Gravity Spring 2014

SPRING 2014

VOL. 2 NO. 1

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

From Jag to pro:tee talk with Four alums

From bottom left: oliver wilson, henrik Norlander, scott Jamieson, and robert Duck

G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T YC

Alumni Association

Physical Address:1061 Katherine StreetAugusta, GA 30904

Mailing Address:GRU Alumni Affairs

1120 15th Street, FI-1000Augusta, GA 30912

706-737-1759

Associate Vice President, Alumni Affairs and Special Events

Kristina [email protected]

Senior Director, Alumni AffairsScott Henson

[email protected]

Director, Alumni AffairsRhonda Banks

[email protected]

Alumni Affairs CoordinatorStudent and Young Alumni

ProgramsMary Beth [email protected]

Alumni Affairs CoordinatorAlumni Communications and

Corporate SponsorshipsSamantha [email protected]

Administrative AssistantCori Robbins

[email protected]

grualumni.com

Aubrey Armento, a third-year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, came in on top for the female division in the GRU Augusta Half Marathon with a time of 1:31:42.

© 2 0 1 4 G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y

EVERY EDITION 4 Campus Happenings 6 Calendar of Events30 College Catch-Up32 Career Services34 Alumni Advocacy Update 42 Class Notes46 A Look Back

SPRING 2014 VOL. 2 NO. 1

Senior Vice President, Office of Advancement: Susan Barcus

Senior Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing:

David Brond

Executive Editor: Kristina Baggott

Senior Editor: Karen Gutmann

Alumni Relations Liaison: Rhonda Banks

DESIGN & PRODUCTIONP.J. Hayes Design

PHOTOGRAPHYSenior Photographer: Phil Jones

Special Assignments: Marie Julliard, James Ferry, Todd Drexler, Paula Toole

ADVERTISINGSamantha Mellinger

[email protected]

Georgia Regents University does not

discriminate on the basis of race, color,

national origin, sex, disability, religion,

age, veteran status, gender identity or

expression, or sexual orientation in its

programs and activities as required by

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of

1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act

of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

of 1964, and other application statutes

and university policies.

gru.edu/gravity

Georgia Regents University’s Alumni and Friends magazine is

published three times a year by the Office of Advancement and

the Office of Communications and Marketing to connect the

university with alumni, friends, the state, and the world.

about the cover:

Illustration by Nate Owens

From Jag to ProFour alums share their experiences in the Pros.

Birdies Fore the HouseFather and son team up to help Ronald McDonald House.

8 16

ALUMNI PROFILES

Nita WigginsBA, Communications

Ron CoursonBS, Physical Therapy

20 26

4

Nick Evans and Bobby Dressel

36

G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y2

Dear readers, Spring … a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Temperatures are warmer, days are longer; we shake off the winter doldrums, and we’re ready for new adventures. In spring’s renewing spirit, we’ve chosen “Return, Reconnect, and Rediscover” as the theme for our upcoming, eagerly anticipated 2014 alumni weekend, april 24-27. We’ve put together a program that you won’t want to miss! Our keynote speakers will entertain, enlighten, and engage you: speakers like ben stein, celebrity commentator and actor; bill taylor, prominent business expert and founding editor of FastCompany magazine; and Nina tandon, renowned biomedical entrepreneur. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our first athletics-themed issue of GRavity. Glimpse the world of professional golf through the eyes of some of our most celebrated golf alums (page 8). Find out what life is like for Ron Courson (BS, Physical Therapy ’89), the Georgia Bulldog’s Chief Athletics Trainer and Director of Sports Medicine for the University of Georgia (page 26). And read how Nita Wiggins (BA, Communications ’86) achieved her childhood dream of covering the Dallas Cowboys—a story of inspiring perseverance, tenacity, and talent from an intrepid, trailblazing journalist (page 20). So enjoy our spring issue of GRavity, and I look forward to seeing many of you on campus in a few short weeks.

Kristina Baggott, MBA ’03Associate VP, Alumni Affairs and Special EventsGeorgia Regents UniversityOffice of Advancement

You’ll love our new “gru alumni Discovery sessions.” these 14 informative, interactive, and downright fun sessions will cover a wide range of alumni interests; everything from a golf swing clinic with our world-famous golfing coaches to “murder she wrote,” an in-depth exploration of common serial killer myths. so get ready for some new adventures when you come to campus next month.

Here’s a tip:

Discounts on

Alumni Weekend

events are

available for early

birds who register

by April 5!

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 3

That’s the thing about college sports: Their unique ability to pull us together, to plant us firmly

on the same team. Athletics are the focus of this issue of GRavity: alums who either played for us or used the degrees they earned here to pursue a career in the world of sports. Sports are part of the fabric of life in America and part of what defines the spirit of our university. At GRU, we believe in the well-rounded, the well-informed, and the well-being of others … and that is why we believe in the Jaguar Nation. Our students come here first to learn, but intellectual growth is only part of what forms a well-rounded, contributing, mentally and physically healthy individual. Participation in athletics, whether Division I or intramural, teaches students critical life skills like leadership, teamwork, loyalty, commitment, perseverance, and time management. It fosters healthy habits and provides stress release. It forges friendships, inspires connections, and sparks school spirit that can last a lifetime. Plus, it’s just plain fun, for players and for spectators and fans. We’re proud of our Jaguar student athletes, whose skill, drive, victories, and response to challenges

continue to exemplify the very best our university has to offer. We are committed to support and expand GRU athletics programs into the future—our “Vision 2030” calls for an increase in total men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports from 13 to 16. So I encourage you to support our student athletes as well—when

you’re in the area, come watch them play and cheer them on! And know you will be supporting the values our athletics program has always prized: scholarship, sportsmanship, extraordinary effort, and personal integrity.

RICARDO AZZIZ President, Georgia Regents University CEO, Georgia Regents Health System

college athletics: a wiNNiNg propositioN

we’ve all been there: the last few seconds of a

close game. the teams are well matched, the clock

is ticking down. will they pull it off? excitement,

tension, anticipation … and the roar! they did it!

and somehow it feels like we did it.


thaNk a DoNorDaYAt this inaugural event, students wrote thank you notes to approximately 3,600 university donors, who later received the notes as well as an emailed video.

Nov. 7

campusHappenings

More than 700 students were honored at the first GRU Fall Commencement. The ceremony included remarks from best-selling author Becky Blalock and USG Regent Jim Hull.

Dec. 15 FallcommeNcemeNt

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 5

J. harolD harrisoN, m.D. eDucatioN commoNs FiNal beam raisiNg little leNDiNg

librarYA public, free-standing library, housed in a weatherproof birdhouse was unveiled on the front lawn of the Literacy Center. Users are urged to borrow a book and then return it or donate another in its place.

Feb. 10Nov. 15Construction workers erected the final steel beam on this three-story, 172,000-square-foot building set to open in fall 2014.

cares For kiDs raDiothoNThe 13th annual Cares for Kids Radiothon raised more than $189,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

Dec. 5-7

sNow DaYCampus was closed due to an unfamiliar snow day, followed by an ice storm two weeks later that crippled the city and left hundreds of thousands in Georgia without power.

JaN. 28

april 18 alumni and Friends lauderdale golf tournamentForest Hills Golf Club

april 25-27Alumni Weekend

maY 9Spring Commencement, James Brown Arena

b i t . l y/ 1 f j Tc 4 x

This magazine is for you. That’s why we want

your input for future editions. Please scan the QR

code or follow the URL to take a quick survey.

We want your feedback!

maY 20Alumni Mixer, Augusta, Ga. 5:30-8 p.m.

JuNe 4Career Services Webinar, noon

caleNDar oF eveNts


7

For more information: 706-737-1759 or [email protected]

JuNe 19Night at the greenJacketsLake Olmstead StadiumAugusta, Ga., 7 p.m.

grua lumn i .com /upcom ingeve nts

G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4

The famed Masters Golf Tournament turns 80 this year and, in many ways, so does golf culture in Augusta.

Each spring since 1934, when legendary golfer Bobby Jones launched the annual invitational, all eyes turn to Augusta as the greatest golfers in the world compete for the coveted green jacket. The iconic tournament has transformed Augusta into a golf mecca for athletes and fans the world over and cemented golf’s central place in life this side of the Savannah River. It used to be that golf fans mentioned Augusta only when “the Masters” was in the sentence. But in recent decades that’s all changed, thanks to a growing roster of exceptional young athletes who earned their chops right here in the Jaguar Nation. GRavity caught up with four former Jaguars to talk about each man’s journey from Jag to pro.

oliver wilsoNEngland

From

B Y J O R D A N WAT W O O D

an inside look at life on the european and pga tours.

JAg to PRo

8 G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y

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oliver wilsoNEngland

Englishman oliver wilsoN (AA, Core Curriculum ’03) enjoyed a decorated career at Augusta State. He is the only Jaguar to have achieved first-team All-American status by the Golf Coaches Association of America. He is also the only three-time All-American and three-time Palmer Cup contender to have played for Augusta State.

Wilson’s collegiate career stroke average was 72.05, the second lowest in school history. Shortly after graduation, Wilson turned pro, joining his former teammate Jamie Elson on the Challenge Tour. In 2005, after a series of victories early in his career, Wilson earned his European Tour card and played consistently on the tour until this past fall. He credits Augusta State with providing the critical spark. “It was the best decision I’ve made in my career, to go to Augusta State,” Wilson said. “It got me into a competitive environment, and that put me in a great [position] for when I turned pro.” Wilson’s record at Augusta State is an extensive catalog of victories, record-breaking performances, and top finishes. His final season is regarded as one of the

most successful in Augusta State golf history. Making the decision to turn pro was a natural next step for Wilson, and the pieces quickly fell into place. Callaway Golf became a sponsor; then Hambric Sports Group signed Wilson to its European Division. “It was such an exciting time,” he said. “I didn’t know what was ahead for me, but I had so much confidence.” Confidence, talent, and skill led Wilson to the top of his game. In 2008, he was ranked among the top 50 golfers in the world by Official World Golf Ranking. He placed second in the BMW PGA Championship—his biggest career finish to date. That same year, he played in all four majors and was on the Ryder Cup’s European Team. Among his teammates at the Ryder Cup was fellow Englishman Lee Westwood. Years earlier, Wilson caddied for Westwood, who lived in the same town. Getting the chance to play alongside Westwood—a boyhood idol—and the others on the European Team that year, was an experience he’ll never forget. “It was fantastic playing with guys like that,” Wilson said. “Everyone on the team has confidence in his partners. It takes the pressure off you and gets you focused and full of adrenaline. You can reach a higher level of golf.” In 2009, Wilson received his first invitation to the Masters. “My goal, when I got out of

college, was to be the first [Jaguar] back to play at the Masters,” Wilson laughs. “Vaughn Taylor beat me to it, but it was an incredible experience.” Unfortunately, Wilson missed the cut during both his 2009 and 2010 Masters appearances. He said this was largely due to self-imposed pressures, but he relishes the memory and continues to view Augusta as his second home. Wilson feels he is a different golfer today than he was early on. Back then, his life was a whirlwind, jet-setting from tournament to tournament, hopping back and forth from Europe to the U.S. every few weeks. Today, Wilson’s life has slowed down a bit. His priorities have adjusted, but his focus has never faltered. “It’s really not about how good you are at golf, but about the decisions you make around golf that make you good,” he said. “To me, it all comes back to balance. You’ve got to work hard, work smart, and enjoy life while you do it.” After a few tough years, Wilson is looking forward to making positive progress this season, building momentum one round at a time. “Last year I broke my wrist, and I struggled to come back from that,” he said. “Physically, I’m in better shape, and my swing is better than it used to be. I’ve got a good routine and strategies for this next year; it just takes baby steps. If I can go to every event and play well, it’s only a matter of time before I get to where I want to be.”

Oliver WilsOn First-team all-americaN to top-50 pro

G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4

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Scottish transplant scott JamiesoN (BBA, Marketing ’05) joined the Jaguars in 2001 on scholarship, playing four seasons during his collegiate career before turning pro shortly after graduation. Though he produced solid results his freshman,

sophomore, and junior seasons, Jamieson’s most celebrated season was also his last. As a senior, Jamieson clinched his only collegiate victory, placing first at the Hootie at the Bulls Bay Intercollegiate at Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, S.C. That same season, he was named All-American, as well as NCAA All-Independent Player of the Year, and he played in the Palmer Cup, representing his home country of Scotland.

Jamieson turned pro in 2006, playing the Challenge Tour until 2010

when he was promoted to the European Tour. He wrapped up his first season on tour with

four top-10 finishes, gaining momentum during each of the following seasons until achieving his first European Tour victory at the Nelson Mandela Championship in December 2012. “It was fantastic to get a win under my belt,” Jamieson said. “Winning can open up so many doors in the golfing world, so it was great to be able to secure victory in a playoff. “It was strange returning a defending champion [in 2013], as it was a new challenge to be defending a European Tour title,” he continued. “But if I’m going to become as good as I possibly can, then new challenges are something I will hopefully face on a regular basis.” Playing on the European Tour is a dream come true for Jamieson.


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scOtt jamiesOn europeaN tour a boYhooD Dream come true

“It is extremely satisfying,” he said. “It was something I’ve dreamt of since I was a boy, so it

was very rewarding to know that my hard work and perseverance gave me the opportunity.”

During his time on the European Tour, Jamieson has rubbed shoulders with some

of the biggest names in golf. His top finishes were often just strokes behind

the likes of Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, to name a few. But Jamieson said he quickly got over the shock of playing with big-name golfers. “Playing with the world’s best is challenging to begin with, as you’re maybe out of your comfort zone,” he said. “But for me, after a while, I was able to accept that, yeah, these guys are great, but

they really weren’t doing much different than me. After some good

results, I certainly started to feel a sense of belonging.” Take, for example, the BMW International Open in 2011, when he played the third and fourth round of the tournament with Martin Kaymer, at the time ranked first in the world. “Saturday was fairly ordinary—we both scored 72—but on Sunday, I shot 64 and finished third,” Jamieson said. Kaymer ended the tournament tied for 18th. Now in his ninth season of professional play and fourth on the European Tour, Jamieson is setting his sights on the future. He too credits Augusta State. “I was very lucky to be a part of a very successful team; we played great schedules against the top golf programs in the country,” he said. “My time at Augusta State was a massive learning curve for me. I was only 17 when I first moved over from Scotland, so my time certainly helped me not only mature as a golfer, but in life also.”

11G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4


Swedish native heNrik NorlaNDer (BBA, Marketing ’11) joined Augusta State’s Men’s Golf Team during its 2007 season. He garnered impressive finishes through his freshman season and into his sophomore year. During his junior and senior seasons, Norlander continued this trend, leading the Jaguars to victory at the NCAA Championship twice, which earned the team back-to-back national titles in 2010 and 2011. While at Augusta State, Norlander also played the Palmer Cup twice, representing Team Europe both times. Norlander turned pro soon after graduation, qualifying for the PGA

tour in December 2012 after a stellar performance at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in La Quinta, Calif. During his first season on tour, Norlander competed in 22 tournaments before losing his card in mid August. He takes it all in stride, not focusing on the cuts he missed or the mistakes he made, but instead on the lessons he learned and the simple joy of playing on the PGA Tour as a young golfer new to the professional circuit. “It was an awesome learning experience,” he said. “I made a bunch of cuts and played pretty well. I know what it takes, and I know what I can get better at.”

henrik nOrlander back-to-back Ncaa champioNship team

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“I told myself that I wanted to enjoy it and really try to learn something,” he continued. “I learned that you have to be patient, play your own game, and take it one shot at a time. The best players are good at that.” For Norlander, the transition from collegiate to professional play included its fair share of surprises—like showing up for the first tournament of the season, the Sony Open in Hawaii, and teeing off at the practice range next to Vijay Singh and Davis Love III. “I couldn’t focus on my warm-up; I was so worried a divot was going to hit them,” he said. “Vijay played the European Tour when I was 5, and Davis Love III has been around forever; I couldn’t get that out of my head. After a few weeks, I felt more comfortable out there, but that’s a tough part of a rookie year. When I get back on tour, I’ll focus more on my own game.”

Traveling as a rookie pro, Norlander discovered, can quickly become a logistical nightmare. “That’s part of the learning curve: You’re a rookie; you’re new in town and don’t know where to go,” he said. Norlander admits he can be his own worst enemy. The pressure he placed on himself to perform well was physically and mentally exhausting, and sometimes resulted in cuts or poor finishes. “I felt pressured to work hard during the practice rounds at each tournament,” he said. “I made cuts because I worked hard, but I burned myself out and didn’t finish well. I should have realized that I got on tour, so I’m probably good enough, and I should relax.”

heNrik NorlaNDerSweden

During the off-season, Norlander took some time off from practice, and when he returned to the course, it was to play the game, not work on improving it. He fell in love with the sport all over again and played some great golf in the process. Norlander’s strategy going forward is simple: Enjoy the game, and take it one shot at a time. “I know I have the game to get back on the PGA Tour,” he said. “I need to remember that it’s just golf. The worst thing that can happen at a tournament is I miss a cut; a lot of people have it worse than that!” At Augusta State, he said, “I had a coach who believed in me and let me do my thing. We had all these supporters and one of the best facilities in the country—all the tools to become a great player.” Norlander believes if he played golf for any other school, he would have simply played for the team. At Augusta State, he said, the connection between golf and the community goes much deeper.

“here, the community is behind you. they know who you are.”

[Augusta] was a wonderful place to be and very important to me. It really is a second home and has a very special place in my heart. Perhaps one day I might be back.”


patrick reeD, former member of ASU’s back-to-back national championship golf squads and currently on the PGA Tour, is the most successful Jag-turned-pro in recent memory. In 2013, after missing the cut in his first eight out of 13 tournaments, he roared back to finish fifth in the FedEx St. Jude Classic in June and reeled off consecutive top-10 finishes in July before defeating Jordan Spieth in a playoff in the Wyndham Championship for his first Tour victory. With his spot secured at the 2014 Masters Tournament April 10-13, Reed fired three rounds of 63 to eke out a win in the Humana Challenge in late January for his second PGA Tour win. In only his second full season on the Tour, Reed has topped the $3 million mark in career earnings.

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robert Duck (BBA, Marketing ’01), who hails from Northhampton, England, traveled across the pond in 1997 to attend ASU and join its men’s golf team. His record still impresses: He earned All-American status during the ‘98-‘99 season, holds the record for lowest stroke average as a freshman (73.22), and led the team to three NCAA Championship appearances. After graduating, he stayed on as assistant coach for two seasons and served a six-week stint as interim head coach in 2002. Duck chose to apply his skills leading other players to professional success. He spent a decade in England with sports management agency Hambric Sports Group, managing professional golfers for the agency’s budding European Division. Clients included several up-and-coming golfers, like Jaguar teammate Oliver Wilson, as well as current stars Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño and Francesco Molinari—who at the start of the new year ranked 35th and 40th in the world, respectively, according to Official World Golf Ranking.

The team at Hambric provided four primary services to each golfer: marketing, scheduling, public relations, and contract negotiations. Duck’s first client was 1988 Masters champion Sandy Lyle. “Sandy gave me a head start,” Duck said. “It was huge. Being around him, I learned so much about the game, and that gave me a lot of experience to help the other young lads which I brought on.” Playing professional golf can be a roller coaster ride; for every mountain of a win, there are deep valleys of disappointment that can shake or shatter a golfer’s confidence. The golf manager shares intimately in the good times and bad. Duck recalls when Lyle won the European Seniors Tour in 2011. It was Lyle’s first tournament win in nearly 20 years, and Duck said the boost to Lyle’s confidence was a game changer. “We were really proud of him,” he said. “He’s got the bug back! He was very close to winning the Seniors Open this [past] year. I think there are more exciting things to come!” The life of a golf manager—like that of a player—is a life on the road. Duck estimates he traveled nearly 25 weeks out of the year while at Hambric, throughout Europe and the U.S. He especially loved returning to Augusta, accompanying golfers to the Masters. “It was always neat going back to Augusta,” he said. “It’s the start of the golfing year and really exciting

to see the young lads play. Also, to be back around family and friends in Augusta—it was nice having that connection.” In 2012, Duck left Hambric and joined the golf coaching staff at Florida State University. He quickly made his mark, guiding a new group of up-and-coming golfers to collegiate victory. During both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Duck helped lead FSU’s men’s and women’s golf teams to NCAA tournament appearances. Duck’s position with FSU brings him full circle, back to the arena that gave him his start in the golfing world. Recalling his time at Augusta State, Duck said he’s thankful for the wonderful people he met and the friendships he made. “To be 4,000 miles from home for four years of college, I was with good people and lifelong friends,” he said. “I had great teammates—guys who pushed me everyday to achieve things—and wonderful coaches.”

rObert duck maNager aND coach

robert DuckEngland

Robert Duck (right) with 1988 Masters Champion, Sandy Lyle.


GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 17

IN AN INSTANT,

Melissa and her

family’s safe, secure,

and predictable world

turned upside down.

One minute

they were busily

preparing to welcome

their eagerly awaited third child

to the family; the next, pregnancy

complications caused Melissa to

be rushed 200 miles from home

in Brunswick, Ga., to Augusta to

deliver daughter Brooklynn.

Birdies Fore

B Y J O R D A N WAT W O O D

FATHER AND SON TEAM UP TO HELP LOCAL CHARITY.

the House

“seeing my name or getting credit for this fundraiser means nothing. i just want to see it help the people who actually need it. every little bit i can help with, i want to do that.”–charles howell iii


GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 19

The delicate little girl needed surgery—but would require three months in the Children’s Hospital of Georgia’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before becoming strong enough to go through it. What would the family do? Making needed arrangements just for daily necessities seemed overwhelming. So Brooklynn’s family did what more than 15,000 families have done over the past 30 years: turned to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta for help. Fortunately, the House was there to take care of the family’s routine needs—like what to eat for dinner and where to sleep at night—while their newborn daughter was gaining strength in the NICU. And soon, services available to patients and their families will be even greater. Thanks to the

University System of Georgia’s donation of a parcel of land on GRU’s Health Sciences Campus, a new facility is under constructionpractically at the doorstep of the children’s hospital.

Father and Son Step In

Professional golfer Charles Howell III and his father, pediatric surgeon Dr. Charles Howell, are helping to make that happen. Dr. Howell is a 1973 graduate of MCG and has long served on the faculty. The medical campus holds fond memories for his son. “We grew up with [the hospital] in our lives, as far back as I can remember,” Howell III said. “We went to the hospital plenty of times, visiting some of the patients,running around the hallways. [Georgia Regents Medical Center]

means a lot to thecommunity, and so many tremendous people support it.” Beginning with last spring’s PGA Memorial Tournament, every birdie or eagle

Howell III makes during play will garner cash donations to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta. Called “Birdies Fore the House,” the fundraiser raises money for constructing the new house just yards away from the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. With three top-10 finishes racking up 84 birdies and three eagles in only the first five tournaments of the 2014 season, Howell III is positioned to do a lot of good. Dr. Howell, who serves as campaign co-chair, said the current house has served the hospital and its patients well, but the new one will have much more to offer. It will include 28,000 square feet of building space, 23 bedrooms (from the current 11), a community kitchen, and communal meeting space among other amenities. “Our patients are from all over Georgia,” he said. “And when their families come to Augusta, many don’t have a place to stay. The Ronald McDonald House has been a key factor in taking care of patients and their families.” Howell III is eager to support the cause and said Birdies Fore the House allows him to do something meaningful for the hospital, which has been such a huge part of his life.“If Birdies Fore the House helps one person, it’s worth it,” he said.

anyone can join howell’s team with an initial donation of $50. plus team members can add a pledge for every birdie or eagle howell makes during the season. pledges range from $0.25 to $3 or more per birdie, with eagles counting as two birdies.

rmhcaugusta.org/birdiesforethehouseor contact Sean Frantom at [email protected].

Dr. Charles Howell and son, Charles

B Y K A R E N G U T M A N N & B E T T Y S O S N I N

NITA WIGGINS:

GameChanger


Armed with a BA in Communications from Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, along with loads of charm and pit-bull determination, Nita Wiggins became a major-league sports journalist and broke records of her own ...

...but not without a fight.

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It was summer of 1999, at the Dallas Cowboys training

camp. Nita Wiggins was on her first assignment as a

sports reporter for Fox TV in Dallas, along with a team

of 10 journalists, producers, and camera operators

from the station.

Her boss, Kevin Morrell, called her over. “You’re doing an

exclusive with Emmitt Smith at lunch,” he said.

That was it. That was the moment she knew she had arrived.

“I was on the verge of interviewing the player who would

break Walter Payton’s record for career

rushing yards in the NFL,” she

said. “This was going to be the big

one for me.”

During the interview, she noted

to Smith they had something in

common: He was 9 years old when

he told his brother he would play for

the Cowboys. She was 8 when she

decided she would cover the team.

a Dream emerges

When most little girls in Augusta, Ga., were playing with Barbie dolls and sliding miniature cakes into Easy-Bake Ovens, Nita Wiggins was watching boxing matches, auto races, and ball games of any kind with her father, Roosevelt Wiggins. It seemed she was born loving sports. In the ‘70s, while a student at Augusta’s Tutt Junior High School, Wiggins was inspired watching pioneering female sports broadcasters Phyllis George and Jayne Kennedy on major network television programs. That cemented her goal: She would be a sports journalist and cover her favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. Ambitious dreams for anyone; nearly unheard of for a female African-American in the mid-1970s. But Wiggins was born a Taurus, she notes, and just as stubborn and determined as the sign of the bull implies.

early hurdles

Her first step was majoring in Communications at Pamplin. After graduating in 1986, she landed a job at a television station in Macon, Ga., the first stop on what would be a long journey to Dallas. From there, she moved to a station in Columbus, Ga., then in 1988, to WSAZ in West Virginia. As a news reporter, she landed some impressive assignments, interviewing the likes of Rosa Parks and former President Jimmy Carter. At each stop, she sought the sports desk but was repeatedly told “no.” “In those days, most people still thought of sports as a man’s topic,” she says.

Wiggins and friend Theresa Hunter in 2001 with (l-r) Cowboys Anthony Wright, Tony Banks, and Quincy Carter, the first all-African-American trio of quarterbacks in the NFL.

23G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4

Through a boxing promoter friend, Wiggins was able to bring legendary heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali to the newsroom one weekend. About a dozen excited and surprised employees met and took photos with him, and the story of her boxing connections became legion at the station. Yet, a short time later when Buster Douglas, who in a stunning upset had just defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight title, was scheduled to fight Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas, the sports director’s decision to send her was immediately vetoed by the news director. Undaunted, Wiggins marched up to the general manager’s office on the second floor. As she recounts the conversation, “I told him that WSAZ could have a story that no one in the market would have if I went to Vegas. He said it sounded great. I told him that the news director was against it. I told him that I was going anyway and selling an article to a newspaper.” And one closed-door conversation between the news director and general manager later—Wiggins had the assignment.

Finally: a chance

Nearly three years after she arrived, under repeated pressure from Wiggins and a campaign of support by her peers, the news director caved and assigned her to anchor the sports report on the evening news. It was draft weekend for the NFL. And? “I stunk,” she says, still cringing at the memory. “I cannot emphasize how terrible I was. I misidentified Heisman winner David Klingler in a video. I mispronounced player names. My earrings were too large and overpowering. Plus, I had a Donna Summer hairstyle. Problem was it was 1992 and not 1979, so I was not even a pleasing picture on the screen.” But what do champions do when they fall? They learn something, pick themselves up, and try again. So she did.

No place like home

It turns out Wiggins had to return home to get her big break: It was at Augusta’s WRDW Channel 12 that she got her first full-time position as a sports journalist. Yet roadblocks remained.

in 1995 she established the merit-based wiggins-lott scholarship at augusta state

university, named after her two grandfathers, through

which she personally sponsored deserving communications

students for 13 years.

Nita Wiggins with boxing great Muhammad Ali and videographer Jim Backus in the WSAZ newsroom when she

surprised colleagues with a visit from the champ.

24 G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y

The female news director who hired her left a short time later to take another job. The man who replaced her told Wiggins within a week of his arrival that he would be making changes in the sports department. During that year’s Masters Tournament, the male sports anchor was sent to the greens while Wiggins was left behind at the station to log golf tapes. But fate and talent intervened. When the station’s regular (male) studio anchor couldn’t be there, Wiggins was called on to fill in. The sports news story of the day was the untimely death of tennis great Arthur Ashe, a man whom Wiggins had met and admired. The heartfelt and pitch-perfect script she wrote and delivered caught the eye of a representative in town for the Masters from New York talent agency N.S. Bienstock.

After returning to New York, he advised agent Peter Goldberg “to contact me and get me out of Augusta, Ga., before someone else discovered me,” Wiggins recounts being told. Goldberg flew south to meet her, and they had dinner at The Snug in Martinez. “What followed was a 17-year talent agent representation and the Seattle and Dallas jobs,” she says. And ultimately, it led to that memorable moment with Emmitt Smith; the one that told her she’d finally made it.

the goal realized

Over the course of a groundbreaking career, Wiggins blazed many trails. She was the first female African-American full-time television sports reporter in several major media markets. In 1993, she became the first female ring announcer for a world title boxing

match at the Kennedy McKinney vs. Rudy Zavala fight in Memphis, Tenn. She became a licensed amateur boxing judge and a certified basketball referee. And she interviewed the greats, including Tiger Woods, Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Jordan, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and many, many more.

the Dream continues

After nearly 10 years in Dallas, Wiggins launched her second act. Years before, she had traveled to Paris to cover Dallas-native Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. Although she arrived in Paris on a wet, dreary January day, the city swept her off her feet. “I loved it all: the cafes, the wine, the Louvre,” she says. Wiggins began devising a new game plan. She enrolled in French classes and learned the language. When her contract in Dallas expired in 2009, she took an extended vacation to Senegal, Moscow, and Paris. While in France, a friend suggested she look for a job. Armed with a French resume, Wiggins knocked on the door of L’Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris. They offered her a position. “I created a curriculum in sports and news journalism and now teach a course called American Principles and Practices of Journalism for Sports Journalists,” she says. “My first year, I had students from 13 countries.” She is also writing an autobiography and a textbook on journalism, working on a film, and plans to study German. She visits her parents in Augusta every summer. “And I’d really like to teach a summer course in news or sports journalism at GRU someday,” she says. If it’s true what’s past is prologue, it’s a good bet Nita Wiggins will make it happen.

With Olympic Gold Medal boxer and childhood idol Sugar Ray Leonard, while in Las Vegas on her hard-won assignment to cover the 1990 Douglas-Holyfield heavyweight title fight.

G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 25

Defense


it’s saturDaY iN saNForD staDium.

georgia’s on third and goal with just over two minutes remaining in the second quarter. the bulldogs are up 28-10 over kentucky when quarterback senior aaron murray throws a pass to the end zone. the crowd roars in anticipation of another touchdown. then, the ball is tipped and intercepted, and murray is tackled. still on his hands and knees, murray looks to the georgia sideline and shakes his head. within seconds, ron courson kneels at his side and throws an arm over his shoulder. they talk briefly before murray is helped off the field with what turned out to be a torn acl. murray’s season—and collegiate career—had come to an end.

B Y PA U L A H I N E LY

RON COURSON:

First Line of

Defense

G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 27


to returning someone to the field,” Courson said. The sports medicine team collects pre-season baseline data on each athlete’s balance and cognition for comparison if injury occurs. Also, sensors and accelerometers in each player’s helmet measure the impact and ve-locity of hits. Courson says one player’s sensor recently showed that he was taking a greater number of hits to the crown of his head than other players in his position. “With that data, we were able to determine that somehow this player’s technique was dif-ferent, making him more prone to concussion. So we were able to sit down with him and his coaches and modify his technique immedi-ately,” Courson said. Despite the best prevention, injuries will still happen. So Courson prepares his sports medicine team as any good coach would do.

Scenes like these have become familiar to Courson (BS, Physical Therapy ’89) in his nearly 20 years as the University of Georgia’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine. He supervises sports medicine for the university’s 20 sports and 600 student athletes and is the head athletic trainer for the football program. And while he’s always first on the field to evaluate a potential injury, he’d really rather stay on the sidelines. “I would love to have a game when my team is not busy, but football is a collision sport,” Courson said of his sports medicine team, which consists of athletic trainers, physicians, and athletic training and physical therapy stu-dents. “We want to take care of injuries when they happen, but our main goal is to prevent them.” Placing a priority on prevention extends his job well past the end of the fourth quarter.

prevent, but prepare

Whether it’s game day or midweek practice, Courson watches each play or drill from the sidelines with the scrutiny of a head coach. He’s not looking for holes in the opponent’s defense or planning for the opportunity to make a game-changing play, but watching for plays that cause injury. “Maybe there’s a tackling drill that’s not as safe as it could be. If we believe a player’s technique could cause an injury, hopefully, we can identify corrective measures to prevent it,” Courson said. He integrates science into sports through research with UGA’s con-cussion lab, established 15 years ago by Courson and Mike Ferrara, former Director of UGA’s Athletic Training Education Pro-gram. Research in the lab focuses on identifying and treating injury patterns of concussion, a frequent occurrence in football and other contact sports. “We want to apply sci-ence and be as objective as possible when it comes

when injuries occur, courson follows the athlete from the moment of impact through the entire treatment and rehabilitation process. his goal is to return the athlete to his sport as quickly—and safely—as possible.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 29

roN coursoN BY THE NUMBERS:

25Years married to wife Eileen O’Connell (BS,

Physical Therapy ’88). They met as physical therapy students in the

College of Allied Health Sciences.

4Number of children: John, 18; Anna, 15;

Luke, 11; and Will, 8.

3Number of Olympics

participated in: athletic trainer, 1988-Seoul and 1992-Barcelona;

chief athletic trainer for

track and field, 1996-Atlanta.

18Number of years

as a clinical instructor in

GRU’s physical therapy program. He’s also adjunct

instructor in UGA’s athletic

training education program.

’13Year inducted

into the National Athletic Trainers’

Association Hall of Fame.

“Just like the football team practices for onside kicks and overtime, our sports medicine staff runs drills, too,” Courson said. Throughout the year, they spend hours prac-ticing scenarios such as proper removal of the equipment surrounding an injury, cervical spine stabilization, cardiac arrest, and trans-port to the emergency room. “That way, if it happens in real life, it’s not our first time handling it,” he said.

Former student athlete

As a college student, Courson experienced the process from the other side. While a soccer player at Samford University, he suffered a multiligament knee injury and faced surgery and rehabilitation. He credits orthopedic surgeon Larry Lemak and athletic trainer Chris Gillespie with his ability to return to the game for his final two seasons. But more importantly than orchestrating his return to soccer, Courson says they led him to his career path as an athletic trainer. “At the time of my injury, I was in a different major, but the experience got me interested in sports medicine,” he said. As a former student athlete, Courson knows firsthand the demands of balancing academics with intercollegiate sports, which both take immeasurable energy and effort, he said. “I have a lot of appreciation for their dedication.

Working with student athletes and helping them achieve the same level of function they had before their injury is very rewarding.” But Courson hopes that he impacts the athletes from more than just a health care standpoint. He looks forward to reunions when former athletes return to campus, such as the G-Day spring game or the Lettermen’s Club Banquet. “I like the chance to see how they’ve gone on with their lives and how they’ve progressed beyond football,” he said. “Athletics are important, but the biggest thing we’re trying to teach them is about life. We want them to be good husbands, good fathers, and good members of society.” Courson teaches the team lessons as if they were family, so it’s fitting that he has made his own family part of the team. Time with his wife, Eileen, and their four children, John, Anna, Luke, and Will, frequently involves Georgia athletics, including baseball, gymnas-tics, and, of course, football. The whole family is often on the sidelines or traveling to away games. All three of the boys have been team waterboys. “My kids have grown up on the sidelines,” he said. And with his oldest son, John, joining the Georgia football team as a freshman next fall, the familial bond Courson has with the team is sure to grow stronger, and his goal of injury prevention will hit even closer to home.


college of Dental medicine

the hiNmaN Dental Society of Atlanta received the 2014 William J. Gies Award for Vision, Innovation, and Achievement. The society has donated more than $1 million to the college, much of it in support of student scholarships.

college catch-up

reNowNeD Jazz trombonist and international recording artist, composer, and arranger Wycliffe Gordon will join the Department of Music in fall 2014. As a visiting professor, Gordon will work with

students for six weeks of each semester in a new Jazz Studies Track in the Bachelor of Music degree program.

Gordon was born in Waynesboro, Ga., and is a graduate of Augusta’s Butler High School. To date, he has released more than 20 records as a solo artist and tours regularly with the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet.

pamplin college of arts, humanities, and social sciences

college of allied health sciences

Dr. DaviD satcher, Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and former U.S. Surgeon General and Director of the Centers for Disease Control, discussed public health leadership and health care in the U.S. as part of the Dean’s Research Seminar Series.

partNeriNg with the Savannah River Site Nuclear Workforce Initiative, the CAHS hosted 60 regional high school students during National Nuclear Science Week for an introduction to nuclear technology benefits and career opportunities. GRU was a major corporate sponsor of this national event.

college of education

the georgia Professional Standards Commission selected Dr. Cindi Chance, Dean of the College of Education, to help lead a grant program focused on transforming the state’s educator preparation and entry systems to the profession. She will work with other academic leaders in Georgia on the Council of Chief State School Officers to identify key areas for improvement to prepare teachers and principals to help students meet raised expectations.

James m. hull college of business

graDuate students in the fall 2013 National and International Economics for Management class tied for first place against 4,000 teams from around the world in The Business Strategy Game, an online exercise where students participate in a simulated real-world athletic footwear market.

Dr. carol a. leFebvre was named Dean of the Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine. A faculty member for 25 years, Lefebvre served as Interim Dean since July.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 31

the graduate school the graDuate School welcomed new staff members (L-R): LaTosha Hicks, Manager of Recruitment and Admissions; John Engel, Technology Analyst; Emily Crider, Business Manager

medical college of georgia

iN November, the region’s first emergency medical services fellowship-trained physician joined front-line providers such as EMTs and paramedics at the scene of some of the worst accidents and disasters in the Augusta area. Dr. Todd Burgbacher, who completed his emergency medicine residency at MCG and Georgia Regents Health System, joined the MCG faculty after completing an EMS fellowship focused on pre-hospital care at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The college and hospital plan to start an EMS fellowship as well this summer.

college of science and mathematics

the biological Sciences and Chemistry and Physics departments hosted over 30 theoretical physicists from around the country for the third Anacapa Society conference in December. The Anacapa Society promotes research and collaboration in all areas of theoretical and computational physics at primarily undergraduate institutions and departments across the nation.

college of Nursing

aNDrea brooks-tucker assumed a new role as Chief Nurse Executive at East Central Regional Hospital. She will work at ECRH through a GRU partnership established with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities in 2009. Brooks-Tucker will also serve as Director of Mental Health Partnerships within the Academic Nursing Practice Unit and on the faculty in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing. She came to GRU from Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville, Ga., where she worked as Nurse Executive.


Yet at the same time, a recent pew research center study confirmed that college graduates are faring much better in our slowly recovering economy than people without a degree.

so how to help ensure you’re among the lucky ones?

career services

The number of college graduates working minimum- wage jobs is nearly 71 percent higher than a decade ago.*

The statistics sure sound grim:

*According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 33

katiNa berriaN (BBA, Marketing ’13) has a suggestion: Take advantage of GRU’s Career Services Department. It worked for her! Berrian was employed in the Career Services Department while an undergrad, so she had a close up view of the wide range of services they offer. And she took full advantage of them. “I learned how to put together my resume, how to dress for an interview, and how to answer tough interview questions,” she said. “The recorded mock interviews really gave me the added

confidence that I needed to perform well in an interview.” As graduation approached, she used the Career Services website to keep tabs on job openings in her field. “I was searching for jobs one day and clicked on a link posted on the main GRU Career Services page,” she said. It was for a position with Advantage Sales & Marketing in Delaware. Berrian put her newly acquired interview skills to work and

got the job: Today, she is a retail sales merchandiser,

handling marketing for GlaxoSmithKline

consumer products like

Nicorette, Abreva, Alli, Oscal, Tums, and more. Her territory

consists of 148 stores that include retail giants like Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS. It’s a great full-time professional entry-level job, for which she gives much credit to the GRU Career Services Department. “I would recommend to any alum, no matter how long you’ve been out of college, to take advantage of the services they provide there,” Berrian said.

New graduates may use Career Services resources

for one year.

GRU Career Services Summerville Campus University Hall, Suite 210 [email protected] 706-737-1604

Free

what did you do on a typical day?

I answered phones, delivered mail, and occasionally cleaned the office, but I also sat in on congressional committee sessions, gave multiple tours of the Capitol Building, and engaged in many intelligent political debates with some of the most influential people in the government. I gave tours to Georgia constituents—I loved to see the look on their faces when they walked into the Capitol for the first time.

what are you most proud of?

Besides climbing the 365 steps to the top of the Capitol Building, I am most proud of the fact that I was chosen to intern in the first place. GRU has some of the brightest minds, and they made formidable opponents in the application process for the internship. When I learned I was selected, I felt for the first time as if I was heading in the right direction on this crazy journey we call life.

who did you meet that you were most excited about?

I was really excited to meet President Barack Obama; but unfortunately, he was busy running the country, so I settled for “meeting” President John F. Kennedy. I got lost in Arlington National Cemetery and found that he and most of his family are buried there. Needless to say, he wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but it was important to me to see him because I spent most my life with the last name of Kennedy. I have finally determined that, in fact, I am not related to JFK.

what did you think of washington, D.c.?

For a small-town girl, D.C. was intimidating. Never mind the maze of bus and metro stations, the city is mostly filled with people who have master’s degrees or higher. Imagine riding the bus and finding out that the two people you have been debating with for the entire

ride have PhDs in the field you are interested in. If you want to be an actor, you go to L.A., but if you want to rule the free world, you go to D.C.

what did you get out of the experience?

The most important lesson I learned was how to apply for a job correctly. I also learned how to network and present myself in a marketable fashion. After using what I learned in D.C., I instantly got a job as a student assistant working in the GRU Study Abroad Office, where I am while I complete my degree.

what are your future plans?

After graduation, I would like to pursue a graduate degree in international relations at Webster University. I love to learn about other cultures, and the Webster program offers travel to five countries.

To learn more about the summer internship program:

gru.edu/gov/internships.php

Political science major Heather Ross interned for Rep. John Barrow in Washington, D.C., last summer, the first student selected for the government Relations & Community Affairs federal summer internship program. gRavity caught up with Ross to ask a few questions about her experience.

iNsight From the iNsiDe: an intern on capitol hill

alumNi aDvocacY


h e at h e r r o s s , p o l i t i c a l s c i e N c e m a J o r

“Heather was an invaluable member of our team. In

my office, we value the work that our interns provide

on a daily basis. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to

provide first-class service to folks from the 12th District,

and I’m glad GRU is joining with us to offer students

these opportunities.” –REP. JOHN BARROW

“I would like to thank Rep. John Barrow and his staff for treating me like a part of the family, the Political Science Department for giving me the tools and encouragement to reach my potential, and Dr. Kathleen Searles and Dr. Craig Albert for the support, confidence, and knowledge they gave me to open my eyes to the world.”

35G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4


Coach Marvin Vanover, Bobby Dressel, and Nick Evans (l-r) with trophies earned in the ’68-’69 season.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 37

From Patch to Passion:

B Y K A R E N G U T M A N N

sparkeD bY a coach

watching bobby Dressel and Nick evans together, it’s easy to imagine the two of them some 50 years ago “doing what 12-year-old boys do to have fun,” as evans described it, after being dropped off for the day at augusta’s public golf course, long known

affectionately as “the patch.”

Born in Augusta, they met in third grade when Evans transferred to Monte Sano Elementary School on Richmond Avenue. “Talk about friends for life!” Evans said. “We grew up pretty much attached at the hip.” In some ways, it would seem they didn’t go far—the Norvell Golf House, where they recently met at GRU Augusta’s Forest Hills Golf Course, is a mere stone’s throw from their elementary alma mater. But in every measure but physical distance, these lifelong pals have covered some serious ground. They grew up in the days when parents felt it safe to drop kids off at The Patch at 8 in the morning and not see them again until returning to pick them up for dinner at 5. No doubt the two found plenty of ways to occupy themselves over all those summer hours, and like most 12-year-old boys, it’s a good bet some of them involved mischief their mothers never knew about. But a primary occupier of their time at The Patch was teaching themselves the sport of golf.


“Bobby and I never had a golf lesson,” Nick said. Golf started out as an off-season filler for baseball, the sport they really played. “We used what little bit of athletic talent we had to swing the club like a bat and hit the ball.” The self-teaching did the trick, and their teen years found them competing against each other on different high school golf teams; Dressel went to Richmond and Evans to Butler. Was it a friendly competition? “Always,” said Evans. “Well, maybe not always friendly,” Dressel said with a laugh. After high school, the two friends entered Augusta College, where they were members of the school’s golf team. The college

had fielded a golf team since 1934, but according to Evans, at the time they entered, the golf program wasn’t prominent in the school’s history. Unbeknownst to anyone, groundwork was about to be laid to help make that change.

coach lends a hand

After a season where Dressel finished first and Evans second, Coach Marvin Vanover orchestrated arrangements to provide both young men with athletic scholarships—the very first in the golf program’s history. Decades later, the significance of that gesture to the course of their lives is still very evident. “I’ll never forget that Coach Vanover went to bat for us for

the scholarship,” said Evans, as Dressel nodded in agreement. “That help was very important to us and to our families at the time.” The Augusta College golf team in the early 1970s was made up primarily of local Augusta boys who, like Evans and Dressel, had learned the sport largely through trial and error. Not for them the years of private lessons, strength trainers, and sports psychologists today’s college golfers have access to. Even many years later, the two clearly enjoy recounting memorable matches. Like “the one when the thunderstorm hit that had everybody on the ground crying for their mothers,” recalled Dressel.

Dressel (left) and Evans met recently outside the J. Fleming Norvell Golf House at Forest Hills.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 39

Or the time their clubs were stuck in the trunk of Dressel’s parents’ car, and they had to drive all over Savannah to find a dealer to open it so they could play their scheduled match. Or the times they arranged to play their toughest rival, Georgia Southern, at The Patch, which they knew like the back of their hand, rather than the West Lake Country Club, where they figured they had

a better chance of losing. (And it worked, too.)

paying it Forward

Eventually they both left college behind. Dressel opened his own business and became one of the most successful commercial electrical contractors in the two-state area. Evans spent 25-plus years in broadcasting, before selling the

business comprised of television stations across seven states and pursuing successful entrepreneurial opportunities in multiple business sectors. Throughout those years, they stayed connected and committed to their alma mater’s golf program. Both were charter members of the Birdie Club and members of the Club’s first board. Both helped to create a women’s golf team, an achievement in which they

express particular satisfaction. And both were instrumental in raising the funds to build the Norvell Golf House. The two are quick to point out that they are only two of “many, many supporters” who have worked over the years on behalf of Jaguar golf, notably including Fleming Norvell, for whom the golf house is named. The goal of all that effort from so many people? “To make Augusta a golf destination for student athletes and to create a championship program,” said Evans. And progress toward that goal has been impressive, from attracting world-class talent to fielding back-to-back men’s NCAA Division I championship teams in 2010 and 2011. In August 2011, at a banquet honoring the athletes’ tremendous accomplishment, the Birdie Club announced the establishment of an endowed scholarship for men and women golfers, the Dressel-Evans Scholarship. To date, more than $400 thousand has been raised for the endowment, and scholarships will soon begin to be awarded. “We just want to say how proud we are of our recent coaches and players and student athletes, both men and women,” said Evans. “And grateful for the community support, which is unlike support we’ve seen at any other school.”

“We just want to say how proud we are of

our recent coaches and players and student

athletes, both men and women. And grateful

for the community support, which is unlike

support we’ve seen at any other school.”–Nick evaNs

Dressel on the college team, 1967.


41G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4

42

1960sDr. speNcer b. kiNg iii (MD ’63) has been elected to serve a five-year term on Mercer University’s Board of Trustees, the institution’s governing body. He is a physician, professor of medicine, and Director of the Andreas Gruentzig Cardiovascular Center at Emory University.

Dr. william e. silver (MD ’63) was recently sworn in as President of the Medical Association of Georgia where he will focus on key issues like tort reform, physician autonomy, graduate medical education, and health insurance reform.

Dr. merle p. striNger (MD ’68), a neurosurgeon, was reappointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve a second term on Florida’s Board of Medicine. Stringer has served on the board of trustees at two area hospitals and Northwest Florida Surgery Center and has been President of the Florida Neurosurgical Society and Bays Medical Society.

1970sDr. Darrell g. lowreY (MD ’78) recently celebrated his 30-year an-niversary at the Harbin Clinic in Rome, Ga. He is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician and serves as an orthopedic physician for the Rome Braves and the team physician for the Darlington School football team.

Dr. valerie o. walker (Medical Resident, Family Medicine) has joined the staff of Oconee Primary Care Center. She is an author and public speaker and will treat patients 5 years of age and older.

1980sDr. JohN D. brophY (MD ’83) has joined the Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis, Tenn., as a neurosurgeon.

aNita chambers (BS, Psychology ‘83; NMT ’83; Ultrasound ’85), President and CEO of Odulair, recently launched the world’s first CMS health care code-compliant Mobile Dialysis Unit.

mYroN iveY (BBA, Economics ’85) has joined CareSouth Hos-pice as Chaplain. He also serves as an ethicist on the Oncology Institutional Review Board at Georgia Regents University.

gaYle riDgwaY (BSN ’84) has been selected as a 2013 Beryl Institute Patient Experience Scholar in support of her research on postoperative pain manage-ment to improve patient satisfaction. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.

class Notes

G E O R G I A R E G E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y

Dr. robert F. rYaN (MS, Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology ’88), former President and CEO and current Chief Scientific Officer of Nuvilex, was re-cently named a VIP member of Worldwide Branding. This special distinction honors individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to achieving personal and professional success.

Dr. F. stuart saNDers (MD ’82) has been named a U.S. figure skating physician and will continue as a U.S. Olympic sports medicine physician. He has also served as Chairman of the World Heart Games of the American College of Sports Medicine held at Agnes Scott College.

Dr. michael speNcer (MD ’84) has been named Chief of Staff of the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center.

lilliaN waN (BA, Art ’84, AACC, Criminal Justice ’90) has reached the 35-gallon mark in blood donations to the Shepeard Com-munity Blood Center. Her lifelong commit-ment began at a 1980 campus blood drive, and she has been a regular platelet donor since 1999.

1990sDr. george clelaND (MD ’91) was recently awarded the Elbertonian Award for Outstanding Community Service during the annual Elbert County NAACP banquet. The award is presented each year to a person who has exhibited exemplary service to the betterment of citizens of Elbert County.

DaviD Fluech (BS, Physical Therapy ’94) has joined Pardee Neurology Associates in Hendersonville, N.C.

l. shaNNoN stepheNs (MS, Clinical Psychology ’94) is now in private practice in Augusta, Ga. A Georgia-licensed profes-sional counselor and a nationally certified counselor, she previously served for 19 years as a counselor/internship coordinator in the Counseling Center at Augusta State University.

Dr. Joseph t. stubbs iii (MD ’93) recently achieved board certification in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, making him one of the first physi-cians in the nation to achieve board certifi-cation in this new OB/GYN subspecialty.

MAG Immediate Past President W. Scott Bohlke, MD and John S. Harvey, MD (right)

Dr. JohN s. harveY (MD ’78) received the 2013 Physician’s Award for Community Service during the Medical Association of Georgia’s (MAG) 159th House of Delegates meeting. The award recognizes a physician who demonstrates a love for the community beyond the

scope of regular practice. He was applauded for his service as a colonel and

command surgeon in the Georgia State Defense Force, where he has been a volunteer since 2000. His missions have included hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Haiti earthquake victim airlift receptions in Atlanta. During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Harvey served as a volunteer medical command officer, where he dealt directly with the medical and multi-agency response to the Centennial Park bombing. In 2006, he was awarded the Georgia Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Harvey has served as the speaker of MAG’s House of Delegates since 2009 and is also a past President of the Medical Association of Atlanta.

G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 43


DeNise turNer (BA, Early Childhood Education ’90) was named top teacher in Richmond County. She was honored during the annual banquet in November.

keN whitlow (BS, Physical Therapy ’95) has joined the staff of The Reha-bilitation Institute of Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

2000stameka alleN (MBA ’05) was re-cently named Interim City Administrator for Augusta-Richmond County.

Dr. william g. asburY (BS, Chem-istry ’97; MD ’01) has joined the Floyd Primary Care Network. He is a member of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pain and Medicine and is certified as a medical review officer through the American Association of Medical Review Officers.

Dr. william brooks (MD ’07) has joined Forsyth Street Orthopaedics in Macon, Ga., as an orthopaedic surgeon.

megaN colemaN (BSN ’08) has received her Masters of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner’s degree and graduated from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She will be employed by South Georgia In-ternal Medicine, P.C., in Swainsboro, Ga., as a family nurse practitioner.

elaiNe Davis (BS, Biology ’04) recently married Joseph Allen Jr. The newlyweds reside in Milledgeville, Ga.

Dr. Faith DreNNoN (DMD ’06) has assumed the practice Newport Pediatric Dentistry in Rhode Island.

Dr. beNNett grimm (MD ’06) has joined Resurgens Orthopaedics, Geor-gia’s largest orthopaedic practice. He utilizes the latest technology in spine care and specializes in minimally inva-sive spine surgery.

Dr. craig hirsch sampsoN (MD ’06) recently married Denise Hughes. The couple resides in Watkinsville, Ga.

Dr. william hogaN Jr. (MD ’03) has joined The Bellevue Hospital in Bellevue, Ohio, as a pain management physician specialist and is a part of the hospital’s new Pain Management Center.

Dr. richarD JuNg (MD ’06) has joined Ferrell-Duncan Clinic Neurology. He is board certified in neurology and vascular neurology and is a member of the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery, the American Stroke Associa-tion, and the American Academy of Neurology.

class Notes have exciting news to share? Contact: samaNtha melliNger, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, [email protected]

gru 12 bands cD Now available

GRU has partnered with 12 Bands to celebrate the musical talents associated with the university. Volume 1, released in December 2013, features tracks from artists with a direct tie to GRU, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, and longtime supporters of the university. Copies of the CD are now available at GRU bookstores on the Summerville and Health Sciences campuses, for a donation to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

The 12 Bands started in 2001 with a mission to raise funds to fight pediatric cancer. In 2003, a recorded CD was added. To date, 12 Bands has raised more than $250,000 to support families of pediatric cancer patients. For more information, contact Joe stevenson at [email protected] or at 706-664-5595.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 45

have exciting news to share? Contact: samaNtha melliNger, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, [email protected]

Dr. richarD mYers (MD ’97) has been named Chief of Staff of Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, the largest hospital system in Tennessee. He also serves as Chairman of the Senior Leadership Com-mittee.

Dr. keelY petersoN (DPT ’09) married Jon Scott Brown. The couple will reside in Jacksonville, Fla.

Dr. DaviD a. wooDrum (MD, PhD ’01), a radiologist who specializes in abdominal imaging at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., recently visited and spoke to a support group for men with prostate cancer in Bulloch County, Ga.

2010sashleY baileY (BSEd, Early Childhood Education ’10) recently married Bartto Jeffcoat IV. She is lead teacher at CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority’s Lincoln Head Start program. The couple resides in Harlem, Ga.

Dr. christopher DeleoN (DMD ’11, Resident, Orthodontics) recently married Margaret Lyons Hinchey. The couple will reside in Savannah, Ga.

michael garrisoN (BSEd, Middle Grades Education ’12) was one of 40 in the state awarded a Georgia Power New Teacher Assistance Grant. Recipients excel in academics and demonstrate a high ap-titude for teaching. He teaches science at Columbia Middle School.

Dr. christopher hathawaY (Medical Resident, Urology) has joined Yankton Medical Clinic, P.C., in Yankton, S.D. He will assist in the medical and surgical treatment of urologic conditions for adult and pedi-atric patients.

Dr. DaNiel m. khuc (Medical Resident, Family Medicine) has joined Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn., and practices at the Lewis Health Center in Hohenwald.

rebekah martiN (BA, History ’10) has been awarded the James R. Scobie Award by the Conference in Latin American History for her dissertation research at The Penn-sylvania State University. The award is given each year for an exploratory research trip abroad to determine the feasibility of a PhD dissertation topic deadline with some facet of Latin American history.

aDrieNNe muNDY mckNight (BSEd, Middle Grades Education ’13) was one of 40 in the state awarded a Georgia Power New Teacher Assistance Grant. Recipients excel in academics and demonstrate a high apti-tude for teaching. She teaches social studies at Langford Middle School.

Dr. wesleY spake (DPT ’11) recently opened a Benchmark Physical Therapy office in Monroe, Ga., where he focuses on rehabilitation for injuries, post-surgery com-plications, and strengthening those in need of therapy.

Dr. aNNa schultz (DMD ’13) completed an AEGD residency at the University of Rochester Eastman Institute for Oral Health in 2013 and is now practicing as an associate at Stiehl Dental in Newnan, Ga.

michelle taYlor (BS, Health Informa-tion Management ’10) has joined Century 21 Larry Miller Realty as a realtor and sales associate.

Dr. elizabeth a. YarDleY (MD ’10) has joined the faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine after completing a Family Medicine Residency at Palmetto Health Richland. Her professional interests include pediatrics, women’s health, obesity and weight loss, and spirituality in medicine.

oops, we gooFeD: In our fall issue, we misspelled the name of JeNNiFer DarcY (MS, Medical Illustration ’04) in Class Notes. We regret the error.

aNDrè b. mouNtaiN (EdS, Professional Learning Specialist—Social Studies ’12)

works in the Department of Curriculum for the Richmond County School System

and delivered the commencement address at Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga.

He recently presented a paper to the International Conference on

Education and Social Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey.

Enjoy these glimpses of golf’s long and

storied history on our campus.

a look back

guests of the Forest hills ricker resort hotel enjoy the putting green, c. 1920s.

phil mickelson was medalist in the 1989 augusta state invitational at Forest hills while a student player at arizona state university. here he accepts the billy Dolan bowl from sam sibley of the augusta golf association.


Enjoy these glimpses of golf’s long and

storied history on our campus.

hills house, c. 1935, the original Forest hills clubhouse. in the off-season, the public could play the course for a greens fee of 75¢ (the equivalent of $12.71 in today’s dollars—still a bargain!)

First college golf team, 1934

47G R a v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4

the first all college golf team, under athletic Director and coach albert simpson (back right). at the time, the Junior college of augusta shared facilities with the academy of richmond county. this was the first year college players had their own team.


John adams (BA, Psychology ’82; BSN ’91)timothy adams (BA, Psychology ’00)kenslee anderson (MBA ’06)Dr. Frank arnold (MD ’83)Judie arnold (BA, Psychology ’93; MA, Psychology ’95)Dr. mims aultman (MD ’53)Dr. wilber baugh (MD ’55)patricia caudell (BS, Dental Hygiene ’80)traci cleveland (BBA, Accounting ’93)Nancy clower (BA, Sociology ’95)edna culbreth (ASCC ’72; MSN ’75)cynthia Drake (BBA, Accounting ’78)Dr. John Duncan (MD ’75)ann-toni estroff (’77)Joann Faulk (BSN ’73)edward george (BA, Sociology ’74)James h. harris (AACC ’45)Dr. samuel s. harvey (MD ’90)cheree holcomb (BBA, Accounting ’94)Dinah hudson (MSN ’79)christopher huie Jr. (BBA ’73)scott huska (AAS ’82; AACC ’83; ASN ’94)Dr. James w. Jackson (MD ’69)

Dr. David mann (MD ’44)Dr. John mays (MD ’30)Dr. James mccann (MD ’56)Dr. martha mccranie (MD ’45)Dr. walter “sam” mcgaughty Jr. (MD ’87)rhonda mckinnon (BSN ’91)John mills (BBA, Business ’71)rena mobley (AACC ’92; BBA, Accounting ’93)rebecca mooney (BBA, Accounting ’78)hazel ouzts (AACC ’39)susan pilcher (BSN ’74)Dr. stuart prather Jr. (MD ’49)monica schoolfield (BBA, Management ’74; MBA ’80)Dr. sanford shmerling (MD ’53)rebecca sloan (MSN ’75)Dr. robert smith (MD ’52)Dr. robert smith (MD ’77)Frances stewart (BS, Mathematics ’82)william taylor (MBA ’97)charles tomlin (BBA, Management ’77)robert warr sr. (AACC ’42)James zabawa (BBA, Management ’80)

FacultY Notes

iN memoriam

DR. PETER F. BUCKLEY, Dean, Medical College of Georgia, received the 2013 Lamartine Hardman Cup during the Medical Association of Georgia’s 159th House of Delegates meeting. The award is presented to a physician who has solved an outstanding problem in public health or made a discovery in surgery or medicine or a contribution to the science of medicine.

GRa v i t y S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 49

Meet Darrell Byrd, one of our volunteers at the Children’s

Hospital of Georgia. He’s a banker and a news junkie.

He enjoys kayaking and walking on the beach.

But to Emma and the other

kids being treated at the

Children’s Hospital of

Georgia – he’s a hero.

Volunteer or

make a gift today.

Come on, be a hero.

giving.gru.edu/heroes

706.721.4004

WE NEED HEROES

giving.gru.edu/cmn

WE NEED HEROES

GRU_HERO_AD_R01.indd 1 2/6/14 10:43 AM

Dr. David mann (MD ’44)Dr. John mays (MD ’30)Dr. James mccann (MD ’56)Dr. martha mccranie (MD ’45)Dr. walter “sam” mcgaughty Jr. (MD ’87)rhonda mckinnon (BSN ’91)John mills (BBA, Business ’71)rena mobley (AACC ’92; BBA, Accounting ’93)rebecca mooney (BBA, Accounting ’78)hazel ouzts (AACC ’39)susan pilcher (BSN ’74)Dr. stuart prather Jr. (MD ’49)monica schoolfield (BBA, Management ’74; MBA ’80)Dr. sanford shmerling (MD ’53)rebecca sloan (MSN ’75)Dr. robert smith (MD ’52)Dr. robert smith (MD ’77)Frances stewart (BS, Mathematics ’82)william taylor (MBA ’97)charles tomlin (BBA, Management ’77)robert warr sr. (AACC ’42)James zabawa (BBA, Management ’80)

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Documents

Gravity Spring 2014