summer 2011 a magazine for alumni and friends IN5 Spring THIS breakers serve ISSUE in El Salvador 10 First lady discovers new adventures 14 Class of 2011 celebrates commencement L A G RANGE C OLLEGE from the president COLU MNS A Magazine for Alumni and Friends Uncommon connection Vol. 15, No. 3 A strong sense of community. That is President one of the things I enjoy most about the Dan McAlexander experience at a smaller institution of Vice President for Advancement higher learning. The bonds shared be- Will Jones tween faculty, staff and students create Editor an energy unlike any other. Dean Hartman Assistant Editor Debby Durrence Whether in the dining hall, at sports con- tests or during other events, the conver- Development Writer Karen Clark sations I enjoy with our undergraduates Recruitment Writer are constant reminders of the strong con- Lee Davis nections that grow from living and learning in a small-college Alumni and Community Relations Editors environment. Here at LaGrange, we believe that being part of Martha Pirkle, Susan Hancock such a community transforms lives, a transformation reflected Webmaster in our actions. David Beard ’01 Designer After horrific tornadoes ripped through the South this spring, Stacy Gorman Jackson ’00 members of our campus community volunteered to travel to some of the ravaged areas and lend a hand. You can read LaGrange College (USPS 299-300), including about their experiences in our cover story. Columns, its official publication for alumni and friends, and the Progress Report and Annual Building our connections with the community of LaGrange has Donor Roll, is published quarterly by LaGrange led to a new educational/travel program called 3D Journeys, College, 601 Broad Street, LaGrange, GA which offered faculty lectures about Coastal Georgia and an 30240-2999. Periodical class postage paid at educational trip to Sapelo Island. My wife, Celeste, has helped LaGrange, GA, and additional mailing offices. launch that effort, and you can read more about her and the POSTMASTER: Send address changes to role of first lady in the feature inside this issue. LaGrange College, 601 Broad Street, LaGrange, GA 30240-2999. Having spent our lives working in higher education, Celeste and I both believe the college years offer an extraordinary Correspondence should be directed to the Com- time for students to discover a true sense of vocation, con- munications and Marketing Office at the above necting their unique gifts with the world’s needs. And we address, e-mailed to [email protected], believe LaGrange College is the kind of community where that or faxed to (706) 880-8763. connection happens. Classnotes should be sent to the Alumni and Community Relations Office at the same ad- Thank you for your role in our college community as we join dress, e-mailed to [email protected], or together in the work of transforming lives. faxed to (706) 880-8757. Indicates additional material on the College’s Web site found at Dan McAlexander www.lagrange.edu President A four-year liberal arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church, LaGrange College is consistently ranked in the top 10 and as a “best value” among Southern colleges by U.S.News & World Report. The college, an award winner in sustainability, is the oldest private institu- tion of higher learning in Georgia and has an enrollment of more than 1,000 students. in this issue Cheerful chorus PAGE 14 Sculpture captures Amid the whirring of campus icons in sand. cicadas and the heartfelt PAGE 5. encouragement of speaker Howard “Bo” Callaway, the Class of 2011 celebrated its commencement. By Dean Hartman 2 Notebook Panther places in nation- al golf tourney; president’s opinion piece appears in state newspapers; college helps in West Point Lake cleanup; more 4 Around Campus College joins new athletic conference; business and community leaders hosted at luncheon; students take Alternative Spring Break trip to El Salvador; more 18 Alumni and Friends Daniel recognized for alumni service; Phil Wil- liamson retires after 42 years; Hunter receives Fuller E. Callaway Jr. Award; more 23 Classnotes Homecoming to offer new Main Street Party; grads honored as Troup County outstanding teachers; alumni share their moves and mile- stones; more PAGE A different journey 10 First lady Celeste Myall has spent her life as a musician and Cover professor. However, her life changed dramatically two years It didn’t take long for students, faculty and staff to re- ago when her husband, Dan McAlexander, was named presi- spond after terrifying tornadoes devastated Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Rome. They organized and delivered supplies, as dent of LaGrange College. By Debby Durrence well as offered helping hands and caring hearts. page 6 By Debby Durrence notebook Golfer soars at nationals Senior Hudson Keener finished third at the 2011 NCAA Division III Golf Championships at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. With the third-place finish, Keener earned first-team PING All-American honors for the second straight year, the first LaGrange golfer to do so since the college joined the NCAA. He was also selected to the PING Southeastern All-Region team and was the Great South Ath- letic Conference Player of the Year. Keener won the GSAC and Reeder Cup individual championships. President gets the word out President Dan McAlexander’s guest editorials on the changes in the HOPE scholarship were picked up and printed in newspa- pers around the state, including the Macon Telegraph, Columbus Ledger- Enquirer, LaGrange Daily News and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He praised the governor and legislators for salvaging the scholar- ship, even with its reductions. “We are grateful that the bill did not single out students at pri- vate colleges for harsher cuts than their peers at public institutions,” he wrote. “We also are happy to see Lions, tigers and bears … … the continuation of the (Tu- ition Equalization Grant) award, The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi went on a scouting expedition during their May which the governor had previously Day Step-Sing performance and encountered a few wild, but friendly, beasts recommended in his budget and on along the way. Their spirited presentation won the large-group category honors which our students rely.” during the annual event, which drew a large crowd to the Lewis Library Plaza. Taking small-group honors was Pi Kappa Phi. snapshot notebook research, vividness of style and mature Team takes community analysis. ... The interplay of differing spelling prize and sometimes conflicting personalities Panthers Pounce on a Good Book, involved in the story is presented with the college’s team for LaGrange’s an- fairness, sensitivity and insightfulness.” nual Certified Literate Community Program spelling bee, emerged the Smith columns restored victors during March’s tourney. Team Matthew, Mark, Luke and John members Sarah Neal, Arthur Robinson have gotten a makeover. The famed and Jennifer Wiggins out-spelled the columns of Smith Hall, named for the team from LaGrange Academy in a apostles by students many years ago, thrilling spell-off. recently had some work done to protect The Panther team won by spelling them from the elements. six of the 10 words, acing “strabismus,” “It appeared that water had pen- “nugacity,” “fossorial,” “narcohypnia,” etrated through the cap at the top and “roborant” and “mugwumpery.” migrated its way behind the brick and Volunteers help with plaster,” said Michael Coniglio, Direc- tor of Physical Plant. “This caused the lake cleanup plaster to break away during the colder Almost 100 campus representatives months when the water would freeze.” combed the shores of West Point Lake The college contacted a company in April for a mega lake cleanup day. that specialized in using a ceramic paint The event was held in conjunction coating system, a product that is elastic with a community effort to spruce up in nature, which allows for contraction the lake for the Bassmaster Elite Series and expansion. Tournament in May. “The prep work for the columns The college was assigned a site was the most detailed part of the pro- on Linda Lane, and gloves, trash bags cess because the existing flaking plaster Teaching awards presented and bottled water were provided to all had to be removed,” Coniglio said. “A Four faculty members were rec- volunteers. Representatives from the wire mesh was then applied around the ognized for teaching excellence at the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of columns and re-skimmed with plaster college’s Honors Convocation at First Commerce commended the helpers to maintain the original integrity.” United Methodist Church. from the Hill for their labors. Once that was completed, a primer Dottie Joiner, Lovick Corn Profes- and final coat of ceramic paint was sor of Art History, received the John R. Music chair named author applied. Also, new metal caps were Hines Jr. Undergraduate Research Fac- of year installed at the top of the columns to ulty Award for her promotion of stu- dent research; Melinda Pomeroy-Black, Dr. Toni Anderson, Chair of the prevent further water penetration and Associate Professor of Biology, won the Music Department, recently was named reduce the amount of annual preventive Vulcan Materials Teaching Award for Georgia Author of the Year for best maintenance. “challenging the minds” of her students; creative nonfiction history. Alvin Lingenfelter, Assistant Professor Her work, “‘Tell Them We Are of Religion, received the Sustainabil- Singing for Jesus’: The Original Fisk ity Award for Faculty that recognizes Jubilee Singers and Christian Recon- environmentally friendly lifestyles and struction, 1871-1878,” garnered praise examples set among faculty members; from judge Samuel Fred Roach. and Arthur Robinson, Assistant Pro- “Clear, honest, perceptive and vivid fessor and Public Services Librarian, character and institutional collages add received the United Methodist Church to the human mosaic depicted by the Teaching Award, given to the faculty work,” he wrote in his comments.