MERCERIANTHE

A Publication for Alumni and Friends of Mercer University Winter • Volume 14, Number 1

Mercer University has continued toadvance the vision of its founder byattracting some of the most talentedcollege freshmen in the country,adding new programs that build on itsalready solid academic foundation,and building state-of-the-art facilitiesthat provide the optimum learningenvironment for its students.

The freshman class of 2003 has thehighest average SAT score of anyMercer class to date with an average of 1210. The 620 students that makeup this year’s freshman class also have a record-high grade-point-aver-age of 3.6.

“Our freshman SAT average hasincreased 98 points since fall 2000,”said Allen London, vice president ofUniversity Admissions. “These studentscome from strong high school aca-demic programs and have taken manyadvanced placement and honorscourses. They are students we want tohave at Mercer.”

Mercer’s Health Sciences Center,which includes the Southern School ofPharmacy, School of Medicine andGeorgia Baptist College of Nursing,began the fall with three strong newclasses as well.

The School of Pharmacy received arecord 1,347 applicants for its 130openings. Dr. Jim Bartling, associatedean of Student Affairs andAdmissions, anticipates another excel-lent new class.

“Our applicant pool is the largestin the nation with roughly 10 studentsapplying for each position,” said

Bartling. “With so much competitionfor acceptance to the School, we wereable to be highly selective and havebrought in the most academicallyqualified class we’ve ever had.”

Sixty students began their medicaleducation with Mercer this year. Inline with the School of Medicine’s mission to create healthcare profes-sionals that meet the needs of

Georgia’s medically underserved com-munities, enrollment in the doctor ofmedicine program was increased byfour students.

The College of Nursing has alsoreached its highest enrollment num-bers since the beginning of its bac-calaureate program, with a growingwaiting list of well-qualified applicants.

In addition, the University isexpanding its academic programmingto meet the needs of today’s students.In the Tift College of Education, aninnovative new graduate program, TheHolistic Educator, premiered on theMacon campus as well as the EastmanRegional Academic Center during fallsemester. The new master’s degreeoffers professionals the opportunity to enhance their teaching methods and prepares graduates to bettercommunicate with today’s diverse student population.

Mercer increased its internationalrecognition when the Walter F. GeorgeSchool of Law became home to the

Legal Writing Institute (LWI), theworld’s largest organization devoted toimproving legal writing. The Institute’smembership includes lawyers andlegal writing teachers from across theUnited States and from Europe, Asia,Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

“No other school could matchMercer’s clear commitment to Legal

Writing, as reflected bothin the strength of theprogram you offer yourstudents and your facul-ty’s extensive contribu-tions to the nationalLegal Writing communi-ty,” wrote LWI PresidentSteven J. Johnson.

In August, the University openedthe doors to its newest regional aca-demic center, a 30,000-square-footfacility in Henry County. The Center,which is designedto accommodatean enrollment of1,000 students,allowed theUniversity to consolidate thestudents from itstwo smaller centers in Griffinand Covington. It willprovide many opportuni-ties for individuals in thearea to continue theireducation with eveningclasses scheduled aroundtheir workdays. TheUniversity also continuesto hold classes at regional academic centers in DouglasCounty and Eastman.

On Mercer’s Maconcampus, University spiritis escalating as themuch-anticipatedUniversity Center is nearing completion. This230,000-square-foot will be completedspring semester. The impressive struc-ture will become the hub of studentactivity with amenities including afood court, coffee shop, fitness and

recreation rooms and an arena thatseats up to 3,500 for athletic eventsand 4,500 for special events.

Mercer’s advances aren’t goingunnoticed. The University’s reputationas a premier university is no longerknown only in the Southeast, but alsoacross the nation. For the 14thconsecutive year, U.S. News & World

Report ranked Mercer among theleading institutions in the South,and for the 10th year, Barron’s

named Mercer as a “Best Buy.” Inaddition, the popular college guide,Peterson’s, has listed Mercer in itsCompetitive Colleges Guide for thepast two years.

This year the University garneredtwo new prestigious rankings. TheHigher Education Research Institute at UCLA recognized Mercer as a “highly selective” university. And, inJuly, The Princeton Review includedMercer in its popular publication, theBest 351 Colleges in North America.With 3,500 four-year colleges in theUnited States, that puts Mercer amongthe top 10 percent.

After processing factualinformation and polling studentsonline for a year, The Princeton

Review assessed Mercer in 10categories: academics, administration,

demographics,parties, school type,politics, quality oflife, extracurriculars,selectivity, andsocial. The surveyresulted in The

Princeton Review

writing, “If you’relooking for a small

school with ‘tough’academics that is equallydevoted to scholasticdevelopment and spiritualgrowth, then read on.”

With praises like that,it’s no wonder why some ofthe brightest young peoplein the country are choosingto call Mercer home.

But perhaps the biggesthonor bestowed on theUniversity this year is thenumber of Mercer graduates and studentswhose relatives are comingto Mercer. More than 90students in the fall

freshman class are members of theUniversity’s Chip Off the Old Blockprogram, meaning they have a familymember who attended or currentlyattends Mercer.

Mercer’s Legacy Expands Worldwide By Wes Griffith, Sonal Patel, Jenny Butkus

A life-sized bronze of Jesse Mercer sits on a bench on the quad of the

Macon campus, where students, faculty, staff and alumni seldom

pass by without giving a slight nod of acknowledgement — some

out of respect, most out of affection. When he founded Mercer

Institute in 1833, Jesse Mercer did so with a deep-rooted commitment to

education and “intellectual preparation” and 39 students.

‘Mercer increased

its international

recognition when

the Walter F.

George School of

Law became home

to the Legal

Writing Institute,

the worlds’ largest

organization

devoted to

improving legal

writing.’

‘The freshman class of 2003 has the

highest average SAT score of any Mercer

class to date with an average of 1210._____

More than 90 students in the fall freshman

class are members of the University’s Chip Off

the Old Block program.’

universityr. Richard V. Swindle, whospent 17 years of hisadministrative career at

Mercer, returned to the University onJune 1 to serve as senior vice president— Atlanta. Before his appointment,Swindle was serving as senior vice president for InstitutionalAdvancement for Franklin College inFranklin, Ind., where he was responsi-ble for development, public affairs, cor-porate and foundation rela-tions, alumni services andchurch relations.

Prior to joiningFranklin College in 1996,he was at Mercer, servinghis last three years as seniorassociate vice president forUniversity Advancement.

“We are extremelypleased that Dr. Swindle hasreturned to the University,”said President R. KirbyGodsey. “He is an outstanding leaderand administrator, who has a talent forbuilding community and collabora-tion. The University will greatly benefitfrom his understanding of Mercer, par-ticularly the Atlanta campus, as well asthe considerable experience he bringsfrom Franklin College.”

Swindle is responsible for the coor-dination of all campus activity of theUniversity’s Cecil B. Day Graduate andProfessional Campus in Atlanta. The2,200-student campus includes the

Southern School of Pharmacy, GeorgiaBaptist College of Nursing and McAfeeSchool of Theology, and programs ofTift College of Education, StetsonSchool of Business and Economics, theSchool of Engineering, and the Collegeof Continuing and Professional Studies.

Swindle also has an active role inexpanding Mercer’s involvement in theAtlanta community and increasing theUniversity’s presence and visibility

through relationshipbuilding with Atlanta’scorporate and communi-ty leaders.

While at FranklinCollege, Swindle plannedand directed thesuccessful completion ofa $48.5 million capitalcampaign, whichexceeded its goal by morethan 21 percent. He alsodirected the college’s

multi-year marketing initiative, whichsignificantly increased the awareness ofthe college.

Swindle began his career in highereducation in 1971 as director ofAdmissions at Samford University and,in 1973, became associate dean ofAdmissions.

In 1979, he joined MercerUniversity as director of Admissions forthe University’s Atlanta campus. Hedesigned and implemented a studentrecruitment program that resulted in a

40 percent increase in enrollment overa 10-year period.

He became associate provost in1987, and was responsible for alladministrative services on the Atlantacampus. Two years later, he wasnamed special assistant to the presi-dent, serving as the chief administra-tor for the Atlanta campus. In 1990, hejoined the University Advancementstaff as assistant vice president fordevelopment and later served twoyears as associate vice president forUniversity Relations, AlumniServices and Development. From1992 to 1994, he was a member ofthe University’s self-study team forSouthern Association ofColleges andSchools re-accreditation.

With a bachelor’s degree from Sam-ford University, Swindle earned the mas-ter of education degree at the Universityof Montevallo and a Ph.D. at EmoryUniversity. He was an officer in the U.S.Marine Corps Reserve from 1969-78,attaining the rank of captain.

He and his wife, Dorothy, have twodaughters, Susan and Anna.

2 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

MERCERIANTHE

Winter 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 1

President and CEOR. Kirby Godsey

Executive Vice PresidentHorace W. Fleming

Senior Vice President for UniversityAdvancement and University Admissions

Emily P. Myers

Senior Vice President Thomas G. Estes, Jr.

Senior Vice President for Finance Lynwood G. Donald

Senior Vice President for Administration Maj. Gen. Richard N. Goddard

Senior Vice President – AtlantaRichard V. Swindle

ProvostPeggy DuBose

EditorJudith T. Lunsford

Managing EditorRichard L. Cameron

DesignerRachel H. Garza

WritersJenny Butkus, Elizabeth Flader,

Wes Griffith, Sonal Patel

PhotographersTiffany Brown, Billy Howard, Rod Reilly,

Leah Yetter

Dean, College of Liberal ArtsRichard C. Fallis

Dean, School of EngineeringM. Dayne Aldridge

Dean, Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics

W. Carl Joiner

Dean, Tift College of EducationCarl R. Martray

Dean, College of Continuing andProfessional Studies

Thomas Kail

Executive Associate Vice President forUniversity Advancement

Kenny Daugherty, CLA ’80, EDU ’82

Senior Associate Vice President forUniversity Advancement

Gloria O. Marshall, CLA ’86

Associate Vice President for UniversityAdvancement and University Admissions

Jay T. Stroman, SSBE ’91

Director of Development/College of Liberal ArtsRichard Spivey, CLA ’94

Senior Associate Vice President for AlumniServices/University Special Events

T. Raleigh Mann, CLA ’65

Alumni Services StaffKristi Dobbins, CLA ’03

Jennifer Chapman Joyner, CLA ’95Sharon Lim, SSBE ’86, ’90

Erin Lones, CLA ’00

Mercer University Alumni Association President

F. Rhett Paul, BSPHM ’65

ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS

College of Liberal ArtsStella J. Patterson, BA ’83, Macon, PresidentEli Morgan, BA ’83, Duluth, President-ElectMike Crook, BA ’69, Stuart, Fla., SecretaryO. Harris Doss, Jr., AB ’66 & JD ’69, Blue

Ridge, Immediate Past President

College of Arts and SciencesDebbie Baldwin Stanhouse, BS ’87,

Lilburn, PresidentBill Myers, BA ’85, Grayson,

President-ElectCheryl Ann Kasper, BA ’87,

Norcross, SecretarySteven M. Pace, BM ’81, Jesup, Immediate

Past President

Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics

G. Faye Dumke, MBA ’92, Duluth, PresidentAllison Webb, BS ’99, Tucker, President-Elect

Carrie Sagel Borns, BBA ’96, MBA ’97,Atlanta, Vice President–Macon

D. Kevin Wyckoff, MBA ’88, Atlanta,Vice President–Atlanta

Thomas McAfee, MBA ’00, Atlanta, SecretaryDanielle Carey, BBA ’98,

Atlanta, Immediate Past President

School of EngineeringSocrates (Sam) Martinez, BSE ’97,

Macon, PresidentTyler Simmons, BSE ’96,

Lawrenceville, President-ElectKamlesh (Kenny) Desai, BSE ’91,

Macon, SecretaryJody R. Massey, BSE ’95,

Macon, Immediate Past President

Tift College of EducationRichard B. Thomas, BA ’89, Macon, President

April Aldridge, BA ’96,Alabaster, Ala., Vice-President

Ashley Copelan, CLA ’91, Macon, SecretaryClayton Jolley, BME ’94,

Hampton, Immediate Past President

The Mercerian is published twice a year for alumni and friends of Mercer

University. Comments or questions should be addressed to:

Mercer University, Office of UniversityAdvancement, 1400 Coleman Avenue,

Macon, Georgia 31207(478)301-2715 or (800)837-2911

www.mercer.edu

Mercer University is an equalopportunity/affirmative action institution.

CAMPUS TALK

ercer opened the doors toits newest regional aca-demic center in mid-

August, providing opportunities foradult learners in Henry County andsurrounding areas to advance theireducation close to home.

Conveniently located off exit 218 ofI-75 in Henry County, the 30,000-square-foot facility is the result of apublic/private partnership of theHenry County Development Authority,Henry County Board of Commission-ers and Mercer University.

“This facility represents a uniquepartnership between Mercer Universityand Henry County,” said MercerPresident R. Kirby Godsey. “We arelooking forward to providing men andwomen throughout this area with aneducational program of quality andbreadth that competently preparesthem both personally andprofessionally.”

Located at 160 Henry Parkway,adjacent to the Henry CountyAdministration Building, the newregional academic center is designedspecifically for adult learners. The

one-story building borders the CottonFields Golf Course and has numerouswindows to bring the wooded outdoorsinto the classrooms. The building’sentrance opens into a spacious loungeadjacent to offices of full-time facultymembers and student support profes-sionals.

“Our students are valued membersof Mercer’s learning community, andthe building’s open design is intendedto encourage them to see education astheir gateway to limitless possibilities,”said Dr. Thomas Kail, associate provostand dean of the College of Continuingand Professional Studies.

Other features of the Center includea computer lab, a learning lab fortutorial assistance and a digital andtraditional library. One of the high-lights of the facility is a model teachereducation classroom, which is set uplike that of an elementary school foruse by teacher education students.

Designed to serve an enrollment of1,000 students, the new state-of-the-art academic center in Henry Countyconsolidated the students from theUniversity’s two smaller centers locatedin Griffin and Covington, which closedafter their summer sessions. TheCenter draws adult learners from

Henry, Newton, Spalding, Rockdale,Clayton, Fayette, Lamar and Buttscounties.

Two of the University’s 10 schoolsand colleges offer evening and week-end programs at the Center: theCollege of Continuing and ProfessionalStudies and Tift College of Education.Undergraduate degree programsinclude human services, criminal jus-tice, information systems and earlychildhood and middle grades educa-tion, as well as the organization lead-ership degree-completion program.The University plans to later offergraduate programs in education andcommunity counseling.

In addition to degree programs, theCenter offers certificate and continuingeducation programs, including theCollege of Continuing and ProfessionalStudies’ Public Safety LeadershipInstitute. During the summer, theCenter will offer its College for Kids,with popular programs such asBudding Authors and Math Wizards.

The University also has RegionalAcademic Centers in Douglas Countyand Eastman.

Henry County officials joined Mercer University in a ribbon cutting ceremony forMercer’s newest regional academic center in McDonough in August.

D

M

Swindle Named Atlanta Senior V.P.

‘Dr. Swindle ... is

an outstanding

leader and

administrator,

who has a talent

for building

community and

collaboration.’

Dr. Richard V. Swindle

Mercer Opens Regional Academic Center in Henry County

From creating Web pages to

designing a simulated

archaeological dig, Mercer

students are helping faculty

members utilize technology

to its fullest.

Mercer students can now teach pro-fessors through the new StudentTechnology AdvisoRS (STARS) pro-gram. By assisting faculty members inbringing technology into their classes,the STARS program allows students tolearn the latest media applications anduse their expertise in creating valuableresources for the Mercer community.

Through the pilot program, whichbegan in fall 2002, five studentsreceived two months ofextensive training in newmedia, instructional technology and professional communica-tion. After completingworkshops, which included training onnumerous software programs, such asDigital Storytelling, Flash,Dreamweaver, Web Development,HTML and WebCT, the STARS studentsteamed up with Mercer faculty to com-plete the technology projects.

“In the Center for Teaching andLearning, we develop programs to helpstudents learn better and become moreengaged in the [learning] process,”

said Dr. Priscilla Danheiser, director ofMercer’s Center for Teaching andLearning. “For those members of thefaculty who have not had a chance toexperiment with interactive technologyin the classroom, STARS students areable to offer them one-on-one time tolearn how.”

Each STAR participates in the pro-gram as a work-study student and ispaired with a faculty member interest-ed in using new media. As the studentswork on the projects, they also teachprofessors how to use computer pro-grams and media tools.

“These students have found sup-port, advisers, mentors and friends,”said STARS program coordinator KellyJones. “They have gained confidence intheir technical abilities and have been

part of a creative team while gaininginvaluable experience in time andproject management.”

Some of the projects STARS tackled included redesigning Web sites,developing interactive quizzes throughWebCT and building educationalresources for digital video and digitalstorytelling.

“The program gives students andteachers a bridge for relating to each

other. It’s a good way to gain workexperience and experience in the technology field,” said sophomoreJason Lo.

Last semester, the engineeringmajor from Warner Robins, Ga., helpedTift College of Education professors Dr. Calandra Lockhart and Dr. RandySpaid show teacher education studentshow to use digital video to assess theirteaching skills.

“When we have prospective teach-ers viewing themselves in a [class-room] session, they see what they aredoing that may or may not be effec-tive,” said Spaid. “Student teachers canalso tape themselves teaching, then sitdown with us and create a CD that theycan hand to principals during aninterview, documenting their

experience.”STAR Clayton Kirk

helped Medical School pro-fessor Dr. AnandaWeerasuriya create anonline study site for first-

year medical students. Students areable to “diagnose” fictional patientsand receive feedback and correctionson their work.

Students studying German are ben-efiting from Tim Palmer’s STAR workwith Dr. Edward Weintraut in theForeign Language Department of theCollege of Liberal Arts.

“We have set up a virtual Germancommunity, [as well as] a template for

anyone teaching a language,” saidWeintraut. “There is an archive ofexercises available to anybody, and itallows us to teach newer materialinstead of always revising in class. AndI can refer a student to WebCT for anyproblem or review area.”

Palmer faced a challenge of creat-ing new programs in a foreign lan-guage. “It was challenging to test thenew Web pages without speaking anyGerman,” said the sophomore engineering major from Stone

Mountain, Ga. “But I learned a littlebit and got to know the faculty betterin the process.”

The STARS program has been sosuccessful that plans have begun forimplementation on the University’sAtlanta campus. And Jones is sure theprogram will continue to grow. “Ourstudents this year learned so much andbuilt great relationships with the faculty in a new way,” she said. “I lookforward to the growth and success ofthis program.”

community news

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 3

Students Teach Professors in New Program

ercer faculty, staff, andstudents soon will be ableto enjoy the atmosphere

of a restaurant and retail center onlyfootsteps away from campus.

Mercer Village, which includes renovation of an existing building andthe creation of a new two-story building, will be situated on ColemanAvenue and Montpelier Avenue nearthe Greek Village. This curved retailbuilding will be centered behind thenew park and fountain plaza and willdirectly face Coleman Avenue,Tattnall Park and the Mercercampus. The first phase isscheduled to open in Fall2004.

The development is theresult of a partnershipbetween Endeavor Real Estateand Mercer University.Michael W. Dahmer, who isthe managing partner, is a ’91Mercer MBA graduate. Hechose this location because ofits proximity to the campus,the impressive local neighbor-hoods and the demand of

nearly 10,000 employees who workwithin one mile of the site.

“Mercer Village will become a wonderful public space where both theMercer and the Macon community caninteract,” he said.

Phase I consists of 11,000 squarefeet of retail space and 5,000 squarefeet of second-floor office space. Thisincludes the upgrading of the historicbrick building, which will be carefullydesigned to complement the two newbuildings behind the park plaza.

Mercer Village has received commitments from several tenants.They include Johnny’s Pizza & Subs,Mocha Delites Coffee House, and thesouthern-styled Whistle Stop Cafe.Johnny’s Pizza was voted the #1 pizzarestaurant in Atlanta Magazine lastyear. Whistle Stop Cafe, an actualrestaurant, was featured prominentlyin the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes,”and continues to be a popular draw forstatewide visitors.

“For those members of the faculty who have not had

a chance to experiment with interactive technology

in the classroom, STARS students are able to offer

them one-on-one time to learn how.”

Mercer MBA Grad Develops Mercer VillageMercer University has purchased

the Baptist Center located at 2930Flowers Road South, previously ownedby the Georgia Baptist Convention and adjacent to the University’s Atlanta campus.

Officials from the University andthe Convention signed papers on Aug.21, transferring the ownership of the25 acres and five-story facility at apurchase price of$12 million.

As part of theagreement, theConvention willremain in thebuilding for up tothree years while the Convention’s new facility is completed in GwinnettCounty. The University will conduct astudy on the best future usage of the facility.

“The University’s Board of Trusteesdetermined the property was animportant purchase to maintain theintegrity of Mercer’s Cecil B. DayGraduate and Professional Campus,”

said Mercer University President R.Kirby Godsey.

Mercer’s 300-acre Cecil B. DayCampus in Atlanta houses six of theUniversity’s 10 schools and colleges:Southern School of Pharmacy, StetsonSchool of Business and Economics, TiftCollege of Education, McAfee School ofTheology, Georgia Baptist College of

Nursing and theCollege ofContinuing andProfessionalStudies. Some 2,200of Mercer’s 7,300student enrollmentattend classes onthe campus, where

the primary academic focus is graduate and professional studies.

“We are happy that Merceracquired the property for its future useand expansion. The sale also providesrevenues to assist the Convention insecuring the property and facilities forour site at Sugarloaf Parkway andSatellite Boulevard,” said J. Robert

Pat Conroy Receives Honorary DegreeOne of the South’s most beloved writers is now one of the University’shonorary alumni. Best-selling author Pat Conroy, below center, was pre-sented with an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree at the 14th annu-al Authors Luncheon.

From left, Robert Steed, Pat Conroy, and Mercer President R. Kirby Godsey

Students are already enjoying the fountain fronts the new Mercer Village.

MMercer Purchases Baptist Center from Georgia Baptist Convention

‘This strategic undertakingis critically important

to the future of our great university, most

especially to the continuedvitality and prominence of

our highly successfulAtlanta campus.’

— Continued on page 8

“Dr. Silver represents the finestMercer has to offer. He demonstratesthe University’s commitment to being ateaching institution of the highest cal-iber,” said Mercer University PresidentR. Kirby Godsey. “All of us within theUniversity applaud his accomplish-ments and his dedication to his students.”

Silver has taught at Mercer since1998. He earned his undergraduatedegree in religion at GeorgeWashington University and his doctor-ate in English literature at EmoryUniversity. Prior to coming to Mercer,he served as a visiting assistant profes-sor at Emory University and a dean’steaching fellow at Oxford College ofEmory University.

Dr. Richard Fallis, dean of theCollege of Liberal Arts, and Dr. PriscillaDanheiser, associate provost and interim vice president for Student Life,

nominated Silver for the award.Fallis said he couldn’t be happier

that Silver was selected for this honor.“Dr. Silver is an engaged, sympatheticand demanding teacher and mentor,”Fallis said. “He knows — and lives out— the belief that the teacher’s respon-sibilities do not stop at the classroomdoor or the campus fence.”

One example of Silver’s commit-ment to engaging students in mean-ingful learning experiences outside theclassroom was his creation of the doc-umentary play Combustible/Burn,performed at Mercer’s BackdoorTheatre in fall of 2001. This play wasthe result of an intensive project,funded by a grant from UniversityCommons, in which four Mercer stu-dents helped him interview a total of120 people active in the early civilrights movement in Macon. Nearlyevery word of the play comes directly

from 50 of the interviews and researchSilver and the students conducted inMercer’s Jack Tarver Library.

“We weaved what we learned in theinterviews together to make a quiltednarrative,” he said. “It was a greatlearning experience for the students.They were able to apply the abstractconcepts we discussed in class to theconcrete form of theatre. They realizedthe power of art upon people’s lives.”

The New Jersey native said heenjoys teaching because it enables himto be creative and also influence theway people look at the world.

“I see students come in as fresh-men and watch them transform from arelatively unthinking person to a largely involved, thinking person. Toserve as a guide as students considerthe great questions is a great privi-lege,” he said.

Students say Silver has impactedthem tremendously.

One Mercer student said, “AndrewSilver has forever changed my life. Icame to Mercer simply looking for adegree, and now I am leaving with aburning passion for activism, a love ofconstant learning and a better sensethat the world needs me as much as Ineed the world.”

Silver said he thinks being namedGeorgia Professor of the Year is a creditto all of the faculty at Mercer.

“My colleagues here inspire meand encourage me all the time,”he said. “The faculty are totallydevoted to the students, andwhen I came here and witnessed the vitality of theprofessors and the incredibleamount of student-directedenergy, it called out my bestas a teacher. I could do projects likeCombustible/Burn

because I was atMercer.”

Silver lives in Macon with his wife,Dr. Anya Silver, an assistant professorof English at Mercer.

rammy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffiereturned to his home-

town of Macon to perform a specialconcert benefiting violin students atMercer University on April 5 at theNeva Langley Fickling Hall in theMcCorkle Music Building.

“Mercer is committed to givingits students a solid foundation toreach their highest aspirations —just as Robert McDuffie has ful-filled,” said Mercer UniversityPresident R. Kirby Godsey. “This performance is an opportunity forus to support future violinists hereat Mercer.”

The concert which includedworks by Beethoven, Copland andDvorák, formally recognized theRobert McDuffie Endowed

Scholarship in Violin established byMercer Board of Trustees memberand chairman of the ExecutiveCommittee, Benjy Griffith, CLA ’77,and his wife, Teresa McEachernGriffith, CLA ’77. Proceeds from theconcert were also placed in thescholarship fund that was set up toattract gifted violin students to studyat Mercer.

McDuffie has appeared as asoloist with many of the major

orchestras of the world, includingthe New York and Los Angeles philharmonics; the Chicago, SanFrancisco, Montreal and Torontosymphonies; the Philadelphia,Cleveland and Minnesotaorchestras; the Leipzig GewandhausOrchestra, the North German RadioOrchestra, the Frankfurt RadioOrchestra, the Deutsche Kammer-philharmonie Bremen, Orchestradel Teatro alla Scala, Santa CeciliaOrchestra of Rome and all of themajor orchestras of Australia.

McDuffie’s recital and symphonyperformances have garneredtremendous praise throughout the

world. A commentator for NPR’sPerformance Today, he has beenprofiled on NBC’s Today, CBS

Sunday Morning, PBS’s Charlie

Rose, A&E’s Breakfast with the

Arts, and in the New York Times

and The Wall Street Journal.Playing the world-famous 1735

Guarneri del Gesù violin, theLadenburg, McDuffie performedwith pianist Albert Tiu, who has performed as soloist with the St.Petersburg, Calgary, Louisiana,Johannesburg and Philippine philharmonics, and the Hamburg,Finnish Radio, Guangzhou,Singapore and Juilliard symphonies.

4 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

Silver Named Georgia Professor of the Year By Jenny Butkus

college of COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

T he Council for Advancement and Support of

Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation

for the Advancement of Teaching announced in

November that Dr. Andrew Silver, assistant

professor of English at Mercer's College of Liberal Arts, has been

named the 2003 Georgia Professor of the Year. The announcement

was made at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

PPrrooffeessssoorr SShheepphheerrdd RReecceeiivveessPPrreessttiiggiioouuss FFuullbbrriigghhtt AAwwaarrdd By Sonal Patel

ercer University biologyprofessor John Shepherdhas been named a

Fulbright Scholar, which will takehim to Argentina this summer toteach and conduct research throughthe support of the prestigiousArgentineFulbright Award.

Shepherd willwork withArgentine scien-tists in LaninNational Park ona project titled“Non-NativeMammals inAraucariaForests: Impactsand Implicationsfor ConservationManagement.”Their goal is toevaluate theimpact of exotic species on conserva-tion areas and help develop manage-ment strategies. Shepherd will alsoteach ecology to graduate students atthe National University of Comahuein northwestern Patagonia. His wifeand fellow biologist, Rebecca Ditgen,will join him on the trip.

“I am delighted to have beenselected for the Fulbright Award,” saidShepherd. “We’ll work amidst the natural beauty of Patagonia withArgentine students and scientists whoshare our passion for conservation.”

Shepherd received his doctoratefrom theUniversity ofWisconsin-Madison andjoined the MercerUniversity facultyin 1980. Heteaches botany,evolution and scientific inquiry,as well as intro-ductory, conser-vation and population biology classes at Mercer.

The innova-tion of former U.S. Sen. J. WilliamFulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbrightprogram was launched in 1946. It has since expanded into seven distinct programs, allowing visitingscholars to come to America as well as sending U.S. faculty and profes-sionals abroad.

M

McDuffie Concert Benefits Students By Elizabeth Flader

G

Dr. John Shepherd will travel to Argentinathis summer to conduct research madepossible by the Fulbright Award.

Robert McDuffie, center, with Benjy and Teresa Griffith at a special concert torecognize and raise money for the Robert McDuffie Endowed Scholarship inViolin, established by the Griffiths.

Dr. Andrew Silver

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 5

Pharmacy is one of today’s hottestprofessions, and Mercer University hasone of the best pharmacy schools inthe nation. This year, a record 1,347applicants — the largest number ofapplicants to any pharmacy school inthe United States — vied for the 130seats in Mercer’s Southern School ofPharmacy’s first-year class.

Pre-pharmacy students in Mercer’s

College of Liberal Arts have a definiteadvantage of getting one of those cov-eted seats through Southern School ofPharmacy’s Early Acceptance Program(EAP) and, more importantly, suc-ceeding in the professional program.

The EAP allows Mercer undergrad-uate students to ensure a spot in theSchool of Pharmacy after completingtwo years, or 60 hours, of pre-pharmacy courses on the Macon cam-pus. Applicants must maintain a 3.0grade-point-average in all undergrad-uate courses and attend special Collegeof Liberal Arts and pre-pharmacy student events twice a year.

The College of Liberal Arts’ ScienceDepartment also provides guidance tohelp students prepare for their phar-macy education. Dr. Jeffrey Hugdahl,associate professor of chemistry, servesas a pre-pharmacy adviser.

“My role is primarily to advise thestudents as to the coursework neededto fulfill the Pharmacy School require-

ments,” said Hugdahl. “In addition, Iwork with the Southern School ofPharmacy to schedule a visit fromtheir admissions office to talk to ourstudents about the School and pharmacy career options.”

Hugdahl also takes the pre-pharmacy students to Mercer’s campusin Atlanta to tour the PharmacySchool and learn more about the pro-grams. In addition to the doctor ofpharmacy degree program, thePharmacy School offers theUniversity’s only doctor of philosophydegree and the doctor of pharmacy/doctor of philosophy degree. TheSchool is also a center for research,especially in the area of drug delivery.

“With the national shortage ofpharmacists, applicant pools at allpharmacy schools are growing,” saidDr. Jim Bartling, associate dean of student affairs and admissions for theSouthern School of Pharmacy.“Competition for admission is getting stiffer everywhere, so thismakes Mercer’s EAP more attractivethan ever.”

Once in the pharmacy program,Mercer College of Liberal Arts studentsalso have a better rate of success. The

grade point average of current students andgraduates thatentered theSchool ofPharmacy fromthe Macon campus is higher thanthat of all other students.

More than 100 students have goneto Atlanta from Macon to pursue thedoctor of pharmacy degree.

“Since the inception of the EAPprogram, every EAP student enteringthe Southern School of Pharmacy haseither graduated or is still enrolled,”said Hugdahl.

According to Hugdahl, studentsalso have an easier time adjusting tothe rigorous curriculum at the Schoolof Pharmacy. Mercer’s strong founda-tion of science courses in Macon alsogive College of Liberal Arts students a definite edge on success.

“I think [the students’ success] is a testament to the preparation that thestudents receive here on the Maconcampus,” Hugdahl said. “It’s

something I attribute to both ourteaching and the students’ academicmaturation.”

Currently, 10 percent of Pharmacy School students are Mercergraduates or former College of LiberalArts students. The success of College ofLiberal Arts students in the School ofPharmacy only continues to growthrough the partnership between bothMercer schools.

“The College of Liberal Arts continues to be Southern School ofPharmacy’s strongest feeder school,in terms of both numbers and qualityof students,” said Bartling. “My expectation is that one day soon, theSouthern School of Pharmacy’s percentage of students from theCollege of Liberal Arts will double.”

Pharmacy School Admissions Getting Tough By Sonal Patel

liberal arts news

CLA’s pre-pharmacy students can bypass the

anguish of waiting to learn if they have been

accepted into Southern School of Pharmacy

through the Early Acceptance Program.

fter an evening of musicfrom the “Piano Mania”concert, featuring Neva

Langley Fickling, Edward Eikner, JeanRoberts, John Roberts and JoanGodsey, Mercer University dedicatedthe McCorkle Music Building recitalhall in Fickling’s honor, naming it the Neva Langley Fickling Hall onMarch 29.

“It is most appropriate that thehall where Mercer’s music studentspractice and perform be named forsomeone who has dedicated her life tothe passion, practice and performanceof music and to the performing arts inCentral Georgia,” said MercerUniversity President R. Kirby Godsey.

Fickling began playing the pianowhen she was 7 years old. Her talentas a pianist helped her win the coveted title of Miss America in 1953.The only Miss Georgia to wear theMiss America crown, she is also theonly contestant to win all three preliminary contests in the nationalpageant.

A graduate of Wesleyan College,Fickling holds an honorary doctoraldegree in Fine Arts from her almamater. She is the recipient of the prestigious Lady Bird Johnson Awardand the Woman of the Year Awardfrom the Keep America BeautifulCommission.

A longtime friend of the perform-ing arts in Georgia, Fickling hasshared both her musical talent andher leadership with organizations andevents. Among her numerous activities, she has served on the boardsof The Gina Bachauer PianoCompetition, the Macon SymphonyOrchestra, the Atlanta SymphonyOrchestra, The Georgia Council of theArts and the Park City Chamber MusicSociety, and has been president of theMorning Music Club. She is also thefounder of the Georgia Women ofAchievement, an annual award givento women of outstanding achievementin Georgia.

A wife and a mother of four grownchildren, Fickling resumed her publicperformances in 1989, with a series ofrecitals in Georgia, North Carolina,

Utah, Florida and Italy. She has performed as a guest soloist with theMacon, Utah, and Benevento, Italy,symphony orchestras.

The exquisitely appointed 200-seatNeva Langley Fickling Hall is thecrown jewel of the new Allan andRosemary McCorkle Music Buildingand the University’s music program.Considered one of the best concerthalls in the state, the intimate auditorium offers state-of-the-artacoustics and a superb performancespace designed to support the highest caliber of musical events, includingrecitals, operas, choral and vocal presentations, instrumental works andjazz ensembles. Among its outstandingfeatures are a Richards, Fowkes & Co.pipe organ and professional recordingand multimedia equipment.

Joan S. Godsey, left, joined Neva Langley Fickling for "Piano Mania," featuring NevaLangley Fickling & Friends, on March 29.

Hall Named for Neva Langley Fickling By Elizabeth Flader

AAwards Presented during Mercer Luncheonat the 2003 Georgia Baptist Convention

At the annual GBC Mercer Luncheon, held at the Iron Works in Columbus,four distinguished supporters of the University were honored.

The Rev. Jimmy Elderwas presented theLouis D. NewtonAward by theHonorable DougPullen for service toMercer University.

The Rev. Ron Bradleywas presented theJames P. WesberryAward by Jim Brunerfor service to thedenomination.

L. Leneal Fortner waspresented the MonroeF. Swilley Award forChristian Statemanshipby Tom Black and hiswife,Tamlin B. Fortner,was presented theWalter L. MooreHumanitarian Award.

6 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

s.s.STETSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Mercer ROTC Cadet Climbing Military Ranks By Jenny Butkus

A Mercer ROTC cadet was recentlysought out to participate in one of theU.S. Army’s highly selective programs.And he says it’s the combination ofthe specialized attention he’s garneredby being a part of Mercer’s small, butelite ROTC program, coupled with thediversified education he’s received atMercer that led him to this opportunity.

Isaiah Davis, who was commis-sioned as a second lieutenant when hegraduated from Mercer this past May,was one of only a handful of ROTC

students in the nation selected to godirectly into the U.S. Army FinanceCorps out of college.

The Army Finance Corps is anextremely selective military branch.Only 11 ROTC graduates in the country were selected last year to go directly into this branch field after college.

The Finance Corps performs allArmy finance and accounting func-tions. And the Corps boasts the highestGPA of all of the branches.

For Davis, a 22-year-old financemajor from Macon, the Finance Corpsseemed like the perfect fit. “I’m notcompletely sure I want to serve in themilitary for my entire career. So Iwanted to get some skills that wouldbe transferable in the civilian world.”

As a part of his ROTC scholarship,Davis is required to serve eight yearsin the military — four years of activeduty and four years in the ArmyReserve or the Army National Guard.

The summer before his senior yearDavis was asked to fill out paperworklisting his top three choices of branches he’d like to enter after college. He made sure the FinanceCorps was at the top of the list. With a3.56 GPA, Isaiah knew he was qualified to enter the branch. But hedidn’t set his hopes too high. “I knewit was a really selective field.”

The Mercer senior was elated tolearn he got his #1 pick. And not onlydid he get his top choice, he also wasselected to enter the Finance Corpsright away. Often, ROTC cadets areaccepted to the Finance Corps, butthey then are required to do two yearsof work in a separate field before theyactually serve in the Finance Corps.

“For a brand new second lieutenant to be picked up right out of

college is really a testament to thequality of his education and leader-ship ability,” said Allan Pitchford,assistant director of admissions,Army ROTC liaison at Mercer anda 24-year veteran of the UnitedStates Army.

Davis credits Mercer for hissuccess. He said the educationhe received at Eugene W.Stetson School of Businessand Economicstaught him

to “think outside of the box” and“read between the lines,” and that willequip him to serve as a quality military leader.T

allying 50 cadets, Mercer University’s Army ROTC

Program is small compared with other university

ROTC units, which often have as many as 200

cadets. But size isn’t everything. Mercer ROTC

students are making big entrances into the military world.

Executive Forum Features Grace By Jenny Butkus

he Executive Forum 2003 falllecture series was a tremen-dous success, featuring some

of the most renowned speakers yet. Thespring speakers promise to be just asintriguing with one of Mercer’s mostrespected alumni presenting.

Jean Chatzky, financial editor forNBC’s Today, editor-at-large for Money

magazine, a regular columnist forTime magazine and USA Weekend,kicked off the season in Septemberwith a presentation on smart financialhabits. Ari Fleischer, former WhiteHouse press secretary, provided aninsiders’ look into the White Housewith a presentation in October. And,William Freund, chief economist emer-itus for the New York Stock Exchange,gave members insight on the economyin November.

President and CEO of the GeorgiaChamber of Commerce George Israelwill be the first speaker of the spring,with presentations on the Macon andAtlanta campuses on Feb. 24. BellSouthPresident of Georgia Operations PhilJacobs will give a presentation on bothcampuses on March 23. And Court TVAnchor and Larry King Live guest hostNancy Grace, a graduate of Mercer’sWalter F. George School of Law, will

close the season with a presentation onboth campuses on April 26.

Israel and Grace will give breakfastpresentations on the Macon campus at7:30 a.m. and lunch presentations onthe Atlanta campus at noon. Jacobs willgive a breakfast presentation on theAtlanta campus at 7:30 a.m. and alunch presentation on the Macon cam-pus at noon.

The Executive Forum is a businessoutreach program of the Eugene W.

Stetson School of Business andEconomics and the Office of UniversityAdvancement. This elite, members-onlyprogram provides business profession-als an opportunity to receive cutting-edge information on current businesstrends and network at the same time.

Anyone interested in becoming amember of The Executive Forum cancall the Office of UniversityAdvancement at (478) 301-2724 or(800) 837-2911, ext. 2724.

T

oarded windows,graffiti anddemonstrators

gave Mercer Universitystudents an unexpectedfirst-hand look at theantiglobalization move-ment. Though notintentionally planned, agroup of business students from the University arrived inGeneva, Switzerland, at the same timeas thousands of protestors, in the daysleading up to the G8 summit.

“Slogans like ‘Feu aux banques’[‘Set fire to the banks’], ‘Bush se tetesur un plateau’ [‘Bush’s head on aplatter’] and ‘Sma$h G8’are not a conventionalpart of a businessschool’s internationalcurriculum,” explainedDr. F. Frank Ghannadian,associate dean ofMercer’s Stetson Schoolof Business & Economicsin Atlanta, who accom-panied the students onthe trip. “But seeing the passion andtactics of antiglobalization forcesbrought to life the controversy sur-rounding international trade to students who had only encountered itin media reports and classroom discussions before the trip.”

The Geneva experience was part ofa studies-abroad experience for 23Mercer University business students inParis and Geneva. The encounter withantiglobalization protesters was notthe first unexpected encounter withthe unpredictable dynamics of theinternational environment for 13members of the group who are

students in Mercer’s Executive Masterof Business Administration program.Their annual studies-abroad experi-ence had originally been scheduled forHong Kong and China, and reserva-tions were to have been finalized within days of the announcement of

the outbreak of SARS inthat region.

The students metwith executives fromFrance’s Coca-Colaheadquarters and Saint-Gobain (the world’slargest glass manufac-turer) in France. InSwitzerland, they visitedthe International Red

Cross Committee, the WorldIntellectual Property RightsOrganization and the Swiss BankersAssociation.

The student group undertaking thetrip included managers from BellSouth, Foote, Center for DiseaseControl, Cone & Belding, GSB Inc.,Home Depot, Hunkeler Corporation,Level 3 Communications, SAFECOInsurance Company and TruckingNation. Mercer’s Executive MBA program has an international focus,and the studies-abroad trip is a culmi-nation of months of training in inter-national management.

Mercer Business StudentsEncounter Antiglobal Protests By Judith Lunsford

B

Twenty-three Mercer students travelled to Paris andGeneva to learn about International trade.

‘... seeing the passion

and tactics of

antiglobalization

forces brought

to life the

controversy

surrounding

international trade ...’

Mercer ROTC graduate, Isaiah Davis

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 7

b.e. news

Students in the innovativeManaged Academic Path to Success(MAPS) undergraduate curriculum atEugene W. Stetson School of Businessand Economics are required to fulfillan experiential component. The most popular way students meet thisrequirement is throughan internship.

Beginning in theirsophomore year,students work closelywith Mary Roberts, assistant director ofCareer Services at Mercer, to create a résumé and pinpoint internship opportunities in their fields of choice.Most students complete the 90-hourinternships their junior or senior year of study. Roberts said the internships are a crucial part of thestudents’ education.

“Employers are looking more andmore for internships on résumésbecause they go much deeper thanpart-time jobs,” she said. “By interningwith these companies, students get toparticipate in meetings and get a real

feel for the business.”Mercer senior Eileen Pascual of

Clarkston worked as a productionintern at Cox Media in Macon fallsemester. She assisted producers andvideographers in the Cox studio and

learned about the day-to-day opera-tions of a television business. The highlight of her internship was writingand producing her own commercialfor Mercer’s Baptist Student UnionDinner Theater.

“It was a very hands-on learningexperience,” Pascual said of her workwith Cox. “I believe the experience Ihave gained from this internship willgive me a better chance of landing ajob after I graduate.”

Not only are internships great waysfor students to gain experience in theirchosen career field, but they are also

great opportunities for students toevaluate whether the career they’reworking toward is really the best fit for them.

“Internships help students see whatthey can and cannot do, what they doand do not enjoy,” Roberts said. “Somestudents realize after their internshipsthat they want to change their focus.It’s great they’re learning this whilethey’re still in school, rather thanwhen they’re 35 or 40.”

Senior Kristin Fields of Carrolltonthought she wanted to become a

personal finance planner prior to herinternship. But twoweeks into her intern-ship, she was certain itwas not the right fit forher. She worked with

her supervisor and adviser to switch toanother department within MerrillLynch, and she happily completed herinternship. She’s now working with heradviser to find a new focus and plansto do a second internship at a bank inthe spring.

“I’m grateful I learned personalfinance planning wasn’t for me when Idid. Now I have time to work toward anew goal before I graduate,” she said.

In conjunction with the internship,students take a course called MAPS305. The course is designed to allow students to reflect on their internship

experience while developing theirunderstanding of the industry.

Dr. Andrew Deile, associate professor of management, taught thefall MAPS 305 course. In this course,he assigned various Wall Street Journal

readings to the students, and he pro-vided time for the students to discusswhat was happening in the workplace.

Students received a grade based ontwo evaluations given by their employ-er. He said he’s seen great results fromthe internship program.

“In addition to providing studentswith work experience, these internshipsallow them to begin networking beforethey graduate,” Deille said.

He recently learned that one of hisformer students who had interned with

American Cancer Society is now work-ing for them full time.

Tom Abbott, a senior MAPS studentfrom London, interned in the fall withWGCL-TV, the Atlanta CBS affiliate. Hesaid he knows he’s a step ahead ofmost seniors with this internship under his belt.

“An internship is invaluable in thefield of broadcasting. I have met someinfluential people who have been verywilling to offer guidance and advice,”he said. “This internship will without adoubt aid my chances of finding workpost-Mercer.”

Companies interested in developingan internship opportunity with Mercershould contact Mary Roberts at (478) 301-2157.

From devising a marketing plan for a jazz series at

their hometown amphitheater to reporting on

national sports stories to working hand-in-hand

with corporate lawyers, Mercer business students

are getting great work experience before they graduate.

Students Benefit from Internship Program By Jenny Butkus

“Give More, Get More” – Mercer’s Gift Annuity Program By John P. Cole

ive more, get more.” Givemore to Mercer, get moreincome in return. By

creating a gift annuity with MercerUniversity, you can increase the rate ofreturn on your cash, stock, bond orother investments while making anunrestricted or designated gift.

For example, if you are 65 years old,your gift annuity can boost your rate ofreturn to 6%, fixed, guar-anteed for life. If you are75, the rate goes up to7.1%. If you are only 50years old, the guaranteed,fixed rate is still relatively high at 5.3%.*

Beyond the increase in rate ofreturn, your gift annuity can cut yourtaxes. A portion of the gift annuity’spay-out is treated as tax-free, giving youan increase in net income.**

How can a Mercer gift annuity provide more income than your otherinvestments? A gift annuity is a simpleagreement between you and theUniversity by which you make a giftand Mercer in turn pays you guaran-teed income for life. You give the princi-

pal to Mercer and keep the guaranteedincome for yourself.

The gift you make takes advantageof Mercer’s long-term prospects to boostyour income now. The tax laws assumethat charities will “outlive” their donorsand can afford to take a longer look atreturn on principal. Your return isbacked by the full measure of MercerUniversity’s assets while your gift

ultimately adds to those assets.What do you receive for establishing

a Mercer gift annuity? You get:! A fixed rate of return! Guaranteed income for life! A tax deduction for a portion of

the principal gift! Tax-free return on a portion of the

annual income! Capital-gains tax reduction on

gifts of appreciated securities ! Competitive interest rates! The satisfaction of making a gift

that will benefit Mercer for generations to come

If you are younger, you can choosea deferred gift annuity to lock in amuch higher rate of return for retire-ment. For example, if you are 45 anddefer the annuity to age 65, your rate ofreturn would be 15.7%. Thus a $10,000gift now would provide you with $1,570in annual income for life, starting at

age 65 (and you would stillreceive a tax deductionnow of $3,672).*

In addition, unlike traditional retirementaccounts, there is no limit

on how much you can contribute to agift annuity.

If you have certificates of deposit(“CD’s”) that are about to mature; ifyou have appreciated stock generatinglittle return; if you want to increaseyour retirement income; if you want tomake a difference at Mercer University,then consider a Mercer gift annuity.

Give more, get more. Let us helpyou establish a gift annuity right away.It is a simple way to plan for the future— yours and Mercer’s.

*Calculations based on December 2003 rates set by

the Internal Revenue Service and the American

Council on Gift Annuities. Rates vary based on the

age of the gift annuitant(s). The donor can designate

one or two annuitants, including him- or

herself.

**Tax-free treatment of income is based on Internal

Revenue Service life-expectancy tables and discount

rates and varies based on the age of the gift

annuitant(s).

Note: These calculations are for illustration only and

should not be considered legal, accounting or other

professional advice. Benefits may vary depending on

the timing of the gift.

G

By creating a gift annuity with Mercer University,

you can increase the rate of return on your cash,

stock, bond or other investments while making an

unrestricted or designated gift.

Mercer is pleased to announce that John P. Cole has joined our planned-giving team. He and Claude Smith areworking together to serve our alumni andfriends. Please contact John at (478) 301-2570 or cole_jp@mercer.edu.

“Employers are looking more and more for internships

on résumés because they go much deeper than

part-time jobs. By interning with these

companies, students get to participate in meetings and

get a real feel for the business.”

Senior business student Eileen Pascual (left) works on a graphic for a commercial withHeather McCroan, production manager at Cox Media in Macon.

The Mercer Alumni Association hasannounced the launching of Mercer AlumniOnline. It is free and accessible only byMercer alumni from the University’s homepage via a secure personal password anduser ID. Users do not have to be computerexperts — it is easy to use and will providefast communication of a variety of features.

ONLINE DIRECTORY

A password-protected directory that onecan update and use to search for alumni.

MESSAGE BOARDS

Read and post notes to classmates.

PERMANENT E-MAIL FORWARDING ADDRESS

A “lifetime” e-mail address that will auto-matically forward e-mail messages to anyexisting e-mail account.

CLASS NOTES

Post instant updates about one’s family,career and interests.

BROADCAST E-MAIL

This feature informs about alumni events incommunities and on campus.

POLLS AND SURVEYS

Polls and surveys give the Alumni Office aprocess for asking the opinion of alumni.

Mercer has contracted with Harris InternetServices to begin work with a completiondate of summer 2004. Mercer will alsomake available for purchase a revised hard-back alumni directory as in the past. Harriswill begin to contact alumni soon to updatepersonal information and offer an opt-outfor those who do not want to participate.

Mercer Alumni Onlineto Launch Soon

8 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

tift colleg

Last spring in Dr. MaryWillingham’s Children’s Literatureclass, graduate education studentsexplored the various ways to teach anappreciation for the written word toyoung students.Willingham impartedto her students theurgency of making literature an impor-tant part of a child’slife so reading canbecome a tool for lifelong learning.

“My basic objectives for this classwere to expose our teachers to the vastbody of children’s literature,” saidWillingham, a Mercer professor for 22years. “I strived to help them createexciting questions and activities thatwill engender a love of reading in theirstudents and to increase their own love of reading and knowledge of literature.”

The course culminated in aChildren’s Book and StorytellingFestival, with each student directed tobring at least one child to the program.The Festival was one of Willingham’sideas for generating interest in readingamong children, while allowing herstudents to showcase what they hadlearned over the semester.

Wynetta Scott-Simmons ofFayetteville found that children whoenjoy the stories or poetry they performed are more likely to pick up abook and try to find more. “The Festivalpresented different types of literature in

order to broaden the children’s expo-sure to books and increase their desireto read,” said the Fayetteville educator,who recently completed her specialist ineducation degree at Mercer.

The third gradeteacher at PeeplesElementary School inAtlanta has usedmany of Willingham’sideas with her ownstudents. “In myclassroom, readingaloud has been very

effective as my students have becomeinterested in different types of books orin books they thought they wouldn’tlike. Now, they are more open to allkinds of stories and read the more chal-lenging books that they wouldn’t havepicked up before,” said Scott-Simmons,who also earned her master’s degree ineducation at Mercer’s Tift College ofEducation in Atlanta.

One of Willingham’s tips for gettingkids to read is to create a connectionbetween the child and a book. SemiaHutchings of Decatur, who is pursuingher certificate in teacher education,uses this technique in her classroom.

“A good idea is to see what kind ofchild you are trying to get excited aboutreading,” said Hutchings, a 3rd gradeteacher at Fountain Elementary School.“If the child is interested in sports, Ifind a book about sports to get thingsstarted. The key is to find out what thekids like and keep a big, diverse classlibrary in which every student can find

a book that relates to him or her.”Teachers can also help students

by continuously researching newbooks to share with their students.Graduate education student TishBrownlee of Powder Springs readsdifferent types of children’s literature on her own so she canchoose the best material for her students.

“We’ve learned in class to readan extra book each week,” saidBrownlee, who teaches in the CobbCounty School System. “Since I workin kindergarten, reading all types ofchildren’s books has helped me getinto books I wouldn’t have alwaysread. Teachers doing this can sharewhat they’ve read or used in theirclassrooms to help [teachers andparents] pick the right material fortheir kids.”

While reading continues to be achild’s foundation for education,finding unique and active ways toengage a classroom remains important. Through ideas like actingout poems and stories, building adiverse classroom library, finding con-nections between students and books,and reading regularly to be able to

recommend material to students,teachers in Willingham’s class haveexperienced success.

“I have taken these ideas immediately from this class to my

third-graders,” said Scott-Simmons.“Anyone can do these things to encour-age kids to read, and though some of itmay be hard work, it’s work that youdon’t mind doing.”

TIFT COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Teaching Methods Inspire Children to Read By Sonal Patel

With literacy being the cornerstone of a

child’s education, students and teachers

in Mercer University’s Tift College of

Education are learning how to creatively

bring the excitement of reading to the kids in their classrooms.

Graduate Program Focuses on Diversity By Sonal Patel

ducators can now learn how to diversify their teachingmethods and better com-

municate with today’s various types of students.

Through the innovative HolisticEducator graduate program in MercerUniversity’s Tift College of Education,teachers, health educators and familyspecialists all have the opportunity tomaximize their skills by developingthemselves on both personal andprofessional levels.

Classes are currently being offeredon Mercer’s main campus in Maconand regional acadmic center in

Eastman.“The Holistic Educator provides a

pathway for professionals seekingadvanced knowledge and growth,” saidAssociate Professor Margaret Morris.“Teachers today, whether they becertified public school teachers orhealth educators, need the skills todifferentiate instruction, effectivelymanage diversity among students and understand best practices inteaching pedagogy.”

The new program allowsprofessionals to earn a master’s degreein education specialized to equipeducators with the tools they need forworking with students of all back-grounds and abilities. By offering aunique development program geared

toward those working with children orfamilies, candidates may come from awide range of careers and will learn toaddress the needs within their ownprofessions.

The cornerstone of the program isan emphasis on teachers learningskills of empowerment and the abilityto build partnerships. By creatingeducators that understand themselves,and also understand their students,Mercer’s program aims to produceprofessionals who can teach in themost effective method to reach everytype of student.

With the Holistic Educator program having completed its firstsemester on Mercer’s main campus inMacon and its regional academiccenter in Eastman, interest continuesto grow. New candidates may begin theprogram this fall and students in theprogram will take two courses for eachof four, 16-week semesters.

“The Holistic Educator recognizesthe importance of schools or relatedagencies meeting the educational,psychological and social needs ofstudents and families in a well-planned holistic manner,” said Morris. “It’s not just teachers thatbenefit from this advanced degree,it’s individuals in various professionalsettings.”Interest continues to grow surrounding Mercer’s newest education program, the Holistic Educator.

Classes are being offered at Mercer’s main campus and Eastman’s regional academic center.

EMercer offers new program in

Macon and Eastman.

While reading continues

to be a child’s foundation

for education, finding

unique and active ways

to engage a classroom

remains important.

Students (from left) Tish Brownlee and Wynetta Scott-Simmons, Professor MaryWillingham, and student Semia Hutchings prepare for the annual Children’s Book andStorytelling Festival held at the Tift College of Education on Mercer’s Atlanta Campus.

White, executive director, GeorgiaBaptist Convention.

The GwinnettCounty Board ofCommissionersrecently approved arezoning of theSugarloaf Parkwayproperty, clearing theway for theConvention’s project to begin in early 2004. “Thiswill allow the Convention to moreeffectively serve the needs of ourchurches in a state-of-the-art facilitywell into the 21st Century,” said White.

The 25 acres on which the BaptistCenter stands were originally part ofthe Atlanta Baptist College campus,and were sold to the Convention priorto the college’s merger with Mercer inthe 1970s. The new purchase gives theUniversity ownership of all of the prop-

erty inside the circleformed by MercerUniversity Drive andFlowers Road South.

“This strategicundertaking is critically importantto the future of ourgreat University,

most especially to the continued vitalityand prominence of our highly success-ful Atlanta campus,” said James A.Bishop, chairman, Mercer UniversityBoard of Trustees.

‘This will allow the

Convention to more

effectively serve the needs

of our churches in a

state-of-the-art facility well

into the 21st Century.’

Mercer PurchasesBaptist Center— Continued from page 3

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 9

e of education newsarl R. Martray, Ph.D., beganserving as dean of TiftCollege of Education in July.

“Mercer is deeply committed toeducating men and women who canmeet the challenges of the highly-complex, vitally-important role of

providing instruction and leadership toyoung people,” said Mercer PresidentR. Kirby Godsey. “Dr. Martray bringsoutstanding academic leadership andcredentials to this position. Ourstudents and our programs will greatlybenefit from having him here at Tift

College of Education.”

With more than 1,400 students inundergraduate and graduate studies,Mercer University’s Tift College ofEducation prepares more teachers thanany other private institution inGeorgia. The College offers programson Mercer’s Macon and Atlantacampuses as well as at the University’sthree regional academic centers inDouglas County, Henry County andEastman.

Martray previouslyserved as dean of theCollege of Educationand Psychology at theUniversity of SouthernMississippi (USM), aposition he held since1998. Prior to joiningUSM, he spent 27 years at WesternKentucky University, where he servedhis last eight years as dean of theCollege of Education and BehavioralSciences. Both institutions are thelargest preparer of professionaleducators in their respective states.

With a bachelor of arts degree inelementary education from FairmontState College, West Virginia, Martrayholds a master’s degree and a doctorate

in educational psychology from theUniversity of Alabama.

He began his career as principaland teacher at Colfax ElementarySchool in Marion County Schools,Fairmont, W.Va. During his studies atthe University of Alabama from 1969 to1971, he served as instructor ofEducational Psychology and ResearchDesign at the University as well asprogram evaluator for the Title IVprograms in Central and Northwest

Alabama. He was also an instructor inthe Psychology Department at StillmanCollege in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

As a charter member of theKentucky Educational ProfessionalStandards Board, Martray was involvedin setting policy and determiningdirection for the education professionin Kentucky. He also served two termson the American Association forColleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)

Joint Governmental RelationsCommittee, where he helped influencenational policy pertaining to teachereducation.

A member of the editorial board ofPsychology, A Journal of Human

Behavior for more than 10 years, heserved seven years on the editorialboard of Journal of Human Behavior

and Learning and three years asconsulting editor for People and

Education: The Human Side of

Schools.

He is a frequentpresenter and panelistat educationalconferences and theauthor of numerouspublications andprofessional journals.

Additionally, he has been a staffdevelopment consultant to teachersand administrators in more than 20public and private school systems.

He and his wife, Donna, who is aboard certified operating room nurse, have two daughters: LauriTurner of Bowling Green, Ky., andNicole Talley of Birmingham, Ala. Theyalso have a three-year-old grandson,Cole Turner.

Martray Appointed Education Dean at Mercer By Judith Lunsford

C

Graduates of Mercer’s Tift Collegeof Education are now more preparedthan ever to meet the needs oftomorrow’s classrooms.

All Mercer education students havethe opportunity to receive intensivetraining on the best practices forintegrating technology into theclassroom. After completing thistechnology-infused teacher-preparation program, students receiveInTech certification, a state-approvedcertification that very fewuniversities offer.

Mercer first offered theInTech program to studentstwo years ago using a grantreceived from the U.S.Department of Education.The grant was a part of government’s“Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers toUse Technology” (PT3) program.

The program was a tremendoussuccess. While participating in InTechtraining was optional, only threestudents didn’t take advantage of thetechnology training last year, said Dr.Penny Elkins, co-director of theUniversity’s PT3 project and anassociate professor in Mercer’s TiftCollege of Education.

Obtaining InTech certificationmakes Mercer graduates more

marketable, said Dr. Bruce Sliger, anassociate professor of education in theCollege and co-director of the project.

Elkins agreed. Federal law requiresall teachers to have technologycertification by 2006, so many schoolsystems are scrambling to find moneyin their budgets to train theirteachers.

“Principals have been told theyhave to spend money to train theirteachers. So, not only does Mercer

have phenomenal graduates, but alsofully trained graduates. Our studentshave first-hand experience on how tointegrate technology into theclassroom, how to teach withtechnology and how to improve testscores,” Elkins said.

The program also benefits Mercerfaculty. Ninety percent of Tift Collegeof Education faculty have received InTech training. And graduateeducation students are given theoption of receiving InTech training atMercer as well.

The initial grant funding for theInTech program ended at the end oflast academic year. But, Mercer is ableto continue this innovative technologytraining program this year because Tift College of Education receivedanother PT3 grant in June. This$260,000 grant is allowing theUniversity to continue to trainprofessors and students on the latestin educational software programs.

The College of Education is also rewriting its curriculum torequire all undergraduateeducation students toreceive this importanttraining.

Yvonne Hudgins, whograduated from Mercer

with a bachelor’s degree in earlychildhood education in May, said she’sgrateful she was able to receive InTechcertification while at Mercer.

“Technology is growing by leapsand bounds and will play a big part inthe future of my students. InTechmade me more aware of the manypossibilities of integrating technologyin the classroom,” she said. “I havefound that technology is a greatmotivator for students. Usingtechnology is an enjoyable way forstudents to learn.”

PT3 Grant Provides Cutting-Edge Technology Training By Jenny Butkus

‘Dr. Martray brings outstanding academic leadership

and credentials to this position. Our students and our

programs will greatly benefit from having him here at

Tift College of Education.’

‘Technology is growing by leaps and bounds and

will play a big part in the future of my students.

InTech made me more aware of the many possibilities

of integrating technology in the classroom.’

Dean of EducationDr. Carl R. Martray

Alumni Student RecruitmentReferral Form

If you know an outstanding prospective student,please complete and mail this form to Mercer’s Officeof University Admissions, 1400 Coleman Ave.,Macon, GA 31207. You may also call in your submission at (800) 840-8577 or e-mail us at admissions@mercer.edu.

Your Name __________________________________

Student Name ________________________________

Hometown __________________________________

High School _________________________________

Year of graduation ___________ SAT/ACT __________

GPA _________

Activities ___________________________________

Home telephone number _________________________

Address ____________________________________

__________________________________________

E-mail address _______________________________

1 0 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

MERCER SPECIAL EVENTS

M E R C E R S P E C I A L E V E N T S

Century ClubReception and Reunion Dinner

October 3, 2003

Presidents of Half Century Club (Above): Gladys Holder Giddens, CLA ’37 (1992 & 1997); Orbin D. Howell, CLA ’42 (1994 &1995); George B. Culpepper, III, LAW ’43 (1998); C. Cloud Morgan, Sr., CLA ’41, LAW ’48 (2000); Dan D. Dunwody, Jr., CLA ’49 (2001); Preston C. Williams, Jr., CLA ’47 (2002); Sarah Anne Black, CLA ’51 (2003); Bob G. Dollar, CLA ’53 (2004)

The Gabbling Godseys (pictured left) teamagainst the Jabbering Jesses in a fun triviaquiz. L-R: Annie Mays Larmore, CLA ’31; C.Cloud Morgan, Preston C. Williams, BobbyWilder, EDU ’52, Gladys Giddens.

(Right) Dr. Bill Shirley, CLA ’43, and wife,Bess, with Mercer’s “old” car.

Mercer MadnessMercer Madness, held in October coinciding with the firstday of practice for the men's and women's basketballteams, featured a variety of activities for the last time inPorter Gym. Among the favorites were: introductionsof the men's and women's teams, routines by theMercer cheerleaders, faculty and staff basketballgame and slam dunk contest (where the judgescould not always agree on scores).

Half

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 1 1

COMMENCEMENT

M E R C E R S P E C I A L E V E N T S

Mercer UniversityCommencement

Wayne E. Ward, retired senior professor of ChristianTheology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,was featured speaker at the McAfee School of Theologycommencement.

U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, A.B. ’64, J.D. ’66, gave thecommencement address at the Walter F. GeorgeSchool of Law graduation ceremony.

Wyche Fowler Jr., chairman of the board of theMiddle East Institute, was featured speaker at theMacon commencement. Fowler, right, is picturedwith Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey.

(Above) Dr. Nancy W. Dickey, presidentand vice chancellor for health affairs at TheTexas A&M System Health Science Centerand past president of the American MedicalAssociation, gave the commencementaddress for the School of Medicine.

(Right) Dr. Karen Jean Minyard, executivedirector for the Georgia Health PolicyCenter, delivered the commencementaddress for the Georgia Baptist College ofNursing.

Michael L. Starr, executive vice president ofWachovia Bank, gave the commencement address atthe Eugene W. Stetson School of Business andEconomics Atlanta graduation ceremony.

Dr. Larry McSwain, senior fellow of MercerUniversity Commons, was featured speaker at theTift College of Education, Division of ExtendedEducation and College of Continuing andProfessional Studies Atlanta Commencement.

2003

1 2 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

school ofSCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

MU Engineering Student Earns Triple Honors By Jenny Butkus

“I was really excited and surprisedby that,” said Drury, who was nominat-ed for the honor by Engineering DeanDayne Aldridge.

But, for the 22-year-old, this wasjust the beginning of a long list ofrecognitions she would receive her lastsemester at Mercer.

While knee-deep in her seniordesign project, Drury learned she wasone of some 30 students in the countryto receive a biomedical engineeringgraduate fellowship from the WhitakerFoundation, a non-profit dedicated toimproving human health through thesupport of biomedical engineering.With an estimated value of $111,000,the fellowship pays for Drury’s tuitionin the biomedical engineering gradu-ate program of her choice as well as anannual stipend for living expenses.

Drury was the first Mercer graduateto receive a Whitaker Fellowship.

Dr. Edward O’Brien, chair of theBiomedical Engineering Department,said he wasn’t surprised that Druryreceived the Fellowship. “In terms ofscholastic achievement, she has a per-fect 4.0 GPA. In my classes she didn’tjust get an A, but the highest A,”O’Brien said.

She maintained this perfect aca-demic record while remaining active ina laundry list of groups outside theclassroom.

Drury played in Mercer’s FluteChoir, was a member of the KarateClub, volunteered for Habitat forHumanity, served as a supplementalinstruction leader and was on theUniversity Special Events Team. And inclubs, she was not only a member, butalso a leader. Drury served as the treas-urer of the Biomedical EngineeringClub, the vice president of Tau Beta Piengineering honor society, the treasur-

er of the Society of Women Engineersand the student vice president of PhiKappa Phi honor society.

Drury enjoyed being active in activ-ities outside of the classroom, particu-larly with the Flute Choir.

She also served as a supplementalinstructor for chemistry and calculusstudents, meeting with the studentsthree times a week to review what theywere working on in their classes.

“It’s great when you know you’vehelped someone out,” she said.

Helping people out is why she hasdecided to become a biomedical engineer. Drury wants to go into tissueengineering to learn how to grow a tissue that will replicate a specific tissue of the human body.

She took this career direction as aresult of what a close friend enduredwhen he had an artificial heart valveimplanted as a child. Because the valvewas made of artificial material, he outgrew it every few years. This hasmeant a lot of expensive and dan-gerous surgery.

If biomedical engineers were ableto engineer tissues that could be

shaped into a heartvalve, then the tissue would justgrow with the restof the organs, shesaid, meaning nomore surgery.

Drury got ataste of this fasci-nating field duringher internship atGeorgia Tech/Emory Center forthe Engineering ofLiving Tissues insummer 2002. Sheis currently usingthe WhitakerFellow-ship toattend GeorgiaTech, where she isworking toward earning a doctorate inbiomedical engineering.

She was also awarded a fellowshipfrom the engineering honor society,Tau Beta Pi. While she did not use thefunds because Whitaker does not allowits Fellowship recipients to acceptmoney from another source, she doesget to keep the title.

Her commitment to excellence wasalso recognized by the University. Druryreceived the Dean’s Choice Award. Atcommencement, she received one ofthe highest honors given by MercerUniversity — the Louie D. NewtonGeneral Excellence Medal, which isbased on a combination of academicscholarship and outstanding personal

qualities.Drury said this makes those “all-

nighters” all worthwhile, adding thatshe couldn’t have gotten this far with-out the support of the biomedical engi-neering faculty. She chose Mercerbecause she liked the small class sizes,but the professors’ helpfulness has surpassed her expectations.

“The professors were incrediblysupportive,” said Drury, who has madetrips back to Macon since graduationto visit her favorite professors. “Theyalways had time to talk with me. Andevery time I got an award, I would gointo the BME [biomedical engineering]suite and tell everybody. They alwaysseemed just as excited as I was.”

ercer University andRobins Air Force Baserecently celebrated a 20-

year partnership — a pact that hasspawned more than 1,000 engineeringgraduates and provided a large numberof qualified engineers for the localmilitary installation.

The partnership began beforeMercer even had a School ofEngineering. In fact, the EngineeringSchool was born from the need ofqualified engineers for the WarnerRobins base.

In 1983, Maj. Gen. CorneliusNugteren, the commander of theWarner Robins Air Logistic Center at thetime, realized that the base neededmore qualified engineers in order tofulfill its mission. The local labor poolwas unable to keep pace with the base’s demand for engineers, and heknew a solid, well-rounded engin-eering program was needed to keepRobins viable.

Nugteren approached variouseducational institutions, asking for helpin establishing an engineering schoolin central Georgia. But he was rejectedtime and time again. Mercer UniversityPresident R. Kirby Godsey was the onlyindividual willing to step forward andhelp Nugteren in this pinch.

Nugteren praised Godsey for hiscourage despite the potential for strongopposition. “Godsey said, ‘If you want

an engineering school, Mercer will giveyou one.’ And that’s where it allstarted,” Nugteren said.

Godsey said it was just the rightthing to do for the community. “One ofMercer’s strengths has been ourconnection with the community,” hesaid. “That’s been one of our definingtouchstones. The Engineering School isjust one more example.”

As a result of Godsey and Nugteren’sconversation, Mercer School ofEngineering was founded in 1985.And two years later, the MercerEngineering Research Center (MERC)opened in Warner Robins. The Centerhas become the University’s formalresearch and development arm, andcontracts with both government andcommercial customers.

Today, both Mercer and Robins AirForce Base continue to benefit from the

partnership formed two decades yearsago. Mercer provides the largestnumber of engineering graduates to the Robins Air Force Base, and nearly300 Mercer engineering graduates livein central Georgia. The EngineeringSchool is widely recognized as a topinstitution throughout the nation. AndMERC provides hands-on experience to Mercer students by employingstudents as engineering assistants.Many MERC engineers also volunteertheir own time to consult and assistMercer students with their senior design projects.

Godsey said the benefits of thepartnership don’t stop there.

“This is an important partnershipfor this entire region,” he said. “It hasmade a very positive impact on thecommunity and enabled us to make agreater difference in the region.”

Mercer & RAFB Celebrate Partnership By Jenny Butkus

M

Mercer University’s Society for Technical Communication Chapterrecently was honored with two awards at the STC international conferencein Dallas.

The 23-member student chapter received the Student Chapter ofDistinction Award, the highest honor given to a student chapter in thisprofessional society. The award is only given to one student chapter ineach of the STC’s two chapter size categories.

The Mercer STC chapter also was honored with the Chapter ofExcellence Award for the second straight year. In order to achieve thishonor, the students had to complete and document a series of activitiesand projects.

Denise Cook, who graduated from Mercer with a bachelor of sciencedegree in technical communication in May, served as president of the STCchapter during the 2002-2003 academic year. She said the awards werethe culmination of many months of hard work.

Members of Mercer’s STC chapter initiated a new technical documentcompetition for senior engineering students at Mercer, published articlesin both of the STC’s official publications, participated in several commu-nity service projects, published a monthly newsletter, co-sponsored aworkshop with Mercer’s Technical Communication Department, held awelcome breakfast for new Technical Communication Department staffmembers and spearheaded several other activities throughout the year.

“This award reflects the hard work put into the chapter by our mem-bers as well as our goals to excel in our career field,” said Cook.

Mercer STC Chapter Wins National Awards By Jenny Butkus

Pictured, from left, are Major General Richard Goddard, Major General Donald J.Wetekam, Mercer President R. Kirby Godsey and Major General Cornelius Nugteren.

It began in January 2003.

Mercer biomedical engineering student Danielle Drury

of Richmond Hill, Ga., was named Georgia Engineering

Student of the Year by the Georgia Engineering Foundation.

Danielle Drury, BSE 03, works on a project in one of the Mercer engineering labs.

Like most students, Hilderbrand,who graduated from Mercer School ofEngineering in May 2003, didn’tchoose a career until his senior yearat Harris County High School.Growing up in rural Hamilton, Ga.,he worked with his father in the fami-ly’s machine shop. When the timecame for him to choose a career path,he fell back on what he knew: work-ing with his hands.

“I just put two and two together,”said Hilderbrand. “I loved buildingand making, and math and science.So, I decided that engineering wouldbe a good match for me.”

Hilderbrand was then faced withthe difficult decision of choosing a college.

The oldest of four children,Hilderbrand was the first one in his family to pursue a college degree.When time came to choose the rightcollege, he turned to his high schoolcounselor for guidance. She helpedhim enter a competition for a scholar-ship to Mercer University, and he won.

“That was pretty much the deciding factor on where to go,” saidHilderbrand, who also received theHOPE Scholarship.

During his four-year stay atMercer, Hilderbrand had the opportunity to explore differentavenues of engineering, and includingworking on a research project forNASA. In summer 2002, he worked forthe Glenn Research Center inCleveland, Ohio, where he was taskedwith researching heat transfer in a

reduced gravity setting, a mission that could affect life at future spacestations.

Jeff Allen, a staff scientist with theNational Center for MicrogravityResearch, and one of the leaders ofHilderbrand’s project, explained thestudent’s work this way: when a person sweats, it cools him down.Engineers apply that principle of heattransfer to efficiently cool manythings. In order for the object to cool,the water must evaporate from thesurface of the object. On earth, that’sno problem, but in space, the condensation collects and doesn’tevaporate.

Hilderbrand, along with a team offive other senior engineering studentsat Mercer, studied a way to stop condensation from pooling up in areduced gravity setting, so that heattransfer will work as effectively inspace as it does on earth. For theirdesign project, Dennis Adams, StormieChenoweth, Cynthia Dickman, JoshHilderbrand, Scott Silence, andChelsea Smith built an apparatus thatwill help researchers do preliminarytesting on the heat transfer project.

“I’m very impressed with the scopeof this senior design project,” saidAllen. “It’s reflective of the work students will find in the real world.”

Hilderbrand says he made theright decision in choosing MercerUniversity. “A nice aspect of the schoolis that because of its size, you can talkto the faculty one-on-one and findthat they’re all down to earth,” said

the student. “I’m more comfortablehere than I would be at a larger school, and I feel like I’velearned more.”

Allen also commented on the caliber of Mercer’s School ofEngineering. “I get the opportunity towork with many students, and thelevel of program that Mercer has isnot that common,” he said. “The edu-cation [students] get will be a fantas-tic resource for them in the future.”

During high school, Hilderbrandtook classes in advanced math and sciences, which he said has helpedhim with his studies at Mercer. He saidthat trigonometry, calculus andphysics were classes he enjoyed.

“When you put them together, youget engineering. But I’ve also alwaysbeen good at solving word problems,”he said. “And that’s really what engineering is, solving problems thathave real meaning.”

Allen agreed. “The best part ofbeing an engineer is really the creativity and problem solving. Eventhough there is a lot of math and science, little of it is ‘cookbook.’ Youget to use your own creative process

and, in many ways, be artistic.”Hilderbrand is now continuing his

studies in graduate school atRensselaer University in Troy, N.Y. He is pursuing a master’s degree to helphim focus on specific areas of engineering, but says that a master’sdegree is not necessary to find a goodjob after college.

For Hilderbrand, the next stepafter a master’s degreemay be to pursue his doc-toral degree.

“I haven’t decidedabout that yet,” he said.“Getting a Ph.D. opensdoors, but it closes others.That degree really nar-rows down your field, andyou may find that onlytwo or three places in thecountry are looking forengineers with that spe-cialty. Whatever I do, Ihope to serve a real purpose by just doingwhat I enjoy.”

Editor’s Note: Since this

article ran in Edge

magazine, Hilderbrand and the

rest of his design team were

honored with a second place award

in the American Society of MechanicalEngineers Fluids Engineering

Division Senior Design Report

Contest.

This article was adapted from Edge

magazine with permission from Imedia Inc.

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 1 3

engineering newsMercer Students Help in Research for NASA By Renee Martinez

ercer University School ofEngineering is receivingnational attention for its

female-friendly atmosphere.The School of Engineering is

ranked eighth in the nation in percent-age of female students earning bache-lor degrees and second in the nation inpercentage of women faculty tenured oron tenure-track in the latest edition ofProfiles of Engineering and

Engineering Technology Schools. Thisis an annual publication of theAmerican Society for EngineeringEducation.

The rankings represent databetween July 1, 2001, and June 30,2002, for degrees awarded and fromfall 2002 for the number of facultymembers. During that time frame, 37.9percent of the degrees awarded fromthe School of Engineering were towomen and 27.6 percent of the engi-neering faculty tenured or on tenure-track were women. Mercer was sur-passed only by Santa Clara Universityin the percentage of women facultytenured/tenure track.

At Georgia Institute of Technology,28.4 percent of the bachelor in engi-neering degrees awarded were towomen and 11.4 percent of the engi-neering faculty tenured or on tenure-track were women.

Alumnae and faculty say MercerSchool of Engineering is an attractive

learning and working environment towomen for a variety of reasons.

“I think Mercer allows more oppor-tunities for women than otherinstitutions,” said Jackie Smith, a 1998Mercer environmental engineeringgraduate.

Smith said larger, predominatelymale institutions can be intimidating towomen interested in pursuing a degreein engineering, but Mercer’s small size,coupled with the high number offemale engineering faculty, provide anurturing environment that make

women students feel comfortable.Dr. Phillip Olivier, a professor at the

School of Engineering, feels having adiverse classroom environment is agood thing. Mercer provides a qualityengineering education, he said, and thefact that male and female studentsalike are attracted to Mercer’s engineer-ing program is a testament to the qual-ity education Mercer provides.

Dr. Joan Burtner, an assistant pro-fessor at School of Engineering, earnedher undergraduate degree at MercerSchool of Engineering and has beenteaching at the University for 12 years.Burtner said she thinks the School’semphasis on fieldwork and collabora-tion over competition are attractive toboth male and female students.

“And research shows many womenare interested in service-orientedcareers. Mercer provides variousavenues for female students who areinterested in engineering and who alsowant to give back to the community,”Burtner added.

Dr. Renee Rogge, an assistant pro-fessor at Mercer and the adviser to theSociety of Women Engineers, is excitedabout the School of Engineering’srecent rankings. “I think these rankingsreflect well on Mercer University,” shesaid. “We are providing an environmentcapable of encouraging women toachieve their full potential in careers asengineers and leaders.”

Mercer Attracts Women in Engineering By Jenny Butkus

M

The School of Engineering is ranked eighthin the nation in percentage of female stu-dents earning bachelor degrees and sec-ond in the nation in percentage of womenfaculty tenured or on tenure-track in the

latest edition of Profiles of Engineering andEngineering Technology Schools.

Josh Hilderbrand’s senior research project wasn’t rocket

science, but it was pretty close. As an engineering

student at Mercer University, Hilderbrand turned his

love of science into a career that could have

far-reaching effects.

TIGER TRAP!

Mercer alumnus Bill Stapleton, ENG ‘95, played golf with Tiger Woods in the “TigerTrap” shootout in October. He was one of four amateurs to play in the closest-to-the-pincompetition and walked away victorious with a new $39,000 Buick Rainer.

Mercer Engineering Student,Josh Hilderbrand

The gym’s 500-person capacity wasdefinitely put to the test as students, alumni, faculty and staffsqueezed into the stands becoming asea of orange and black. TheMercerians demonstrated relentless spirit.

Mercer led by a mere three pointsat half-time, but the Bears had cometoo far to let victory pass them by.From last season’s 6-23 record, CoachMark Slonaker had led the team to animpressive 22-5 record marking thebiggest turnaround in NCAA history.

As the final buzzer sounded, thescoreboard read 101-84, tying Mercerfor the number one seed in the AtlanticSun Conference Tournament. This22nd victory tied the 1985 team record,while setting a new record for 11straight wins and clinching the firstregular-season conference champi-onship in the University’s history.

Mercer’s former coaches, playersand cheerleaders were invited to attenda celebration dinner before going tothe game where theywere each honored athalf-time. In his welcoming speech,Bobby Wilder, a former player andcoach from 1956-1970, recalled thatPorter Gym used tobe the biggest court in the area, widelyregarded as the premier place to playbasketball in the state of Georgia at the time.

“If we could have played everygame in Porter Gym, we would have setworld records,” he exclaimed.

Jim Cowan, who coached from1946-1951, likewise showed that hehad not lost any of his Mercer spirit ashe approached the podium, blew hiswhistle and announced that the firstdrill of the evening would be windsprints. He enumerated some of hisfondest memories from his coachingdays. “Looking up in the stands andseeing my wife and daughters supporting me — with a white towelover my shoulder and a bunch ofsweaty players lined up at my side —

that’s about as close to heaven as youcan get on this earth,” he concluded.

Among the attending alumni weresome of the best players to step foot onPorter’s court. Tommy Mixon, whose#7 jersey was retired upon his 1955graduation, still holds the title of thesecond highest scorer in the history ofMercer basketball with 1,801 points. Heremarked that despite its disadvan-tages, Porter Gym still has one of thebetter playing floors in the state ofGeorgia.

Jud Roberts, class of 1969, is hailedas Mercer’s fourth highest scorer with1,699 points. He traveled fromCalifornia to reunite with old friendsand teammates and say goodbye to apiece of their past.

“I’ve got a lot of great memories inthis gym, but it’s time for them to go,”he said. “This team has packed thisplace tonight; they need the new gymon-campus so all their fans can cometo the games.”

After spending so many years on

that court learning not just about themechanics of basketball, but aboutcomradery, sportsmanship, teamworkand loyalty, it is no wonder the alumnifeel such affection for Mercer’s homecourt. The reunion of former athletessparked an energy Porter Gym has notlikely seen in some time. They broughtwith them so many memories and stories, fleshing out Mercer’s traditionsand spirit.

Algy Carbonell Edwards, a cheer-leader from the class of 1958, recalledhow much things had changed sinceshe left. “When I was a cheerleader, myskirt came down to my knees and theboys’ shorts were very, very short. Nowit is just the opposite!”

John Hughes, class of 1955, and histwin brother, James, grew up together

playing basketball in Porter Gym, fromchildhood all the way through college.“This is a very nostalgic time for me.My twin brother and I used to comein here and play on this floor, sincethe time we were eight years oldplaying in the grammar school play-offs.” Hughes rooted for his hometeam, encouraging each player byname and affectionately heckling the referee when the calls became tootrivial, like any true orange-and-black Mercerian would. “Make thoseboys tuck in their shirts one moretime, Ref! I’m counting on you, BigGuy!” There was much to be learnedabout pride and school spirit fromthe passion that exuded from thealumni section of the stands.

Most are thrilled about the pending expansion, but saying good-bye to a place housing so many fond memories is never easy. DanNyimicz, coach from 1951-1953,commented, “This is the best homefloor in the world because the fansare so close to the players and theycan make so much noise! We willlose a little of that feel in the new facility, but so many more peoplewill be able to come, which is great.”

Kali Bogden, a women’s playerfrom the class of 1990, was very optimistic about the move. “Nobodylikes to see anything with so much tradition go away, but I think Mercerhas done a great job of bowing thisgym out, and I know the tradition willcarry on.”

As the chaotic elation began to meltinto order, the heads of each player,

followed by CoachSlonaker, wet andfreezing from his celebratory “icing,”emerged above thecrowd to cut down thenets. The symbolic gesture showed respect

for the past and excitement for thefuture of the Mercer Bears. The alumnibegan to shake hands and once againsay their goodbyes, to each other andto Porter Gym.

“We may be the best of Mercer’spast, but this is Mercer’s future, andthey need their own place to grow,”said Woody Richardson, a player fromthe class of 1958. “Our memories arehere, but there are new ones to bemade in the new gym. We wouldn’thave it any other way.”

After a night of nail-biting basketball and a blast from the past,the student body remembered what itmeans to “bleed orange.” School spirithas been rejuvenated and vows havebeen made to carry on Mercer’s sacredtraditions. With new school recordsand a clearer understanding of what it

is to be a Mercerian, the students andalumni are ready to head across the street

to the new University Center with hopeand pride, ready to leave their own mark.

1 4 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

MERCER ATHLETICS UPDATE

Bears Win Championship in Gym’s Last Season By Meghan Draughon

In light of the construction of the $40-million, 230,000-

square-foot University Center, which includes a state-of-

the-art basketball arena, the 70-year tradition of Mercer

athletics in Porter Gym had to come to a close. The

promoted farewell event was a bittersweet one as the Bears took

on the Stetson Hatters on March 1. (While awaiting construction

completion of the University Center, the Bears played a few

games in Porter Gym to begin the 2003-04 season.) Perhaps it

was the nostalgia of the place, or maybe Mercer’s record-break-

ing season that drew the hundreds of alumni and student spec-

tators to pay their respects.

Academic year 2002-2003 was notonly an excellent one for the Universityin the areas of academics, fund raising,facility improvements and alumni sup-port, but also in the world of athletics.

Three Mercer coaches were namedAtlantic Sun Coach of the Year aftertheir squads successfully completedbanner years in competition.

In July, softball coach Toni Fotibecame the third Mercer coach to winthe distinguished honor for the yearafter his Bears recorded the most winsin school history and finished at 35-23.The Bears also qualified for the A-SunTournament for the first time since1997 and finished third overall. Also,six of Foti’s players earned All-Academic honors with a 3.0 or highergrade point average during the season.

Soccer coach Tom Melvillelaunched Mercer Athletics off to a goodyear in the fall by claiming his secondA-Sun Coach of the Year honor.Melville’s squad finished with its thirdstraight A-Sun regular season title.

Sandwiched between those honorswas the remarkable feat of men’s bas-ketball coach Mark Slonaker who,in addition to being named A-SunCoach of the Year, was also namedNational Coach of the Year byCollegeInsider.com and the NaismithGeorgia Coach of the Year. Slonaker ledthe Bears to the biggest turnaround inNCAA history with a 23-6 record in2002-2003 after a 6-23 record the pre-vious season. The Bears were the A-Sun regular season conferencechampions.

After spending so many years on that court

learning not just about the mechanics of basketball, but

about comradery, sportsmanship, teamwork and loyalty,

it is no wonder the alumni feel such affection for

Mercer’s home court.

Three Mercer Coaches Named Best in the A-Sun for 2002-03

(L-R) Sun-A Coaches of the Year, Mark Slonaker (Men’s Basketball), Tony Foti(Softball), and Tom Melville (Soccer)

Senior Aleem Muhammed cuts the last string of the basketball netafter Mercer’s last championship victory in Porter Gym.

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 1 5

Since 1977, Mercer has ensured itstrust in Coach Barry Myers to upholdthat excellence. Over those 26 years(five as an assistant to Coach ClaudeSmith), he became the winningestcoach (649) in Mercer history.

Myers’ success on the field has beenmore than matched by the perform-ance of his players in the classroom.One season, 24 of his 30 student-athletes were named to the conference’sAll-Academic team.

“We always took it one game at atime and one win at a time, and wemade sure our players were getting itdone in the classroom as well,” he said.

Craig Gibson, Myers’ successor ashead coach and longtime assistant,played for Myers in1982. He, like manyothers, speaks ofMyers as a greatman before discussing his excellence as a base-ball coach. “Onceyou played for him,”said Gibson, “hetreated you like family. He’d go out on alimb for you; he’d do anything to helpyou, whatever it took to make sure youwere successful.”

Myers was also a professor atMercer. He taught a full load of physi-cal education classes, as he did at allhis coaching stops, until the P.E. pro-gram was dropped at Mercer in the late’80s. In his early years at the University,he also functioned as the baseballteam’s first assistant, second assistant,trainer and groundskeeper. Such wasthe norm during the years Myers wasadvancing through the ranks.

He talks of his coach at MarshallUniversity, Bill Chambers, along withFlorida State University’s DannyLitwhiler and Miami-Dade CommunityCollege’s Demie Maneiri, who are bothin the College Baseball Coaches Hall ofFame, as some of the great baseballminds to which he’s most indebted.

Litwhiler, coach at Florida Statewhen Myers signed on as a graduateassistant, gave Myers his first glimpse at“how a practice was supposed to beorganized — guys in batting cages,three or four guys hitting ground ballsto the infielders, three or four hittingstations, various drills going on.”

Litwhiler had 16 years of majorleague experience, created hitting drills

in which curve balls were simulated bya ball tied to piece of rope, pitchingdrills in which unbreakable mirrorswere employed for pitchers to scrutinizetheir own mechanics, and he was thefirst to use a radar gun to calibrate thespeed of pitches.

He and Demie Maneiri, who Myerscoached under at Miami-Dade Com-munity College, were among a group ofcoaches who played an integral role inthe evolution of college baseball. “Theywere dedicated baseball men 365 days ayear,” said Myers, “the first to create agreat baseball atmosphere with greatfacilities, batting cages and weight-training programs.”

When asked about coaching underClaude Smith, Myerssaid, “he was another one of thoseguys that I wasfortunate enough tobe around backthen. When baseballgot going again afterWorld War II, theywere the true

pioneers of the game during the ’40s,’50s and into the ’60s.”

According to Myers’ contemporaries,he became quite the respected mentorand admired baseball figure during hisown era. Georgia State University’shead baseball coach, Mike Hurst, talksof watching Myers with great admira-tion from afar.

Myers had just become a headcoach during Hurst’s college years.Hurst would later coach against Myers,which, “was the ultimate privilege forme,” he said, “but it was rough,because Coach Myers was always toughto beat.”

“College baseball is truly going tomiss Barry Myers,” Hurst added. “He isa dying breed in terms of commitmentlevel. You can’t find many like himthese days. And the thing that mostpeople don’t know about Coach Myersis the incredible number of unbeliev-able things he has done for young menthrough baseball. He’s done so manythings behind the scenes for his playersthat people just don’t know about.”

Myers’ selfless dedication to Mercer,his students and his players is alsoreflected in the warmth in which CoachGibson speaks of him. “It has been apriceless opportunity that doesn’t comealong very often, working with Coach

Myers. To be around a guy that givesso much of himself to others is anexperience that can’t be measured.”

“He has an unbelievable know-ledge of the game,” added Gibson,“and an incredible ability to commu-nicate with players of all ages, to gethis point across in a positive way.”

Mike Martin, head baseball coachat Florida State, first met CoachMyers when he was a graduate assis-tant at FSU. As a player, Martin sawsomething special in Myers’ coachingand followed him to Jacksonville andMercer. “Coach was a guy who alwaysput the player first,” he said. “Ineverything he did, he made the play-er the focal point ... we will miss hisapproach to the game; he made it funfor everyone, and he never tried to winthe game through intimidation, but byoutthinking you.”

Coach Jay Bergman, head baseballcoach at University of Central Florida,has known Coach Myers since 1967 andhas competed against him as a confer-ence rival for the last 10 years. He wasquick to note how well the Bears play athome. “Barry’s players always playedvery well at home. When you went toMercer, it always seemed like you werein a dogfight.”

Myers’ coaching accolades atMercer include three conference cham-pionships and three divisional titles. Hewas named Conference Coach of theYear in 1979, 1981, 1983, and 1994.

“It’s been a tremendous challenge,”said Myers, “to compete in Division Iwith a small private university that hassuch strong academics. It’s not easyfinding great baseball players, and it’s alittle harder to find them when theymust be outstanding students as well.But I think we’ve managed to do that,and I think we’ve competed well, whichis really a testament to the parents’ andplayers’ sacrifices. Mercer was foundedas a degree-granting institution, not a

baseball school. I’d always tell the players, ‘don’t forget your priorities.Number one, get your degree; two, bethe best player you can be; three, havea good college life.’”

During Myers’ years at Florida StateUniversity and Miami-DadeCommunity College, three fields wereneeded to accommodate all of the play-ers that tried out for the team. Myers,who feels players improve more byplaying than practicing, misses the dayswhen he could watch six teams playthroughout the fall, evaluate them andthen choose the players that wouldcomprise the one team competing inspring. “We played a whole season inthe fall,” he said, “before the regularseason even began.” For several yearsnow, the NCAA has forbidden any base-ball season, including practice, to lastmore than 22 weeks. During a 20-21week season, there is no time for FallLeague. This has been a disadvantageto Mercer teams that have, in past yearsunder Myers, often outworked theiropponents to achieve success.

Coach Joe Pettini, another ofCoach’s former players, played severalyears in the majors and is currently anassistant coach for the St. LouisCardinals. He was the first player to

sign with Coach Myers at Mercer. Myersoriginally signed him while coaching atJacksonville but was able to bring thepromising talent with him to Mercer.Pettini said, “I am very grateful toCoach Myers. He brought me downfrom West Virginia and gave me theopportunity to play a 55-game scheduleagainst the best schools in the South.He really prepared me for my profes-sional career, and he turned Mercerinto a force in the Southeast.”

After graduating from MarshallUniversity, where he played football andbaseball, Myers coached three years atMagnolia High School in NewMartinsville, W.Va. He got his college-coaching start in 1962 when FloridaState hired him as a graduate assistantand promptly asked him to handle thepitching staff. FSU went on to competein the College World Series that yearand finish the season ranked 4th in the country.

The next season, after being hiredas an assistant coach at Miami-DadeCommunity College, Myers handledrecruiting and a pitching staff that beatHall of Fame pitcher and Atlanta Bravesannouncer Don Sutton 2-1 to win theFlorida Junior College State Champion-

Myers’ Retirement: A Celebration of Excellence By Wes Griffith

Since becoming the first intercollegiate sport to be played

at Mercer, baseball has remained a very

special part of the University. Starting in 1890, the

Mercer baseball team lost only one game over its first

seven seasons. So began a commitment to excellence that has

always been required of Mercer’s baseball players both on and

off the field.

Coach Barry Myers, pictured with his son and former Mercer baseball player, Robb, at theretirement dinner held in his honor.

‘College baseball is truly

gonna miss Barry Myers.

He is a dying breed in

terms of commitment level.

You can't find many like

him these days.’

— Continued on Page 19

athletics news

Mercer’s new SweatshirtFleece Blankets are a greatway to show your schoolspirit. Whether enjoying aMercer baseball game oran evening at home infront of the TV, theseblankets are sure tokeep you warm during cool nights!

Priced at only $30,these blankets are sureto sell fast!

Pick up your Mercer blanket today by visiting www.mercer.edu/athletics/onlinestore.htm.

This Season’s Must Have!

Mercer Alumnae, Denise Cook,ENG ’03, Jennifer ChapmanJoyner, CLA ’95, and KatieBaldree, CLA ’03, show theirMercer spirit at Mercer’s ClaudeSmith baseball field.

1 6 T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

1975Scott F. Kilgore, BA, and his wife,

Lanna, announce the birth of theirson, William Clayton, on Nov. 22,2002. He joins two sisters, Cate andMeredith. The family resides inBowling Green, Ky.

1982J. Bryan Fobbus, BA, married

Patrice Outler, BA ’83, on July 27,2002. The couple resides in WarnerRobins.

1983Patrice Outler, BA. See J. Bryan

Fobbus, BA ’82.

Jo Minor Phelps, BA, marriedRichard W. Brokenshire on Nov. 30,2002. The couple resides in Asheville, N.C.

1986Laura Player Bonner, BA, and

her husband, Jim, announce thebirth of their daughter, Anna Marie,on Oct. 3, 2002. She joins two broth-ers, Jordan and Jonathan. The familyresides in Albany.

Kimberly Layne McWilliams,BBA, and her husband, Craig,announce the birth of their firstchild, Carter Layne, on March 17,2002. The family resides in Acworth.

1988Douglas Matheson, BS, and his

wife, Astrid H. Khayat, JD ’92,announce the birth of their son inFebruary. Matheson is the branchmanager of First American Title inHouston, Texas, where Khayat hasbeen named director of contract con-trols at Enron North America.

1989Peter T. Mullady, BA, and his

wife, Mary Ann, announce the birthof their son, Peter T. Mullady Jr., onJan. 25, 2001. The family resides inGrayson.

Elizabeth Way, BBA, marriedDon Edward Chandler on Oct. 26,2002. The couple resides in Atlantawhere Way is the director of govern-ment relations for the GeorgiaBankers Association.

1992Shea Scobey Thompson, BA,

and her husband, RicardoThompson, BA, announce the birthof their son, Tanner Chase, on Sept.28, 2002. He joins a sister, Scobey,and a brother, Trinity. The familyresides in Miami Springs, Fla.

1993Kelly Black Berger, BA, and her

husband, Ray Berger, BBA, BA,announce the birth of their son,Joshua Frank, on Sept. 5, 2002. Hejoins a brother, Zachary. The familyresides in Dunwoody.

James Bond, BSE, and his wife,Nichole, announce the birth of theirdaughter, Mallory Hope, on Nov. 15,2001. She joins a sister, Marah, andthe family resides in Lizella.

Jennifer Sherwood Bragg, BS,married Steve Bragg on Aug. 24,2002. Bragg works as a self-employeddentist in Cumming.

Dawn Foster, BA, and herhusband, Ric, announce the birth oftheir daughter, Kennedy Moore, onJune 14, 2002. She joins a sister, Baylee.The family resides in Tampa, Fla.

Jennifer Richardson Golwyn,BBA, MBA ’00, married DanielGolwyn Jr. in Maui, Hawaii on Sept.25, 2002. The couple resides inClemmons, N.C.

Robert Guest, BSE, announcesthe birth of his son, Davis Carlton, onNov. 18, 2002.

Michael Lake, BS, and his wife,Susan, announce the birth of theirson, Robert Samuel, on Nov. 7, 2002.The family resides in Atlanta.

Tolliver (Tobby) Rivers, BBA,and his wife, Kathryn PrestonRivers, BA ’94, announce the birth oftheir daughter, Quinn Marie, on Nov.16, 2002. The family resides inMooresville, N.C., where Rivers is atraining manager with Wachovia Bank.

Jack Seal, BBA, BA, and his wife,Christa, announce the birth of theirson, James Alexander (Alex), on Sept.16, 2002. The family resides inDenver, Colo.

Mary Kay McPherson Smith,BA, and her husband, Todd Smith,BBA, MBA, announce the birth oftriplets, Benjamin Todd, MatthewJackson and Mary Margaret, on May31, 2002. The family resides in Lizella.

Morgan Templeton, BA, and hiswife, Catherine, announce the birth oftheir first child, Julia, on Aug. 23,2002. Templeton has formed the lawfirm, Elmore and Wall, P.A., with 10other attorneys in South Carolina andNorth Carolina. The family resides inMount Pleasant, S.C.

1994Chad Boggan, BSME, and his

wife, Deandre, announce the birth oftheir son, Cade Labelle Boggan, onSept. 15, 2002. He joins a sister, Nina,and the family resides in Bartlett,Tenn.

1995Cherie Blizzard Bennett, BA,

and her husband, Glen, announcethe birth of their daughter, ElizabethGresham Bennett, on Oct. 9, 2002.The family resides in Atlanta.

Christopher Donnelly, BA, andhis wife, Robyn, announce the birthof their son, Ryan Patrick, on Sept.

16, 2002. The family resides inNewtown, Conn.

Laura Parrott Hightower, BA,and her husband, Nathan, announce

M A R R I A G E S � B I R T H S

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M E R C E R A L U M N I N E W S

ationally acclaimed historical and political writerBuckner F. Melton Jr. has

returned home to serve as MercerUniversity’s writer-in-residence for thenext five years. He is also serving as aMercer University Press fellow.

A 1984 Mercergraduate, Melton haspublished three majorbooks as well asnumerous scholarlypublications. His firstbook, The First

Impeachment: The

Constitution’s

Framers and the

Case of Senator

William Blount

(Mercer, 1998), wonhim national recognition, as itspublication in 1998coincided with theimpeachment hearings of President BillClinton. During the Clinton impeach-ment, Melton was called upon to advise various members of Congress and togive expert commentary on MSNBC,NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, NationalPublic Radio’s Morning Edition and All

Things Considered, and many othernational and regional news agencies.

More recently, Melton, who has alsowritten Aaron Burr: Conspiracy to

Treason (Wiley, 2002), has occasionallybeen called upon by Minnesota PublicRadio and Wisconsin Public Radio todiscuss treason and national securitylaw in the wake of September 11 and inrelation to the John Walker Lindhepisode. Melton also writes guest

columns in Raleigh,North Carolina’s The

News & Observer

and in The Macon

Telegraph.His most recent

book, A Hanging

Offense: The Strange

Affair of the Warship

Somers (Free Press,2003), hit book-shelves last April.Melton describes thishistorical account ofmutiny aboard a U.S.Navy training ship inthe mid 1800s as

“Mutiny on the Bounty meets Lord

of the Flies.”The book was met with much

praise. Publishers Weekly called it“coherent and absorbing,” while theWall Street Journal described it as“swashbuckling” and praised Melton’sanalysis of the court-martial thatfollowed the mutiny.

As a Mercer University Press fellow,Melton, assists faculty members in their

writing endeavors. Melton also teachessome history and law courses at Mercer.But his primary job is to write.

“Mercer is a fine university,” Meltonsaid. “I’m excited about returninghome.”

After graduating magna cum laudefrom Mercer with a degree in history

and political science in 1984, Meltonattended Duke University, where hereceived his master’s degree in historyin 1986 and Ph.D. in history in 1990. Heearned his law degree from theUniversity of North Carolina at ChapelHill in 1996.

Melton served as a history instructor

at Duke University in 1989, a visitingassistant professor of history at GeorgiaSouthern University in 1990 and 1991,and an assistant professor of history atElon College between 1991 and 1996.He also served as a clinical associateprofessor of law at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Buckner F. Melton Jr. is Mercer Writer-in-Residence, University Press Fellow

After contributing 35 years ofservice to the South Carolina TennisAssociation as a player, volunteer,coach and administrator, MercerUniversity graduate Jerry “Snuffy”Smith, CLA ‘60, was inducted into theSouth Carolina Tennis Hall ofFame last December.

The Irmo, S.C., resident isamong the top tennis players inhis state, having ranked in singles, doubles and mixed doubles for more than 15 years.He has served as a captain andplayer in three state championship league teams andplayed on the 1993 South CarolinaSenior Cup team.

“Participating in a sport such astennis only reinforces the recollec-tions of my days at Mercer, where astudent was offered not only chal-lenging academic standards, but also

a healthy program of intramural and varsity athletics,” Smith said. “Iam pleased to be the recipient of this honor.”

The Mercer alumnus also shareshis passion for tennis with others. In

1974, he was one of three founders ofthe Junior Tennis League in Richlandand Lexington counties. He has beeninstrumental in the program’s growthfrom 100 players to more than 700players today, with an aggregate of10,000 players since its inception.

He has held numerous offices andcommittee positions with the SouthCarolina Tennis Association. Asfounder and president of TransconTrading Company — an export management company — Smith

brought a business mindset tothe SCTA. Thanks to his leader-ship, the Adult SouthernSectional Championships, whichwas the largest tennis tournament in the world at thetime, were held in Columbia,S.C., in 1989.

Smith served as Chairman ofthe South Carolina Tennis

Foundation in 1989 and 1990, and heinitiated the state senior and mixeddoubles leagues in South Carolina.The Mercer graduate also set up thefirst Sectional Mixed Doubles cham-pionships between South Carolinaand Georgia.

Mercer Grad Named to S.C. Tennis Hall of Fame By Jenny Butkus

N

A 1984 Mercer graduate,

Melton has published three

major books as well as

numerous scholarly

publications.

Jerry “Snuffy” Smith

Buckner F. Melton, Jr.

1937Louise W. Marsh, AB, was

crowned queen of the Peanut Festivalof Roper, N.C., on Sept. 14, 2002.

1951Jim Murray Walker, AB, and his

wife, Joann, celebrated their 55th wed-ding anniversary on December 21,2002, with a renewal of their vows.Walker is a Professor Emeritus ofAnthropology at Eastern KentuckyUniversity. The couple resides inLexington, Ky.

1955Claude (Mick) Kicklighter, AB,

has been named the director of opera-tions, security and preparedness ofhomeland security for the U.S.Department of Veteran Affairs. He andhis wife, Betty, reside in McLean, Va.

1958Frank Byington, AB, has retired

as president of Wakefield Pharma-ceuticals, which he founded in 1991and divested to IVAX Corporation in2000. He resides in Alpharetta.

1960Charlotte Marlow Anderson, AB,

MEd ’87, retired on Jan.1 as a mediaspecialist from Dry Branch ElementarySchool in Twiggs County.

Shirley Randall, AB, and her hus-band, Maurice Randall, AB ’61, haveretired from international missionsafter 30 years of overseas service. Thecouple resides in Cedartown.

1961Maurice Randall, AB. See Shirley

Randall, AB ’60.

Janet Sherling, AB, retired fromthe Clayton County Board ofEducation on July 1, 2002. She hadbeen the principal of EdmondsElementary School. She and her hus-band, James, reside in Jonesboro.

1969Gary Abbott, BA, was ordained as

a deacon to the transitional diaconateof the Episcopal Church of Georgia onAug. 3, 2002, serving St. Stephen inMilledgeville and St. Luke inHawkinsville.

Hollis Lewis, BA, retired as districtattorney for Milam County, Texas in2001, after 11 years of practice. Lewisis now a sole practitioner in privatepractice in Cameron, Texas.

1970Timothy A. Pape, BA, has been re-

elected to his fifth term as the FloydCounty Juvenile Court Judge, aposition he has served in for 20 years.He and his wife, Jane, reside in Rome.

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Mercer University Miniatures Through Alumni Services

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Mercer University Miniatures Through Alumni Services

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Mercer University Miniatures are reproductionsfrom original sculptures created by RidgewoodCollectables for Mercer University. Each piece iscast using marble and porcelain powder mixedwith resin and is hand painted under carefulquality and artistic standards. These limited edition productions are available only while supplies last.

Sizes: A. Mercer Administration Building: 7 1/4” x5 1/2” x 8”; B. Jesse Mercer Plaza: 6” diameter x 31/2”; C. Mercer Christmas Ornament: 4” diameter;D. Tift College Arch: 7 3/4” x 3 1/4” x 4”; E.Mercer Law School: 11” x 7 1/2” x 6”.

the birth of their daughter, AnsleyCaroline, on Sept. 26, 2002. High-tower is pursuing a master’s degreein early childhood education at theState University of West Georgia.

Graison Aldridge Hoard, BA,married Keith L. Hoard on Aug. 3,2002. In 2001, Aldridge underwenttwo organ transplant operations,receiving a kidney and a pancreas.She and her new husband reside inCordova, Tenn.

Melissa Moore Posey, BA, andher husband, Timothy, announce thebirth of their second son, BrockDavid, on Nov. 15, 2002. He joins abrother, Jacob. The family resides inJacksonville, Fla.

Jae Feather Runsick, BBA, andher husband, David, announce thebirth of their first child, AndrewJoseph, on Nov. 9, 2002. The familyresides in Atlanta.

Kendra DeLoatche Stephenson,BBA, and her husband, Jeff, announcethe birth of their son, Thomas Gray(Gray), on Aug. 6, 2002. The familyresides in Lawrenceville.

Katherine Kerns Vesely, BA,married William S. Vesely, BSE ’96,

on Oct. 26, 2002. The couple residesin Louisville, Ky.

1996Millicent Burnett Croom, BA,

married Jon-Paul Croom, BA, onJuly 27, 2002. The couple resides inBirmingham, Ala.

Langdon C. Harp, BA, BS, mar-ried Christina Marie Davis on July 29,2002. The couple resides in Reynolds.

Christopher Lyons, BS, marriedDebra Dion on Dec. 21, 2002. Lyons isChief of Police in the Alstead PoliceDepartment in Alstead, N.H. The cou-ple resides in Marlow, N.H.

William S. Vesely, BSE. See

Katherine Kerns Vesely, BA ’95.

1997Penny Berry Cliff, BA, and her

husband, Bill, announce the birth oftheir daughter, Nikki, on Oct. 2, 2002.Cliff was voted County Employee ofthe Year for 2002 at Thomaston-Upson Archives.

Susan Shuster Hamilton, BA,married Chris Hamilton on Sept. 15,2001. Hamilton completed a masterof education degree in French in

December 1998 at the University ofGeorgia and is now attending BrenauUniversity to add a third teachingcertificate. The couple resides inLawrenceville.

Heather Luiggi, BA, and her hus-band, Efrain, announce the birth oftheir daughter, Isabel Karalyn, onMay 21, 2002.

Todd Smith, MBA. See Mary KayMcPherson Smith, BA ’93.

1998Olawunmi Hassan Bello, BBA,

married Saula Adewale Bello on June 16, 2001. The couple has adaughter, Faith Oluwaseyitan Bello,and resides in Dallas, Texas, whereBello is a funds accountant for JPMorgan Chase.

1999Louis Abbott, BA, and his wife,

Jana, announce the birth of theirson, Ethan Abercrombie, on Aug. 12,2002. The family resides in Maconwhere Abbott is an assistant directorof admissions for Mercer University.

Alia Franklin, BS, and her hus-band, Jason, announce the birth of

their son, Dylan Ray, on Aug. 12,2002. The family resides inEllenwood where Franklin is an assis-tant operations manager for TRCStaffing Services.

2000Derrell W. Anglyn III, BA, mar-

ried Heather Rose on Sept. 21, 2002.The couple resides in McDonough.

Joy Williams Brotherton, BA,married Mike Brotherton, BA ’01,on Aug. 16, 2002. They are both pur-suing master’s degrees and will grad-uate from the University of Denver inJune 2003.

Courtney Jones Dalton, BBA,announces the birth of her son,Walker Cole, on Oct. 19, 2002. Hejoins a sister, Caroline Elizabeth. Thefamily resides in Newnan.

Rachel Hopkins Garza, BA,married Jesse Garza on September15, 2001. She is the Director ofUniversity Relations and Marketingfor Mercer University. The coupleresides in Warner Robins.

2001Kristina Livingston Blanks, BS,

married Steven Blanks on April 20,2002. The couple resides inMcDonough, where Blanks is a sec-ond grade teacher.

Mike Brotherton, BA. See JoyWilliams Brotherton, BA ’00.

Melissa Zubia McNinch, BA, wasmarried on July 2, 2002, and is cur-rently pursuing a master’s degree inhuman resources management atTroy State University. The coupleresides in Covington.

Cindy Stinnette, BS, announcesthe birth of her son, Harrison Davis,on Sept. 16, 2001. Stinnette is akindergarten teacher in HarrisCounty, and the family residesin Shiloh.

2002Casey Leverett McMath, BA,

married John Rowland McMath Jr. onJune 22, 2002. She is currently pursu-ing her master’s degree in English lit-erature at Georgia College and StateUniversity in Milledgeville. The cou-ple resides in Macon.

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1972Ninna Irby Burkill, BA, has just

completed 25 years of employment atDuke University Medical Center as achild life specialist. She and her hus-band, Michael, and their two children,Peter, 20, and Caitlin, 14, reside inDurham, N.C.

1974Jeffery E. Merry, BA, is the

founder and owner of The BusinessHouse Inc., offering services in busi-ness brokerage and consulting. He isthe president of the GeorgiaAssociation of Business Brokers, aswell as camp director for the RaineyMountain Boy Scout Camp. His wife,Rebecca Speir Merry, BA ’75, is alocal attorney in Gainesville.

Mary Ellen Wilson, BA, is the vicepresident for Academic Affairs atMiddle Georgia College in Cochran.

1975Rebecca Speir Merry, BA. See

Jeffery E. Merry, BA ’74.

1981Charles Beard, BS, earned a

doctor of philosophy degree in plantphysiology from Clemson University inMay 2002.

William Gabbard, BA, co-wroteThe Joy of Singing, a vocal instruc-tional video used to teach the basics ofmusical performance to young musi-cians nationwide. The video was co-produced by The United States ArmyField Band, the Washington, D.C.-based ensemble of which Gabbard hasbeen a member for 15 years. He wasfeatured in “Celebrate the Stars andStripes” in July 2002 on the TNN tele-vision network.

1982Merv Rudner, BS, is a financial

FriendsMichael E. Cauley of Macon,

died Sept. 13, 2002.William E. Clarke of Dublin, died

Feb. 18.Ralph H. Cooper of Thomasville,

died Dec. 27, 2002.Margaret Harris Englehart of

Macon, died Feb. 13. She retiredas a Mercer English professor.

Albert A. Favoino of Newburgh,N.Y., died Jan. 23.

Charles L. Guthrie of Lithonia,died Oct. 4, 2002. He began work-ing on Mercer’s custodial staffwhen the Atlanta campus openedas Atlanta Baptist College in 1968.

James Y. Holloway of Lexington,Ky., died Oct. 21, 2002.

Wiley H. Holsenbeck of Jack-sonville, Fla., died Jan. 5, 2002.

Vernon C. Jackson of Delaware,died Feb. 15. She had been themanager of the Mercer UniversityBookstore for many years.

Miriam M. Johnson of Gretna,La., died Aug. 30, 2002.

David C. Leonard of Alpharetta,died March 4, 2002. He had beenassociate dean and an associateprofessor of technical communi-cation in Mercer’s School ofEngineering.

Erin N. Peavy of Warner Robins,died Oct. 14, 2002.

Gladys W. Pritchett of Macon,died Jan. 16. She had retiredfrom the Mercer UniversityLibrary after 30 years of service.

Frankie R. Trice of Macon, diedDec. 9, 2002.

Lynda R. Walker of Fort Worth,Texas, died March 4.

Amanda R. Werner of Pensacola,Fla., died Jan. 4.

Michael J. White of Atlanta, diedJan. 17.

1920Elbert L. Coleman of Macon,

died Nov. 9, 2002.

1924Claude Joiner Jr. of Bolingbroke,

died Oct. 5, 2002.

1929Alvah E. Joiner Jr., AB, of

Dawson, died Nov. 10, 2002.Troy D. Woodbury of Nashville,

Tenn., died Nov. 30, 2002.

1931Wellborn C. Carlton Jr., AB, of

Charlotte, N.C., died Feb. 3, 2002.

1932Dorothy C. Wood, AB, of Atlanta,

died Oct. 2, 2002.

1933Robert P. Ruff, AB, of Decatur,

died Jan. 30.

1934Reginald Trice of Macon, died

Dec. 4, 2002.

1935W. Devereaux Jarratt of

Townsend, died Oct. 9, 2002.

1936John B. Clark Jr., AB, MA ’39, of

Cookeville, Tenn., died Nov. 10,2001.

1938James C. Balkcom Jr., AB, of

James, died Dec. 9, 2002.

1940Robert L. Stevens of Thomson,

died May 12, 2002.

1942Leanita B. Dorsey, AB, of Atlanta,

died Sept. 25, 2002.William H. Gray, AB, of Lake City,

Fla., died Sept. 9, 2002.

1943Thaddeus H. Roddenbery, AB,

of Holden, Mass., died Dec. 17,2002.

1944Mildred A. Mallory of LaGrange,

died Feb. 19.

1945E. Anne Horton, AB, of Rock

Falls, Ill., died May 17, 2002.

1946Sam L. Whitmire, AB, of

Barnesville, died Nov. 10, 2002.

1947J. Virgil Colson, AB, of Columbia,

S.C., died July 22, 2002.Rev. G. Guy Walton, AB, of Stone

Mountain, died Dec. 17, 2002.

1948Emmie T. Beverly, AB, of Jesup,

died Sept. 14, 2002.

1949Wallace Cole Hogan Sr., AB, of

Macon, died Dec. 18, 2002.

1950Oliver L. Addison Jr., AB, of

Macon, died Dec. 3, 2002.

Victoria Mell Newton, M.Ed., ofMacon, died Nov. 9, 2002.

1951Robert L. Hargrett Jr., AB, of

Tifton, died June 22, 2002.H.P. Henderson Jr. of Macon,

died Feb. 3.

1952James H. Burnett Jr., AB, of

Newport, Tenn., died Nov. 7, 2002.

1953Roy M. Turk, AB, of Jones

County, died Feb. 24.

1955Mary L. Dozier, M.Ed., of Macon,

died Feb. 13.

1956Charles J. Fowler Jr., AB, of

Macon, died Oct. 20, 2002.

1957Ted M. Adkins, AB, of Morrow,

died Sept. 15, 2002.Barbara Dodd Duckworth of

Macon, died Nov. 9, 2002.Mildred R. Stone, BED, of Tampa,

Fla., died Oct. 13, 2001.Martha G. Wood, M.Ed., of

Milledgeville, died Feb. 22.

1959Rev. Elmer L. Whiten Jr., AB, of

Gresham, Ore., died April 9,2001.

1961Gordon T. Lackey, AB, of

Greensboro, died Dec. 5, 2002.Jerry L. Myers, AB, of Panama

City, Fla., died Dec. 29, 2001.

1962James W. Rachels Jr., AB, of

Birmingham, Ala., died Sept. 5.

1968E. Tom Shaffer, BA, of Macon,

died Feb. 12.

1969John D. Kidd Jr., BA, of Powder

Springs, died Sept. 18, 2002.Lynda R. Walker, BA, of Fort

Worth, Texas, died March 4.

1970Kathleen F. Deutsch, BA, of

Macon, died Dec. 21, 2002.Thelbert Gordon, M.Ed., of

Rochelle, died Aug. 2, 2001.

1973Thelma S. Jordan, M.Ed., of

Jacksonville, Fla., died Nov. 2,2001.

1974Jan Curlee Cowles, M.Ed., of

Barnwell, S.C. died March 1,2002.

1978Lamar Baldwin, BA, of Macon,

died Dec. 3, 2002.

1980John F. Hodges, BA, of Savannah,

died March 18, 2002.

1981Eugene T. Gravitt, BBA, MBA ’83,

of Dawsonville, died Oct. 21,2002.

I N S Y M P A T H Y

Mercer Graduate’s Opera Career Reaches Higher Octaves By Elizabeth Flader

Leah Partridge Hunt, CLA ’97, remembers fondly her Mercer portrayal of Laetitiain Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, where her character elopes with Bob, thetramp, and the two end up stealing most of Miss Todd’s belongings. Theses days,however, the only “stealing” in Leah’s career is that of hearts of patrons who see her perform.

Having graduated with a bachelor of music in voice performance from Mercerand her master of music in voice performance from Indiana University, Huntbelieves that all of her hard work is finally paying off dividends.

After winning the Palm Beach International Voice competition in April 2002, shewas cast in the title role of Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor performed bythe Palm Beach Opera in January 2003. The reviewer for South Florida’s Sun-

Sentinel said her performance “showed why there is such a buzz about this giftedyoung singer.” He also indicated that Hunt “clearly has a great future ahead of her.”

Hunt is more humble about the praise. “I am not really at the level yet where there is a lot of attention,” said Hunt.“If I make it to the Met [The Metropolitan Opera in New York], then there will be attention.”

Husband Jeremy Hunt, CLA ’97, who also graduated with a bachelor of music in voice performance is currently work-ing on his doctorate in voice performance, pedagogy and song literature with a minor in stage directing at IndianaUniversity. He plans to sing professionally and have a teaching career.

adviser for Baer-Dressler, LLC, and wasrecognized as the top producer in 2002for adding 32 new clients. He and hiswife, Donna, reside in Woodstock.

1983Ernestine C. Doscher, MBA, is the

director of business development forHeritage Trust Federal Credit Union.She and her husband, Richard, residein Charleston, S.C.

Suzanne White Witt, BA, M.Ed.’91, has been named the 2002-2003Teacher of the Year for the SocialCircle City School System after 19years of teaching.

1986Dirk Hilyard, BA, was named High

School Soccer Coach of the Year forleading Hollywood Hills High School tothe state championships. Hilyard con-tinues to teach high school Englishand resides in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

1987Candace Hamilton, BA, complet-

ed a master’s degree and is now aLicensed Mental Health Counselor,working with students at FloridaMemorial College.

Marcia Hicklin, MBA, was namedsenior program manager of integratedproducts at Sprint in August 2002.Hicklin was certified as a project man-ager professional through theProgram Management Institute, inDecember 2002. She resides in PrairieVillage, Kan.

Nancy Maddox Pharr, BA, pub-lished her first children’s book, When

Should I Pray?, an inspirational bookfor young readers just beginning topray. Pharr and her husband, Cecil,reside in Lawrenceville.

1990Dawn Jackson, BS, and her band,

Hatfield Rain, released their debut CD,Matter of Time, on Sept. 23, 2002, on

her record label, Sho-Bud Music Inc.Jackson is the lead singer and one ofthe song writers. She resides in SanDiego, Calif.

1991Vickie Cox Edmondson, MBA, was

named an associate professor of man-agement in the School of Business atthe University of Alabama atBirmingham in 2002.

1992Laurie Byington, BA, received an

Award for Academic Excellence in theAssociate in Commercial Underwritingprogram in November 2002 from theInsurance Institute of America (IIA)for earning one of the highest gradeaverages on the national examinationfor the IIA program. Byington is anaccount executive for the Excess andSpecial Risk Department of Fireman’sFund Insurance Company inAlpharetta.

1995Robert Twilley, BA, works for

Jupiter Entertainment as the producerof the A&E network show City

Confidential. He returned to Macon inNovember 2002 to film an episode onthe 1958 case of Anjette Donovan Lyles,the first white woman in Georgia sen-tenced to the electric chair. Twilleyresides in Knoxville, Tenn.

1996Karen Romaine Thomas, EMBA,

has been named vice president andchief financial officer of Ms. Smith’sBakeries.

1997Curtis Bellamy, BS, has been rec-

ognized as a senior southeast sales rep-resentative as well as a joint compoundsales manager for the Southeast. Heand his wife, Lisa, and their four chil-dren reside in Easley, S.C.

Timothy Mann, MBA, is the presi-dent of the Norfolk SouthernCorporation Federal Credit Union. Heand his wife, Mary Elizabeth, reside inChesapeake, Va.

Chrissy Dixon Pearson, BA, hasbeen named director of public informa-tion with the North CarolinaDepartment of Insurance. She and herhusband, Marcus, reside in HollySprings, N.C.

Kisha Morris Wesley, BA, has beenelected to the board of directors for theALS Association of Georgia, founded torespond to the needs of people with ALS,or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” and to sup-port those who care for ALS patients.

She and her husband, Keith Wesley,BBA ’01, reside in Jonesboro.

1998Melissa Golden, BA, celebrated the

grand opening of her deli and gift shop,Hampton Park Eatery, in Hampton, onNov. 1, 2002.

Vickie L. Shaw, BA, is the coordi-nator for residential education withUniversity Housing at Georgia SouthernUniversity. She resides in Statesboro.

2000Beth Lee Rogers, BA, is the mis-

sions internship coordinator and a tripleader for Adventures in Student

Missions. She is a full-time missionaryand served in the Navajo Reservationduring the summer of 2002. Rogersresides in Wheaton, Ill.

Jennifer Ryan Turner, BBA, wasnamed a project manager II in thegood answer department of The Coca-Cola Company in December 2002,where she handles consumer affairs forvarious restaurant clients. She residesin Atlanta.

2001Natasha Usher, BBA, published

Fairy Tale Wedding, a contemporaryromance novel, in October 2002. Sheresides in Norcross.

T H E M E R C E R I A N / W I N T E R 2 0 0 4 1 9

C L A S S N O T E S

M E R C E R A L U M N I N E W S

Alumni...Commemorate your time at Mercer

Mercer University is in the process ofdesigning and building a brick-lined plazathat will serve as the campus entryway tothe new University Center. Alumni,students, parents and friends ofMercer now have the uniqueopportunity to capture and preservetheir memories by purchasing a brickthat will help line this pathway.

Your $100, tax deductible giftsecures a personalized brick that caninclude your name, year of graduation,and even your primary studentorganization, such as a fraternity, sorority,BSU or SGA — up to three lines on theface of the brick. As part of this offer, MercerUniversity will send a written acknowledgment ofyour gift, including the wording as it will appearon the brick.

YES, I want to participate in this unique opportunity!

Your Name __________________________________________________________________________ Class Year ____________

Address _________________________________________________________ Phone __________________________________

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please print your name as you would like it to appear on the brick. One character (including letters, spaces, punctuation marks, etc.— Greek letters may be used) per block and a maximum of 14 characters per line.

Line 1 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$Line 2 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$Line 3 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$Abbreviations for Colleges & SchoolsCLA College of Liberal Arts MD School of Medicine

BUS Stetson School of Business and Economics PHA Southern School of Pharmacy

EDU Tift College of Education THEO McAfee School of Theology

ENG School of Engineering TIFT Tift College

LAW Walter F. George School of Law

Please return this form with your check, payable to Mercer University, to The Office of Alumni Services, 1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, GA 31207.Questions? Please call (800) 837-2911 for more information.

ship game. That year his team went onto win the Junior College World Seriescrown, and he was named AssistantCoach of the Year in Florida.

In 1966, Roland Rourke gave Myersthe head coaching position atJacksonville University and asked himto turn the Division II program into aDivision I program. He became theyoungest Division I head coach in thecountry at the age of 27. In 1967Jacksonville finished 11th in the coun-try among its Division II peers (9th in1968). In 1970, Myers’ team, in its sec-ond year of Division I baseball, finished18th in the country. Two years later, theDolphins became the 11th rankedDivision I baseball team in the country— a feat that is yet to be reproduced bya university of that size. The next year,before leaving to turn Mercer into aDivision I program, Myers’ team fin-ished 21st in the country. He still hasthe highest winning percentage amongall Jacksonville University baseballcoaches and was named District Coachof the Year in 1968 and 1972.

Myers’ early years coaching inFlorida provided him with a wealth ofbaseball talent and, during Major

League spring training, a wealth ofgreat baseball minds to pick. TheBaltimore Orioles held spring trainingin Miami Stadium, and Myers hungaround as much as he could. “ I wasable to meet a lot of professionals during those years. It seemed as thoughevery day I’d learn a new drill or short-cut,” he said. “A lot of former majorleaguers were scouting back then.There were always some good baseballmen to talk to.”

His early success made him a greatchoice to serve as understudy and even-tually successor to Mercer’s legendaryCoach Smith. Coach Myers’ own successand commitment to the sport, as wellas his players, has made him a legendin his own right. Beginning in 1975,the Bears recorded nine consecutive 30-win seasons under Myers. They were inthe Conference championship gamefive years in a row from 1979-1983 and went from 1961-1985 without alosing season.

Thinking back over the 50 yearssince he’s been in college baseball andeven further back to the days when,only 10 or 11, he’d ride the train toForbes Field in Pittsburgh, he said,

“Sometimes I had to pinch myself tomake sure I was still just a kid fromNew Martinsville, W.Va.”

In summing up his career, CoachMyers thanked many of the people inhis life for their support over the years.“To list everyone who has helped alongthe way would look like a phone book.Any successes I’ve had along the way Ishare with all of them. From aMagnolia High School player in 1952 toMercer University in 2003 — sixdecades and two centuries — what aride it has been.”

“I thank all of the colleges and universities that have given me theopportunity to live a life long dream for50 years, particularly Mercer to coachand teach for 30 years; all of the playersand parents; my graduate assistantsfrom 1988 on, particularly CraigGibson, who has been my right and leftarm since 1995; my parents, Rose andIngrim Myers, who knew more aboutsports than I ever will; my son Robb,who played at Mercer from 1988 to1992; and my brother Mike for his sup-port. I wish Craig and his staff muchsuccess. They will do a great job in avery tough league.”

— Continued from page 15Myers’ Retirement

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I N S I D E

MERCERIANTHE ShareYour Latest News!

Alumni Services would like to keep your classmates up to date on yourlatest news. If you’ve recently moved or are planning to relocate, please sendin this form so we can keep our records current. We also want to know ifyou have recently married, had a baby, received a promotion, retired oraccomplished something else noteworthy.

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PLEASE RETURN TO: Office of Alumni Services, Mercer University,1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207 • Fax: (478)301-4124

Or visit our Web site at www.mercer.edu

Winter 2004 • Volume 14, Number 1

www.mercer.edu

1 Mercer’s Legacy Expands Worldwide

2 Swindle Named Atlanta Senior V.P.Mercer Opens Regional Academic Center in Henry County

3 Students Teach Professors in New ProgramPat Conroy Receives Honorary DegreeMercer MBA Grad Develops Mercer VillageMercer Purchases Baptist Center from Georgia Baptist Convention

4 Silver Named Georgia Professor of the YearProfessor Shepherd Receives Prestigious Fulbright AwardMcDuffie Concert Benefits Students

5 Pharmacy School Admissions Getting ToughHall Named for Neva Langley FicklingAwards Presented at Mercer Luncheon at the 2003 Georgia Baptist

Convention

6 Mercer ROTC Cadet Climbing Military RanksMercer Business Students Encounter Antiglobal ProtestsExecutive Forum Features Grace

7 Students Benefit from Internship Program“Give More, Get More” — Mercer’s Gift Annuity ProgramMercer Alumni Online to Launch Soon

8 Teaching Methods Inspire Children to ReadGraduate Program Focuses on Diversity

9 Martray Appointed Education Dean at MercerPT3 Grant Provides Cutting-Edge Technology Training

10 Half Century ClubMercer Madness

11 Mercer Commencement Ceremony Speakers

12 MU Engineering Student Earns Triple HonorsMercer and RAFB Celebrate PartnershipMercer STC Chapter Wins National Awards

13 Mercer Students Help in Research for NASAMercer Attracts Women in EngineeringTiger Trap!

14 Bears Win Championship in Gym’s Last SeasonThree Mercer Coaches Named Best in the A-Sun

15 Myers’ Retirement: A Celebration of Excellence

16 Class Notes