Virtually Shorter
August 2007

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Beyond the Blueprints

What began as plans and paperwork in early spring is now the newest building on the Hill. Shorter College officially opened its new student apartment building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 20.

Taking part in the ribbon cutting, were (left to right): Dr. Debra Faust, vice president of student affairs and dean of students; Carrie Fitzsimmons, a Shorter College senior who serves as president of the Student Government Association; the Rev. Allen Hill, director of the Education Commission of the Georgia Baptist Convention; Dr. Nelson L. Price, chairman of the Shorter College Board
of Trustees; Dr. Harold E. Newman, president of Shorter College; Bob English, a Shorter College trustee who served as project manager on the construction project; and Stephanie Owens, the college's vice president of finance and chief financial officer.

During the ceremony, Dr. Newman expressed thanks to all of those involved in completing the construction project. In particular, he expressed gratitude to the Georgia Baptist Convention for its $1.4 million contribution to the cost of the project. The 12,500-square-foot facility provides living space for 46 students, who moved into the student apartment building on Wednesday, Aug. 22.

135th academic year officially begins

After the first day of class, Shorter’s students and faculty joined together on Friday, Aug. 24, for a day of tradition and camaraderie to kick off the academic year. The morning began with the annual Convocation program in the Winthrop-King Centre. Seniors processed in wearing caps and gowns, followed by juniors, sophomores and the newest students on the Hill, the class of 2011. Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher (’82), recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship, was the keynote speaker. To conclude the Convocation program, students were taught Shorter’s new fight song.

Following the ceremony was a procession to the top of the Hill where the freshman class was welcomed through the gates by faculty and staff. A picnic lunch and street fair during the afternoon provided an opportunity for everyone to interact and celebrate a new fall semester. The day concluded with departmental meetings and an ice cream social.

Homecoming/Alumni Weekend will be here soon!

It’s almost time to “Plug In!” to Shorter College during Homecoming and Alumni Weekend on Sept. 28-29. From class reunions to the Hawk Hustle 5K race, from the 50 Years and More breakfast to candlelight campus tours and from the alumni dinner/auction to tailgating before the Hawks’ football game, the last weekend in September will be filled with opportunities for you to “recharge” your Shorter memories as you catch up with friends and reminisce about your college days on the Hill.

Details for these events, reunion parties and campus activities are included in the brochure and registration form available online at Hawkspace. Check out these activities soon because the registration deadline is Sept. 14.

MORE ALUMNI NEWS

Shorter ranked among best colleges in two separate listings

Shorter College has been ranked a “ Best Southeastern College” and a “ Best Value College” as named by the Princeton Review in their 2008 rankings. The Princeton Review’s rankings are based on the results of data received from administrators at colleges and universities across the nation, as well as on answers provided to an 80-question survey given to students at those schools. This marks the fourth year Shorter has been included in the Princeton Review’s best-of lists. The rankings were posted on the Princeton Review’s Web site, www.princetonreview.com , on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

This ranking follows closely Shorter’s inclusion in the U.S. News & World Report 2008 “ America’s Best Colleges” rankings, which placed Shorter College among the South’s top baccalaureate colleges. This marks the seventh consecutive year Shorter has made that list. Shorter College ranked at No. 22 on the list of baccalaureate colleges, a new category that includes institutions that focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs. The liberal arts account for fewer than half of their bachelor’s degrees, and they also offer programs in professional fields such as business and education. Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas topped the category.

To read more about Shorter’s recent rankings, visit http://www.shorter.edu/about/news/2007/2007_08_22_princeton_review.htm .

A fond farewell to Carol Kirby

After seven years as alumni director and many other years of service to her alma mater, Carol Williams Kirby (’68) has left Shorter in order to assume the role of ministry ambassador for the InTouch Foundation, which supports InTouch Ministries. She will be based in Atlanta and is excited to be working in much closer proximity to her family.

Finding a new alumni director will be a priority for Shorter in the coming weeks. In the interim, if you have alumni-related questions, please contact Wanda Taylor at 706-233-7353 or wtaylor@shorter.edu. For questions related to Homecoming and Alumni Weekend, please contact Stephanie Graves at 706-233-7305 or sgraves@shorter.edu.

Trustee’s generosity helps Knight Scholarship Fund to reach $100,000 endowment level

The generosity of a Shorter College trustee and his wife have helped bring the endowment of the William and Mary Ann Knight Performers Scholarship Competition fund at Shorter College to more than $100,000. Col. and Mrs. Harvard Hopkins donated $24,800, which was matched by the Charles and Carol Lamar Fund of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. These totals, combined with previous gifts from the Lamar Fund and others, bring the total endowment to $103,302.

Col. Hopkins is a member of Shorter College’s Board of Trustees. The Hopkins’ two children are both graduates of Shorter College; son Joe Hopkins graduated in 1988 and daughter Katherine “Katie” Hopkins Markham graduated in 1992. Joe is married to Suzanne Branch Hopkins, who is also a 1988 graduate of Shorter.

In making the gift, Col. and Mrs. Hopkins indicated that they wished to honor the Knights for their positive influence on the Hopkins’ son, Joe. The Hopkins praised William Knight in particular for his inspiration of Joe, who now serves as dean of the Samford University School of Performing Arts.

“ Col. and Mrs. Hopkins have been generous supporters of Shorter for many years, and we appreciate their generosity and commitment to the college,” said Shorter College President Harold E. Newman. “This gift to the William and Mary Ann Knight Performers Scholarship Competition fund sets a standard for trustee involvement and is a tangible example of the trustees’ concern for our students.”

In March, the Charles and Carole Lamar Fund of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation made a $25,000 gift toward the endowment of the William and Mary Ann Knight Performers Scholarship Competition. In addition to this gift, the foundation issued a challenge grant, promising to match all additional amounts raised by the college up to $37,500. The Knights both taught piano at Shorter College for more than 40 years. Mr. Knight retired in 2004; Mrs. Knight, still an active member of the music faculty, is in her 42nd year at Shorter.

The gifts will endow future scholarships, which are awarded annually to Shorter College music majors who compete each year in the William and Mary Ann Knight Performers Scholarship Competition, vying for one of two scholarships awarded. There are two rounds of competition with two different panels of judges. The final round, which is open to the public, features finalists in both keyboard and voice; the winners are announced at the end of the evening’s event.

 Library campaign continues to grow

Shorter College President Harold E. Newman announced in late July that a friend of the college has made a $750,000 challenge grant toward the college’s Campaign for Library Excellence. This brings the total of gifts and pledges for the library campaign to more than $2.2 million. “This $750,000 challenge grant is a significant step toward completion of our $4.7 million library campaign, and we are grateful for this friend’s generosity and confidence in Shorter College,” Dr. Newman said.

The gift closely follows a $50,000 pledge from the John and Mary Franklin Foundation and a $10,000 cash gift from the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation of Atlanta, which also were directed to the library campaign.

Shorter’s Campaign for Library Excellence seeks to raise funds for the construction of a new library wing and renovation of existing space. The project will create an additional 18,800 square feet of library space that features expanded space for library holdings; study group meeting rooms; a study café; a special collections room for archival materials; enlarged research centers for music, art, business, Christian studies, language and literature; and a two-story cathedral atrium for study and special events.

Contributions to the Campaign for Library Excellence may be sent to the Shorter College Office of Institutional Advancement, Campus Box 28, 315 Shorter Avenue, Rome, GA 30165. For additional information, call 706-233-7216.

 Coming Soon: Fall arts events

Shorter’s School of the Arts has an impressive 2007-2008 calendar of events. From the chorale to the theatre, and from guest artists to fundraisers and more, events are planned for all Shorter music, theatre and art enthusiasts.

Click here to see the Calendar for the School of the Arts fall calendar, and call Shorter’s box office at (800) 868-6980 ext. 7288 for ticket information and reservations.

SPORTS NEWS

Football ranked by two preseason polls

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2007 NAIA football preseason poll. The Shorter College Hawks received 22 votes to rank 27 th.

Additionally, the Hawks were ranked 22 nd in Victory Sports Network’s preseason football poll.

The Hawks open their third season away at Brevard College on Sept. 1 and play their first home game against LaGrange College at Barron Stadium on Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m.

For ticket information, please call the Shorter College box office at (706) 233-7288.

For a summary of the Hawks’ schedule and roster, visit http://athletics.shorter.edu/sports/football/football.html .

Lattanzi named SSAC interim commissioner

Following the retirement of longtime Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Commissioner Bill Ensley, Shorter’s Director of Athletic Operations Ricci Lattanzi has been named the interim commissioner.

“I look forward to serving in this position for the next few months and possibly on a more permanent basis,” said Lattanzi.

“I am very appreciative of Ricci Lattanzi in his new role, and I am confident of his abilities,” said Dr. Thomas Isherwood, chair of the president’s committee for the SSAC. “The SSAC is undergoing a strategic planning process where his leadership has been vital.”

While interim commissioner, Lattanzi will continue to function as Shorter College's director of athletic operations.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS

For more information on the events below, visit hawkspace.shorter.edu, call the Alumni Office at (800) 868-6980, ext. 7353 or (706) 233-7353 or e-mail sgraves@shorter.edu.

Homecoming & Alumni Weekend
Sept. 28-29

This year's theme is "Plug In," so be sure you get plugged in to all the exciting events happening during the weekend! Registration booklets have been mailed.

Professional Studies Day at Shorter Hawks Football Game
Saturday, Oct. 6

Reunion celebrating 40 years of the Shorter Chorale
Nov. 9-10
Click here for more information.

Alfred E. Shorter Society Dinner
Saturday, Nov. 17

SHORTER ALUMNI BENEFITS

Liberty Mutual: Savings on auto and homeowner’s insurance to Shorter alumni

For a free, no-obligation rate quote, call Beth Blalock at (770) 924-6464 x 206 or e-mail Beth.Blalock@LibertyMutual.com.

"I've switched my homeowner's and automobile insurance to Liberty Mutual. Not only does Shorter receive a portion of my payments, but coupled with the discount for alumni, I've realized an annual savings of more than $1,300. I've also made a new friend in Beth Blalock, who
is Liberty Mutual’s quote representative for Shorter.”
Shorter alumnus Clark Samples (’71)

Shorter College Alumni Association
Platinum Plus MasterCard Credit Card

"The Bank of America credit card is a wonderful tool for alumni to promote Shorter through name recognition. Every time I present the card, a new person sees the Shorter College name, and often asks about the college.
Shorter alumna Patsy Drummond (’62)

Travel Benefits: Savings on resort vacation
condominium rentals for Shorter alumni

To review available locations and dates as well as booking information, visit www.alumnitravelbenefits.com/shorter.asp or call (888) 729-3842. Use Shorter’s code AGA-002.

"We had a wonderful trip to Disney World! The condo through Alumni Travel Benefits was beautiful; it exceeded our expectations in every way!”
Shorter alumna Tina Chapman (’04)

Got news? Maybe a new job or a new baby? Recently married? Share the good news with your friends through class notes in Shorter magazine. E-mail your news to wtaylor@shorter.edu . Be sure to include your full name, class year, e-mail address, mailing address and phone number. Please let fellow alumni know that they can subscribe to Virtually Shorter by visiting Shorter's alumni web community Hawkspace. You also can reach the Alumni Office at (800) 868-6980.

Virtually Shorter is compiled by the Office of Institutional Relations. If you have questions, comments or suggestions for our e-newsletter, e-mail Tracy Batchelor at tbatchelor@shorter.edu.

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