SUMMER 2013 • VOLUME 21 • No. 2 FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA Cover Story 3 .... UNA Takes ‘Giant Leap Forward’ Features 14 .... Collectibles From Around the World 16 .... The Cats Who Became Lions 18 .... Throw Back 22 .... UNA Launches Derby Day 26 .... Athletics 34 .... What Is My Legacy? Departments 2 .... President’s Message 4 .... Around the Campus 44 .... Class Notes 46 .... In Memory Grammy Award-winning recording artist and UNA alumnus John Paul White ’99 moderates a question-and-answer session with cinematographer Anthony Arendt, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section bassist David Hood, producer and publisher Rick Hall, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section guitarist Jimmy Johnson and songwriter and keyboardist Spooner Oldham following the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival screening of Muscle Shoals. The festival presented a special showing of the new music documentary March 1 at Norton Auditorium on the UNA campus. SUMMER 2013 • VOLUME 21 • No. 2 for alumni and friends of the University of North Alabama ADMINISTRATION President William G. Cale, Jr. Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost John Thornell Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs Steve Smith ’83 Vice President for Student Affairs David Shields Vice President for Enrollment Management Thomas Calhoun president’s message Vice President for University Advancement UNA TAKES ‘GIANT LEAP FORWARD’ IN Dan Hendricks William G. Cale Jr. Vice Provost for International Affairs Chunsheng Zhang William G. Cale, Jr. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STAFF By Terry Pace ’85, ’04, UNA Communications and Marketing EDITOR A moment of great signifi cance is upon costs. The Board of Trustees fully embraced Carol Lyles ’70 us as we begin construction of our new moving ahead, and that is certainly what I COPY EDITORS Science and Technology Building. recommended and what is best for UNA. The University of North Alabama future of this region, and most important Birmingham-based construction company Terry Pace ’85 & ’04 There have been many moments Completion is anticipated in 20 months. broke ground May 6 on a long- of all, that we will always provide the best B.L. Harbert International. The new B.J. Wilson ’80 leading to this point, but one I remember As work progresses on another envisioned, $39.7 million Science and education possible for our students,” Dr. facility – to be built between Kilby DESIGNERS well is a conversation I had not long after I major project, the Academic and Student Technology Building designed to carry Cale told more than 200 campus leaders Laboratory School and Flowers Hall, on Karen Hodges ’84, Chuck Craig ’79 joined UNA. I had the opportunity to meet Commons Building, work likewise the university’s science-based academic and UNA supporters who gathered the site of the old tennis courts on Pine PHOTOGRAPHER Dr. Frank Franz, President of the University progresses on coordination of the academic programs into a competitive new arena. at the future home of the fi ve-story, Street – will provide a state-of-the-art Shannon Wells ’05 of Alabama in Huntsville, at the time when functions that will be housed there to President William G. Cale – who 160,000-square-foot facility. home for the biology, chemistry and CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS he was opening a new science building on create the University Success Center. called the project “another giant leap “I don’t know that a day has gone by industrial hygiene, physics and earth Chuck Craig ’79 his campus. I asked him how long he’d been These include the Writing Center, a new forward” for the university – and over the last eight years that this project science departments now located in the Tate Hipps working on that project, and he said 10 center for mathematics education support, other UNA offi cials were joined at the has not entered my mind,” added Cale, 51-year-old Floyd Science Building. Carol Lyles ’70 ceremony by State Sens. Roger Bedford who made the project a high priority “A future department of engineering Jessica Pajaron years. advising and testing, learning communities, When it comes to science buildings, our Quality Enhancement Plan (Building and Tammy Irons ’86, Reps. Lynn when he was named president of UNA technology also will be housed in CONTRIBUTING WRITERS in 2005. “I can tell you that I have this new building,” Cale explained. William G. Cale, Jr. there would seem to be a long lag between Success Through Discovery), fi nancial Greer, Greg Burdine ’82, Johnny Mack Elise Cofi eld identifying the need and seeing it happen. literacy and student fi nancial services. Vice Morrow and Mac Buttram ’62, Florence been hopeful, I have felt despair, I have “Construction of the building will take Siobhan Gehrs As those years unfolded at UNA, I had the President for Enrollment Management Dr. Mayor Mickey Haddock, Florence City experienced frustration and confusion about 600 days, so we can gather again Jeff Hodges ’82 good fortune to fi nd support from many. Thomas Calhoun, who will oversee these Council President Dick Jordan and Shoals and, from time to time, a bit of optimism. in the late fall of 2014 to have a grand Noelle Ingle A few of those are Gov. Bob Riley, Sens. functions, will also relocate to the new Chamber of Commerce President Steve Today I think we all feel relief and opening.” Carol Lyles ’70 happiness, in roughly equal measure.” Terry Pace ’85 & ’04 Roger Bedford and Tammy Irons ’86, building, scheduled for completion toward Holt. UNA has $31.7 million currently Congressman Parker Griffi th, Speaker of the end of this year. “This is an affi rmation that The UNA Board of Trustees in place to cover most construction Send correspondence and the Alabama House Mike Hubbard, the Three UNA students this year collectively we can accomplish great offi cially approved the project on costs. The Florence City Council has address changes to: Florence City Council, our entire local achieved recognition at the highest levels things, that we are committed to the April 3, accepting a low bid from the committed $3 million for the project, UNA Magazine UNA Magazine delegation of State Representatives, our of accomplishment. Two of these you while the Alabama Legislature has UNA Magazine Offi ce of Alumni Relations 2 UNA Board of Trustees, private citizens and met in the previous UNA Magazine: Ms. included a $500,000 allocation for the 3 UNA Box 5047 the UNA community. Mary McDaniel and Ms. Kaitlin Ashley. facility in its 2013-14 state budget. The University of North Alabama At the heart of this process, though, Most recently, Mr. Alexander Edwards Florence, AL 35632-0001 rest will be secured through an aggressive and largely unheralded, are the students was chosen to present his mathematical UNA fundraising campaign. e-mail: [email protected] of UNA. They voted in 2005 to create a research done with Dr. Jessica Stovall at “This building benefi ts science STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION facilities fee to assist primarily with creating Posters on the Hill in Washington, D.C. 2013 summer majors as well as non-science majors,” 2013 summer It is the policy of the University of North Alabama to afford equal opportunities a new science building, and secondarily to His work was one of 60 chosen from among in education and in employment to qualifi ed persons regardless of age, color, according to Dr. John Thornell, UNA’s creed, disability, national origin, race, religion, or sex, in accordance with all meet other critical campus needs. Those 800 submissions. Our students are worth laws, including Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil vice president for academic affairs and Rights Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act, Civil Rights Act of 1991, who took that step are long graduated, but cheering for! and Executive Order 11246. The coordinators for nondiscrimination policies provost. “We already have strong science are: for students, Irons Law Firm, 219 North Court Street, Florence, AL 35630, their dream now becomes real. It has been another fi ne year at UNA. and for employees, the Director of Human Resources and Affi rmative Action, programs and quality faculty teaching 217 Bibb Graves Hall, telephone 256-765-4291 or The groundbreaking ceremony for the As plans take shape for your summer, I wish email: [email protected]. in those programs, but no matter how $39.7 million building of 160,000 square you time with family and friends, time for Information contained herein is as it currently exists but good a teacher you are, you have to feet was held May 6, and was attended by refl ection and time to make plans to visit us. is subject to change without prior notice. have laboratories and equipment to be many from the campus, community and successful. With this new building, we state. We still have some fundraising to do, All my best, can meet that benchmark.” but we are very close to meeting all our Bill Cale UNA STUDENTS RECEIVE TOP HONORS AT STATE SCIENCE COMPETITION By Siobhan Gehrs, Student Writer Students Learn What It Takes To Create A TV Program By Siobhan Gehrs, Student Writer UNA junior Taylor Garber and Broadcast journalism student Kaitlin sophomore Christian Bayens placed first Chappell knew in her freshman year that she with presentations of their individual wanted to create either a news channel or talk research projects at the Alabama show to gain experience in her field. It wasn’t Academy of Sciences at Samford until the summer before her junior year that University in Birmingham. The three-day Chappell began taking steps necessary to make competition, which took place March 20- her dream a reality. 22, was open to physics, biology, social As a member of UNA’s chapter of sciences, chemistry and mathematics the National Broadcasting Society (NBS), research.