’Southern A Publication for Alumni and Friends Spring 2009 Volume 35, Number 1

Ouresearch The BSC undergraduate research experience

BSC Birmingham-Southern College Editor’s Note Rebuilding and restoring A story of amazing people doing amazing things USPS 087-600 BY BILL WAGNON Dr. G. David Pollick, President C. Dowd Ritter, Chair, Board of Trustees The third anniversary came and went much like the fi rst two, with little or no fanfare. It has been over three years now since the foolish actions of three young men ’Southern magazine is published three times a year in impacted the lives of so many others, and permanently scarred their own. spring, summer, and fall by the Offi ce of Alumni Affairs On two separate days in February 2006, nine rural Alabama churches were and the Offi ce of Communications at Birmingham-Southern purposely set on fi re. The damage ranged from minor to destroyed. A month later, College, Birmingham, Alabama 35254. Non-profi t postage on March 8, two Birmingham-Southern students and one UAB student were arrested paid at Birmingham, AL Permit No. 2575. Postmaster: for conspiracy and arson. Send address changes to: Alumni Affairs, Birmingham- As I drove to work at 2 a.m. that March 8 morning, I could think of no good that Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, could come from such a situation, still reeling from the shock of the phone call Birmingham, AL 35254; telephone 205/226-4909; or access at www.bsc.edu/alumni. from a colleague to alert me to the impending arrests. It was a tragic situation—for the churches and their congregations; for the three young men, and especially their Editorial Offi ces: unknowing families; for the college. 15 Stockham Building But out of something oh so very bad, came something oh so very good, if 900 Arkadelphia Road not amazing. Box 549004 Before that long day was over, media outlets from around the country converged Birmingham, AL 35254 on the Birmingham-Southern campus to see from where this evil had come. The Phone: 205/226-4921 college’s response was swift, and simple. It was not contrived, but from the Fax: 205/226-4931 institution’s heart and soul. At a late afternoon press conference carried live by several E-mail: [email protected] national TV outlets, President Pollick told the world that “Birmingham-Southern will Editor: Bill Wagnon, Vice President for Communications rebuild those churches.” This was exactly what the college was all about, and now the world was seeing that fi rsthand—Birmingham-Southern is a special place that does Managing Editor: Pat Cole, Communications Specialist amazing things with amazing people. Over the next three months, gifts of money and supplies and offers to volunteer Art Director: Tracy Thomas ’92, Associate Director for came in from all over the country—from alumni, from friends, from people who Communications—Publications previously had never heard of Birmingham-Southern. By July 2006, the Alabama Churches Rebuilding and Restoration Fund had topped $370,000, and faculty, staff, Contributing Writers: and alumni began hand-delivering checks to the nine churches spread over four Martha Boshers, Director of Gift Planning Pat Cole, Communications Specialist rural counties. Sarah Erreca, Director of Sports Information In January earlier this year, almost three years after it was literally burned to the Brandon Gresham, Communications Specialist ground, construction began on a new Ashby Baptist Church in Brierfi eld in Bibb Carol Cook Hagood ’70, Communications Specialist County, Alabama. It will be the fi nal church to either be rebuilt or restored. The eight Linda Hallmark, Communications Specialist other congregations are now worshipping in either new or rebuilt churches. Lisa Harrison, ’85 MPPM, Director of Alumni Affairs It is a truly amazing story. Michael Nienaber, Assistant Director of Sports Information So, too, is the story of the forward momentum of Birmingham-Southern that began Bill Wagnon, Vice President for Communications with the college’s Plan for Growth in 2006 and continues today with another near record fi rst-year student enrollment expected this fall, an Urban Environmental Park Photography: Mark Burnham Matthew Mielke scheduled to open in early August, a record-setting Alumni Reunion/Homecoming John Consoli Brandon Robbins celebration last November, the establishment of 23 new alumni chapters since Dean Elmore Donna Thomas December for a total of 33 nationwide, Phase I of a comprehensive campaign that Johnny Goodwin Peter Van Zandt may very well have surpassed its $50 million goal by the time you read this (and well Brandon Gresham Submitted Photos ahead of schedule) while we experience the worst economy of our times, and more. Adrian Holliman We continue to bring you news of this momentum in the pages of ’Southern Randy Lee magazine, and we hope you enjoy our feature in this issue on the research efforts— often collaborative—of students and faculty, and of alumni researchers who are www.bsc.edu changing our world for the better. Send news of alumni weddings, births, deaths, and other These are, after all, amazing people doing amazing things, and we enjoy bringing ClassNotes material to Carol Cook Hagood at chagood@ you their stories. bsc.edu or 205/226-4913.

Bill Wagnon Vice President for Communications

‘southern Inside’Southern ’Southern magazine / Spring 2009 / Volume 35, Number 1 A Publication for Alumni and Friends

Features BSC 32 Research at Birmingham-Southern College Departments

2 Destiny:Delivered 11 Community News 16 Faculty News 23 Student News 44 Alumni Affairs 51 Philanthropy 54 Athletics 62 ClassNotes 85 ’Southern Voices research On the Cover

This collage illustrates the many different ways that Birmingham-Southern students and faculty are actively engaged in research and creative scholarship. We invite you to turn the pages and step into this exciting realm at BSC. Not only are students and faculty making signifi cant contributions through their pursuit of knowledge, but alumni have continued this quest for knowledge and its application in a variety of interesting ways. See main story on page 32.

spring 2009 deliveringour destiny in transforming ways

Destiny: Delivered campaign launch.

Just 15 months ago, Birmingham-Southern raised the curtain on the most important fundraising effort in the institution’s 153-year history. Destiny: Delivered, The Campaign for Birmingham-Southern seeks to raise well in excess of $100 million, in two phases, over the next several years.

With a goal of $50 million, Phase I is focused on growing Birmingham-Southern in size and national stature, while securing its fi nancial stability. In the worst economic climate in decades, Birmingham-Southern alumni and friends are giving back to their college in transforming ways:

2 / ’southern Dr. Peter Bunting ‘66 and his wife, Derry Brice Bunting ‘69

Dr. Donald Harrison ‘54

• 120 students—19 of whom are fi rst-generation college students—attended Birmingham- Southern this academic year thanks to contributions to Phase I for scholarships, seedling grants, and other need- and merit-based support.

• Several new named programs and chairs have been established through endowed funds, including the McDorman Chair in Poetry and Poetry Studies (highlighted on page 5 of this issue), the Bunting Center for Engaged Study and Community Action, the Donald C. Harrison Honors Program, and the Ellie and Herb Sklenar Center for International Programs, among others.

• An anonymous donation has provided BSC with one of the only endowed chaplaincies on a United Methodist Church-related college or university campus in the nation.

spring 2009 / 3 MAJOR DONORS:

An updated list of commitments of $10,000 or more to Phase I of the Destiny: Delivered comprehensive

Admission Welcome Center fundraising campaign can • The college’s international studies initiative is stronger thanks to a major be found on the endowed gift to provide scholarships for students who wish to go on semester- long, year-long, or Interim term foreign study experiences. campaign Web site at www.bsc.edu/ • The new donor-funded Admission Welcome Center opened in fall 2007 and has been the focal point for the three largest classes of fi rst-year students in college history. destinydelivered.

• One of the nation’s only Urban Environmental Studies programs is now teaming with majors thanks to campaign contributions, and a new Urban Environmental Park will open in August as an outdoor classroom, as well as a place of leisure.

• More BSC students are active partners with faculty in collaborative research thanks to Phase I gifts (see Features on page 32 of this issue).

• Unrestricted and current-use gifts, which includes support of the Annual Fund, have topped the $12 million mark since the campaign began, allowing BSC to focus these resources on its greatest areas of need to ensure that it continues to deliver the Birmingham-Southern experience.

Each of these campaign accomplishments is directly related to priorities established at the beginning of Phase I that, combined with Phase II, will ensure that Birmingham-Southern secures its rightful place among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. destiny The curtain has been raised, but the show is far from over. delivered Stay tuned for a fi nale you will not want to miss. The Campaign for Birmingham-Southern

4 / ’southern For the love of poetry The McDormans’ love of poetry to live on at BSC through major campaign bequest

for the future establishment of the “Daddy was a Birmingham- McDorman Chair. Southern graduate; mother was “Barbara and I believe the a BSC person of heart,” notes Dr. liberal arts both teach us and heal Kathryne S. McDorman. “Mother us,” Dr. McDorman says. “It’s didn’t attend BSC, but she felt important to teach all of these a far greater identifi cation with things that BSC does so well, and ’Southern than her own college. what and how they teach each of They loved BSC, and Barbara and Kathryne S. McDorman Barbara Adkins us about humanity. I wanted to recognize that love for “Our hope is that the economy BSC and their love of poetry. Dr. Kathryne S. McDorman will establish the Kathryne and will improve enough over time so In addition to the future fondly remembers the times Clarence McDorman Chair in that we can give a portion of the McDorman Chair, there also growing up when the family Poetry and Poetry Studies at gift while we are living. It would is the Clarence L. McDorman would sit at her father’s feet Birmingham-Southern. The give us both great satisfaction in Scholarship at the college that is listening intently as he read corpus of the gift will come to seeing this chair in poetry on its awarded to students preparing poetry, often quoting from the college at the death of both way while we are alive.” for the ministry, preferably in memory the words of his favorite women. Dr. McDorman explains that the United Methodist Church. poets such as Robert Browning. Dr. McDorman, who attended the chair is designed to allow the The scholarship was initiated “When he wanted to make us BSC for two years, is an associate college to attract either a poet in by members of the McDorman laugh, or roll our eyes, he would professor of history at Texas residence or a poetry scholar. Sunday School Class and has quote Robert Service,” she recalls Christian University. She grew Clarence McDorman, a 1927 been supported over the years by today. up in Birmingham and attended Birmingham-Southern graduate, contributions from the class and Clarence L. McDorman Sr. the Brooke Hill School (which was founder, president, and chief from family members. ’27 was a great lover of poetry, a later merged with Birmingham executive offi cer of Southern “I see a connection between passion he would pass on to his University School to become Cafeteria (now Southern the chair and the scholarship,” wife, Kathryne Slate McDorman, The Altamont School), before Foodservice Management) says Dr. McDorman. “Good and later to his daughter of the enrolling at BSC. She later and served on the board of preaching in essence is like good same name. received her bachelor’s degree in First Federal Savings and Loan poetry. Both go after the same Over the years, the elder British history from the University Association of Birmingham. A thing and that is to transform McDormans would use the lines of Kentucky, her master’s in British distinguished business and people to be and do their best. of great poets to illustrate points history from the University of civic leader, he was at one time Poetry is inspiring, and so should in the many public talks they gave, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the president of the National ministry be inspiring, and I think including as teachers in the well- and her doctorate in history from Exchange Club. In 1978, BSC daddy would be proud of that known McDorman Sunday School Vanderbilt. presented him with its prestigious connection.” Class (now the McDorman- She joined the TCU faculty Distinguished Alumni Award. He Dr. McDorman also is donating Allen Class) at First United in 1977 to teach British history, passed away in 1980. to the college an engraved silver Methodist Church in downtown and for many years directed the Kathryne Slate McDorman, service presented to her mother Birmingham. university’s Honors Program. known by many as “Mrs. Mc,” in 1960 recognizing Clarence “Daddy never wrote poetry, but She received the Dean’s Teaching was educated at Bowling Green McDorman’s term as president of he was a lover of poetry, which Award for Distinguished Teaching Business University (later part the National Exchange Club. is a great testament to his liberal in 1997. of Western Kentucky University) “She was very proud of that arts education at Birmingham- Adkins, who holds an MBA and was an active volunteer in the silver set,” Dr. McDorman Southern,” Dr. McDorman recalls. from the University of Dallas, Birmingham community for more explains. “She wanted that silver “Over the years, he and mother retired in 2002 as president of than seven decades, including to go to ’Southern.” used poetry to impact the lives of North American Risk Company. Birmingham-Southern’s Fine Arts Once the silver is received by so many others.” Prior to that she was an executive Society and GALA celebration. the college, it will be used by the The McDormans’ love of poetry with Pier I Imports, at one She passed away in July 2008. College Events Offi ce for special will now live on at Birmingham- time leading its expansion into The McDormans were married occasions. Southern thanks to a $1.5 million Europe. Adkins’ time abroad was in 1929 and for more than 50 bequest from their daughter and a “life-changing experience that years taught Sunday School at Editor’s Note: Additional her friend, Barbara Adkins, both of deepened my appreciation of the First United Methodist Church. information on making a bequest Fort Worth, Texas, to the college’s arts.” The McDorman Class was one of to Birmingham-Southern and its Destiny: Delivered comprehensive Dr. McDorman and Adkins the fi rst co-educational classes at benefi ts to both the donor and the campaign. initially established the charitable FUMC, and today the McDorman- college can be found on page 52 of The planned gift, in the form trust in 2002. They recently Allen Class is taught by their son, this issue. of a charitable remainder trust, designated BSC as the benefi ciary Clarence McDorman Jr. spring 2009 / 5 Malone Family Foundation fuels Greater Birmingham Mathematics Partnership with gift to Destiny: Delivered

A fi rm believer in the power of partnerships to advance a community and a college, the Malone Family Foundation recently donated $235,860 to Birmingham-Southern’s Destiny: Delivered comprehensive campaign to expand the efforts of the Greater Birmingham Mathematics Partnership (GBMP) to include elementary school teachers. “We are delighted that the Malone Family Foundation has so generously supported the GBMP,” said Dr. Bernadette Mullins, associate professor of mathematics at BSC. “Over 100 elementary school teachers who would not otherwise have been able to participate will take an intensive two-week mathematics course this summer. Past participants in this professional development described the experience as ‘life-changing’ and commented ‘This course was such an enlightening and benefi cial experience. I look at math in a new light. It makes so much more sense now.’” The GBMP is a collaboration involving UAB, BSC, nine school systems in the Birmingham metropolitan area, and the Mathematics Education Collaborative, a nonprofi t based in Washington State that provides support services to communities to improve mathematics education. The GBMP was initiated by Birmingham-Southern in 2004 with a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The predominant goal of the GBMP has been to signifi cantly improve the mathematics achievement of approximately 22,000 local students in grades 6-8, while narrowing the mathematics achievement gaps among varied populations of students. “The GBMP program has had a signifi cant impact on area teacher performance and area students’ SAT-10 scores,” said Dr. David Pollick, BSC president. “Student performance, based on these scores, clearly demonstrates the power of effective teaching.” The mission of the Malone Family Foundation of Birmingham—established in 2006—is to support initiatives that improve the quality of education and to promote positive changes in the lives of people, who in turn can build and enhance the communities in which they live.

6 / ’southern he held executive positions in BSC renames Offi ce of several corporations before joining Birmingham’s Vulcan Materials Co. International Programs in honor in 1972 as chief fi nancial offi cer. He retired from Vulcan in 1997 as chair of Sklenars and chief executive offi cer. The couple has been noted for For Herb Sklenar, a Birmingham- these students’ college experiences their philanthropy and for their Southern trustee, and his wife, and their life journeys. We are both involvement in the local and Ellie, making a signifi cant gift to proud and humbled to name our national communities, including the college’s Offi ce of International Offi ce of International Programs his chairing of the initial capital Programs to support students after the Sklenar family.” campaign for the Birmingham Civil studying abroad was a natural next The largest private gift from Rights Institute. Mr. Sklenar is a step in a lifetime of philanthropy individuals in the history of BSC’s past president of the Rotary Club of and involvement in the local and international programs has not Birmingham and national communities. only resulted in a name change, but on the national As Mr. Sklenar says, “In our also transformed the college’s study advisory board lifetimes, Ellie and I have observed abroad opportunities for students. of the National and personally experienced the The gift provides fi nancial support Czech and Slovak accelerating interconnectedness of in the form of scholarships for Museum in Iowa, life on our planet. The increasing BSC students who wish to go on a and both travel speed and scope of travel, semester-long or year-long foreign internationally. He communications, and international study experience or who want to also is active with trade has been awesome. And study overseas during the January the Birmingham the need to think in global terms Interim term. Committee on with respect to environmental “The study abroad experiences of Foreign Relations stewardship is becoming our daughters certainly infl uenced and is a member The Sklenars standing on the Charles Bridge increasingly appropriate. For all our decision to direct our gift to of the Board of in Prague these reasons and others, education the international studies program,” Distinguished at the college level should have Mr. Sklenar remarks. “Our oldest Advisors of the American strong international dimensions, daughter, Susan, spent a full Committees on Foreign Relations in including study and travel abroad semester abroad during her junior Washington, D.C. for students.” year at Colorado College, and she Mr. Sklenar’s connection with In honor of their $1 million gift regards that experience as a major Birmingham-Southern began to Birmingham-Southern’s Destiny: highlight of her undergraduate when he became employed with Delivered comprehensive campaign, education. Vulcan Materials. He says initially the college has renamed the offi ce “The concept of equality of he reported to Barney Monaghan, as the Ellie and Herb Sklenar Center opportunity (in contrast to equality one of BSC’s most distinguished for International Programs. The of result) has long been a prominent graduates, and later to Houston Sklenars previously established part of the American ethos. It is Blount, both of whom were trustees an endowed fund at the college in essential that we strive to make of the college. honor of Dr. Ed LaMonte, Howell excellent educational opportunities “BSC is a place of distinction Hefl in Professor of Political Science, available to all, from pre-K through where an excellent college education that supports faculty and staff travel. college. Birmingham-Southern is can be obtained by qualifi ed and “Herb and Ellie Sklenar have exemplary in its contributions to the motivated young people, and it unselfi shly supported Birmingham- realization of that ideal.” is a great asset to this community Southern College in many ways Mr. Sklenar has been a member and state,” he says. “Ellie and I are over the years,” says BSC President of the college’s Board of Trustees honored and pleased to have our David Pollick. “Their love for this since 1990, serving three terms as names associated with the college’s place grows out of their love for the its chair from 1994-97. A native Offi ce of International Programs. liberal arts education, and most of Omaha, Neb., he was born to But our greatest pleasure comes from specifi cally the opportunities our parents of Czech heritage. After the thought that our gift will enable students have to study abroad and earning a bachelor’s degree from more BSC students to experience the the tremendous infl uence that an the University of Nebraska at benefi ts of study and travel in other international experience has on both Omaha and an MBA from Harvard, countries.”

spring 2009 / 7 Momentum high among regional campaign committees

Destiny: Delivered campaign co-chair Mike Atchison ’65 (left) and BSC President Dr. David Pollick (right) with North Alabama Regional Campaign Committee member Dr. Mark Pullen ’86 at a recent campaign event in his home.

At the launch of the Destiny: Delivered comprehensive campaign, regional campaign committees were formed in Alabama and in major cities around the country. This national network of volunteers is energizing alumni and friends in support of Destiny: Delivered, as well as building active and sustained alumni chapters. More than 30 campaign events have been hosted around the country since the March 1, 2008, campaign launch, including recent meetings in Birmingham, Atlanta, North Alabama, Mobile/Baldwin County, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Following are photos from recent events in Atlanta, Mobile/Baldwin County, and North Alabama.

8 / ’southern Enjoying the Atlanta event (from left) are Mimi Harmon Brunson ’97, Tommy Atlanta Regional Campaign Committee Co-Chair Preston Barnett ’68 with Brunson ’98, and Paige Perkins ’85. Dr. Aurelia “Dink” Glosser Barnett ’67.

BSC’s Director of Gift Planning Martha Boshers (center) enjoying Atlanta National Campaign Co-Chair Ed Hardin ’62 (center) with Dr. Bennett Hooks with Dr. Caroline Postelle Clotfelter ’40 (left) and Frances Norwood ’54. III ’98 and Elizabeth Hooks at the Mobile gathering.

Mobile/Baldwin County Regional Campaign Committee Co-Chair Joe At the Fairhope gathering, (from left) are Mobile/Baldwin County Regional Basenberg ’67 and Lowrey Rhodes ’00. Campaign Committee Co-Chair Emily Bell ’90, Marilyn Bullington, and Rev. Joe Bullington ’65.

spring 2009 / 9 Destiny: Delivered campaign co-chairs Mike Atchison ’65 (left) and Ed Hardin Enjoying the Pullen home in Huntsville are (from left) Gary Tucker, Richard ’62 (right) in Atlanta with Patrick Tracy. Gregory ’88, and Dr. Scott McCary ’86.

(from left) Donna Joffrion ’83, Dr. Ellen Moran ’84, and BSC Vice President for Among the nearly 50 alumni and friends in Huntsville were (from left) Danielle Institutional Advancement Adelia Thompson ’86 reminisce at the North Alabama Ridgeway ’06, Dr. Rich Randall ‘88, Shari Burnum ’89, and Elizabeth Gebhart ’04. Regional Campaign Committee event.

Dr. Mark Pullen ’86 (left), Mark Flatt ’85 (center), and Greg Burgess ’91 gather All smiles in Huntsville are (from left) Julie Groark, Elizabeth Tubbs, Sherry Ann for a photo at the North Alabama reception. Pullen ’90, and Lisa McCrary.

10 / ’southern COMMUNITY NEWS

Schantz is new provost at Birmingham-Southern Dr. Mark S. Schantz, The BSC provost reports the curriculum at Hendrix, on American history and is the associate provost for directly to the college Odyssey is a pioneering effort author of two books: Piety in engaged learning, director president and is the chief that focuses on engaged Providence: Class Dimensions of of the Odyssey Program, academic offi cer with broad learning by encouraging Religious Experience in Antebellum and professor of history at responsibilities for the students to embark on Rhode Island and Awaiting the Hendrix College, is the new full range of the college’s educational adventures that Heavenly Country: The Civil War provost at Birmingham- academic programs and are personalized to their own and America’s Culture of Death, Southern. He will assume his support services. interests and abilities. which was published this year and new position July 1. “After a national search that He joined the Hendrix reviewed by The New Yorker and BSC President Dr. David brought to us outstanding faculty in 1991 as an assistant the New York Review of Books. Pollick announced the candidates from some of professor and also has He replaces Dr. Kathleen appointment of Schantz this the nation’s best institutions served as chair of both the Murray, who accepted a similar past December following a of higher learning, Dr. Department of History and position at Macalester College national search. Mark Schantz was the the Social Science Area. in St. Paul, Minn., prior to the overwhelming choice to lead The Washington, D.C., current academic year. Dr. Wayne our academic program,” said native received his bachelor’s Shew, associate provost and Ada Pollick. “These are exciting degree Phi Beta Kappa Rittenhouse Snavely Professor times at Birmingham- from George Washington of Biology, is serving as interim Southern as we continue University, his master’s provost at Birmingham-Southern. to grow in size and stature, from Yale University, and Much like Birmingham- and we look forward to the his doctorate from Emory Southern, Hendrix College, experience, enthusiasm, and University. He completed the located in Conway, Ark., is a leadership that Mark will Management Development selective residential, private bring to these efforts as chief Program in the Graduate liberal arts college affi liated with academic offi cer.” School of Education at the United Methodist Church. Schantz has directed Harvard University in Birmingham-Southern and the Odyssey Program at summer 2007. Hendrix are members of the 16- Hendrix since its inception Schantz has published institution Associated Colleges of Schantz in 2005. A component of and lectured extensively the South.

Follow Birmingham-Southern on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube You can now keep up with happenings on the Hilltop via the Birmingham-Southern Facebook page, YouTube video channel, and Twitter feed! Facebook users can enjoy regularly updated photo galleries, discussions, and calendar listings from the BSC community, while our Twitter followers get up-to-the-minute info from campus as well as little snippets of campus life. The Birmingham-Southern YouTube video channel is part of the BSC Films effort.

• To access the BSC Facebook page, log in to your Facebook account and search “Birmingham-Southern College.” To get regularly updated information and news, make sure to become a fan of the BSC page while you’re there! If you do not have a Facebook account, you can set one up at www.facebook.com. • To subscribe to the Birmingham-Southern Twitter feed, log on to www.twitter. com/FromTheHilltop. Click on the “Follow” button below the BSC icon and you’re connected! If you do not have a Twitter account, you can set one up at www.twitter.com. • The BSC Films YouTube page is accessible via the Birmingham-Southern Web site at www.bsc.edu/bscfi lms, or by logging on to the BSC YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/birminghamsouthern.

spring 2009 / 11 COMMUNITY NEWS

Birmingham-Southern given high marks in latest National Student Engagement Survey “Our students have a good rapport Results from the 2008 National BSC president. “We pay special with faculty on activities other Survey of Student Engagement show attention to providing inspiring than their normal coursework,” that seniors and fi rst-year students programs and opportunities remarked Pollick. “Whether it’s for a at Birmingham-Southern rate their for students to develop socially, research assignment, individualized college above average in a variety professionally, and personally.” career planning, or a community of areas ranging from academic BSC students were asked to rate garden project, our student- challenges to interaction with other their undergraduate experience on faculty advisor relationships create students and professors. each of fi ve benchmark categories: signifi cant nurturing and mentoring The survey reveals how well • Level of academic challenge that can contribute greatly to a students are engaged in their • Active and collaborative learning student’s preparedness for graduate college and community based on • Student-faculty interaction coursework and independent study.” the amount of time and energy • Enriching educational Like their senior counterparts, invested in meaningful educational experiences BSC fi rst-year students also spend practices. The 2008 NSSE report is • Supportive campus environment a relatively high amount of time based on information from nearly As compared to the average of weekly on co-curricular activities. 380,000 randomly selected fi rst-year the colleges surveyed by NSSE this “Students at BSC traditionally and senior students at 722 four- past year, Birmingham-Southern have been involved in activities year colleges and universities in the seniors reported signifi cantly higher beyond the classroom,” Pollick U.S. The survey was administered rankings for the college in these pointed out. “More than 80 clubs, via e-mail to 306 BSC students last three areas: 1) level of academic organizations, and honors groups spring. Students were asked about challenge, 2) supportive campus are offered to students including the time spent on extracurricular environment, and 3) active and music, theatre, jazz band, Leadership activities, what they believe they collaborative learning. The NSSE Studies, and the Poetry Circle.” have gained from classes, and their also cited BSC for active engagement Now in its 10th year, the National interaction with faculty and other aimed at the welfare of the Survey of Student Engagement was students, for example. community and above-average use launched in 1999 by Dr. George “The results provide strong of computers and technology. Kuh at Indiana University (with the evidence that our students tend to In addition, the NSSE said that support of the Pew Charitable Trusts participate in out-of-class learning BSC fi rst-year students—more and sponsorship by the Carnegie experiences, and that not only is than the majority of colleges Foundation for the Advancement of an important component of a BSC nationwide—complete foreign Teaching). education, it is essential to student language coursework and discuss learning,” said Dr. David Pollick, career plans with a faculty member or advisor.

BSC once again named one of America’s ‘Best Buys’

Birmingham-Southern is again one of 26 private institutions in the nation named as a Best Buy in the 2009 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. In addition to the 26 private institutions, The Bestt Buys List of 2009 includes 23 public universities from the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain. Of the 49 total colleges and universities selected, BSC is the only school in the state, private or public, to make the list. According to the recently released guidebook, the college’s selection is baseded on the quality of academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance. The annual guide is compiled by Edward B. Fiske, an internationally known education writer andd editor and formerly the education editor for The New York Times.

12 / ’southern BSC Garden Club’s growing project takes root COMMUNITY NEWS on campus

A new community garden started by the BSC Garden Club is inviting any group on Pollick serving on campus who has a green thumb to dig in. national independent Located next to the college’s Hilltop Village Apartments, the garden is promoting sustainable organic farming methods for vegetables, herbs, and fl owers. The main initiative, colleges committee say club members, is to delegate a raised garden bed to different community groups at BSC (a fraternity, sorority, sports team, student organization, faculty and staff team, or café Birmingham-Southern President Dr. workers) for the cultivation David Pollick recently was appointed to of fresh, organic produce. serve on the Committee on Policy Analysis In addition to growing and Public Relations of the National plants, what members Association of Independent Colleges and of the Garden Club Universities. He is serving a three-year expressed was the desire term to run from 2009-11. for an educational socio- This committee identifi es current and environmental center; future issues affecting independent higher a meeting place for education. It also suggests priorities and discussions, classes, and strategies for research and public relations experiences involving environmental awareness and sustainability; a resource for feeding activities to enhance public understanding the city’s homeless; and a beautiful and peaceful outdoor environment with grass couches, of and support for independent higher recycled tire benches, fruit trees, and a tree house. education. The Garden Club, led by sophomore Ben Tracy, was organized and launched last October The National Association of in conjunction with the new urban environmental studies major at BSC that began at the Independent Colleges and Universities, start of the fall term. Tracy, who is an urban environmental studies major, completed a with nearly 1,000 member institutions summer 2008 internship with the Atlanta Urban Gardening Program where he gained skills nationwide, serves as the unifi ed national and experience in organic growing. voice of independent higher education. The club consists mainly of English and Since 1976, the association has represented theatre majors and athletes, some with private colleges and universities on policy years of gardening experience and others issues with the federal government such as who still need to develop a green thumb. those affecting student aid, taxation, and But Tracy stresses that all majors, faculty, or government regulation. staff who are interested in conservation and sustainable agriculture are welcome to join. Several faculty and staff members already have lent their time and garden expertise to the group, he noted. Dr. Ed Brands, assistant professor of geography and coordinator of urban environmental studies at BSC, serves as the club’s faculty advisor. The college’s Urban Environmental Studies program hopes to use the community garden as an outdoor classroom for lessons on sustainable agriculture, and the student environmental group EnAct plans to partner with the garden club to promote more environmentally-conscious eating on campus, as well as provide volunteers for garden renovation projects. Tracy believes excitement for the new community garden is germinating more and more on the campus. Six 4x16 raised beds have been ploughed and fi lled, and the ones containing radishes, oregano, and lettuce seeds already are showing bits of green sticking out. The planting of warm season crops (beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers) began in mid-March. “In this growing green movement, we are constantly shown images and information about energy conservation, green products, recycling methods, and the extinction of species, with little understanding about the practical and physical affect it may have on our lives,” says Tracy. “As the BSC community begins to come together and cultivate this garden, we will hopefully understand the deep connection we can all have, not only with the food we eat and the plants we grow, but with our use of the land and its precious resources.” A composting station was built next to the community garden in January by fi ve students in the Interim class “From Garden to Table: Examining Local Food Systems,” taught by Assistant Biology/Chemistry Professor Dr. Gretchen Repasky and Assistant Sociology Professor Dr. Alicia Weaver. This summer, club members plan to collaborate with Jones Valley Urban Farm, a local nonprofi t that promotes sustainable agriculture and healthy eating, and use the garden for instructional and educational purposes. spring 2009 / 13 COMMUNITY NEWS

Honors Day, Commencement speakers for 2009

Dr. Natalie Davis, professor of political science and pre-law advisor at Birmingham-Southern, addressed the class of 2009 during the college’s 150th Commencement ceremonies May 17 at Boutwell DavisWilson Shelton Auditorium in downtown Birmingham. Davis was named the BSC Outstanding Educator of the Year during the 2009 graduation ceremonies in recognition of excellence in all aspects of teaching, including classroom performance and student advising. The award included a cash stipend and an invitation to speak at the following year’s commencement. A member of the BSC faculty since 1972, Davis holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and undergraduate and honorary doctorate degrees from Stetson University. Rev. Robin Crews Wilson delivered remarks at the annual Baccalaureate service that same day at 10 a.m. at Bill Battle Coliseum on campus. A native of Prattville, Wilson is pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Montgomery. She currently is completing her doctor in ministry in Christian spirituality from Columbia Theological Seminary. An ordained Elder in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, Wilson serves as vice-chair of the conference Board of Ministry and the General Board of Discipleship. She also serves as a BSC trustee and on the board of directors for the Samaritan Counseling Center and the YMCA. The speaker for Honors Day on April 23 was Susan Shelton ’93, corporate counsel of Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. in New York City, where she advises on a variety of corporate matters, including federal securities laws, employment, contract and corporate governance matters, and private equity investments. A native of Birmingham, Shelton is a summa cum laude international business graduate of BSC. She is the daughter of BSC Professor Emeritus of Art Bob Shelton, who now teaches as an adjunct professor.

Boys and girls packed out BSC Head Soccer Coach Preston Goldfarb’s “Excellence Through Fundamentals” soccer camp last summer.

BSC to host variety of camps for youth this summer

From learning the craft of acting to running soccer drills under the summer heat, elementary through high school students of all ages, abilities, and interests can choose from a fun mixture of camps at Birmingham-Southern. Youth ranging in age from 6 to 18 can attend sports camps in baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, and volleyball during the months of June and July at BSC. Information on all of these programs, plus who to contact, can be found on the camps link at www. bscsports.net. The 14th annual Student Leaders in Service program, sponsored by the college’s Hess Center for Leadership and Service, will be held June 14-19. This residential program will expose current high-school juniors to leadership theories and provide opportunities to practice leadership through community service projects. For more information, contact BSC Admission Counselor Rebecca Yeager at ryeager@ bsc.edu or 205/226-4684. Details on the program also are available at www.bsc.edu/academics/hess/leadership/slis.htm. For information on the two-week-long Intensive Summer Dance Workshop for ages 12-18, which is scheduled in June, call 205/ 323-5390. Birmingham-Southern also hosts camps each summer for youth interested in theatre and instrumental and vocal music. For more information on these camps, contact the BSC Conservatory at 205/226-4960 or visit www.bsc.edu/academics/music/conservatory- summer.htm. Application deadlines vary for all of BSC’s summer youth opportunities. Printable registration forms are available online for most of the programs.

14 / ’southern For more than 35 years, the Fine Arts Society has provided support to Birmingham-Southern College’s fi ne and performing arts programs. Fine Arts Society members are ticket subscribers, creating an audience for theatre, dance, music, and arts productions and exhibitions. They are volunteers, assisting with hospitality for patrons, students, and visiting performers. They are donors, funding visits by guest artists and fulfi lling department needs. They are messengers to the greater Birmingham community, promoting the thriving fi ne and performing arts program at BSC.

Just in the past year, the Fine Arts Society has helped the students and faculty in tangible ways, such as:

Hosting receptions for gallery openings, student and faculty recitals, and dance performances Providing sheet music for students competing in the Whittington Competition Funding the purchase of music stands for the Theatre Department Supporting a visiting art critic who provided individual student critiques

With your support, the Fine Arts Society can do even more to encourage liberal arts students to truly pursue “the arts” in their BSC education.

Make the leap! Find the light! Strike a chord! Take the stage! take your cue

Be part of the arts at Birmingham-Southern College

—join the Fine Arts Society.

To learn more, visit our Web site, www.bsc.edu/academics/fas, or contact the Offi ce of College Events at 205/226-4921 or fi [email protected].

Birmingham-Southern College BSC spring 2009 / 15 FACULTY NEWS

in the postwar era,” she describes. Dr.VictoriaOtt: For the book’s genealogical and historical research, Ott drew from Exploring the history and identity of young several personal and published recollections of the war, slavery, and women in the old South the Old South. She spent dozens BY PAT COLE of hours browsing historical U.S. census records online and mining state archival sources and libraries for slave-holding families that had make sure they stayed elite girls daughters between the ages of 12 and that they would eventually and 18 when the war began. She marry elite men and have elite spent an entire summer traveling families,” says Ott, who is an and visiting research centers such as assistant professor of history. “Yet, the Southern Historical Collection ironically, I found too that these at the University of North Carolina- young girls were at times challenging Chapel Hill and the Virginia convention. They became political Historical Society. and civic activists throughout the “In my searches for girls coming war; entered areas of paid work, of age in the Civil War South, I primarily as teachers; initiated a was able to come up with a sample liberalization of courtship behavior; group of 85 young women,” says and took on new roles in the Ott. “I dove into the diaries and home like childcare. They were very letters of these young girls, most of willing to step out of traditions and whom were born between 1843 and expectations if it meant preserving 1849. I found one girl who started the traditional path for elite, a diary when she was 13 and wrote Ott We’re all familiar with the slaveholding women. until she was 28.” innumerable caricatures of the “These young women lived in a In fact, the majority of the diary Scarlet O’Haras and the elite and patriarchal society that held them entries she found from the Civil quintessential young Southern belle captive to a way of life. Although War-era were written by teenage of the pre- and post-Civil War South. bent on sustaining their families, girls. Twenty eight of the young But Birmingham-Southern historian their political engagement—rooted women in her study were from Dr. Victoria Ott has quite a different in the female youth culture—was Virginia. view, especially in terms of the expressed through their clothing “It was much harder to fi nd diary role these young women played in as well as through social activities, writings from other age groups shaping Southern culture. relationships with peers, and during that period,” she notes. Ott’s research on this topic, interactions with Union “These young girls were daughters of a continuation of her soldiers.”sold the Southern gentry and likely had doctoral thesis, culminated OttO also explores the more time to write.” in her fi rst book being issueissu of war and memory Ott could very easily identify published last year by in regards to this age with some of the girls’ writings, Southern Illinois Universityy group.gr She contends but wanted to stay objective as an Press entitled Confederate thatth they created in author. Daughters: Coming of Age theirth published and “As a married woman myself, During the Civil War. In thee unpublishedu memoirs a my hearts breaks a little when I book, she delves into gender,er, uniqueu female identity read the diary of a young woman age, and the creation of fromf that of older whose beau was on the battlefi eld,” Confederate nationalism byy SouthernS women, she says. examining the lives of severalral whichw she terms the Her book falls right in line with teenage daughters of Southern “Confederate belle” image. her main fi eld of research which slaveholding, secessionist families. “This image helps augment our centers on the U.S. South and “I argue in my book that understanding of women’s roles in women’s history with regard to the their willingness to support the supporting the Lost Cause narrative pre-Civil War and post-Civil War periods. Confederacy was born out of a that attempted to venerate the She says she has learned through conservative movement to support Confederacy, as well as to support a her studies how history often has and maintain the status quo, to return to racial and gender hierarchy viewed teenagers as apolitical or

16 / ’southern FACULTY NEWS

Through to gaining civil rights. her readings, Although nothing could quell her she’s also love for researching history, Ott does discovered that say she would much rather be known specifi c details for her teaching and scholarship. of Southern One of her main goals has been women’s to avoid simply spoon-feeding Dr. Victoria Ott (center) received this year’s Bob Whetstone contributions to information to her students and to Faculty Development Award from BSC Interim Provost and America’s history teach them to think in the tradition Ada Rittenhouse Snavely Professor of Biology Dr. Wayne Shew and traditions of a true liberal arts education. (left) and Dr. Bob Whetstone. remain largely “I encourage them to critically stereotypical. She examine information rather than apathetic, yet these girls found their is among a bold new generation of memorize facts and dates,” she own meaning out of a war, which critics providing a radical shake-up remarks. “I want to give them the in turn shaped their identity. While to those Southern images. tools of history, but I also want they supported the fi ght against the “Southerners back then weren’t them to make their own informed northern enemy for the freedom to the kind of homogenous group that position; to come up with their own own slaves, these young women also people like to think they were,” interpretation about the past from expanded their own personal rights remarks Ott. “I think Southerners the evidence they’re given.” and liberties. and their history is very complex, Ott’s teaching has made an impact “It made me realize that and often over-simplifi ed in our and drawn attention. This past fall, when young people come of age popular culture. I chose to study she was recognized with the 2008 during a time of crisis—be it war, those complex issues that stem from Bob Whetstone Faculty Development economic depression, or a major race, gender, and ethnic differences.” Award. The cash award, named for environmental catastrophe—the Ott joined the BSC faculty in the 1955 BSC graduate, professor experience becomes a crystallizing 2004 after leaving a teaching stint emeritus, and former chair of the moment in their lives,” says Ott. at the University of Tennessee. She Division of Education at BSC, “Then, as they get older, it sets teaches core courses in Civil War is presented annually to a non- their world view, and they look and Reconstruction, Old South, New tenured faculty member who has at life through the lens of that South, and U.S. Women. She also demonstrated excellence in teaching experience, whether knowingly or teaches a fi rst-year student seminar during the previous year. She plans unknowingly.” each spring called Reforming to use her monetary award for Ott holds bachelor’s and America. expenses associated with her new master’s degrees in history from the “What has been pleasantly research project. University of Central Florida and a surprising about the students here “I am working on a new project doctorate in American history from is how much they ‘raise the bar,’” that I hope will culminate in a the University of Tennessee. she says. “They ask questions and second book,” she says. “It is As the daughter of a University of bring up perspectives about history dealing with poor and yeomen white North Alabama history professor, that I don’t even think about, and families in Alabama before and she grew up in Florence, with the they make me want to be a better during the Civil War, with particular college campus “literally in my professor.” emphasis on how this group used backyard,” Ott notes. She started Ott is a member of the college’s gender ideals and imagery as a source college at UNA as a theatre major, Faculty Advisory Committee, serves of social and legal empowerment. but got turned on to history instead as an advisor to three student Currently, I am mining the court after eventually transferring to organizations, and is invited to records of this socio-economic Central Florida. lecture from time to time at special group.” “What really got me excited about events on- and off-campus. She Ott’s non-academic pursuits the study of the South and women has written numerous encyclopedia include hiking, live music, and was a Southern history course I took articles and contributed to a book of documentary fi lms. She also is during my undergraduate years at essays published by the University deeply concerned about animal Central Florida,” she says. “The of Alabama Press in 2008 entitled welfare. way the professor wove the story of The Great War in the Heart of Dixie: “All the animals I have taken Southern women into her lectures Alabama during World War I. Her in over the years have been either left me wanting to learn more. I’m essay deals with African Americans neglected or abandoned animals,” inspired by the women from the working on the Muscle Shoals says Ott, who has a dog and three past. It’s their strength, courage, project in northwest Alabama and cats. “I try to advocate for those tenacity, even their mistakes, that I how their new economic roles animals in some way or another.” enjoy reading about.” became a stepping stone in the path

spring 2009 / 17 FACULTY NEWS

Dr. James “Jim” Cook ’68 Four longtime BSC faculty Professor of Music

members retire with a “Some of the most memorable combined 114 years of service parts of life are the things that happen for the fi rst time,” says Birmingham-Southern organist Dr. Birmingham-Southern will lose an become fi nalists at Metropolitan Jim Cook. “I remember the fi rst incredible knowledge resource when Opera auditions in New York, and time I had a student win fi rst place four longtime professors, whose I am very proud,” says Allen, who in an organ competition beyond years of service total more than 100 joined BSC in 1986. “I’ve always Alabama. That was the most exciting years, retire at the end of the spring tried to teach them plain stick-to- news I had ever heard! semester. Here are a few details of it-tive-ness; to not be defl ected by their accomplishments and careers, defeat in auditions; to improve and along with their comments: stay with it.” Since she was a youngster growing up in parts of Tennessee and Mississippi, Allen has had a passion for classical music and opera. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in vocal Cook performance, and earned a master’s “The student was a junior and summa cum laude from the New she had competed against organists England Conservatory of Music. from graduate school as well as from “I really love teaching and all over the Southeast. That’s when especially working with young I thought that maybe I was doing singers,” Allen expresses. “I’ve also something right.” enjoyed instructing classes in the Although Cook will remain at BSC Harrison Honors Program at BSC as a part-time organ teacher, he’ll be and being around those dedicated retiring after the spring term as he students, as well as formulating the fi nishes his 35th year at BSC. multidisciplinary honors course Cook graduated from Allen Mildred Allen “Impressionism in Painting, Music, Birmingham-Southern in organ Professor of Music and Literature.” performance and earned a master’s For a long time, she has been a and Ph.D. from the University of For Mildred Allen, a gifted champion of new music, particularly Texas. A native of Birmingham, operatic soprano once noted by the work of her BSC colleague Dr. he began teaching at BSC in 1974, The Birmingham News for her Charles Norman Mason [professor developing a specialty in organ “impeccable musicianship,” music of music], who composed the song, performance and music history has always been and continues to be Caged Skylark, for her. She sang the classes. foremost in her life. title role in his opera Daphne at Sea “After working with students over During her 23 years at BSC, in 1999. a long period of time, from two to she has been an integral part of In terms of post-BSC plans, Allen four years, and remembering what the vocal faculty and has directed says she will remain active in local they could do when they started, many opera productions in the art and cultural organizations, and then fi nding out what they can College Theatre. Highlights of her especially Birmingham Opera, and do now … it’s wonderful,” expresses professional singing career include continue teaching voice lessons Cook. 10 years with the Metropolitan through the BSC Conservatory and In addition to his teaching on the Opera as a principal artist and a from her home. She also plans to “king of instruments,” Cook directs solo engagement with the New York travel with her husband, Dr. Edward the Chancel Choir at Birmingham’s Philharmonic. Taub, in his work as a neuroscientist First United Methodist Church, “Many of my former students have at UAB. where he has served on the music

18 / ’southern FACULTY NEWS

staff since 1974. He continues to Growth and Development, perform throughout the Southeast and Seminar in Teaching and has been an organ consultant to Technology. many churches in Alabama. “I will continue to be Cook also is a national offi cer supportive of the Education with the Organ Historical Society Department and new faculty and maintains their database that on this campus,” she remarks. documents pipe organs all over the “This is an exciting time to country. His online Introduction to LaMonte be a teacher. The National the History of the Pipe Organ is used Council for Teachers of as a textbook in several colleges and and instructor in the college’s Moore joined the Birmingham- Mathematics has made a universities throughout the country. Master of Arts in Public and Private Southern faculty in 1975. Originally 180-degree change in their Management program. He branched from Florence, she has a bachelor’s philosophy and pedagogy. out in 2000 to become director of degree in art from Florence The change from worksheet- Dr. Edward LaMonte the college’s International Programs State College and a master’s and driven courses of study to a Howell Hefl in Professor Offi ce (now known as the Sklenar doctorate in education from Auburn focus on student inquiry has of Political Science Center) to help develop policies University. been amazing.” for students who study abroad and While she says her work in the In post-retirement, Moore Dr. Edward LaMonte doesn’t also serves as coordinator of BSC’s Education Department has been says she will continue just teach his students, he “engages international studies major. particularly rewarding, she will miss teaching, but her venue will them,” while sharing knowledge For his encore, LaMonte plans her current level of interaction with change. Unbeknownst to of his active participation for many to travel with his wife, Ruth (they many, she is a tremendously years in local government and have trips planned to Northern talented quilter. community life. Ireland and Scotland this July and “I currently teach quilting A professor of political science the Middle East in the fall), and at three different places in at Birmingham-Southern since teach overseas as a Fulbright Senior the Birmingham area,” she 1987, LaMonte has taught his Specialist. He recently completed says. “As teaching always students such varied topics as U.S. the fi rst draft of an essay on the does, quilting fi lls me up and public policy, civil/human rights, career of former Birmingham Mayor always leaves me wanting leadership, and ethics and politics. David Vann as an elected offi cial. more.” He grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and “After this essay, I would like is the recipient of an undergraduate to write on the signifi cance of the degree in history from Harvard election of Richard Arrington Jr., and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in viewed not purely academically, but political science from the University also more personally,” says LaMonte, Moore of Chicago. who was Arrington’s senior staff He says unequivocally that “the member from 1979-87. “I also both students and faculty. best part of teaching has been want to maintain some involvement During her 44-year career, Moore associating with students both inside with BSC’s international efforts and has taught on the graduate level and and outside the classroom—over hopefully teach a course on campus in elementary, middle, and high an extended period of time—and from time-to-time after the 2009-10 schools throughout Alabama, as well watching with delight as old academic year.” as been actively involved in national assumptions were challenged and and state educators’ associations. sometimes cast aside, new insights She also has traveled to many were gained into intellectual Dr. Eileen Moore countries overseas to attend teaching interests and community and Professor of Education seminars and has taught at foreign world conditions, unexpected universities. opportunities developed, and career For the past 34 years, Dr. Eileen Moore teaches seven courses each decisions were made.” Moore has trained many student year at BSC, with recent courses During his 22 years on campus, teachers and has served as a being Creative Arts in Teaching, LaMonte has served as chair of the visionary with big ideas when it Teaching High School Subjects, Behavioral Sciences Division, dean comes to integrating technology into Reading in the Content Area, of the former Adult Studies Program, the classroom. Teaching Mathematics, Human

spring 2009 / 19 FACULTY NEWS

Remembering Professors Holliman and Bailey: two greats of BSC biology

Two well-respected former biology professors at Birmingham-Southern died in February 2009. Each, because of the length of his service to the college and because of his impact—both in the classroom and beyond— will long remain in the memories of BSC faculty, staff, and the many students whose lives and careers they infl uenced.

Dr. Dan Clark Holliman, professor of Natural History as curator 30 years has been a highly-regarded emeritus of biology, died Feb. 19. of mammalogy and had been annual spring program for adults He was 76. A native of Jefferson contributing editor for the quarterly and children on the natural history County, Ala., who held bachelor’s, series Nature South. He was and ecology of the Southern master’s, and doctoral degrees instrumental in the establishment of Appalachian Mountains. from the University of Alabama, the Audubon Mountain Workshop Holliman authored 35 scientifi c Holliman retired in 2000 at Mentone, which for more than papers and was a member of Phi as the Ada Rittenhouse Snavely Professor of Biology at BSC. His teaching and research careers at BSC, UAB, the University of Alabama, and Dauphin Island Sea Lab on Dauphin Island, Ala., spanned 44 years, including 38 at Birmingham-Southern. He also conducted research in the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon River Valley Holliman at the fi rst international rain forest symposium in Peru. He was among those involved in the creation of the fi rst rain forest canopy walkway in the New World. In the tradition of the liberal arts, this skilled research scientist taught honors courses on Henry David Thoreau and studied under Thoreau scholars at Concord, Mass. He worked with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Science Foundation, Coastal Area Board of Alabama, and NASA. He was on the staff of the Alabama Museum From left, Professor Holliman, Chemistry Professor William Mountcastle Jr., and B Professor Bailey

20 / ’southern FACULTY NEWS

Beta Kappa. His research interests the establishment of the Bankhead Dr. Paul Clinton Bailey Sr., a included rare and endangered Wilderness. former chair of the Department species and avian and mammalian His many formal honors include of Biology and the Division of ecology, with emphasis on the the Gardner Award from the Math and Sciences at Birmingham- taxonomy of aquatic macro Alabama Academy of Science for Southern, died Feb. 27 at the age invertebrates. The subjects of notable achievements in the fi eld of of 87. With master’s and doctoral his research ranged from purple science in Alabama, ODK Excellence degrees from Vanderbilt University, gallinules, clapper rails, and beach in Teaching Award at BSC, Legacy he joined the faculty of Alabama mice, to wetlands and land use Award for the creation of the College (now University of studies in the Southeastern U.S. His Greystone Educational Wetland, Montevallo), serving as professor work led to the protection of specifi c Alabama Governor’s Award by the and chair of the Biology Department endangered species, including the Alabama Wildlife Federation for the from 1947-63. He then came to Perdido beach mouse, and aided in Wildlife Conservationist of the Year, BSC, where, in addition to his and Exemplary Teaching work in the Division of Math Award by the Board of and Sciences, he served as acting Higher Education and president and academic dean at Campus Ministry of the the college until his retirement in United Methodist Church. 1985. He was awarded an honorary Informally, he was honored doctorate of literature degree from by the high regard of his Birmingham-Southern in 1993. colleagues in the scientifi c Bailey, a noted research geneticist, and environmental dedicated more than 20 years of his communities of his career to cancer research identifying home state, one of whom numerous causes and treatments described him, at a March of lymphoma. He worked to 14, 2009, memorial service publish several college textbooks for in Yeilding Chapel, as one freshman biology, and his academic of the greatest all-around pre-med program at BSC produced naturalists Alabama has many doctors and dentists in ever produced. practice today. Dr. Scot Duncan, a Honors accorded him include Phi member of the current Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, biology faculty at BSC, in Pi Tau Chi Honor Society, Society the same service, called of Sigma Xi, and Beta Beta Beta Holliman “an inspiration,” Honorary Biological Fraternity. He and said he should be was recognized as Marquis’s Who’s remembered for his Who in the World and Outstanding scholarship, his impact Educator of America. He also was on the environment, and honored with the Alabama Academy his impact on hundreds, perhaps of Science Distinguished Service thousands of students. Award and listed in the Library of At the request of family, donations, Alabama Lives. designated “Dan Holliman Memorial At the request of family, donations Gift,” may be made to Birmingham- designated “Dr. Paul C. Bailey Southern through the Offi ce of Scholarship Fund” may be made to Institutional Advancement, 900 Birmingham-Southern through the Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL Offi ce of Institutional Advancement. 35254.

Bailey

spring 2009 / 21 FACULTY NEWS

Flowers receives Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award from United Methodist Church

Michael Flowers, professor of theatre and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Birmingham-Southern, has been presented with the 2008-09 Exemplary Teaching Award funded by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. The award is presented annually to a BSC professor who is characterized by excellence in teaching; civility and concern for students and colleagues alike; commitment to value- centered education; and service to students, the institution, the community, or the church. Nominations are solicited from the college community and are reviewed by a faculty committee. “Michael is a role model for his students, demonstrating high ethical standards, a passion for learning, an outstanding work ethic, and the discipline that one needs to succeed— whether in the classroom or in a profession,” said Dr. Wayne Shew, interim provost at BSC and Ada Rittenhouse Snavely Professor of Biology. “He is a dedicated teacher and is willing Flowers to put in the time and energy to ensure that he does the best job possible.” Flowers has taught theatre courses at Birmingham-Southern since 1984. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University and his master’s from the University of Mississippi.

Bruess to publish eighth book

Dr. Clint Bruess, professor of education at Birmingham-Southern, is writing his eighth book, entitled Promoting Health Behavior, scheduled for release by the Benjamin Cummings Publishing Co. of California in 2012. Intended as a high-level college text for use in personal health courses around the country, the book will provide a comprehensive and rigorous introduction to the theory and practice of health promotion. Bruess plans to use concept modules throughout the book to help students recognize and focus on the main ideas of each chapter. “The heading of each module is a carefully designed statement of an important health concept,” Bruess explained. “Each concept heading is a focal point for a module, and all the module’s text and illustrations will come together around that concept.” Bruess’ already published books he co-wrote, three of which are active college texts, are Selected Readings in Health (Macmillan Co., 1970), Implementing Comprehensive School Health (Macmillan Co., 1978), Sexuality Education: Theory and Practice (Wadsworth, 1981—revised in 1988, 1994, 2004, and 2009), Decisions for Health (Wadsworth, 1985—revised in 1989, 1992, and 1995), Healthy Decisions (Brown & Benchmark, 1994), Sexuality: Insights and Issues (William C. Brown Co., 1986—revised in 1989 and 1992), and Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality (Jones & Bartlett, 2000—revised in 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2010). Bruess Two of the books, Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality and Sexuality Education: Theory and Practice are used in classes at BSC as well as at a number of colleges in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. Bruess came to Birmingham-Southern in 2001 after serving as dean of the School of Education at UAB for 12 years. He received his bachelor’s degree from Macalester College, his master’s from the University of Maryland, and his Ed.D. in health education from Temple University.

22 / ’southern STUDENT NEWS

Long live the king and queen —Music major Meagan Langford of SGA executive offi cers for 2009-10 are (from left) Amy Hueytown Sessions, treasurer; Lee Hopf, second vice president; Will and biology Breland, president; Mary Catherine McAnnally, fi rst vice major William president; and Ben Odendahl, secretary. Moore of Clanton, both seniors, were crowned the 2008 Birmingham-Southern Homecoming Queen BSC students elect new and King Nov. 8 during halftime ceremonies of the Homecoming football game against conference foe SGA offi cers Sewanee. Langford is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, Concert Choir, and Jazz Band as well as a Will Breland, a sophomore history major from Decatur, resident advisor. Moore is active in Theta Chi fraternity, recently was elected president of the Birmingham-Southern Honor Council, Reformed University Fellowship, and is Student Government Association for the 2009-10 academic president of the Interfraternity Council. The students year. were nominated and selected by their peers. Breland formerly served as secretary of the SGA. He is a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, BSC College Democrats, and serves as a resident advisor. “Our goals for this academic year are to increase the student entertainment budget, purchase a new Web site for the SGA, and increase philanthropic and environmental initiatives,” said Breland. “We are also planning to make the SGA more open and accessible for students.” Also elected to executive offi ce for 2009-10 were: Mary Catherine McAnnally, a sophomore English major from Mountain Brook, who will serve as fi rst vice president. She is a member of Chi Omega sorority, ’Southern Ambassadors, President’s Service Team, and Reformed University Fellowship. Lee Hopf, a sophomore English major from Warner Robins, Ga., will serve as second vice president. He is former SGA treasurer, a resident advisor, and public relations coordinator for Quest II. He also is a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Paul Ben Odendahl, a sophomore political science major from Real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda— Rusesabagina (center), whose heroism inspired the Hampton Cove, will serve as secretary. He is fi rst vice chair riveting fi lm Hotel Rwanda, delivered the Alex P. of the College Republicans and a member of the Executive Stirling Lecture to a packed Bruno Great Hall on the Committee of the Residence Hall Association. He also is a Birmingham-Southern campus. Rusesabagina risked resident advisor. his life and the lives of his family when he used his Amy Sessions, a freshman biology major and Harrison infl uence as manager of a luxury hotel in Rwanda to Honors Scholar from Grand Bay, will serve as treasurer. She save more than 1,000 Tutsis from death at the hands of is a former SGA representative on the Communications Hutu militia during the 100-day genocide in 1994. The Committee. She also is a member of Chi Omega sorority Stirling Lecture is sponsored by the college’s Student and a cheerleader. Government Association in memory of a BSC student The BSC student body also voted to fi ll 18 student who died of cancer in 1995. Then-SGA executive offi cers pictured with Rusesabagina after his speech are (from representative seats for the SGA. Freshmen will be elected left) Charisma Shah, second vice president; Trey Cotney, and added this fall. The college’s SGA is made up of president; Brad Robinson, fi rst vice president; and Will 28 main positions, 27 of those being voting positions. Breland, secretary. There are also 20 or so students active on committees, subcommittees, and councils. spring 2009 / 23 STUDENT NEWS

Puzzling over proteins BSC student Joanna Maya takes a hands-on approach to research BY PAT COLE

fi nd enough evidence showing that K-Ras decreases the effectiveness of Maya PEDF as a tumor-suppressor, then Like so many Birmingham- support for undergraduate juniors that would indicate that PEDF has Southern students, Joanna Maya to attend two annual meetings of the potential to be developed into is eager to learn and make a the AACR. Only 10 U.S. students an effective drug therapy to halt the positive impact on the world are chosen each year for the award. growth of cancer in the future.” after graduation. She believes her The annual meetings of the AACR Proteins perform most of the coursework and research at BSC will are attended by more than 17,000 body’s basic chemical work, help her to do just that. scientists from around the globe. from infl uencing food intake and “I’ve wanted to pursue a career She attended this year’s meeting energy expenditures to fi ghting off as a physician since high school,” April 18-22 in Denver and presented viruses and bacteria before they says Maya, a junior from Inverness a poster on her research. Maya has can evade. Specifi c steps in Maya’s studying toward a degree in been studying the anti-cancerous fi rst lab phase of protein analysis biology with a minor in French effects of a protein called pigment involve growing a model of human and chemistry. “Ever since I started epithelium-derived factor or PEDF, pancreatic epithelial cell line and working in the labs on campus, which inhibits pancreatic cancer performing experiments on the however, I’ve decided I want in mice. expression levels of PEDF in that research to become a part of my “A mutation in a protein called cell line. career as well.” K-Ras has been documented in a “To measure the levels of PEDF Maya, who has spent the last nine great number of pancreatic cancers, protein in human pancreatic cells, I months working in the Stephens and it is suspected that this mutation fi rst have to grow the cells on culture Science Center laboratory of BSC causes a change in the levels of PEDF plates and maintain them until Assistant Professor Dr. Gretchen produced in humans,” explains they are dense enough to be used Repasky, recently earned the Maya, whose work is part of a in an experiment,” she describes. prestigious 2009 Thomas J. Bardos rapidly moving science in analysis “Once I have enough cells, I collect Science Education Award from the of the proteins that control cellular them and, by using a detergent, I American Association for Cancer communication. “My research is break open the cell membranes and Research (AACR) for her research. focused on defi ning the relationship harvest the total amount of protein The two-year award provides a between these two proteins in inside of them. Then, I conduct a research stipend and fi nancial human pancreatic cells. If we can western blot, which is a technique

24 / ’southern STUDENT NEWS

college’s Multicultural Awareness Organization, and this past January, participated in a group Interim trip to Mexico and Guatemala, led by Dr. Peter Van Zandt, BSC visiting assistant professor of biology. Maya says her international perspective has changed as a result of the travel. “I was so excited about getting to study the Mayan ruins there,” she says, “but I didn’t realize at the time what an eye-opening experience it would actually turn out to be. The cultural immersion was the best part. Americans take so many things for granted and this experience has taught me to be more thankful for to separate the proteins, and use has been conducting PEDF protein what I have. The trip also inspired antibodies that bind to the specifi c research since 2005. “She did very me to explore career opportunities protein we are looking for. well in the lab, and we discussed that could lead me abroad and “I also perform many her doing her senior research where I can lend my services to transfections in the lab, where I take project with me. To get started, we people who are otherwise deprived DNA that has the gene of interest contracted a research project last fall of adequate medical care.” (in my case, usually the PEDF gene) so that she could continue working Experiences like that are what incorporated into it and insert it in the lab regularly. make Maya appreciate her time at into cells by chemical means. This In addition to encouraging Maya Birmingham-Southern. causes the cells to produce “extra” to explore and ask questions, “I am very happy being here,” she amounts of the protein encoded Repasky has provided her with says. “I have greatly enjoyed and by the gene that allow me to study plenty of scientifi c challenges. benefi ted from the small class sizes the effects of the over-expression of “What impressed me the most at BSC and the availability of the PEDF on factors such as cell growth about Joanna is that right from professors outside of class.” and changes in cell shape. the start she was meticulous and Following her graduation, Maya “Although most of my research is careful, critiquing each step and is considering a career in oncology spent troubleshooting, all the effort designing new experiments to and cancer research, a profession I put into a project is helping us answer questions that developed close to the life she grew up around. get one step closer to the answers from her results,” she comments. Her mother, a former family we’re looking for,” she points out. Her work has given some surprising medical practitioner, now works “The sense of accomplishment and and interesting fi ndings and led us in clinical research, and her father satisfaction you get from doing to consider alternative mechanisms is a nephrologist (kidney disease research is very rewarding.” for regulation of this protein.” specialist) at UAB. Both of her What began as a paid summer Maya believes working in the lab parents are natives of Colombia, research project for Maya has now has opened doors on her future. South America. turned into her senior research “I really enjoyed attending the Maya cites the continued presence project for academic credit, which AACR meeting in Denver this of mentors like Repasky—a hallmark she offi cially began this spring. She spring,” she says. “It was quite of Birmingham-Southern’s research spends 5-6 hours per week now an experience to be able to share training—as laying a strong trying to help uncover the mechanics my research and fi ndings with foundation for her future career. of the PEDF protein for new cancer people who have the same interests She hopes other BSC students will drug therapies, which would have a as me, and in turn, be given the take advantage of the many research major impact on global health. opportunity to explore all different opportunities the college offers. “I was so impressed with Joanna’s kinds of research and career “I love conducting research,” work in my class that I offered opportunities.” she emphasizes. “There is only so her a summer 2008 research Aside from coursework and lab much information I can learn out position, paid by a grant from the work, Maya does everything she of textbook, but when I apply what Research Corporation for Science can to make her BSC experience I learned in a lab, it really means Advancement,” says Repasky, who a great one. She is active in the something to me.”

spring 2009 / 25 STUDENT NEWS

Birmingham-Southern students take in a world of experiences during the 2009 Interim term

Whether it was tax preparation volunteering in Birmingham, taking a campus course on photojournalism, navigating a maze of Southeastern barbecue restaurants, or jetting to such breathtaking locations as Italy, Africa, and Southeast Asia, Birmingham-Southern students took the opportunity to engage in new subjects and life-enriching experiences during the January Interim term. Here are just a few highlights:

Photo by Larry McCormack of The Tennessean

The photojournalism class visited The Birmingham News during the term. A Southern BBQ journey A crash course on Four Birmingham-Southern students traveled throughout the Southeast sampling top-notch pork barbecue for academic photojournalism credit. Seen here in downtown Nashville, the students (left to right) are Matt Lee, Will Foster, Jeff Vaughan, and Art Richey. Their The campus Interim course “Show Me a Story: a Peek into unique Interim project—approved by BSC—involved a 17-day tour Photojournalism” gave 18 students a glimpse into the booming of about 20 Southeastern barbecue establishments. and exciting world of photographing current events, focusing upon The ’Southern BBQ Boys, as they called themselves, honed their the creation and portrayal of truth in photography. Taught by food and travel writing skills as they explored the cultural origins, Pamela Venz, chair of the BSC Department of Art and Art History, differences in style, and signifi cance of Southern pork barbecue; professor, and photographer, the course exposed students to a they wrote about their experiences daily in an interactive group career they might like to have someday. blog at www.southernbbqboys.com. “Professor Venz’s courses always push and stretch my artistic BSC English Instructor Robin Lee Mozer, whose area of abilities, making me think in a new and different way,” described specialization is creative nonfi ction writing, viewed the project Anna Nichols (shown in red boots), a senior English major. “Her as not only a fun way to explore nonfi ction, but also as a chance class not only helped to make me a better photographer as a to explore how accessible forms of new media like blogging and hobbiest and world traveler, but also aided me in my position as YouTube can be used to extend the classroom. features editor of The Hilltop News.” Since their travel began, the ’Southern BBQ Boys have garnered lots of publicity, including a March 7 appearance on the FOX News “FOX & Friends” weekend morning TV show in New York City.

26 / ’southern STUDENT NEWS m

(From left to right) Pictured on top of ruins in ancient Maya of Mexico are students Brian Perrin, Anna Bianchi, William Skinner, John Morris, and Joanna Maya. Exposure to Southeast Asia

Mayan archaeoastronomy “Southeast Asia: History, Culture, Politics, and Development” was the focus of an Interim project in which 11 students traveled to One group of 10 BSC students under the leadership of Dr. Peter Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia for an overview of the history, Van Zandt, BSC visiting assistant professor of biology, trekked culture, politics, and economic development in the area which the through the ruins and dense jungle trails of Mexico and Guatemala French called Indochina during the colonial period. for two weeks to investigate the observational methods of the “It was a wonderful group of students who were never late and ancient Maya civilizations’ highly skilled astronomers. At some participated enthusiastically in all phases of the project,” said Dr. sites, the group conducted measurement experiments on recently Bob Slagter, BSC professor of political science who led the travel. excavated temples to see if they aligned with important stations of “I think they were most interested to fi nd that Southeast Asian the sun or with visible planets such as Venus. cultures are so different from that with which they are familiar.” “The Mayan Archeoastronomy trip was not just a school- organized vacation that took us deep into Mexico’s beautiful southeastern backcountry,” said William Skinner, a sophomore computer science major. “The way of life inherited A lesson in service by the people we met, coupled with teachings of the One class of Birmingham-Southern students found themselves Mayans’ deep understandings of the cosmos, was truly eye on the “giving” end as they responded to the vision problems opening. It was a sharp conviction that we must learn to accept all of low-income children around the state and offered free tax cultures, religions, and the people who practice them.” preparation services to low-income adults. Stephen Black, director of Impact Alabama, and Dr. Kathleen Rossmann, BSC professor of economics, taught an Interim course called “Poverty in America: “This year, 197 students participated in An Examination of Policies and Attitudes toward Low-Income Families in America.” In addition to reading, discussing, and the 12 faculty-led Interim study-travel writing about issues related to poverty, students participated in two service-learning projects. projects (165 of these students traveled “Students were trained to use vision-screening equipment and outside the U.S.), while 91 pursued then screened children in low-income daycare centers all over the state, including Dothan, Greensboro, and Selma,” said Rossmann. independent contracts for study, study-travel, “Students were also trained and tested to become volunteer tax or internships,” said Jennifer Roth-Burnette, preparers. They prepared taxes for people who qualifi ed for the Earned Income Tax Credit in west Birmingham, Bessemer, Decatur, director of interim and contract learning at and Gadsden.” BSC. “1,016 students took part in over 70 on-campus projects led by BSC faculty.”

spring 2009 / 27 STUDENT NEWS

Student relies on BSC’s Individualized Major Program to defi ne goals

BY PAT COLE

Lunceford Having a college major structured can customize their programs of Lunceford turned to the with the study of digital technology study. During his sophomore year, Individualized Major Program and journalism became a sought- Lunceford decided to prioritize the at BSC to make the most of his after goal for Birmingham-Southern crafting of his own major, engaging newfound passion for reporting and junior Jon Lunceford of Homewood. in an involved, but rewarding online journalism. Lunceford has designed his own process with a faculty committee “Through my job at WJOX, I’ve media-journalism degree, working and the Offi ce of Interim and learned that media is a big source in with faculty on classes which Contract Learning. Lunceford spent society for either good or bad, and I emphasize the practical skills of his fi rst year of college as a computer want to use that medium as a study research, writing, and thinking, science major at the University of to help my writing grow,” expresses along with a solid grounding on Alabama before transferring to BSC. Lunceford. “Writing and covering the convergence of print, radio, “I was very attracted to the different events is hard work, but it’s television, and the Internet. The Panther football program and fun and something I really enjoy, major allows him to bring together knew I wanted to be on the team,” and that’s why I am pursuing it.” the courses he has already taken explains Lunceford, who played on After gaining the faculty guidance in political theory and computer the offensive line his sophomore and support of Dr. Peter Donahue, science with classes on creative year. “But I wasn’t so sure about professor of English, and Dr. Natalie writing and communications. my decision to major in computer Davis, professor of political science, “Creating my own major is a science.” Lunceford made a list of all the process that I’m glad I discovered,” Lunceford spent a good deal of classes BSC offered that would fi t says Lunceford, “and has opened my time observing music and education into his new major. eyes to a whole new way of learning. classes at BSC and exploring other “I wrote down all the different Journalists these days are probably fi elds as possible majors. Finally, subjects like writing, political the single most important people a part-time job he landed at WJOX science, communications, when it comes to how the public 94.5 FM in Birmingham last spring broadcasting, public speaking, views different subjects, and I think got him thinking outside the box. theatre classes—anything that would this major will really help me learn “That’s when my focus changed,” really help develop my writing,” the skills I need in order to make Lunceford remarks. “As a reporter he explains. “After Dr. Donahue sure I am successful in this fi eld.” there, I found out I enjoyed writing, approved my general outline for a The individualized major is one of especially having the freedom to new major, he forwarded my request many ways in which BSC students write about what I wanted to.” to the Provost’s Offi ce.”

28 / ’southern STUDENT NEWS

Since Birmingham-Southern economics, as well as a journalism at the radio station,” says Lunceford. offers only a journalism minor, workshop—Intro to Print—taught “I had just covered my fi rst Auburn Lunceford will complete his credits by Donahue. This spring, he took football game for WJOX the for the 400-level journalism and media and politics, creative writing, weekend before the big news hit, communication classes required for a religion course on Methodism, and I felt it [Coach Franklin’s fi ring] the major at a nearby college. and economics. was bound to happen eventually. The Individualized Major Lunceford said there was another Being close to the fi eld that day, I Program, which was established at advantage to shaping his own couldn’t help but notice how bad BSC in the ’70s, continues to attract education: “I had really great the team was struggling and that interest from students seeking relationships with the different Franklin seemed to ‘not be into’ his to combine what Birmingham- professors who helped me work on job in the post-game interviews I Southern offers with their own this major. They helped me see new witnessed.” particular interests and goals. opportunities that I didn’t know Just three days after he wrote and Students have designed their existed at BSC and the potentials of posted a quick 1,000 word article majors around such varied topics as this major.” on www.bleacherreport.com about media-advertising, human rights in Since working as a young reporter Franklin’s fi ring, one of Lunceford’s the Americas, and animal-assisted at WJOX, Lunceford has found that friends called and told him his blog therapy. the Internet is the key medium for was front and center on the USA “Jon has shown great initiative spreading news content now as well Today sports online site. and commitment in designing as a hot new tool for journalists “A lot of media watch that his individualized major,” says to expand their audiences and particular Web site to get breaking Donahue. “What makes Jon the dialogue with the public. And, in news, so I guess they grabbed mine ideal candidate for this program is this new age of digital technology, as something interesting for that his enthusiasm for his chosen fi eld which creates speedy exchanges of day,” Lunceford remarks. “I also had of study: journalism. Jon’s interest information between people and plenty of quoted material in my blog in the fi eld extends across print, machines all over the globe, you just that I got from the Auburn players broadcast, and the Internet. He never know who may be reading and from Tony Franklin.” also knows how to take advantage what you wrote. Lunceford plans to add the USA of the opportunities available to That’s what Lunceford discovered Today credit to his résumé when he him here at BSC as part of his when his blog entry on the fi ring of graduates with a degree in media- program of study, including securing Tony Franklin, offensive coordinator journalism in May 2010. But he internships and writing for The of the Auburn University football is even prouder to have designed Hilltop News, all of which will help team, during football’s mid-season a self-personalized major, which set Jon up for his professional life in ended up on the front of USA Today’s displays to his future employers his journalism.” online sports page Oct. 8. willingness to create something new So far, Lunceford has taken courses “I learned about Coach Franklin’s and different. in religion, political science, and fi ring one afternoon while working

spring 2009 / 29 STUDENT NEWS

BSC theatre productions put gangland violence, capital punishment at center stage

Stephen Sondheim, and with Matt Poncelet, a death row was directed by BSC inmate, as he comes to grips with Professor of Theatre the horrendous crime he has Michael Flowers. committed and the fate that awaits The performance him. BSC theatre majors Mac Smith received kudos from Alec and Elisabeth Tutwiler performed Harvey, features editor the leading roles for the play, which for The Birmingham featured a 39-student cast and News, who attended ensemble. the fi nal performance Flowers, who directed the play, of West Side Story and expressed that “this was an exciting rated it one of the top opportunity for our students, the 10 productions of 2008 campus, and the community to look in Birmingham. “What at the issue of the death penalty a treat director Michael and all the questions surrounding Flowers put together it. It was also the perfect production with his talented kids for a liberal arts environment like (and a few grown-ups, ours where we are always asking BSC senior theatre major Elisabeth Tutwiler and junior theatre major Mac Smith too) from Birmingham- questions and looking at issues that performed the leading roles for Dead Man Walking. Southern,” said Harvey. confront us daily.” Students in Birmingham- “The singing was beautiful, and the Robert L. Baldwin M.D., a 2003 Southern’s Theatre and Dance choreography was even better.” graduate of the college’s Master Department have produced some Next, the issue of capital of Arts in Public and Private dynamic performances from the punishment was examined on stage Management program and president very fi rst semester of the 2008-09 when BSC premiered Dead Man and chair of the Alabama Ear season, bringing to light some heavy Walking during the January Interim Institute in Birmingham, gave a topics such as hate, violence, and term. This was the fi rst time the lecture and book signing before the capital punishment. production had been performed play entitled “Certain Truths about This past November, a cast and in Alabama. Life and Death?” Baldwin is the crew of 50 BSC students performed The play is titled from the best- author of Life and Death Matters: a four-day run of one of the greatest selling novel by Sister Helen Prejean, Seeking the Truth about Capital musicals of all time, West Side a Catholic nun who opposes the Punishment, which was released in Story, the tragic tale of star-crossed death penalty, and was written in December 2008. lovers on the west side of New York 2002 by Academy Award-winning City, caught between two warring actor and street gangs, the American Jets and director Tim the Puerto Rican Sharks. As they Robbins— struggle to survive in a world fi lled taken with fear, hate, and violence, Tony from the and Maria—portrayed by musical screenplay theatre majors Michael Seward of his and Christina Johnson—come to 1995 fi lm know the power of true love in the Dead Man midst of ultimate tragedy. Using a Walking. 24-piece orchestra, the production The drama featured a score, lyrics, and script traces from three of America’s most Prejean’s renowned theatre artists, including relationship BSC senior musical theatre major Michael Seward and junior musical theatre major Christina Johnson starred in West Side Story. 30 / ’southern STUDENT NEWS

The Whittington winners, pictured with guest orchestra conductor Les Fillmer, are (beginning second from left) Hannah Ellington, Anna Underwood, Josh Crowe, Christina McCauley, and Tyner Rushing.

2008-09 Whittington award winners showcase talent with local orchestra

A Feb. 15 concert at Birmingham- Crowe, who studies percussion Underwood, who studies with Southern featured the winners of the with Adjunct Professor Jay Burnham, Artist-in-Residence William DeVan, ninth annual Dorsey and Frances presented the fi nale of the Concertino performed the fi rst movement of Whittington Competition, which for Xylophone and Orchestra by Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor. the Music Department hosts in Toshior Mayuzumi. Les Fillmer, chairman emeritus late fall to showcase talented BSC Ellington sang Song to the Moon of the Alabama School of Fine students and provide them with the from Antonín Dvořák’s opera Arts Department of Music, guest- opportunity to perform with the Red Rusalka and Come scoglio from conducted the orchestra. Mountain Chamber Orchestra. Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte, The highly competitive The fi ve student winners this year McCauley sang Steal me Sweet Thief competition is named after Frances were: Josh Crowe, a sophomore from Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera and Dorsey Whittington, who composition major from Long The Old Maid and the Thief, and were leaders of the Birmingham Beach, Miss.; Hannah Ellington, Rushing sang Del mio core from the Conservatory of Music, which later a junior voice performance major opera L’anima del fi losofo ossia Orfeo became the Music Department of from Pelham; Christina McCauley, ed Euridice, composed by Franz Birmingham-Southern. Students a junior voice performance major Joseph Haydn. All three students performed a fi ve-to seven-minute from Marietta, Ga.; Tyner Rushing, study under the direction of Music preview to an outside panel of a senior music major from Mobile; Professor Dr. Jacqueline Leary- judges. and Anna Underwood, a senior Warsaw. music major from Homewood.

Student and alum’s sports article featured in Alabama Heritage magazine

The award-winning quarterly history magazine Alabama Heritage recently featured a sports article by a Birmingham-Southern student and 2008 alumnus. Senior Peter Starr and Ben Lewellyn’s article The BSC-Howard Rivalry: Birmingham’s Battle of the Marne, appears in the Winter 2009 issue. It ffocusesoc on the fi erce, but fun football rivalry between BSC and Howard College (now Samford University) which took place iinn the period between 1906 and 1939. Lewellyn and Starr published a book together in 2007 entitled Panthers on the Gridiron: Football at Birmingham-Southern, uundern the direction of Dr. Guy Hubbs, BSC associate professor of library science and archivist, and Dr. Mark Lester, BSC pprofessorr of history. The 28-page book chronicles the history of the football program at BSC—from its inception at the cocollege’s parent institutions (Southern University in Greensboro and Birmingham College)—to its last season on the HHilltop, which was in 1939. Shortly after the book was published, Hubbs urged the two writers to submit an article to Alabama Heritage for ppublication. “Although we wrote a separate article for the magazine, we drew heavily on the research we did for the book,” said Starr, a history major from Atlanta. “Alabama Heritage was primarily interested in the BSC-Howard rivalry, so we centered oouru writing on the signifi cance that annual game held for the two colleges, for Birmingham, and for the state of Alabama.” Lewellyn and Starr express their gratitude to the two professors who they say taught them how to look deeper and harder into the study of history and how to navigate their writing projects. “Drs. Hubbs and Lester suggested the projects, encouraged our work, and then offered innumerable corrections to both the book and the magazine article,” said Lewellyn, a BSC history graduate, now pursuing his master’s at Texas A&M. “Both of our projects are perfect examples of what studying history at BSC is all about: the pleasure and satisfaction of doing primary source research the right way, the freedom to explore topics suited to your interests and circumstances, and the support of incomparable faculty to guide you through the tough spots and see you through to the fi nish line.” spring 2009 / 31 FEATURES

Undergraduate research at BSC The picture bi g BY PAT COLE

The Elton B. Stephens Science Center houses the departments of biology, chemistry, and physics and includes the latest instruments and state-of-the-art design.

The defi nition of research is broad and its lessons can be endeavors, both individually and collaboratively, and in all timeless. Amanda Kramer decided for her senior Harrison disciplines—education, the humanities, business, the visual and Honors Program independent project to reach into the past and performing arts, and the natural and social sciences—are a key journey to 18th, 19th, and early 20th-century America to study component of a BSC liberal arts education. the important role of hymns in military and social history. Through research projects like Kramer’s and so many others, A theatre major from Alabaster who did research under Birmingham-Southern students fi nd themselves better prepared the supervision of Joseph Hugh Thomas Professor of Music for careers and graduate study, and faculty get to promote their Dr. Lester Seigel, Kramer narrowed her song search to the projects and interests and gain a better understanding of the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and World War II periods, and concepts they teach to students. Many BSC alumni have gone then visited music libraries, online catalogs, and rare book on to highly successful career paths in research, often crediting rooms for scores and information. their hands-on undergraduate experiences on the Hilltop. And She discovered through her research that many have felt that they are just as prepared and sometimes “Chester” during the Revolutionary War, “Battle even better prepared than their colleagues from larger research Hymn of the Republic” during the Civil War, and institutions. BSC alumni serve as evidence of the enormous “God Bless America” during the World War years all benefi t of doing research that transcend the boundaries of served as strong tools for churches to send out subtle campus and can truly affect the quality of people’s lives. messages for political purposes. “At Birmingham-Southern, our faculty is intimately engaged Kramer reported on her fi ndings during the in our students’ intellectual development,” says Dr. Wayne Shew, college’s Honors Day April 23, along with assistance interim provost and Ada from eight members of the BSC Concert Choir, Rittenhouse Snavely Senior theatre major conducted by senior music major Meagan Langford. Professor of Biology at Amanda Kramer This is just one example of the outstanding research BSC. “This begins with and signifi cant teaching that takes place on the excellent teaching in the Birmingham-Southern campus. The extensive involvement classroom, but it also of students and faculty in research, scholarship, and creative involves working with

Dr. Wayne Shew, interim provost and Ada Rittenhouse Snavely 32 / ’southern Professor of Biology FEATURES

“A real bonus of the college’s small size is the opportunity our students have to work with scholars on an individual basis.” them on their independent and collaborative research projects. Miniature to mammoth student “It is through this close relationship with faculty in a research and faculty research environment that our students truly learn how to question and investigate and organize their fi ndings in a well-written paper All academic areas at Birmingham-Southern open their or to produce a piece of creative art or music. A real bonus of doors to research. Some of the diverse approaches for doing the college’s small size is the opportunity our students have to undergraduate research include teaching fellows, independent work with scholars on an individual basis; a chance to learn by faculty or student study, faculty supervised research, regular mentoring and personal guidance.” and special course offerings and labs, summer student research So how is the “research” in undergraduate research defi ned? projects with faculty, and faculty/student collaborative projects Dr. Sharon Prado, former director of the Undergraduate in research and teaching. Approximately 101 BSC students were Research Opportunities Program at Boston University, gave an involved in independent Interim contract research experiences expansive defi nition of research as “any scientifi c, scholarly, or during the January 2009 term alone. artistic activity that leads to the production of new knowledge, Some students do research that is independent of a class they increased problem-solving capabilities including design and are taking and others have independently-structured research analysis, original critical or historical theory and interpretation.” as part of a course. And there are lots of research presentation When it comes to scholarship, investigation, discovery, opportunities, including the British Studies Symposium that writing, application, inquiry, creativity, and intrigue, there is was hosted by BSC last year, where students annually present simply no shortage on the Hilltop. Both original and serious papers on British history and literature; the gender studies scientifi c and scholarly study is regularly undertaken by BSC conferences sponsored by the Birmingham Area Consortium of faculty and students. Students are encouraged to participate in Higher Education and Associated Colleges of the South, where research and research-related opportunities throughout their students can explore sexuality and issues critical to the study academic life. of gender in contemporary society; and the annual Southern

spring 2009 / 33 FEATURES

Regional Honors Council conference where students, professors, UAB Scholar Symposium in March. His poster was entitled and college directors and staff gather regionally to share their “Establishment of Mesenchymal Cell Lines with Regulated commitment to honors research. Students present papers at all Expression of Runx2.” “Runx2 is a gene which regulates bone sorts of professional conferences across the U.S. formation,” he explains. “By controlling the expression of Additionally, students fi nd opportunity in the Latin Runx2, it could one day be possible to reverse the effects of American Studies Symposium, which is coordinated by BSC osteoporosis (a disease affecting 1 in 3 women worldwide and Associate Professor of Spanish Dr. Barbara Domcekova. The 28 million Americans).” interdisciplinary two-day conference, held annually on Birmingham-Southern professors also engage in research the Birmingham-Southern campus since 1994, showcases and scholarly activity in a variety of interesting ways and have original research by undergraduate students from colleges and a strong track record in receiving federal competitive awards— universities nationwide. The symposium’s sessions cover such more than half-a-million dollars have been granted within the issues as Latin American culture, politics, literature, art history, past fi ve years. Funds from NASA, the National Institutes of ecology, and health care and development. Health, and the National Science Foundation are used to pay Junior English major and Harrison Scholar Kimmie Farris of for faculty-student research activities, as well as equipment, Morris won the Association of the Southeastern Biologists poster travel, and for presentations at national and international competition at its annual meeting in Birmingham earlier this conferences. Faculty also have their research recognized through spring. Her poster presentation entitled, “An Egg Number vs. publications in well-known journals and in books, magazines, Size Trade-off in the Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis Callidryas,” and newspapers. won fi rst prize out of 80 entries from undergraduate and The ability to engage in research and make research graduate students across the Southeast. presentations is a product of general education and disciplinary Sophomore urban environmental studies major and Harrison study at Birmingham-Southern. Under the college’s Scholar Katie Gregory from Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a Foundations general education curriculum, students must summer position at the Academy for Environment and Great take two 1Y courses their fi rst year that “encourage intellectual Basin Institute Research Experience for Undergraduates program and community engagement,” and culminate their BSC at the University of Nevada at Reno, sponsored by the National undergraduate achievement with a senior conference. Science Foundation. The 10-week program will take place “All Birmingham-Southern students are required by the June 8 through Aug. 14 in the Eastern Sierra region of Nevada Foundations program to complete a scholarly piece of work,” within the Lake Tahoe-Truckee River-Pyramid Lake watershed. Shew notes. “As stated in the BSC catalog, ‘It is important that Gregory and the other participants will be exposed to diverse undergraduate students learn, through both independent and scientifi c inquiries and technologies to gain insight into how collaborative projects, the importance of scholarship to life-long science informs land and water use policy, management, and learning.’ conservation initiatives. “The most effective way for students to gain a true Junior biology major Jordan Scott of Lillian won fi rst place appreciation of what scholarship entails is by conducting in the undergraduate poster presentation at the 4th Annual research in their chosen fi eld of interest. This research can take

34 / ’southern FEATURES

Brainstorming Facing complex challenges involved with geriatric neuropathological Kinney disorders

Like many medical doctors, F. Cleveland Kinney ’67 developed a passion for anatomical characteristics of the human body in early childhood. His other passion for art and drawing also was nourished when he was a young boy. “My great aunt was an accomplished artist and gave me art lessons from elementary through high school,” says Kinney, who is a Birmingham native. “I believe my undergraduate degree in art and biology and doctorate in anatomy together have provided the perfect combination of skills for my work in geriatric psychiatry.” many forms: experiments and laboratory investigations in the Kinney is professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurobiology, cell biology, and sciences, performance or creation of an original art project or medicine at the UAB School of Medicine. For the past decade, he has directed piece of music, investigation of original sources of information the school’s Division of Geriatric Psychiatry. His clinical responsibilities include and writing a paper in the humanities, or development of diagnosing and managing geriatric psychiatric patients who suffer from dementing strategies to solve hypothetical problems in business to learn illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and related infi rmities, major depression, how best to deal with real-world problems.” bipolar affective disorder, and schizophrenia. He also instructs medical students Students are then given the opportunity to publicly share as they rotate on the inpatient psychiatric wards during their third-year-required their scholarship, research, and creativity with the BSC campus psychiatric clerkships. community at a senior conference. Usually, students and faculty Additionally, Kinney is involved in two major research projects: 1) working with have worked together for up to two semesters on a research colleague and principal investigator Dr. Dan Marson to evaluate medical competency project before it is presented. in patients who have sustained closed head trauma, and 2) serving as principal An independent project outside the major is the capstone investigator for an industrial drug which, perhaps, will alter the neuropathology experience of the college’s Donald C. Harrison Honors Program, of Alzheimer’s disease and potentially restore some of the cognitive defi cits of which currently has 115 freshman to senior student members. Alzheimer’s. The honors program invites highly motivated students who seek “The latter study is being sponsored by Elan and Wyeth drug corporations utilizing a stimulating and challenging academic experience. It addresses an experimental treatment that involves the infusion of an antibody against amyloid, its mission through small, interdisciplinary seminars developed a starchy substance which is abnormally deposited in the brains of patients suffering specifi cally for honors students and through upper-level courses from Alzheimer’s disease,” Kinney describes. “This is a large international study with an interdisciplinary focus. involving about 4,500 patients throughout the world. It is possible that this new Students in the program must complete fi ve multi-disciplinary form of treatment will dissolve the abnormally deposited amyloid in these patients honors courses (1 unit of credit per course) before graduation. and potentially will alter, in part, one of the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s The sixth unit they must earn is for the senior capstone project, disease.” which is divided into .5 unit halves per semester, and where Kinney earned his Ph.D. in anatomy from UAB in 1976 and his M.D. from the students are encouraged to engage in a research study outside University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1985. He graduated from Birmingham- their major. Southern with a double degree in biology and art, continuing his family’s legacy. “Students begin the second semester of their junior year His mother, Rufi e Dixon Holloway, was a 1938 BSC alumna, and his father, Richard framing the project they want to do and getting it approved by Warren Kinney Sr., graduated from BSC in 1933. the college’s Honors Committee,” explains Dr. Susan Hagen, “Because of the small class sizes at Birmingham-Southern, I received a lot of Mary Collett Munger Professor of English and director of the personal attention in the classroom,” says Kinney, who later served four years in the Harrison Honors Program at BSC. “The fi rst half of the senior U.S. Navy. “The professors made me aware of abilities I didn’t know I had, and they year is usually when they execute the project.” helped me to develop the confi dence for my future medical and teaching career.” Senior independent projects in the honors program this To add to his many awards, UAB recently honored Kinney with the establishment year ranged from “Urban Fairy Tales” and “Trash and the Art of of the F. Cleveland Kinney, Ph.D., M.D. Endowed Support Fund in Geriatric Psychiatry, Recycling” to “The Role of Hymns in the Baptist Church” and made possible by an anonymous donor.

spring 2009 / 35 FEATURES

Flu fi ght

Protecting the public’s health through global surveillance Shaw and research

Dr. Michael Shaw ’74, a virologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, has devoted years to protecting the public’s health by studying and monitoring the changeable nature of the infl uenza virus and other agents causing epidemics of acute respiratory disease. As associate director for laboratory science in the CDC’s Infl uenza Division since 2006, Shaw oversees all scientifi c and administrative aspects of his unit’s research and clinical laboratory work. This lab work includes everything from Dr. Andy Gannon, associate professor of biology, often works side by side with studying samples of common types of fl u to developing infl uenza countermeasures students in his lab. such as vaccines to genetically engineering fl u viruses for vaccine production and pathogenesis studies. “Our division, in collaboration with other members of the WHO Global Infl uenza “Consumption and Social Group Examination.” Hagen says Program, is responsible each year for recommending the infl uenza virus strains to be while the majority of honors program fi nal projects typically end used in the vaccine based on changes we’ve observed for the coming fl u season,” up being a research paper, this is not always the case. explains Shaw, who joined the CDC in 1993. “We have to know what’s circulat- “Sometimes it’s a traditional academic paper and sometimes ing out there and get our product to vaccine manufacturers as quickly as possible. it’s a creative performance or other unique delivery,” Hagen Infl uenza has a remarkable ability to change unexpectedly just when we thought we remarks. “For example, one of the honors students is a biology knew what it was going to do.” major who is interested in ballet. She researched fi ve works of Currently, Shaw is heading up the CDC’s lab efforts for its emergency incident art by Edgar Degas, and incorporated his art philosophy into her response to the swine fl u outbreak, which has been going full blast for over a dance renditions.” month now. Another honors student once did a research project on “It is only beginning to ease up somewhat in the Northern Hemisphere, and we ecological sculptures. She was very concerned about ecology have no idea what the Southern Hemisphere season will bring when it starts very and the number of plastic bottles on campus. For her research soon—much less what to expect here next fall and winter,” says Shaw. “This is far topic “Recycling and Ecology,” she constructed the BSC bell from over, and we will be watching it very closely.” tower out of Styrofoam, a fountain out of plastic bottles, and the Scientists in the CDC’s labs also have focused their attention more lately on a campus ginko tree out of recycled The Hilltop News papers. persistent and deadly fl u strain—Bird Flu (Avian Infl uenza H5N1), which has been “We want our honors students to have the chance to study causing fatal human infections since 2003. One of their research methods is to use something they really are interested in studying under the throat swab specimens and track changes of the glycoprotein hemagglutinin that guidance of a faculty member who would know something coats the surface of many infl uenza viruses. about it,” Hagen says. “We also want them to realize they don’t “The Avian infl uenza has caused quite a few deaths in Asia with a mortality have to be single dimensional people. They can be doctors who rate of more than 60 percent, and is causing problems in Egypt and sub-Saharan love music or lawyers who write poetry.” Africa, and has appeared in birds in Europe,” says Shaw. “When a fl u strain like this spreads, we get worried about it causing a pandemic.” Shaw supervises a staff of more than 200 and travels overseas frequently with Creative collaborations the goal in mind to keep public health on an international, rather than just a national level. Much of the research by Birmingham-Southern faculty “Diseases typically don’t just stay in one country,” Shaw points out, “so it is to members is conducted with active participation of students, a our advantage to know what’s going on elsewhere in the world.” process that allows students to apply classroom theories in the Shaw’s impetus for research began budding during his biology studies at BSC. He fi eld or laboratory. This does not occur at every college. For completed his doctorate in molecular and cellular biology at UAB and did postdoc faculty, it can be a remarkable process to see the advancement research on virology at Rockefeller University in New York City. of learning by a student involved in research and creative “I really think getting a liberal arts education at BSC was the best choice I ever activity. And for students, the opportunity to conduct research made,” says Shaw, who originally is from Gadsden. “The wide variety of courses with faculty is often what they are looking for as part of their that are offered there is just the sort of education I needed for the work I do now.” college experience.

36 / ’southern Bishop-in-Residence Bob Morgan (far right) FEATURES and two of his students observe this majestic view from the Acropolis at Pergamum in Turkey during a January Interim trip.

Pictured at a lowland tropical rainforest swamp in the Sarapiqui region of Costa Rica during a summer 2008 research project are (from left) Thiago Queiroz (biology), Ron MacBeth (biology), Rebekah Pine (urban environmental studies), Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Megan Gibbons, Kimmie Farris (English), Senior theatre arts major Elisabeth Tutwiler and Scott Shashy (biology). Photo by Dr. Peter Van Zandt, visiting assistant professor working on stage of biology

“Our undergraduate research experiences help build to reinforce the world and meaning of the play. It includes meaningful academic relationships between faculty and drafting the light plot, deciding which instruments are students,” comments Shew. “It plays an important role in needed, researching the story, choosing colors, deciding where preparing our students for graduate study, making them much the lights are focused, writing cues, writing a design statement, more competitive than applicants without research experience. and much more. It is a great deal of work, but I enjoy the In addition, it often gives the students an opportunity to present challenge, and I have a great mentor in Professor Mielke.” their research fi ndings at conferences, and in many cases have papers accepted for joint publication with their faculty mentor.” For the past two summers, Dr. Megan Gibbons, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Peter Van Zandt, visiting BSC Bishop-in-Residence Dr. Bob Morgan has found that assistant professor of biology, have taken students to Costa the mentor-mentee relationship is vastly different from that Rica to conduct tropical ecology research. The professors of student-teacher. He has done many collaborative projects study tree frog and caterpillar adaptations to the rainforest with students over the years, including a popular Interim term environment, with the help of BSC students. study-travel experience to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. “The students have really helped us with our research and “I think doing research with students is critical in two main have even conducted their own experiments,” says Van Zandt. ways,” relates Morgan. “First, it makes the students aware “We took two students in 2007, fi ve in 2008, and this year that you are a teacher and a learner and that you don’t claim we expect to have eight students come along. Three of the to know everything there is to know. And secondly, you can students are doing their senior capstone research projects at together discover something in your research. It produces La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica, while the some special moments with students. I think one-on-one is rest will be participating in a Tropical Ecology Research course the best way to teach.” that we’re teaching. The results of several of these projects will be sent to national journals for publication or presented Another of the college’s collaborative projects emphasized at national or regional meetings, as have projects from the value of stage lighting. Elisabeth Tutwiler, a theatre arts previous years.” major from Mountain Brook, worked on a unique senior “This is a great experience for us and the students,” adds project in lighting and design with Theatre Professor Matthew Gibbons. “We further our scholarship, and the students Mielke for the April 23-26 BSC stage production You Can’t get to travel to Central America, study biology at a premier Take It With You. fi eld station, and collaborate on the preparation of scientifi c “This study gave me a wonderful opportunity in the fi nal presentations and papers.” semester of my senior year,” Tutwiler acknowledges. “Most people would probably ask: ‘Don’t you just turn on the lights, George Voltz, an accounting major from Tuscaloosa, and that’s it?’ My job in the most basic sense is to make sure discovered while doing research for his senior thesis this the audience can see the actors, but in reality it is so much year that it is diffi cult to ascribe recent oil company profi ts more than that. My goal throughout the process is to use light to price gouging. Using data from gross profi t percentages of

spring 2009 / 37 FEATURES

BSC faculty/student research grants

These major grants awarded to Birmingham-Southern professors over the past fi ve years have supported the ongoing research and educational exchange between students and faculty:

Dr. Marietta Cameron, associate professor of computer science, recently completed a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program “REU Sites Panel: Undergraduate Research Experience in Computer Science,” total amount: $232,000.

Dr. Pamela Hanson, associate professor of biology, NSF, “Enhancing Multidisciplinarity through Molecular Modeling,” total amount: $75,686. Dr. Marietta Cameron, associate professor of computer science, assists Dr. Leo Pezzementi, professor of biology, National Institutes of Health, students during a class. “Acetylcholinesterase: A Comparative Biochemical Approach,” total amount: production costs, we noticed this was not the case. Having $201,000. the ability to look at the cause and effect of a certain situation enabled me to be able to make a more informed decision, as Dr. Duane Pontius, T. Morris Hackney Professor of Physics, NASA, “Mass Injection opposed to merely relying on the sharp increase in profi ts to and Plasma Dynamics in Saturn’s Magnetosphere,” total amount: $103,952. infl uence my thoughts.”

With a grant she received from the National Science Foundation, Associate Professor of Computer Science oil companies and eight other industries for the period 2003- Dr. Marietta Cameron established an REU (Research 07, Voltz was able to analyze the extent to which large oil Experiences for Undergraduates) site program last year companies may be driving up the costs to the public. designed to promote student and faculty research. Titled His paper entitled “Do Oil Companies Routinely Price “BACHE Scholars in Computer Science,” the program Gouge the Public?” is a paired nine computer science and mathematics majors supervised research project from Birmingham-Southern with faculty mentors from that he started last fall with the participating Birmingham Area Consortium of Higher BSC Associate Professor of Education institutions: BSC, Miles College, Samford Accounting Dr. Ron Stunda. University, and UAB. The two won a Distinguished “Each student spent approximately 10 hours per week Research Paper award at the during the last academic year and 30 hours per week Allied Academies Conference, during the summer working on a research project in areas held recently in New Orleans. including encryption, artifi cial intelligence, human computer Voltz presented their research on interface, computer graphics, computer vision, and software campus during Honors Day. engineering,” describes Cameron. “During the summer, “One thing that I learned from scholars participated in weekly workshops and seminars this research was that to gain a that featured research topics and student presentations of greater understanding of a topic, individual project milestones.” BSC Associate Professor of Accounting one must be willing to look Cameron served as the program’s director and as a mentor Dr. Ron Stunda and senior accounting major at other contributing factors,” in the program. Other mentors included Dr. Doug Riley, George Voltz recently won a Distinguished notes Voltz. “In relation to our associate professor of mathematics at BSC. Research Paper award at the Allied project, at fi rst glance, the sharp Academies Conference in New Orleans. rise in net profi ts would make Tia Barclay, a junior biology major from Talladega, focused one assume companies were merely gouging the consuming on the protein acetylcholinesterase for her summer 2008 public. But after taking into account the rising levels of research project in the lab of Professor of Biology Dr. Leo Pezzementi. The protein is essential for communication

38 / ’southern FEATURES A group of scholars and mentors from the 2008-09 “BACHE Scholars in Computer Science” program: (from left to right) Dr. Marietta Cameron (BSC), Brandon Hernandez (BSC), Greg Brazda (Samford),William Skinner (BSC), Clark Weber (BSC), Brandon Young (Miles College), Reed Milewicz (BSC), Michael Johnston (BSC), and Efrem Sharp (Miles). The photo was taken in Argonne, Ill., this past November, where the scholars participated in Argonne National Laboratory’s Undergraduate Research Senior philosophy Symposium. major Marc Parker’s fi lm project includes three power-generating windmills near the coastal cliffs on an uninhabited side of Inis Meáin, an island off the west coast of Ireland. Photo by Dean Elmore

Junior biology major Tia Barclay and Professor of Biology Dr. Leo Pezzementi

between nerve cells in the brain, and she investigated the Students at BSC also are encouraged to stretch themselves a structural mechanism of its attachment and localization to the bit in the area of research. Although all students work under post-synaptic membrane of neurons. the supervision of a faculty member, many engage in very “My summer research was an amazing learning experience independent research projects—pursuing data collection, that made me realize the most intriguing thing about science: background study, analysis, and written output on their own, the discovery of things,” she remarks. “Of course, discovering and consulting with their faculty sponsors regularly for guidance new things comes with a lot of effort. A majority of my and discussion. research time was spent just refi ning and perfecting protocols; The independent research projects at Birmingham-Southern but subsequently, it was very rewarding. Research is a great reveal both faculty and students’ motivation to recognize and way of learning how to troubleshoot, think on your feet, and solve problems as well as their ability to contribute interesting adapt to changing circumstances—things that really help you ideas. in life.” With the support of Pezzementi, Barclay was picked to Dr. Sara Robicheaux, associate professor of fi nance, has three participate in a summer 2009 research project through UAB’s main areas of research she’s been working on for the past Neurobiology Department. decade. Her most signifi cant contribution to fi nance literature “I’ll be studying gliomas, which are a type of brain cancer, though is in the area of corporate governance. and learning more about the ion channels that are found on “I’ve had two papers published in the Quarterly Journal of the surface of these cancer cells,” says Barclay. “I know that my Business and Economics and Financial Review,” says Robicheaux. research time with Dr. Pezzementi was a stepping stone for me Both study how executive compensation relates to the debt getting this new opportunity at UAB.” structure of fi rms. “Another area of research where I’ve had articles published is related to community banks. One study looks at the use of Research: solo derivatives (fi nancial contracts) by community banks, and the other looks at minority ownership of community banks. The If you would like to know what chemical proteins, Saturn’s third area I’ve started working on is writing case studies to be moons, and American philosopher John Dewey have in used in teaching fi nance topics. One case has already been common, all are the focus of individual research projects being published and is now useable by other fi nance professors to conducted by Birmingham-Southern faculty members. use in their classes.” Nearly all BSC faculty take time out to engage in research based on their discipline or avocation. Many are granted Marc Parker, a Harrison Scholar and philosophy major from sabbatical leaves, which allow them to travel, study, and do Thorsby, fi lmed a documentary on Inis Meáin, an island research, thereby increasing their knowledge and helping located off the west coast of Ireland that he visited during the them to develop contacts with other members of the scholarly 2008 Interim term. The documentary was fi lmed this past community. July and completed in December. The music for the fi lm is from

spring 2009 / 39 FEATURES

Meredith Notable Beethoven

Helping celebrate the life and works of a legendary composer the CD Amberwood, composed by Ivan Sokolov and featuring A love for one particular composer has led to a career fi lled with discovery for Dr. violinist Karen Bentley Pollick. William Meredith ’76, director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies and “My project was mainly about interpretation and the also a professor of music and dance at San Jose State University in California. subjectivity of the way we experience places,” expresses Parker. “When the assignment became available, I was completing my Ph.D. dissertation on “Inis Meáin is considered to be a cultural jewel for Ireland, Beethoven’s compositional process at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where a place where typical Ireland has been preserved. I tried I was also working in the Chapel Hill Music Library,” says Meredith, a native of New to make a fi lm that captured the bare beauty I found there Jersey. “The director job at SJSU seemed like a perfect fi t for my research experience, without any agenda about Irishness or nostalgia. passion for Beethoven and his music, and my positions in the library.” “I took all of the footage myself and edited it with One of Meredith’s current research projects at the center is preparing the critical Christian Strevy, a BSC student who is contracting a fi lm edition of some of Beethoven’s most important piano trios. Much of the data collection major. The fi lm was part of my senior Harrison Honors was undertaken in European music libraries and the collating of data is being done in San Program independent project that included a research paper Jose, he says. supervised by Dr. [Sandra] Sprayberry [Robert E. Luckie Collaborating with research labs in the U.S. and Germany, the center also is involved Professor of English].” in the scientifi c testing of some of Beethoven’s remains (strands from locks of his hair and Parker was the only undergraduate to present his paper skull fragments) from Vienna’s Central Cemetery. Their most famous fi nding that arose at the Southern Regional American Conference for Irish out of this research became international news when it was released a few years back. Studies hosted in March by the University of Tennessee in “The scientists we work with discovered that Beethoven suffered from severe lead Chattanooga. poisoning … that he did not take opiate pain killers on his deathbed and that he did not show any signs of mercury intake,” he asserts. “This rules out the possibility that he had Associate Professor of English Dr. Peter Donahue currently syphilis, which is an old myth that refuses to die.” is working on a novel about juvenile deliquency in the The center employs both a paid and volunteer professional staff and was founded 1970s in the Pacifi c Northwest. His second collection of short in 1983 by the late Ira F. Brilliant, a real estate developer with a passion for the deaf stories, Somewhere South and Other Destinations: Nine Stories German composer. Since then, classical music enthusiasts and scholars worldwide have and a Novella will be published by Wordcraft of Oregon in visited the center, home to the largest collection of the composer’s material outside of 2010. Europe. “I also continue to write my Retrospective Review column In addition to the manuscript letters, fi rst editions of Beethoven’s music, rare books, for each issue of Columbia: The Magazine of Northwest historical keyboards, art installations, and exhibits—including a lock of Beethoven’s hair History,” he shares. “The column reassesses vintage works and a newer exhibit of vintage Beethoven cartoons—the center also offers guided tours. of Northwest literature, all of which have contributed to the Meredith’s affi nity for Beethoven began early in his life and heightened during his region’s literary legacy, while also profi ling the authors of graduate studies at Chapel Hill, where he studied with Dr. William Newman, one of the these works, all of whom participated in the early literary life most respected Beethoven scholars in the country. of the Northwest. “In a Brahms class one day, Dr. Newman asked us what kinds of augmented sixth “After nine years at BSC, I’m still impressed by the level of chords existed, and I rattled them off from what I learned in my music theory classes at support and encouragement the college gives to faculty for ’Southern,” says Meredith. “He replied, ‘You certainly have had excellent preparation.’” their research and support,” says Donahue. “It’s no wonder Two years after his family relocated to Birmingham, Meredith enrolled at Birmingham- that BSC faculty have such an impressive track record in this Southern as a music education major with a specialization in choral conducting. “I had regard.” excellent training in voice with Andrew Gainey and William Baxter and on piano with Daphne Grimsley and Dolores Howard,” notes Meredith. “And singing under Hugh Laura Johnston of Fairhope, an education services major Thomas in the Concert Choir was one of the greatest experiences of my life.” with a concentration in sociology, recently completed her senior independent research project that determined which 40 / ’southern Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) therapy or FEATURES

James Pandelis inside the Elebash Electroacoustic Music Studio

A research program across disciplines

For the past 16 years, the Charles B. Vail College Fellows Program at Birmingham- Southern has continued to blossom, allowing students to collaborate with their professors in mutually-productive ways on either teaching or research projects. Eleven BSC students of widely varying majors were chosen for the 2008-09 Fellows Program. They have spent the past year broadening their knowledge about diverse teaching and research methodologies and exploring their interests with faculty at a deeper level than they ever could in a classroom. Vail Teaching Fellows work closely with professors in certain areas of preparing for and conducting classes, whereas Vail Research Fellows collaborate with professors on research projects. Both receive academic credit. There are also Vail Distinguished Teaching and Research Fellows who are involved in longer, more therapies are considered the most effective by parents and extensive projects and receive $1,000 tuition stipends. teachers of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Faculty can select either a sophomore, junior, or senior student partner, who have During her research process, supervised by Professor of earned at least a 3.0 GPA. Many of the projects lead to scholarly presentations and Education Dr. Clint Bruess, Johnston analyzed the reasoning joint publications. behind the use of a CAM therapy, how the parents heard of Fifth-year music composition student and Vail Distinguished Teaching Fellow the CAM therapy, if the parents and teachers believed the William “James” Pandelis explored interactive computer technology with faculty CAM therapies were helping their children/students perform mentor Dr. Charles Mason in the Elebash Electroacoustic Music Studio in the Hill with less autistic tendencies in an educational setting, and Music Building on campus. Mason, professor of music and chair of the Music other CAM’s that parents and/or teachers would like to utilize Department, teaches an electroacoustic music class each year. In a joint project in the future. “Bringing the Birmingham-Southern Elabash Electroacoustic Music Studio On-Line,” “I interviewed teachers and parents of children who they installed new state-of-the-art studio equipment—including a sound system and attended local Council Elementary; Mitchell’s Place, a controllers—and learned more about the studio’s software to help further develop comprehensive treatment center for children and young adults Mason’s course lessons. with autism; and Glenwood Inc., an autism and behavioral “In preparation for Dr. Mason’s electroacoustic music class, I had the opportunity health center,” she says. “I also reviewed scholarly literature to research, experiment with, and design tutorials for the studio’s software— related to complementary and alternative medical therapies to Nuendo and Kyma,” says Pandelis. “Since receiving the Vail Fellowship in August, I learn some background information about the topic. have gained some wonderful experience working with Dr. Mason and also Dr. [Rick] “This experience gave me the opportunity to communicate Nance [BSC adjunct professor]. with the parents and teachers of children with autism on a “Through my collaborative efforts with these faculty members, I’ve learned much level that I otherwise never would have,” expresses Johnston. about the latest electronic software and equipment. It has been a great privilege to “The parents and teachers were extremely encouraging, be able to work in a studio that is unparalleled in the Southeast region.” and they seemed to fi nd it refreshing to be able to speak There have been 172 Vail Fellows at Birmingham-Southern since the program with someone they didn’t personally know who was truly started. Over the years, Dr. Charles Vail has given generously to the program which interested in learning about their child. This project has been bears his name. A Bessemer native and longtime college educator, Vail is former a great learning experience and I hope that I can continue to president of Winthrop College (now Winthrop University). He graduated from BSC work in close contact with children with disabilities in the in 1945 with a degree in chemistry, and he was awarded a BSC Medal of Service future.” in 2000. Now a resident of Springfi eld, Va., Vail said that while he doesn’t describe himself Research at BSC is not only beyond the classroom at times, as wealthy, he does have a desire to do something for BSC, and decided many but out of this world. In addition to his work with students years ago to launch and endow a program that would yield some good results in his exploring the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, Dr. Duane lifetime. Pontius, T. Morris Hackney Professor of Physics, studies “One student and one professor working together on a project of their design fundamental questions about the magnetic fi elds surrounding appeals to me as a great way to enhance the college experience,” he says. “I planets. conferred with Dr. Neal Berte [BSC president emeritus] and he offered several “These regions trap immense populations of highly options, including the one which is now in place and that is designed and energetic particles, such as the Van Allen radiation belts implemented by the people at ’Southern. surrounding the Earth,” he explains. “Along with producing “I simply wanted to be sure the program would continue into the future and I aurora—the northern and southern lights—these particles pledged my fi nancial support for as long as I lived. Even those of modest means can can exhibit intense electromagnetic storms that occasionally help enrich the lives of BSC students.” damage or destroy satellites. Understanding this environment is increasingly important as we place more and more satellites into orbit.” spring 2009 / 41 FEATURES Research, technology, and the library in the wired age

For today’s college students, who practically live inside a digital house called “Google,” the once prime research methods of browsing library shelves for books and copying journal articles off a Xerox Precision machine are fading astonishingly quickly. radiation Are student visitors to the Birmingham-Southern campus library starting to diminish in the face of increasing online periodicals and Providing publications? “Not so,” asserts Stacey Thornberry, BSC assistant advanced professor of library science in the college’s Rush Learning Center/N.E. Miles Library. therapy in a Thornberry has plenty of contact with students as the reference and compassionate periodicals librarian during some of the library’s busiest hours, from way to cancer 5-10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 2-10 p.m. on Sundays. patients “Over the past few years, we’ve seen students use a multitude of Spencer Photo courtesy of UAB electronic devices, even simultaneously, while working on projects Dr. Sharon Spencer ’79 knows that when it comes to maladies and diagnoses at the library—from ipods, to cell phones, and often two computers that individuals fear most, cancer tops the list. at once,” says Thornberry. “This trend is what has moved the library But thanks to a newer clinical cancer therapy being used by Spencer and the forward in our efforts to adapt to technological change and reach multidisciplinary team of doctors and researchers at the UAB School of Medicine, students through applications such as instant messaging, podcasting, those patients are receiving a combination of new chemotherapeutic drugs with and Facebook.” radiation that are likely to improve their chances of survival. Since starting her work at BSC’s library in 2001, Thornberry does Spencer is professor and clinical director in the Department of Radiation Oncology, believe that the role of librarians as information coaches over the past a branch of oncology she was drawn to which prescribes therapeutic radiation to treat decade has radically changed. cancer. Her specialty is treating head, neck, and lung cancers. “I think the major issue facing our students with all the information “There are several other chemotherapeutic drugs in the pipeline that researchers contained on the Internet is an issue of credibility,” she remarks. are studying and hoping to move into the phase of clinical testing,” says Spencer, “Academic research is different than what they have done in high whose patients come from all over the U.S. “We are also developing a method called school, and they have to be taught to critically evaluate sources and body radio surgery, which delivers high doses of very energetic X-rays to small tumors information. in the lung, brain, and liver in patients who are not surgical candidates.” “Some students, especially in their fi rst couple of semesters of According to Spencer, high defi nition images taken during the procedure are used college, are given a false sense that everything is immediately available to assure precision delivery of the X-ray beams. Typically, the cancers can be treated via the Internet. By the end of their undergraduate work, however, with 3-5 sessions versus traditional regimens of 10-42 sessions. most seem to have become very adept at the intricate pathways of “In most circumstances, patients with cancer are managed in a multi-disciplined fi nding and retrieving information on the Web. setting,” she points out, “which means they are under the care of a radiation “The library is in the process of implementing a chat reference oncologist, a surgical oncologist, and a medical oncologist.” service that will allow us to provide in-house computer help to After graduating magna cum laude from Birmingham-Southern with a double major students from afar.” in chemistry and secondary education, Spencer attended the UAB School of Medicine. Despite the apparent ease and convenience of using the Internet She returned to the classroom in 2002 and earned a master’s degree in health care and the overfl ow of information that is online, a new research fi nding administration. reveals a paradox. According to what students said in a Feb. 4, 2009, “I always had a strong interest in biology and knew early in my life that I wanted research report with preliminary fi ndings by the Project Information to do something in the medical profession,” Spencer notes. “But my path in medicine Literacy Progress (PIL) team at the University of Washington’s actually started at BSC. The college provided a strong curriculum for the sciences. Dr. Information School: “Research seems to be far more diffi cult to [Dean] Calloway, my advisor in the Department of Chemistry, advised me to submit an conduct in the digital age than it did in previous times.” Quality application to medical school my senior year.” remains a goal for students, but the underlying process for turning out She says she attended BSC to follow in the footsteps of her sisters Peggy Spencer high-quality research has changed. Jemison ’73 and Verneeda Spencer Hager ’75. Her youngest sister, Yvette Spencer The 18-page report presented fi ndings from undergraduate student ’85, is health services director at BSC. discussion groups this past fall on seven U.S. college and university With more than 26 years of experience in patient care, Spencer has been dedicated campuses and from 86 students at community colleges. In particular, to a radiation oncology program of treating the body while lifting her patient’s spirits. the team found out: She received a Life Inspiration Award by the American Cancer Society in 2005 for her • There was a strong consensus among three-quarters of the students extraordinary service to patients and families dealing with cancer. In August 2008, that they go to Wikipedia [a collaborative, community-based online she was appointed to the Ruby F. Meredith Outstanding Clinician Radiation Oncology encyclopedia] fi rst for course-related research—many times to get Endowed Chair at UAB. background about a topic for an assignment. • Students reported the most diffi cult part of the research process was traversing and interfacing with an increasingly complex information landscape (e.g., libraries, the Internet, and course materials) in order to fi nd resources they know exist and need to fi nd. • More than 80 percent of the students interviewed procrastinated more than 80 percent of the time on their research paper 42 / ’southern assignments. FEATURES

“For many students, conducting to doubt the credibility of many [online] research may feel a lot of the electronic sources that you Read alert like being an inexperienced sailor fi nd—anyone can be an editor on heading directly into an oncoming Wikipedia. Another major problem: Guiding tutors in their quest wind, sails wildly fl apping, not the Internet can crash in the middle to improve student learning in being able to maneuver and get to a of your research.” literacy desired destination,” the PIL report Kathleen Smith, a senior states, referring to students’ inability interdisciplinary political science/ As a former kindergarten teacher in a to fi nd the appropriate contexts for philosophy major, writes an average high-need Huntsville school district, Caroline Hopenwasser their inquiries, a requisite part of of two research papers a semester, Burns Hopenwasser ’95 observed the every research process. Since the using both print and electronic range of reading abilities among her fi ve- and six-year-old students. At one report was released, PIL’s fi ndings sources. She feels that doing end of the spectrum was the bright-eyed, energetic LaKeisha, who doesn’t have received widespread attention research via cyberspace is easier, but miss a word. At the other end was Ameil, who doesn’t catch a word and is and may have a major impact on that it does require a considerable frustrated by his attempts. information literacy discussions degree of practice to effectively After six years, Hopenwasser’s concern for these struggling students now and into the future. The PIL navigate the complexity of the prompted her to seek some advanced knowledge. She left and enrolled team planned to continue their Internet. at Alabama A&M University, where she earned a master’s in elementary research and administer a student “When you fi rst sit down at education and a doctorate in reading and literacy in May 2008, teaching as survey this spring to a sample of 900 the computer and get online, the an adjunct the last year. undergraduates on U.S. campuses. overwhelming wealth of information Hopenwasser landed an appointment as assistant professor in the An earlier PIL Industry Report to at your fi ngertips seems daunting,” Literacy Specialist graduate program at the State University of New York the study’s sponsor, ProQuest, this says Smith. “But, you learn pretty at New Paltz just three months later. Enabled to continue her research past December additionally reported quickly how to experiment with interests, she has joined the fi ght against illiteracy. Her focus now though that eight out of 10 college students search phrases and keywords until is on the improvement of volunteer reading tutors for students. interviewed openly saw books (as an you fi nd that perfect one that fi nally “My interest in this particular research came from my volunteer work interface) as “antiquated interfaces” reveals all those articles you have with a Huntsville group called Therapy Partners, whose program pairs compared to other materials— been searching for. struggling readers in local elementary schools with a pup or cat,” says usually culled from online sources— “Then, with 500 links and ‘related’ Hopenwasser. “I observed how the group’s tutors had limited strategies that were much shorter in length, articles in front of you, you still have and inappropriate reading materials for helping students read unfamiliar right at their fi ngertips, and available to navigate through the mess of words. This led me to design a program of tutor training in the language 24 hours a day. resources that are unrelated or that cueing systems, which hopefully can be useful for individual schools and James Randolph, a junior history may not be credible to fi nd the ones learning agencies. major, says he spends time in that really matter. This takes some She points out that the standard language cueing systems are the BSC library just about every time and a little patience, but after graphophonic (sound-letter relationships), syntactic (grammar), and day. Although he doesn’t believe you have discovered a few, the search semantic (meaning). that research is far harder in the seems a little easier. While the “Struggling readers often over-rely on one cueing system, which digital age, he does think that the whole exploration process may seem decreases their ability to make sense of text,” she explains, “so I trained tremendous volume of information tedious, you just have to remember the tutor in my research study on all three cueing systems, and provided a that is available through technology that with the Internet, it really only structured format for her to use all three.” brings its own frustrations and takes seconds to search the indexes After weeks of videotaping and observing the tutor with three struggling limitations. and databases, download articles, or second-grade students—all the while employing data analysis— “I can imagine that it was quite place an interlibrary loan request.” Hopenwasser discovered that even a small amount of tutor training in time-consuming the ‘old-fashioned Thornberry maintains that the the cueing systems has a big impact on student readers. She and BSC way’ to use the Readers’ Guide to fi nd BSC library is keeping up with the Associate Professor of Education Dr. Louanne Jacobs are working on articles, dig through the library’s digital technology curve by giving several professional articles that will combine their research on this topic. bound collection of periodicals, and students access to key research Hopenwasser presented her portion of the research at the National Literacy then Xerox articles page by page,” databases and software necessary to Coaching Summit at Texas A&M University in April. comments Randolph. “Technology do intensive scholarly research, as Having grown up in Tuscaloosa, Hopenwasser says she visited the today offers a tremendous array well as the practical resources to use Birmingham-Southern campus a lot when her older brother, Will Davis ’90, of information that is readily and analyze information. was a student, and fell in love with its small size. accessible, but Google searches often “The library online catalog has “BSC’s educational program taught me how to be a constructivist give you an overwhelming number many built-in features (much like teacher,” says Hopenwasser, who received her degree in early childhood of sources. Many of the sources, Amazon) that allow the user to education. “The goal of a constructivist teacher is to build autonomous though, turn out to be irrelevant, so look for similar items and virtually learners who not only know subject matter, but know how to be responsible it can take time to track down useful browse,” she says. “It is not for their own learning. This way, students develop into lifelong learners nuggets. enough to have access to emerging who will continue to learn even after leaving school. As a professor, I teach “Even when you fi nd a great technologies, but it is important this to my students.” source, sometimes the full-text to utilize them in ways that will article is unavailable. You also have make our students more productive, spring 2009 / 43 effi cient, and marketable.” ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Livin’ for the Weekend AlumniReunion2008: Livin’ for the Weekend

The Birmingham-Southern Alumni Reunion is always a homecoming of sorts, it’s true—but this year, for the fi rst time, Alumni Reunion, Nov. 7-8, 2008, combined Reunion fun with all the excitement of a BSC Homecoming weekend, complete with Panther football in our new on-campus stadium. Additional Homecoming/Reunion Weekend celebration photos can be found online at: www.bsc.edu/alumni/reunion2008/ homecoming_2008/index.html. Some of the fi rst arrivals for Reunion 2008 were (from left) Dr. Mary Ann Bagley McCollum ’53, Dr. John M. Akin Jr. ’49 and his wife, Dolores Akin, and Betty Ray Price Hughes ’50 and her husband, Dr. Joseph Hughes ’49.

BSC cheerleaders celebrate Panther spirit at the Homecoming bonfi re and pep rally on Friday night.

One of the smallest The award-winning band Whiskey Panthers enjoys “Mommy Falls, featuring BSC alumnus Buck and Me,” a popular Johnson ’88, entertains at the It’s easy to spot the Class of 1958 in the game crowd—they proudly reunion crafts program Cajun shrimp boil and party that sport their BSC beanies. for young families followed the Homecoming victory. (including dads!).

44 / ’southern ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Class Party Pictures

For more photos of Class Party fun at Alumni Reunion, visit www.zapfoto.com/proofs.htm and key in the password bscalum.

President David Pollick shares a conversation with Martha Hagen Hood ’29, a treasured longtime alumna of Birmingham-Southern, at the President’s Reception in Hulsey Hall of the Admission Welcome Center. More than 250 people enjoyed the reception.

As game time drew near, these students get ready to paint Members of the Birmingham-Southern Class of 1958 the town—and themselves—with BSC school colors. gather for this photo during their Saturday pregame 50th anniversary brunch in Stockham Parlor.

At Friday’s awards luncheon, President David Pollick (far The afternoon’s matchup—the Little cheerleaders share in the day’s right) is photographed with Outstanding Young Alumni and fi rst Homecoming game in the excitement. Distinguished Alumni (from left) Charles “Carl” Lynn ’93, new Panther Stadium—offers Freeda Fawal-Farah ’89, Kirby Sevier Sr. ’68, Christopher exciting football action, leading to a Thomaskutty ’99, Sally Wood Johnson ’53, and John O. winning score of BSC Panthers 49 Northrop Jr. ’72. and Sewanee Tigers 0.

spring 2009 / 45 ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Alumni and supporters of the BSC theatre program attend the 40th anniversary celebration of the College Theatre building.

The Color Guard presents the Stars and Stripes during pregame ceremonies in new Panther Stadium.

Before the big Homecoming football game vs. Sewanee on Saturday, the Kappa Delta buffet, complete with BSC cupcakes and chandeliers, shows tailgating with style, and wins the overall best Attendance at the Homecoming game was estimated at almost 3,600. spirit award.

Children’s Book Drive

In the fi rst Alumni Reunion/ Homecoming service project, more than 200 new children’s books were collected, donated to the Literacy Council of Alabama, and distributed to children in need.

46 / ’southern ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Mark your calendar and make plans to attend Homecoming/ Reunion 2009 on The Hilltop! November 6-7, 2009 Weekend events include: Alumni Awards Luncheon Honor Class Parties for Classes Ending in ‘4s and ‘9s Band Party HOMECOMING/REUNION 2009 Tailgating Festivities Picnic Zone and Panther Playground Homecoming Game vs. Huntingdon College Plus much more! Complete details coming soon. Confi rm your listing in BSC AlumNet at www.bsc.edu/alumnet. To contact Alumni Affairs, call 205/226-4909.

BSC alumni art exhibit celebrates the ‘art’ in a liberal arts education For the fi rst time in recent memory, Birmingham-Southern is But the lifestyle of a surgical resident proved to be at odds with hosting an Alumni Art Exhibit, sponsored by the BSC Fine Arts his creative side. After accepting awards for both short fi ction and Society. poetry and publishing his fi rst two composite drawings, he opted to The inaugural BSC Visual Arts Open, featuring alumni who are discontinue his medical studies. He has since worked as a graphic artists by vocation and by avocation, will celebrate the “art” in a artist, writer, and creative consultant through his company, DS Art. liberal arts education. Any Hilltop alum who crafts, paints, shutters, “The enthusiasm that Don has for ’Southern and his support of the carves, welds, weaves, or throws art from the heart is invited to visual arts program here has been infectious,” said Angela Comfort participate. ’79, chair of the BSC Fine Arts Society. “Once the idea of an alumni “Not all of us who make art were art majors, but that’s sort of art exhibit was suggested, we knew this was something to pursue. It the point of a liberal arts education, isn’t it?” noted Don Stewart gives us a chance to celebrate the inner artist in each of us, and is ’81, owner of DS Art in Homewood and chair of the BSC Fine Arts another great reason to get together back on the Hilltop.” Society’s Visual Arts Committee. “Regardless of what we studied The BSC Visual Arts Open, from June 12 to July 3, 2009, will on the Hilltop, we all learned the value of creative expression. This be housed in the Durbin Gallery, located within the Kennedy Art exhibit gives us an opportunity to celebrate creativity, no matter what Center/Azar Art Studios. The show will kick off with a public it says on your degree.” reception in the gallery on June 12 and then will be open during Stewart himself is a study in how exposure to art can dramatically regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through change a student’s career path. While at BSC, Stewart initially Friday. Selected pieces will be available for sale with a portion of the enrolled in art classes as a respite from the rigors of pre-med studies proceeds going to support BSC’s Department of Art and Art History. (he was a biology major). He soon discovered the process of Alumni interested in submitting artwork can contact Chris Byrum composite imagery, exploring techniques in ballpoint drawing, and ‘86 in the College Events offi ce at 205/226-4922 or cbyrum@bsc. he continued to pursue art as a hobby during medical training at edu for a submission form. Look for details about the opening night UAB and as an intern in surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. reception later this spring.

spring 2009 / 47 ALUMNI AFFAIRS

2008-09 Alumni Executive Board recognized for service to BSC Alumni Association

Each member of the current Alumni Executive Board of the BSC Alumni Association has set goals for the year and they are working now to accomplish them. The college acknowledges the board members for their continued support of BSC. The current members of the Alumni Executive Board are: President— President Elect— Richard Yeilding ’73, Karen McElroy Carroll ’87, Birmingham Birmingham

Past President— Vice President- Vice President-Athletics— Vice President-Chapter James Pennington ’87, Advancement— Jack Naramore ’78, & Affi nity Group Birmingham William Nicrosi II ’90, Birmingham Programs—Ellen Birmingham Woodward Potts ’88, Tuscaloosa

Vice President- Vice President-Marketing Vice President-Reunion Vice President-Service & Enrollment—Scarlett & Communications— & Class Activities—Amy Outreach—Kacy O’Brien Singleton ’01, Chad Jones ’88, Atlanta Turnage Allen ’84, Donlon ’89, Tampa, Fla. Birmingham Birmingham

48 / ’southern ALUMNI AFFAIRS

‘No‘N Strings Attached’ BSC Alumni Online BookBo Club

IfI you love learning about the world through the pages of a book, you have to look no furtherfur than the new “No Strings Attached” BSC Alumni Online Book Club. It has no strings attachedatt because there are no deadlines, no meetings, no assignments—just the pleasures of readingre good books as suggested by your favorite BSC professors. Here’s how it works: Each month, on the password-protected BSC AlumNet site of theth college’s Web site, you will go to a “discussion group” just for the book club. Every month,m a favorite professor will select and provide an introduction to one of his or her recommendedr favorite books. During the designated month, alumni will be able to post their own reactions and insights about the book to share with fellow alumni in the book discussiondiscussi group. Participants can make comments or just read—no strings attached. Every month, an e-mail will be sent indicating the new book for that month, but alumni can always go back and comment on older discussions or previous books. To fi nd out about the current book selection and the professor’s reason for recommending it, go to: www.bsc.edu/ alumnet and sign in with your login and password. Then go to the link on the right side of the page for the book club, and then click on the discussion group for the book you’re reading. If you are not already a member of AlumNet, you may easily join by going to www.bsc.edu/alumnet and clicking on “register now” under “fi rst time visitors” in the center of your screen. The fi rst book selection is being provided by Dr. Bill Nicholas, James A. Wood Professor of History at BSC. His recommendation is Gilead: a Novel by Marilynne Robinson, published in 2006 by Picador.

U.S. Armed Forces Discussion Group launched on BSC AlumNet BSC Career Counseling Center offers services to alumni

If you are in the U.S. Armed Forces, active or retired, we’ve got Looking for a new job? Make a trip to the BSC Career Counseling a group for you! This online discussion group can be used for a Center and get your career plans moving. The center provides: variety of different purposes, including: • résumé assistance; • individualized career planning and guidance; • connecting with BSC alumni in all departments of the U.S. • standardized assessments for identifying possible career tracks; Armed Forces, • career library; • sharing stories, • seminars and workshops on job searches, interviewing skills, • fi nding a pen pal for alumni stationed overseas, and grad school; • making requests for support, • graduate and professional schools and career fairs, and • posting U.S. Armed Forces-related events, and more! much more! If you are already a member of BSC’s AlumNet, you may join the The center can even help in fi nding specifi c jobs available to group by going to www.bsc.edu/alumnet. Once you have signed in, you. Visit College Central Network at www.collegecentral.com/ click on the “discussion group” link on the right side of your screen. bsc—BSC’s free online job/internship posting system—and create an After being directed to the next screen, click on “U.S. Armed Forces account. Through the network, alumni can view local and national Group” and begin to take full advantage of the group. If you are job postings and even post jobs. Other job search links and helpful not already a member of AlumNet, you may easily join by going to resources can be accessed through the BSC Career Counseling home www.bsc.edu/alumnet and clicking on “register now” under “fi rst page at www.bsc.edu/campus/counseling/career.htm. time visitors” in the center of your screen.

spring 2009 / 49 ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Alumni New city and regional alumni invited to chapters started BSC is coming to you! Listed below are alumni who have accepted the position of chapter leader in their area since December 2008. share service If you are interested in starting a chapter in your area or getting more involved with an existing chapter (*), contact Mallie Searcy ’07 opportunities at 205/226-4908 or [email protected].

Alexander City/Dadeville: Betsy Hodo ’03 Anniston: Brenda Smith Stedham ’76 Arizona (All): Chris Herrington ’05 Arkansas (All): Mike Cope ’83 Athens, Ga.: Anna Burns Dyer ’70 and Bill Eiland ’70 Austin, Texas: Anne Stump Sockwell ’74 and Sam Sockwell ’75 Boston, Mass.: Dan Milner ’95 Charleston, S.C.: John Paul Huguley ’91 Charlotte, N.C.: Sean Hair ’99 Dallas, Texas: Clint Peinhardt ’93 and Anne Dutia ’92 Dothan/Enterprise: Hamp Baxley ’93

Greensboro/Winston-Salem, N.C.: Leslie Gunter MacPherson ’86 BSC is proud to see alumni giving back to their communities. Here, Carol Ann Mathews ’71 Greenville, S.C.: Lauren Hawkins Batson ’94 and Susan Duggar Stafford ’95 volunteer at ABC Houston, Texas: Andrea Boohaker Dean ’05 Television’s “Extreme Home Makeover” home Jacksonville, Fla.: Lyndon Box ’96 building project in Tallahassee, Fla. Knoxville, Tenn.: Reeves Johnson ’78 New Orleans, La.: Janet Goforth ’89 Birmingham-Southern students have long Panama City, Fla.: Robin Smith Freeman ’84 been known for their contributions to the Pensacola, Fla.: JeriLynn Brooks-MacBeth ’81 community through outstanding service projects. Now we’d like to know more about Raleigh/Chapel Hill/Durham, N.C.: Amanda Warren ’04 how alumni are getting involved in service opportunities. If you are participating in a Richmond, N.C.: Martha Barnes Slone ’78 and Daniel Slone ’80 service project in your area and would like San Antonio, Texas: Haley Wilson Buchman ’91 for alumni and students to get involved with you, contact Lisa Harrison ’85 MPPM at Tallahassee, Fla.: Meg Hoagland Guyton ’76 and Charlie Guyton ’74 205/226-4912 or [email protected].

*There are existing chapters in Auburn/Opelika; Huntsville; Mobile; Montgomery; Quad Cities; Tuscaloosa; Tampa, Fla.; and Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville, Tenn.

50 / ’southern PHILANTHROPY

$1 million donated to Guthrie Smith Scholarship Fund at BSC A ceremony was held at the friendship with McDonald and Fayette County Memorial Library his appreciation for such a gift. this past November to present The Smith Scholarship Fund was Birmingham-Southern with a $1 established at his alma mater in million check for the college’s 1955 by the First United Methodist Guthrie J. Smith Scholarship Fund Church of Fayette in honor of Smith, from the estate of Earl McDonald. who was the city’s longtime mayor. McDonald’s gift will be used to Smith said McDonald had informed benefi t BSC students with fi nancial him about his intentions before his need with preference given, but not death late last year. Shown making the check presentation limited to, members of the First Smith served as president of the are Guthrie Smith and Martha United Methodist Church of Fayette student body at BSC and graduated Boshers, director of gift planning and to residents of Fayette County. with a degree in economics. He at BSC. During the presentation, Smith, received the college’s Distinguished a 1935 graduate of Birmingham- Alumni Award in 2000. Southern, spoke of his longtime

Alumnus and wife honored with 2008 Volunteer in Philanthropy award

Birmingham-Southern alumnus Barr Linton ’86 and his wife, Kathryn McDonald, of Birmingham have been honored by the Alabama Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP) and Birmingham-Southern as notable Volunteers in Philanthropy for 2008. The award was presented to the couple as part of the AFP’s 27th annual National Philanthropy Day Awards ceremony in November. It recognizes professionals who strive to make volunteerism and philanthropy a major part of both their working and personal lives. The vice president of Sycamore Management Co. in Birmingham, Linton graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from BSC and received his law degree from Yale University. He serves on the International Programs Committee of the college’s Edward Lee Norton Board of Advisors for Management and Professional Education. Linton and his wife recently made a major multi-year commitment to Birmingham- Southern’s Destiny: Delivered campaign to establish “seedling grants” for needy students. To receive a seedling grant, students needing assistance must be recommended by a faculty or staff member. “Kathryn and I thought about the obstacles that needy students face on a daily basis and about the isolation they must feel,” said Linton. “We believe that these students having the extra money to feel like they belong or to go out with friends or to participate in an Interim travel experience is important to college life.” A Sewanee alumna, McDonald helps promote diversity in Sewanee’s student body through its Posse Program and is on the leadership team of Yes We Can! Birmingham, a nonprofi t dedicated to improving the city’s public schools. Prior to her current work in investment management, she was employed by the American Red Cross in San Diego.

Barr Linton and Kathryn McDonald

spring 2009 / 51 PHILANTHROPY

Birmingham-Southern parents invest in students’ futures

so far. “The Parents Fund has is especially impressive that Speech Center, construction broken fundraising records Birmingham-Southern parents of an area within the Elton B. for the past three years, and are still stretching to give just a Stephens Science Center, the the goal for this year’s drive is bit more,” says Wright. “While Foreign Languages Lab, library to break last year’s record of we appreciate every gift of every technology, and the Writing $88,000.” size, some BSC parents have Center. The campaign takes Teresa Wright is chair of the dug deep and been extremely place annually from October Parents Fund Committee for the generous. Such an attitude is through spring. second year in a row, which also why Birmingham-Southern “We are very close to another More than 600 Birmingham- is comprised of Frank Vitello, continues to provide a fi rst-rate record-breaking year,” Sellers Southern parents have made Meg Guyton ’76, and Ken and liberal arts education in all sorts said. “I hope that parents extra special gifts toward their Kay Seale, both graduates of of fi nancial times. As a BSC realize that their best gift, even son or daughter’s education BSC (’81 and ’82). parent, I am proud; all BSC if it’s $25, can add up to make by participating in the Parents Wright is from Atlanta and parents should be, too.” this the most successful year Fund this year. is the mother of senior history The Parents Fund was ever for the fourth year in a The Parents Fund is an major Wright Wiggins. Vitello established at Birmingham- row.” annual drive for unrestricted serves on the Mobile/Baldwin Southern more than 25 years For more information about gifts from parents of current County Regional Campaign ago to give parents of current the Parents Fund, contact students. It assists students Committee and is the father students an opportunity to the Offi ce of Institutional each and every day by helping of freshman Hunter Vitello. assist annually with needs Advancement at 205/226- to provide the very best Guyton chairs the Tallahassee of the college and to directly 4919 or toll-free at 800-523- educational opportunities and (Fla.) Alumni Chapter and is support their child’s educational 5793, extension 4919. Some learning experiences to every the mother of freshman Julia experience. employers have matching BSC student. Guyton and senior Margaret Gifts to the Parents Fund gift programs which could at According to Erica Crump Guyton. The Seales are from over the years have supported least double contributions to Sellers ’05, BSC’s assistant Moulton and the parents of a wide range of programs Birmingham-Southern and the director of annual giving, freshman Virginia Seale. and facilities, including the Parents Fund. parents have pledged or “In this uncertain, even campus installation of blue contributed more than $84,600 scary, economic climate, it light assistance phones, the

What Will Your Legacy Be?

Bequests have helped shape and sustain Birmingham-Southern In addition to investing in the future of Birmingham-Southern, College for more than 150 years. Many of the scholarships and a bequest may decrease the estate tax penalties for your family. endowed professorships that are central to the intellectual life of the college were funded through bequests. So, too, was the Norton Gift offi cers are always available to discuss your plans, and Campus Center, the hub of our campus community. should you wish to restrict your gift, can provide sample language for your review. A bequest is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to realize your BSC legacy. With the help of an advisor, you can include If you have already designated BSC as a benefi ciary of your language in your will or trust specifying a gift be directed to the estate, please let us know so that we can thank you and welcome most urgent needs of the college or for a designated purpose. you as a member of the Endowment Builders Society. A bequest can take on many forms including: For more information, contact: Martha Hamrick Boshers, • a specifi c dollar amount, director of gift planning, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 • a percentage of the estate, or Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL 35254, 205/226-4978, • specifi c assets [email protected].

52 / ’southern thank you for making a differenceagain . . .

the ANNUAL FUND

Thanks to the loyal and generous support of Birmingham-Southern alumni, parents, and friends, gifts to the college’s Annual Fund exceeded last year’s effort in one of the most diffi cult economic climates of our time. Birmingham-Southern is among a handful of colleges and universities in the nation that was able to claim an increase in Annual Fund giving this year.

But more importantly, your Annual Fund donations are one of the main reasons for the great momentum that Birmingham- Southern currently is experiencing. Annual Fund gifts help to:

• provide scholarships that attract the best and brightest students; • attract and retain the best faculty through competitive salaries; • enhance current and develop new academic programs; • ensure students and the Library have the latest technology; • support the scholar-athletes in the NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletics program; and • provide unrestricted support for use where the college need is greatest.

Annual Fund gifts are the easiest way to participate in the college’s historic Destiny: Delivered comprehensive campaign. The Annual Fund is one of the most important priorities of Destiny: Delivered because it touches every aspect of life on campus. Thank you for again making a difference for Birmingham-Southern. www.bsc.edu/egiving

1-800-523-5793, ext. 4977 205/226-4977 [email protected] ATHLETICS Battle family honored at historic Homecoming game education at the University of South Florida; the late Laurie C. Battle, a 1934 BSC graduate, BSC Sports Hall of Fame member, and four-term U.S. representative from Alabama; and Mary Virginia Battle Mudd of Lutherville, Md., who attended Birmingham-Southern in 1943-44. A 1930 graduate of Birmingham- Southern, William Raines Battle Jr. was a letterwinner in football, basketball, and baseball, and is a member of the BSC Sports Hall of Fame. Battle also served BSC for many years as both director of athletics and professor of physical education. When constructed in 1981, the Bill Battle Coliseum on campus was named in his memory, and each spring the William Raines BSC President Dr. David Pollick (left) presents Bill Battle III (center) and Jean LeMerle Battle Award is presented to a senior Battle with game balls in recognition of naming their late father, William Raines Battle Jr., who has exemplifi ed scholarship, honorary game captain. citizenship, and concern for physical Birmingham-Southern recognized attendance were Martha Frances fi tness throughout his or her time at family members of the late William Davies of Birmingham and Blanche BSC. Battle’s wife, the late Kathleen Raines Battle Sr., a Methodist Inez Battle Reed of Newnan, Ga., Scruggs Battle, was also a 1930 BSC minister, during the Panthers’ who both attended BSC in 1941; graduate. historic Homecoming football game Bill Battle III of Atlanta, a BSC “Birmingham-Southern College Nov. 8 for their loyal support of the trustee and chair and founder of The is grateful to the Battle family for college and its athletics program for Collegiate Licensing Co., and his its tremendous support in so many nearly eight decades. wife, Mary; Jean LeMerle Battle ’58 of ways and over so many years,” said Nearly 60 members of the Battle Huntsville; and Brooke Tanner Battle Birmingham-Southern President family were on hand at Panther ’96 of Birmingham, who serves as Dr. David Pollick. “The Battles’ Stadium for a ceremony prior to a member of BSC’s Birmingham contributions to our college’s kickoff of the game, where William Regional Campaign Committee. students and athletics program Raines Battle Jr. was posthumously Other members of the Battle continue to have a tremendous named honorary game captain for family with BSC ties include the late impact on this institution. We are the Panthers’ fi rst contest on the Dr. Jean Allen Battle, a 1936 BSC truly honored to have the Battle Hilltop in nearly 70 years. graduate and longtime educator family as part of the Birmingham- Among the family members in and the fi rst dean of the college of Southern community.”

Dees wins second straight Southeastern Air Rifl e Conference title

Senior shooter Nikita Dees of Maplesville won her second Southeastern Air Rifl e Conference individual title in March at the SEARC Championships hosted by The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. Dees shot a 579 in the initial round, making it into the top 10, which held a 10-shot shoot-off to determine the champion. Dees had the highest average in the competition to win the title of SEARC Shooter of the Year. She also won the title at last year’s championships in March 2008. As a team, the Panthers placed third overall behind The Citadel and North Carolina State. The Rifl e Panthers, who are the only team at Birmingham-Southern still competing at the Division I level, placed second at two SEARC meets in the spring season, and won a dual meet with UAB in October, among other competitions. Senior sharpshooter Nikita Dees Individually, Dees led the Panthers in every tournament, and won two meets in addition to the SEARC Championships. 54 / ’southern ATHLETICS

Baseball Panthers claim school’s fi rst SCAC division championship

The Birmingham-Southern baseball team, under the direction of Head Coach Jan Weisberg, captured the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference East Division Championship this season in only its second year of NCAA Division III play. After posting a .500 record (20-20) last season, the Panthers really found their offense this season. BSC fi nished the 2009 campaign with a 28-11 record. Their 10-5 record in the SCAC- East was enough to place them atop the standings at the end of the regular season, giving them the division championship win despite not being eligible for the post-season tournament because of NCAA transition rules. Two BSC players collected SCAC Player of the Week honors Drew Leachman received an SCAC Offensive Player of the Week honor this season. Sophomore infi elder Drew Leachman of Mobile this season. was the Offensive Player of the Week in March, and sophomore pitcher Drew Crofton from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, was named run average. Crofton started 10 games and fi nished with a 5-0 a Pitcher of the Week. record and a 4.15 ERA. Sophomore Darby Weppner of Deerfi eld Beach, Fla., led the The Panthers posted series wins over SCAC rivals Sewanee, team with a .425 batting average, followed by Leachman at .408. Oglethorpe, DePauw, and Rhodes. In only its second year of Sophomore Clay Malcolm of Marietta, Ga., started 11 games on Division III play, the Panther squad is comprised almost entirely the mound and fi nished with a 7-3 record and a 3.57 earned of freshmen and sophomores.

Softball ends most successful season ever with national ranking

A season-ending three-game sweep of (.969). The pitching staff broke the Indian Springs led the team with a conference foe Hendrix propelled the single-season shutouts record (16), as .455 batting average. Muehlenfeld Birmingham-Southern softball team to a well as the single-season records for led the pitching staff with 14 wins. history-making season, going 32-5 overall lowest ERA (1.19) and lowest opponent to tie the record for most wins in a batting average (.186). The team tied the season and break the record for winning single-season wins record (32), but now percentage. owns the best overall record (32-5) and Under the direction of fi rst-year Head winning percentage (.865) in program Coach Stephanie VanBrakle, with only 11 history. players on the roster, the Panthers closed Senior pitcher and utility player the season on an 11-game winning streak. Melissa Muehlenfeld of Auburn broke The squad also had nine- and 10-game several individual records, including winning streaks this spring. BSC was single-season stolen bases (38) and 18-1 in conference play, sweeping every stolen base percentage (.974), career Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference stolen bases (81) and stolen base opponent except Austin College. percentage (.890), and single-season runs The Panthers also defeated No. 3 (50) and career runs (128). Louisiana College and No. 19 Methodist Senior outfi elder Kayla Backlund of University, and were ranked as high as Aurora, Colo., broke the career (19) and No. 17 in the nation at one point. single-season (10) record for triples; Birmingham-Southern ended the 2009 junior infi elder Jena Franks of Muscle season having broken several program Shoals the single-season record for RBI records, including single-season batting (46); and junior pitcher and utility Senior outfi elder Kayla Backlund broke the single-season and average (.364), runs (279), stolen player Tori Harris of Columbus, Miss., career record for triples this year. bases (86) and stolen base percentage the single-season low ERA (1.03) and (.945), triples (17), RBI (236), fewest opponent batting average (.158). strikeouts (102), and fi elding percentage Freshman outfi elder Ashley Bice of spring 2009 / 55 ATHLETICS

Golf teams close out successful seasons

The Birmingham-Southern women’s golf team closed out a highly successful season in April with its fi fth tournament title in the Stonebridge Invitational in Rome, Ga., hosted by Berry College. The BSC women, coached by Casey Smith, also claimed top prizes at the Alabama State Invitational, BSC Tri-Match, Rhodes College Invitational, and University of West Georgia Invitational. The Panthers claimed fi ve individual wins as well. Junior Kelly Burgess of Birmingham took fi rst place at the ASU Invitational; freshman Gaukhar Amandossova of Pelham won the Rhodes Invitational; and senior Jordan Hardy of Sylacauga took top honors at the ASU Invitational (tied with Burgess), BSC Tri-Match, and the West Georgia Invitational. The men’s team, coached by Jason Buha in his fi rst season, collected a tournament win at the Alabama State Fall Classic, placing fi rst in a fi eld of nine. Junior Nick Blakely of Chattanooga took fi rst in the Senior Jordan Hardy took top honors individuals at the classic as well as sharing in the team win. in three competitions this year.

Tennis teams fi nish seasons nationally, regionally ranked

The 2009 Birmingham-Southern men’s and women’s tennis teams may not be eligible for postseason competition this year, but they were still able to make waves in both the regional and national rankings as compiled by the International Tennis Association. The Panther women, coached by Ann Dielen, ended the season ranked No. 27 in the nation and tied for seventh in the Atlantic South Region by the ITA after going 12-2 in 2009. Senior Kathryn Carroll of Madison, Miss., tied for 11th in the region in singles play, while she and fellow senior Lauren Russell of Foley tied for 12th in the doubles rankings. Carroll was 7-3 this past season, and she and Russell went 9-4 at the top doubles spot. Senior Kate Lambert of Huntsville and junior Janie Asseff of Shreveport were also impressive in doubles, going 14-1, and sophomore Brittany Cooper of Gulfport, Miss., was 10-3 in singles. On the men’s side, the Panthers, coached by Paul Rosner, fi nished the season with a 12-4 record and a No. 13 ITA ranking in the Atlantic South Region. Junior Michael Locandro of Kennesaw, Ga., was also ranked 12th in the regional singles rankings after going 12-3 this season. Although they were not ranked, other notable performances in 2009 were from freshman John Zukley of Mobile, who put together an impressive 11-3 record, and Locandro and junior John Crawford Freeman of Montgomery, who went 10-4 in doubles play. Kate Lambert Michael Locandro

56 / ’southern ATHLETICS

Men’s lacrosse team fi nishes fi rst season strong

The fi rst season of men’s lacrosse on the Hilltop is in the books, and with promising signs for the future. The team fi nished the 2009 season with an overall record of 6-9, a good start for any new program. The feat is all the more impressive when you look at the level of competition that coach Andy Bonasera laid out for his freshman-laden team. The Panthers traveled to perennial Division III powerhouse Roanoke College for their fi rst game ever. They collected wins over Guilford College, Carthage College, Randolph College, Fontbonne University, and College of Mount St. Joseph, as well as Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Hendrix College. Birmingham-Southern showed marked improvement as the season progressed, winning three of its last four games, with two of those three coming outside the friendly confi nes of Panther Stadium. The continued growth of lacrosse in the South is allowing men’s lacrosse to become a conference-sanctioned sport in the SCAC next season. Since all the programs in the Cameron Overton Photo courtesy of Mark Burnham conference are new programs, the Panthers will be eligible to compete for conference championships immediately, making them the fi rst BSC program with a chance at a trophy.

Inaugural women’s lacrosse team wins fi rst-ever match

Led by Head Coach Emily Thomas, Birmingham- Southern’s fi rst women’s lacrosse team got the new program off to a winning start. Playing with only 12 players, all of them freshmen and sophomores, the Panthers opened the season at home with a win in the program’s fi rst-ever match, an 11-6 victory over Methodist University. They closed out the season with wins over North Central College and the University of Dallas to fi nish 6-6. They also posted victories against Oberlin College, Trine University, and Tennessee Wesleyan. Freshman Lyndsay Griffi n of Marietta, Ga., led the team with 40 goals. Freshman Chelsea Van Voorhis of Dallas, Ga., followed with 25 goals and added seven assists, sophomore Ashley Johnson of Chattanooga followed with 22 goals and a team-leading 12 assists, sophomore Brit La Palm of Peachtree City, Ga., had 19 goals and six assists, and freshman Alexis Sweda of Germantown, Tenn., had 18 goals and four assists. Freshman goalkeeper Katie Bates of Hoover was solid for the Panthers, with 79 saves through 12 games.

Ashley Johnson had a team-leading 12 assists.

spring 2009 / 57 ATHLETICS

Track and fi eld teams continue to improve in second year

The Birmingham-Southern track and fi eld program showed continued improvement and success during the 2009 season under the direction of Head Coach Lars Porter. The program made history March 14 by hosting the ’Southern Invitational, the fi rst track meet on the Hilltop. Held at Panther Stadium, the meet featured nearly 20 teams from all NCAA divisions. Junior Aly Goldfarb of Mountain Brook was one of the top competitors for the women’s team, and won the pole vault titles at the DePauw Classic, Sewanee Invitational, ’Southern Invitational, Jacksonville State’s Gem of the Hill Invitational, and Troy University’s Coach O Invitational. She also won the 800-meter run at the Georgia Bulldog Limited and the 600-meter run at the DePauw Classic. Other top performers on the women’s side included sophomore Mary Elaine Williamson of Decatur, who won the mile run at the DePauw Classic and Sewanee Invitational, and freshman Sarah Sharman of Helena, who won the 400-meter dash at DePauw and the high jump at the ‘Southern Invitational. Freshman Maggie Zernick of Sugar Land, Texas, won the 1,000-meter run at the DePauw Classic. The BSC women won the 4x400-meter relay at DePauw. On the men’s side, junior Conrad Blunck of Mobile won the pole vault at the Ole Miss Invitational, senior Justin Leach of Powder Springs, Ga., won the 5,000-meter run, and senior Blake McDaniel of Trussville won the 800-meter run at the DePauw Aly Goldfarb was one of this season’s top competitors on the Classic. The BSC men won the 4x400-meter relay at the Sewanee Invitational, women’s track and fi eld team. and sophomore David Langston of Holt, Fla., won the high jump at the ’Southern Invitational. At the JSU Gem of the Hill Invitational, sophomore Mark Messenger of Sarasota, Fla., won the discus throw, and at the Coach O Invitational, senior Forrest Boughner of Flagstaff, Ariz., won the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Date Opponent Location Time Sept. 5 LaGrange College LaGrange, Ga. Noon 2009 BSC Sept. 12 CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY BSC Panther Stadium Noon Sept. 26 * RHODES COLLEGE BSC Panther Stadium Noon Football Oct. 3 * Trinity University San Antonio, Texas 1:30 p.m. Oct. 10 * CENTRE COLLEGE BSC Panther Stadium 1 p.m. Oct. 17 * Austin College Sherman, Texas 1 p.m. Schedule Oct. 24 * Sewanee Sewanee, Tenn. 1 p.m. Oct. 31 * DEPAUW UNIVERSITY BSC Panther Stadium Noon Nov. 7 ~ HUNTINGDON COLLEGE (HC) BSC Panther Stadium 1:30 p.m. Nov. 14 * Millsaps College Jackson, Tenn. 1 p.m.

*Denotes SCAC contest ~ (HC) Homecoming All times Central and subject to change

58 / ’southern ATHLETICS

Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award winner Irene Whiddon (far left) is pictured with the 2008 BSC Sports Hall of Fame honorees: (beginning second from left) Honey Trowbridge, John Ed “Hot” O’Brien’s niece who accepted the plaque on his behalf; Marvin Smith; Brian Shoop; Duane Reboul; Dr. Ashley Duke; and Jason Thompson.

Birmingham-Southern inducts six into Sports Hall of Fame

The Birmingham-Southern Sports Hall of Fame gained six more members this past November when four former student-athletes and two former coaches were inducted at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Dinner held on campus. The six inductees are Dr. Ashley Duke (women’s tennis, 1997), the late John Ed “Hot” O’Brien (football/men’s basketball/baseball, 1940), Coach Duane Reboul (men’s basketball), Coach Brian Shoop (baseball), Marvin Smith (men’s basketball, 1979), and Jason Thompson (men’s tennis, 1997). Duke played women’s tennis at BSC from 1994-97 under Head Coach Ann Dielen. She was the No. 1 singles player all four years, and helped the Panthers to four straight NAIA National Tournament appearances. Duke was nationally ranked in both singles and doubles, and earned All-America and Academic All-America honors during her tenure on the Hilltop. O’Brien was a three-sport letterwinner on the Hilltop, graduating in 1940. He spent most of his career at Tallassee High School, where he coached baseball, men’s basketball, and, most notably, football. In 18 seasons at Tallassee, O’Brien coached his football teams to fi ve unbeaten seasons and a 57-game unbeaten streak, which was a national record at the time. During his tenure, he coached his teams to an impressive record of 120 wins, 28 losses, and seven ties. Reboul was BSC’s men’s basketball coach for 17 seasons, from 1989-2006, and is the winningest coach in program history. In his fi rst year at Birmingham-Southern, he led the Panthers to the 1990 NAIA National Championship, and then repeated the national title in 1995, when his team went 35-2 for the best record in program history, a record that still stands to this day. In 2004, BSC’s fi rst year of post-season eligibility in Division I and the Big South Conference, Reboul led the Panthers to the Co-Regular Season Conference Championship. In 2006, his last year as head coach, his team advanced to the semifi nals of the Big South Tournament. Reboul also earned four NAIA Conference Coach of the Year honors, two Alabama Coach of the Year honors, one NAIA All- Independent Coach of the Year award, and two Big South Coach of the Year accolades. He took his teams to nine NAIA National Tournament appearances, fi ve of those at-large bids, and was 402-124 in his career. Shoop is BSC’s winningest baseball coach, having coached the Panthers for 17 seasons, from 1989-2006. His coaching record on the Hilltop was 692-307-1, and he led BSC to its fi rst-ever NAIA National Championship in baseball in 2001. In 2004, BSC’s fi rst year of post-season eligibility in the Big South Conference, Shoop’s Panthers won the Big South Regular Season title and made it to the NCAA Regional in Athens, Ga., as an at-large selection. There they defeated Middle Tennessee State for BSC’s only NCAA Division I tournament win in any sport. In 2006, Shoop’s last season on the Hilltop, the Panthers won the Big South Regular Season title once more. In all, Shoop took BSC to four NAIA College World Series appearances and earned eight Conference Coach of the Year accolades. In 2001, the year his team won the national title, he was named NAIA Coach of the Year. Two years later in 2003, Shoop was named NCAA Division I Independent Coach of the Year. He then earned Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors in 2004. Smith was a men’s basketball standout on the Hilltop for two seasons from 1977-79, leading BSC to its fi rst-ever back-to-back NAIA National Tournament appearances. In his junior year, he helped lead the Panthers to a 29-5 record. Then, as a senior in 1978-79, Smith helped lead BSC to a 29-4 record, which was a program-best record at the time. In both his seasons, he helped the Panthers win conference and district titles. As a senior, Smith led BSC in rebounding (7.5/game) and was second on the time with 13.5 points a game. He also shot over 52 percent from the fi eld that season. Smith earned All-Conference and All-District accolades in both of his seasons on the Hilltop, and was on the Dean’s List as a senior. Thompson was a men’s tennis standout from 1994-97 and a graduate assistant in 1998, helping lead BSC to fi ve straight NAIA National Tournament appearances. He earned NAIA All-America honors in both doubles and singles play while at BSC. As a senior in 1997, Thompson served as team captain alongside his future wife Cissy McClung, who was captain of the women’s team that year. An additional award was presented during the Hall of Fame dinner to Irene Whiddon, athletics/physical fi tness and recreation assistant at Birmingham-Southern. Whiddon received the 2008 Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding contribution to BSC athletics during her 20-year career on the Hilltop. spring 2009 / 59 ATHLETICS

Goldfarbs to make World Maccabiah Games a BSC names six new coaches family affair to sports programs

The 18th World Maccabiah Games in Israel, scheduled Birmingham-Southern has announced the hiring of Jason Buha as the for July 12-23, 2009, are sure to be a memorable head coach for men’s golf, Mandy Burford as softball assistant coach, occasion for the Goldfarb family. Kenneth Cox as assistant coach for cross country and track and fi eld, April Aly Goldfarb, a junior on the Birmingham-Southern Fricke as the head coach for volleyball, Bo Ingalsbe as men’s lacrosse track and fi eld team, has been chosen to compete for assistant coach, and Ryan Sheppard as the strength and conditioning Team USA in the 400- and 800-meter races, as well as the coach. pole vault. Buha played professionally for eight years, two of those on the PGA Tour. Aly’s father, Preston Goldfarb, who is longtime head In 2002, he won the Nationwide Tour Dayton Open, and in 1999 was the men’s soccer coach at BSC, has been appointed the NGA Hooters Tour Champion. More recently, he is founder and director of head coach for Maccabi USA’s Junior Boys’ Soccer Team. instruction of the Buha Golf Academy at Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham. Preston’s son, Sean Goldfarb, a graduating senior at A 1997 graduate of Duke University, Buha was a four-year letterwinner for BSC and midfi elder on the men’s soccer team, has been the Blue Devils and a 1997 NCAA All-America selection. appointed as the assistant coach for the USA Juniors Burford, who hit .325 in 2007 as a senior for the University of Alabama, Boys’ Soccer Team. is a native of Anniston. Most recently, she served as the radio color analyst Since being selected back in October, Aly has for Alabama softball. Burford graduated with bachelor’s and master’s competed in several Division I meets in preparation for degrees in marketing from the University of Alabama. As a player, she this summer’s games. Recently, she won the 800-meter was team captain in 2007 and helped the Crimson Tide to the Women’s outdoor run at the Coach O Track and Field Invitational, College World Series in both 2005 and 2006, as well as Regional and Super hosted by Troy University, clocking a time of 2:16:13, Regional appearances in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. and also won the pole vault with a mark of 3.55 meters. Cox formerly served as athletics director, coach, and authorized “I am extremely excited and honored to have representative of Sprint Athletics Inc. in Atlanta, where he coached track and been selected to compete in the Maccabiah Games fi eld at both the youth and elite levels, was a trainer for sport-specifi c speed this summer,” said Aly Goldfarb. “It is such a great and conditioning, participated in mentoring and community outreach, experience and I am thankful to have been given the and coached and represented six athletes for the 2008 Olympic trials. He opportunity to be a part of it. I am also honored to be attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a able to represent my country and heritage on the track, bachelor’s degree in communication studies in 1999. Cox was a member and I truly cannot wait to compete in Israel this summer of the men’s track and fi eld team, competing in the 60 meters (indoor) and wearing red, white, and blue.” 100 meters (outdoor). Preston and Sean Goldfarb both share the same goals Fricke comes to BSC from fellow Southern Collegiate Athletic for their team: to be competitive, work hard, and to Conference member Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where bring home the gold medal. she served as assistant volleyball coach for four seasons. At Trinity, she “This is our fi rst time coaching together,” said Preston. helped the program to four consecutive SCAC titles, four consecutive “The greatest thing in life was to coach my son in college, NCAA Tournament appearances, and the 2006 NCAA quarterfi nals. Fricke but to be able to coach alongside him is the ultimate!” earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science from St. Mary’s According to Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, which University in San Antonio in 1995, while playing varsity volleyball and sponsors the U.S. team to the Maccabiah Games, the basketball. volunteer organization seeks to enrich the lives of Jewish Ingalsbe comes to BSC from the Washington, D.C., area where he was the youth in the United States, Israel, and the Diaspora assistant boy’s lacrosse coach at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, through athletic, cultural, and educational programs. Va. He was also the head junior varsity coach for Washington-Lee High The Maccabiah Games feature over 7,000 athletes School in 2008. A 2004 graduate from Division III Centenary College in from more than 50 countries around the world, making Hackettstown, N.J., Ingalsbe earned Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference it the third largest sports event in the world. The Goalie of the Week honors in 2002. games are held every four years and attract the most Sheppard graduated from the University of West Alabama in Livingston outstanding Jewish athletes from around the world. where he received his bachelor’s degree in education with an emphasis on For more information on Maccabi USA and the 2009 exercise science in 2005. He went on to earn his master’s in education from World Maccabiah Games, visit www.maccabiusa.com. Baylor University in Waco, Texas, with an emphasis on exercise physiology and strength and conditioning. Sheppard has served as a personal trainer for the YMCA of Tuscaloosa County since 2007.

60 / ’southern ATHLETICS

BSC golfer tees off against cancer

BY PAT COLE

Hardy

Whenever Birmingham-Southern Hardy had played 360 holes by “Mrs. Looney initially was senior Jordan Hardy would blast a the end of the spring golf season. diagnosed with breast cancer, shot off the tee during her team’s The Lady Panthers played in four went through chemotherapy, and golf competitions, it wasn’t for the tournaments this past fall: winning then experienced several years of sole purpose of winning. one of which Hardy shot a fi nal remission. Later, the cancer returned Hardy found a way to use her round 75 to fi nish with a 147, and spread throughout her body.” golf game to help raise money for fi nishing third in two, and posting a Hardy says she wanted to fi nd a cancer research. In an effort Hardy fourth-place fi nish in the last one. way to honor Pam Looney, who had spearheaded called “Holes for The young golfer also had a big impact on her life, and help Hope: The Pam Looney Memorial designed a fl yer to help people raise money for cancer research. Fund,” people were able to make know just what their pledges could “She was such an inspiration to contributions for each hole of golf amount to. everyone who knew her. Before, I she played for BSC during the 2008- “As little as 10 cents per hole had never understood the severity of 09 season. resulted in an $18 pledge towards cancer, or that it could spread and “Individuals or groups offered cancer research,” explains Hardy. transform into different forms like pledges for every hole that I “People also got creative and Mrs. Looney’s did.” played during the college’s donated money for every birdie or Persons wanting more tournaments,” says Hardy, a par I made during a tournament.” information about the fundraiser or business administration major Hardy decided to start this wishing to donate to the American from Sylacauga. “I played in fi ve fundraising project after Pam Cancer Society can visit Hardy’s Web tournaments each semester, with 36 Looney, a friend from her site at www.holesforhope.blogspot. holes per tournament, resulting in hometown, died last June, on com. 180 competitive holes.” Father’s Day, after a 10-year battle with the disease.

spring 2009 / 61 CLASSNOTES

ClassNotes BY CAROL HAGOOD

at Shades Valley High and was ’55 athletic director for the Jefferson Dr. Bob Whetstone of Birmingham AlumNews ’39 County Schools for 20 years prior was elected chair of the Alabama to assuming his role at the Hall of Humanities Foundation board of Mildred Sims McCorstin ’39, Fame. There, he presided over a directors for pictured here with President David period of outstanding growth and 2009 and Pollick at a 2008 BSC Service of development for the facility and its recently Lessons and Carols, has attended programs. attended P all 72 Birmingham-Southern carol the annual services. She says that she doesn’t ’51 meeting of feel the Christmas season really David R. Baker of Birmingham, the National begins until the carol service takes Endowment foror place. She attended this past year’s attorney with Haskell Slaughter event with her son, Jim, and other Young & Rediker LLC and a life the Humanitieses family, many of whom are also BSC trustee at Birmingham-Southern, in Washington,n, alumni. has been reappointed chair of the D.C. Whetstone ihis author off History and Archives Committee books including the January 2009 of the Birmingham Bar Association publication Goober Joe, the story for 2009. of a young man of mixed race ’29 of church friends at a surprise 90th growing up during the Civil War. The late E.D. Lott, a former coach birthday celebration. at Demopolis High School, recently was inducted into the 2009 class ’46 of the Marengo County Sports In her almost lifelong career as AlumNews ’45 Hall of Fame. Lott also coached at a writer, Emily Blake Vail of Valley Head and at Anniston, where Morrow, Ga., has produced works the football stadium is named in in many genres—poetry, short his honor. story, nonfi ction, juvenile fi ction, and adult novels. They include ’35 the published novels The Ghost Eleanor Kidd of Birmingham was Shrimp (1999), The Burlap Bag: named the Alabama Association Murder Indeed (2000), and Dark of Fundraising Professionals’ Night on Mimosa Trail (2003), all Outstanding Philanthropist for Wright Books publications. Two 2008. A generous supporter of short stories were included in a her alma mater, Kidd also has been 2002 volume published by Pen and a benefactor of the Birmingham Pica Writers. Recent works for Museum of Art, Children’s Hospital, young people, The Grey Ghost of and UAB, where she has endowed the Pharaoh (a teen mystery), Carla a professorship in primary care and the Con Men, Sue and Charley medicine. A longtime member of (her fi rst picture book), and Mist in the St. Vincent’s Hospital board of the Heart (a teen romance), were directors, her recent gifts to that published by Xlibris, as was her landmark Southside health care fi rst poetry collection, POEMS … provider have provided support for this fragile earth. the Emergency Department and the new south tower which bears ’50 her name. William Lee “Bill” Legg of Birmingham, who served as ’42 executive director for the Alabama Betty Freudenburg ’45 of Colorado Springs, Colo., Last October, Rev. Woodfi n Sports Hall of Fame for 23 years, (student body president of her BSC graduating class) is Grove, pastor emeritus at retired Feb. 1, 2009. After a pictured here at last November’s BSC/Colorado College Anniston’s First United Methodist storied athletic career at BSC, Legg football matchup in Colorado Springs with her daughter, Church, was honored by hundreds served as a teacher and coach Patti Freudenburg—a ’77 Colorado graduate. Patti is a good sport, and she had to admit that “’Southern trounced the local team!” (The fi nal score was 62 / ’southern Panthers 31-Tigers 17.) CLASSNOTES

the Alabama Bar Institute for Sterne Agee as branch manager. Continuing Legal Education for his He formerly served with Morgan ongoing commitment to continuing Keegan in their Atlanta offi ce. legal education. Bailey has been widely honored for his long ’69 career in family law. In 2002, the Dowd Ritter of Birmingham, Alabama Child Support Association chair and CEO at Regions established the Gordon F. Bailey Financial Corp., was named one Photo courtesy of University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center Jr. Attorney of the Year Award of Alabama’s 12 most infl uential honoring him for his 26 years of people by a panel of editors at New AlumNews ’54 service. In 2006, he was named York Times regional newspapers in Lawyer of the Year by the Family Florence, Gadsden, and Tuscaloosa. The grand opening celebration of the Donald C. Harrison Law Section of the Alabama In addition to his leadership of the Health Sciences Library at the University of Cincinnati State Bar. state’s largest bank, he serves on took place Oct. 17, 2008, with a gala afternoon reception. boards of directors of Alabama Dr. Donald C. Harrison ’54 is a cardiologist who served as In June 2008, Dr. Sidney R. Hill Power, Protective Life, UAB Health the senior vice president and provost for health affairs and Jr. of Starkville, Miss., retired Services Foundation, Business a professor of medicine at UC from 1986-2002. He was instrumental in bringing to fruition the library that now bears from the faculty of Mississippi Council of Alabama, Economic his name. The Harrison Honors Program at BSC is also State University and was named Development Partnership of named in his honor. professor emeritus in the Alabama, and McWane Inc. Ritter Department of Communications. is chair of the board of trustees at BSC. ’57 his third book, a Simon & Schuster ’68 Alice Chambliss McDow of December 2008 release entitled This past December, Tip Tipton Athens reports her joy at becoming You’re Not Who You Think You joined the Alpharetta, Ga., offi ce of a great grandmother with the birth Are: A Breakthrough Guide to of Griffi n Andrew Downs on Sept. Discovering the Authentic You, 18, 2008. which is described as a step-by- step guide to authentic living. In ’62 this “full-circle journey of loving, Ron Countryman of Birmingham recovering, and revering the self,” was the featured artist for January Publisher’s Weekly fi nds Gaulden 2009 at the Leeds Arts Council “a witty and appealing guide.” show. After retiring from a career More information on the book is at the Birmingham Public Library, available at www.sedonaintensive. the former BSC art major was com. inspired by trips to Santa Fe to begin painting again; the show ’64 featured his Western landscapes. Dr. William C. Adams of Albertville, a dentist who Albert Clayton Gaulden is a specializes in a wide range of transpersonal psychologist, author, cosmetic and restorative dental lecturer, and founding director procedures, as well as orthodontics of the Sedona Intensive, an and the treatment of TMJ/TMD alternativee syndrome, is now engaged in the therapy treatment of obstructive sleep AlumNews ’57 program apnea. based in Three fi rst cousins, all BSC alumna for 50 or more Sedona, ’66 years, gathered at downtown Birmingham’s Summit Club to celebrate during the 2008 BSC Alumni Reunion/ Ariz. He Gordon F. Bailey Jr., who Homecoming weekend. Pictured (from left) are Kathryn recently practices law in Anniston, received Voigt Waters ’58 of Birmingham and Fran Wamp Brindley published the 2008 Gewin Award from ’57 and Jean Wamp Holt ’57 of Cullman.

spring 2009 / 63 CLASSNOTES

2008 Article Prize. This award was which operates 20 primary care clinics presented at the group’s annual in Alabama, plans to open fi ve new AlumNews ’58 conference, which took place this year clinics in 2009. Dr. Bruce Irwin is CEO in Milwaukee, March 26-28. Brown is a of the group, which has 400 employees professor of art history at the University and expects to treat 300,000 patients of Colorado at Boulder. in 2009.

After 33 years in medicine, Dr. Douglas Wayne Morse has been named to George Burnette Jr. has transitioned the Samford University Cumberland to a career in fi nancial planning. He School of Law Dean’s Cabinet. Morse now is affi liated with Cheree Ray Clark is an attorney at the Birmingham fi rm Financial Services in Lake Charles, La., a Waldrep Stewart & Kendrick LLC, where fi rm involved in fi nancial planning for the he represents a wide variety of clients, past 25 years. including fi nancial institutions, law fi rms, local government employees, and The Jan. 23, 2009, Birmingham businesses. Business Journal reports that the Hoover-based American Family Care,

Dr. S T Kimbrough Jr. ’58 of Durham, N.C., known AlumNews ’58 professionally as a singer as “Steven Kimbrough,” had two new CD releases in the past year by In honor of her aunt, Mercedes VMS Recordings: Korngold Hollywood Songbook Cagle Lambert ’33, and in honor and Charles Wesley: Sacred and Secular Songs. of her own class of 1958, which Arabesque Records also released his solo album recently celebrated its 50th alumni Christmas on Broadway. Kimbrough, who holds a anniversary, Frances Osborn Robb Ph.D. from Princeton, is author or editor of more than ’58 of Huntsville has presented the 40 books, the latest the February 2008 two-volume BSC Library with a hand-lettered Manuscript Journal of Charles Wesley from Abingdon leaf from a 13th-century Bible. This Detail, 13th century leaf, BSC Archives Press. In this fi rst critical edition of Wesley’s journal, particularly fi ne example of a passage shorthand passages are deciphered, Latin quotations from Revelations was produced by the Johannes Grusch workshop identifi ed and translated, and English poetry in Paris about 1247—nearly two centuries before Johannes selections, place names, and biblical references Gutenberg created the fi rst Bible with a printing press. noted. He is now preparing the volume A Pictorial The script that the Grusch workshop used, Gothic textura, was History of Early Russian Methodism for the 100th developed for signifi cant works, such as this Bible, where legibility anniversary, in 2009, of the registration of Methodism and clarity were all important. In this example, letters which begin in St. Petersburg. chapters have been elaborated with exceedingly fi ne calligraphic pen work decorations and enhanced with colored paint to make them appear more signifi cant. Since Bibles of this period were not paged, ’71 the prominent chapter-heading initials help the reader fi nd the right “Howler,” a February 2009 Nelson describes the show as “a place in the book. The red and blue calligraphy, with extensions along the page margins, is characteristic of the embellishment used exhibition at Bare Hands Gallery polemic about the painful idiocy in Bibles made in Paris; nevertheless, it is the text that dominates, in Birmingham, featured 16 large of man’s inhumanity to man, with not illustrations or ornament. symbolic references to the history prints along with a fl oor and space Paris in 1247 was an exciting time and place. The city’s commerce installation by Associate Professor of war and killing.” was fl ourishing, the population was growing, and the new university of Art and Art History James had made Paris the leading center of theology. The leaf refl ects Emmette Neel. Birmingham ’72 this rich context and the new standardization of the Bible text that News critic James R. Dr. Marilyn Brown, whose the university professors and professional scribes were bringing artarticle “‘Miss La La’s’ Teeth: about. Bible production during these years was increasingly moving ReRefl ections on Degas and from the monasteries to commercial workshops, which produced a ‘R‘Race’,” The Art Bulletin, LXXIX, greater volume of work with more effi ciency. nno.o 4 (Dec. 2007), 738-65, Manuscript production was located in one part of a city, but the wwhich previously won the market was international. Bibles and other works were not made on speculation, as they are today, but were ordered by clients. InInterdisciplinary Nineteenth Booksellers or stationers often coordinated book manufacturing and CCentury Studies Prize for selling in the increasingly secular book trade. BBest Interdisciplinary Article, So this example from the Grusch workshop is not merely a has now won the Nineteenth beautiful object, but an artifact representing an important point in Century Studies Association the development of books and libraries. To schedule a viewing, contact Dr. Guy Hubbs, BSC archivist, reference librarian, and associate professor of library science, at [email protected] or 64 / ’southern 205/226-4752. CLASSNOTES AlumNews ’63

Recently, when Pamela Payton-Wright ’63 was ’73 asked to fi ll in a small box answering the question, Joseph Fawal of the Birmingham law fi rm “What have you been doing since graduating from Fawal & Spina has been named to the BSC?,” she no doubt found it a challenge. In her executive committee of the Birmingham years on stage and screen, the noted New York Bar Association for 2009. actress has won a glittering array of awards—the Drama Desk Award, the Clarence Derwent Award, ’75 a Variety Critics’ Poll citation, nominations for an Dr. Devin Stephenson has been named Emmy and the Lucille Lortel Award, twice an Obie, the sixth president of Three Rivers a Fulbright, and a Fox Grant Fellowship for work in Community College in Poplar Bluff, 17th- and 18th-century couple dancing. And she’s Mo. Stephenson holds a doctorate in garnered a list of performance credits, Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off Broadway—with a Who’s administration of higher education from Who of fellow performers—that no small box could hope to hold. the University of Alabama and has more Still, with a storyteller’s instinct, she began at the beginning: “Upon graduation than 30 years of experience in educational from Birmingham-Southern, I went straight to Sarasota [Fla.] for my second season administration. Most recently he served of 17th- and 18th-century comedy at the Asolo Theater. Two months later, I boarded as vice president of external affairs at Bevill the QE1 for London and two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where I State Community College in Sumiton. distinguished myself in Restoration work and received the Edmund Gray Prize for High Comedy and the Special Medal at graduation. I sailed home, wrote fi ve letters ’77 to repertory theaters, including a résumé of my work at This past year, Catherine Slonceski ’Southern, Asolo, and RADA, as well as every award or Flemming was named curriculum citation I had ever received, and one that I did not: The coordinator in the Wilmette Public Schools Herbert Beerbohm Tree Prize for Standard English Speech. I had overlooked the parameters of this mandatory in Wilmette, Ill., after many years of competition, but my name was included underneath the teaching K-4 students. Her husband, winner’s name for ‘Acting not easily classifi able in terms George Flemming, who once served of these competitions.’ That provocative phrase caught as BSC photographer, is a computer the attention of one of the letters’ recipients and brought engineering contractor. Their daughter is a about my fi rst job, at the Milwaukee Rep. I’ve been student at the University of Virginia. s working ever since … ” And indeed she has. Three years of resident rep ’81 culminated on Broadway with a season of classical H. Holden McCurry is now a full-time plays and, over the years, Broadway credits for The ceramic artist in Asheville, N.C. Show-Off with Helen Hayes; Exit the King with Eva Le Produced in 1976 for Gallienne; The Cherry Orchard with Uta Hagen; Jimmy America’s bicentennial, Shine with Dustin Hoffman; The Crucible; All Over ’82 the PBS series The Adams Town, directed by Hoffman; Madame Butterfl y, and six Randy Townsend has joined Oversight Chronicles won popular productions at Circle in the Square: the 1972 inaugural Systems of Atlanta as vice president of acclaim, critical raves, production of Mourning Becomes Electra with Colleen professional services and support. and scholarly recognition. Dewhurst (Drama Desk Award), The Glass Menagerie Payton-Wright appears in with Maureen Stapleton, Romeo and Juliet, A Streetcar ’83 this series as John Quincy Named Desire, The Night of the Iguana, and Something Adams’ wife, a role that won Drew Green of Cullman received his Unspoken. Her Off-Broadway and extensive regional her an Emmy nomination. master of theological studies degree from credits are equally impressive, as is her fi lm and Recently the series was Spring Hill College in May 2007. television work, which includes The Prodigal, Brother to released as a DVD set by Dragons, and The Adams Chronicles (Emmy nomination) Acorn Media. For more ’84 for PBS; Look Homeward, Angel with Geraldine Page information, see www. for Playhouse 90; recurring performances since 1991 Gregory Patrick Logan of Birmingham acornonline.com. as Addie Cramer on One Live to Live; and guest is the managing member of Arlington appearances including Law & Order and Homicide. Associates, an affi liate of Arlington In a very recent performance, she appeared with an exciting young Brooklyn- Partners. based theater company called The Debate Society, headed by her son, director Oliver Butler—whom The New Yorker has praised for “brilliant and rigorous direction”—and ’85 writer/performers Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. In November/December 2008 the This past September, the Ronald company produced a new play, Cape Disappointment, at Performance Space 122 McDonald House of Alabama honored (the space formerly occupied by Public School 122 in Manhattan’s East Village, now its former board president, Birmingham home to a variety of cutting-edge theatre, dance, and music). In this “bizarre but attorney Denson N. Franklin III, for his deeply winning homage to the drive-in cinema of yore, in which the magic is more in civic, religious, and social contributions the storytelling than in the stories themselves” (The New Yorker), “Payton-Wright [as the “kooky Aunt Gracie”] delivers a beautiful monologue that gives shape, sound and to Birmingham. Franklin serves his alma soul to a range of American myths” (New York Press). mater as a trustee. What’s next for this acclaimed actress? Watch these pages. spring 2009 / 65 CLASSNOTES

Dr. Deborah Palmes has been Related Agencies Subcommittee. promoted to professor of theatre at He also serves on the Commission AlumNews ’67 North Central College in Naperville, on Security and Cooperation in Ill., where she has served on the Europe (known as the Helsinki faculty since 1994. Commission), monitoring human rights in Europe and Central Asia. ’87 Congressman Robert Aderholt Beth McKinney of Hollywood, was re-elected in November Calif., appeared in the Tennessee 2008 to his seventh term in the Valley Art Association/Time Out U.S. House of Representatives, Theater production of “The Best representing the Fourth Christmas Pageant Ever” this past Congressional District of December. Alabama. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee, ’88 Homeland Security Subcommittee, Burleigh C. “Buck” Johnson’s Transportation, Housing, and Urban country band Whiskey Falls, which Development Subcommittee, and performed at the 2008 BSC Alumni Commerce, Justice, Science and Reunion to rave reviews, has won Have you heard of the young singers in this vintage photograph? Chances are you’d recognize them by their current name, The Blind Boys of Alabama. This AlumNews ’72 legendary fi ve-time Grammy-winning group is only one of many musical groups featured in an upcoming fi lm by BSC alumnus Bob Clem ’67. Clem is producing a new documentary featuring the historic role played by Birmingham and Jefferson County in launching a musical form—gospel quartet music—which would provide the foundation for doo wop, rhythm and blues, and early rock and roll. As Clem notes, Birmingham’s black culture thrived as workers arrived in the 1920s to work in the mines and mills. Local groups such as the Famous Blue Jay Singers and Kings of Harmony loosened up jubilee style quartet singing, leading to gospel quartet’s golden age in the 1940s and 50s—sadly forgotten once the music’s style and techniques were secularized and musicians like Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls crossed over. Clem’s fi lm, The Gospel Highway, supported by the Alabama Humanities Foundation, Southern Humanities Media Fund, and Alabama Arts Council, will include footage of groups still performing in the traditional style today, among them: the Fairfi eld Four, Four Eagles, Birmingham Sunlights, Delta-Aires, and Mighty Clouds of Joy. Clem also plans to focus on legendary groups like the Temptations and Four Tops, whose style was heavily infl uenced by quartets like the Dixie Hummingbirds. Glimpses of The Gospel Highway are already appearing online. For a quick look at the Birmingham Sunlights busy at their joyful work—as recorded by our talented fi lmmaker—go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=CmxxVCA50HA.

Branko Medenica ’72 of Birmingham has installed a new work of art, Wings of Triumph, at the Women’s Athletic building on the campus of Auburn University. Cast in bronze, the 15-foot statue rests on a granite base. 66 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

Donna Fay Lohman ’89 of conference, she traveled for 10 Birmingham was awarded the more days in Wales and Scotland. 2007-08 Teacher of the Year award for Hillview Elementary School Rev. John Verciglio is now serving and is one of fi ve fi nalists for the as the minister of the Haleyville Jefferson County Elementary First United Methodist Church. He Teacher of the Year. formerly was minister at Cahaba Heights United Methodist Church. Bentley Hines Patrick of Birmingham, attorney and ’91 staff counsel for The Cincinnati Ben Craig of Philadelphia has Insurance Co., recently was been appointed president of the selected to the Alabama State NASDAQ OMX Futures Exchange Bar’s Leadership Forum Class (NFX), based in Philadelphia. His for 2009. Leadership Forum wife, Laura Boyd Craig ’89, is AlumNews ’87 participants are selected based on director of learning support at the Tom Doggett ’87 has been an energy correspondent for their demonstration of outstanding Crefeld School. the Washington, D.C., bureau of Reuters News Agency leadership qualities and service to for 11 years. Doggett is pictured here with Air Force One, their communities. Patrick’s wife ’92 shortly before a fl ight he made with former President is Melissa Self Patrick ’87. His Stanley Edward Burroughs of George W. Bush this past summer to Cleveland, Ohio, sister is BSC Vice President for Pleasant Grove has served 24 where Bush was scheduled to deliver a speech on Institutional Advancement Adelia years in the Alabama National energy. Patrick Thompson ’86, his father Guard. He now is employed with is Dr. J. Donald Patrick ’57, and the Birmingham Fire Department. his mother is Margaret Hines Patrick ’56. Dr. L. Scott high praise seven cities around the country to Ennis has in the music perform in footage that will be part Dr. Teresa P. Reed of Anniston, been named industry of the show’s initial eight hour-long a professor at Jacksonville State Best Plastic for such a episodes. University, presented a paper Surgeon on young (three- entitled “In Thrall to History: A the Emerald years-old) Dr. Daniel C. Potts of Tuscaloosa Reading of Troilus and Criseyde” Coast in collaboration. was honored as the American at the biennial meeting of the a poll of Now the Academy of Neurology’s 2008 New Chaucer Society in Swansea, readers of Nashville- Advocate of the Year for his work Wales, in July 2008. Following the Emerald Coast Magazine. Ennis based with Alzheimer’s patients and their has practiced at Destin Plastic group has caregivers. yet another feather in ’89 its cap—or Stetson. The band has Kacy O’Brien Donlon was been tapped for the theme song named to the 2009 edition of AlumNews ’90 and additional music for a new The Best Lawyers in America by reality show, “Toughest Cowboy,” Woodward/White Inc. in the area This past December, Emily Bell ’90, from Mark Burnett, creator of of commercial litigation. Lawyers of Fairhope, with Jane McClure “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” and were selected for inclusion in this Blaum ’73 of Montrose, performed other popular television series. On new edition of Best Lawyers based a duet as part of the Eastern Shore this show, which airs on Spike TV, on an exhaustive and rigorous Choral Society’s annual Christmas 12 contestants compete in rodeo peer-review survey developed and concert. The two sang a piece from events including bull-riding and refi ned for more than 25 years. Vivaldi’s Requiem. Bell notes, “Our bronco-riding for the fi nal prize of a Donlon specializes in the area of college choral days live on!” ranch in Wyoming. Whiskey Falls securities litigation at Fowler White will travel to competitions fi lmed in Boggs in Tampa, Fla.

spring 2009 / 67 CLASSNOTES AlumNews ’96

Herb Williams ’96, who earned his Birmingham-Southern BFA in sculpture, has been creating artwork in Nashville, Tenn., for the past several years out of Crayola crayons—hundreds of thousands of whole crayons. He also has partnered with entrepreneur Jeff Rymer of Chicago to open the striking contemporary Rymer Gallery in Nashville. Williams, who was awarded the Next Star Artist of ’08, plans Surgery in Destin, Fla., since 2003. his fi rst NYC show in September at the RARE He recently was named one of only Gallery in Chelsea. This past January, Williams’ crayon portrait 30 plastic surgeons nationwide of Barack Obama, which took its starting chosen to participate in a new point from a 2004 photo by Jack Avedon, was breast implant study. chosen for the Manifest Hope: D.C. inaugural exhibition. The work took four months and ’93 50,000 crayons to complete. It recently sold After receiving her degree from to a Nashville collector for $25,000. the University of Alabama School Williams is married to Amy Freeman of Dentistry, with certifi cates Williams ’9797. in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, Aimee Sparks Skelton has been practicing orthodontics in her hometown of Fort Payne since 2001.

’94 Maj. Jack D. Fulmer II recently graduated from the National Defense Intelligence College in Washington, D.C., earning a master’s degree in strategic PhotographyPh by Dave Johnson intelligence. He has been assigned to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

Stephanie “Missy” Norris Morman of Birmingham resigned DuWain Brundage of Gardendale from the Offi ce of the Alabama Alabamabama SchoolSchool ofof LawLaw andand servedserved Mindy Weisel. She is now the spent a year in Kuwait working Attorney General in December as law clerk to U.S. District Judge owner and operator of Staunton with the Army Supply Group. 2007 and is serving as staff Edwin L. Nelson. (Va.) Art Supply and an artist Welcomed home by his wife, attorney to the Hon. William H. whose recent shows include an Freda, he is now a consultant with Pryor Jr. of the U.S. Court of Caroline Burns Hopenwasser has exhibition of photographs and Eagle Services International, a new Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. been named assistant professor paintings at Eastern Mennonite venture in the federal business She and husband Mike Morman of reading/literacy in the Education University entitled “The Paradox of sector. ’93, a CPA with Till, Hester, Eyer & Department at SUNY New Paltz. Enclosure.” Brown, now have three sons (see Brian Kennedy of Jasper, “Births”). Sam A. Scalici Jr. is managing Brooke Tanner Battle of executive editor of the Daily director and head of banking Birmingham, managing director of Mountain Eagle, recently was Dr. Jane Miller Thayer received at Oakworth Capital Bank in the Foundation Fund Management named chair of the Walker County her doctoral degree in accounting Birmingham. With more than Co., is one of “Fifteen Leaders Chamber of Commerce. from Emory University. She 17 years of experience in the for the Future” named by The now is an assistant professor of banking industry, he was formerly Birmingham News in its Feb. Annie-Laurie McCulloh has joined accounting at the University of an executive at Regions Financial 1, 2009, issue. Battle, a board Atlanta’s Rainmaker Group, which Georgia. Corp. member for the Women’s Fund, provides software and services Alabama School of Fine Arts supporting the multifamily housing ’95 ’96 Foundation, and Oasis Women’s industry. Attorney Thomas J. Butler has After graduating with a BFA Counseling Center, and a founding joined the Birmingham offi ce from Birmingham-Southern, member of Friends of the Railroad Ben Ramey of Tuscaloosa has of Whatley Drake & Kallas LLC. Leslie Grimes Banta studied at District Inc., was cited for her been promoted to supervisor in tax Butler, who has more than seven the Corcoran College of Art & particular interest in transportation and accounting at Jamison, Money, years of litigation experience, Design in Washington, D.C., with and education issues as they Farmer & Co. PC, certifi ed public graduated from the University of instructors Bill Christenberry and impact the future of the city. accountants.

68 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

Committee of the North American ’98 South Asian Bar Association. Attorney Jay Mitchell has AlumNews ’97 been elected shareholder in the Last year, physical therapist Birmingham law fi rm of Maynard, Katherine Hudson Tan received Cooper & Gale, where he practices Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in the area of general litigation. (OCS) certifi cation from the American Board of Physical Clayton M. Ryan has been Therapy Examiners and was named a shareholder in the fi rm designated Certifi ed Cervical and of Maynard, Cooper & Gale in Temporomandibular Therapist Birmingham. He practices in (CCTT) by the American Academy the fi rm’s fi nancial institutions, of Orofacial Pain. She and her governmental and regulatory husband, Dr. Derek Shieh Tan, affairs, and insurance and fi nancial reside in New York City. services litigation practices groups.

P. Blake Walker of Biloxi, Miss., ’99 recently was promoted to vice Dr. Thomas “Massey” Willingham president at Hancock Bank. He Jr. has opened a pediatric serves as manager of the bank’s dental practice, Pediatric Dental In March 2009, Gin Phillips ’97 of Birmingham won Financial Intelligence Department. Associates, in Pell City, with fi rst place for fi ction in the Barnes and Noble Discover colleague and fellow alumnus Dr. Great New Writers 2008 Awards for her debut novel Susan Elaine Williams of Baker Chambliss Jr. ’98, and also The Well and the Mine. Judges in the competition Cleveland, Ohio, graduated from owns Trussville Pediatric Dentistry. called her “truly a great new American writer” and her the Cleveland Institute of Music He and wife Carrie-Anne work “brilliant and memorable,” and presented her with with a doctorate of musical arts in Chapman Willingham ’98 now a $10,000 cash prize and a year of special marketing vocal performance. have three children (see “Births”). nationwide. Sales of the novel at the giant bookseller soared. O, The Oprah Magazine also has praised Phillips as “a dazzling new novelist,” and called the book “a quietly bold debut, full of heart.”

Scott M. Speagle has been named Anil Mujumdar has been a shareholder at the Montgomery reelected to the Birmingham law fi rm Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Cole & Black PC. Speagle, who Division executive committee. An joined the fi rm in 2003 as an attorney associate, practices primarily in the at Haskell areas of commercial and business Slaughter litigation, insurance defense, and Young & construction law. Rediker LLC, he practices ’97 primarily in Antoine Maurice Andrews is the area of AlumNews ’06 director of the One-A-Chord Gospel white-collar Choir at BSC. This past Christmas, criminal defense. He also is active On March 1, 2009, when Birmingham was temporarily blanketed the choir held its second annual in public interest affairs and serves with a 3-inch “blizzard” of fl uffy snow, Taylor Preston ’05 and wife Christmas concert; on May 5, as the president of the American Ashley Pope Preston ’06 (with their dog Scout) celebrated the joys of 2009, the group presented its Civil Liberties Union of Alabama winter—and their alma mater—with a spirited BSC snowman. eighth annual end-of-school and as chair of the Criminal Justice concert.

spring 2009 / 69 CLASSNOTES BSC Green Ways

Panther black and gold—and green. Birmingham- Southern alumni are fi nding many ways to relate to the environment and to environmental concerns. Here are a few of their stories.

Bear-watching in Alaska and saving the moment in photos

the Grand Canyon nine times, more times. She has also rafted including once when she portions of the Green River in “swam” until rescued, after Utah, the Middle Fork of the her raft fl ipped in Lava Rapid, Salmon River in Idaho, and a rated “10” (most diffi cult, number of California rivers. 1-10)—except when extra water Franklin has written AlumNews ’58 released from the Glen Canyon magazine articles on her travels, Dam edges it towards “12.” She and currently is working to Martha J. “Marte” Franklin has hiked the Grand Canyon publish a book on the Klondike ’58 of Santa Barbara, Calif., trails, crossing the canyon south Gold Rush of 1898—an an ardent outdoorswoman to north and back again, eight historical fi ction based on and supporter of the National times. period letters from a young Parks, was recently profi led as a She has canoed 2,000 miles man experiencing that event. donor in National Parks Legacies, on the Yukon River in Alaska She is also an avid wildlife a publication of the National and northwest Canada. On photographer, and shares here Parks Conservation Association. her fi rst trip, she kayaked from a photo taken at Hallo Bay Bear Franklin fi rst traveled to the Whitehorse to Dawson City, Viewing Camp near Katmai National Parks when she was 13 Yukon Territory, and then on National Park on her 14th trip and her family took a camping into Alaska. This 1977 trip to Alaska in August 2008. trip to the West, with stops was 15 days in length and Now grandmother to eight at Rocky Mountain National about 500 miles long—her fi rst and great-grandmother to a Park, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, into the wilderness country new baby boy, Franklin believes Zion, and Bryce Canyon. It which she says captured her her gifts and bequest to the was during this trip, she says, heart. Franklin returned to the National Parks endowment will that she fi rst “fell in love with area some years later to hike help make it possible for future the wonder and beauty of the the Chilkoot Trail over the generations to follow in her parks.” storied Chilkoot Pass and on to footsteps of outdoor adventure. She has since, in her 71 years, Whitehorse to begin the 450- “In some small way,” she says, visited over 60 national parks, mile canoe trip to Dawson City, “I want to preserve the national and has found adventure in Yukon Territory, Canada—the parks for my grandkids to enjoy, some of the most beautiful route of the famous Trail of ’98, and their grandkids, too. What Recounting the history of places in this country and followed by tens of thousands greater legacy to leave to the a beautiful public garden Canada. Franklin has rafted in search of gold. She has country and to my family than the Colorado River through since repeated this trip two our national parks.”

70 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

AlumNews ’69, ’73

Dr. John Holloway ’69 and Silver Comet and continues his wife, Janet Wiginton 70 more miles to Atlanta. The Holloway ’73, avid cyclists, Chief Ladiga Trail takes its riders have become advocates for the through cotton fi elds, bogs, development of more greenway over creeks and waterfalls, and trails. The two love to bicycle through the Talladega National from their house in Homewood Forest just before the Georgia to the greenway near Lakeshore line. There are rest stops along Drive for laps of its 2.5 mile the way, including a historic route. They can take a 25-mile home in Piedmont that is a bike ride and never be more welcome station for cyclists on than three miles from home. the trail. Hoping to support the The couple began taking extension of the Chief Ladiga vacations on their bicycles in Trail to Birmingham, and to 1980 after reading about a trip promote similar greenways, through the orange groves from the Holloways have joined St. Augustine to Sarasota, Fla., the PATH Foundation, which sponsored by the Sentinel Star partners with local governments newspaper. They joined 75 to build greenway trails. Johnny Holloway biking on the Chief Ladiga Trail others for a weeklong journey PATH provides staff to plan, averaging 60-70 miles a day, design, build, and maintain camping along the way. Since trail projects, and in some AlumNews ’59 that trip, they have cycled across cases, matching funds for Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado, development. Since Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover opened in 2002, the North Carolina, Vermont, and Janet Holloway says, “In our 30-acre former property of well-known horticulturist Eddie Aldridge New Hampshire. Their children travels, we have seen so many ’59 and his wife, Kay, has become a treasure to be enjoyed by all in joined the fun when they were cyclists enjoying paved bicycle the greater Birmingham area and beyond. In addition to the gardens’ 8 and 10 for a lighthouse tour paths and greenways through magnifi cent signature Snowfl ake hydrangeas, discovered by Loren and of Maine, Nova Scotia, and New metro areas. It is wonderful to Eddie Aldridge in 1969 and patented in 1971, visitors to the popular Brunswick. This past December, be able to take an alternative attraction can enjoy winding pathways through a lovely shade garden; son Johnny joined them during form of transportation safely an outdoor pavilion; the Aldridges’ former home, now converted his college Christmas break for through the city. Greenways to educational and meeting spaces; a six-acre lake with a half-mile a ride on the Chief Ladiga Trail. are safe avenues for people walking trail; a woodland forest; and a picnic area—along with a full This past fall, in an article with disabilities to use program of classes and botanical and cultural events. in The Birmingham News, the wheelchairs and for families Now Aldridge has chronicled his career in the gardening business Holloways had discovered the to exercise together. Small and his “dream to spread knowledge and appreciation of hydrangeas Chief Ladiga Trail that begins in children can ride training and plants, gardens and the environment”—culminating in his Weaver, just outside Anniston. wheels, and anyone who enjoys wonderful gift to the community—in a book entitled A Garden of The 33 mile-long paved bicycle rollerblading or walking can Destiny. path to the Georgia line follows actually have a destination. This beautiful volume, the proceeds of which benefi t the gardens, the old Amtrak railroad passage I think that greenway trails is packed with color photography on almost every page. It offers through Calhoun and Cleburne bring us closer together as a charming vignettes of the Aldridge family’s life and times in their counties. Across the Georgia community.” venerable gardening business, as well as Eddie and Kay’s adventures state line, the trail becomes the in developing the Hoover property, fi rst as their home and later as a place for public delight and participation, or as one chapter styles it, “The Garden That Blooms and Grows.” Sprinkled throughout the larger story, fellow alumni will enjoy the book’s references to Birmingham-Southern infl uences on the gardens, from the impact of Aldridge’s BSC liberal arts studies on his career to the role of the late Professor Emeritus Dan Holliman in installing bluebird houses throughout the property and composing a brochure for the gardens’ visitors on resident bird and mammal life, with a suggested birding trail that now bears his name.

winterspring 2009 / 71 CLASSNOTES

Amanda Hagood exploring Shenandoah National Park AlumNews ’70 Through her daughter, Amanda, who is now engaged in the same Vanderbilt graduate English program she once enjoyed, Carol Cook Hagood ’70 of Birmingham is rediscovering an interest in literary studies, particularly current areas such as the study of literature and the environment. During the past several summers, the two have found rambling road-and-camping trips to Photo courtesy of Beth Maynor Young conferences like that of the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment (ASLE) a memorable way to explore new terrain both literally (the Shenandoah Valley, Outer Banks, coast of Maine) and through energetic interactions with conference programs, speakers, formal and informal discussions, and presentations. This past June, at the Nature and Environmental Writers/College and University Educators (New-Cue) biennial in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, Carol Hagood presented a paper on the work of Alabama-based conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young, with 40 slides loaned by Young for the occasion, many from her (then) upcoming book Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama Rivers (released in March 2009 by the University of Alabama Press). Following the conference, Hagood’s paper was accepted for inclusion in the New-Cue archives at the library of the Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods, curated by Jeffrey S. Cramer, editor of Yale’s Promoting the process of “going green” annotated Walden. AlumNews ’06 Megan Roth ’06 has published a 500-page book, The Green Guide to Daily Living, which covers every aspect of eco-friendly living, from home to offi ce to summer vacation. The book was released in February 2009 by Cliff Road Books and is available at bookstores and on Amazon.com. According to the publisher, the Green Guide “makes living more lightly on the planet easy to accomplish through small adjustments in daily life, and is packed with facts and bottom-line information that simplify choices for harried consumers who are overwhelmed by too many options … From grocery shopping and housecleaning to driving, traveling, and contribution to your community greening effort, [the guide] organizes facts in short, reader-friendly text with lots of bullet points, lists, and sidebars for quick digestion and incorporation into daily life.” In composing the book, Roth says she worked “to deliver a wealth of information that would translate to useful knowledge rather than an overwhelming body of facts and problems.” Through writing the book, she says, “my own lifestyle began to change as I recognized areas of my own life which could become more ‘eco-friendly.’ I think that the concept of ‘going green’ is a lifelong process of adapting your lifestyle to your own priorities and concerns.” In her collaboration with skilled editors and designers to produce the Green Guide, she says that all worked hard to meet the vision they had of a book “that would refresh the process of going green instead of adding to the ‘green noise.’” For example, the book “takes the stance that ‘the greenest products are the ones you already own,’ and warns against the stockpiling of ‘new and improved,’ ‘greener’ products.” Roth, who has produced other works with Crane Hill Publishers, has writing interests which include playwriting, poetry, comics, fi ction, and children’s literature. She currently is pursuing an MFA in creative writing as a Michener Fellow at the University of Miami.

72 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

’00 ’02 was followed Braxton Bragg Comer Jr. of John S. Brush of Virginia Beach, on March 13 Sylacauga graduated from the Va., has accepted a position as by a master University of Alabama School of senior numismatist at David class for Law in May 2008. Lawrence Rare Coins. BSC voice students. ’01 Lauren Cantrell of Birmingham With a voice Dr. John Bivona Jr., and his wife, has been named director of theatre described Dr. Katherine Trucks Bivona, both at Wallace State Community as “unforgettable” by The New family medicine physicians, have College in Hanceville. She holds York Times, South has been the Yearbook joined the Jasper Family Practice a master’s degree in acting and winner of numerous awards and Center. The two met as medical directing from Sarah Lawrence competitions and has sung at St. Giveaway students at UAB. They have a College and formerly taught drama Patrick’s Cathedral, Lincoln Center, daughter, Kayley, born last year. at Battle Ground Academy in and Carnegie Hall. Franklin, Tenn. Are you missing a copy of your Christian Bradley Cherry of Katie senior annual? The Offi ce of Birmingham is an attorney Brandon Haushalter of Monroe Communications at Birmingham- employed with Walston, Wells & Birmingham has been name an White has Southern has a few extra copies of Southern Accent from various Birchall LLC. assistant chief executive offi cer at been named years that we are making available Trinity Medical Center. He formerly a Rising to alumni for a shipping (book Star in the Jerry H. Cotney Jr. of Roanoke served the hospital as an assistant rate) and handling charge of $5. is distribution manager for administrator. Pensacola, To check availability of a particular Soles4Souls, a group which Fla., year, e-mail Carol Hagood at accepts new and used shoes and Lauren Faulkner Humphrey of community. [email protected] or send a sends them to people in need in Helena graduated with an MBA An associate attorney with note to: Carol Hagood, Offi ce of this country and abroad. from the University of North McDonald Fleming Moorhead LLP, Communications, Birmingham- Alabama in July 2008. she is active in legal and realty Southern College, Box 549004, Christi Daniel Lunsford is groups in the area and is a trustee 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, currently serving as associate Katie Mirelle McDowell of for Community Maritime Park AL 35254. general counsel at HealthSouth. Birmingham is teaching French and Associates Inc. She and her growing family (see dance at Gardendale High School. “Births”) reside in Birmingham. ’03 In a Sept. 2, 2008, performance Kimberly Elizabeth Reid is Davis Slate Mange has been at Hill Recital Hall on campus, pursuing a degree in the College making Birmingham a better place promoted to assistant vice Daniel Seigel, baritone, and a of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn to live, work, and play. president at ServisFirst Bank in member of the faculty of the BSC University. Birmingham. He will oversee Conservatory, premiered “Is This Dr. Megan Seibert Cherry accounting and fi nancial analysis. Then a Touch,” a work composed ’04 graduated magna cum laude from by Dr. Dorothy Hindman, associate Rebecca A. Beers, an attorney the University of Alabama School Brad Parsons is now an assistant professor of music. He also with Haskell Slaughter Young & of Medicine in May 2008. She administrator at Baptist Memorial performed works by Gerald Rediker LLC, now is a resident in dermatology Hospital-Golden Triangle in Finzi, Poulenc, Debussy, Mahler, has been at UAB. Columbus, Miss. He formerly Gounod, and others. His father, Dr. named to served as assistant vice president Lester Seigel ’79, Joseph Hugh the Board of Caroline Martin Hale of Mobile at Decatur General Hospital. In his Thomas Professor of Music at Directors of graduated from the University of new role, Parsons will supervise BSC, accompanied him on piano. Catalyst for South Alabama with a master’s hospital functions including the Birmingham degree in community counseling imaging lab, rehabilitation services, Baritone Joshua South returned for 2009 and in December 2008. She now is behavioral health, oncology, to BSC from NYC on March 12, will serve as employed with Altapointe Health material management, hospice, 2009, to perform Schubert’s the group’s Systems in the adult outpatient and ambulance services. last and best-known song cycle secretary. Catalyst for Birmingham program. “Winterreise.” His alumni recital is an organization of progressive young professionals dedicated to

spring 2009 / 73 CLASSNOTES

Katherine Marie Long has Webb Lyons has been hired by Tyler Powell of Birmingham has enrichment in high-need schools. been accepted into the surgical the Community Foundation of joined the fi rm of Way, Ray, Shelton Recently she was tapped by the physician’s assistant program at Greater Birmingham as community & Co. as a staff accountant. group to plan, organize, staff, and UAB. investment manager. direct a newly created after-school Clifford Truitt Ray is an engineer program, the Better Basics HOPE In December 2008, pitcher Kirby Sevier Jr. is attending planner associate with Lockheed Center at Fairfi eld, a 21st Century Connor Robertson was traded law school at the University of Martin space systems corporation Community Learning Center, to the New York Mets by the Alabama. in Huntsville. He stays connected funded through the No Child Left Arizona Diamondbacks for veteran to BSC through a younger brother Behind Act. The center opened left-handed relief pitcher Scott ’08 of whom he is very proud: Thomas January 20, 2009, at the Fairfi eld Schoeneweis. Robertson’s brother Andrew Genova joined Manekin Ray, a BSC freshman, plays on the Recreation Center and currently David pitches for the New York LLC in Columbia, Md., as a sales golf team and has pledged Sigma has 37 students enrolled. Yankees. and leasing associate. He is the Chi. Huff says, “We offer more than fi rst graduate of the fi rm’s training just a safe place for students to Sunday Vanderver, who program. Amy Rebecca Yearwood is serving go at the end of the school day. graduated from the University of for a year as an urban missionary in We … offer time for homework, Alabama Law School in May 2008, Anne Winston McIntyre of London. She is working with inner- computers, academic instruction, has moved to Washington, D.C., Hattiesburg, Miss., is pursuing a city children, organizing after-school and enrichment/recreation 3 to to spend a year pursuing an LLM doctorate in clinical psychology clubs and discipleship groups. 6 p.m. on school days. We are in tax. with a concentration in adult building a library and plan to clinical psychology at the University MPPM regularly give free books to the ’06 of Southern Mississippi. children. In addition, we offer a Philip Alan Gibson is pursuing ’93 gardening/landscaping program a master’s degree in public At 25, Henry Ward “Bucky” for the children that will provide For the Serenbe Project, an administration at UAB. McMillan III of Birmingham, healthy foods and fundraising award-winning, green, sustainable who played basketball at BSC, activities while creating community community located in Palmetto, Adam Kent Israel has accepted is head basketball coach for the building opportunities.” Ga., glass artist Donna Branch of a one-year clerkship, beginning in Mountain Brook Spartans, his high McCalla helped create a 12-foot August 2009, with Hon. William school team. He is married to ’98 iron white oak tree bearing 175 M. Acker Jr. ’49, U.S. District former Panther basketball player Arlene Fredrickson Johnson cast glass leaves. Birmingham’s Judge for the Northern District of Britni Ballard McMillan ’07, ’98 of Leeds is employed at National Public Radio station Alabama. Following the clerkship, the reigning Mrs. Alabama and AT&T as an area manager—rates WBHM aired a “Tapestry” Israel will join the litigation practice second runner-up in the 2008 Mrs. and tariffs. She also helped her interview with Branch on the group at Balch and Bingham LLP in America pageant. His charmed husband, David, whom she married project in October 2008. Birmingham. life was the subject of a column in 2002, start his own business, by sportswriter Jeff Sentell, ’96 Clarity Alarms LLC, and serves as ’07 “McMillan, 25, is right where he his offi ce staff and accountant in Steven H. Frost of Hoover recently Kelly J. Brooks, who has wants to be,” in the Jan. 21, 2009, the evenings and on weekends. was named executive director of completed her fi rst year of edition of The Birmingham News. She also is an active volunteer labor relations at AT&T. law school at the University of with the St. Clair County Animal Tennessee, was featured in Maggie Joy Parker of Birmingham Shelter, serving in leadership and Deborah Glascoe Huff of the UT law school application is an environmental engineer with fundraising roles. She also has Birmingham for 2008. The piece describes Gallet & Associates Inc. and has served as treasurer of the Alabama is a longtime Brooks, identifi ed as a graduate been accepted into a doctoral Humane Federation, and she is volunteer for of Birmingham-Southern, as program in the UAB School of president of the Mid-Alabama Better Basics, “a student of the world” who Engineering. Corvette Club. a United Way “studied democratization in Russia agency which and the Italian Renaissance in Italy. Lauren Crane Paul is teaching high ’03 promotes Her travels took her to England, school in Maluga, Spain, until June Dr. Robert L. Baldwin of literacy by Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and 2009. The following month, she Birmingham is the author of Life providing France.” will begin dental school at UAB. and Death Matters: Seeking the reading intervention and Truth About Capital Punishment,

74 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

a DDecember Garland Stansell of Birmingham, Laurie Suzanne Young ’93 and Amanda Gail Thompson ’06 and 2008200 release chief communications offi cer for Leon Roger Storie, David Matthew Debnam, ffromro New Children’s Health Systems, has March 28, 2009. Oct. 4, 2008. SoSouth been named chair of the 2009 Elizabeth Shannon Mancin ’94 Sara Anne Midyette ’07 and Paul BoBooks. The national board of directors for the and Raymond Arthur Stewart Jr., Dean Litten Jr. ’08, bobook, an Health Academy of the Public Sept. 6, 2008. March 21, 2009. ououtgrowth Relations Society of America Linda Carol Golson ’96 and John Anna Kathryn Reach ’07 and of Baldwin’s (PRSA). With approximately 800 Hugh Bradley, May 17, 2008. Peter Glaser, Jan. 12, 2008. mmaster’s members, the group is PRSA’s Braxton Bragg Comer Jr. ’00 and Mark Andrew Scogin Jr. ’08 and tthesis, largest professional interest Wimberly Anne Robbins, Anna Katherine Chambers, desdescribescribes hihisss spiritualpiritual joujourney section and the largest network Oct. 11, 2008. Aug. 9, 2008. from supporter to opponent of the of health care public relations and Christian Bradley Cherry ’01 and Stephen Leonard Strickland ’08 death penalty. According to Dr. Ed communications professionals in Megan Danielle Seibert ’04, and Ashley Magen Bennett, LaMonte, Howell Hefl in Professor the world. Dec. 20, 2008. Dec. 27, 2008. of Political Science at BSC, “He Hallman Blair Eady ’01 and not only provides the reader with a Virginia Louise Bugg, Births fact-based, faith-guided critique of Friends Nov. 22, 2008. capital punishment, but does so in William Phelps Young III ’01 and A son, Jackson “Jack,” born Jan. a personal and engaging manner This past December, the National Catherine Leigh Ferguson, 20, 2009, and adopted by Mark which enhances the argument Football Foundation and College Feb. 28, 2009. Seifert ’84 and partner, he passionately advocates. Hall of Fame honored BSC Trustee John S. Brush ’02 and Ruth Jeff Dygert. Every reader, regardless of faith Bill Battle of Atlanta with its Roxanne Walters, Sept. 8, 2007. 2008 Outstanding Contribution A daughter, Melissa Erin, July 23, perspective or present policy Maibeth Helen Deas ’02 and to Amateur Football Award. The 2007, to Mark Hunter Young ’88 position, will gain from reading Kevin Patrick Keith, honor was bestowed at the group’s and wife, Rebecca (big brothers, this important contribution to our Jan. 31, 2009. annual awards dinner, which took Kyle Hunter and Ethan Daniel). national debate.” Roger Ball Jr. ’03 and Nancy place at the Waldorf-Astoria in New A daughter, Mary-Katelin Marie, As an alumnus of the college Williams ’04, April 19, 2008. York City. April 14, 2008, to Paul deeply involved in issues Vanessa Brunn ’03 and David Schabacker ’89 and wife, Mary surrounding the death penalty, Lande, Oct. 21, 2007. The Alabama Business Hall of (big sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Baldwin served as speaker at the Alice Holbrook “Brooke” Fame tapped BSC Trustee Diana Grace). pre-opening performance dinner of James Emfi nger ’03 and Phelps Hoyt A daughter, Sara Lane, Sept. 12, the BSC College Theatre’s January T. Stephens of Birmingham as Reid, April 18, 2009. 2008, to Bradley J. Smith ’90 2009 production of Dead Man one of fi ve 2008 inductees, in Megan Jane Patterson ’03 and and wife, Dr. Helen B. Smith (big Walking. an event taking place this past Douglas Bradley Moore, brother, Hoke Jackson). October at the University of Nov. 1, 2008. Alabama. Stephens is chair of A son, Reid Thomas, June 6, 2008, David Hempfl ing of Cullman Angela Rachel Segars ’04 and EBSCO Industries Inc., which now to Mike Morman ’93 and wife, currently is operations manager for Matthew John Anderegg, operates 31 offi ces in nine U.S. Stephanie “Missy” Norris Southern Synergy Inc., with offi ces Oct. 11, 2008. cities and 21 countries. Morman ’94 (big brothers, in Decatur and Memphis, Tenn., a Nick Barcelona ’05 and Lee Bailey and Dylan). Proud uncle full-service engineering, design, Geddie ’08, Aug. 9, 2008. is Todd Anthony Morman ’96. and project management fi rm Andrea Maria Boohaker ’05 and Weddings A daughter, Inde Raine, Oct. 16, serving chemical, petro-chemical, Michael Edward Dean ’05, 2008, to Kurt Bradley Bothwell and refi ning industries throughout July 26, 2008. Gregory Patrick Logan ’84 and ’94 and wife, Kathryn Patrick the Southeast. In 2005, when Chadwick Gregory Long ’05 and Kelly Elizabeth Straughn, Nov. Bothwell ’96 (big brothers and he joined the fi rm, it employed Elizabeth Fleming Holt ’06, 15, 2008. sister, Alex, Emma, and Owen). fi ve technical employees; now it May 31, 2008. Ralph Laurence “Randy” Dill IV A son, Samuel “Parker,” April 14, employs more than 50. Hempfl ing Mary Kathryn Searcy ’05 and ’89 and Jennifer Anne Sloan 2008, to Thomas Paul Barnett also plans to pursue a doctoral Heath Garett McAlister, ’92, July 19, 2008. ’96 and wife, Melissa Bryant degree at the University of Oct. 18, 2008. Daniel Edward West ’91 and Barnett ’98 (big brother, Evan). Alabama. Mariah Brundage, Aug. 23, 2008. Emily Ann Duggan ’06 and Adam Kent Israel ’06, Aug. 2, 2008.

spring 2009 / 75 CLASSNOTES

A daughter, Kathryn Ann, Oct. 2, A daughter, Mary Hudson, A daughter, Rory Meredith, in biology from BSC, she received 2008, to Jeffrey Garrett Miller April 27, 2008, to Dr. Martha Dec. 12, 2008, to Lauren a master’s degree in biology from ’96 and wife, Dana (big brother, Slay Wingate ’98 and husband, Faulkner Humphrey ’02 and the University of Chicago and a Bo, and big sister, Maggie). Bill. husband, Kevin. doctoral degree in zoology and A son, Jonathan Hall, Aug. 24, A daughter, Margaret Culver, A son, Hill Martin, Feb. 16, 2009, physiology from the University of 2008, to Alison Pinkston Oct. 2, 2008, to Cary Sawyer to Allison Sandlin Liles ’02 and Wyoming. A teacher for 60 years Stovall ’96 and husband, Earl Cherry ’99 and husband, David husband, Eric. (and named Alabama’s Teacher of (big brother, Caleb). Proud uncle Michael Cherry ’00 (big sister, A son, John Allen Jr., “Jack,” July the Year by The Birmingham News is Jon Pinkston ’94. Caroline). 31, 2008, to Christine Lester in the ’60s), she taught science A son, Edward Warner III “Tripp,” A son, Hobart Reid Jr., Feb. 2, Harpole ’03 and husband, John and mathematics at Woodlawn Nov. 10, 2008, to Dr. Ted Veillon 2009, to Hobart Reid Key ’99 Allen Harpole ’03. High School for many years, later ’97 and wife, Dana Harris and wife, Kristin (big sister, A son, Andrew Robert, Aug. 26, joining the staff of Jefferson State Veillon ’97 (big sisters, Gracie, Madelyn, and big brother, 2008, to Christina Rumore Junior College at its opening Ellie, and Millie). Fisher). Proud uncle is Albert Hare ’04 and husband, Joel (big in 1965, and retiring there in A daughter, Lily Virginia, Nov. 10, Watkins Key Jr. ’92, and proud sister, Maria). 1978. Her fi nal teaching post 2008, to Matt Brown ’98 and aunt is Dr. Elizabeth Key A son, Braegan Patrick, Oct. 31, was at Purdue University School wife, Sarah Raney Brown ’98 Anderton ’95. 2008, to Christopher Brennan of Medicine. Survivors include (big sister, Hannah). A daughter, Sophia Marie, ’06 and wife, Brandi. Proud daughter Eleanor Pauline Long A daughter, Emma Katherine, Jan. 15, 2009, to Katharine grandparents are Cynthia Gray ’64. Other BSC family members Aug. 7, 2008, to James Lester Coffey Pilleteri ’99 and Brennan ’79 and husband, Tim include her late sister and brother, Coln ’98 and wife, Dr. Evelyn husband, Joseph. Brennan ’80. Myrtle King Crowson ’39 and R. Frazier Coln ’99 (big brother, A son, Graham Thomas, Herman Wallace King ’54. James David). Feb. 16, 2009, to Christi Daniel In Memoriam A daughter, Frances Claire, Lunsford ’00 and husband, Ben. Claud C. Wilson ’35 of Aug. 22, 2008, to James L. A daughter, Abigail Roberts, Birmingham died July 22, 2008. Mary Cranford Holcombe ’32 of “Jay” Mitchell ’98 and wife, Dec. 9, 2008, to Survivors include wife Lowrey Birmingham died Aug. 26, 2008. Mary Olive Elizabeth (big sister, Tully, and big Rhodes Jr. ’00 and wife, After graduation from BSC, she Smith Wilson ’37. brother, Jack). Shannon (big sister, Savannah). completed a master’s degree in A daughter, Mary Marshall, A daughter, Adelyn Dene, Sept. 30, marketing at New York University. Charles William Bellows Jr. ’37 Dec. 17, 2007, to Richard 2008, to Kevin Rogers ’00 and She later taught in Anniston, Baton of Athens, Tenn., died Oct. 15, Marshall Thayer ’98 and wife, wife, Megan. Rouge, La., and New Orleans. She 2008. A veteran of World War II, Carrie. Proud aunt is Jane Twin daughters, Reese Catherine also served as personnel director he was employed for 32 years by Miller Thayer ’94. and Morgan Louise, Dec. 10, at Maison Blanche in New Orleans, Athens Plow Co. and retired as A son, Watson Wells, Aug. 13, 2008, to Carroll Redd Stephens where she resided until her return comptroller. Active in community 2008, to Katherine Wells ’00 and husband, Jeremy. Their to Birmingham following Hurricane affairs, he was a former president Turnage ’98 and husband, Zach proud uncle is Alex O’Briant Katrina in 2005. Survivors include of the Athens Kiwanis, received (big sister, Natalie). ’94, and their proud aunt is the Distinguished Service Award sister-in-law Marian Vineyard A daughter, Sarah Frances, and Kiwanis International Tablet of Catherine Redd ’95. Cranford ’45. Sept. 20, 2008, to Kelly Michele A daughter, Olivia Kathryn, Sept. 6, Honor, and was chair of Tennessee Rhodes Warren ’98 and Wesleyan College’s Advisory 2008, to Joshua White ’00 and Adele Levin Goldstein ’35 of husband, Eugene. Board. Survivors include wife wife, Ashley Grier White ’02. Birmingham died Sept. 6, 2008. A daughter, Alice Ogden, Nov. 2, Betty C. Bellows. Casey Grier ’97 is proud aunt. Born in Birmingham’s historic 2008, to Lisa Newman Wheeler A daughter, Ellenie, Jan. 7, 2008, Lakeview District, she was ’98 and husband, Dr. Thomas to Brad Parsons ’01 and wife, a lifelong member of Temple Alvin John Binzel Jr. ’37 of Wheeler ’99 (big brother, Carroll Lane (big sister, Lillianna). Emanu-El and of Hadassah. During Birmingham died Sept. 24, 2008. Thomas). A daughter, Katherine Alley, her long life, she actively pursued He was the owner and president A daughter, Elizabeth Anne, Aug. 26, 2008, to Caroline many interests. Her husband was of Binzel Products Inc. He was Sept. 15, 2008, to Carrie-Anne Mobley Walker ’01 and the late Malvin Goldstein. preceded in death by spouses Chapman Willingham ’98 and husband, Jerrod. Proud Edith Manly Binzel ’38 and Jutilda husband, Dr. Thomas “Massey” grandmother is Dr. Pamelia Kimbro Salter Binzel. Dr. Pauline King Long ’35 of Willingham Jr. ’99 (big brother, Alley Mobley ’70 . Birmingham died Feb. 23, 2009. Barrett, and big sister, Meredith). After graduating summa cum laude Mark Norton ’37 of Birmingham died Nov. 8, 2008. He was the

76 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

In Memoriam ’33

John Cowan Evins of Alice Wenz Morrow ’38 of Indian Birmingham died Feb. 14, Springs died Feb. 6, 2009. She 2009. He was a veteran of held a master’s degree in library World War II, serving as a science and served as a librarian lieutenant commander in at Jones Valley High School in the U.S. Navy from 1942- Birmingham until her retirement in 46. A prominent member the late 1970s. She was married of the Birmingham business to the late William E. Morrow ’43. community, he retired as Survivors include daughter Marcia president and chair of the Morrow Murrah ’65. board of Hart-Greer Inc. He was a member of the Betty Margaret Hasty Acton ’40 board of directors during of Birmingham died Jan. 10, 2009. the early years of Compass Active in civic, social, and church Bank. He served as director of the Better Business Bureau, president of the Downtown life, her great love was teaching. Improvement Committee (which later became Operation New Birmingham), and on the She founded the kindergarten board of directors of South Highland Hospital. He was the director of Golden Enterprises program at Mountain Brook Baptist Inc. and the president and director of Evins & Associates. He was for many years associated Church, where she was a longtime with Brownell Travel. member, and served as its director A stalwart and generous supporter of his alma mater, Evins was a Life Emeritus member of for 25 years. Her husband was the the Board of Trustees; he joined the board in 1964 and had served the group as chair of the late George Herbert Acton ’36. board, chair of the executive committee, and chair of the fi nance and investment committee. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Birmingham-Southern. A member Charles Rendell Calkins ’40 of of Canterbury United Methodist Church, he had served as chair of its administrative board Troy died Sept. 6, 2008. He was and as a trustee. He also had been a Birmingham District Lay Leader and a member of a veteran of World War II, serving the district board of trustees for the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. A Church. In 1995, he was selected by the United Methodist Church as recipient of the Francis music major at BSC, he also held Asbury Award, given each year to one person in the nation deemed to have made the most a master’s degree from Columbia outstanding contribution to higher education within the church. He was a member of the University. He taught music at Endowment Builders Society and Ginkgo Society at BSC. several schools before joining the His wife was the late Elizabeth Henry Evins. Survivors include daughters Ann Evins faculty of Troy State University in Adams ’65, a trustee of the college, and Kathy Evins Kyzer ’68, and granddaughter Emily 1960, where he retired in 1982. Kyzer Browne ’00. By request of the family, memorials may be sent to the Elizabeth Henry Evins Scholarship or the Center for Ministry at Birmingham-Southern through the Offi ce of Daniel Jackson “Jack” Duffee Institutional Advancement, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, ’40 of Mountain Brook died July Birmingham, AL 35254. 31, 2008. A veteran of World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy “Seabees,” rising to the rank of lieutenant commander. Following son of the late Methodist minister Ann S. Norton, was a graduate was a teacher in the Jefferson the war, he received an MBA from E.B. Norton ’23, president of the college, as are numerous County School System, with more Harvard University and served emeritus of the (now) University of members of the Norton and Dill than 30 years of service. Survivors as assistant to the president of North Alabama, who taught religion families, who have long supported include daughter Anne Curry, BSC Williams Brothers in their New York at Birmingham-Southern. Mark BSC with their attendance and director of facilities and events, offi ces from 1950-53. In 1960, he Norton and his twin sister, the late fi nancial support. Lars Porter ’04, and grandson Mitch Huffman became president of Birmingham Florence Norton Dill ’37, were the who shared this information about (Analee Popee Huffman ’01), BSC Electric Battery Co. He also served youngest of E.B.’s six children. All his great uncle Mark Norton, is a maintenance technician. at vice president of Southern Fly but one of Mark’s siblings attended member of the latest generation in Ash Co. and executive director BSC. During the Depression, he this long and proud tradition. He Margaret Elizabeth Jones ’38 of of the Alabama Home Builders and his twin were both enrolled and wife Dana McArthur Porter Vestavia Hills died Dec. 5, 2008. Association. Survivors include wife at the college, and during those ‘04, both BSC staff members, live She was employed by the Federal Frances Marie Henley Duffee and diffi cult times, he left to seek in Fultondale. Reserve Board in Washington, sons Daniel Jackson Duffee III ’76 employment before graduating. D.C., from 1941-97. Survivors and Lewis Duvergne Duffee ’89. He remained, however, a lifelong Ruth Taylor Smith ’37 of include her cousin, Dr. LeRoy L. advocate of the school. His wife, Hueytown died Oct. 3, 2008. She Holt ’45.

spring 2009 / 77 CLASSNOTES

Roy Higginbotham ’44 of Hoover retiring in 1976. Active in civic died Dec. 18, 2008. He was a affairs, he was a founding member In Memoriam ’40 veteran of World War II, serving of Mobile United and served as in the Merchant Marines. With a board chair of both the Mobile bachelor’s and master’s degree Area Chamber of Commerce James C. Lee Jr. of Birmingham died from BSC and an additional degree and the Better Business Bureau. Feb. 28, 2008. He was a veteran of World from the University of Alabama, he He was campaign chair and War II, serving in the U.S. Air Force on a taught school at Minor Elementary chair of the board of the United troop carrier. An outstanding member for 33 years. He also founded an Fund of Mobile County and also of the Birmingham business community, investment fi rm. Survivors include served on the boards of the Boy he became chief executive of his family’s wife Doris Higginbotham. Scouts of America and Junior business, Buffalo Rock Bottling Co., adding Achievement. He also chaired the the Pepsi franchise and other brands W. Forrest Little ’44 of Maryville, board of governors of the Alabama including Dr. Pepper and Seven Up. During Tenn., formerly of Mobile and Association of Independent his tenure, the company achieved annual Spanish Fort, died Dec. 28, 2008. Colleges and Universities. sales of more than $500 million, with He was a Navy veteran of World Survivors include wife Lois Anne plants in three states, including a state-of-the-art bottling plant in War II, serving in the Pacifi c Smith Little and daughter Anne Birmingham, and 2,500 workers, 800 of them in Birmingham. Theater. He was employed for Little Lazenby ’63 (Robert He was also widely known as an energetic and effective community 34 years with Southern Bell and Lazenby ’63). leader, with active roles in groups ranging from the Metropolitan South Central Bell (later BellSouth), Development Board and the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce to the University of Alabama Health Sciences Foundation, and received numerous awards and recognitions from community groups. He was a Life Emeritus member of the Birmingham-Southern In Memoriam ’41 Board of Trustees. He also was a member of the Endowment Builders Society and the Ginkgo Society at BSC. Frank Dominick Jr. of Survivors include wife Rose Marie Lee. Homewood died Nov. 14, 2008. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army. With a law degree from the University Grace Emily Fealy Reid ’41 of Brown and brother G.B. of Alabama, he had practiced in Birmingham died Sept. 1, 2008. Brown ’44. the fi rm of Dominick, Fletcher, After a successful career in Yeilding, Wood & Lloyd since business, she earned a master’s Marvin Louis Prude ’42 of 1948. A lifelong member of First degree in library science, and Birmingham died Nov. 22, United Methodist Church, he was was the longtime director of the 2008. He was an Army veteran chancellor of the North Alabama Vestavia Hills Public Library, retiring of World War II. Following the Conference. He was a member of the board of directors in 2002. She was a member of the war, he began a 33-year career of Alabama Goodwill Industries and a former member Ginkgo Society. Her husband was with margarine manufacturer of the advisory board of St. Vincent’s Hospital. He was the late George Denson Reid. Sunnyland Refi ning Co., retiring past president of Birmingham Kiwanis Club, Metropolitan as president, and was chair of the YMCA, and Community Service Council. He was a Life Richard Marvin Brown ’42 of National Association of Margarine Emeritus member of the Birmingham-Southern Board Havana, Fla., died Sept. 10, 2008. Manufacturers. He later was of Trustees and was past chair of the board. He also was He studied engineering at BSC employed for over 20 years in a member of the Endowment Builders Society and the before enlisting in the Army for commercial real estate with Ginkgo Society at BSC. service in World War II. As a Johnson, Rast, and Hays, and was Survivors include wife Sue McNamee Dominick member of the 75th Infantry, he a member of the Million Dollar ’48, sister Sara Dominick Clark ’38, daughters Susan served in the Ardennes, Central Club. Active in church and civic Dominick Doughton ’74 and Betsy Dominick Europe, and Rhineland. Following affairs, he served on the Jefferson Pautler ’86, son Frank McNamee Dominick ’91, the war, he graduated from Auburn County Planning Commission, the and granddaughter Sara Doughton ’04, who serves as in electrical engineering and began Judson College Board of Visitors, assistant director of Service Learning at BSC. By request a career of 38 years, fi rst at South and he was chair of the Baptist of the family, memorial gifts may be made in his name to Alabama Electric Cooperative Health System Board of Trustees Birmingham-Southern through the Offi ce of Institutional in Troy and later for the Talquin during a period of great expansion Advancement, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Electric Cooperative. Survivors from 1973-86. Survivors include Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254. include wife Margaret Louise wife Kathleen Vaughan Prude.

78 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

Susan Adams Pittman ’48 of Greenville, N.C., died Aug. 28, In Memoriam ’43 2008. A talented pianist with bachelor’s and master’s degrees Joseph Mitchell Prude of Birmingham died in music from BSC, she shared Aug. 30, 2008. He was a veteran of World War II, her musical skills as director of the serving as a bomb disposal offi cer on the carrier Young People’s Choir at Canterbury Manila Bay in the Pacifi c Theater. He was retired United Methodist Church and, from the staffs of Birmingham-Southern and following her family’s move to Carraway Methodist Medical Center. Active in North Carolina, at Memorial Baptist the community, he was a volunteer for Meals on Church in Greenville. Her husband Wheels, Better Basics, and the Fire House Shelter, was the late Dr. Everett Pittman and he traveled to Santo Domingo for service work ’51. Survivors include sister Eva trips. Adams McDonald ’44. Prude was a 50-year member of McCoy United Methodist Church, and, following the closing Jo Anne Culp Sims ’48 of of McCoy, he and his wife joined First United Birmingham died Nov. 25, Methodist Church, where he served on the 2008. After training at Carraway administrative board and was a member of the Hospital, she was employed as a Wesley Sunday School class. laboratory technician. She was While on staff at BSC, Prude served in several also a dedicated volunteer with capacities, as business manager, bookstore the Birmingham Area Easter Seals manager, and postmaster, a role which led him into close daily Society, serving for more than 50 contact with students. A Hilltop News of the time notes, “If we had a years on its board of directors and ‘Mr. Congeniality’ award to give, it would certainly go to our friendly holding many offi ces at the state postmaster … No matter what your mood, your day will take on a and local levels. She received the merrier hue if you drop by the post offi ce. Father-confessor, pipe carver, organization’s Devoted Service and seller of dachshund puppies, ‘Prude’ is a favorite of students and Award in 2000 and, with her faculty alike.” husband, its Angel of Change He was a member of BSC’s Ginkgo Society. award in 2007. She was a member Survivors include wife Mary Beth Powell Prude ’44, daughter of the Ginkgo Society. Survivors Audrey Ann Prude Wilson ’68 (Jim Wilson ’66), son Joel Prude include her husband, M. Owens ’70 (Jayne McCain Prude ’69), and granddaughter Haley Wilson Sims ’47. Buchman ’91. William Littleton Thornton Jr. ’49 of Birmingham died Jan. 19, 2009. Dr. William. C. “Bill” Morgan children including Becky Johnson than 30 years in the U.S. Army, He was a veteran of World War ’44 of Birmingham died Feb. 12, (Rodney Johnson ’80). with many overseas as well as II, serving in the Army Air Corps. 2009. With a dental surgery stateside assignments. His wife Later he and his father founded degree from Emory University, he Mary Ann Adams Bibby ’45 of was the late Ellen Shiff Gowan. Thornton Construction Co., which worked for a time at Lloyd Noland Dallas died Oct. 6, 2008. After has become one of the area’s Hospital, before he joined the U.S. attending BSC, she received a Lt. Col. Troy Thompson Jr. ’47 of largest home builders. He was Army Dental Corps. Following his degree in education from Auburn Pensacola, Fla., died July 8, 2008. married to the late Patricia James military service, he established University and taught school in He was a veteran of World War Thornton ’49. a dental practice in Ensley, later Birmingham and Mobile before II, volunteering for the U.S. Army/ relocating to Five Points West, moving to Texas with her husband. Air Force after Pearl Harbor. He Dr. Mark Hanna ’50 of Athens, and completed more than 56 The couple also lived in Switzerland later served in Korea. Following Ga., died Dec. 28, 2008. He was years of practice. He served as for a number of years and traveled a career as an Air Force offi cer, a Navy veteran of World War II president of the Alabama Society widely in Europe, Africa, and he retired from the military to a and later served in Korea. With a of Dentistry for Children, president the Far East. Survivors include second career in the U.S. Civil doctoral degree from the University of the Oak Hills Civitan Club, and a husband Walter B. Bibby. Service. He was a member of of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he member of the Birmingham Board the BSC Ginkgo Society. He was taught at Auburn University and of Education. He was married Col. Paul M. Gowan (Ret.) ’45 of preceded in death by wives Estelle then at the University of Georgia to the late Mary Alice Godwin West Columbia, S.C., died Jan. 11, Thompson and Lynelle Armstrong Terry College of Business from Morgan. Survivors include brother 2009. With a dental degree from Whan Thompson ’49. Other BSC 1963 until he was granted emeritus Dr. Richard Morgan ’51 and Emory University, he served more family members include nephew status in 1990. Survivors include Seth Thompson ’89. wife Ellen Argo Hanna ’51 and

spring 2009 / 79 CLASSNOTES

a bachelor’s degree in business 1989. He was active in civic affairs. administration from Baylor Survivors include wife Nancy In Memoriam ’44 University and a master’s degree Boston. in political science from Auburn. He served in the U.S. Air Force William Perryman Collins ’52 of Gabriella “Gay” Comer White of for 27 years and earned, among Birmingham, died Dec. 19, 2008. Birmingham died Feb. 7, 2009. A many decorations, the Legion of He was a veteran, serving in the Life Emeritus trustee of Birmingham- Merit and the Distinguished Flying Army Security Agency during the Southern, she took a leadership role in Cross. He was a veteran of the Korean war. He was the longtime the community in many ways: she was Korean and Vietnam wars. After owner of Kitchen Designers Inc. former president of the Linly Hefl in retirement from the military in in Homewood. Survivors include Unit and of the National Society of 1975, he worked in the computer wife Peggy H. Collins. the Colonial Dames, Birmingham industry until his fi nal retirement in Center; former chair of the board of Girls Scouts, as well as a devoted troop leader; and head of the Women’s Division Campaign of United Way. She served for many years on the board of Gateway and the YWCA, and was a In Memoriam ’46 sustaining member of the Junior League and the Cadmean Circle. William Reynolds Ireland of White was a member of Canterbury United Methodist Birmingham died March 5, 2009. Church and the JOY Sunday school class, which was taught He was a veteran of World War II, for many years by her late husband, William Bew White Jr. serving in the U.S. Navy. A leading She served as president of the United Methodist Women, businessman and a generous friend and was active in her church circle and in demand as a to the environment, education, devotional speaker. She and her husband often spent time philanthropy, volunteerism, and at their farm in Greene County, where they were members athletics, he left a lasting impact on his of Forkland Methodist Church. community. She was a member of the Endowment Builders Society In 1946, Ireland joined Vulcan and the Ginkgo Society at BSC. Materials where, during the next four decades, he served in various executive positions, including president of two Vulcan subsidiaries, executive vice president of the Midwest Division, and manager of brothers L. Randolph Hanna ’42 Allen and Williams. Survivors community relations. He served on the Vulcan Materials and Henry Parrish Hanna ’43 include wife Jeannine Roberts board of directors for 29 years. (Mary Louise Greene Hanna ’45). Sizemore. He also served on the boards of many charitable groups, Other BSC family members include including the American Cancer Society, United Way, his late brother, C. Beaty Benjamin F. Stokes III ’51 of Boy Scouts of America, Alabama Sheriff’s Boys and Girls Hanna ’50. Mobile died July 11, 2008. He Ranches, and Big Brothers of Greater Birmingham. received a law degree from the He supported a number of efforts at UAB, Auburn Willard Farrington Peters ’50 University of Alabama. He served University, Marion Military Institute, the Baylor School, of Hueytown died July 7, 2008. as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate and Birmingham-Southern, where he was a member of the He was a veteran of World War General, or legal offi cer, from Ginkgo Society. II, serving with the U.S. Army 1955-58, when he left the service. Well known as a friend of the environment in Alabama, in the Pacifi c Theater. Later he He then began the practice of law he was instrumental in the development of “Forever Wild,” was employed in accounting at in Mobile, which he continued served as state chair of the Southern Environmental Law U.S. Steel for 31 years. Survivors almost until June 2008. He was Center’s campaign for the future of the environment, as include wife Doris E. Peters. elected to the Alabama House of a member of the Cahaba River Society Advisory Council Representatives as a Democrat and the Alabama Wildlife Rescue Service Advisory Board, Charles E. Sizemore ’50 of in 1970 and served one term. and as a board member and past president of the Alabama Trussville died Dec. 7, 2008. He Survivors include wife Alice B. Wildlife Federation. was a veteran of World War II, Stokes. He received numerous awards, honors, and recognitions serving in the European Theater from community groups in these and other areas of and completing 35 missions as a Col. Hollis Buford Boston Jr. interest, among them an honorary doctor of laws degree ball turret and tail gunner. He was (Ret.) ’52 of Montgomery died from Birmingham-Southern in 2004. vice president/controller of Molton, March 4, 2008. After attending Survivors include wife Fay Belt Ireland and brother Glen Birmingham-Southern, he received Ireland, a former BSC trustee.

80 / ’southern CLASSNOTES In Memoriam ’48

George Jane Pepperd Thomaston ’52 Peach a business educator and was of Jonesboro, Ga., died Dec. 9, Taylor active in professional and civic 2008. With a master’s degree and wife organizations. Survivors include in education from Georgia State Mary Leta wife Martha Barton. University, she served as an English instructional lead teacher at Lillie E. Taylor of Bettie Louise Cato Hicks ’54 Suder Elementary School and as a Tuscaloosa of Birmingham died Sept. 29, part-time educational consultant for both died 2008. With a master’s degree, the Clayton County schools. She within additional graduate work, and an was a member of the BSC Ginkgo recent AA certifi cation in education from Society. Her husband was the late months. UAB, she served for 28 years as a R. Matthew Thomaston. George teacher with the Jefferson County Peach Board of Education. She also Charles R. Kilgore ’53 of Ormond Taylor was active in community affairs. Beach, Fla., died Jan. 3, 2009. He died Dec. Her husband was the late David was an Army veteran of World 10, 2008. He was a veteran of World War II, serving Edward Hicks ’54. War II, going ashore at Normandy in the U.S. Navy from 1943-46. He was a graduate of during D-Day; he was in Paris on the University of Alabama School of Law, with honors Gene Paul McGinnis ’56 of VE Day. Following the war, he including Law Review, winning team of the Moot Court Springville died Sept. 14, 2008. completed his math degree at BSC competition, and president of the student body. After A decorated veteran, he was and began a career supporting clerking for Chief Justice J. Ed Livingston, Alabama awarded the Bronze Star and a the U.S. space program at Cape Supreme Court, he joined the Birmingham law fi rm Purple Heart for service in Korea. Canaveral’s Technology Laboratory. known later as Dominick, Fletcher, Taylor, and Yeilding. Following a career with the Bureau His work included calculating the Active in legal, political, civic, social, and religious life, of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, trajectories of rockets and writing he was president of the Junior Section of the State Bar he served with the U.S. Marshall’s real-time fl ight control software and the Birmingham Bar Association and served as a service as a court security offi cer ensuring that rockets were on State Bar commissioner. He was active in landmark in Birmingham, Anniston, and course. In 1965, he moved to voting rights litigation. Gadsden. Survivors include wife Huntsville to work on the Apollo In 1965, he and his family joined the Peace Corps, Martha Holmes McGinnis. program at the Marshall Space where he served two years as director in Sierra Leone, Flight Center, writing fl ight control planning and administering programs in community Rev. Dr. William Jackson Rabey software for the Saturn V’s fi rst development, education, public health, and agriculture, Shearer ’56 of Mobile died Oct. stage. He wrote additional one year as chief of the West Africa Division, and two 12, 2008. He was a graduate software for the space program at years as director for Guyana. In 1970, he became chief of Garrett Theological Seminary the Goddard Space Flight Center, counsel for the Mississippi Offi ce of the Lawyers for and received clinical pastoral before retiring in 1988. His wife Civil Rights Under Law, and continued his work for civil counseling certifi cation through was the late Virginia Jennings rights, particularly voting rights. In 1971, he received Cook County Hospital and the Kilgore. the Distinguished Alumni Award at BSC in honor of his University of Illinois. An ordained many achievements. United Methodist minister in the Norma Jo Gardner Walton ’53 In 1973, he joined the faculty of the University of Alabama-West Florida Conference, of Huntsville died Aug. 4, 2008. Alabama School of Law, retiring in 1989 as professor he had served as associate Following graduation from BSC, emeritus. During his tenure, he used his extensive trial minister at Dauphin Way United she attended Candler School of experience to revolutionize the school’s Trial Advocacy Methodist Church, and later as Theology at Emory University. She Program from limited lecture classes to extensive hands- minister at Grace United Methodist served as a preschool kindergarten on experience, giving students the tools to become Church. Following his church teacher, Christian educator, and effective courtroom advocates. Following retirement, he ministry, he provided counseling at choir director. She was a member was named chief public defender for Tuscaloosa County, Mobile Mental Health Center and of the Ginkgo Society at BSC. 1989-93. In 2001, he received one of the American Bar later through his own practice. He Survivors include husband Rev. Association’s highest honors, the Litigation Section’s also was co-owner of the Haunted Harold E. Walton. John Minor Wisdom Award for Service to Civil Rights Book Shop and H.B. Publications. and the Legal Profession. Hugo Auburn Barton ’54 of Mary Leta English Taylor died Sept. 16, 2008. James Sturgeon Christie ’59 Florence died Dec. 15, 2008. He Following her marriage in 1949, she was active in church of Mountain Brook died Dec. 2, was a naval veteran of World and civic affairs here and abroad. From 1973-91, she 2008. He was an entrepreneur War II, serving as a radioman served as coordinator of student affairs at the University and owned and operated several in the Pacifi c Theater. He was of Alabama’s College of Community Health Services. businesses in Birmingham and The Taylors were members of the BSC Ginkgo Society. spring 2009 / 81 CLASSNOTES

Homewood. He also was active and served as a priest at a number in community youth sports. of churches, including Trinity in Survivors include wife Nancy Galveston and St. Martin’s in Shepherd Christie. Houston. Survivors include wife In Memoriam ’51 Betty di Paola. Joseph di Paola ’59 of Austin, Texas, died Feb. 8, 2009. After Wilson Price Hightower Jr. ’60 Rev. Dr. Florence Wates Pert of New York attending BSC, he graduated from of Birmingham died Feb. 15, 2009. died Dec. 9, 2008. After graduation from BSC, the University of St. Thomas in A veteran of the U.S. Army, he she moved to New York and was employed by Houston and from the Episcopal served in its intelligence branch Pan-American World Airways, where her duties Theological Seminary of the while stationed in Germany. In included supervising travel arrangements for Southwest. He was ordained 1962, he joined his father-in-law’s U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. deacon in 1961 and priest in 1962, automobile dealership, Steel City Active at Marble Collegiate Church, whose minister was the internationally known Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, within a few years she left Pan-American to become director In Memoriam ’58 of leadership development for Guideposts magazine, and she conducted workshops around the country on Rev. Dr. Jerry Edward Sisson of the dynamics of small groups and lay ministry. In 1973, Peale Trussville died Dec. 19, 2008. A named Pert director of lay activities at Marble Collegiate Church, graduate of the Candler School of where she created many activities still in place today, including Theology at Emory University, he was adult education, women’s groups, and programs for ushers and a United Methodist minister for 48 greeters and for new members. Along with Pert’s preaching, her years, and at the time of his death was promotion of broad-based congregational involvement inspired pastor emeritus at Canterbury United hundreds of laypersons to undertake leadership roles in churches Methodist Church. He also had served throughout the country. many other churches in the North After receiving her M.Div. degree from New York Theological Alabama Conference of the United Seminary, Pert met the challenge of gaining ordination, in 1987, Methodist Church, and also served in a denomination with a four-centuries-old tradition of all-male as district superintendent of the Birmingham-West District ministry. She was named senior associate minister at Marble and as administrative assistant to the Episcopal Offi ce and Collegiate Church. As a board member of the ecumenical ministry Lay Ministry. Faith@Work, she spearheaded a national effort to foster leadership He had been a trustee at Birmingham-Southern since positions for women in ministry and in lay activities. Through 1987 and was a past chair of the board. He also served on workshops around the country for Peale’s School of Practical the Pastoral Advisory Board and endowed a scholarship Christianity, she trained hundreds of clergy in spiritual renewal. As for United Methodist students. He received an honorary senior associate minister emerita of Marble Collegiate Church since doctor of divinity from the college in 1988. 2002, she continued her activities there and throughout the country Sisson was the author of two books, You Have a Beautiful until a few months before her death. Face, She Said and For the Quiet Times. Honors granted her included a community service award from He was a member of BSC’s Endowment Builders Society the Harlem Interfaith Counseling Service, a BUDDY award from and Ginkgo Society. the Legal Defense and Education Fund of NOW, and citation Sisson was preceded in death by his wife of 21 years, as trustee extraordinaire and distinguished alumna of the New Martha Ann Jacoway Sisson ’60. Survivors include wife York Theological Seminary, which also awarded her an honorary Laura Boyer Sisson ’79, sons Thomas Edward Sisson doctor of divinity degree in 1998. She received a Distinguished ’84 (Leigh Ann Alexander Sisson ’87) and Rev. James Alumni Award in 2003 from Birmingham-Southern, where she Bryan Sisson ’94 (Tracy), and daughter Jayne Elizabeth was a member of the Endowment Builders Society and the Ginkgo Sisson Randall (Dr. Richard Randall ’88). By request of Society. the family, memorials may be sent to the Jerry and Laura She is survived by her sister, Dr. Roye E. Wates ’54. Sisson Scholarship Fund at Birmingham-Southern through the Offi ce of Institutional Advancement, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254.

82 / ’southern CLASSNOTES

Charles Edward “Chuck” Pearce Leigh Peters Wright ’83 of Jr. ’69 of Mobile died Jan. 26, Pensacola, Fla., died Nov. 29, In Memoriam ’59 2009. A veteran of the U.S. Air 2008. A talented musician, Force, he received his law degree she graduated from BSC with from the University of Alabama and a double major in business and Dr. Thomas K. Hearn Jr. of Winston- was an attorney in the oil and gas music. While a student, she Salem, N.C., president emeritus of industry in Mobile County for many represented the college as Miss Wake Forest University, died Aug. 18, years. Birmingham-Southern in the 2009. He held a divinity degree from Miss Alabama pageant, where Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Reginold R. Sanderson ’70 of she won the preliminary talent and a doctoral degree in philosophy Birmingham died Dec. 12, 2008. competition. She also was winner from Vanderbilt University. After completing a bachelor’s of the Alys Robinson Stephens After teaching philosophy at the degree in mathematics from piano competition. Continuing her College of William and Mary for 10 Birmingham-Southern (he was education at the Wharton School years, he returned to his home state the fi rst African American male of the University of Pennsylvania, of Alabama in 1974 to establish the in a freshman class at BSC), he she earned various degrees in Photo courtesy of Wake Philosophy Department at UAB. He Forest University received a law degree from the human resources which supported was later named dean of the School Miles College School of Law. He her work for the Escambia County of Humanities, vice president, and senior vice president for also studied Catholic theology in (Fla.) Board of Education. Survivors non-medical affairs at UAB. the master’s program at Spring include son James Gage Wright IV In 1983, he became the 12th president of Wake Forest Hill College. A certifi ed project and brother-in-law Gilbert Sullivan University and served until 2005, the second-longest manager and certifi ed data ’74 (Lynn). tenure in the school’s history. During his presidency, professional, he was employed for the school developed from a small, regional liberal arts 25 years in information technology Rev. Frank Blalock McRight Jr. Southern Baptist college into one of the nation’s premier at South Central Bell (now AT&T). ’85 of Thompson Station, Tenn., independent universities. He then began a second career as died Nov. 9, 2008. He was a Following his retirement, he received the university’s an educator, serving as assistant veteran of the U.S. Army. He held highest award for service, the Medallion of Merit. He also principal, religion instructor, and a master’s degree in divinity from received the North Carolina Award for public service, the assistant basketball coach at Holy the University of the South. He state’s highest honor. Family High School and later as a was employed as an international He received the Distinguished Alumni Award at mathematics instructor at Hudson banker and a construction supply Birmingham-Southern in 1990. Middle School, Kennedy Alternative manager. He also had ministered Survivors include wife Laura W. Hearn. School, and Riggins Opportunity at Episcopal churches, including Center. Survivors include wife The Church of the Good Shepherd Cynthia Sanderson and sister in Huntsville, St. John’s in Eusebia Comez Sanderson ’70. Tallahassee, Fla., and the Church Oldsmobile, becoming sole owner the late Ouida Boyd Hightower of the Apostles in Thompson in 1980, and adding Isuzu, GMC ’37. At the request of the family, Claud Alexander Nuckols ’77 Station. He was a member of the truck, and Hyundai franchises to his memorial gifts may be made to of Birmingham died Aug. 27, BSC Ginkgo Society. Survivors business. He was president of the the Price Hightower Scholarship 2008. With a BFA in painting, he include his sister, Karen McRight Birmingham Automobile Dealers Fund through the Birmingham- was an artist in several genres Lastovic ’88. Association, as well as the state Southern Offi ce of Institutional and contributed to the artwork association, received the Time Advancement, 900 Arkadelphia for “Dungeons and Dragons.” Dr. Nathan Wayne Lewis ’97 magazine Quality Dealer Award Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, He served as director of the art of Savannah, Ga., died Sept. 14, for the state of Alabama, and was AL 35254. department at Champion Paper Co. 2008. With a degree from St. named a member of the General A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Eustatius School of Medicine, he Motors President’s Council. He Martin Earl “Butch” Donegan he was a collector of uniforms, was an anesthesiologist employed also was active in community and ’66 of Birmingham died Feb. 9, weapons, and paper ephemera, but with the Anesthesia Associates of church affairs. He was a member 2009. He was a certifi ed public was best known as an expert in the Savannah and had earlier served of the Ginkgo Society and the accountant and was a member renovation and repair of toy trains with Anesthesia Services of Endowment Builders Society at of both the Alabama Society and and the designer of collectors’ toy Birmingham. Survivors include BSC. Survivors include wife Anne the American Institute of Certifi ed train layouts. He was a member wife Kimberly Malchow Lewis House Hightower and sister Betty Public Accountants. Survivors of the board of the Heart of Dixie ’97 and sister Carolyn Lewis ’98. Hightower Pewitt ’52. Other include wife DeLoris Shipp Railroad Club. BSC family includes his aunt, Donegan.

spring 2009 / 83 CLASSNOTES

Following his retirement from the was preceded in death by his wife, In Memoriam ’59 college in 1985, he returned to Mary Agnes Brooks Holliman, Baileyton, where he later served as who died this past summer. An Dr. Henry King Stanford of Americus, Ga., mayor for 18 years until his second honored scholar and a revered president of Birmingham-Southern from 1957- retirement in 2008. For more on teacher of BSC students during 62, died Jan. 1, 2009, at the age of 92. Stanford, his life and accomplishments, see his 38 years at the college, who also had served as president of Georgia page 21. His survivors include wife Holliman retired in 2000 as the Ada Southwestern College (Americus, Ga.), Georgia Eileen Garmon Bailey and children Rittenhouse Snavely Professor of State College for Women (Milledgeville, Ga.), Paul Bailey Jr. ’69, Stanley Bailey Biology. For more on his career the University of Miami, and the University of ’71, and Jeanne Bailey Green ’73. and achievements, see page 20. Georgia, was known for both his intellectual skills and his spirited leadership. Bill Burch of Lebanon, Tenn., died Florence Moore Jackson of Stanford was a beloved leader at BSC, where Dec. 7, 2008. He held a master’s Birmingham died Dec. 19, 2008. students protested on his lawn in 1962 when degree from George Peabody She was an educator and, for more Photo courtesy of the it was learned that he had been offered the College and had done extensive than 30 years, taught English, University of Georgia presidency of the University of Miami. Years later work toward a doctorate at Indiana Spanish, French, and social science he was reported to say that, in refl ecting on his tenure at BSC, that University. In 1947, he was hired to area high school students. She gathering of students was among his most cherished memories. as a basketball, tennis, golf, and was a member of the Writing Stanford held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Emory baseball coach at Birmingham- Today Advisory Committee for University, a master’s degree from the University of Denver, and Southern, and remained on the more than six years and chaired a doctorate from New York University. He also was awarded 13 staff until 1973, serving in various the 2004 conference. According honorary degrees. He served as president of the Southern Association capacities, including athletics to her fellow committee members, of Colleges and Schools and vice president of the International director, dean of men, and director “Her passion for youth and the Association of University Presidents. He was a founding member of development. He was inducted written word prompted Flo to and director of the National Association of Independent Colleges and into the BSC Sports Hall of Fame initiate creative writing workshops Universities. and had the Old Gym named after for high school students as part Stanford’s wife was the late Ruth King Stanford ’61. Survivors him. While in Birmingham, Burch of Writing Today’s outreach to the include sons Henry King Stanford Jr. ’61 and Lowry C. Stanford also served as president of the community.” In her honor, the ’64, granddaughter Stephanie Stanford Branham ’91, and grandson Birmingham Parks and Recreation group has renamed the Writing Dr. L. Claiborne Stanford, Jr. ’94. By request of the family, memorial Board, member of the Chamber Today scholarships for high school gifts may be made in his name to Birmingham-Southern through the of Commerce Athletic Affairs students the Florence Jackson Offi ce of Institutional Advancement, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Committee, and senior member High School Scholarship Program, Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254. of the Alabama State High School which will in future years enable Football Offi cials Association. area students to attend lectures Survivors include wife Helen Boyd and workshops from some of Penelope S. “Penny” Haynes basketball team, and in 2002 Burch and sons Richard L. Burch the country’s most outstanding MPPM ’00 of Hoover died Jan. received the college’s Bill Burch ’67, William F. Burch ’68, and authors, editors, and publishers. 28, 2009. She held a bachelor’s Award as the most inspirational James B. Burch ’73. degree in computer science from player. He was an NCAA All- Dr. David E. Johnson of UAB. A member of the BSC Independent selection following Dr. Tom Oliver Caldwell of Birmingham died Sept. 4, 2008. staff since 1994, she was senior the 2001-02 season in which Birmingham died Oct. 20, 2008. He held bachelor’s degrees from systems analyst in the Offi ce of he led the Panthers in scoring, He was a pediatrician with 42 Louisiana Tech University, and Information Technology. Colleague rebounding, and steals. Survivors years of service in the Birmingham a master’s degree and doctoral Rusty Howell said of her “Over the include fi ancé Marie Sabine area. Through the Career degree in applied mathematics years, she has touched many lives Delerme. Consultant Program at BSC, he from Auburn. After teaching for with her commitment to service welcomed student interns into his six years at Louisiana Tech, and and friendship.” Her husband was Friends practice and graciously shared his for 21 years at LSU, during which the late G. Bennett Haynes Jr. knowledge of pediatric subjects. time he wrote or co-authored ’65. Survivors include son Gifford Dr. Paul Clinton Bailey, a Survivors include daughter Anna more than 40 academic textbooks, Bennett III ’02 and daughter former professor at Birmingham- Claire Caldwell ’81. many translated for use around the Christina Stolk Lamb Haynes ’05. Southern, died Feb. 27, 2009, in world, he taught mathematics at his hometown of Baileyton, the Dr. Dan Clark Holliman of Birmingham-Southern for 11 years, Thomas Melvin (T.R.) Reed II ’03 Cullman-area community founded Birmingham, professor emeritus retiring in 1994. Survivors include of Mobile died in an automobile by his great-grandfather. He was at Birmingham-Southern, died wife Frances White Johnson ’54 accident in Atlanta on Aug. 26, a respected professor of biology Feb. 19, 2009, at the home of and daughters Nancy Johnson 2008. He was a two-year starter and an energetic administrator at his daughter, Dr. Diane Carol Forshaw ’87, Mercedes Johnson and letterwinner in 2000-02 for Birmingham-Southern for 22 years. Holliman ’87, in Valdosta, Ga. He Compton ’91, and Katherine Coach Duane Reboul’s men’s Johnson Holmgren ’91.

84 / ’southern ‘SOUTHERN VOICES For the love of Birmingham-Southern College

BY CARL BAILEY

One of the things that enrollments and well-deserved John Evins was the most Board and as a Trustee for makes Birmingham-Southern national recognition, while humble man I ever knew. And Canterbury United Methodist College so special is its people. securing its fi nancial future. he was private, especially about Church. He was a Lay Leader Although I graduated from Mr. James C. Lee Jr. ’40, a his giving to Birmingham- and on the Board of Trustees for Auburn University, I have served Life Emeritus member of the Southern. Not only did he give the Birmingham District of the on Birmingham-Southern’s Board; Mr. Frank M. Dominick his time and leadership to the North Alabama Conference of Board of Trustees since 1985. Jr. ’41, a Life Emeritus member college for three-quarters of a the United Methodist Church. Over those 24 years, I’ve been and past chair of the Board; century, he gave his money— In 1995, he received the Francis exposed to many BSC graduates, Mr. L. Paul Kassouf ‘42, a Life both directly and indirectly. He Asbury Award from the United and I’ve always been amazed Member of the Board (“In never would allow the college Methodist Church as the by their life accomplishments. Memoriam” appeared in Fall to talk publically about his one individual in the nation Not just how far they have 2008 issue); Mrs. Gabriella contributions, but he was one having the most outstanding risen on the career ladder or “Gay” Comer White ’44, a Life of the college’s most generous contribution to higher how much money they have Emeritus Trustee; and Rev. Dr. made, but by the impact they Jerry Edward Sisson ’58, a 22- have made on the lives of year member of the Board and others. Birmingham-Southern past chair. graduates do change lives. Then there was Mr. John Maybe the most interesting Cowan Evins ’33, also a Life thing I’ve come to realize about Emeritus member of the BSC people is that they love Board of Trustees, or “John the their college. This love for an Methodist,” as he was eulogized alma mater is very strong, and by Rev. Allen Montgomery at very special. The college has Canterbury United Methodist been asking alumni far and Church in Mountain Brook wide of late, “Just what is it in February. I was fortunate that makes BSC so special, so to serve with John both at distinctive?” It’s an age-old Birmingham-Southern and at question to which there have Canterbury. He epitomized been many, many answers. All what it means to be a of them the right answer in one Birmingham-Southern graduate, donors. When an idea or education within the church. way or another. But we still and a Methodist. His love for project arose that was for the John loved Birmingham- haven’t been able to pinpoint both his college and his church betterment of BSC and its Southern, and he loved the that one thing that sets BSC was beyond measure. students, the Trustees would United Methodist Church. apart from the other colleges John gave his time, attention, say, “How are we going to pay And both will miss him. As and universities. And maybe and fi nancial resources to BSC for this?” John would say, will Birmingham-Southern miss it isn’t just one thing, but a for some 75 years. He served “This is what we need to do, Jimmy, Frank, Paul, Gay, and combination of factors. All on the Board of Trustees for and I will help raise the funds Jerry. I hope you will read their I know is that Birmingham- 44 years and held just about and also make a contribution expanded “In Memoriams” and Southern graduates love their every position of leadership, to see that it gets done.” He realize how much this place alma mater, and they will go to including chair of the Board, also encouraged the many meant to them and how much great lengths to help the college. and chair of the Executive, organizations of which he of their lives they gave back to As always, this issue of Development, and Finance and was a member to support the college in service. These ’Southern magazine includes Investment committees. Birmingham-Southern. are the types of respected and “In Memoriams” for those He was a confi dant to BSC John never sought recognition dedicated people who lead your alumni who have passed on. In presidents, and was there for for his leadership or his gifts, institution. And we should all particular are six Trustees of the Birmingham-Southern through but both were invaluable. be thankful for their love of college who have passed away some of its most trying times. Whether he was leading or Birmingham-Southern. in the last 12 months, each He played an integral role in giving, it was always behind the who did great things in their keeping the college at its present scenes. He was a quiet leader. Editor’s Note: Carl Bailey is lives, and devoted their time, location, and in ensuring Birmingham-Southern would a past chair and Life Member energy, and resources to help that Birmingham-Southern not be here today if not for John of the BSC Board of Trustees. steer Birmingham-Southern remained open in the mid ’70s Evins. I truly believe that. He is retired president of through—at times—troubled when enrollment was 727 and John served his church just South Central Bell/BellSouth waters to become an institution the endowment was around like his college. He served as and co-chair of BellSouth that today is realizing record $10 million. chair of the Administrative Telecommunications. spring 2009 / 85 Sticks up!—March was a historic month for Birmingham-Southern athletics as the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams played their fi rst games at Panther Stadium on campus. Lacrosse—a combination of the elements of soccer, basketball, and hockey—is a fi eld game typically played in the spring by two teams of 10-12 players on the fi eld, each of whom uses a long-handled stick with a net pouch on one end to carry or throw a small, hard ball into the opponent’s goal. Although the rules for lacrosse are different for each gender, the game basics still apply. The BSC women won their home opener—and fi rst match ever—March 5 against Methodist College; the men’s team captured its fi rst victory March 8 at Guilford College.

Freshman Brytanny Uy of Fayetteville, Ga.

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