Shorter College celebrating Homecoming this weekend

October 14 - Shorter College will celebrate its Homecoming this weekend with two days full of scheduled events for alumni. Many of the activities are also open to the public, including the Saturday afternoon gridiron clash between the Hawks vs. Kentucky Christian and the Treasure Chest raffle drawing worth more than $6,000.

During the game, Shorter’s Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned, and three Shorter College alumni will be honored with service awards.

This year’s Homecoming Court includes:

o   Freshmen representatives: communications major Daniel Walker from Zebulon, and Rachel Evces, a nursing major, from Cartersville.

o   Sophomore representatives: Seth Selman, a business management and administration major from Rome, and Allison Barnett, a chemistry major from Dalton.

o   Junior representatives: biology major Nolan Smith of Dalton, and Natasha Woodruff, a business administration major from Spartanburg, S.C.

o   Senior representatives: Rockmart resident and marketing major Kyler Smith; biology major Ashleigh Wiseman from Rome; Scott Howard, a Rome resident majoring in accounting; Silver Creek resident and accounting major Hannah Pierson; Martin Hernandez Jr., a Templeton, Calif. resident majoring in business administration; Roswell resident and biology major Sarah Burch; Chris Brown a Lilburn resident majoring in religious studies; Woodstock resident and art major Brittni Dekle; Justin Maxey, a Winder resident majoring in organ performance; Mabelton resident and sport management major Karen Allen; Ward Bearden, a Marietta resident and Christian ministries major; and Reagan O’Brien, a Duluth resident majoring in early childhood education.

Three Shorter College alumni will also be honored during the game. They include 1985 graduate Dr. Derek Neal, 1998 graduate Michelle Stricklin and 1971 graduate Warren Kennedy. Neal will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award. This award recognizes alumni who exhibit outstanding professional achievement, public service, or accomplishment in the arts and sciences. Dr. Neal serves as professor of economics at the University of Chicago. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Shorter in 1985 and earned both his master’s and doctorate in economics from the University of Virginia. Dr. Neal's current research agenda explores the design of education policies. He is now editor of the Journal of Political Economy and is author of more than 20 academic papers in labor economics and the economics of education. He currently serves as president of the Midwest Economics Association.

Stricklin will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award. This award is presented to alumni who have graduated from Shorter during the preceding 15 years and who show promise through their professional achievement, community service, and/or dedication to the college, and who embrace the Shorter College mission. Stricklin earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Shorter in 1998. Stricklin currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Northwest Georgia Credit Union after 14 years of service to the organization, including eight months as interim president and eight years as director of accounting.

Kennedy will receive the Distinguished Service Award. This award is given to alumni who have given outstanding service to the college in leadership, volunteerism, on-campus service, recruiting efforts or financial support. A recipient of two bachelor’s degrees in music and English, Kennedy began a teaching career that spanned 31 years at Cass High School. During those years of teaching chorus, more than 200 of his students were members of the state chorus and two were Governor's Honors students in voice. He was honored at Cass High as the 1985 Star Teacher and the 2002 Teacher of the Year. Kennedy demonstrated a continuing support for Shorter by becoming an adjunct instructor in the fall of 2006. During the past three years on the Hill, he has supervised the student teachers program in music, taught music education classes, and served as a vocal skills coach and accompanist for voice majors. All three recipients will be honored during halftime.

Sponsored by the Shorter College Alumni Association, the Treasure Chest raffle is designed to raise money for student scholarships. Prizes included in the raffle include two round-trip tickets on AirTran Airlines, four 45-yard-line tickets to see the Atlanta Falcons play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two NAIA championship football game tickets, $350 cash, an 8-by-10-foot Oriental rug and autographed sports memorabilia, including a baseball signed by Tom Glavine on his last day as an Atlanta Brave.

The raffle drawing will be held during the Shorter Hawks homecoming game on Oct. 17 at the end of the third quarter. Ticket holders do not have to be present to win.

Tickets are $20 each or six for $100 and can be purchased online at hawkspace.shorter.edu or by calling 706-233-7288. Tickets are also available at the Eubanks Welcome Center on the Shorter College campus.

Kickoff for Saturday’s Shorter College Hawks vs. Kentucky Christian Knights homecoming game is 1 p.m. at Barron Stadium. To purchase tickets, call the Shorter College box office at 706-233-7288.

Founded in 1873, Shorter College is a Christian college committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges. The college offers bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas, master’s level and undergraduate degree programs for working adults, online courses, and a vibrant intercollegiate athletic program. Shorter will transition to university status June 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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