THE TALON

A grip on news in the Huntingdon College family

February 27, 2017

WHAT’S NEW?

More about some of these stories may be found in the News section on the Huntingdon website. 

Happy 163rd birthday to Huntingdon!

The charter for Huntingdon College was granted by Alabama Governor John Winston, February 2, 1854. The cornerstone of the first building in Tuskegee was laid April 9, 1855. The College opened under its first name, Tuskegee Female College, February 11, 1856.

Accounting program soars to the top

The Huntingdon College Accounting program has been recognized by the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy as having the highest percentage CPA passing rate in 2016 among 20 NASBA schools in Alabama, with 71 percent. NASBA is the national organization for Boards of Accountancy, the ultimate guide for CPA exam pass rates. Huntingdon graduates also received the highest average scores on the test among all who took portions of the Alabama CPA exam in 2016. Hawk ’em!

Fundraising steps up for final quarter push

We are in the last three months of the Huntingdon fiscal year, which means fundraising efforts are even more fervent than usual. The Phonathon team, comprised of Ambassadors and selected Greek leaders, will be on the phones again this week, reaching out to alumni who haven’t yet given this year, while others in the Office of College and Alumni Relations will reach out to friends of the College. Donations can be designated to the Huntingdon Fund, arts programs or athletic programs, and are accepted online at https://www.huntingdon.edu/alumni-friends/giving-to-huntingdon/give-now/. Students can contribute to the fundraising momentum by joining the Student Alumni Association for a donation of $10. If you are associated with Huntingdon and haven’t yet given this fiscal year, please consider making a gift by May 31, 2017. Gifts of $1,000 or more earn membership in the Huntingdon Society.

From crown to gavel

Hannah Johnson ’18, our reigning Miss Huntingdon, will trade in her crown to the new Miss Huntingdon on March 11 (7p, Drum), and pick up a gavel on March 13, when she’s sworn in as the president of the Student Government Association. Hannah was elected by the student body last week, along with Bailey Burns ’18 as vice president, Meagan Clausell ’18 as treasurer, and Morgan Clausell ’18 as secretary. Class officers are as follows: Class of 2018 VP, Kendall Causby; Class of 2019 president, Khaki Gaston, vice president, Walker Holmes, secretary, Shannon Lane; Class of 2020 president Virginia Gaston, vp, Jordan Fleming, treasurer, Savannah Gibbs, and secretary, Colleen Collins. Serving in senatorial positions will be: Art: Lorenzo James; Business: Savannah Gibbs and John Lawrence; Chemistry: Luke Boyd and Sam Munce; Comm Studies: Abby Blankenship and Sidney Carol Hall; Commuters: Bennet Brantley and Chip Taylor; History: Joslynn Dill; Language & Lit: Miles Barnhardt; Math: Mikal Webb; Music: Raven Bice; Poli Sci: Justin Law and Dylan Martin; Religion: Jennifer Knox and Chase McKoon; Residential: Autumn Allday; Sport Sciences: Sarah Best and Bayli Morin; Teacher Ed: Raina Lanier and Kasey Savage. Congratulations to our new student leaders!

Promoting Social Excellence

The Leadership Initiative and the Office of Student Life invite students to an engaging presentation by the Social Excellence Project, Friday, March 3, 1–2p in Drum Theater—all are welcome. The presentation discusses achieving meaningful connections with others and why that matters for effective leadership.  Matt Mattson, co-creator of the Social Excellence project and a co-founder of its sister company, Phired Up Productions, will  lead the workshop. Mattson will also present workshops for Greek Life on recruiting and marketing and for SGA leadership separately.

Huntingdon observes Arbor Day

Huntingdon students, led by Tree Campus USA coordinator and biology instructor Gabbie Ehinger and professor of biology Dr. Jim Daniels, planted 16 1-year-old trees on the Green in recognition of Arbor Day, Friday, February 24. The trees were fostered from seedlings obtained during the 2016 Arbor Day celebration. Another 16 larger trees are being planted by Huntingdon grounds staff this spring. Earlier this month, the College was notified it had achieved recognition as a Tree Campus USA for a third consecutive year. #HawksLoveTrees

Band program hosts AISA bands

Thirteen Alabama Independent School Association bands were on campus February 24–25 for the AISBA Band Festival and state honor band, facilitated and led by the Huntingdon band staff. A new band took the Drum Theater stage every 20 minutes on Friday. Saturday’s AISBA Honor Band drew the top 100 instrumentalists from AISA schools across the state, performing in two 50-member bands. Following all of these activities, the Huntingdon Winds presented their winter concert Sunday, February 26.

It’s good to be Greek

Greek Weekend is coming March 16–18, the details of which are forthcoming from the Office of Student Life. In the meantime, the Panhellenic Council (which oversees Huntingdon’s national women’s Greek organizations) is partnering with Good Hope Baptist Church for the GLAM (God’s Love Amazes Me) Project, Saturday, March 4. GLAM provides formal wear to high school girls who could not otherwise afford to attend their prom. Panhellenic will also partner with the CCV to provide professional head shots for Greeks, March 6, International Badge Day. Phi Mu will celebrate its Founders Day March 5.

Let’s get digital

The Library and College archives are working on a project to digitize archival items related to the College and make them available online. The first stage is digitizing  the Bells & Pomegranates yearbook collection. The project is headed by Brenda Kerwin, assistant professor and systems and electronic resources Librarian, and Sharon Tucker, who administers the archives, and assisted by Amber Shirley ’20, library intern.  In determining the best approach for the project, the library has begun with issues of Bells & Pomegranates for the classes honored at each Homecoming. To date, the years 1956, 1965, and 1966 are available online and can be viewed in the state digital library, Alabama Mosaic, at http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/search/collection/huntingdon.

Come see our POD

A new POD (Provisions on Demand), operated by ARAMARK Dining Services, has opened on the Cloverdale Campus at the Weil Center. The POD offers convenience snacks and drinks 7:30a–2p Monday–Friday. Students may spend Flex dollars in this new location, just like at the Coffee House.

Announcements

• Mardi Gras observance:
  •  Stop by Houghton Library to view displays that include vintage Mobile and New Orleans Mardi Gras items, and be sure to drop by on February 28—Fat Tuesday—for beads and Moon Pies.  A slice of trivia (to go with your King cake):  this year is being celebrated as the 100th anniversary of the Moon Pie (and this little pastry will last just about that long!).  For those uninitiated, the Carnival (a.k.a. Mardi Gras) season begins with the Epiphany and ends on the Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent.
• There are several college-to-career seminars and programs coming up (bring your lunch and learn more):
  • Occupational Therapy, Monday, February 27, 11:45a, Stallworth Dining Room; hosted by the Sport Science program
  • Troy University Graduate School Representative, Wednesday, March 1, 10a–2p, on campus in the CCV office; drop by to learn more about Troy grad programs
  • Attorney Panel, Wednesday, March 8, 11:45a to 1p, Stallworth Dining Room; hosted by the Center for Career and Vocation (CCV)
• Applications are being accepted from high school students who are interested in playing for the 2017 Symphonic Honor Band. The application deadline is March 28.
• Applications are being accepted from high school students who are interested in participation in summer academic and vocational programs: Huntingdon Leadership Academy; Huntingdon Health Sciences Academy; and Huntingdon Economic and Community Development Scholars Program. Deadlines posted at March 1 for two of these programs have been extended.
• Dauphin Island Sea Lab offers a wide array of summer courses that can be taken on site this summer through the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium, of which Huntingdon is a member. To learn more, contact Dr. Paul Gier, professor of biology, who has taught in the Dauphin Island program.
• Love to run? HC will re-start the cross country program in fall 2017, and new coach Dan August welcomes participation from interested and devoted runners. Contact him on his cell at (708) 785-4256; office (334) 833-4300; by email at daniel.august@hawks.huntingdon.edu; or stop by his office in Weil 120.
• New tutoring for REL 106 and HIST 112 is available in the Staton Center, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10–11a and 11:30a–1p. Stop in at Jackson Home if you need assistance; see Adam Mann.
• Kyle Lancaster is available to provide tutoring in MATH 154, 155, 255, and 256 and BIOL 101 and 315, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9–11a in the Staton Center. Stop in if you need assistance.
• If you are a member of a United Methodist church, you may apply for a UM Dollars for Scholars award or for a general named endowed scholarship through the church. HURRY—applications and materials must be postmarked by March 1, 2017.
• The Office of Student Life received 22 applications for 4 RA spots and 50 applications for positions as Orientation Leaders. Thank you to all who applied for these vital positions! Announcements about selections should come from the Office of Student Life this week.

Coming Events

• Upcoming In-Service Days: Fridays, March 3 and April 14 (Good Friday).
• The Social Excellence Project, Friday, March 3, 1–2, Drum, all are welcome
• Huntingdon Preview Day, Saturday, March 4, 8:30–11:30a, hosted by the Office of Admission
• Attorney Panel, Wednesday, March 8, 11:45a, Stallworth Dining Room, hosted by the CCV and open to anyone interested in learning more about the law profession
• Miss Huntingdon Scholarship Pageant, Saturday, March 11, 7p, Drum
• Monday, March 13, new SGA Executive Council members take office
• Thursday, March 16, Greek Awards Night
• Friday, March 17, first home Beach Volleyball Tournament/Match EVER, 4p, vs. Stevenson, on the new court constructed at the back of the football practice field (this is the only home tournament of the season, so come out!)
• Friday, March 17, 11:59p, deadline for 2017 graduates to order caps/gowns and invitations online; go to http://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_hc/.
• Huntingdon Harmony Rock Legends concert, Tuesday, March 21, 7p, Chapel, open to all
• Hap Arnold Lecture Series: Leadership in Changing Times; Wednesday, March 22, 6p, Delchamps Recital Hall, Smith, four Air War College students from Maxwell Air Force Base will share personal and professional stories as well as their views on a wide range of military and policy topics, then answer questions in an open forum (open to all)
• SPRING BREAK, March 27–31; offices closed; no classes
• SGA Inauguration Dinner, Wednesday, April 5

Huntingdon Headliners

• DeAndre Beck ’18 earned a sixth-place finish in the NCAA Division III Central Regional Tournament (wrestling) February 25, the highest finish by a Hawk in the program’s three seasons of competition. DeAndre wrestles in the 141-pound weight class.
• Melanie Smith Bolling ’05 and her husband, Kyle, welcomed their third child, Zane William, January 7, 2017. Melanie owns Balancing Budgets, LLC, where she assists in personal, business, and property management and planning.
• Vinson Bradley ’10, who serves as director of the Huntingdon Evening Studies program, also serves as polemarch (president) of the Atmore chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
• Abby Duke ’18 has announced her engagement.
• Mackenzie Garmany ’17 was named to the USA South Conference All-Sportsmanship Team for women’s basketball at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
• Juliette Harp ’17 was named to the USA South Athletic Conference All-Conference women’s basketball team. Juliette averaged a double-double this season, with 15.1 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game, ranking first in the conference in rebounds per game and fifth in points per game. She was also named USA South Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week February 13 for her performance during the week prior, averaging 16.7 points and 14.3 rebounds in three games.
• Courtney Harville ’17 has been admitted to the Master of Science program in Recreation and Sport at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
• A research-based workout authored by Michele Scharff Olson ’86 was published in the February 8 edition of SHAPE magazine. “Pilates-Tabata Mash-up Workout for the Most Intense Burn Ever” brands Michele’s new workout as Tabatalates.
• Jack Thomas, who served as manager of the Huntingdon bookstore from 1981 to 1994, video-taped graduation ceremonies from 1985 through 1994. Last week, he donated the videos to the Huntingdon archives. We thank him for preserving the memories for history and for those who graduated during that timespan.
• Mary Hardin Mitchell Thornton ’91 was selected by the Heart of the Community Foundation, Inc., in Rome, Georgia, and its Board of Governors to be recognized along with eight other honorees at the 31st annual “Affair of the Heart,” February 18, 2017. The award honors the unsung heroes in the community—individuals who have given their time and talents to make the community a better place through their selfless dedication to volunteer and community service.

Sympathy and Prayers

• Emmie Cardwell Bolden ’44 died February 16, 2017, in Birmingham, Alabama. She was 94. Emmie was a member of the Order of the Countess of Huntingdon, the Huntingdon Society, and a recipient of the Huntingdon College Alumni Loyalty Award.  Our sincerest condolences are extended to her husband, Herman Bolden. In 1990 Emmie and Herman were recognized by the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame with its Humanitarian of the Year Award.
• Ruth Rawls Davis ’66 died January 8, 2017. She was an educator and served as superintendent in the Savannah Chatham school system (Georgia). We send our condolences to her family.
• Robert Owen ’66 of Jasper, Georgia, died February 25, 2017. We just received word of Bob’s death and will have more information in the next Talon.

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