvin Penfield of medicine in a small town in the officer and director of Attorney James C. Pennington Birmingham received his doctor of Virginia mountains.” He primarily performance. from the Birmingham office of ministry degree from Saint Paul is a stay-at-home dad, but also Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & School of Theology in May 2007. directs a local nonprofit Michael H. Witcher of Birmingham Stewart PC was ranked in the 2007 His praxis thesis was published foundation, and has raised more is homeland security director for edition of Chambers USA as a with distinction. Penfield is the than $1 million to renovate an old the Omega Group, and reports leader in the field of labor and son of Dr. H. Irvin Penfield,SC B nursing home into a library, YMCA, that he has worked with the White employment law. Pennington is professor emeritus of political and community center. House, Congress, the Department president-elect of the BSC Alumni science and former provost, and of Homeland Security, and the Association. Elise McWilliams Penfield ’61. intelligence community, advising on sophisticated technology.

62 / ’southern CLASSNOTES Alumni art enlivens Alabama exhibitions

when she traveled with her grandparents to Europe as a child and was captivated by the ceilings of cathedrals and stained glass windows of the churches. Churches often appear in her works, as do angels, but the most common theme in her light-washed paintings is tender scenes of children. The mother of three young children of This past summer, her own, Hurry says she often paints Homewood artist Dr. amidst a flurry of activity, sometimes Red Rover by Gina C. Hurry. Don Stewart ’81 says setting her easel in the kitchen and his work took on a new juggling paint with peanut butter and jelly. Other times she dimension—literally. paints outside in the sun and wind. Her trademark acrylics, Stewart, known she says, match her lifestyle: “They forgive; they internationally for his communicate; they respond.” complex, humorous For a look at Hurry’s latest works, you can visit her show drawings, was selected at Monty Stabler Galleries until Oct. 2, 2007. Gallery hours by the Eastern Shore Art are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Center in Fairhope to decorate a five-foot The glass art of Donna Branch MPPM ’93 of the Tara fiberglass pelican using his signature composite technique. GlassArt studio in McCalla recently took the second place He joined 60 artists from around the state in the “Art Takes award for sculpture in the show Southern Roots, sponsored Flight” project. Modeled after Chicago’s successful public by the Academy of Fine Arts, Birmingham. art display “Cows on Parade,” the project planned a display Her glass also was featured in the show Alabama of customized pelicans around the Fairhope area from Originals: Contemporary Craft, July 13-Aug. 31, 2007, in March through September 2007. the Alabama Artists Gallery, Alabama State Council on the Ordinarily, Stewart, a ballpoint artist, draws big pictures Arts in Montgomery. This made up of smaller ones, with a humorous theme that ties exhibition was organized by the images together. For example, his “Fast Food” is a the Alabama Council on the drawing of a motorcycle made up of cookies and sub Arts gallery director, Georgine sandwiches. For the pelican project, Stewart applied his Clarke, in celebration of the composite process to sculpture for the first time. He rebuilt Year of the Alabama Arts. the fiberglass pelican sent to him with shapes of seashells, Branch’s work will be shown after an earlier drawing of his “Shellican.” This time, rather in The Red Clay Survey at the than drawing, he used a painting technique to apply plastic Huntsville Museum of Art, resin to the surface of the bird, slowly transforming wings Sept. 8-Nov. 4, 2007, an and feathers into elongated snail shells, scallops, clams, exhibition which “takes the mussels, oysters, abalone, and more. pulse” of contemporary With all the shells in place, the piece received several coats Southern art. From the nearly of paint before being mounted for display, along with the 1,000 slides considered for works of other artists, along the pleasant streets of Fairhope, this exhibition, 88 works from where they will remain through September. If you plan a 65 artists were chosen. late-summer trip to the beach, be sure to visit Fairhope before “Art Takes Flight”—takes flight!

Join the crowd Sept. 13, 2007, 5 to 8 p.m., at the Monty Stabler Galleries in Birmingham, for the opening of a new show featuring the work of painter Gina Clark Hurry ’94 of Birmingham. A lifelong artist, Hurry says in her studio A Relic of Memories Past by Donna Branch, shown brochure that her love of color and light was first apparent recently in Alabama Originals. Photography by Ralph Anderson.

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BSC treads the boards

Actor Jim Newman ’86 of New York, celebrated for his lead role in Almost Heaven (Playbill said “he plays John Denver with the voice of an angel”), as well as his Broadway appearances in Steel Pier, Minelli on Minelli, Sunset Boulevard, and The Who’s Tommy, now has another significant credit. On March 22, 2007, he opened in Curtains, a Broadway musical that has received eight Tony nominations, including “Best Musical” (with star David Hyde Pierce bringing home Higginbotham brings Evita back to the Birmingham stage. the win for “Best Leading Ten years ago, Kristi Tingle Higginbotham ’87 of Actor in a Musical”). Birmingham starred in Evita at the Clark Memorial Theatre Jim Newman and Dr. David Pollick celebrate This past July, a group of (now the Virginia Samford Theatre) in a Town and Gown at Sardi’s. Birmingham-Southern staff, production that, according to alumni, and friends enjoyed Curtains and afterwards Birmingham News critic Alec Harvey, celebrated its success with Newman at a post-performance “was among the most memorable of gathering at Sardi’s, the famed Times Square restaurant. the venerable theater’s last years.” BSC Alumni Director Lisa Harrison calls Newman’s On May 29-June 3, 2007, she performance “dazzling.” Tickets are available online. returned in a new production of Evita mounted by the Magic City Playwright and director Ed Howard ’70 of Marietta, Ga. Actors Theatre, this time joined by (one of the creative forces behind the hilarious Greater Tuna, husband David Higginbotham ’88 one of the most-produced plays in the English language), and their eight-year-old son, Clay, in recently adapted friend Fannie Flagg’s best-selling novel, the chorus. Her reprise of the Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man for the stage. The resulting challenging role of Evita brought Higginbotham with son, comedy, All the Way from Magnolia Springs, enjoyed a sold- great reviews: According to Harvey, Clay. out run at Birmingham’s “time has only strengthened Higginbotham’s reading of the Virginia Samford Theatre last role. Her singing, as always, is impeccable … she’s giving October and returned in May Evita even more depth than she did in 1997.” 2007 “by popular demand.” The Birmingham News’ Alec Denise Clegg Bennett ’80 premiered her one-woman Harvey, in an Oct. 7, 2006, show, The Heart’s True Scale, at the Firehouse Theatre in review, found Birmingham Richmond, Va., this past April. For this production, actress Amber Quick ’04 , who described as an “original fairytale for brings the character Daisy Fay adults,” she wrote the book as well as the Harper to vivid life, “darned musical score, which features voice and near perfect. … One woman Celtic harp. shows are never easy, but she Bennett, who has done graduate work makes it look like a piece of in drama and holds a master’s in divinity cake.” from Union Theological Seminary, lives in Birmingham area alumni who Richmond with her husband, Jim, and missed the Virginia Samford Theatre performances might their two sons. want to catch a late-September run of All the Way from Bennett Magnolia Springs at the Art Station in historic Stone In June 2007, Dane Peterson ’97 Mountain Village near Atlanta. appeared in the Pulitzer Prize-winning one-man play I Am My Own Wife, in a production staged by Birmingham

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BSC treads the boards ’94 ’96 Todd Green recently received his Leslie Banta of Staunton, Va., is an Festival Theatre. This challenging doctoral degree from the Divinity artist whose works are featured at piece, which won the Tony Award for School at Vanderbilt University. He a new gallery called Kronos in 2004, is based on the life of Charlotte will serve as an adjunct professor Staunton’s wharf district. von Mahlsdorf, a transvestite who at the Vanderbilt Divinity School survived the Nazi and Communist for the spring 2008 semester. Tonya G. Drake of McCalla regimes in Berlin. According to The recently has been promoted from Birmingham News review of June 8, Stewart Shields is employed in supervisor to manager of industrial “Peterson has made such a name for the television industry and has billing and revenue accounting at himself as a director in Birmingham in worked in the production of reality Energen/Alagasco. Peterson recent years, it’s easy to forget what a shows including Fear Factor and fine actor he can be. ... [This role, in which he plays 40 Flip That House. Now with Actual Ted Whisenhunt, associate characters] provides ample opportunity for him to remind Reality Pictures, he is involved in professor of art at Judson College us.” seeking video submissions for a in Marion, has exhibited his series Peterson made his stage debut 20 years ago at the new Web/television series, “Saints and Haints” at galleries in Birmingham Children’s Theatre. His acting credits since Facebook Diaries. Alabama and Georgia in recent include productions with Town and Gown, Terrific New months. In an article in the Feb. Theatre, Hoover Library Theatre, Summerfest, and more— Ryan S. Simpson is vice president 28, 2007, Marion Times-Standard, and, recently, as a guest artist in the nationally ranked for operations at Middle he says of his work, “In this series, production of Urinetown: The Musical, with the BSC Tennessee Medical Center in I use rigid, simplistic figures that Theatre. He is founding vice president of the Birmingham Murfreesboro, Tenn. are reminiscent of grave markers Area Theatre Alliance, and recently completed his 10th and ... Gothic cathedrals and final year as theater director at John Carroll Catholic High ’95 graveyards in Europe were the School. He can be seen as “Amos” in the musical Chicago Jason Estabrook, former BSC initial source of inspiration for the with the Red Mountain Theatre Company, Sept. 27-Oct. 7, baseball player and assistant ‘Saints,’ which I wanted to present 2007. coach, has been tapped to lead through the eyes of a Southerner. the baseball program at Hewitt- The rich folklore of the Black Belt Amy Miller Brennan ’00 of Rahway, N.J., appeared in Trussville High School in Trussville. region includes stories about Respect: A Musical Journey of Women at the 14th Street Estabrook formerly was coach at ‘Haints’ (derived from the term Playhouse in midtown Atlanta, Moody High. ‘haunts’) … I’m interested in March 8-July 29, 2007. Written exploring the duality of these two by Vanderbilt University Peggy Facklis, assistant general seemingly opposing forces and Professor Dorothy Marcic, this counsel for Essilor of America Inc., cultures.” production follows four women recently was named by the Texas through significant moments in Lawyer as a “rising star,” and by D ’97 their lives, as illuminated by Magazine as one of Dallas’ “Best Andrew Szmela is president of chart-topping pop tunes. Respect Brennan Lawyers Under 40.” Magnolia Lane, a Trussville-based features an ensemble cast, a live band on stage, and more import company that offers Cabell than 50 songs we all remember. Edward “Ward” H. Lacy III of Sweeney’s painted pottery An audience pleaser, the production also won high Birmingham has joined First designs—ceramic trays and other critical marks. Wendell Brock of the Atlanta Journal- Commercial Bank as a vice pieces—with colorful designs Constitution said “Professionalism pays off here—with president. geared to Alabama, Auburn, and fantastic performances by Atlanta actress Denitra Isler and more than 60 other colleges and out-of-towners Amy Miller Brennan, Cory A. Farinacci, and universities. The Magnolia Lane Mary Kathryn Kaye. Playing historical figures like Rosa Collection can be found at area Parks and just regular gals trying to cope with life, these stores and online. women have winning personalities and serious vocal chops, Bennett which is always a good thing when taking on tunes sung by Doris Day, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and Tammy Wynette. If you want my R-E-S-P-E-C-T, you’ve got to earn it. They do.”

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’98 psychology through the UAB May 2007. He now is engaged in at Carnegie Hall since 1997. Ben Bolton of Franklin, Tenn., an Psychology Training Consortium. his residency in internal medicine environmental scientist, has been She will complete her 2007-08 at the National Naval Medical Christopher Bowen graduated appointed by Gov. Phil Bredesen internship at the Department of Center in Bethesda, Md. from the Louisiana State University to the Tennessee Water & Veterans Affairs Medical Center in School of Veterinary Medicine in Wastewater Financing Board for a Birmingham. ’02 May 2007 and is pursuing three-year term. Bolton will serve Kirstin Anderson continues her specialty training at the Friendship as a representative of the The Birmingham-Southern career in musical education at Hospital for Animals in Tennessee Chamber of Commerce community has welcomed a new Harlem’s St. Aloysius School in Washington, D.C. and Industry. chaplain, Rev. John Richardson. New York City. Her work with the He and wife Jasmine Hodges ’99 students there is lauded in the Lauren Cantrell, a theater teacher Bo Coln now is head boys’ returned to campus earlier this March 20, 2007, edition of the at Battle Ground Academy in basketball coach at Grissom High summer for their new roles on the Carnegie Hall online newsletter. Franklin, Tenn., recently came one School in Huntsville. Coln formerly Hilltop (see page 8). Richardson, a St. Aloysius students have taken step closer to her dream of served in the same position at distinguished graduate of part in the LinkUP! concert series pursuing a career in the film Hewitt-Trussville High. His wife, Birmingham-Southern, has deep Dr. Evelyn Frazier Coln ’99, a ties to the BSC alumni community. dentist, has joined a practice in His family numbers many BSC Huntsville. graduates, among them his mother, the late Catherine Jones Christopher “Chris” Noyes is Richardson ’70; uncles, Mark working as a network Jones ‘73, David Jones ‘76, and administrator for Hunton and John Daniel Jones ’83; Williams law firm in Atlanta. His grandfather, the late Dr. Daniel wife, Dr. Christina Dithmer Jones ’39; great-uncle, Dr. John Noyes, is an anesthesiologist and Howard ’41 (Sarah Shepard Rice assistant professor at Emory Howard ’40); and cousin, Robert Crawford Long Hospital. The Howard ’72. couple lives in Decatur, Ga., with son Owen Alexander, born May ’01 12, 2006. Dr. Brian Flanagan graduated from UAB Medical School in June 2007 ’00 and has begun a residency in Tim Calhoun of Alabaster was internal medicine at UAB Hospital. named Big Brother of the Year in His wife, Dr. Sarah Sharpe the local Big Brother Big Sister Flanagan, practices dentistry in program. He went on to represent Leeds. The couple lives in Alabama in the national 2007 Big Crestline. Young doctor receives recognition—Dr. David Brother of Year awards program. L. Spencer Jr. ’00 , a urology resident at the University of Calhoun and his Little Brother, Wendi Blake Rahm of Decatur has Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, received the 2007 Marquis, have been matched received her master’s degree in Robert S. Caldwell, MD, Memorial Award, presented to him in July at the Mississippi State Medical Association since 2004. Calhoun says that in architecture from the Georgia annual session. The award recognized the quality of his the midst of his busy life as an Institute of Technology. She was work, particularly his practice during a brief period recently named Outstanding First Year assistant vice president at when Mississippi was without a pediatric urologist. Dr. Regions, the opportunity to talk Student in the program and placed Charles D. Pound, chief of the Division of Urology at with his Little Brother “truly adds third in the Architectural Thesis UMMC, praised “the service that David did for the children light to my day.” Competition. Rahm has begun her of Mississippi during this period of need, especially the career with CNNA Architects in indigent population that did not have the ability to travel to Ashley Hanson Gabriel, a doctoral Atlanta. another state for care. … His assistance [proved] far candidate in clinical psychology at beyond his years and experience; patients did not suffer the University of Alabama, has Sean Michael Roark graduated any break in care and, in fact, received excellent care.” been selected for an APA- from the University of South accredited internship in clinical Alabama College of Medicine in

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industry, as noted in the March 28, 2007, online edition of The Decatur Daily. An article there AlumNews ’69 reports that Cantrell was recently tapped to appear as an actress in Dr. Thomas E. Moody ’69, Martina McBride’s music video physician and president of “Anyway.” Though she did not Birmingham’s Urology meet the music star, Cantrell Centers of Alabama, has served during production as her been recognized for his lighting stand-in. exceptional efforts in the battle against prostate Sonya Edwards Eubank of cancer. Though prostate Birmingham now is at Burr & cancer is a very curable Forman LLP as an associate in the disease, he says, with high firm’s labor and employment probability of recovery given group. A 2005 graduate of early identification and Samford University’s Cumberland proper treatment, Alabama’s School of Law, she is a member of record of dealing with the the American Bar Association’s disease has been a poor one. labor and employment and Portico magazine, April alternative dispute resolution 2007, reports some of the sections. problems, as well as Moody’s energetic response: “In 2006, [the National Prostate Cancer Coalition] issued its first prostate cancer report card. Alabama was one of five states to Lauren Faulkner Humphrey is receive a failing grade, based on current prostate cancer screening rates, death rates, and working for Auction Insurance whether or not laws are in place to guarantee insurance coverage for prostate cancer Agency in its fraud investigations screenings. Urology Centers was one group not willing to accept this news. With Dr. unit. She also has begun work on Tom Moody leading the charge, the doctors have taken a grassroots approach to reaching her MBA degree at the University out and spreading the word on the importance of cancer screenings.” of North Alabama in Florence, with Since African-American men are more likely to get prostate cancer and are 2.5 times an anticipated graduation in fall more likely to die from the disease, compared to Caucasian men, Moody’s group 2008. planned an initial clinic, offering free prostate cancer screenings, in Selma in September 2006, followed by a second clinic in October at Birmingham’s Sixth Avenue Baptist Sherrie McCoy Jones,3 2002-0 Church. Since then, the group has continued bringing critical screening services to those president of the Birmingham unlikely to receive them otherwise, with more screenings scheduled this fall in chapter of the International Birmingham and in Perry, Wilcox, and Montgomery counties. Association of Administrative Moody also moved to address problems in access to screenings at a legislative level. Professionals, was named In June 2007, Alabama passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover physician- Administrative Professional of the ordered exams, and the National Prostate Cancer Coalition was quick to credit Moody, Year at the group’s February 2007 whom they called “the main catalyst for the success.” meeting. In June, she was among “Dr. Moody has been a major presence in the battle against prostate cancer in four finalists for the award at the Alabama,” said NPCC chief executive officer Dr. Richard N. Atkins. “He has donated his state level. Jones is administrative own time and money to set up screenings and raise awareness of the disease across the assistant to Dr. Robert R. state and has testified … on the need for greater access to screening,” tirelessly traveling Rathburn, executive director of to both Washington, D.C., and Montgomery. Sloss Furnaces National Historic In part because of the new legislation, the state recently received an improved grade Landmark. (“C”) in the NPCC 2007 Prostate Cancer Report Card. For more on Moody’s continuing efforts against the disease, see his interview with Megan Mitchell of Birmingham Tim Lennox on the July 8 edition of For the Record: Face to Face, archived online at recently accepted the position of Alabama Public Television. corporate controller of Countryside Hospice Care, located in Alabama

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appeared in the American premiere of Sir Paul McCartney’s Allison Christen Hargett received oratorio Ecce Cor Meum at a master’s degree from the AlumNews ’70 Carnegie Hall. In March 2007, he University of Nevada, Reno. She is appeared in the semi-staged working as an animal keeper for Dr. William U. “Bill” Eiland production of My Fair Lady starring the Knoxville Zoo in Knoxville, ’70 of Athens, Ga., has been Kelsey Grammer, Brian Dennehy, Tenn. honored with a Lifetime and Kelli O’Hara, with the New Achievement Award from York Philharmonic. Elizabeth Marie McLeod of the Georgia Association of Birmingham graduated with a Museums and Galleries. ’03 master’s degree in counseling As director of the Natalie Anne Perkins Barker of from Wake Forest University in Georgia Museum of Art, Marietta, Ga., is a math teacher at May 2007. Eiland has guided the Griffin Middle School in the Cobb institution through a County school system. John Rogers of Tupelo, Miss., period of unprecedented received a master’s of divinity growth. The museum has Carrie Beth Formby Garrick of degree from the Candler School of greatly expanded the number of works in its Birmingham graduated from the Theology at Emory University in permanent collection, moved into its current location Physical Therapy School at UAB in May 2007. at the University of Georgia’s Performing and Visual December 2006 and began work Arts Complex, increased the size of its membership at Baptist Princeton Hospital in Franklin Slaton of Birmingham is organization, and is close to success in raising the February 2007. an account executive with the necessary funding for much-needed expansion. Alabama Press Association, Under Eiland’s leadership, the museum has won Christopher Perry of Birmingham working with outside sales of Ala- 99 awards for publications, programming, and is an accountant at Hardman, Frost SCAN and DisCover and with exhibitions. Its collection has grown more than 25 & Cummings PC. His wife, out-of-state display advertising. percent and its dependence on state funds has Georgina Simmons Perry ’04, is Slaton formerly lived in declined by 50 percent. an accountant at Kassouf & Co. Washington, D.C., and was employed by The National Sarah Elaine Styers of Mobile Academy of Sciences as a senior graduated from the University of program assistant. South Alabama College of and Georgia. Last May, he was awarded second Medicine in May 2007. She is This fall, Sonya Rachelle Thomas Dr. John David Reed graduated in place in the Mobile Opera’s engaged in her residency in will pursue her MBA degree at the May 2006 from the School of Palmai-Tenser Competition. pediatrics at the University of Darden School of Business at the Dentistry at the University of South Alabama Hospitals. University of Virginia, attending on Alabama and is employed by the Joshua South, who received his a full-tuition fellowship. During the University of Mississippi. He and master’s degree in vocal Joshua Vasa of Pell City has joined past two years, she has been his wife, Olivia Hooper Reed ’05, performance from the Manhattan the corporate support staff at working at Turner Broadcasting reside in Flowood, Miss. School of Music, is active as a Alabama Public Television. He was Systems Inc., in the Turner soloist and ensemble singer formerly development manager for Network Sales Division in Atlanta. Daniel Seigel will assume his first throughout the NYC area. He has Kid One Transport. His wife, Rev. teaching post this fall at LeMoyne performed with the New York Carrie Kramer Vasa, is an Jose David Vega of Birmingham College in Syracuse, N.Y., after Choral Artists, the Choir of St. associate pastor at the First United graduated from the Wake Forest earning his master’s degree and Ignatius Loyola, Temple Emanu-El, Methodist Church of Pell City. University School of Law in May graduate professional diploma in and the Concert Chorale of New 2007. He is employed by Sirote & opera from the Peabody York. In 2006, he sang the role of ’04 Permutt, PC. Conservatory of Music in Peter in the St. Matthew Passion Reginald Bell Jr. of Birmingham Baltimore. During the past year, at the Brooklyn Academy of received a master’s of divinity he appeared in several opera roles Music, and was deemed degree from Candler School of and was a member of the Choir at “unforgettable” by The New York Theology at Emory University in Washington National Cathedral. Times. In November 2006, he May 2007.

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June 9, 2007. ’05 ’07 Herbert A. “Herb” Sklenar, retired Andrew B. Barker ’02 and Kristin In May 2007, Paula Barnes of Kelli Hilyer, formerly editor of The chair and CEO of Vulcan Materials Nicole LeMaitre ’03, June 3, Muscle Shoals completed her Hilltop News, has joined The Co. and a BSC trustee, was 2006. master’s of science degree in Demopolis Times as a staff writer. honored in the June 15, 2007, Elizabeth Ellis Dennis ’02 and hospitality and tourist manage- edition of Birmingham Business Walden French Wright III, April ment at the University of Central Master’s Journal with a Lifetime 14, 2007. Florida. Achievement Award in the 2007 Matthew Thornton Dukes ’02 and Programs Best in Business awards program, Leah Moren Green, April 21, In March 2007, Joseph “Joe” for his impact on the Birmingham 2007. Hutchings and a competition ’78 business community and also for Meredith Jane Randall ’02 and partner won the University of Valerie Kennedy Pailloz was his numerous contributions to the Andrew Hoffman Underwood, Alabama School of Law John A. named director of the Guntersville larger community. June 30, 2007. Campbell Moot Court Competition Museum last February. A recipient Carrie Beth Formby ’03 and Paul and an award for Best Brief. This of a master’s degree in music Dr. Karl Stegall has retired after 23 Garrick, Jan. 13, 2007. good news was shared by Sunday education from BSC, Pailloz spent years as senior minister at First Mary Louis Lydick ’03 and John Vanderver ’04. 25 years in corporate work for United Methodist Church in Quinn ’05, Aug. 11, 2007. Boeing and later Computer Montgomery. He was the Sara Elizabeth Pearce ’03 and Abbott Marie Jones is attending Sciences Corp., before returning recipient of an honorary doctorate David Elwyn Reed, June 9, the School of Law at Tulane to her hometown of Guntersville from Birmingham-Southern. 2007. University in New Orleans. She is 10 years ago. Natalie Anne Perkins ’03 and a staff member for the Maritime James T. Stephens, chair of Michael Barker, May 27, 2007. Law Journal and is a member of ’96 MPPM EBSCO Industries and immediate Christopher Perry ’03 and the Maritime Moot Court Team. Deborah Glascoe Huff is a past chair of the BSC Board of Georgina Simmons ’04, July 14, recipient of the 2007 Silver Beaver Trustees, served as commence- 2007. Chad Long has been promoted Award from the Greater Alabama ment speaker at the University of Rev. Carrie Kramer Vasa ’03 and from client services representative Council of the Boy Scouts of Alabama this past May. Stephens Joshua P. Vasa ’03, Aug. 5, to management associate/credit America Inc. The Silver Beaver is was recipient of an honorary 2006. officer at ServisFirst Bank in Gulf the highest award given to doctor of human letters degree Stephanie L. Houston ’04 and Shores. He will oversee credit and volunteers within the council for from the university. Bernard Mays Jr. ’04, Aug. 18, loan applications. long and outstanding service to 2007. youth. Marriages Christopher Scott Love ’04 and Susan Petty of Mountain Brook Rozalyn Grace Farmer, Dec. 29, has been named the first girls’ 2006. ’05 MPPM James “Jake” O. McKenzie III ’98 youth intern at Grace Presbyterian James J. Bushnell now is dean of Rachel Elizabeth Vinson ’04 and and Carly Elaine Timmons, May Church in Fort Payne. the Birmingham School of Law. Wiley DeWitt Truss ’05, May 12, 18, 2007. The Cumberland School of Law 2007. Erin Regan Pennington ’99 and Kristen Prince of New York City is graduate previously had a more Amy Nicole Woods ’04 and Brian Payne, June 2, 2007. employed as a creative production than 25-year legal career, including Stephen Gaylon Barnett, June James Douglass Grimes ’00 and coordinator at Victoria’s Secret private practice as well as service 23, 2007. Amy Leigh Pirkle, June 9, 2007. Direct. as managing attorney for USF&G Erica Brittney Crump ’05 and Ashley Hanson ’00 and Dr. Mark and Alabama staff attorney for St. Jason Harold Sellers, July 21, Gabriel, Aug. 19, 2006. Richard Scales of Charleston, S.C., Paul Insurance. 2007. Andrew Chase Bell ’01 and has joined First National Bank of Rebecca Clair Perry ’05 and Ryan Megan Brooke Michael ’01, the South as a customer service Kenneth Posey, June 22, 2007. Friends March 31, 2007. representative in its East Bay Anna Leigh Sullivan ’05 and Tyler Carden K. Healey ’01 and John Street office. He formerly was Griffin Price, April 21, 2007. Dr. Paul Bailey, BSC professor Cole, April 28, 2007. employed by Southcoast David Curtis Gaston ’06 and emeritus of biology, is mayor of Joseph Henry Marks ’01 and Community Bank. Katherine Leanne Landry, July 1, Baileyton, near Cullman, a town of Shannon Marie Robinson ’02, 2006. 684 residents. June 23, 2007. Ashley Brooke Goodson ’07 and Nancy Sharmon Meigs ’01 and Jacob Brandon Lindsey ’07, John Douglas Mills ’03,

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Aug. 11, 2007. Bo). In Memoriam fund established in honor of her Holly Meredith Kitchens ’07 and A daughter, Katherine Riley, April father, Robert Henry Kirkland ’32, Byron Vladimir Baquero, July 23, 2007, to Mary Harmon through the (Office of Institutional 28, 2007. “Mimi” Brunson ’97 and C. Roy E. Hitchcock ’29 of Advancement, 900 Arkadelphia William Loy Mason ’07 and Sarah Thomas “Tommy” Brunson ’98. Birmingham died Feb. 20, 2007. Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, Isabel Babcock, June 9, 2007. A daughter, Elizabeth Serene, April After attending BSC, Hitchcock AL 35254). John Wilson Nash ’07 and 10, 2007, to Marie Shunnarah graduated from Georgia Tech with Elizabeth Callahan Stone, June Bateh ’98 and husband Brian a degree in architecture. Among Mae McIntosh White ’36 of 16, 2007. (big sisters Anna and Abbie). other places, his design work can Birmingham died May 16, 2007. A daughter, Tilly Lane, Jan. 2, be found on college campuses in She was a founding member of St. Births 2007, to Katie Moran Bostrom South Carolina and Georgia, Luke’s Episcopal Church and was ’98 and husband Joel. particularly at the University of active in numerous community A daughter, Hannah Mathilde, April Georgia. groups. A son, Nicholas Alan, March 25, 14, 2006, to Matt Brown ’98 and 2007, to Dr. G. Alan Young ’90 Sarah Raney Brown ’98. Bartow Crowder Williamson ’33 of Marion Mayer Bergin ’37 of and wife Tammy (big sister Ally A son, Owen Alexander, May 12, Adamsville died March 3, 2007. Arlington, Texas, died March 5, Mackenzie). 2006, to Christina Dithmer She was a retired interior and floral 2007. After attending BSC, she A daughter, Margaret Irene “Meg,” Noyes ’98 and Christopher designer. BSC connections graduated from Northwestern April 25, 2005, to Dr. Julia Tyra Noyes ’98. include her late sisters, Idell University. She served as head Hemphill ’93 and Michael A daughter, Lucy Winifred, July 14, Crowder Kincaid ’31 and Virginia librarian for the Leon Jaworski law Hemphill ’93 (big sisters Naomi 2007, to Gregory Brian Crowder Smith ’36. firm in Houston. She was a Katherine and Emily Marie). Reynolds ’98 and Amy Wear member of the Endowment A daughter, Morgan “Maggie” Reynolds ’00. Mary Julia Minto Harris ’34 of Builders Society at BSC. We Grace, March 31, 2006, to Rev. A daughter, Cate Elizabeth, Jan. Birmingham died June 15, 2007. received notice of her death from Denise Baker Mullaney ’93 and 20, 2007, to Molly Pardue Her husband was the late Claude her classmate, Martha Franklin husband John. Cloran ’99 and husband Chris E. Harris ’39. Other BSC family Matthews ’37. A son, Henry Simpson, Feb. 8, (big brothers Andrew and Evan). members include her late brother, 2007, to William Jonathan Twin sons, Wesley Jackson and Hawlett Minto ’27. Grace Robins Whetstone ’37 of Green ’94 and Tory Simpson Everett Iverson, March 1, 2007, Jackson, Tenn., died June 25, Green ’95. to Dr. Sean Hair ’99 and wife Mary C. Tyler Kitchens ’35 of 2007. A magna cum laude Twin sons, William Carson and Kristin. Center Point died March 31, 2007. graduate of BSC in English and Connor Wilson, Nov. 20, 2006, A daughter, Mary Caroline, Sept. 1, She was a retired teacher who Latin, she received a master’s to Henry Wilson Hilliard ’95 and 2006, to Emily Bell Wilder ’99 served in the Jefferson County degree in New Testament studies wife Amy (big brother and and husband Jim. school system. from Scarritt College and an sister, twins Tanner Clark and A son, Michael Thomas, Feb. 19, Honorary Doctor of Letters degree Kendall Rose). 2007, to Laura Neese Skinner Charles DeForrest McDuff ’35 of from Lambuth University, where A son, John Alexander “Jack,” ’00 and husband Chad. Fairhope died May 5, 2007. A she taught English and speech for June 3, 2006, to Amanda Buck A daughter, Sally Ann, May 31, veteran of World War II, he served 27 years. She was named Varella ’95 and husband John. 2007, to Kimberly Shubert in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Educator of the Year at Lambuth in A daughter, Margaret Grace DeShazo ’01 and husband John. Pacific campaign. Following the 1980. She also served as an “Greta,” Jan. 14, 2007, to A daughter, Mary Evelyn, Jan. 31, war, he returned to Birmingham, educational missionary to India for Eleanor Haggstrom 2007, to Jenny Lou Barber where he worked for Baggett 15 years with her husband, Dr. Christiansen ’96 and husband Grindle ’01 and husband Chris. Transportation Co. and Firestone Wood K. Whetstone ’36. Tyler. A daughter, Adelia “Ada” Joan, Tire and Rubber Co. A daughter, Maggie Audrey, May June 8, 2007, to Alexa Bullock Anne Ratliff Sexton ’38 of 8, 2006, to Jeffrey Garrett Miller McElroy ’01 and Mel McElroy Martha Kirkland Parker ’36 of Mountain Brook died June 22, ’96 and wife Dana (big brother ’01. Birmingham died Feb. 16, 2007. 2007. After attending BSC, she After attending BSC, she graduated from the University of graduated from the University of Oklahoma and served as a teacher Alabama and earned a master’s for three years in the Alliance and degree from UAB. Memorial gifts Crestline Heights schools. Later, may be made to a scholarship she was active in civic affairs. Her

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husband was the late Richard Palmer Sexton ’38. Survivors In Memoriam ’33 include sons Richard P. Sexton Jr. ’68 and Robert R. Sexton ’71. Loulie Jean Norman Price of Studio City, Calif., died Aug. 2, 2005. Called “the world’s most heard Sam F. Carter Jr. ’40 of Vestavia unknown soprano,” she was, as her family’s memorial Hills died May 5, 2007. He held a Web site explains, “considered the most flawless master’s degree in metallurgy studio soprano for more than 50 years in the from the University of Wisconsin entertainment industry, and her voice was heard and enjoyed a distinguished around the world.” career in the iron industry, retiring Price’s is the celebrated voice in the wordless from American Cast Iron Pipe Co. theme to Star Trek, the thrilling soprano in the as vice president and works Tokens’ 1961 hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and the manager after 42 years with the real voice behind the memorable “Summertime” in firm. He served as national the 1959 film Porgy and Bess (dubbed for actress president of both the Foundry Diahann Carroll). Her voice also is that of the “crazy Education Foundation and the soprano ghost” in Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” Ductile Iron Society, was a trustee theme park attractions. of the Metal Casting Training Price, from the 1933 La Revue. In the course of her long career as an ensemble Institute, and was national director singer, Price sang with many of the greats in American music, including Frank Sinatra, of the American Foundryman’s Ray Charles, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley. Society. In 1984, he was named She performed as a regular on a number of television shows, including Dean Martin, Alabama Foundryman of the Year. Carol Burnett, and Dinah Shore, appearing both as a singer and actress in various sketches. Survivors include wife Patricia According to her longtime friend, BSC classmate, and fellow music industry luminary, Carter and sister-in-law Dorothy Hugh Martin ’32, author of legendary songs including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Deshazo Carter ’47. Christmas” and “The Trolley Song,” from Judy Garland’s Meet Me in St. Louis, “she found her niche singing with the brilliant group of vocalists in Hollywood who sang back of Hobson Rudolphus “Rudy” Riley the stars and made them sound twice as good. She was the most in-demand of any ’40 of Bluff Park died April 21, singer in that extraordinary group of vocalists ... stepping out of the shadows into the 2007. He was the owner of limelight only once when André Previn chose her to sing ‘Summertime,’ Gershwin’s Ensley-Fairfield Mattress Co. His masterpiece, dubbing for Diahann Carroll [in the film Porgy and Bess].” first wife was the late Doris Martin, who admits happily to a lifelong “crush,” also notes Price’s extraordinary gift Hotlzclaw Riley ’41. Survivors of beauty: In a high school musical he attended when both were 17, she “played a include wife Jewell P. Williamson secondary role, but when she walked down to the footlights and sang ‘There is a Riley. Fascinating Magic in a Smile,’ my heart stopped. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, and her high, cool, clear soprano knocked me out of my seat. She was Gordon Donald Fletcher ’41, a star that night and was never anything else thereafter. ... Her personal beauty, to quote formerly of Birmingham, died May a lyricist we both love, was ‘just unforgivable.’ She was still movie star beautiful when 2, 2007, in Sun City Center, Fla. she left us at age 92, but when she attended Birmingham-Southern College, her face He was a veteran of World War II, could have launched a thousand ships!” serving as a flight instructor in the But it was her life choices that win Martin’s highest praise. Wisely judging the siren U.S. Army Flight School in song of “fame and fortune, name in lights, all those things that ‘Broadway Babies’ fought Decatur. He then served as a and died for,” instead “she craved simplicity—a devoted husband, loving and bright corporate pilot for the remainder children—these were the desires of her heart, and the God she served so faithfully gave of his career, working for her everything she desired.” In sum, Martin says, “Her life was a legacy from a lady companies in Georgia and whose light shone for many decades with a rare incandescence.” (To see the complete text Alabama. Survivors include wife of Martin’s remarkable tribute, visit http://www.bsc.edu/communications/southern/ Elaire Cooper Fletcher ’41 and summer07/index.htm.) daughters, Susan Fletcher Smith ’67 (Dr. Robert E. Smith Jr. ’68) and Madeline Fletcher “Cissy” Bennett ’69.

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Mary Ann Nance Farlow ’43 of and loan business in Alabama. Mountain Brook died March 8, Formerly president of the In Memoriam ’33 2007. She was formerly active in Birmingham Advertising Club, she committee work at Canterbury also served as president of the Ruth Baker Truss of Birmingham died June 9, 2007. United Methodist Church and as a Alabama Symphony Orchestra She was a teacher at Tarrant City Elementary School volunteer in various charities. Women’s Committee and was and also served as assistant treasurer for Birmingham- Survivors include grandson active in numerous other Southern. BSC connections include her late sister, Richard Davis Lee ’02. community groups. Ola Grace Baker ’31. Her generous support of Birmingham-Southern Mildred Love McGehee Son ’44 of Mildred Moore Stovall ’44 of includes the Rev. Robert Lee Baker Endowed Birmingham died June 11, 2007. Mountain Brook died March 17, Scholarship Fund, which she and her husband, the She retired as executive vice 2007. She was active at late William “Bill” Truss, established in honor of her president and corporate secretary Canterbury United Methodist late father. of Birmingham Federal Savings Church and in a number of civic and Loan, and was one of the first organizations. Survivors include women executives in the savings husband Edgar Fletcher Stovall.

Lucie Monette King ’41 of Tuscaloosa died April 7, 2007. In Memoriam ’40 Rev. A. Tillman Sprouse ’41 of Birmingham died Feb. 19, 2007. Robert E. Luckie Jr. ’40 died Feb. 28, 2007. A longtime With a doctor of divinity degree business and community leader in the city of Birmingham, from Athens College, he served as he is celebrated as the leading figure in the development of a United Methodist minister in Alabama’s advertising industry. Robert Luckie & Co., churches throughout Alabama, founded in 1953 and becoming Luckie & Forney in 1964 and was district superintendent in with associate John Forney, was the largest advertising Gadsden. He also served on many agency in the state for years and was widely recognized for boards and commissions in the the quality of its work. church, including 15 years as a Since 1966, following Forney’s retirement, the firm has clerical member of the World continued as Luckie & Co., continuing to set standards for Methodist Conference. After one quality and creativity. Luckie was recognized widely for of his sermons was printed in the both his professional and civic contributions. He was a Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle, he member of the Alabama Academy of Honor, created by the Alabama State Legislature to was invited by the World Travel honor 100 Alabamians for outstanding accomplishment and service; a charter member Bureau to tour post-World War II of the Kiwanis Club’s Birmingham Business Hall of Fame; Birmingham Ad Club’s Europe, the Middle East, and “Advertising Man of the Year;” and recipient of the American Advertising Federations North Africa. He met world figures and Printer’s Ink Silver Medal Award. including Anwar Al Sadat, David Among many community efforts, he was president of the Kiwanis Club of Ben-Gurion, Crown Prince Birmingham and of the Metropolitan Development Board, a founding member of the Hussein, and Pope Pius XII, who UAB School of Nursing Board of Visitors, director of the President’s Council at UAB, and granted him permission to hold co-chair of the Jefferson County United Appeal. A World War II veteran, who served as the first Protestant worship service assistant Pacific fleet press officer under Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, he was 1964 chair in the ruins of the Coliseum in of Radio Free Europe. Rome. He held two George Luckie also served his alma mater with energy and devotion. A life trustee of Washington Honor Medals from Birmingham-Southern, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1968 and later the Freedom Foundation of Valley was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He served as president of the national Forge. Survivors include wife Ruth alumni association and was a member of the Ginkgo and Endowment Builders societies. Anne Sparks Sprouse. His generosity supported the work of the college in many ways, including the creation of an endowed chair in the English Department. Survivors include granddaughter Laura Luckie Finch ’97.

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He continued his service to the community in retirement, In Memoriam ’41 providing care to mothers at risk through a state of Florida program. Donald Campbell Brabston Sr. of Birmingham died June 3, 2007. Following He served as president of both the graduation at BSC as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and ODK, he completed an MBA American College of Obstetricians from Northwestern University in only nine months, in order to begin military service in and Gynecologists and the Florida World War II. He served as a lieutenant commander on the battleship USS Alabama, Obstetric & Gynecologic Society. receiving nine battle stars and ribbons, and later was instrumental in bringing the ship Survivors include wife Helen to Mobile Bay as a war memorial. Bernstein Fealy and sister Grace Following naval service, he began his accounting career with Ernst & Young in Fealy Reid ’41. Birmingham in 1945 and retired in 1979 as managing partner. In 2004, he was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame. Betty Hawkins Norton ’47 of the Among many leadership roles in the community, he was president of the Birmingham area died April 6, Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce; president, honorary life member, and trustee 2007. She held a master’s degree of Central Alabama United Way; and honorary life director of the Salvation Army, in library science from the receiving its highest award for a lay person, the William Booth Award. He also served as University of Alabama. After a chair of the YMCA and the Executive Service Corps of Birmingham and was treasurer of stint as a reporter and the United Way Community Food Bank. photographer at The Birmingham A faithful supporter of Birmingham-Southern, Brabston received the Distinguished News in the ’40s, she served as a Alumni Award in 1976. He established and served as first chair of the Edward Lee librarian at Glenn High School from Norton Board of Advisors. He was a member of the Ginkgo and Endowment Builders 1967 to 1985, and at Woodlawn societies, and his generosity made possible many areas of support at the college, High School from 1985 to 1987. including the Mary Jane and Donald C. Brabston Scholarship and an endowed chair in Survivors include husband Robert accounting. Louis Norton.

Barbara Allen Blackwell ’47 of Birmingham died Feb. 20, 2007. She attended Vassar College In Memoriam ’44 before graduating from BSC. She was active in the altar guild at St. Bibb Allen of Birmingham died March 17, 2007. A veteran of World War Luke’s Episcopal Church, as a II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying more than 100 missions in volunteer at St. Vincent’s Hospital the Aleutians and the European Theater and receiving seven bronze stars, and the Birmingham Museum of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Art, and as a member of the Junior He later received a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and League. Survivors include attended the University of Alabama School of Law. At the legal firms husband Jack Henderson London, Yancy, Clark and Allen and Christian and Small, he practiced law Blackwell. for 57 years. During that time, he served as president of the Birmingham Bar Dr. Jack Fealy ’47 of Palm Beach, Association (which also honored him as “Lawyer of the Year”), the Fla., and New York, N.Y., died Alabama Bar Association, and the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association. March 29, 2007. He received his He was author of the widely used Alabama Liability Insurance Handbook. medical degree from George He taught torts for 40 years at the Birmingham School of Law, where he Washington University, and, was named professor emeritus in 2005. following military service, began a Survivors include wife Louise Irving Bibb ’45. practice of obstetrics and At his family’s request, donations may be made in his memory to the Bibb Allen Honors Endowed gynecology in West Palm Beach in Scholarship at Birmingham-Southern, through the Office of Institutional Advancement, 900 Arkadelphia Road, 1957. In his 29-year career, he Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254. delivered more than 7,000 babies.

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Elizabeth Adele “Betty Adele” Bass Verchot ’47 of Decatur died In Memoriam ’51 Feb. 7, 2007. In early years, she was employed by the IRS and Auburn University. Survivors include husband Edgar A. Verchot.

Nanette Davis Dewald ’49 of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died March 21, 2007. Survivors include husband Robert H. Dewald.

Betty Jo McWilliams Harmon ’49 of Birmingham died March 9, 2007. Following graduation from the BSC Conservatory of Music, she taught music in the Birmingham public schools before pursuing further studies at the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Newman Manly Yeilding Jr. of Birmingham died May 20, 2007. Following graduation Arts. Later, she was a soloist with from BSC, he graduated from the New York University of Law in 1954. He then served First United Methodist Church and in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps of the U.S. Army in Japan, returning to Canterbury United Methodist Birmingham in 1956 to join the law firm which would become Dominick, Fletcher, Church for more than 30 years, Yeilding, Wood & Lloyd P.A. He practiced there for more than 40 years and served as was a singer and director for the managing partner for 25 years. Birmingham Civic Opera, and was Active in professional affairs, he was president of the Alabama State Junior Bar and a soloist with the Birmingham served on the Birmingham Bar Executive Committee. He also was a founding member Symphony Orchestra and the of the Estate Planning Council of Birmingham, serving on its board and as president. Hugh Thomas Singers. She taught A lifelong Methodist, he served in many leadership roles in the church, including voice at Birmingham-Southern and chair of the board of the United Methodist Children’s Home and of the board of in her home studio. Survivors Pastoral Care and Counseling, and as a member of the board of Ordained Ministry. include husband Carroll C. Always drawn to matters of social justice, he was one of the founders and supporters of Harmon, sister Elise McWilliams Greater Birmingham Ministries for more than 35 years. Penfield ’61 (Dr. H. Irvin Penfield, Yeilding’s family has many ties to Birmingham-Southern and its members have long BSC professor emeritus of political been loyal supporters of the college. His grandfather was Birmingham businessman science and former provost), and Frank B. Yeilding, memorialized at BSC by his family’s gift of Yeilding Chapel. Frank nephew Rev. Matthew Irvin Yeilding sent all six sons to Birmingham-Southern, including Manly Yeilding’s father, Penfield ’92. Newman M. “Red” Yeilding ’22 , who served the college for decades in a variety of administrative roles, including a brief term as interim president. Manly Yeilding’s Ross Leon Keith Jr. ’49 of mother was Annie Lou Fletcher Yeilding Westbrook ’30. Andalusia died March 13, 2007. A Survivors include wife Harriet Howard Yeilding ’53 , sister Anne Yeilding Upton ’53 veteran of World War II, he served (W. David Upton ’53) , daughter Katy Yeilding Olson ’82 , and grandson Nicholas Olson in Naval Intelligence. Later, he ’09. was employed by the Frigidaire Manly Yeilding was a loyal alumnus of the college and was a recipient of the Sales Corp., a division of General Distinguished Alumni Award in 1997. He was a member of the Ginkgo and Motors Corp., for more than 30 Endowment Builders societies. years. Survivors include wife At his family’s request, donations may be made to Birmingham-Southern in his memory, Janette A. Keith. through the Office of Institutional Advancement, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254. Ernest M. Pharo ’49 of Atlanta, formerly of Birmingham, died May 26, 2007. A lifelong musician, he

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was trained as a classical pianist, theaters, serving as business doctoral degree from Vanderbilt Birmingham died May 21, 2007. A but loved to entertain with popular manager of Panama City’s Pelican University’s Peabody College, she longtime member of the music and, during World War II, Players in the 1950s and, more later was a composer, radio host, Birmingham business community, hosted a musical radio show in recently, as assistant director of and producer for public radio, and, he was co-owner, with his father, Birmingham. Later, following theaters in Virginia and South from 1976 to 1989, was professor of Continental Enterprises. service in the Korean War as a Carolina. Survivors include partner of music and chair of the Visual Survivors include wife Joni Taylor. chaplain’s assistant and organist, George Loukides. Tomlin’s friend and Performing Arts Department he served in the U.S. State and classmate Dolores Brow Cook at Huntingdon College. Survivors Carolyn Jones Wilder ’63 of Department, with postings ’53 shared the news of his death. include husband Col. Robert S. Helena died April 2, 2007. An throughout Central and South Barmettler. accomplished musician, she was America, Europe, and the Middle William A. McGregor ’54 of the owner of Opus II Music House East, where he employed his Arcadia, Calif., died June 7, 2007. Jerome Franklin (Frank) Brown ’59 and was an agent with RE/MAX fluency in four languages. of Dacula, Ga., died April 6, 2007. Realty and a member of the Returning to Birmingham, he dealt L. Dwight Henslee ’57 of Cullman Following service in the U.S. Air Birmingham Board of Realtors. in jewelry and antiques and died Feb. 16, 2007. He was the Force, he was employed for many Survivors include husband Jack became an accomplished painter retired president of Henslee years by Westinghouse/ Eaton Wilder. and iconographer. Insurance Agency. Survivors Corp. include wife Etheline “Susie” William “Bill” R. Thomas Jr. ’65 of Dr. Paul William Scokel III ’49 of Henslee. Dr. Gary Edward Ganus ’60 of Tuscaloosa, formerly of Opelika, Birmingham died June 1, 2007. Birmingham died May 14, 2007. died March 6, 2007. With a With a degree from the University Daniel Lee Burgess ’58 of He served in the Vietnam War as a master’s degree in mathematics of Alabama, he practiced medicine Birmingham died May 29, 2007. major in the U.S. Army National from the University of Tennessee, until his retirement in 2006. He was a veteran of the Korean Guard Medical Detachment and he served two years in the U.S. Survivors include wife Anne H. War, serving in the U.S. Marine was awarded the Bronze Star. Army as a researcher in the Army Scokel and daughter Nona Scokel Corps. With a degree from the With a degree from the School of Scientific Engineering Corps in Buskill ’89. Cumberland School of Law at Dentistry at the University of Bethesda, Md., and later at Walter Samford University, he practiced Alabama, he served as a family Reed Army Medical Center in James L. Sullivan ’49 of Lynn law for more than 30 years and dentist to patients in Birmingham Washington, D.C. He also taught Haven, Fla., died May 4, 2006. was active in professional and Tarrant for more than 40 years. math at Abraham Aldwin Survivors include wife Georgia L. organizations. He served as a Survivors include wife Lynda Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga., Sullivan. municipal judge for the city of Henderson Ganus. and for Houston (Texas) public Sumiton for 22 years and was schools. Louise Elizabeth Williamson ’50 of president of the Municipal Judges Rev. Daniel Zachery Kitchens ’60 Birmingham died March 25, 2007. Association during that time. He of Huntsville died Sept. 17, 2006. Timothy Edward Hill ’83 of She was a teacher with more than was a devoted member of the First With graduate degrees from the Adamsville died Jan. 2, 2007. 40 years of service in Jefferson United Methodist Church of Vanderbilt Divinity School, he was County schools. Birmingham and served on its a pastor with the North Alabama Dr. John W. Carroll Mills ’85 of administrative board. Survivors Conference of the United Mountain Brook died Jan. 19, Sam M. Tomlin ’53 of Sarasota, include wife Beverly S. Burgess. Methodist Church for 45 years. 2007. He was a veteran of the Fla., formerly of New York City, During that time, he served U.S. Navy, serving on the aircraft died May 30, 2007. He was Dr. Jeanne E. Shaffer ’58 of churches in Birmingham, carrier USS Ranger. With a degree employed by the NYC public Montgomery died April 9, 2007. Anniston, Columbiana, several in in dentistry from the University of school system for 21 years, Singer, composer, radio host, and North Alabama, and was district Alabama and with additional teaching fifth and sixth grades, college professor, she was a superintendent of the Huntsville training in oral surgery and before he was promoted to lifelong musician who began her District. He also served as chair of endodontics, he maintained a guidance counselor, working with career singing on radio at age four, the board of directors of the private practice for 19 years. He emotionally handicapped children. signed a five-year contract to sing United Methodist Children’s Home also served as director of the After retirement, he operated a with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in Selma. endodontics program at the used and rare book company, Old at age 11, and appeared in the Survivors include his wife, Emily University of Alabama School of Mill Books, which later became a MGM movie Girl of the Golden Gannaway Kitchens, and children Dentistry, was active in mail-order firm. He was a West at age 12. With a master’s including Joel Daniel Kitchens ’89. professional associations, and volunteer for several amateur degree in music from BSC and a Richard “Jack” Taylor Jr. ’60 of served as president of the

summer 2007 / 75 CLASSNOTES

Birmingham Dental Department of Veterans Society. Survivors include Affairs, the Alcoholism wife Helen Crow Mills. Recovery Center, and other public agencies. His Dr. Charles Thayer memorial service was held Montague ’89 of Johnson at Yeilding Chapel on June City, Tenn., died March 5, 4, 2007. Survivors include 2007. With a medical wife Carmetta Craddock degree from the Haden. University of Alabama, he worked for 10 years for Rev. Gerry M. Hearin Jr., Anesthesia and Pain Friend, of Huffman died Consultants. Survivors Feb. 17, 2007. A longtime include wife Jennifer minister in the United Montague. Methodist Church, he was a past chair of the board of Rev. Sidney Hill Jr. ’91 of directors of pastoral Birmingham died March advisors at Birmingham- 18, 2007. He was Southern. Survivors formerly employed by the include wife June Hearin. United Mine Workers of you’ve made the friends. America. Survivors Judith Jinks Nelson, include wife Carol Hill. Friend, of Hueytown died April 25, 2007. She was Barbara K. Phillips Chafin retired from many years of now keep them. ’92 of Forestdale died service in institutional March 12, 2007. She was advancement at manager of America’s Birmingham-Southern. First Federal Credit Union, Forestdale Branch. Bishop Carl Julian AlumNet Survivors include husband Sanders, Friend, of
A searchable alumni directory Jerry Chafin. Richmond, Va., died March 7, 2007. A former trustee
A permanent BSC e-mail address Robert Walter Dean ’98 of of Birmingham-Southern Brandon, Miss., formerly with a long and distin-
Register for BSC events of Birmingham, died Jan. guished career in the 28, 2007. He was a United Methodist Church,
Make gifts veteran, having served as he retired as bishop of the a medic in Vietnam. He Alabama-West Florida was employed by the Conference in 1980. He Mississippi Construction was co-founder of the Education Foundation. Alabama-West Florida Survivors include wife United Methodist Gretchen Buntyn Dean. Foundation and served, Birmingham-SouthernBSC College among many other Dr. Hugh H. Haden Jr., positions within the www.bsc.edu/alumnet Friend, of Birmingham church, as president of died June 3, 2007. He UMCOR and as vice practiced medicine in president of the Board of Birmingham for more than Global Ministries. 50 years and also worked with the Mental Health Association, the

76 / ’southern ’SOUTHERN VOICES The spotlight is shining —on Birmingham-Southern and on Division III athletics

by john watts ‘86

Twenty-one years after graduating I now think about what is taking the Urban Environmental Park and only one short year away from place with the re-introduction of a will be providing an outdoor my daughter attending Birmingham- football program, the introduction classroom and leisure area for the Southern, I can only be excited of new areas of study for students to students. And, a full season of about all of the changes that are pursue, the construction of much- football will be complete under under way on the Hilltop. needed green space on campus, and Coach Joey Jones (his competitive I reflect back today on my the many other changes that will spirit is evident) and the new freshman year of 1982 and grow our college for the future. It is football stadium will be ready to remember the anticipation of no wonder that Birmingham- be filled with enthusiastic BSC attending classes, meeting new Southern has record enrollment for students. We’ve all watched an people, getting to know my the incoming freshman class. intense in-state football rivalry professors, fraternity rush, and Having spent a fair amount of time over the years. Now it’s exciting to getting into the daily regimen of myself over the last five years coming wonder who our football rival tennis practice under Coach Ann to understand the challenges and the will be in the coming years. No Dielen. I was very fortunate to have opportunities that lie ahead for BSC, one knows the answer, but won’t Watts excelled in the sport of tennis and to I can easily say that I have never it be fun to sit back and watch this have been offered an athletic been more proud to be an alum. unfold before our very eyes? Editor’s Note: John scholarship for four years. BSC was Now that clear progress is being It really is comforting to know Watts of Huntsville is the perfect place for me since I had made in recruiting for many of the that so many young men have a 1986 Birmingham- an interest, at that time, in pre-med. teams under Division III, one can chosen to play football at Southern graduate, a I will never forget trying to balance conclude that the decision to leave Birmingham-Southern and for a member of the college’s all of the activities that came with NCAA Division I athletics was the man of such high character. Board of Trustees, and being a freshman with the demands right call for the long-term health of Coach Jones is a man with strong vice president of of the curriculum. the institution. The alumni who faith who will teach these young athletics for the BSC What I did not come to realize have invested a little time in learning men what it means to excel in all Alumni Association’s until later was the dynamic that why BSC went to Division III have aspects of life. But more Board of Directors. He existed with regard to academics and come to realize this as well. Taking a importantly than playing football is founder and resident athletics during my years at step back to view what has taken at BSC or playing for a man of manager of Evans, ’Southern. It became very clear to place over the last three decades, first such high character, they will be Watts, and Schrimsher me that the emphasis would be under the leadership of Dr. Neal getting one of the best liberal arts Wealth Management academics first and athletics second. Berte and now under the leadership educations in the nation. Group of Wachovia I remember having difficulty early of Dr. David Pollick, BSC is once It seems that the spotlight is Securities. on with my studies and Coach again exhibiting strength in shining on Birmingham- Dielen granting me the flexibility of delivering a superior liberal arts Southern—and on our football attending lab during practice on educational experience to students program and the other Division occasion. I finally became and scholar-athletes. The financial III sports. And it is such a acclimated to life on the Hilltop as a resources that have been freed up to deserving spotlight. Much of scholar-athlete, but only as a result reinvest in tangible ways are having what is being accomplished and of Coach D’s belief that we were an immediate and meaningful what will be accomplished in the really there to get an education. I impact—one that can be clearly felt future requires that we as alumni am truly thankful that Coach Dielen by everyone who steps foot on continue to support Birmingham- personally communicated this to all campus. Southern in any way possible, players under her care. And her I can think of no better place for whether that’s helping recruit beliefs were consistent with the true my daughter to learn and grow as a prospective students, attending mission of the College. Please do person than at Birmingham- sporting events, making sure you not misunderstand me—we Southern. She will have the benefit send that important annual gift definitely put in the hours practicing of so many things when she arrives in, or simply telling others about very hard while we were under her next year. A new Urban Environ- the good story that is direction in preparation for regional mental Studies major will be in Birmingham-Southern. Let’s do competition. And we wanted to place, the Admission Welcome what we can to keep the spotlight compete as hard as we could, and we Center will be opening its arms to on our college for many years to wanted to win with a passion. our future students and visitors, and come. summer 2007 / 77 Back in the day,

Birmingham-Southern students had their own ideas about celebrating a big day on the gridiron—say, the Nov. 22, 1930, match-up with the Panthers’ archrival Howard Bulldogs. This page from the 1931 annual La Revue sets the scene: coeds in football finery, a brass band parade through the heart of town, and a happy-go-lucky jalopy driving home the message of the day: Beat Howard!

Now that football is back at BSC, today’s Hilltoppers will find new ways of enjoying the game (tailgating, anyone?). And here’s some exciting news: beginning in 2008, the annual BSC Alumni Reunion will take place in the fall, and each year’s festivities will feature Homecoming football fun.

Meanwhile, mark your calendars for this year’s exciting Homecoming game, which pits the Panthers against DePauw University Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Regions Park in Hoover. Call your friends now to make sure they’ll be sitting with you in the bleachers as we begin a grand new Homecoming tradition at BSC.

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